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The newsletter of the Friends of Archives,

Saturday 20 October 2018 Saturday 17 November 2018 ARCHIVES

First World War Showcase Day Charter Celebrations SHROPSHIRE gateway to the and 10.00am - 4.00pm Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Contact Much Wenlock Town Council SY2 6ND www.muchwenlock-tc.gov.uk Free event!

Saturday 27 October 2018 Saturday 24 November 2018 Arthur Allwood, Victoria County History Annual lecture Friends Annual Lecture Shropshire RHA and Horses in Early Modern Shropshire: for Dr Kate Croft - “Healthy and Expedient”: Childcare and KSLI, 1912-1919 Charity at the Shrewsbury Foundling Hospital 1759-1772 Service, for Pleasure, for Power? Page 2 Professor Peter Edwards 10.30am, £5 Shropshire Archives, Shrewsbury, SY1 2AQ 2.00pm, £5 donation requested For further details see www. Reasearching Central, Shrewsbury Baptist Church, 4 Claremont friendsofshropshirearchives.org.uk Street, Shrewsbury Myndtown Church Page 5 Tuesday 6 November 2018 Tuesdays, 22 January – 26 February 2019 Discover the Stories Behind the Stones House History Course Shrewsbury at work The Beautiful Burial Ground project is offering a FREE Contact [email protected] for training session at Shropshire Archives for those further details interested in the stories told by our burial grounds. Page 8 This session will cover an introduction to the archive as well as how to use the archive to investigate the lives and stories in your local burial ground. To book your free place please get in touch with George at [email protected] or 01588 673041 10.30am - 12.30pm

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The newsletter of the Friends of News Extra... Shropshire Archives is edited by Andrew Pattison and designed by Nat Stevenson, Shropshire Archives’ Image Services. Do you have any stories to tell about There are three issues per year, paid for by the Friends. The Shropshire’s history or have any news contents are provided by friends and well-wishers. If you about Shropshire Archives? If you have, would like to join the contributors, please contact the editor at the editor is waiting to hear from you [email protected] now. The contact details are below and DISCLAIMER: We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this publication is correct at the time of printing. photographs are always welcome. We cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

Managers and Directors outside the Sentinel Works, Contact... For further details or to pass on your comments, please contact: Shrewsbury. Shropshire Archives ref: PH/S/13/S/21/2 Shropshire Archives, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, SY1 2AQ • Tel: 0345 6789096 Email: [email protected] • Website: www.shropshirearchives.org.uk Number 92 . Autumn 2018 Price £2.00 (free to Members) Mobilisation be rushed up to aid Field Batteries in distress. The Feature Arthur received his call-up papers on 5 August Mortar Emplacements of the Medium Batteries were 1914 and was promoted to Bombardier in the RHA. usually only a few yards to the rear of the Infantry front Delaine Haynes Arthur Allwood Then began a campaign of commandeering horses line trenches. from farms in Shropshire. ‘Over 200 horses were Shropshire RHA and KSLI 1912 – 1919 commandeered from farmers and tradesmen. Most of the Arthur remembers the exploits of Gunner Tom Finch officers’ chargers came from the stud of Mr Frank Bibby of Rushbury. On one occasion (early in 1917) ‘our section of Hardwick Hall’. Later Mr Bibby provided beer and was occupying a deep dugout immediately behind the As we are nearing the centenary of the ending of the First refreshments as the troops travelled towards Eccleston Infantry front line trenches. Owing to enemy action it World War it is particularly interesting to hear the story of Park in Chester, where they joined other regiments. ‘On became very difficult to get our rations through. Tom Finch an occasion when the Battery marched on to the home of volunteered to go through to HQ for them. Sometime after those like Arthur Allwood who experienced it. Frank Bibby at Hardwick, when we reached he had gone, the Germans put up a heavy bombardment (Shrewsbury), Captain Jones sent me back with the two on our trenches. I began to fear for Finch’s safety. Before the war opened in 1913. ‘Horses were lead horses and their drivers from each of the four wagon Suddenly Finch, calmly smoking his pipe, crawled into Arthur Allwood enlisted in the hired for each training camp and teams to help the Ammunition Column over the hump of the dugout, rations and all. “I see’d a few owd wagons go Territorial Shropshire Royal Horse Messrs Cave, a firm of Birmingham the old ,’ Arthur explained. (The English up in the air and I had to crawl over the rubble where the Artillery (RHA) on 3 February 1912, auctioneers, were contracted to Bridge was rebuilt with a lower gradient in 1927). trenches were blown in, but I knowed he could ‘na get me,” shortly after his 18th birthday. He supply them. Bank Farm, about a Tom explained. He was the bravest man I ever knew. died in March 1993 aged 99 years. mile from the Drill Hall at Coleham, As men were mobilised and horses commandeered, A former Grammar School was used by the Shrewsbury section,’ ‘the road between Coleham and the Bank Farm quickly Another time ‘Gunners Gerald Davies and Tom pupil (1905–1908), he served in Arthur later wrote. ‘Early in 1912 the became the training ground and, instead of the present Finch were the two men at the Mortar…. Jerry gave both World Wars and wrote many Territorial Association purchased day motor cars and lorries, the streets were occupied by us everything he had, his whole bag of tricks. The booklets and articles on military 12 horses for use in Shrewsbury. prancing horses, guns and wagons. In a few days, stabling Infantry front line trench began to crumble. [However] history and his family life. He When not used in training they were at The Castle, The Unicorn and the Lion and Pheasant I could see our bombs in flight and bursting with great farmed in Shropshire and Australia loaned to tradesmen in the town. (Wyle Cop) became inadequate, so the horses were moved accuracy on the target. When two ammunition carriers and he also wrote poetry about the Engine cleaners, firemen, bricklayers, to a field near Sutton Mill where they were tied on picket reported that they could not get through and [that] our Shropshire he knew and loved. printers, clerks and townsmen were lines,’ Arthur recalls. ‘My horse was among those taken emplacement [had gone] up in the air, I ordered that no all trained at nightly sessions to to picket lines in a field on the banks of the more ammunition was to be sent up and everyone was The Shropshire RHA was become first class military horsemen.’ at Sutton. I was billeted at my own home, on a farm at to take cover in our dug-out about 200 yards back. I then formed in 1908 from the First Cantlop’. tried to find out what had happened [and] I crawled on Above: Ivy and Arthur Allwood on their wedding Shropshire Artillery Volunteers and In June 1914, King George V my knees in the direction of the Mortar – when… the day, 8 September 1917. comprised a Battery with sections visited the Royal Agricultural Later, with the 1/1 Shropshire RHA, they were billeted Mortar began to fire again. Then I discerned, amidst the Shropshire Archives ref: SHYHA/0245 at Shrewsbury and Wellington. The Showground at Monkmoor. Arthur at Beccles, Suffolk. Arthur recalls ‘Our spare wagons smoke and debris, a man on his hands and knees coming Ammunition Column was stationed writes ‘together with the Shropshire were stored in the local cattle sale yard with a tall sentry towards me. It was Finch. ‘Eh, Corp, what about some Opposite page: Will Rowson and Arthur Allwood, at Shrewsbury and . Yeomanry and 4th KSLI we lined the box stood in the middle. I was visiting my sentry when he more ammo, we’ve run out’, he said... He then explained 1914. Shropshire Archives ref: SHYHA/0245 The RHA together with the main streets’ of the route from the greeted me with ‘Arthur, there’s a naked bloke messing that the delay in Ammunition Column were then Railway Station to Monkmoor. His about over there’. ‘Rubbish’, says I, ‘You’ve got nerves’. firing had been Shropshire RHA Wagon Team in charge of units of the Welsh Border Mounted unit was situated on Wyle Cop and Then to my astonishment, I too saw the naked man. I while they were Bombardier A. Allwood. 1914. Brigade. At that time, men his section was opposite the Lion went forward, rifle at the ready, to be greeted by a grunt. A clearing the Shropshire Archives ref: SHYHA/0245 reported for duty at the new Riding Hotel. ‘At the time there was a scare large pig had been left overnight in the sale yard after the debris from their School near the Coleham Drill Hall, about suffragettes so we had strict auction’. emplacement – Shrewsbury – which was officially orders that no one should break they had nearly through our ranks’ In December 1916, Shropshire RHA men Gunner Tom been buried Finch of Rushbury, Gunner Gerald Davies of alive. I told and Corporal Arthur Allwood, lined up in the Medium them that they Trench Mortar Brigade (TMB) Y58th Battery. ‘The must both come crossing was made from Southampton to Le Havre early out of it - but in January 1917, where the TMBs were immediately sent to before I could the Trench Mortar School.’ The main work of the TMBs say any more was to cut, methodically, a road through the enemy’s he returned to barbed wire, preparatory to the infantry attack. When Davies, still very circumstances permitted they took over the working much exposed of forward ammunition dumps from the Divisional to enemy small Ammunition Column. On other occasions they would arms fire. Then

2 Salopian Recorder . Number 92 . Autumn 2018 Autumn 2018 . Number 92 . Salopian Recorder 3 they both came to me and were quite annoyed when I On 11th November at one of our hourly halts on a told them they must come out of it at once. However, march towards Maubeuge ‘Col. Burne read a despatch Feature at that moment Jerry settled it with a direct hit on our to us which read, ‘Corps wire AAA Hostilities will cease emplacement! Everything went up. We found out at 1100 hours today 11th November’. Col. Burne told us to afterwards that a magnificent job had been done on the break the news to the men as quietly as possible. I went enemy’s wire’. back to ‘A’ Company and simply said “It is all over boys.” John Burt They looked at me as if stunned. Their first reaction was Commission to ask how soon they could write to people at home to let In mid 1917, Arthur was ordered from the British them know they had survived’. Researching Expeditionary Force (BEF) to to train for a commission. Following commission on 31 May 1918 Postscript Myndtown as 2nd Lieutenant in the 7th Kings Shropshire Light Arthur was demobbed Infantry (KSLI), he was posted to the 3rd Battery at on 12 February 1919, Church Fermoy, Southern Ireland and was eventually sent to at Prees Heath, Salop. the 7th Battalion with the BEF in France. The Battalion He writes ‘I have been HQ was an old German dug-out, not far behind what privileged to serve in a he tiny 12th century Church of St John the was then a very confused front line. Shortly after his fine English Regiment Baptist at Myndtown, which nestles at the (figure 1, above) The Williams Watercolour of 1791. Shropshire Archives ref: arrival at the Battalion HQ as a commissioned officer, and to have had the Twestern foot of the , recently 6001/372/3/39 and (figure 2, above right) the porch arched collar, seen in and on reporting to South African, Major Deneys Reitz, honour to command such underwent a comprehensive Heritage Lottery Fund the Rev Williams’s watercolour, in its current bellcote location the Major sent for the Battalion Runner to provide splendid soldiers from my (HLF) restoration project. In addition to repairs to the Arthur with a meal. ‘The Runner proved to be none other own County.’ He later building, the project included activities encompassing At the first site meeting of the development phase than Private Jarvis of Shrewsbury, whom I had known went on to serve in the visitor promotion, historical interpretation, the of the restoration project, involving the project quite well in civilian life. He had been a drover and porter Above: Photograph of Arthur Second World War, in The production of leaflets on walks, cycle and horse rides, manager, architects, builder, an expert on mediaeval with a Shrewsbury firm of auctioneers and I had met him Allwood, May 1987. Shropshire Loyals (North Lancashire and an information booklet about the church. and pre-mediaeval roofs, and , there when buying and selling cows at the market’. Archives ref: SHYHA/0245 Regiment) and the was a discussion about first impressions of the church. Shropshire Home Guard. Prior to the project, there was no information The following questions were raised: ‘The British offensive started on 8 August 1918 His medals and badges and records of service and about the church available to visitors, apart from a and the TMBs were in action at Epehy. Several photos are held at the Shropshire Regimental Museum dusty list of incumbents and a list of burials. Those • Did the church have a stone-tiled roof at one time? German Minenwerfers were captured, complete with at . who asked for the Registers of Baptisms, Marriages • Was there a bellcote prior to the Victorian restoration? ammunition (the German Minenwerfer was the enemy’s and Burials found that they dated only from 1813, • Were the windows in the south wall added by the Victorians? opposite number to the TMBs). The TMBs manned the Regretfully the names of other officers and at which time the earlier records had been lost. • Was there an exterior door from the chancel at one time? Minenwerfers and turned them on the enemy with great comrades, who were remembered by Arthur, have Apart from an estimate that the church itself was success and satisfaction. Then the Infantry advanced and been omitted in this condensed version of the material 12th century, nothing was known about the history • Did the buttresses to the west wall precede the Victorians? the TMBs were left high and dry miles behind the lines,’ from several of his autobiographical booklets. The of the church and parish, other than Myndtown’s The major find Arthur wrote. ‘We mopped up the village of Escarmain, booklets, however, are available for further research at entry in the Domesday Book. So, with regard to the where we were surprised to be greeted by jubilant Shropshire Archives. n historical research needed to write the booklet, it was The very next day, via the Bishop’s Castle Heritage civilians with cups of hot coffee. Then after mid-day, the determined that it would be necessary to thoroughly Resource Centre, we found, in Shropshire Archives, a 7th KSLI formed up outside the village waiting for zero review every document in Shropshire Archives that watercolour painted in 1791. The artist was Rev Edward hour. Then came the barrage – over we went, at walking mentioned Myndtown in its many spelling guises Williams who painted many Shropshire churches, pace. Then a runner came over from No.3 Platoon to tell References: (Munete, Muned, Munede, Munad, Maned, Mind Town, including others in our locality. The high-resolution me that young Owen had been hit. I went to him, but Mindtown, Millytown and Myndtown), as well as to scan we obtained from the Archives is remarkably • War Diaries and personal accounts, 6005/SHYHA/0228 left him with his servant and the stretcher bearers. Poor search libraries, other archives and the internet. clear and provided answers to all the above questions: 1913 – 1985 Owen died in hospital 2 days later’. affirmative to the first four and negative to the last • Album of photos and personal records, Includes And so began many visits to Shropshire Archives (figure 1). Shortly before the Armistice was signed, officers and article from ‘Gunner’ magazine, 6005/SHYHA/0245 and the gradual uncovering of much of the story of men were lost from shell fire and heavy concentration Myndtown. There is not enough space in this article Moreover, the picture shows a porch predating the of gas. Included among these casualties was ‘Sergeant • The Lighter Side of War, XLS 11754 & XLS 25806 to detail the wealth of discoveries, so I am giving two current mid-19th century one and it was so clear that Tom Davies of Bayston Hill, who was wounded when out • Under Two Great South Africans or Cambrai to the examples of the sort of serendipitous finds one can the roof expert and the architect were able to state in the street. I had been talking to him only a few minutes Rhine, XLS 25810 & XLS 3067 make – one was a major find that yielded a wealth of that the arched collar above the porch entrance in the earlier… A little later we lost our Company Commander, • Shropshire Gunners in the Trenches, XLS 25812 information and the other a seemingly insignificant painting is now in the bellcote; when the old porch who was gassed. It was a terrible sight to see the agony document that prompted me to look into something was taken down, this timber was used in a repair, caused by gas.’ further (what I call the “one thing that leads to strengthening or reconstruction of the bellcote. How another” type of discovery, with which many readers amazing that a 1791 painting proved so helpful 224 will be familiar). years later (figure 2).

4 Salopian Recorder . Number 92 . Autumn 2018 Autumn 2018 . Number 92 . Salopian Recorder 5 One thing leads to another: a curious note The next step was finding the bells listed on the replacements for, and probably copies of, the earlier from 1734 Church Care website which stated that one bell was ones. This fits well with the data from the latest 15th century (from Bristol) and the other 12th century, construction phase of the existing chancel roof and The research resulted in the publication Anyone who has spent any time researching both with 12th century levers. The fact that Elphick the bellcote. of an 80-page, full colour book, archives will have experienced finding something that ‘Myndtown Its Church, Parish and might lead one in an unforeseen direction. In this case, As they were so significant, it was agreed that the Surroundings’, available for purchase it was a random, anonymous, seemingly insignificant bells should be removed for careful conservation from the shop on the church website: document that prompted me to follow a path that and then re-hung and be available for ringing. www.myndtownchurch.co.uk led to very important discoveries. It was this curious This conservation work, which included their little note of 1734 (the original is held in Birmingham rather tenuous connections to the levers and the University Library, but a copy is in Shrewsbury bellcote frame, had not been included in the project Archives). specification and was only added because of what the research had told us. n Elphick’s casts (courtesy of Pitt Rivers Museum) Having already come across so many had considered the bell of note, and that it dated from Bells prior to removal different spellings the 12th century seemed to me rather odd, so further (left), and in the of ‘Myndtown’, I investigation was undertaken, leading me to the workshop after was amused to see National Bell Register, which lists 65,000 bells across conservation, (right). that the author was the country. Wading through the list revealed that only unsure, having made 2 bells could definitely claim to be older (11th century), two attempts before with only 23 12th century bells listed. settling on a third. It mentions the Onny During the HLF restoration project, we held an (river), refers to the “Experts’ Day” at the church. Amongst those attending Long Mynd as the were George Dawson and Chris Pickford (both “Longment”, and archivists at the John Taylor Bell Foundry Museum in to “Wakes”, which Loughborough) and Roy Williams (Bells Advisor to the Note from 1734, from the antiquarian generally means Hereford Diocesan Advisory Committee). Between notes and drawings relating to Shropshire a festival held in a them, they have some 150 years of bells experience parishes collected by William Mytton rural parish on the and were unanimous in their view that one bell is 15th This Ward for arranging our AGM at has developed into a successful (d 1746). Shropshire Archives ref: feast day of the century (no later that 1500) and they dated the other From the summer’s in June independent university with a fine 7381/167/880. The original volumes patron saint of the as 1150, making it possibly the third oldest bell of the warm and presenting a talk about its new library built in 2002. are held at Cadbury Research Library: church. However, it 65,000 listed in the Register. The experts were also Chair weather history. We learned how the mill Special Collections, University of says the day is the able to obtain the notes and diagrams that Elphick has been a came to be sited in Shrewsbury, its Speaking of legacies, the Friends Birmingham, reference MYT/1-7 1st Sunday after St made when he examined the bells in 1984, and an Jill Ming boon to our connections with the Shropshire have been the grateful recipient Peter’s day. St Peter’s extract from a book, The Church Bells of Shropshire programme canal and the railway, its time of bequests from late members day is 29 June and St John the Baptist’s (the patron (1915) by H B Walters who, rather dramatically, which has as a maltings, and subsequent and well-wishers which help us to saint of Myndtown) is 24 June! But the most significant commented on his examination of the bells (probably seen our visitors sporting short- decline. Richard Benjamin, the Flax continue supporting Shropshire thing was its mention of the “two lyttle bells”, as it in the 1890s): sleeves, sandals and sun hats rather Mill administrator, described the Archives and its unique collections. prompted me to try and find out something about than cagoules and umbrellas. current renovations, and the visit Information about legacy giving them. We knew the bells were in situ, but that was all. “In a small wooden turret, shockingly dilapidated, concluded with a guided walk of to the Friends is now available the floor consisting of rotten matchboard; there is We received a very friendly the site from Penny. at friendsofshropshirearchives. An internet search revealed that the Pitt Rivers only one beam to stand upon below the bells, and welcome from Mr and Mrs org/about. If you are able to Museum at Oxford University had two casts of the frames are so narrow that it is not possible to turn Mainwaring at Hardwick Hall in In July we visited Harper remember us in your will, all gifts, founder’s marks from Myndtown, inauspiciously around in them; altogether one of the most difficult, May where we were treated to a Adams University and Library; whatever their size, will be greatly marked as being in a box labelled “Miscellaneous not to say dangerous, places in Shropshire.” fascinating tour and a wonderful the afternoon was hosted by appreciated. and North Sussex”. They formed part of a collection tea. It was interesting to learn how alumni officer and archivist Julie amassed by George Elphick, the pre-eminent When a dendrochronological (tree-ring dating) the house had been altered and Brook. The college was built on Our annual lecture on bells expert of his day, and were bequeathed to study was carried out on the church, the bell levers extended and to see the careful farmland in 1901 on the instruction Saturday, 24 November about the the museum following his death in the 1990s. The were included. Although the National Bell Register internal renovations currently in of Thomas Harper Adams who Shrewsbury Foundling Hospital will museum kindly photographed the casts for me. had shown them both as 12th century, this analysis progress. left a substantial estate to be delivered by Dr Katharine Croft identified them as from timbers felled in the period found an establishment ‘for the from the University of Birmingham 1515-1548. Thus at least one, and possibly both, were We are very grateful to purpose of teaching practical and and I look forward to seeing many committee member Penny theoretical agriculture’. His legacy of you there. n

6 Salopian Recorder . Number 92 . Autumn 2018 Autumn 2018 . Number 92 . Salopian Recorder 7 took over. Later in the 1920's production increased and Well into the 1950's horses were being used for Feature included locomotives as well as steam wagons. The delivering goods and daily supplies of bread and milk Shrewsbury at Work company’s skilled engineers also made machine tools. to households around the county, but horses were The company had extensive holdings of land and built becoming expensive to maintain and they could not Nigel Hinton People and Industries through the years homes for the workers opposite the factory. These had work all day without rest. Mervyn Morris designed a the benefit of central heating with radiators fed by battery operated electric vehicle in the Barge Garage steam from the company's boilers via pipes under the and this evolved into a milk delivery vehicle. The first This article is the first of two looking at the working lives of Salopians over the centuries. A49. vehicle was delivered to Rodington Dairy early in 1951. Wiring harnesses were supplied by Hartleys in The Welsh Wool Trade The By the 1930's, the unladen weight restrictions of Monkmoor. The company continued to make electric Shrewsbury was ideally placed to become the main The upper floor of the Old Market Hall (1596) in vehicles on the roads meant that diesel was favoured vehicles in Harlescott until the 1970's. A number of the market in the high-quality Welsh wool trade, located the Square was built by the Burgesses as the trading at the expense of steam. The company stayed too long vehicles are still in use in and around Shrewsbury. as it is near the wool markets and on the . place for the wool and cloth. This was then shipped with steam and another new company took over the The merchants who traded in wool were citizens of out by pack-horse and boat around the country to assets and liabilities to become Sentinel Wagon Works Corbett's Perseverance Ironworks substance, and a small number of families controlled Europe and North America. Today following a major (1936) Ltd. Once again the prospect of war turned Thomas Corbett came from a family of blacksmiths the trade. In 1462 the wool merchants became refurbishment there is an independent cinema with a the company around as it gained substantial military and agricultural engineers in Wellington, Shropshire. independent becoming ‘A Fraternity or Gild of the café bar in the historic hall. contracts for the supply of machine tools and vehicles He set up his business in 1865 in Shrewsbury and sold Holy Trinity of the Men of the Mystery of Drapers in for active service. The vehicles included Sentinel his products through Richard Chipchase of Albert the town of Salop’ by charter from Edward IV. Merchant dynasties Steam Wagons, Sentinel Locomotives, Universal Street and Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury; they worked On the other side of the Square, in 1590, lived Carriers (Bren Carrier), Lloyd Carrier, Locust Tank together until 1877. Thomas Corbett worked with The wool and cloth was sold by farmer weavers in William Jones at 15/16 High St, now occupied by Costa (lightweight D-Day Tank), Stuart Tank, Ram II Tank, another seller, Arthur John Peele, until 1881, and then the Marches border towns of , Welshpool and Coffee. Thomas Jones, one of his sons, became the and ARV (Armoured Recovery Vehicle). The company became sole proprietor of the firm. He was a successful Newtown and was purchased by drapers and brought first mayor of Shrewsbury in 1638. Other merchant developed its diesel capability and built locomotives, marketer and a good designer. As an innovator he was to Shrewsbury for processing. The pinnacle of the dynasties included the Rowleys, with their mansion lorries and coaches, all carrying the Sentinel badge exceptional, as can be gathered from his winning over Welsh wool and woollen cloth trade was achieved in in Barker Street (now the home of University Centre and a Sentinel Diesel Engine. Later the business was one thousand prizes from agricultural societies and the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, when Shrewsbury); Owens, with their mansion on High St taken over by Rolls Royce and Perkins and is currently ploughing matches over the life of the business. He the profits made enabled the successful middle-men, facing the Square (now the Edinburgh Woollen Mill part of the Doncasters group. grasped new ideas and new technology, and was part the drapers, to become some of the wealthiest of very and Ask); and Proudes, whose mansion in Milk St is of the development of more mechanisation on farms. wealthy. These wealthy merchants left their mark in now occupied by Rizzo hair design salon. Wales and Edwards He travelled internationally and had great success in the built environment in the form of their ‘mansions’, This was a firm of motor engineers based at Morris selling products in New Zealand from March 1883. The which had workplaces and shops on the ground William Hazledine House, at the bottom of Wyle Cop, where petrol and Perseverance Iron Works employed several hundred floor and their own apartments above, with the The story of the Ditherington Flaxmill, the first iron- cars were sold, serviced and repaired. The showroom men and made a variety of iron products in the upper storeys let out to tenants. An example is Lloyds framed building in the world, is well-known. What is had a feature concave window where the cars were foundry on site. Mansion (1570), gifted to the Shrewsbury Drapers not so well known is that the ironwork for the mill was displayed. They had agencies for Morris and Wolseley Company and let to tenants, and this provided income made locally in 1797 by William Hazledine in his foundry and also distributed Morris, Rover, Humber, MG and Corbett became the first secretary of the Shropshire to the Shrewsbury Drapers until the property was sold in Coleham. He prepared the detailed design work and Morris Commercial. In 1942 the garage was split in two Chamber of Agriculture when it was launched shortly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. cast all the components. This included 204 columns, with one division concentrating on essential car users. after cattle plague hit Shropshire in 1865; he also 136 beams, 136 large windows, and 19 roof sections, These included doctors, vets and farmers The finishers of the cloth were the Shearmen and iron-doors, tie bars, staircases, and all the other smaller who had to have a “Certificate of they also became an independent guild with a hall in cast iron parts, all of which had to fit together. Working Need to Buy Spares” in order Milk St and a chapel in St Julian's Church. Shearman's with engineer Thomas Telford, Hazledine also made to get their cars serviced. Hall was rebuilt as a chapel and the ground floor is the ironwork for Cantlop Bridge, the Menai Bridge and The other was the Military currently trading as Peaberry. Pontcysyllte and many others. The quality of his work Vehicle Division, which kept the foundry busy, and at its peak it employed worked on Morris 15 cwt The Fellmongers 300-400 people. Later in life he turned to politics and in Quads or Mobile workshops. In Frankwell raw wool was processed in the 1836 he was elected as the Mayor of Shrewsbury. They also repaired vehicles Fellmongers buildings (1590), built as a wool and skin which were stripped down Sentinel 7/8 tonner, c1950. This processors above a small range of shops. The wool The Sentinel across the road at the diesel lorry was introduced in 1948 was washed and treated in large baths, which emptied In 1915, the Sentinel Steam Wagon Company moved Barge Garage and then as the 7-8 tonner but later became out into the Severn, and the wool was then removed from Glasgow to Whitchurch Road, Shrewsbury. taken to the MVD shop on the 4/4DV. This denoted it had a by hand. The range of buildings was used for wool Stephen Evans Alley had taken over the business an electric truck driven by 4-cylinder engine, 4 wheels and it processing until 1974, when it changed to become a from his father and was keen to get profit from the Mrs Betty Parsons. was a diesel vehicle. Shropshire community centre. The small shops are a food outlet demand for war materials. After WWI the demand Archives ref: PH/S/13/S/21/30 and Pulse Hair Studio. for the company's products fell and a new company

8 Salopian Recorder . Number 92 . Autumn 2018 Autumn 2018 . Number 92 . Salopian Recorder 9 became the first secretary when the Shropshire and on the cells of the human body; it would aid fatigue, 100 Agricultural Society was founded in warm the body and help rheumatic pain’ and was 1874. In later life he took on civic responsibilities and called ‘Silhouette Radiant’. WILFRED became a councillor and in 1906 he was made Mayor of Shrewsbury. After a move to London, the Company had to relocate again because of the German bombing, OWEN Morris Lubricants and moved to Shrewsbury in 1941. They started Morris Lubricants now operates in the Perseverance in Tankerville St Church Hall, where corsets were Ironworks. James Kent Morris set up the original firm refurbished and repaired. as a general grocery in 7 Frankwell, but following his The company benefitted death in 1891, James’s eldest son, of the same name from orders from the for details of dates and venues for all events: shropshireremembers.org.uk Supported by

Image used by kind permission from Bodleian Libraries, (known as JK), then aged just 18 took over the reins of armed services, and The University of Oxford collections item 5026 the business. He spent 10 years as a travelling salesman Silhouette made bras for the Anglo-American Oil Company and built up and suspender belts for Wilfred Owen 100 from the 18th century 5 years work by our the Anglo-American’s paraffin and petrol business WAFS, ATS and WRENS. project News to the time of the First volunteers. The records in the region. In this way, Morris’ diversified beyond The company moved to World War, as well as 20th are a collection of groceries, to supply surplus oils purchased under larger premises in Coton Hill (left ref: The project was Mary McKenzie century business records charters, deeds, surveys, tender from the Disposal Board which was set up 8985), but these were again too small, launched at an event at from a village shop in manorial records, and following World War One. This enabled the company so in 1956 they moved to a purpose- on 4 Hodnet. On the website miscellaneous documents to achieve nationwide status as a manufacturer and built factory in Harlescott on the north August attended by over you can find a blog which date back to supplier of high-quality lubricants. side of Shrewsbury. Shortly after this 130 people, including the written by the University the 12th century, that move, Annemarie, the company's Mayors of Shrewsbury Centre Shrewsbury were previously held Following the post war boom the company became chief designer, was inspired to invent and Ors in France, where happy to promote them students about their time in Shrewsbury Public incorporated in 1922. The move to lubricants was a revolutionary new girdle. Called the Little X, Wilfred Owen was killed. as part of the project. The with us. Library. In addition, items well timed as there was an increase in demand for it proved to be a huge and an instant sales success. The event attracted First World War showcase from the Miscellaneous technology requiring lubricant products, primarily As a result, Silhouette grew to be one of the town's excellent publicity day, on 20 October at More records on line Items (MIs) and more combustion engine-powered vehicles. They remained largest employers, and had other factories at Market including an item on the Shirehall, will also A key priority for all material from the part of the Morris Group until 2003 when Paterson Drayton, Whitchurch, Telford and Chirk. At its peak, BBC Midlands Today. The be an opportunity to the team at Shropshire Shrewsbury Borough Enterprises Limited was created, and the link with the over three thousand people were employed and the display on Wilfred Owen’s explore the huge amount Archives is to get more collection (SB) have also founder was maintained as Leonard Paterson was a Company was floated on the London Stock Exchange Shrewsbury is now on of research and activity information online to gone online recently. nephew of JK. in 1959. Later, the change in fashion to short skirts and show at Shrewsbury carried out by local make it accessible to There are almost 500,000 tights caused a slump in demand for the girdle and in Museum and Art Gallery. history groups across the all. This year we have records online now, Silhouette 1979, although the business was taken over by We hope it will encourage county. I look forward to been prioritising the and it will continue to Silhouette was founded in 1887 in Cologne, when WL Pawson & Son Ltd, it local people and visitors seeing you there. completion of work increase. I am so grateful Max Lobbenberg and Emil Blumenau teamed up to ceased trading. The brand to explore the town on existing catalogues to all the volunteers who make corsets and dressing gowns. An international name was sold on and following Wilfred Owen’s Student placements so they can go online. have contributed to this business with operations in London, Paris and the USA Silhouette corsets are now footsteps. We supported three One milestone in this achievement, and would developed. In the 20th century the second generation made in Europe.  students from University work was getting over encourage you to keep took over and in 1937 Otto from Full details of all the Centre Shrewsbury 19,000 records from looking at the online the Paris office obtained the events can be found in during June. Their the Shrewsbury Deeds catalogue as you never manufacturing rights for a new Nigel started his manufacturing research the Wilfred Owen 100 enthusiasm and hard collections (SA ref 6000) know what might show and revolutionary garment project in 2006 and has received brochure and on the work was inspiring, and online following over up! n called ‘a radio-active corset’. It contributions from many individuals who Shropshire Remembers we hope they found the was said to have ‘a stimulating have added their stories to the research, website www. experience positive. We and rejuvenating influence further details of which are at - www. shropshireremembers. have also supported a Please send any comments to: madeinshrewsbury.co.uk. Nigel has org.uk. We are also number of undergraduate Mary McKenzie, Acting Museums and Archives Manager, Left: 'Silhouette your figure' - advertisement for corsets. also written a book, Shrewsbury at Work, aware that many placements for Shropshire Archives, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, SY1 2AQ Below: artist's impression of the proposed factory for published by Amberley. communities are holding Shropshire-based tel: 0345 6789096 Silhouette at Harlescott. Shropshire Archives ref: 8985 their own First World students over the email: [email protected] War Commemoration summer. In all, website: www.shropshirearchives.org.uk events during 2018. You the students have can submit this to the worked on a range of Shropshire Remembers collections, cataloguing website, and we’ll be correspondence dating

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