Coleorton Village History (As seen through the eyes of the newspapers) By Samuel T Stewart – 2015 Preface This book has been structured around newspaper articles of the day. Part 1 This is specific to Coleorton village life and features a comprehensive and fascinating selection of old newspaper articles for the period 1776-1951, with supplementary information and photographs added by the author where appropriate. The following is a typical short example:- The following appeared under the deaths column in the Leicester Chronicle dated Jan 17th 1829 Lately at Coleorton, in this County, James Prestall, aged 94 years and ten months. He was the oldest inhabitant of that place, and died in the same house he was born. He was the father of seventeen children and was esteemed by his neighbours as an honest, sober, and industrious man, from where he received many favours, particularly from the late Sir George Howland Beaumont and his Lady. The newspaper articles, give a wonderful insight into the village happenings in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Part 2 This part features newspaper articles dedicated to “The Beaumonts” and “Coleorton Hall”. Numerous supplementary articles with photographs are again featured such as - The Design & Construction of the present Coleorton Hall and its gardens etc., The contributions of architects George Dance & Robert Chaplin, Wordsworth’s Winter Garden at Coleorton Hall, The Engraved Memorials, The visits of Constable & Haydon, A tribute to Montgomery Henderson, The lives of the Beaumont 11th and 12th Baronets. Part 3 The author felt that as he had already published a book on Methodism in Coleorton and the local area, we owed it to the Baptists, who in fact, had a longer history in Swannington and Coleorton, to try and find out something about them also. Research material has been difficult to come by, but sufficient has been located to write an overview of the first 100 years of their history. Again this is supported by newspaper articles. Other local history books by Samuel T Stewart. Coleorton Pottery 1835 – 1938 A History of Coleorton and the Locality Methodism and Social History in Coleorton and the Locality A History of Coal Mining in Coleorton and the Local Area 2 An old timber framed Coleorton Thatched Cottage - 1810. A pencil and grey wash drawing by Sir George Howland Beaumont, 7th Bart. Note the colliery on the horizon to the right of the cottage. © Samuel T Stewart September 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise without first seeking the written permission of the author. Photographs are either from the author’s own private collection or the Coleorton Historical Archives. 3 Selective Contents list Part 1 – Coleorton Village Social History 1776 to 1951 Page Nos. 13 to 16 Death by Public Hanging of a Coleorton Man named John Varnam in 1829 44 to 46 St. John’s Chapel 54 to 55 Celebrations of the Marriage of the Prince of Wales 56 to 59 The Rev. Francis Merewether 82 to 87 William and John Berkin 90 to 93 Old Local Landmarks Part 2 – The Coleorton Beaumonts 94. Chart of the Coleoton Beaumont’s Family Line. 95. The move to Coleorton by Sir George Howland Beaumont, 7th Baronet. and his wife Lady Margaret. 96-131. The design and construction of the present hall from 1804-1808 plus details of garden landscaping. 132-154. Wordsworth’s Winter Garden 155-164. The Engraved Memorials 165-168. The visit of John Constable to Coleorton Hall in 1823 169-173. The visit of Benjamin Robert Haydon & David Wilkie to Coleorton Hall in 1809 174-180. Further building and development at Coleorton Hall 184-185. The Beaumont Room (Dining Room) Ceiling 186-209. Robert Chaplin’s architectural contributions at Coleorton Hall 210 The Brew House/The Head Coachman’s Cottage & The Game House 211-212. A tribute to Motgomery Henderson – Head gardener at Coleorton Hall 1838-1882. 213-236. Other historical features of interest at Coleorton Hall 237. Photographs of Coleorton Hall from the early 1900’s 238-240. Modern external photographs of Coleorton Hall 241. Continuation of newspaper articles 244-245. Sir George Beaumont’s allotment venture at Whitwick 253-255. The marriage and memories of Constance Mary Beaumont 260-263. Dedication of the Lychgate at St. Mary’s Church, Coleorton 265-269. The Beaumont’s parlous financial situation in the second half of the 19th century 270. The renting/leasing of Coleorton Hall during the period 1877 to 1926 including a synopsis of the Abel Smith’s time at the hall from 1901 to 1926 271-274. Wordsworth’s centenary commemoration at Coleorton Hall in 1907 275-282. Continuation of the Abel Smith’s period of residence at Coleorton Hall 283-285. The death of Sir George Howland William Beaumont, 10th Baronet. 286-288. Dame Lillie Ellenor Beaumont 289-290. Celebrations at Coleorton Hall for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee 291-317. The life of Sir George Arthur Hamilton Beaumont, 11th Baronet. 318. Synopsis of the will of Sir G. A H. Beaumont, 11th Baronet. 318-320. Memories of elderly people of the village & Coleorton Hall staff 320. Lady Renee Muriel Beaumont, Wife & Widow of the 11th Baronet 321-326. Sir George Howland Francis Beaumont, 12th Baronet. Part 3 – The First 100 Years History of the Swannington / Coleorton Baptists 327-334. The first 100 years history of the Swannington / Coleorton Baptists. 4 Front Cover illustrations :- All illustrations on the front cover appear at various stages in the book, together with details. Acknowledgements:- Thanks to Ashby de la Zouch Museum for allowing access to and use of the Coleorton Historical Archives. Thanks to John Macdonald (Coleorton Heritage Warden) for his continued support. John has spent a long period catalogueing research material at Ashby Museum gathered by John Crocker, which relates to the Beaumonts and Coleorton Hall. John Crocker was a highly respected local historian and researcher who had spent some 20 years researching the Beaumonts. Unfortunately, John passed away before he could commit any of his twenty years research into literary form. Access to John’s research material has proved invaluable in the writing of parts of this book. Thanks to Sue Puliafito for her contribution into the research for this book. Thanks to Prof. Tim Reynolds for taking the time to show me around the grounds of Coleorton Hall recently, and for permitting certain of his photographs to be used. Bibliography:- Where appropriate, bibliography details have been appended to the articles within the book. Newspaper articles have been researched from numerous sources including the Beaumont collection. Notes:- The author would welcome any additional social history information or photographs that have not already appeared in his books. This can be submitted via the Coleorton Parish Website, as it is intended to continue publishing further information on important aspects of Coleorton history, before it is too late. A few minor corrections to information given in the book entitled “A History of Coleorton and the Locality” appear in this book, this unfortunately is unavoidable due to the ongoing research process which continually brings new information to light. 5 Part 1 Coleorton Village Social History 1776- 1951 This section is based entirely on a selection of newspaper articles of the day which make reference to Coleorton or its inhabitants in some form or other. Supplementary information has been added to certain articles by the author. Some of the more mundane articles have been recorded for genealogical / historical purposes only, and also where it may be of interest to people with past links to the village. Due to the numerous people’s names included in many of the articles, it is hoped that genealogists may find the book of help in researching any Coleorton descendants also. The reporters of the day tended to use three words where one would suffice, likewise, the occasional unusual old word or spelling appears, but it was felt that it would be wrong not to report the complete text, as originally written. Petty crime and assaults in Coleorton and the locality were rife in the 1800’s, but even more striking was the severe sentences imposed, even at “Petty Session” level. It is impossible to list all of these, but the author has tried to include a wide and varied selection. At one point, the rector of Coleorton, the Rev. W. B. Beaumont wrote to the Ashby-de-la-Zouch magistrates complaining that the name of Coleorton was appearing too frequently and unfairly in criminal reports, and that in many cases, people were being listed as natives of Coleorton, when in fact they were not from the village. Leicester & Nottingham Journal – August 10th 1776 Wanted, a master for the “Workhouse” at Coleorton: Apply John Ayre or Henry Whirledge Supplementary information – The Workhouse was situated on Workhouse Lane (now Moor Lane) and was listed in a Parliamentary survey in 1776/7 as having 30 places. This advert could well indicate the approximate opening date of the workhouse. 6 Leicester & Nottingham Journal – June 15th 1776 Under list of prisoners for debt in Leicester Prison were – Jos Wardle (Shopkeeper) and Thomas Henson (Hatter) both of Coleorton. Stamford Mercury – February 12th 1778 The Rev. William Belcher, A.M. Chaplin (This should read Rev. William Beecher M.A.) to the right honourable the Earl of Harborough, is collated by his grace the Archbishop of York to the prebend of Woodborough, in the collegiate Church of Southwell; likewise instituted, by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln to the rectory of Coleorton in Leicestershire, upon the presentation of Sir George Beaumont, Bart.