The Wolds Historian No. 3 2006

Contents Chairman’sreport 2006 Welcome to this the third issue of The Wolds Historian. One of the articles reveals that much Chairman's report 2005 1 heritage is being lost as a result of village growth. I The airfield in our midst 2 therefore make a plea for all ‘at risk’ features to be recorded and photographed so that information Polish camp revisited 19 will not be lost to future generations of local historians. Articles, short or long, based on such Wymeswold'swells 20 features throughout the Woldsare most welcome Village life in nineteenth century Hoton 21 for publication in future issues of The Wolds Historian. Will of JoanGroves of Wymeswold 27 The WoldsHistorical Organisation meets Burton'sheritage lost in 2006 28 regularly on the third Tuesday in the month (except July and August) with a variety of speakers and a walk in June. This year WHO member Colin Lines gave an excellent insight into the steam fairground rides of FrederickSavage; Jack Smirfitt enlightened members about framework knitting, followed by a visit to RuddingtonFramework Knitting Museum; ThomasLeafe’stalk on nineteenth century pit boys made us aware of how easy life is today; ErnestMiller explained the history of ancient board games, with members honing their practical playing skills with Nine Front cover: The front cover of the souvenir Mens’ Morris; while HelenBoyntoninstructed us programme for the open day at RAF Wymeswold in the geology of CharnwoodForest and the on Saturday 15thSeptember 1956 (original in unique fossils in the old rocks. colour, kindly loaned by DavidPutt. Anyone with an interest in local and wider history is most welcome to attend WHO meetings. After the summer recess these include a talk on Southwellworkhouse (19thSeptember), the historic parks and gardens of Leicestershire and The WoldsHistorian is edited by JoanShawand Bob Trubshawand published by the Rutland(17thOctober), and an update on the WoldsHistorical Organisation. ongoing archaeological excavations near Leicester’sHigh Street (21stNovember). Contents copyright individual authors and illustrators As Chairman I thank, on behalf of the members, © 2006. JoanShawand Bob Trubshawfor producing this Uncreditedcontributions by the editors. issue of The WoldsHistorian, Bob Trubshawfor The moral rights of the authors and illustrators have his work as Vice-Chairman, DavidMarshallas been asserted. efficient Treasurer, DavidKeeneas Secretary, with No part of this book may be reproduced in any form ColinLines, VivMarshall, AlbertSleigh and or by any means without prior written permission DebbyBilhamas committee members for all their from the WoldsHistorical Organisation except for hard work and support. brief passages quoted in reviews. Finally, thanks to all members for continued Contact: 2 Cross Hill Close, Wymeswold, support and attending meetings, as without them Loughborough, LE126UJ there would be no WHO. telephone: 01509 880725 email: [email protected] PatriciaBaker 1 The Airfield in our Midst Joanand Peter Shaw The beginning pattern of airfield was devised with metalled In World War I the 38th Squadron of the Royal runways and durable buildings. Flying Corps Home Defence Unit, based at MeltonMowbrayand charged with defending the Potential sites were chosen by the Airfield Board, Midlands from the German Zeppelins, was after which the Directorate of Works made a supported by a landing strip at Horse LeysFarm in detailed survey. To begin with, the requirements Burtonon the Wolds.The memorial hall in the of the RAF were simply for an area of land in centre of Burtonwas closed for socials and dances which a circle of 1,100 yards could be described; and fitted with beds for injured Belgian and the flight paths were dictated by the location of Canadian soldiers. Twenty-three years later, with existing buildings. From 1938, developments in Britain again at war with Germany, Burton, along flying necessitated the laying down of definite with neighbouring Hoton, Prestwoldand flying lanes for each airfield and this resulted in Wymeswold, was called upon once more. the formation of the Aerodrome Improvement Board which worked with the Directorate. The early military airfields and landing strips were Preliminary reports were drawn up outlining the of a temporary nature and quickly civil engineering and siting aspects and including decommissionedat the end of hostilities but in the such relevant details as soil, drainage, access, 1930sthe RAF began to expand and a standard amenities, services, levelling and obstructions. Ordnance Survey map of 1885, surveyed 1883, with location of the World War I landing strip superimposed. Lang'sRestaurant now occupies part of Horse LeysFarm. 2 The WoldsHistorian No.32006 From these and the accompanying plans the Royal Air Force made a decision as to a site’ssuitability. Burtonon the Wolds, Hoton, Prestwoldand Wymeswold, bordered an area of plantations, park and farmland belonging to Sir Edward HusseyPackeof PrestwoldHall. This land was listed by the Airfield Board with a view to its possible use as a military airfield. The AvroAnson. The economy of the four parishes was based largely on agriculture and in the early 1930stheir Noel of Rectory Place in Loughborough. The inhabitants totalled less than 1400. The plans that surveyor on the ground is not named on the were afoot by the beginning of World War II documentation, but MrBailey says that Gorse would increase the population by almost 200 Farm and the surrounding area was surveyed by percent and change the landscape forever. Sir Teddy Turner. Edwardand Lady Packewould, in the words of Lady Packe’ssister Lady Victor Paget, have an Plans and inventories are precise. Careful sketches aerodrome up to their ‘front door’. were made of buildings to be demolished, and photographs taken. Fields, drains, and water Four possible locations were chosen for this part sources were mapped, condition of land and its of the East Midlands: Ragdale, Derby, current use was recorded, heights of hedges and Wymeswoldand Castle Donington.MrFred depths of ditches were noted, and the fences and Bailey, whose father occupied Gorse Farm at gates were described down to the last missing Hoton, in the centre of the proposed site, hinge or broken rail. recollects that the initial surveys were carried out from the cockpit of a low-flying AvroAnson. At the outset RAF Wymeswoldwas to be an Operational Bomber Airfield but it was later The Air Ministry decided against the Ragdaleand decided that these would be in Yorkshire, Derby sites, leaving Wymeswoldas the favoured Lincolnshire and East Anglia; the Midlands would parent airfield with Castle Donington(later to be home to the Operational Training Units. become East Midlands Airport) as its satellite. The airfield was built to the typical RAF three There was acrimonious debate between Sir runway design, the main cement runway, 2,000 ArchibaldSinclair, Secretary of State for Air, and by 50 yards, running parallel to the Hoton- the Minister of Agriculture, mainly due to the high Wymeswoldroad and intersected by two quality of land at Castle Donington.In view of the subsidiary runways running roughly north to south urgency, no objections were raised regarding (1,250 by 50 yards) and south-east to north-west Wymeswold, where less than two-thirds were (1,250 by 50 yards). under the plough and the land was not of the best. Agreement was finally reached and the scheme The surveyors set their trig.point at 278 feet above went ahead. sea level. The western end of the main runway was 227 ftand the eastern end 257 ft. The overall The airfield itself lay within the parishes of Hoton gradient was 1:207. and Prestwold; living and communal huts were on dispersed sites around Burtonvillage. Only the Permanent landmarks identified were the town of instruction site was in Wymeswoldparish Loughborough and the Brush Electrical works. (between West View and Cliff Farm). The village nearest to the airfield was Hoton, but it Overleaf: was designated RAF Wymeswoldto prevent Drainage plan of land requisitioned from confusion with HootonPark in Cheshire. Sir EdwardHusseyPacke.Reproduced by kind permission of the Record Office for Leicestershire, Preparation Leicester and Rutland(DE1346/527); details The Air Ministry Lands Officer was MrN.W. clarified by Jack Shaw. Wood. Sir Edward’sagents were Woolleysand 3 The WoldsHistorian No.32006 4 The WoldsHistorian No.32006 5 The WoldsHistorian No.32006 The landscape The planned location for the bomb dump was almost touching the house of Sir Edward’shead Sir ArchibaldSinclairand Sir EdwardHussey gardener and an alternative had to be found. Packewere personal friends but it is obvious from Three Nissen huts and two brick buildings for the their correspondence that Sir Edwardwas purpose were erected in New Covert, north of the awarded no special favours. ‘He merely adheres Hoton-Wymeswoldroad. (During the war, to the official ruling’, wrote Sir Edwardin a letter ammunition stores were scattered throughout the to the Central Landowners Association. county; the wide verges around Six Hills were The first piece of land, 37.363 acres attached to lined with them and TheWoldsHistorian 2005 Gorse Farm and let at an annual rent of £55, was tells about three young Wymeswoldlads who requisitioned on 16th April 1941. On 23rd August of found themselves in court after stealing cordite the same year the Air Ministry took possession of from WysallLane.) 38.750 acres, including Ice House Field, and parts The airfield cut into a bridle road that ran from of the park and Old Wood which had brought in Burtonto the Hoton-Wymeswoldroad, a path that £65.15s.0d.Two cottages and land from Home ran alongside the road, footpaths linking New Field, New Covert and Old Wood, totalling Covert with Burtonand Prestwold, and a footpath 22.250 acres, were also taken. Sir Edwardagreed th from Burtonto Hoton’sParsonage Lane. Gorse to sell the trees felled prior to 18 February 1942 Spinney and Dales Spinney lay within the runway for the sum of £5,984.1s.4d.

Load more