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Wellingtonia Issue 15 : Second Half 2013 Only £2.00 Newsletter of the Wellington History Group, rediscovering the past of Wellington in Shropshire HISTORY’S HOT! IN THIS ISSUE ****************** he History game seems to Page be more popular now than 2. Call Out The Yeomanry it ever was when I was at - Part Two Tschool. Perhaps the fact that 3. Wrekin MPs increasing numbers of folk are taking an interest in their 4. Harry Hampton ancestors – and want to know 5. Notice Board more about their lives and the 6. Dickson Monument places in which they lived – has 7. Local Author’s something to do with it. Centenary This has undoubtedly led to a greater interest being taken in 8. Wellington Town FC television documentaries (and 10. Art Deco & Modernism even ‘docusoaps’), history 12. Dothill Park magazines and, of course, books, The Art Deco Trail 14. The Wellington Gibbet especially those with local interest. See page 10. 15. Plaque ‘Trigged’ But we mustn’t forget the wealth of knowledge revealed in The Wrekin Constituency 16. 50 Years Ago: 1963 old newspapers and maps, and was created in 1918. 18. Workhouse or Wellington Library is a good place How many of its Members of Almshouse? to spend a few hours gleaning Parliament can you name? 20. More 1963 Images fascinating details from books, as See page 3. well as newspapers on microfilm. The latest additions comprise rare (probably unique) maps relating to Wellington and its surrounding area, including some from the Lord Forester Collection, all of which have been digitised at our request by Shropshire Archives. These are now available for viewing on one of the library’s computers. Ask a librarian to show you how to access them. They’re an important addition to the community history section. If Dothill House wasn’t ‘Dothill House’, what was it? (this extract from 1944 Sale Particulars gives a clue.) See page 12. Visit us at www.wellingtonhistorygroup.wordpress.com resignation in 1827, the year before CALL OUT THE YEOMANRY! PART TWO Neil Clarke his death. His role was acknowledged on the inscription on his monument he Yeomanry volunteer in Wrockwardine Church: movement began in response to the French threat to this country He served his country for many years T in the capacities of a magistrate and at the end of the 18th century, but Yeomanry troops were actually soldier, in the latter commanding the deployed in dealing with outbreaks of South Shropshire Regiment of domestic civil unrest during the early Yeomanry Cavalry with distinguished nineteenth century. How was the zeal and ability, and in both rendering Yeomanry organised in this area and important benefits to his neighbourhood in times of difficulty who made up its personnel? and danger. From its beginning the officers of the Yeomanry came mostly Other members of the Cludde from the landed gentry, and in this family and relatives who served in area that meant from the Cluddes, the Yeomanry were William’s son the Eytons, the Leekes, the Edward, son-in-law William Lacon Foresters and the Charltons. These Childe and cousin Thomas families also provided the county Pemberton. magistrates, who played a leading Edward Cludde (1783-1840), role in keeping the peace. Some who succeeded his father at prominent local industrialists also Orleton in 1828, had become an became officers in the Yeomanry in officer in the second Wellington its early years. William Cludde in uniform (painting troop in 1803, and the celebration The rank-and-file members in Shropshire Regimental Museum) of his 21st birthday at a Yeomanry were tenant farmers and workers in 1785, on condition that he gathering was recorded in the on the landed estates. All members changed his name. In the year he following newspaper report: of the Yeomanry were expected to was mayor of Shrewsbury, William May 2nd 1804. On Thursday, being undergo a period of training each raised the first voluntary corps in the 21st birthday of Major [sic] year, to attend an annual camp Shropshire, as described by a later Cludde, great celebrations took place at and to parade in full dress Lieutenant-Colonel of the Orleton, Wellington. The Wellington uniform. The officers wore a regiment: Volunteers had a grand field day and scarlet tunic, turned up with black 1795 – On March 6th, a meeting was after marching into town fired three velvet and gold lace, white sash held at the Pheasant Inn, Wellington, volleys. Afterwards the Corps was and breeches, a helmet, and were over which Mr Cludde of Orleton was entertained to dinner by their armed with a sabre and pistols. requested to preside, and in a very Commander Colonel [sic] Eyton. With the reorganisation of 1814, impressive speech laid down the William Lacon Childe of the two Wellington troops (jointly necessity of every man coming forward Wrockwardine had married commanded by a major since to assist in defending a glorious William Cludde’s daughter, 1798) became part of the South Constitution against the meditated Harriet, in 1807 and two years Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry attack of foreign foes...It was resolved later took over from Thomas Regiment, commanded by a that a Corps of 80 men should be Eyton as captain of the second Lieutenant-Colonel. Within the enrolled, and Mr Cludde was Wellington troop. He continued as regiment, each troop was unanimously chosen to be Captain. It captain in the South Shropshire commanded by a captain and was also decided that the troop should Yeomanry Cavalry until his below him, in order of rank, were be called ‘The Wrekin Co. of Shropshire resignation in 1826, soon after lieutenant and cornet (who carried Yeomanry Cavalry’. the colours); and in the ranks succeeding his father at Kinlet When a second Wellington Hall (near Cleobury Mortimer). usually two sergeants, two troop was formed in 1798, William Thomas Pemberton of trumpeters and about 90 men. Cludde became Major Wrockwardine Hall, William Commandant of the two combined THE CLUDDES Cludde’s cousin, served as troops, termed ‘The First Corps of The most prominent figures in the lieutenant in the first Wellington the Shropshire Gentlemen and early years of the Yeomanry in this troop from 1795 to 1798. area were members of the Cludde Yeomanry’; and with the family and their relatives. amalgamation of five local troops OTHER GENTRY William, son of Edward in the southern half of the county Thomas Eyton, whose residence Pemberton of Wrockwardine, in 1814 he became Lieutenant- was ‘The Mansion’ in the Crescent inherited the Orleton estate on the Colonel of the South Shropshire Road area of Wellington, formed death of his uncle Edward Cludde Yeomanry Cavalry. This was a the second Wellington troop in position he held until his 1798 and remained its captain 2 Wellingtonia: Issue 15: Second Half 2013 until his resignation in 1809. Following his disgrace and suicide WREKIN MPS in 1816 [see Wellingtonia issue 11], his son moved back to Eyton Hall C=Conservative; IC=Independent and played no part in the Conservative; I=Independent; Yeomanry; but his grandson, L=Labour; Li=Liberal; U=Unionist Thomas Campbell Eyton became Sir Charles Solomon Henry (Li) cornet (1830), then lieutenant (1860 - 1919) (1838) in the South Salopian Dec 14, 1918 - Dec 27, 1919 Yeomanry Cavalry until his Charles Frederick Palmer (I) resignation in 1859. (1869 - 1920) Thomas Leeke of Longford Feb, 20 to Oct 25, 1920 Hall became a lieutenant in the Major-General Sir Charles second Wellington troop in 1822. Townshend His uncle, Egerton Leeke, who had (IC) (1861 - 1924) been a captain in the same troop in Nov 20, 1920 - Nov 15, 1922 1803, lived at the family’s original Mr Howard Stransom Button (L) home at ‘The Vineyard’, (1873 - 1943) Wellington. Thomas’s son, Ralph Henry Williams (above, photo Nov 15,1922 - Dec 6, 1923 Merrick Leeke, became captain of courtesy of Paul Luter), local canal Mr Henry Nixon (L) (1874 - 1939) the new Newport & Shifnal troop engineer and ironmaster, was a Dec 6, 1923 - Oct 29, 1924 in 1834. lieutenant in the second Mr Thomas Oakley (U) Wellington troop in 1798. A John George Weld-Forester, (1879 - 1936) partner in the Ketley and Lawley whose family seat had been Oct 29, 1924 - May 30, 1929 Dothill Park until the move to ironworks, he lived at Ketley Hall Willey Park in the mid-18th from 1818 until his death in 1842. Miss Edith Picton-Turbervill (L) (1872 - 1960) century following marriage, William Anstice of Madeley May 30, 1929- Oct 27, 1931 became 2nd Baron Forester in Wood Hall inherited a share in the 1828. He had become a lieutenant Madeley Wood Company from his Colonel James Baldwin-Webb (C) in the South Shropshire Yeomanry uncle, William Reynolds, in 1803, (1894 - 1940) Cavalry in 1825 and captain the the same year that he became a Oct 27, 1931 - Sept 17, 1940 following year. He remained in the captain in the second Wellington Mr William Arthur Co!egate (C) Yeomanry until his resignation in troop. (1884 - 1956) 1859. Thomas Jukes Collier, a Sept 26, 1941 - July 5, 1945 St John William Chiverton Wellington wine merchant with Mr Ivor Owen Thomas (L) Charlton, who succeeded to the interests in the coal and iron trade (1898 - 1982) Apley Castle estate in 1838, was an in the Wombridge area, became July 5, 1945 - May 26, 1955 officer in the Dragoon Guards lieutenant in the first Wellington before becoming a lieutenant in troop in 1804. He was later in Mr WilliamYates (C) (1921 - 2010) the South Salopian Yeomanry business in Newport. May26, 1955 - March 31, 1966 Cavalry in 1859 and captain two Joseph Reynolds, half-brother Mr Gerald Fowler (L) years later, a position he held until of William, was a partner in (1935 - 1993) his death in 1864.