MERIDEN. WARWICKSHIRE. (KELLY'B the foll()wing inscription: "Donum Henrici West, Anno MERIDEN RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL. Domini, 1627. 'This chest is God's exchequer, paye in The parishes in the District are the same as in the then Yo0ur almes accepted both of God and men'"; the Union. lid of this chest, which Mr. Burr dis'Covered in a stable, Council meets at the Workhouse every four weeks on originally belonged to a former chest given to the tuesdays at the close of the Board meeting. church by Henry West in 1627: an ancient chained oook, Chairman, T. R. Vickers, Hollyberry hall, Allesley, which probably belonged to the church, has also recently Coventry been found in the vicarage house: during 1883 the Officials. nave and aisles underwent thorough restoration at a Clerk, Arthur William Liggins,u Priory street,Coventry eost -of £1,465, and the church now affords 450 .sittings. Treasurer, William F. Wyley, London City &, Midland The ll'egister d'31tes from the year 1644. The living is a Bank Limited, Coventry vicarage, net yearly value £221, including 39 acres {)f Medical Officer of Health, Claude Edward Tangye B.A., glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Earl of Ayles­ M.D., B.S.Lond., M.R.C.S.Eng., L.R.C.P.Lond., ford, and held since 1902 by the Rev. Charles Rolbe·rt D.P.H.Birm. 17 Lansdowne circus, Leamington Digby M.A. of 'St. Peter's College, Cambridge. About Sanitary Ins-pector & Surveyor of Highways, Samuel a quarter of a mile south-west of this church is a well, Bretherton, Shustoke in which tradition says St. Lawrence baptised the first eonverts of this parish. On the Green at one end of MERIDEN UNION. the village there remains the base and a p()rtion of a Meriden uni<m comprises seventeen parishes, viz. : Alles· village cross, formerly located opposite the Berkswell ley, Berkswell, Bickenhill, Coleshill, Corley, Coundon, road. A society, known as the "Woodmen of Arden," Fillongley, Hampton-in-Arden, Lea Marston, Maxstoke, bold their meetings at Forest Hall, on the oorders of 'Meriden, Packington (Great), Packington (Little), this parish, where also is deposited a horn, said to have Sheldon, Shustoke, Whitacre (Nether), Whitacre been used by Robin Hood, who is traditionally stated (Over). The area is 48,091 acres; rateable value, to have competed here in the olden time. The archery Lady Day, Ign, £no,671; the population in 1911 was meetings, in their present form, were revived here on 12,674 the old "Forest Ground" in 1785. Since 1745 the office By Local Government Board's Provisional Order (1910) of " bowman " to t~e " W oodmen of Arden " has been Confirmation (No. 13) Act, 19II, Castle Bromwich, held by the father, grandfather and great grandfather Curdworth, Minworth, Water Orton & Wishaw will of Mr. F. W. Thompson, the present "bowman." The on April 1st, 1912, be transferred from Aston Union King's body guard o~ Scotlantl,_ the Royal Company of to Meriden Union. By this addition the area will be Archers, compete here every three years for the Scotch increased to 55,221 acres Oup, the "Woodmen" likewise going to Scotland every Board day, every four weeks, tuesdays, at the Board three years alternately for the same purpose. The room at 11 a.m. charities belonging to Meriden are derived from the following bequests : Four Coventry Canal Shares, left Chairman of the Board of Guardians, T. R. Vickers, by Mr. Noel Digby, two for the school and two for fuel Hollyberry hall, Allesley, Goventry and clothing; a sum of £241 left by Mr. Thomas Avery, Clerk to the Guardians & Assessment Committee, the interest to be given away on St. Thomas' day; Arthur William Liggins, u Priory street, Coventry .£5oo from Mr. Henry Barnett, for educating poor boys; Treasurer, William F. Wyley, London City & Midland ];5oo from Mr. Henry Barnett Bellison, the interest to Bank Limited, Coventry be given in coal; and £6 Is. left by various other Collector to the Guardians, Relieving & Vaccination persons. Meriden Hall, the prope-rty of Mrs. Edward Officer, Walter Harris, Meriden Bankes, is an extensive mansion, with spacious and Assistant Overseers, E. Holmes, A. Hitch cocks, F. Ben­ finely proportioned apartments and a noble exterior. bow, E. Townshend, T. Pettifor, J. Sparrow, William Meriden House, the property of F. J. Kittermaster esq. Bott, R. J. Bailey, .A. Lane, F. Ford, W. Russell, <lf Rugby, was sometime the residence of the late General Meriden; A. Redfern, W. H. Dunn, A. Alien, J. George Whichcote (d. 1891), the last of the officers who Steele served in the Peninsula, and last but one of those who Medical Officers & Public Vaccinators, Coleshill & Max· served at Waterloo; the sole surviv()r, Lt.-Col. Hewett, ~>toke districts, Arthur Cant M. B., Ch.B.Birm. Wait· who served at Waterloo as captain 13th foot, died at ham house, Coleshill ; Fillongley district, Henry Southampton, October 26, 1891: the house is a modern Philip Thomason M.B., Ch.B.Birm. Foremark, Fil­ mansion, standing on an elevation : the gardens are longley ; Meriden district, William Harvey Smith laid out with much taste, and the front of the house, M.B.Durh., M.R.C.S.Eng. Darlaston hall, Meriden as well as other spots in the village, command extensive The Workhouse is a structu~e of brick & will hold 120 views of the surrounding colntry, including Brooms­ inmates; J oseph Edgington, master; Rev. Charles grove Lickey, the Clent Hills, Barr Beacon, and the Robert Digby M.A. chaplain; William Harvey Smith Brown Clee Hill in Worcestershire: it is now occupied M.B.Durh., M.R.C.S.Eng. medical officer; Mrs. Flor· by Colonel John Henry Monckton J.P. The Earl of ence Edgington, matron Aylesford is lord of the manor and principal landowner. MF.RIDEN REGISTRATION DISTRICT. The soil is sand and gravel; subsoil, the same. The Superintendent Registrar, Arthur William Liggins, n chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The parish con­ Priory street, Coventry tains 3,086 acres of land and 13 of water; rateable value, Registrars of Births, Deaths & Marriages, Coleshill sub· £5,262; the population in 1901 was 770, including 77 district, William Henry Martin Barton, Church Hill, officials and inmates in the workhouse. The population Coleshill; deputy, W. Freer, Coleshill; Meriden sub· in 1911 was 832. district, Waiter Han·is, Meriden; deputy, Alfred Post, M. 0. & T. O.ffice.-Mrs. Zillah Isabella Sid well, Bolus, Meriden sub-postmistress. Letters arrive from Coventry at 6.23 a.m. & 1.53 p.m.; dispatched at 10.40 a.m. & County Police Station.-Albert Edward Barnett, con· 7.30 p.m.; sundays, I.5 p.m.; sunday arrivals, 6.23 stable iu charge a.m Public Elementary School (mixed & infants), erected on Pillar Box, near Queen's Head, cleared at 10.40 a.m. & a. site presented, together with a donation of £150, 7.30 p.m.; sunday!!, I.5 p.m by the late Earl of Ayles-f()rd, foT 16o children; aver­ Letter Boxes. Near the Cross, attached to a telegraph age attendance, 91 mixed & 32 infants; John Penrice, pole, cleared at 9·45 a.m. & 7 p.m. ; sun days, 9· 15 master; Mrs. Florence Horden, mistress p.m.; neal' Bull's Head, cleared at 9·45 a.m. & 7 Carrier. John Nicholas, to Coventry, mon. wed. & fri.; p.m. ; sundays, 9.25 a.m to Birmingham, thurs PRIVATE RESIDENTS. Siddeley Jn. Davenport, Hill orchard Dunning Charles, farmer, Heath farm Bint Mrs Smith Wm. HarveyM.B.Darlaston hall Fovd James, farmer Clegg Owen, Strawberry Bank COMMERCIAL. Forest of Arden Cricket Club (Fredk. Digby Rev. Chas. Rt. M.A. Vicarage Bolus Alfred, grocer, & deputy regis· Wall, sec) Drummond Mortimer P. G. D. trar of births, deaths & marriages Franklin F. M. draper Manor house Brown Elizabeth (Mrs.), draper Franklin William, vagrant officer Etches Arthur Hutchinson, Meriden Cattell Jn.Middleton,farmr.Patrick ho Glover Jas. (Mrs.), grocer & butcher cottage Clarke Rebecca (Miss), baker Hall Thomas, Bull'.s Head hotel Goodman Edward, The Manor Cleaver Thomas & Son, sad-dlers & Ha.mmond Thos. farmer, Welsh hall Hancox Arthur, The Green harness makers Harridon George, carpenter Lucas Frederick, The Chestnuts Cowley James Edward, farmer, Malt­ Harris Waiter, relieving officer, col· Melly Ernest Louis, Highbury bank house farm lector to the .guardians, registrar of Monckton Col. John Henry J.P. Meri· Dale John, fanner, Alspath :hall births, deaths & marriages & vac­ den house Davies Worthington, farmer, Moat fm cination officer .