Advertisement circa 1899 Motorcycle Manufacturers Of Nuneaton By Peter Lee, (see article on page 7) NUNEATON AND NORTH WARWICKSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Member of the Federation of Family History Societies http://www.nnwfhs.org.uk JOURNAL OCTOBER 2005 Price £1.50 (first copy free to members) Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 1 CONTENTS PAGE NNWFHS Committee 1 Sad Loss of a Dear Friend and Society Member - Alva King 2 NNWFHS Diary - A Report From The Chairman, Peter Lee 3 In Perspective: Trying To Set The Record Straight - By Brian Mitchell 4 The Motorcycle Manufacturers Of Nuneaton - By Peter Lee 7 Your Letters 8 North Warwickshire Railwaymen - By Rail to Rapper’s Hole- By Peter Lee 9 Christmas Is Coming 12 Beginners Start Here 13 Old Chilvers Coton Streets, Lanes and Lost Locations - By Peter Lee 13 Get Netted 14 Notice Board 15 New Members/ Interests 16 Existing Members’ Change Of Details 17 Publications 18 NNWFHS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PETER LEE, P O Box 2282, Nuneaton, Warwicks CV116ZT Tel: (024) 7638 1090 Email: [email protected] INDEXING PROJECTS CO-ORDINATOR CAROLYN BOSS, Nuneaton Library, Church Street, Nuneaton, & VICE CHAIR Warwickshire CV11 4DR Tel: (024) 7638 4027 MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY JOHN PARTON, 6 Windmill Rd, Atherstone, Warwickshire CV9 1HP Tel: (01827) 713938 Email: [email protected] TREASURER & CELIA PARTON, 6 Windmill Rd, Atherstone, Warwickshire CV91HP NORTH WARWICKSHIRE CO-ORDINATOR Tel: (01827) 713938 Email: [email protected] JOURNAL & PUBLICATIONS EDITOR PAT BOUCHER, 33 Buttermere Ave, Nuneaton,Warwicks CV11 6ET & MICROFICHE LENDING LIBRARIAN Tel: (024) 7638 3488 Email: [email protected] PUBLICATIONS MANAGER ROBERT BUTLER, 16 Dovecote Close, Solihull, West Midlands B91 2EP Tel 0121 743 8526 Email: [email protected] WEBSITE MANAGER BILL BOSWELL, 21 Randle Road, Stockingford, Nuneaton,Warwicks CV10 8HR Tel: (024) 7634 3596 Email: [email protected] COMMITTEE ALAN F COOK Tel (mobile): 07813615522 Email: [email protected] COMMITTEE JACQUI SIMKINS, Langley Mill Farm Sutton Coldfield W Midlands B75 7HR Tel: (0121) 311 0455 Email: [email protected] COMMITTEE VAL PICKARD, 108 Lister Road, Atherstone, Warwicks CV9 3DF Tel: (01827) 711863 Email: [email protected] COMMITTEE LINDA BODEN, 45 Grove Road, Atherstone, Warwicks, CV9 1DJ Tel: (01827) 709015 Email: [email protected] NORTH AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE HARLOW G FARMER, 7101 Bay Front Dr. #124 Annapolis, MD 21403 USA. Email: [email protected] Page 2 Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Sad Loss of a Dear Friend and Society Member Alva King 1.4.1939—25.9.2005 I was devastated to hear of the sad death of one of this Society’s longest serving and most stalwart members, Alva King. It was so sudden and took everyone completely by surprise. Alva had been disabled for some years and a recent operation to improve one knee looked as though it had been successful. Alva was certainly looking forward to a more mobile future: everything looked so promising. Sadly she had a stroke on Saturday September 25th and died on Sunday 26th. Alva was the kind of committee member who forms the backbone of every successful society. She was quiet, tireless, and worked very hard, and above all she delivered. I remember with great fondness what she said to me: “Now I’ve got time on my hands, I’ll type anything for you”; and she did. Alva has typed most of the publications produced by our society: burial records, censuses, the 1901 Nuneaton census now on our web site plus indexing of burial records. She typed and typed and typed. Not only for us but also for the Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry, Pickard’s Pink Pages website for Warwickshire genealogy and for the WAP project to make Warwickshire census transcriptions freely available on the web: she typed and typed and typed. Alva had been working with Pat in the Nuneaton Registrar’s Office indexing their records and had been busy in-putting at the Register Office only a few days before she suffered the stroke. Alva was a vital part of our indexing team: thoroughly indexing, then checking, then, of course, typing. She had recently completed typing the 1912 street directory of Bedworth and was working on the transcription of the Nuneaton Diary of 1810-1845: a very difficult task working between old transcriptions, images of the original diary and modern typescript. The work she has done is prodigious and overwhelming: all done with a quiet sense of purpose and a commitment born out of passion for local history. I remember chuckling with her at some of the goings on in the Nuneaton Diary. She found it so very interesting and it was as though she could not wait to get on with things that would soon see the light of day as one of our publications. To most people Alva was quiet, jovial and did not make a fuss. She was a good friend, fellow enthusiast and a vital cog that has kept this society ticking. We have had our ups and downs, but Alva kept going regardless. We will all miss her for her huge contributions to local and family history over many years. How can we express our feelings: words seem inadequate at this time. Our heartfelt condolences go to her husband, Charlie, and the family. Peter Lee At the time of going to press, a book of remembrance is open via Pickard’s Pink Pages where friends can record a short message. Please add your message. Go to http://www.hunimex.com/warwick/ or http://www.expage.com/alvaking Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society - Journal Page 3 NnwFHs Diary A Report From The Chairman, Peter Lee I felt reasonably under whelmed recently to be told that original information. Warwickshire County Council wish to appoint someone who is to carry out a project related to the oral history of local Another thing that came out of the meeting was an entire lack industries in Nuneaton and Bedworth, at a cost to the council of understanding of the purpose of carrying out an oral taxpayer of £50,000. I have no reason to generally criticise history like this. Oral history as part of the entire picture is the County Council over their heritage activities; they run the very important, but it must not be seen as the whole picture, it County Records Office, and our local libraries. Our needs to be balanced with context. Not only is the relationship with Nuneaton and Atherstone library is information provided not over when it’s over. You do not excellent. Their facilities are first class and our involvement produce an oral history and say that is that. The data needs with them with our regular family history workshops both to be made available and commented upon and looked fundamental to our strength as a Society. But I have seen into further. The strength that we have as a society is that these initiatives before when the local council, through their there are various methods of accessing information for the municipally run museums service, have appointed heritage general public, as well as members, and that new records are out reach officers. I am not sure what these people have constantly being added to the old. (This open access nearly actually done, but little of their work is apparent to the always results in membership for us as a happy by-product). general public. In the early days these new people turn up We have the web site, with masses of material (and links to blinking out of the sunlight with a degree in something or other good local web sites) which can be delved into other and ask all sorts of ill thought out questions and after worldwide, the newsletter, meetings, workshops, local and having wasted some of my valuable time with them they go family history open days, and the information service we off and nothing seems to happen. I am critical of Nuneaton provide free of charge. (We only charge for photocopying, a Museum on the basis that in all my 40 odd years involved in modest amount for time taken delving into archives but then local history I have not had many meaningful dealings with only when acceptable information is handed over). them of any kind, and they only seem to want to know me when they are changing displays to cadge a few photographs, For this to be of interest to me there must be this interactivity or bits of information. The local history material in there throughout the project and even after it has finished, so that it might provide an hours entertainment for someone visiting can be added to and enhanced way into the future. I would the Borough for the first time. The building is pleasant, light imagine that such an idea is way beyond the comprehension and clean; and you can get a nice cup of tea and a sticky bun, and attention span of our local elected representatives. but the local history information amounts to little more than a few sides of A4 paper in terms of value to a researcher. We My comments are I will believe it when I see it! I have been have no idea of what they hold as a resource, and distinctly here before and have the tea shirt! In the meantime the get the impression that if asked they themselves would not be NNWFHS continues to provide family historians in our area prepared to give you the information. with what they want, as evidenced by the growing and satisfied membership. Against this background then I wait with baited breath to see what this £50,000 is to be spent on.