NNWFHS JOURNAL January 2010

NNWFHS event at Over Whitacre, 25th October. More pictures inside. NUNEATON AND NORTH WARWICKSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY JOURNAL www.nnwfhs.org.uk January 2010 Price £2 (first copy free to members) i

NNWFHS JOURNAL January 2010

Contents The opinions expressed in articles in the Journal are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the Editorial and book review – Tracing your Criminal Ancestors views of the editor or of NNWFHS. Page 2 Chairman’s report Page 3 Joseph Elkington – A Practical Genius of the Agricultural Revolution Page 4 Copyright notice. From Drains to Silver Page 5 The Wroth Silver Ceremony Page 6 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, National Registration Records 1939 Page 7 recorded or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Nuneaton & North Speight Family: Photographers – two new books Page 7 Warwickshire Family History Society. North Warwickshire Pages – People of Atherstone & Photographic History of Baxterley book Page 8 Personal data. Non-Conformists Part 1 Page 9 Society of Genealogists 100 Years Page 11 The Society holds personal data on our members – identity and contact details provided on application and renewal forms. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 we can hold sufficient Which software is best for family history? Page 12 data to run the Society, but no more. The data must also be accurate, kept up to date and To compute – or not to compute Page 13 not held for longer than necessary. First Warwickshire Miner’s Trade Union 1872-80 Page 14 Newspaper collection saved Page 14 To comply with the Act we will hold documents supporting current membership. This will usually be the last completed application or renewal form. Earlier documentation will be Changes to services at the National Archives Page 15 destroyed. In the event of a member not renewing by the due date, previous documents will Nuneaton Register Office – update Page 15 be held for a further four months in case of late renewal. Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery Page 15 Trawled from the Net & computer related stuff Page 16 For ease of administration, an up to date copy of your personal data will be held on an electronic database with your consent. It will be assumed that you agree to this unless you Sixth Troop Warwickshire Yeomanry 1852-68 Page 17 tell us otherwise. If you do not agree to us holding such data electronically please contact Pickards Pink Pages Page 18 the Membership Secretary. Data held electronically will be subject to the same retention Attleborough Magic Page 19 policy as clerical data. Rambles Roundabout – Nuneaton Church - by Alfred L Scrivener Page 20 ii Over Whitacre Family & Local History Day Page 24 Society Publications Page 25

NNWFHS JOURNAL January 2010

Editorial

This issue we have moved to a different printer to see if we can get a better quality product than is available by photocopying. Let me know what you think.

A new year dawns and it is time for new year resolutions. Make yours to back up the data on your computer. Think of all the hours spent inputting and scanning. If you lost all that you would not be best pleased, and the prospect of doing it all again (even if you can) would be daunting. External USB hard drives are cheap and simple to use. Many come with backup software pre-loaded. Most can be programmed to do the backup automatically at whatever time you specify. I back up data files three times a week to a USB drive (as it only backs up what has changed it takes less than a minute), and a full system back up (including a system image) to a different hard drive once a week. Paranoid? Definitely not. A back up has saved us from a sticky situation more than once. Don’t be caught out – back up now! JAP

Book Review: Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors by Stephen Wade

Published by Pen & Sword Books £12.99 ISBN 184884057-8

Most of these types of books do exactly what it says on the tin, but are – well – a bit boring. This book is different. As you would expect it contains comprehensive details of the records available and where to find them, but goes much further. There is a section on the history of the criminal justice system which is interesting in its own right (and very readable) and also extensive examples. Not heard of the Leeds ‘dripping’ riots? A cook to a distinguished Leeds worthy was in the habit, after cooking her employer’s roast, of taking the dripping home for her own use. She regarded it as a ‘perk’ of the job. Her employer regarded it as theft. The trial was held in camera with the Mayor of Leeds presiding and she was found guilty of the theft of 2lbs of dripping and given a month in Jail. The underclass of Leeds sensed injustice and riots ensued even to the extent that the military were called in to keep order! It is the wealth of colourful examples like this that lift this book out of the realms of useful but pedestrian and make it an entertaining read. No criminal ancestors in your family? This book may make you think again. Consider suicide: a criminal offence. Succeed and your punishment was burial in unconsecrated ground. Fail and you faced a criminal prosecution. A no-win situation. Then there was bigamy. If you fell out with your spouse divorce was not an option for us plebs. Many couples that separated ended up with another partner and often married them. If found out you were prosecuted, but in the days before the Welfare State and centralised records many lived their bigamous lives undetected – until that is we family historians started delving. If you know you have criminal ancestors this book is invaluable. If you don’t it is still a damned good read! www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

Journal submissions.

Contributions to the Journal are welcome. These can be of any length, (but if you submit something the size of ‘War and Peace’ the editor reserves the right to trim it a bit). Also any hints or tips you have picked up in your researches – let others benefit from your experience. Pictures to accompany articles are always welcome. If possible these should be scanned at 300dpi. If dpi means nothing to you, don’t worry, just scan it and send it in.

Copyright of pictures. Copyright pictures cannot be used without permission. Family pictures and old postcards are usually OK. Material taken from someone’s website is usually not OK unless you have permission to use it. If in doubt ask me.

Journal policy.

We are a family history society. We are not just interested in tracing our ancestors, but want to know about them and their lives. What church they went to (or were they heathens). Where they lived and under what sort of conditions. Where they worked, what they did and where they drank. As such the Journal will contain material of a historical and social nature as well as that relating directly to our ancestors.

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Chairman’s report and our exciting new web site has It came as a bit of a surprise to be now become a portal to many invited by consultants working for ways you can take your Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough researches forward. The Council to be interviewed in dedication of many of our respect of where the Museum is members is truly remarkable. I going wrong. Pat Boucher on know how much individual behalf of the NNWFHS, and I members help others outside their attended on behalf of The own researches as well. In Nuneaton Civic Society. We duly addition to a Society we have answered the consultants’ created a bond of good fellowship questions and now await the result and friendship which stretches I have been critical of Nuneaton of our representations. across the globe. Museum and Art Gallery recently. I was involved in their setting up The argument was put forward We intend to deliver on our local their original local history displays that the Museum is strapped for history joint venture and add more years ago but since then they cash, but it was revealed that they context to the bare bones of your have not been changed and they employ four full time staff, and four family trees in the years to come. now appear tired and dated. I have assistants. (this excludes repair always said that a good museum people or routine building If Nuneaton Museum needs our should be the first place anyone maintenance staff). Yet compare help we will give it, as we are keen starting down the journey of local that with what our Society does to promote it as a venue for your history can go to be pointed in the where our committee and helpers excursions to Nuneaton. Also they direction of the next steps in the are entirely unpaid volunteers and do have a very nice privately run journey of discovery. do it for love and passion for the café! cause. The only income In many ways the NNWFHS is the stream the Society has is your Anyway I wish you all the very focal point for anyone re- membership, publications, and the best for 2010 and hope you all discovering their roots in the North library meetings and we have make those elusive breakthroughs of the County, and now myself and had a small sum from local so desperately sought. Beryl Kerby, President of the voluntary support funds. Yet year Nuneaton Civic Society, have on year we deliver new Peter Lee. started a local history group publications, new research I expect in due course we can projects, indexing, checking, cover most aspects of research processing raw data. Our in Nuneaton at least. membership increases annually

I have a file full of old pictures of Nuneaton folk on some outing or other, or gathered together enjoying themselves at an unknown event. The photo above was taken at Mancetter Manor sometime in the 30’s. I know the old man on the extreme left, he was Bob Swinnerton. So chances are this is a party of Nuneatonians. But who are they and what was the occasion?

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Joseph Elkington resulting in several hundred sheep of Draining Land According to the being lost due to foot rot. This System Practiced by Mr Joseph “A Practical Genius” of the prompted Joseph to see if he Elkington. Agricultural Revolution could drain the land. A ditch was excavated to a depth of four to five Due to his good fortune, and By Sandra Noon feet at the point where it seemed according to The Times 1936 that the water was rising from the Joseph acquired substantial When I began my research I never base of a bank which consisted of assets including Hey House, thought that I would be able to go gravel and sand and flowed out Madeley Staffordshire where he back as far as I have, let alone find over and was retained by the clay spent his remaining years, and someone famous. soil of the field. The drainage passed away at the age of 66, he was buried in October 1806 in This story began with a photo of ditch, however, did not work Madeley. Leaving his farm in my maternal great grandmother, initially, so when Joseph saw a Princethorpe to be run by his son Charlotte Jane Ashby, and my farm labourer passing by with a John. grandfather’s birth certificate, crowbar he decided to borrow it, which confirmed that her maiden and thrust it in to the ground at the name was Webb. base of the ditch. The water instantly rushed to the surface Further research, and contact with and flowed away down the a Webb through Ancestry.co.uk, trench. Whether he knew this revealed Charlotte’s mother was would happen or was accidental Emma Catherine Basset is unknown. Elkington, and that Charlotte was born in Birmingham, which led me After working on neighbouring to discover that Emma is the great farms Joseph’s work came to granddaughter of Joseph the attention of the board of th Elkington, who was a land Agriculture, and on June 10 drainage pioneer. 1795 he was awarded a grant of £1,000 and a gold ring. The Joseph was born in 1739, one of promise of the money was to four children born to Joseph persuade Joseph to travel round Elkington and Mary Gallimore, teaching his principles of land and baptised on January 9th 1740 drainage to other farmers and at All Saints Church, Stretton-on- land owners. Dunsmore, which was not far from the farm in Princethorpe where his There is evidence in a document parents lived and worked. written by William Pitt, that Joseph was working at Fishwick Park near His mother unfortunately passed Lichfield, where he worked along away in June 1750, when Joseph side Capability Brown, and an was only 12, followed eight years agricultural report written by Dr later by his father in May 1758. At Daniel Stephen’s stated that the tender age of 20 Joseph Joseph also worked for the Duke continued to work the farm under of Bedford in four places, one of the guidance of his uncles Thomas which was Woburn Park. and William. Joseph’s method has been used On December 19th 1760 Joseph as far as Scotland, and his work married Sarah Webb by marriage also includes draining stone bond and a reception was held for quarries, and securing water them in Sarah’s hometown of supplies for mills in Staffordshire. Leamington Hastings on the 26th December 1760. The Board of Agriculture commissioned John Johnstone to However because their father travel round with Joseph, and write Above and overleaf: title passed away without making a will a lengthy report, which was first page and diagrams from Joseph and his brother Thomas published in 1797, which was An Account of the Mode did not inherit the farm till 1763. printed in book form, and reached of Draining Land 5 editions, a copy of which can be According to the system The land on which the farm stood accessed on the internet today, it practiced by Mr Joseph was prone to water logging is entitled An Account of the Mode Elkington.

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It was later reported by Professor Hugh Torrens in ‘The New Oxford Dictionary of National Biography’, that the award of £1,000 was not given to Joseph at the time, and was still withheld in 1800, because not all his work was successful. He also believed that the 500-acre estate in Madeley was leased for Joseph instead of being given the £1,000 promised.

Joseph was described by his son, my 4x great grandfather James as “the practical genius of the family”. In Stretton-on-Dunsmore were Joseph was baptised, a monument was erected by the County Agriculture Committee in 1965 in memory of Joseph, his wife Sarah and their eleven children. One can only imagine why it took 59 From drains years after his death. The local to silver history society has also written a book and celebrated his life and Many of you will work with a bicentenary in 2006, to remember the late which a descendant living in lamented Museum of America was invited. Science and Industry in Newhall Street Research has been also been Birmingham. The carried out to locate the field building was actually known as Long Harol Pits, were the former factory of the discovery was made, and they Above: Information board erected by Stretton on Dunsmore History Society. one of the city’s longest think that the field lies on the left of established silverware companies the B4453 running from Joseph Elkington’s monument in Stretton which made everything from Princethorpe to Rugby; however Churchyard. cutlery to Wimbledon tennis looking at the terrain on Google trophies. The company was maps I feel it lies on the B4455 out Both pictures © Stretton History Society and Elkington’s, set up by George of Princethorpe, just before are reproduced with their permission. See Richard Elkington and his brother Stretton-on-Dunsmore. The also their informative website at Henry in the 1840s. They had terrain is rough and there are farm www.stretton-on-dunsmore-history.org.uk developed a new technique building to the right as described in called electro-plating, but having John Johnstone’s report, and on many of our ancestors are little experience in industry they closer inspection there also forgotten as if they never existed, went to Josiah Mason, the appears to be evidence of a it is good to see that at least one manufacturing genius for his drainage system. of my ancestors has not been, and support in developing a company his pioneering work was It just goes to show you never around the new process. recognised not just by his know what you might find. So neighbours but the whole nation.

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Previously silver plating had been de Cnuchlelawa’ (AD 1170), this 1170 and it may have been that a difficult and time consuming subsequently being recorded in the prospect of catching a wild bull process involving sheets of silver. King John’s time as the Hundred would not have been such a With electroplating a layer of silver of Chintelow with various versions strange option if you could not could be deposited onto base appearing through later reigns e.g. raise the amount required for your metal easily and (relatively) Kniftelawe, Knytelawa and village. Your only other choice cheaply. As it was an electro- Knythlawe. During the reign of would have been to pay one chemical process (the object to be King Charles I the Hundred was hundred pence for every penny plated being immersed in a granted to Francis Leigh, Knight owing which one would think chemical bath) it readily lent itself and Baronet, his heirs and assigns would have been a far greater to plating intricate shapes. The for ever. Privileges included the challenge. Company was hugely successful ‘head silver and Wroth monies’. bringing affordable silver to the Obviously the act of paying these aspiring middle classes. Look in Over the centuries these privileges dues is no longer a vital part of your have been passed from Sir either the Duke’s income or the Cutlery drawer – you may well Francis Leigh of Stoneleigh Abbey village’s economy but the fact that have something with the Elkington through his son and then through this ceremony takes place each stamp. the female line with his grand year forming an unbroken tradition daughter inheriting from her father has to be applauded. It can be George Richard Elkington and and marrying the Earl of pretty nippy at the top of Knightlow Henry Elkington were the Southampton. Their daughter Hill in November and the reward grandsons of Joseph Elkington Elizabeth married Ralph Montagu for getting up early and taking part the drainage pioneer. of Boughton, Northamptonshire is a breakfast at a nearby hostelry, and their great grand daughter with the Queen’s Head in Bretford Other branches of the Elkington married the 3rd Duke of Buccleuch being the one currently used, family moved to the New World with this line being unbroken with which includes warm milk with rum and by all accounts seem to have the 10th Duke being the current in it, full English, toast, juice and a been successful. recipient of the dues. dish of tobacco to smoke (outdoors since the smoking ban) Clearly a multi-talented family. The Wroth Silver is collected at a in your clay pipe. The inclusion of ceremony which takes place clay pipes has been a more ---ooOoo--- before sunrising on 11th modern addition to the November (usually 6.45 am). This proceedings with a full length The Wroth Silver Ceremony of is actually St Martinmas but any Churchwarden being used. The Knightlow Hundred time until it got light was cost of producing these clay pipes By Chris Warburton considered as the eve. The has become prohibitive so the money is collected in a hollow smaller version is provided and Can anyone tell me where I can stone situated at the highest point makes an unusual souvenir of the find a white bull with a red nose in the Hundred at Knightlow Hill, event which is attended by the and red ears? Why am I asking? alongside the A45 at Stretton. The Duke of Buccleuch’s agent, the Well, if you live within the villages required to pay dues are Mayor of Rugby, Richard Eadon Knightlow Hundred and are unable Arley, Astley, Birdingbury, Bourton and David Waddilove who have to pay your rent for any reason the and Draycote, Bramcote, been instrumental in keeping this forfeit which can be claimed by the Bubbenhall, Churchover, Harbury, ancient ceremony alive for the last Duke of Buccleuch is one such Hillmorton, Hopsford, Ladbrooke, five or six decades. animal. It is understood they used Leamington Hastings, Lillington, to roam wild across much of Little Walton, Long Itchington, Anyone is welcome to attend the Britain and became extinct many Napton, Princethorpe, Radford ceremony on Knightlow Hill but the years ago. The closest we can get Semele, Shilton and Barnacle, breakfast is by ticket only with to finding such animals nowadays Stretton on Dunsmore, Toft, these being available from the is in the Chillingham Herd in Weston under Wetherley, Whitley, Queen’s Head two to three weeks Northumberland which, although Woolscott, Wolston and Marston beforehand. If you would like to now creamy white all over, used to with one half penny being the be part of an ancient tradition why sport red or brownish points, i.e. lowest due and eleven pence not put the date in your diary and tips to their ears and nose. halfpenny the highest. Bearing in come and join us in a cold, wet mind that it is thought these dues field, in the dark on 11th When this forfeit was first have remained the same November 2010. introduced the monies were throughout this period the total of payable to the crown with Henry II 46p, which seems ludicrous in ---ooOoo--- being the first monarch to have the today’s money driven world, would Hundred recorded as ‘Sipesocha have been a massive amount in 6

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National Registration Edward Hall Speight and his Records 1939 Family - Rugby’s

Researching recent family history Photographers. is often more difficult than tracing pre 1911 ancestors because of the dearth of available records. The 1921 census will not be available until 2022. The 1931 census was destroyed by fire and the 1941 census did not happen because of the war. There was however an emergency National Registration (a bit like a census) in 1939 at the beginning of the war. These records are not currently available.

Guy Etchels, a family historian, has appealed to the Information Mr Etchels is no stranger to Commissioner under the Freedom challenging authority for access to of Information Act for access to records. It is largely through him By John Frearson that we obtained early release of these records. So far the ISBN: 978-0-9563350-0-5 commissioner has directed the the 1911 census. NHS Information Centre (which Price per copy: £45.00 or - direct See the full story on the BBC holds the records) to allow access from the publisher - at £40, to a record which relates to a website deceased person. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/maga including UK postage. zine/8363341.stm Whether this ‘opens the The Speights of Rugby - floodgates’ to publication of and ---ooOoo--- easy access to the data remains to Photographers be seen. By John Frearson Two new books The National Registration enumeration, carried out on the The Speight Family – Local night of Friday 29 September Photographers 1939, led to the issue of about 46 million identity cards for citizens As many of you may know, the following month. Households Edward Hall Speight's son, Clare were asked to provide information Speight, was a well established about the names, ages, sex, photographer in Nuneaton from marital situation and jobs of those about 1893 until about 1926. He ISBN: 978-0-9563350-1-2 living there. then returned to Rugby to run the Speight studio there. He was a Price per copy: £6.99 – or direct During the war, and until 1952, prolific producer of postcards - from the publisher at £5.50, every civilian had to carry their with a series of 40 featuring card as proof of identity and George Eliot and Nuneaton. There including UK postage. address. (I still have mine! Ed.) is a Chapter on his work in the The registration was also used as booklet. John Frearson, the the basis for the issue of ration author, is still researching the For more details on these two new books for food and clothing. Speight family and would love to publications or to order copies These records would prove hear from anyone who has please go to our website or directly invaluable to family historians examples of his photographic to that of the author - trying to research the war years work. http://johnphfrearson.host22.com/J when normal lives were turned ohnFrearsonWebSite/Speight- upside-down and families may Publications.html have become fractured and separated.

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The North Warwickshire Pages

Events draper. She was one of the first New Book In November 2009 The Friends of women to be allowed to take a Atherstone Heritage held their degree at Aberysthwyth College. third exhibition as part of their joint She went on to become a teacher Coming soon – project with the Volunteer Centre, and in1907 took up a post at North Warwickshire funded by the Manchester University. She died A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY of BAXTERLEY. National Lottery celebrating a 100 in 1968 at the age of 102. years of Atherstone’s history. Also there was research It was opened by local celebrity, undertaken by the late Stafford Kay Alexander on 6th November. Reece, formerly Atherstone Town The opening was also attended by Clerk, into all the men from the Mayors and Mayoresses of Atherstone who were killed in the North Warwickshire and two World Wars, including Atherstone. The subject of this photographs, fittingly as the latest exhibition was “People of exhibition was on until 15th Atherstone”. November which of course included Armistice Day.

This book contains 114 pages, 165 photographs and 22 pages of research, maps and drawings. It covers not just Baxterley but also some surrounding villages including Baddesley Ensor, Bentley, Grendon, Over Whitacre and others.

The book should be available in

the new year. I will give you an update in the next Journal- Kay looks at the booklet printed for Kay Alexander the exhibition. It included famous sports personalities such as current European Tour Golfers, Paul Broadhurst and Steve Webster, artists Charles Wills and Mary Fox. Some of their original artwork was on display. There was also the fascinating story of a remarkable lady called Phoebe Sheavyn She was born in Atherstone in 1865 and was the daughter of a local Baxterley Church

One of the photographs at the exhibition was of the marriage of Sir George Chetwynd of Grendon Hall to the Marchioness of Hastings.

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Non-conformists – Part situated in one of the yards off Coleshill Road. This chapel is One Market Place. The first chapel there and still holding services was built on a piece of land at the although it is now known as Trinity By Celia Parton top of the Coach and Horses Yard, Church. Their registers are still in Long Street (what is now the held at the Chapel. You have all probably spent time Woolpack Way car park), and was trawling through Parish Registers opened in 1792. They moved Atherstone also had connections looking for a baptism or marriage again and in 1827 a new chapel with the Presbyterians dating right th for your ancestors without finding was opened in North Street. back to the 17 century and anything. The usual reason for Obadiah Grew, born on 1607 and this is that your ancestors may In 1852, following a difference of later master of Atherstone have been chapel goers rather opinion, a rival group built a chapel Grammar School. Little is recorded than church goers i.e. they were on the corner of South Street and in the records until 1728 when a non-conformists. One of the Coleshill Street. The rival group Presbyterian Meeting house was earliest to be founded was the never received the support they registered at the Quarter Society of Friends or Quakers, as were hoping for and so this closed Sessions. It was said to have been they were known, founded in 1877. The two churches were built in 1725, by 1750 it was the sometime in the mid 17th century reunited and the chapel in South only Presbyterian congregation in by George Fox from nearby Fenny Street became a grain warehouse. the area, but that declined and it Drayton, formerly known as The building is still there and has later became a Unitarian Chapel Drayton-in-the-Clay. The been used as many different was also later closed. The Methodists were founded by John things over the years. It is now Unitarian Chapel was built to the Wesley and his first Chapel was in used for community projects. The north of Long Street between Bristol and opened in 1739. But it North Street Chapel closed in the Church Street and Hatton’s Hat was in the 19th century when the 1983 and has now been converted Factory and the remains can still various different non-conformists into private flats. The records for be seen today. Warwick CRO has religions really thrived. These the Independant Chapel, as it later Presbyterian records from 1765 to alternatives to the Anglican became know, are held at 1794. Transcribed versions also Church were very popular all over Warwick County Record Office. available on Pickards Pink Pages. the country and north Transcribed baptisms 1796-1837 Warwickshire was no exception. I are now on Pickards Pink Pages have been doing a little research (see page 18). into the history of some of the chapels in north Warwickshire.

The remains of the Unitarian Chapel Three chapels in the area were founded by a man called John Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Coleshill Dagley. He was born in Hartshill in Road (now Trinity Church). 1766 and he was an ordinary The Methodists connection with working man. At first he attended Atherstone dates from the 1830s his local parish church in Ansley, Congregational chapel North Street (they celebrated their centenary in but by 1786 having been (now converted to flats). 1936). The first meetings were influenced by other preachers he held in Thomas’s Buildings in became dissatisfied and found that Atherstone’s links with the South Street. According to a town although uneducated and not Congregational Church were first directory in 1872 the Chapel was ordained, he was able to preach to th established at the end of the 18 then in Long Street. In 1884 the other working men and make them century. At first meetings were foundation stone was laid for the understand the importance of held in a room of a private house Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in living a good life. He spoke to

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them in their own language and worked hard for six days getting The first Top chapel was built by with the same local accent, so the coal but on the seventh day the Quakers in 1722 and may they listened to him whereas they they spent most of their hard- have been rebuilt at a later date. paid no attention to the more earned money drinking and The Quaker movement thrived academic preachers, with their gambling on cock-fights and such. through the 18th century but Latin and Greek who came from Their wives and children were started to decline in the 19th the big cities to preach. He soon suffering because of this. Dagley century and by 1836 had had a group of followers and at travelled to Baddesley to preach to disappeared and the Meeting first they met in private houses. the miners and show them the House was taken over by the Dagley was eventually ordained in error of their ways. He first held Wesleyan Methodists as a Sunday 1804.Then in 1808 funds were open air meetings on Baddesley school at first and later a chapel. raised and a new Chapel was Common and his preaching was The Meeting House and the plot of built. It was situated in the area he successful. The men listened to land surrounding it was eventually was born and raised, close to the him and were converted. He soon purchased by the Wesleyans and border with Stockingford. The had a following and at first their a new chapel built on the site in extended area around the Chapel meetings were held in a cottage in 1897; it was connected to the became known as Chapel End. the village. Then Dagley started former meeting house by a The records for Chapel End fund raising again and in 1864 a connecting door. This chapel Congregational Church as it later new Congregational chapel was continued to flourish through the became known are held at built on Keys Hill in Baddesley. first half of the 20th century but by Warwick CRO. the 1990s numbers had waned There was also a second chapel and the two chapels merged. The The Quakers had had a meeting in Baddesley. This was built at the Methodist Chapel was sold to a house in Hartshill since the 17th top of Keys Hill and was known to private buyer and the century but numbers had waned villagers as the “Top Chapel” and Congregational Chapel became th and it closed. However, in the 19 the Congregational chapel which the United Reform Church. This century interest revived and it was was halfway down Keys Hill was continued right up until June of this re-opened in 1869. known as the “Bottom Chapel”. year went it closed its doors for the last time. Numbers had declined The Methodists also came to and when two of their most Hartshill and a small Chapel was stalwart members, Roy and built just down the road from Margaret Scott both died earlier in Dagley’s independent Chapel in the year the decision to close was 1830. Their congregations made. The chapel is now up for increased and in 1836 a new sale. There is also a Methodist chapel was built about a mile away The “Top Chapel” chapel just over the border in in Grange Road, Hartshill. All this Grendon, at the bottom of Boot was before Hartshill had its own Hill, and here services are still parish church. This was because held. Hartshill, along with Atherstone had been part of the large parish The third chapel which Dagley of Mancetter and Mancetter helped to found was parish of church was the mother church, but Ansley in 1823. He also had eventually Hartshill broke away regular preaching commitments at and became a parish in its own Coleshill but did not recommend right and the parish church was the building of a chapel here as he completed and consecrated in felt he already had enough 1848. commitments with Chapel End, Baddesley and Ansley. However In 1798 Dagley turned his a chapel was built here in 1835 attention to Baddesley Ensor. The “Bottom Chapel” and eventually merged with the There was much poverty among Methodist chapel in 1970 when the miners there. The miners this chapel closed.

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John Dagley died in 1840 at the 10th August “The forgotten great 1962 AJC was appointed Director age of 73 and later that year the strike by dockers and railway of Research at the Society at the newly rebuilt chapel was opened. workers began; and on the 17th age of 25. SoG reached 1,500 August the Nuneaton members In the next issue I will look at the Railwaymen’s strike started, history of more non-conformists troops were used later at Abbey 1963 and 1974 AJC produced the chapels in north Warwickshire. Street. compilation of Wills and their Whereabouts Sources used The History of SoG origins Atherstone –Watts and Winyard 1964 AJC wrote Tracing Your Founded in 1911, after a faltering Ancestors John Dagley of Chapel End by start, eventually established in Gordon Chilvers Malet Place, Bloomsbury, London. 1968 He played a leading part in In 1954, 37 Harrington Gardens, the foundation of the Association ---ooOoo--- South Kensington, was purchased. of Genealogists and Record

The constant growth of the library Agents The Society of and increasingly cramped building 1976-92 AJC produced the Index Genealogists (SoG) forced the Society to sell this site 100 years and still going strong to Wills proved in the and in July 1984 to move to 14 By Alan F Cook Prerogative Court of Canterbury Charterhouse Buildings 1750-1800 (6 vols) and If the year 2010 goes as fast as (constructed in 1968 for storing administrations for the same 2009, then I am just about in rolls of silk), in Clerkenwell. Under period (some 2,330 pages in 8 time to write this as a reminder the charismatic and talented volumes) to us all, 2010 is year for Anthony J Camp, the society NNWFHS to re-awaken embarked on a new trajectory for awareness of the 1911 SoG 1978 He then wrote Everyone inspirational mission statement: any society. METEORIC Has Roots “SoG is a UK-based educational GROWTH! It becomes difficult to charity, founded in 1911 to separate the Society from Anthony 1978 AJC sat on committees and "promote, encourage and foster Camp’s committed and astounding campaigns to preserve and gain the study, science and achievements. access to records Parochial knowledge of genealogy" Registers and Records Measure The Society is a registered charity SoG achievements against fees in county record (No. 233701) and a company offices limited by guarantee (No.115703). 1913 In its earliest days it was instrumental in preventing the The Census – a catalyst 1979 AJC Director (and Company destruction of original returns from Secretary) Following the influence of Malthus the 1911 Census and concerns stemming from his 1979-97 AJC Convener of the 1925 Education has long been an “An Essay On The Principle Of British Genealogical Record Users important part of the Society’s Population” the UK census as we Committee work. SoG published an academic know it today started in 1801. This journal ‘The Genealogist’ with a 1981 He lectured widely in the was championed by John Rickman range of articles on all aspects of British Isles and overseas, who managed the first four up to genealogy speaking at the early Conferences 1831, partly to ascertain the in the States initiated by the number of men able to fight in the 1961 Anthony J Camp (AJC) was National Genealogical Society Napoleonic wars. 1911 was the encouraged by the late Sir year of the 12th census, and a Anthony Wagner to become a 1982 He was elected President of fitting time to take stock of the research assistant at the Society the Hertfordshire Family History bewildering demographic changes of Genealogists in 1957 and in Society afoot in Great Britain. Nuneaton’s 1961 he organised its 50th population was in excess of anniversary exhibition 'The 1982 AJC became an Honorary 37,000; King Edward potatoes ancestry of the common man' Fellow of the Society of were introduced to Britain. On the Genealogists (the first elected)

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1984 Then became a Freeman of services to the Society of The Business Index: This new the City of London Genealogists. The SoG peaked at project is an index to British 14,000 members! shopkeepers, businessmen and 1984 AJC received the Award of women and their companies. The Merit of the National Genealogical 2000 Prince Michael of Kent primary source material is a series Society Award founded. Family Records of books published in the 1890s by Centre received first award the Brighton firm of Robinson, Son 1984-98 He regularly wrote 'Diary and Pike which later became W T of a Genealogist' in Family Tree 2004 ABM Publishing Ltd received Pike. Magazine the award St Andrew Holborn: marriage 1986 He lectured at the 2006 Genealogical Society of Utah records index Australasian Congress, Canberra received the award Civil Service Evidences of Age: 1987 My ancestor was a migrant 2007 FreeBMD received the index conversion award 1988 My ancestors came with Great Western Railway the Conqueror 2009 over 11,700 members shareholders index 1835-1935 1989 He was elected a Fellow of Library Canterbury Peculiars: marriage the Utah Genealogical Association The SoG has the foremost licence index 1989-2006 AJC undertook 10 collection in the British Isles of Settlement Examination Books for study tours to the Family History family histories, civil registration St Martin in the Fields; period Library in Salt Lake City and census material, and the 1708-1795 and 1816-1827 widest collection of County 1990 He lectured at the Sources in the country (over Vicar-General Marriage Licence Sesquicentennial Conference, 9,000). Boyd's Marriage Index Index Auckland covers some 2,600 parish registers with nearly seven million Faculty Office Marriage Licence 1991 Followed by the First Irish names: a general Card Index Index Genealogical Conference, Dublin contains some three million ---ooOoo--- 1993 First Steps in Family references History Activities Which software is best for 1993 He initiated the highly family history? The emphasis is on British, British successful series of national Empire and Commonwealth Pose that question to any family Family History Fairs in London sources but there is something for historian and they will recommend 1991-2003 He was a Trustee of most countries world-wide. the software that they use. Why? the Marc Fitch Fund and founder Because they use it, and are Prince Michael of Kent Award member of the Friends of the familiar with it – for them it is “the National Archives The society's patron is Prince best”. Michael of Kent, after whom the 1997 AJC became an Honorary But what if you do not already use Society has named a prestigious Member of the Society of a family history program, or you award (created in 2000), granted Australian Genealogists use one that is no longer periodically to a person or supported and probably won’t organisation which has made an 1998-2000 AJC the President of function with Windows Vista let outstanding contribution to the Federation of Family History alone Windows 7? The best genealogy. Societies advice is to spend a few pounds for a “demo and shareware” CD. 1999 Anthony J Camp MBE. Ongoing society projects Membership of the Most Excellent Coleman’s catalogue and index One such is available from S&N Order of the British Empire for (www.GenealogySupplies.com)

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NNWFHS JOURNAL January 2010 who are the people behind the GEDCOM compliant) without Then there are the censuses. online data website having to re-input all the data (a Yes, some libraries and TheGenealogist. For £5 you get a big consideration if your tree has repositories do still have bound CD with demos and trial versions several thousand people dangling ledgers of paper copies for local of RootsMagic, Family Historian, from it). Don’t forget that there are areas. As these become worn, or Legacy and Custodian, along with many free Family History local decisions are taken in favour the shareware programs Brother’s programmes out there. Search for of “non-paper sources”, they are Keeper, Genbox, Kith& Kin, ‘family history genealogy freeware’ disappearing from the shelves. Treedraw and WinGenea. You on google and you will find lots of You are going to have to use the may also find it useful to Google stuff (I got 67,200 hits when I online, subscription websites for all on software names – some tried). This is a link to just one but the 1881 – and for that you websites have trial versions you example have to use a computer to access can try for 30-days before www.genealogysearch.org/free/f the free version on FamilySearch. purchasing. reeware.html Some of it is good, some not so good and some What about parish registers? It is worth noting, if you are dealing rather specialised. But if it’s a free Well, these (despite some with UK ancestors, that you download what have you got to subscription website providers’ ensure what you buy is geared to lose by trying it out (but do scan it hype) are generally not yet online. UK-style resources, is fully for malware first) Ed. You can use them in local compatible with GedCom* and, if repositories, but forget the notion you have a particularly large ---ooOoo--- of having a real register in your amount of data in a single existing hands – you will be pointed to rolls file, check the software can cope of microfilm or envelopes of fiche with the volume. To Compute, or Not to and an appropriate piece of Compute… equipment to use. In fact, in some The learning curve is something I repositories you have to use a shall soon have to embark upon computer to access their By The Help Desk Team as my tried, trusted and wonderful catalogue before you can even Generations program is defunct. That is the question as it is not so order any item. To use the IGI – After some research, and talking long since you could – just – the index to a number of parishes to professional tree printers, I am research your family history around the country – you also opting for Family Historian - without using a computer. have to get to grips with computer though RootsMagic does have However, in recent years things technology as the fiche versions some of the useful features found have changed drastically; are disappearing. in Generations (Broderbund rudimentary computer skills are bought Generations and promptly Some of us have grown up with now essential for genealogy. axed it in favour of RootsMagic). the development of computers; While some TV programmes some researching their families Spending £5 could save you suggest we can trot off to places may be young enough to NOT heaps in time and exasperation. and use paper lists for births, remember life without them! But Worth a try if you are seeking a marriages and deaths, these are there are many embarking on program to suit your needs. just “happy flashbacks” – the big family history who have studiously avoided putting digits to keyboards PS Please think twice before using tomes were removed forever from – and to you we say: “get any “free” offers to build your our grasp and we were assured learning”. You need to go on a family tree online – you will likely that the information would be short course – some are available be giving your data to the website freely available online. For “free” free – to learn your way around a owners forever. JS read, “free if you go to TNA and use their computers” otherwise computer. Age is no excuse – we * GEDCOM is an international you need to use one of the know of some in their 90s happily exchange format that enables subscription websites (FreeBMD surfing the ‘net. family history databases to be not being quite the same – and it swapped between different is free)…but all are on a computer. programmes (providing they are

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NNWFHS JOURNAL January 2010

For information about basic records of some local events, and training in use of computers The article puts into context the are often detailed with names contact: national situation of that time included. Just take heed and “read regarding coal production and coal between the lines” – as you would • Atherstone Adult prices, the state of mining unions, with today’s newspaper reports. Community Education and makes use of local resources JS 01827 718007: they to explain the formation and tailor classes to working of the early north ---ooOoo--- requirement and call Warwickshire union. The article them First Steps to explains the expansion, £33m saves the World's Computing – there may contraction and eventual cessation Greatest Newspaper be similar in other areas. when funds ran out. Collection for the Nation • Silver Surfers provided The Bedworth area pits were at through the local library the forefront of this new union The British Library has received a service, for which there which went on to combine with the commitment of £33m from the is a minimal charge. Leicestershire coalfield area. Government to preserve and make

Extended strikes for better pay accessible the world's greatest and for reduced working days (a newspaper collection. When you have basic computing 12-hour working shift was skills, then is the time to get expected) had put considerable The British Library collects a copy seriously into your family history pressure on the union. The actual of every local, regional and research. And more learning cause of the union’s demise is national newspaper published in curves will present themselves unclear, though the elected the UK, plus 250 international along the way, but today you do secretary left for Australia leaving titles. This unparalleled newspaper need basic IT literacy to access a note of how much the union was collection is a unique resource of in debt and that he had personally over 750 million pages and is used much key 19th and early 20th sold off his furniture to cover some for research by 30,000 people - century data. Whether you love or of the smaller amounts due after a genealogists, local historians and loathe them, computers are here public plea to the miners to cover researchers from the creative to stay. their debts obviously went industries - every year. The unheeded. collection is used as source In 2010, we will put together some material for countless new books, Saturday courses to help with The Warwickshire History article newspapers, television particular aspects and methods of drew considerably upon programmes, films, documentaries, academic papers, research – but even though these newspaper reports, most in the Nuneaton Chronicle, from 1871 to local history projects and family events will not necessarily be 1880. trees in the UK every year, making using computers, your personal a vital contribution to the UK research will require you to get to Anyone with forebears working in economy. grips with the machines. the coalmines in the final quarter of the 19th century will have an However the collection is currently At our various help desks, we interest in this early mining union housed in dilapidated conditions in welcome members and non- as the newspaper reports indicate Colindale in North London where members with their queries and the disputes and strikes. You will 15% of the collection is already find articles of interest in the brick walls; however, we are beyond use and 19% is in peril. Nuneaton Chronicle available in The £33m investment will allow unable to provide information on the local library. Also worth the collection to be moved to a how to use a computer. perusing will be the Coventry state of the art storage facility in Standard and the Tamworth Yorkshire while allowing digital ---ooOoo--- Herald. There will also be some and microfilm access to the items in the Birmingham Post collection from the British Library's The First Warwickshire (including 15 May 1875) and in the flagship building at St Pancras in Miners’ Trade Union 1872 Birmingham Daily Gazette of the London. –1880 same day, which were cited in the original article. The British Library's plans have An article of the above title by the full support of the newspaper Adrian J Cholmondeley, was Although newspaper reports are industry, as the collection provides published in Warwickshire History, very much secondary resources, a valuable - and often the only - Vol. VI No 2. they can be the only remaining resource for a newspaper industry

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as it restructures its business in 3. Some more of the microfilm Gallery. They are really interested the digital environment. The and microfiche records will be in our members' views of current Library is in discussions with the moved to storage at the end of this museum provision and how this industry on innovative ways of year, providing primary access in could be improved, regardless of working to provide online access our reading rooms through digital following the success of its C19th means. This is part of an ongoing whether they are regular visitors, newspapers online resource which programme that has been running haven’t visited for a while or have was launched in partnership with for several years to replace film never visited. The information publishers Gale, part of Cengage and fiche with digital images. For provided will be used by the Learning, earlier this year. those who need to see the consultants and the museum microform it will still be available, service team to develop a project on request. The British Library's website is at to deliver the improvements you www.bl.uk. would like to see. Please take a 4. The records experts will still be few moments to complete the on- ---ooOoo--- available to researchers when they are most needed. TNA will line questionnaire at Changes to services at continue to provide expert advice http://freeonlinesurveys.com/re in the Map and Large Document ndersurvey.asp?sid=z91rmg9v1 The National Archives reading room for all the hours they 1dcodq673287 are open. Elsewhere records 1. From 4 January 2010 the expertise will be focused on busier reading rooms will be open five periods of the day, when it is most days a week (Tuesday to needed. Saturday), with longer opening on the days that they are open. From 5. A new streamlined online 5 January 2010, opening and record copying service will be document ordering times will be as introduced in late 2009/early 2010. shown in the table below. This will help simplify the current

online and telephone ordering Opening Document processes. times ordering - GRANDPARENTS

times Further information can be Monday Closed n/a found at

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk - GREAT

Tuesday 09:00 – 09:00 – /changes. - GRANDPARENTS 19:00 17:00

Wednesday 09:00 – 09:00 – GREAT ---ooOoo--- - GREAT

-

17:00 16:15 - GRANDPARENTS Thursday 09:00 – 09:00 – Disruption of Services at 19:00 17:00 - GREAT

- GREAT

Nuneaton Register Office - GREAT Friday 09:00 – 09:00 – - GRANDPARENTS 17:00 16:15 The building work and renovations - GREAT - GREAT

Saturday 09:00 – 09:00 – - GREAT

at Nuneaton Register Office have - GREAT 17:00 16:15 been completed and the staff are - GRANDPARENTS GREAT Sunday Closed n/a now able to produce copy - - GREAT - GREAT - GREAT

GREAT GRANDPARENTS - certificates. -

2. A charge will be introduced for GREAT - use of the public car park. From ---ooOoo--- GREAT - GREAT - - GREAT

- GREAT April 2010, there will be a charge - GRANDPARENTS - GREAT of £5 per day and discounted Nuneaton Museum and GREAT - GREAT annual tickets will be available GREAT

- - Art Gallery - GREAT - GREAT - GREAT (savings will be dependent on the - GREAT emissions level of the car). In - GRANDPARENTS Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough addition they will be allocating a

limited number of free tickets to Council has commissioned Jura GREAT

256 GREAT 512 GREAT GREAT 1,024 128 GREAT WE ALL HAD 2 PARENTS 4 GRANDPARENTS 8 GREAT 64 GREAT 32 regular unpaid volunteers, who are Consultants to undertake research 16 GREAT making a significant contribution to inform the development of the on key projects. Nuneaton Museum and Art

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Trawled from the Net & Computer related bits and pieces.

www.historicaldirectories.org

Historical Directories is a digital library of local and trade directories for England and Wales, from 1750 to 1919. It contains high quality reproductions of comparatively rare books, essential tools for research into local and genealogical history.

The Vista / Windows 7 snipping tool The Ribbon Interface in www.ScotlandsPeople.gov Office 2007 .uk – Modern Marriages In Vista click on the applications. Indexes (not images) to Start button, then Programs, then modern marriage records from Accessories to find the Snipping tool. When the mouse cursor is in 1934-2006 have been added (Even easier in Windows 7- it is on the main the ribbon region (i.e the tool to the site. This now gives the start menu, and can be pinned to the task bar at the top), you can cycle range of statutory records as: bar.) This handy little device lets you copy through all the ribbon Indexes of Scottish births and any portion of the window you choose and categories with the mouse deaths (1855-2006) and save it to a folder or paste it into a document wheel. This essentially makes marriages (1855-2006); and or email it to a friend. Found something every ribbon menu option a 1- images of births(1855-1908), marriages (1855-1933) and interesting on the web? Draw round it with click option. The classic menu deaths (1855-1958). the snipping tool – pictures or text, the whole can require up to three so the page or just a small part of it and then do much maligned ribbon Catholic Parish Register births with it as you will. interface is actually an and baptisms are also now improvement (once you get online. used to it).

Calisto American Civil War Roll of Honor

http://homepages.tesco.net/~jk.cal Family Relatives say that they have released isto/calisto/index.htm over 276,000 Roll of Honor records for those soldiers who died in the defence of the Union This site has everything you ever wanted to during the American Civil War. If you have know about the European and British calendar American relatives during that period go to systems. You can download a free program to calculate various calendars from 326AD. www.Familyrelatives.com to see if they fought for Particularly useful for the change from the the Union. Julian to Gregorian calendar in 1752 when we ‘lost’ 11 days in September due to the ‘Calendar’ Act.

The ‘Calendar’ Act also changed the first day of the year in England from 25 March to January 1st. As a consequence, 1751 was a short year - it ran only from 25 March to 31 December. Family historians beware! Before 1752 May in any year came before January – a cause for much confusion to those of us who naturally assume that January comes before May!

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The Sixth Troop of the Warwickshire Yeomanry c1852-1868

Taken from “The Warwickshire Yeomanry in the Nineteenth Century: Some Fresh Aspects” by Paul Morgan, MA, FSA, and published 1994 in Dugdale Society Occasional Papers No 36.

The full article, and other lists of men, should be read to better understand the context and coverage of the lists, and the purposes of the Yeomanry. The list is published in the NNWFHS journal to assist members, as a number of the men involved in Troop 6 were from the northern part of Warwickshire. The sheet references refer to the original lists.

( ) Parts of entry ruled through in pencil [ ]editorial suggestions for faded or rubbed entries

Name Residence When Enrolled Thomas Drakeford Q/Master Coleshill 25 Mar 1852 William Campbell Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 H James Oldacres Maxstoke 31 Mar 1852 Thos Bryan Kenilworth 25 Mar 1852 Edwd B Twycross Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 William Lee Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 William Adcock Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 Thomas Campbell Birmingham 25 Mar 1852 Thomas Jones Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 Henry Judd Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 Edward Judd Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 James Joyce Kenilworth 25 Mar 1852 Thomas Smith Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 William Wakefield Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 Richard Farmer Weston 25 Mar 1852 Thomas Knibb Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 William Robbins Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 John Burbury Leek Wootton 25 Mar 1852 Job Jeacock Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 (William Harris Fletchamsted 25 Mar 1852) (Joseph Pratt Weston 25 Mar 1852) Charles Clarke Longford, Foleshill 25 Mar 1852 (John Abbots Long Itchington 25 Mar 1852) (John Townsend Ashow 25 Mar 1852) Robert Johnson Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 Andrew Wright Halford Exhall 25 Mar 1852 John Holmes Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852 (Henry Perkins Bubbenhall 25 Mar 1852) (William Flinn Weston 25 Mar 1852) (James Gilks Stoneleigh 25 Mar 1852) John Reading Priors Hardwick 25 Mar 1852 (James Sparks Fillongley 30 Mar 1852) William Holland Maxstoke 7 Apr 1852 (Thomas Daulman Chilvers Coton 8 Apr 1852) Jeremiah Reynolds Foleshill 8 Apr 1852 Thomas M Phillips Fletchamstead 8 Apr 1852 John Fell Cubbington 8 Apr 1852 Henry Blundell Kenilworth 8 Apr 1852 Samuel Harding Kenilworth 8 Apr 1852 (John Voile Churchover 8 Apr 1852) Thomas Gibbs Kenilworth 8 Apr 1852 Humphrey Barker Rathbone Newbold-on-Avon 8 Apr 1852 (John Morgan Stoneleigh 8 Apr 1852)

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John Soden Cubington [sic] 8 Apr 1852 Richard Shepheard Birmingham 8 Apr 1852 Jeremiah Mayhew Kenilworth 8 Apr 1852 William Riley Kenilworth 8 Apr 1852 Alfred Charles Key Coleshill 8 Apr 1852 William Henry Randle Kenilworth 14 Apr 1852 John Isaac Horne Long Lawford 14 Apr 1852 Richd Herbert Watergall 14 Apr 1852 William Bentley Maxstoke 14 Apr 1852 Noah Baker Fillongley 14 Apr 1852 (William Ledbrook Watergall 14 Apr 1852) (George Dawkins Chilvers Coton 14 Apr 1852) (Michael Ballard Nuneaton 14 Apr 1852) John Shakespeare [Nu]neaton --- (Edward Cross Nuneaton 5 May 1852) (Henry Campbell Harboro’ 13 May 1852) William Watson Harboro’ Magna 13 May 1852 Thomas Higginson Berkswell 13 May 1852 William Reynolds Kenilworth 13 May 1852 (Thomas Anstey Kenilworth 13 May 1852)

The above is a section of the whole record. Another section will be printed in the April 2010 Journal.

Pickard’s Pink Pages

This website is pure gold for anyone with a connection to Warwickshire in the past! Pickard’s Pink Pages are wonderful. And they are free, thanks to the dedication and sponsorship of Pickard Trepess, now based in Hungary but with roots in the county. Googling for “Pickard’s Pink Pages” will take you to http://www.hunimex.com/warwick/index.html and you really must delve deeply into this website. Read the opening information, and check out the “newbies” page, too. Then look at the data being amassed – data provided free of charge to help you. Use the buttons on the left side of the page to navigate amongst the topics.

There are transcriptions of parish registers, of censuses, and of one-off items too. People come across lists, type them up and provide them to Pickard who works his magic and turns them into searchable data on the web. There are extracts from all sorts of directories; plus there are links to Online Parish Clerks and also to online catalogues for repositories in the area. You might also take a peek at Pickard’s own genealogy site where his pedigree lists surnames popular in our area.

Pickard’s dedication to the cause of family history is epitomised in a recent email: “just off to Siberia…” and he is taking a batch of Warwickshire material “to convert to html to keep me warm”…! Thank you, Pickard for your extraordinary service to Warwickshire family history.

PPP is one website you need to add to your “favourites” and visit regularly to see just what has recently been added. JS

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ATTLEBOROUGH MAGIC by Peter Lee

Attleborough Square (a picture taken from the Green) c.1905. Two of its famous pubs are in this view. The Fox on the left. You can just make out the pub sign nailed to the brickwork, and the distinctive frontage of the Oak on the right. The door in the front of the Oak was moved to the right hand side sometime in the 50’s so the dingy bar could be opened out. But the front fell in as the work was being carried out. Green is an undertaker. I noted a fish and chip parlour, take away Nevertheless the landlord opened that in the last few weeks a new places to cater for exotic palettes, up at lunchtime on time and extension to his funeral parlour pizzas, greasy English fry ups, and served a lovely pint of Bass has gone up, and about half the three hairdresser’s salons. As well despite the brick dust and rubble. Green will be given over to as a wine bar and two delightful In fact Attleborough must be the catering for the needs of the old-fashioned pubs. When a pal of most soporific place known to man. When I announced to my departed. In addition to this a few mine moved to Hall End, his words wife that when I retired I intended hundred yards down the road by were, “I’ll never have to cook to sell up and move there and pad the Wem Brook there is another again”. But there is something around the Green from pub to pub large funeral business. I rest my about Attleborough. I do not have in my carpet slippers, she said, case. Death is big business in a clue what it is. After all I’ve “That’s fine, but I’ll be moving to Attleborough and the place travelled. I’ve been to Bedworth, Bournemouth”. so what is it that makes conditions you for it. One thing that Attleborough Of course, we have had our Attleborough so full of restless prepares you for is death. There excitements. Or maybe excitement charm. are only three ways to die in is too strong a word? Like when Let me give you another example. Attleborough, by disease, old age the roof of the empty shop or boredom! On my monthly One Saturday night I called down premises on the Green, vacated migrations to the Green to get my the Green to pick up a Curry. I was by Harding’s the baker and hair cut, or should I say, being amazed. The place was full of follicularly challenged, my head confectioner, fell in. Some dope braying football supporters, and buffed, I always say to the barber, had used heavy concrete tiles to they were surrounded by “anything been happening lately re-roof an 18th century buildings policemen (and women) in full riot mate?”, and almost invariably whose roof was full of dry rot! gear, equipped with plastic there will be a pregnant silence, Anyway in the best inimitable style and the response will inevitably shields, battens and loud walky the site is now boarded up and be, “not much”. The last time I talkies. There were several large knowing Attleborough is likely to visited him his thoughts on the white police vans with mesh grids subject included “They’ve had a remain so for decades. over the windows. It was beyond lick of paint at the Oak”, and I called in later, and yes I could When I mention the Green you my wildest dreams. Anyway, smell paint, and thought “wow”! I form the impression of a nothing could keep me away from sat down with a pint and looked at picturesque idyll, a village of small- a pint for very long so I went into the fresh paint, and I do believe, in scale shops and cottages around the Fox. Settling down with a beer the duration I was in there I a pleasant green oasis of calm I expected any minute to hear the watched it dry. I was strangely smashing of glass from plate glass serene. and trees. It might have been Green before 1850 but now it has windows, loud whistles from the It is no surprise to me that the been concreted over and the police, shouts and screams as biggest trader on Attleborough cottages have been turned over to they waded in with their battens

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NNWFHS JOURNAL January 2010 smashing heads, and breaking physical world, and you see an light,” athwart the tombs where bones. At which point I fully amiable old fart walk through the kings and mighty ones “sleep in intended to wander over and look wall of the Oak, cross the road in dull cold marble,” the spirit is out of the window. But nothing casual footwear and disappear oppressed by the awful grandeur. happened, even the footballer’s through the locked door of the Fox The more simple beauty of the braying seemed to fade away. you will know who it is. Parish Church touches the heart. Here they were christened, Then a bald headed youth came in In the meantime does anyone wedded, buried. They sleep in the pub, fully equipped wearing a know where I can buy a pair of God’s acre without its doors. We soccer shirt, ripped jeans and tartan moquette carpet slippers? feel yet the fitness and pathos of trainers. Even I could see he was those solemn prayers which our ---ooOoo--- a hooligan. He ambled out of the childish lips first murmured within back without going to the bar. A RAMBLES ROUNDABOUT these walls. What melody can whole minute or so later, four move us like those grand old policemen came in, fully clad in From the Nuneaton hymns which have lingered in our stab proof vests, festooned with Observer, December 21st. memory all our lives? What voice battens, loud radios and handcuffs 1877 can speak with the power and jangling from their belts. They eloquence of the good pastor headed straight out the back the NUNEATON CHURCH (St. whom we first heard reasoning same way the youth had gone. I Nic(h)olas) with pleading earnestness of carried on sitting there expectantly “Righteousness, temperance, and waiting to hear a dull thud as he By ALFRED L. judgement to come.”[1] was pinned against a distant wall. SCRIVENER (1845-1886) Loud expletives, and a puff of CS So as I pace the sounding aisles of our own parish Church, the gas as he was bundled to the (transcribed by Heather ground. But there was silence. restless curiosity of the antiquarian Nothing happened. At that point I Lee) is mingled with deeper and holier finished my pint to amble over to feelings, and historic interest is “Once on the flight of ages past, the Chinese take away and pick quickened by the thought that There lived a man, and who was up my meal. Going into the street I these vulnerable walls have heard he? expected to find glass everywhere, the prayers and witnessed the Mortal however thy lot be cast people lying covered with blood on vows of those who were bone of That man resembled thee.” the pavement, policemen wrestling our bone, and flesh of our flesh in MONTGOMERY with screaming girls in the road. the perished ages. Sweet and solemn memories But everybody had disappeared. stand sentinel upon the threshold The Green was deserted. It looked The Parish Church of Nuneaton is of the church where we first as though everyone had been dedicated to St. Nicholas, [2] who worshipped. We should shake off issued with a broom and swept the was born at Patara, a city of Lycia, from our feet the dust gathered on pavements clean. There were a and though a layman, was for his the rough ways of the world for few people with baldheads in the piety made Bishop of Myra, in the this is holy ground. Echoes of far Wine Bar, but, hey, this was fourth century. An ancient legend off voices, sad and tender, reach Saturday night! Attleborough had tells how two lads on their way to us from beyond the grave. Strange worked its magic once again. school at Athens, were murdered childlike fancies return again, as In the meantime if you read this when with fearful wonder we first article sometime in the distant looked upon the mystery of the future when I have curled my toes Eternal, and our hearts trembled up in the best tradition that and were still. In great Cathedrals, Attleborough can offer, and you where the many tinted flames of are walking through the Green at storied windows fling the the witching hour between 3 and 4 splendour of colour among forests in the morning, when the spirit of pillars, wide springing arches, world is in synchronisation with the and fretted walls, or lie in “lanes of

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in their sleep by the host of an inn Simon de Thorp who held the pastured, not to be shaven and at Myra, and their bodies cut up living from 1341 to 1357. During shorn.” and put into a pickling tub. The his incumbency the terrible plague murder was revealed to the Bishop called the Black Death swept over The long incumbency of Robert in a vision. He taxed the host with England. The cities and towns Whittington from 1521 to 1558 the crime; the murderer confessed were filled with dead and dying. covers that momentous period and repented; and in answer to the Townsmen fled into the fields when the seeds which Wycliffe Bishop’s prayers the mangled carrying contagion with them. The had sown, buried for a time, broke bodies were re-united, and the pestilence attacked even brute the crust of custom, and though scholars sent on their way to beasts and their putrid carcases sometimes nipped by frost, or Athens with the bishop’s blessing. poisoned the air by the way-sides. parched by drought, at last bore The country folk fled into the goodly fruit. Whittington held the For this fabled miracle the bishop towns. The gentry shut themselves living from the time when Wolsey has ever been regarded as the up in their mansions turning their was all powerful, and Henry hailed patron saint of schoolboys. Parish servants adrift to live by plunder. by the Pope as defender of faith, Clerks and sailors were also Mothers shrank with loathing from to the year when the fires of among his clients and even their tainted children. Men’s hearts Smithfield died out and the joy robbers are called by failed them for fear, and they bells clanged from the grey church Shakespeare “St. Nicholas’ looked for the coming of the tower to hail the accession of Clerks”. Judgement Day. One wonders Elizabeth. I should trespass how this Vicar saved himself in beyond my limits if I to follow all In the time of Henry 1st, Robert these awful days. There is a gap the scenes and changes he must Bossu Earl of Leicester gave the for a few months in 1354 during have witnessed. One passage in Parish Church to the Monastery of his incumbency when one Walter the history of that time has a close Lira in Normandy. When the third de Heyworth was in charge. Can it connection with the story of Edward entered on that great be that de Thorp fled before the Nuneaton Church. Wolsey had struggle with France which for a Terror? From 1373 to 1390 Henry died disgraced and broken- hundred years covered the arms Hunt held the living. Of him we hearted. Henry had broken with of England with glory and her know nothing but the name, yet it the Pope. The Bible in the English rulers with shame, the King seized is not unlikely that he knew and tongue lay open for the first time in the revenues of this and other was known by John Wycliffe then the chancel of Nuneaton Church. alien priories. The Table of parson of Lutterworth, who gave Thomas Cromwell had gathered Patrons and Incumbents given by the first articulate voice to the all power into his own hands and Dugdale shows that with an protest of the English Church almost alone was battling against interval of a few years the against the spiritual tyranny of priestly factions, popular patronage continued in the hands Rome. As when Whitely and discontent, and the jealousy of the of the crown from 1341 until the Wesley at a later day startled the great nobles. Two commissions year 1413 when Henry V granted it church from its lethargy. Parson were issued by the crown: the one to the Carthusian monks of Shene Hunt may have heard at Nuneaton to effect the suppression of the in Surrey. The Nuns of Nuneaton Market Cross one of those “Simple smaller monasteries; the other a obtained it in the 38th of Henry VI. Priests,” whom Wycliffe taught and commission empowered to Since the dissolution of the organised, who accepted no summon before it every parish monasteries the patronage has benefice, but wandered from town priest, to examine into his habits, continued in the Crown. Dugdale’s to town in homely russet dress, character, and qualifications and Table of patrons and saints comes preaching in coarse vigorous eject summarily all inefficient down to the incumbency of William language “understanded of the persons. One gets some notion Cradok. Art. Mag. 1627, but these people,” against the corruptions of that Whittington must have been a dry lists are mournful in their the friars; laughing at the timid, moderate, inoffensive man, meagreness. Of the part these pardoners wallet “filled with but an errant trimmer. Found years bore in the passions and pardons hot from Rome,” and blameless by Cromwell’s purposes and sufferings of their proclaiming to sleepy pastors that commission, swallowing, perhaps times, no record remains but a “God gave his sheep to be welcoming, the six articles which bold name and a date. Here is embodied the popedom of the

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King, shifting his ground to accept The King retained him about the “Margarett Boothe dawhtr of Willm the reformed articles and prayer court, and three years later, when Boothe book of Edward VI, returning to the the great monasteries were “Gent.” old ways and the old faith under dissolved in their turn, Henry Mary, he was only saved by death purchased Sir Marmaduke’s from “turning another cat in pan” loyalty and oblivion for his father’s After Dugdale’s time the only clue on the accession of Elizabeth. The death, out of the spoils of towards the history of Nuneaton commissions of Cromwell’s, and a Nuneaton Abbey. Sir Marmaduke Church is to be found in the Parish rumour that his wise proposal to must have had a residence here Registers, which date from the establish parish registers meant a from the fact of his burial, and this year 1578. The entries of tax on every wedding, funeral, and was probably an ancient mansion marriages in Puritan days will christening, stirred into flame the which was standing a hundred interest some of our fair readers. smouldering fires of revolt. In years ago in Nuneaton Market Here is a specimen. Lincolnshire and Yorkshire the Place and was traditionally “The extent and purpose of parsons and the vicars at the head assigned to him. He was also one marriage betwixt George Palmer of mobs of unwashed artisans of the first governors of the of Priors Hardwick in the County of swarmed in the Market Places, Grammar School founded here by Warwick Gent and Joane Sanders with bills and staves “the stir and Edward VI. Horeston and a part of of Bedworth in ye said County of the noise arising hideous.” The the Manor of Nuneaton were sold Warr. spinster was with ye consent chancellor of Lincoln was by Sir Marmaduke to Jasper of ye said George and Joane at murdered, the mobs surrounded Fisher, Esq., and in the time of request of Anne Sanders Mother the houses of the gentry shouting Elizabeth, his son Robert of ye said Joane pubblyshed three for Captains, and willingly or Constable alienated the rest of market days in ye open market at unwillingly squires and knights and their lands in this lordship. Where Nuneaton.” nobles were dragged into the Flamborough Head breasts the rebellion. Among others Robert storms of the German Ocean the The endorsement to this entry is Aske, a valiant private gentleman, descendants of the old race of the illegible but that to the next will the Lord Darcy of Pomfret Castle, Constables dwell yet in their show its form and Sir Robert Constable of ancient keep, but this is all I can Flamborough, were most learn of the history of the Knight “and were joined together in conspicuous. For a time the whose marble effigy lies on the marriage at Caldecote before Wm kingdom was in danger of altar tomb in the chancel of Purefoy Esq one of ye justices of Revolution. The King was forced Nuneaton Church. The inscription Peace for this Co ye first day of to temporise, and in part to yield on the tomb is as follows:- June 1654 and the army dispersed with fair promises. But the king’s promises William Purefoy” were either misunderstood or “Here lyeth Sr. Marmaduke This signature in a large angular imperfectly fulfilled. The troubles Constable Knyht hand is that of Colonel Purefoy broke out afresh, the old leaders “woh dyed the xx day of Aprile i ye whose house was attacked in held aloof, and the rebels were yere 1642 by Prince Rupert; the crushed in detail. But this renewal “of or lord v & threescore, Sone veritable sign manual, bold and of the rebellion gave the king a and hyre clear of a notable man. How would pretext for punishing the former “to Sr. Robert Constable Knyht our modern ladies like the Puritan Captains. Lord Darcy was Lord or Custom of publishing the banns of executed on Tower Hill, Aske at “Flamborough Spaldyngmore “in open Market,” and solemnising York, and Sir Robert Constable at “&the sey Sir Marmaduke hadde marriages before a justice of the Hull. In the early days of the first too Wiffe peace? Here and there in the rebellion young Sir Marmaduke “Elezabethe daughter to the Lord eighteenth century we find entries Constable, so of this Sir Robert, Darsse, by with some details added. In 1745, and who had married a daughter “hur he hadde too Sons, Robart Dec. 31, is this – of Lord Darcy’s, was sent up to and Marma- London to lay before the King the “duke & viii Daughters. ye second grievances of the malcontents. wyff 22

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“Elizabeth Sutton, daughter of exposed. A Tablet in Latin, dated a gulf divides them from now. Samuel Sutton buried, but had no 1668, records the death of Maria, Before we can believe this church burial service supposed to be the wife of Richard Combes, to be the same the chancel must poisoned, but allowed to be buried Armiger, another daughter of the be returned to its dingy decay and in the parish churchyard by the house of Stratford. The Trotmans the head shivered on Sir Cronor.” were a family of importance here Marmaduke’s tomb. The in the 17th century, one, Anthony, worshippers must be hidden in the Another entry records the burial of being receiver of the Grammar drowsy depths of dark panelled a man “accidentally killed by a school when the present building pews, and the singers stowed bucket falling upon him as they was erected in 1696. The away in a gallery at the west end, were drawing him up from a pit in Stratfords lived at Horeston where Bassoon and Fiddle, Bass Mr. Fletcher’s sough.” The entry Grange, of which a ruined wall and and Tenor follow the lead of that signed “John Ryder, Vicar,” and the moat remain in the fields up “disciplinarian in Psalmody” dated 1738, is interesting. Oddoway’s Lane. The family is Samuel Rayner, by the light of dim “Collected for the use of the poor now merged in the Stratford wax candles. The evangelical sufferers at the great fire of Dugdale’s of Merevale. awakening in the Church of Willingbrough.” [Wellingborough] England, which disturbed the calm Some old families still extant in the The Rev. John Ryder, who died in of Mr. Hughes’ old age has parish can be traced back among 1791, held the living for many furnished the theme, as his flock the simple entries. The name of years and his tablet records that at suggested the characters for one Slingsby occurs in 1681, Sidwell in the time of his death he was Dean of George Eliot’s stories in 1685, Hood in 1690, Petty in 1698, of Lismore, in Ireland. Tradition “Scenes of Clerical Life.” Clay in 1708. In 1698 is the entry credits the vicar with having no of the burial of Dudley Ryder, who less than twenty-three children, The name of the Rev. Robert was ejected from the living of seven of whom were born in one Chapman Savage, the latest vicar Bedworth by the act of Uniformity year, three at one birth, and four at whose monument is on these in 1662, and established the first another. Old folks among us will walls, can only be written with dissenting meeting house there. remember the Rev. Hugh Hughes regret. He who writes, recalls with He was disinherited for his who died in 1830. His monument grateful reverence the preacher nonconformity and his younger records that he was “Rector of the whose faithful earnestness moved brother became Earl of Harrowby. Hardwick, Northamptonshire; Vicar all hearts, the friend whose kindly or Wolvey, Warwickshire; thirty help and counsel were never The communion plate is chiefly of years head master of the grammar withheld. None dare repeats the the eighteenth century, but the school, and fifty two years curate shibboleths of faction over his chalice is of the Elizabethan of the parish of Nuneaton, having grave, for our hearts, our hopes, character, and is probably one of discharged the duties of his scared our prayers are with the widowed the earliest after the Reformation. office during that long period with Lady, herself a “mother in Israel,” Among the usual monuments is diligence and integrity.” The living who mourns his loss in honoured one in Latin, dated 1662, the year was held during his curacy by a seclusion. of the ejection of Nonconformists gentleman named Stopford, from the church, to the memory of another pluralist who only visited [1] This poignant opening paragraph Anthony Trotman, who married reflects Alfred Scrivener’s sad loss of his the parish once a year. mother Mary Ann (Lester) Scrivener in Abigail, a daughter of the knightly 1848 aged 29; and his father, Joseph house of Stratford. This is It is not so long ago, yet how wide Scrivener aged 44 in 1860. surmounted by two busts; a man’s with placid open countenance, [2] I make no apology for preferring to use St. Nicholas portly double chin, smooth shaven as the correct spelling in face, loose cravat and wig falling antiquity for our parish church. in long curls on to his shoulders; Why the h was dropped in the the lady’s exhibits a Greek last forty years I cannot contemplate. I always use the contour, the hair is cut in short historic spelling P.L. curls over the forehead, the neck quite bare, and the bust largely

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Over Whitacre Family and Local History Day 24th October.

This was well attended with several people in period costume to add to the atmosphere. The day dawned dark wet and dismal. We thought the reaction of most people would be to mutter “Where is Over Whitacre anyway?” Take one look at the weather, roll over in bed and go back to sleep. We were prepared for the worst, but people arrived in droves. Dean had his work cut out marshalling cars about the large car park to fit everyone in and our canteen staff were kept busy providing tea and biscuits. In the afternoon the weather improved, the sun came out and we had a lovely afternoon. The church was opened and many people took the opportunity to see the well kept interior. And still people kept arriving! The last paying customer arrived at 3.30, just half an hour before we closed. In total we had more than 100 visitors.

Pictures – clockwise from top left – Peter Lee talking to Steve Adnett about mining memorabilia, Jacqui Simkins in wench mode, Carole Haines from Kingsbury History Society, Peter Lee sharing has encyclopaedic knowledge of Nuneaton, Piccadilly mining display, Val Pickard admires the display from Sheepy Magna Local History Group. Centre – getting a bird’s eye view from the church organ loft.

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Nuneaton and North

Warwickshire Family

History Society

Journal

Hartshill Church 1845

From the Illustrated London News

26 Windmillfield Atherstone