Newsletter of the Wellington History Group, Rediscovering the Past of Wellington in Shropshire
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Wellingtonia Issue 16 : First Half 2014 Only £2.00 Newsletter of the Wellington History Group, rediscovering the past of Wellington in Shropshire EDITORIAL IN THIS ISSUE ****************** n recent years, two aspects of Page local history and heritage 2. Dr Charles Callaway Iprotection have given rise to 3. Grave Matters mounting concern. The first relates to Telford 4. Public Houses? borough council’s poor record, 5. Notice Board seen as a continuation of measures 6. Midland Red experienced even before the reign 8. Thomas Lambert jnr (some would add ‘of terror’) of 9. CCC Remembered Telford Development Corporation which saw the demolition of more 10. The Wellington Gibbet Our new chair than a few historic buildings. Part Two Patricia Fairclough is our chair for Some should have been given 11. Misleading Myths the current year, having taken over the protection which is supposed 12. Granddad’s Medals the reins from Geoff Harrison at to be virtually guaranteed under 14. Samuel Corbett, our public talk last November. the terms of the Listed Building Pat has a degree in History from scheme (such as the former New Blacksmith Nottingham University and taught Street Methodist church frontage, 16. Wrockwardine Hundred the subject at a County Durham Charlton Arms Hotel, etc.) or of 17. Edith Picton-Turbervill; Grammar school. Her interests are significant local interest (as in Corset Demo in social and economic history. Edgbaston House). 18. 100 Years Ago: 1914 Pat’s election provides a A PhD student is currently valuable link for our Group with researching the borough’s attitude 20. Photocall the Wellington Literary Festival, to heritage conservation and which she also chairs as well as for promotion. All we can say is that professionally obtained local facts Wellington’s LA21 group, which borough councillors and certain of (not urban myths or History has produced several interesting its employees, who seem more According To Wikipedia) as they booklets on the area’s past. concerned with money than taking could be, or even interested in As if that wasn’t enough, Pat effective measures to preserve learning more about the area’s serves on Wellington Town what remains of Telford’s heritage, past. Like most councillors, Council as councillor for the need to rethink their approach to History teachers are seldom seen Shawbirch Ward. prevent another 40+ years of at talks given by our or other irreversible damage. The historical societies in the district. Heritage has been appointed Local Ironbridge Gorge does not This is a shame, not least Heritage Education Manager for represent the Telford conurbation. because Telford is able to offer Telford and The Wrekin for the The second refers to local examples relating to most periods next year or so. He is intended to history education in our schools. in England’s rich urban, political, ‘develop greater use and awareness of Yes, we all know teachers are economic and social history. local heritage in twelve partner overworked and at the mercy of Under a new Government schools in the area so that pupils can curriculum changes, but my funded Heritage Schools indentify with their immediate local experience is that not all schools programme to ‘bring history heritage’. are as committed to passing on alive’, a man from English Let’s hope he succeeds. www.wellingtonhistorygroup.wordpress.com 1 DR CHARLES CALLAWAY David Blain orn on 9th March 1838 at 2 to Wellington. The rocks of the Stratton Street, Bristol and Malvern Hills are among the Bson of Lemuel (an oldest in England and Wales and accountant) and Jane Callaway, would later be studied by Charles Callaway was schooled at Callaway. The pure water from Bristol and Cheltenham before these rocks was used in the entering Cheshunt College in 1859 famous ‘Water Cure’ treatment for where he studied Theology with a variety of disorders, and stress the intention of becoming a being one of them. (One of the Congregational church minister. main practitioners was Dr Ralph In addition he took BA Barnes Grindrod (1811-1883) who (Philosophy) examinations at bequeathed his collection of London University in 1862, and geological specimens to Oxford his MA (Philosophy and Political University.) Economy) a year later. (He later On 29 June 1876, Callaway obtained further degrees after married widow Hannah Maria developing an interest in Geology: Clark (nee Keay, born 1832 and First Class Honours in Geology, daughter of John Keay, a 1880s Carte de Visite studio photo of 1872 and DSc (Geology and Wellington boot manufacturer). Dr Charles Callaway, MA, DSc, FGS Physical Geography) in 1878.) She was a music teacher at Hiatt’s and (below) the Murchison Medal. After departing Cheshunt in Ladies College, Wellington, where 1864 he took up a Pastorate in her sister Mrs Elizabeth Hiatt was Society. He was also an honorary 1865 at Kirkby Stephen, principal. Callaway taught member of the Rationalist Press Westmorland. He remained there English, History and Science at the Association whose purpose was to until 1868. From October 1869 college, which gave him time to publish literature too anti-religious until mid 1871 he was at further his geological knowledge for mainstream publishers. Wellington and attended the and research. As a geologist, Callaway was Independent Congregational In the 1881 census Callaway focussed mainly on the ancient chapel in Tan Bank which had and his wife Minnie lived at 132 rocks of Shropshire, Anglesey, the opened in 1825.. Mill Bank Wellington. They co- Malverns, Scotland's north west Upon leaving Wellington, habited with six other women. Highlands and parts of Ireland. Callaway first went to Bradford Two were scholars, another two During his residence in and worked as a librarian and teachers and the others servants. It Shropshire, he began original museum curator. In 1872 he met would seem that there were no research into the area of The the noted American geologist children of this union. Minnie died Wrekin. He was able to prove that James Hall who invited him to in 1895; her husband survived her the ancient masses of The Wrekin work at the New York State for almost twenty years. He and Longmynd represented a Pre- Museum at Albany. remained in Wellington until 1898 Cambrian formation which he This was a well-established and then moved to Cheltenham. named Uriconian after the nearby institution with a reputation for Callaway had by now left the Roman City. training and encouragement of Nonconformist ministry after He next studied Anglesey and several notable American seceding on doctrinal grounds. He concluded that the unfossiliferous scientists. Callaway was there became an outspoken agnostic and metamorphic rocks were probably during 1873-74 and learnt much supported the Cheltenham Ethical Pre-Cambrian. In 1880 he went to palaeontology (the study of the life in geologic periods based upon fossil remains). He later specialised in Archaean geology (ancient rocks containing the oldest fossils of life on earth). On returning to England, he became curator of the Sheffield Public Museum. This was short lived and, after disagreements with one of the Management Committee, he left in 1876. Following treatment at Malvern for a ‘nervous illness’, he returned 2 Wellingtonia: Issue 16: First Half 2014 Scotland and was drawn into the ‘Highlands Controversy’ debate GRAVE MATTERS Wendy Palin with leading geologists on Pre- Cambrian strata and their relationship with later geological ost family historians find period formations in the north themselves in graveyards west Highlands. Today he is given Mfrom time to time and I rather more credit for this work am no exception. I find them than at the time, when his fascinating places and always assertion that older rocks at the leave with more questions than Moine had been forced over answers. Fortunately, the internet younger formations by allows us access to papers and geomorphic activity was regarded places that shed light on our as somewhat revolutionary; until queries and, if you read on, I will share one such experience. then, it had been taken for granted © Shane Spargo, GSSA web site. that younger rocks were always In my family tree there is a found on top of older. tenuous link to the Clift family Callaway was a Fellow of the who owned the Excelsior Carriage Geological Society from 1875 to Works on Tan Bank. I had reason 1906 (why he left then is not to track down the grave of the first known) and awarded the Clift to live in our town, Edward, prestigious Murchison Medal in who came to Wellington from 1906. This was in recognition of Leominster, Herefordshire, to set his pioneering work on Pre- up his coach building business Cambrian rocks and valuable (see 1899 advert, right). contribution to the increasing Nearby, the memorial to his know what he went out to do. My knowledge of Cambrian and son, John Wesley Clift and his wife resource would now be his Ordovician systems. caught my eye; I read it and obituary in the Wellington Journal Various papers over many moved on. After a little from 1942 (available in the years were published in meandering I found myself at the Community History section of Callaway’s name, one of which rear of JWC’s grave and was Wellington Library). was On the Quartzites of Shropshire surprised to find a lengthy This revealed that he was which appeared in the Geological inscription upon it. (The graves known as Brian and the family Society quarterly journal in are near the chapel; on entering had lived at Hillside, Waterloo January 1878 and followed earlier the cemetery from Linden Avenue, Road. Coming from a staunch writings on similar subjects. walk until you are level with the Methodist family he had been sent When Callaway died in building; the headstones are in the to Rydal School in North Wales Cheltenham, his body was area ahead and to the right.) before attaining his degree at returned to Wellington.