Lillington Local History Society

NOVEMBER 2012 NOVEMBER 2012

Contents

Let us remember Samuel Ingram

Vicarage Road in 1911

Pig on the highway

Lillington Men’s Club War Memorial

The Leamington and Lillington Brickyard

Lillington Board of Health

Lillington Primary School

Persis Blanche Rooper Autumn in Lillington Programme of meetings until April 2013 Do you remember this service coming up Lime Avenue on its way to Napton or has the driver forgotten to change the destination blind? The Regular monthly meeting Midland Red Timetable of the day suggests that the 558 service would Cubbington Road Free have gone along the Radford Road out of Leamington Spa. The phone Church Hall, 4.30 pm on the box has long gone but when was it removed? first Friday of each month. We thank Bryan Hicks for allowing the use of this picture from his Contact us by collection.

-Coming to one of the LILLINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL Cubbington Road. Society’s monthly meetings, - th or by introducing yourself Lillington Primary School celebrates its’ 60 Anniversary this year. We through committee member are looking for past pupils, parents, teachers and governors who are Gladys at the Chain Office, 89 willing to share their memories of the School. Did you keep a scrapbook of cuttings from the local newspapers? Do you have school Crown Way. 01926 739402 or photographs, reports, programmes from Sports Day, school concerts or 07815565370 pantomimes, or any other memorabilia associated with the School that -or by referring any queries you would be prepared to share with us? If so please contact Gladys about the society, Gibbs at ‘The Chain’ 01926 739402 or Peter Coulls from the Lillington contributions, photographs or Local History Society on 01926 339316, who are helping the School reminiscences to Graham mark this significant date in the School’s history. Cooper – telephone 01926 We look forward to your help. 426942

LET US REMEMBER SAMUEL INGRAM Samuel Ingram was buried in Lillington churchyard on January 7th 1903.The burial records do not give us much detail other than that Samuel was “an old parishioner”, was unmarried and had died as a pauper in the Warwick workhouse aged 89. The 1901census gives us a little more detail. Samuel was one of over 300 inmates living in the workhouse, a substantial building on the site now occupied by Warwick hospital. He had been born in Leek Wooton in 1815, and had been a farm worker all his life. His status in the 1901census was listed as “pauper”. In 1894, the British Medical Journal set up a "commission" to investigate conditions in provincial workhouses and their infirmaries. Following a visit to Warwick, the commission's report made a number of comments and recommendations.

The infirmary being our special concern, we asked permission to visit first that part of the buildings. Its plan is a compact parallelogram, the administration block being in the middle, with the male and female wards on either side, the part used for the women being rather the larger of the two; it is a three-storeyed building, and has accommodation for 96 patients, the average number of beds occupied being 80. The space is cramped, the landings being small, and the staircases, which are principally of stone, confined. On the ground floor on the men's side there was a small day room, and opening out of it a ward for 8 beds, one of which was occupied, the remainder of the patients being in the day room, or seated round the fire in the ward. On the next floor was a large ward for 12 beds, 3 of which were occupied, the rest of the patients being up. Above, again, were 2 smaller wards, with 6 and 5 beds respectively. The arrangement of the wards is throughout the same. There are windows on both sides, and the beds are between the windows; a large deal table in the middle, with benches and armchairs for those who are up; little tables between some of the beds, and one or two commodes for night use. We were sorry to see the chamber utensil under each bed; this betokens some want of sanitary care. The wall surfaces are of brick, painted with silicate in two colours. The windows are rather small, and set high up in the wall, so that the patients cannot see out of them as they lie in bed. The ventilation is chiefly by the windows, the amount of opening being regulated by means of a rack; there are, besides, ventilators in the cornice. The wards are warmed by open fires and lighted by gas. A few of the bed-steads were of modern pattern and supplied with a pull; the majority were of the old style: almost all of fair width. The bedding was flock, hair, or "oat fly"; in no case were mattresses in use. Over the laths was a very thick fibre mat, but the matron considers that this is not cleanly; as they wear out she is not having them replaced. Water mattresses and cushions are supplied for such cases as require them. The quilts are red check, of the old- fashioned heavy cotton make; they might with advantage follow the fibre mats. We were struck with the lack of cupboards, and wondered how and where the necessary Warwick workhouse infirmary site from the north-east, 2000. ©Peter Higginbotham. appliances for ward work would be kept. After 1930, the former workhouse became known as Warwick Infirmary, and subsequently as Warwick Hospital. Virtually all the former workhouse buildings have been demolished. Parts of the 1903 infirmary remain.

The brief note on the burial record “an old parishioner” encourages us to think that Samuel was mourned by old friends in Lillington and who were able to attend his last rites. CDMR

VICARAGE ROAD 100 YEARS AGO

Let’s walk down Vicarage Road in April 1911, courtesy of the National Archive census returns.

Reginald and Susan Maudslay live at Number 1. Alice Woods looks after their one year old daughter Margaret. They also employ a cook and a housemaid. Reginald Maudslay writes on the census that he is the Managing Director of an Engineering Company. He was in fact the founder of the Standard Motor Company in Coventry. The family later moved to Sherbourne. His son, Henry Maudslay, born in 1921, joined the Royal Air Force in 1940, was awarded the DFC and was the youngest of the Dam Buster pilots.

Elsie Higgs, 52, lives next door at Number 3. Her father, Thomas had been the manager of the Charing Cross Hotel in London, where she was born, and later the proprietor of the Regent Hotel in Leamington. Miss Higgs has a general servant, Amy Hartwell. The Reverend Roper Roberts, 27 a Clerk in Holy Orders [priest] was her lodger.

Magalen Wilson, 75, lives at Number 5. Magalen was born in Madras, India, where her father Captain Arthur MacFarlane had been an officer in the Madras Army. Her husband had been the Vicar of Waterbeach in Cambridge, then Rector of Stoke Bruerne, and later of a parish in Pembrokeshire. Magalen had had five children, and her daughter –also called Magalen- lives with her still. They are helped by Charlotte Reed, their domestic servant.

There’s a big family at Number 7. Charles and Clara Birch have five adult children still at home. Charles started as an organist in Leamington, and lived on the Parade before moving to Lillington. He lists himself as a Professor of Music and Piano Merchant. His shop is at 104 The Parade. His son, Charles 26, is also a Professor of Music. Nellie Eyre, 20, their servant.

Henry Hillier 33, the dentist, lives at Number 9. He and Clarice, his wife, have one servant: Sarah Knight. The Reverend Champion Welbank Streatfield, 73, lives at Number 11 with his daughter Winifred and their servant Edith Hiorns. He had been born in East Ham in Essex, and served as Vicar of Isycoed in Denbighshire.

Number 13 is home to Frederick 57 and Lizzie Myott. They had seven children, and three of the surviving five still live with them. Frederick had been trained as a chemist in Oldham, but started listing himself as ‘retired’ from the age of 37. CDMR Acknowledgements: National Archives; Leamington Lives Remembered by Alan Griffin for the material on Henry Maudslay; Travelodge; Standard Motor Club; Wikipedia 3

PIG ON THE HIGHWAY: AN OFFENCE REPORT

Frederick Charles Claydon P.W.R1. 56

Frederick William M.... Aged 33 QEFC 70/1 Xx Queen Street, L/Spa

Allowing a pig to stray upon the highway.

10.30 am Tuesday 8th Feb.1944 Wathen Road, Leamington Spa.

Sir, I have to report that at 11.40 am. Sunday 8th Feb 1944, I was on duty at Binswood Corner when I received information over the Police Pillar that a pig was straying in Wathen Road.

I at once went to Wathen Road and there saw Mrs. Winifred May K..... aged 47 years – housewife: the complainant and from her I obtained the following signed statement:-

Winifred May K..... stated: - At about 10.30 am this morning Sunday 8th February 1944 I had occasion to go to my front door and on looking out I saw a white sow pig running along on the path in Wathen Road. As there was no one with it I thought at once it must have strayed and therefore telephoned the Police Office ...... Signed W.M.K

I made a search in the vicinity for the animal and eventually traced it to a stye(sic) in the Brickyard Allotments Campion Road. There I saw Mrs. M.... who had driven the pig in and she explained that the sow which was hogging must have climbed over the stye.”

This statement appears with the kind permission of Joe Claydon, whose father was a Police War Reserve Constable. It was found in his father’s effects, and is a remarkable survival from an era when wartime restrictions determined destruction of such documents.

1 Police War Reserve Constable

LILLINGTON MEN’S CLUB - War Memorial

The Lillington Men’s Club War Memorial was unveiled and dedicated by Brigadier General H.O.D. Hickman on Sunday 28th February 1926.The Memorial occupied a prominent position in the Clubroom, the brass tablet having been placed on an oak mount. Above the nine names the following words were engraved:

“In memory of the members of the Club who gave their lives for King and Country, 1914 – 1917”

Below the inscription: “Their names liveth for evermore.”

Unfortunately, it cannot be located and it is presumed that it was lost in a severe fire at the Club in 1970.

The names recorded were as follows:

1914 Hunt, George 7112, Private, 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment.15th Brigade, 5th Division. 1916 French, Arthur James 8573, Lance Corporal 9th (Service) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 1916 Plummer, Richard 57479, Private Machine Gun Section, 20th (Central Ontario) Battalion, Canadian Infantry.4th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division. 1917 Clemons, Arthur 10333, Private 36th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. 1918 Austin, Frederick 149280, Gunner 12th Fire Command, Royal Garrison Artillery. 1918 Owen, Albert Thomas 164973, Private 100th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. 1918 Owen, MM, William Charles 658, Corporal, 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 10th Brigade, 4th Division. 1919 Everitt, George 10337, Corporal, Machine Gun Corps, (Infantry). 1919 Kibble, Walter TZ/11262, Signaller, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

I believe that service men from the Second World War were also commemorated in a similar manner.

Lillington Men’s Club was first registered on 10th July 1930 at 24 Lime Avenue and had a full licence. The various directories list the club being in Cubbington Road at an earlier date. Can you help? Unfortunately on Sunday 17th May 1970 a fire caused £2000 of damage to the kitchen, main bar and Billiard room.

Acknowledgements to Allan Jennings and “The County of Warwickshire Roll of Honour” – Kenneth Fowler 2005. Peter Coulls

Records show that the Owen family lived in Cubbington Road. Their father had been a farm waggoner. The two boys died within a month of each other: July 18th and September 18th 1918. William is listed in the 1911 census as a skating rink attendant, Albert had been a groom. CDMR

THE LEAMINGTON AND LILLINGTON BRICKYARD

The brickyards in Leicester Street, and therefore part of the manor of Lillington, were once a notable feature of the landscape. Bricks have been produced locally since at least 1808, and correspondence between Edward Willes and his agent has several references to small brick kilns on his various construction sites. The 1886 Ordnance Survey map of Leamington shows several kilns, a chimney and a light railway on the land now covered by the eastern end of Waller Street, Campion Road, Waller Street, Greville Street and Villiers Street.

No detailed photographs are known of the Lillington brickworks but those in Napton, see illustration, may have been similar. [CRO. Img 8012 (3/7272)]

The brickworks were owned by the Wise family and leased to various contractors. The 1884 lease between George Wise and Mann & Mills said that clay could be taken to a depth of three feet for “bricks, quarry tiles and pipes.” The topsoil was to be replaced for cultivation.

The pits have long since been filled in and grassed over to form an open space [North of Kiln Close]. This picture is looking SW with the spire of St Paul's visible on Leicester St. The area around the edge of the pits was developed for housing in the 1960s and 70s.

It is rumoured that the pits were used for training soldiers on trench building during the First World War. CDMR

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

The Lillington Local History Society is having to limit itself to a tight budget and any contributions to funds are, therefore, very welcome. Accordingly, although this Newsletter is distributed free, a contribution towards its production will be much appreciated: most people think that 50 pence is a reasonable sum. Members of the

Society receive the Newsletter free. Remittances may be made to your Newsletter distributor, given to the Treasurer at one of the monthly meetings or left at The

Chain office, 89 Crown Way, Lillington, Leamington Spa CV32 7SH

LILLINGTON BOARD OF HEALTH 1859-1890

The Board met once a month at Corporation House on the corner of Cubbington Road and Pound Lane. Photograph from a sepia post card in the Helen Scott collection.

Setting the width of Lillington Road [then known as Kenilworth Old Road]

6th November 1871 Ordered that the Kenilworth old Road from the Church Lane to the cross of Hands be staked out 55 feet wide and the Plan of the Road already prepared be altered to that width and the same submitted to the respective owners of Land on each side thereof for their approval and signature.

Use of bath chairs

6th October 1873

Ordered that the Surveyor and Police be requested to caution all persons found wheeling Barrows, Trucks or Bath Chairs (when without a fare) on the Footpaths, and after being so cautioned the offender be proceeded against in accordance with the Act of Parliament.

Ed Does anyone know Chesford Bridge Toll House where the toll house was? Editor 6th September 1875

A Notice dated 26th August 1875 was read from J.B.Haynes Esq Clerk to the Trustees of the Warwick Coventry and Leamington Turnpike Road stating that the Trust would expire on the 1st day of November next pursuant to the Act of Parliament after which date the Trustees will dispose of the Toll House known as Chesford Bridge Toll House (being the property of the Trust).

Extracts from the LILLINGTON BOARD OF HEALTH minute book WCRO 1538/259. Compiled by EMR with the permission of the Warwickshire County Record Office. Bath Chair: Wikipedia 58733_bath_chair_md.gif

PERSIS BLANCHE ROOPER (1849 – 1926)

In the mid-1890s Persis Rooper moved to ‘Sunnyside’, now Elm House on Cubbington Road, with her sister, Lucy Louisa Rooper; employing a cook, Ann Harwood and parlour maid, Ellen Edwards. Persis was the fifth child, and one of 13, of Captain John Rooper* and Charlotte Rooper. She had been born in Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, but was a longstanding resident of Leamington Spa before moving to Lillington. She had been living at Binswood Lawn, 22 Clarendon Sq, with her father and her sister, since he moved to Leamington in 1873. (The house had been built in 1824 by the architect, Peter Frederick Robinson, of Brook Street, Mayfair for Mr Willes. It is now divided into two properties, Magnolia House and Binswood Lawn). Her mother Charlotte had died in 1885. Her father, John, who had been a Captain in the Rifle Brigade died in February 1894, leaving an estate valued at £19,987. It was following his death that the sisters moved to Sunnyside. The two sisters lived on private means and as the Misses Rooper are regularly reported in the Leamington Courier as being involved in many ‘good works’ during their time in Leamington/Lillington. She was involved in establishing the Leamington Working Boys Institute in 1886. A less favourable account relating to Persis is recorded as occurring on 28th April 1911.

The Leamington Courier reported on 12th May 1911 that: “Persis B Rooper, Cubbington Road, was also charged with riding a bicycle on the footpath in Cubbington Road on 18th ult. Defendant did not appear. DC Grooby proved serving the summons. PC Sinclair explained the facts. On stopping, Miss Rooper said she anticipated a summons and offered to pay the 5s at once. Witness thought he had better not take it. (Laughter) The Chief Constable said defendant had been fined on a previous occasion. A fine of 7s 6d and costs was imposed.”

The previous occasion was in 1902 when the Courier reported on 18th July that: Persis Blanche Rooper, Sunnyside, Lillington was summoned for riding a bicycle on the footpath in Clarendon St on May 23rd. The case was dismissed on payment of costs 4s 6d. Persis Rooper was obviously a lively 62 year old spinster at the time of the second offence. Persis died on 8th December 1926 in Richmond Surrey, leaving an estate of £2368. Her sister lived on until March 1947, dying in her 97th year at Limes Nursing Home, Burgess Hill, Sussex. Paul Wells

*John Rooper was born in 1809; educated at Charterhouse; at 17 received commission in Rifle Brigade. C1850 he became an Adjucant, Lancashire Militia. Moved to Binswood Lawn, 1873. Was originator of Leamington branch of Charity Organisation Society, on committee of Nursing Home, Charlotte St and Provident Dispensary. A talented botanist and horticulturist he along with Dr Fenn Clarke and Capt Gowan saved Beauchamp Sq Gardens from extinction and oversaw upkeep.

8This Newsletter is published by the Lillington Local History Society, The Chain, Crown Way, Lillington. All references prefixed CR refer to documents held in the County Record Office, Warwick. For further information, contact The Chain, Crown Way, Lillington. The views expressed in the Newsletter are personal to the contributors and are not necessarily the views of the Society.