Thringstone On Line - Article Feedback from Readers:
CHARLES AND MARY BOOTH
Re Charles Booth, Jane Liggins wrote (16.10.05):
Hi, my name is Jane Liggins and I live locally. I was very interested to read your article about Rt Hon Charles Booth on the Thringstone web site. I am currently researching part of my family history especially with regard to my Great Grandparents John and Emily Darker who were both killed in the the first fatal car accident in Leicestershire. They were driving the pony and trap that came into collision with a car driven by Mr Charles Z M Booth Junior. This left a family of eight children orphaned, of which my grandmother was the youngest. I have recently tracked down the relevant newspaper articles in the Leicester Mercury and the Coalville Times and as such have obtained a lot of detail previously unknown to my family.
However having re-aroused my interest I have now begun to search for further information and wonder if you might be able to help with my investigations
particularly with regard to the Booth family? For example, how this affected them as we know from the inquest and stories passed down through the family of
the Rt Hon Charles Booth's wish to help the children.
Also do you have any details about Charles Jnr? I would be grateful if you could get back to me about this or I would be happy to discuss this with you on
the phone if you feel it would be more helpful.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Jane Liggins
GRACEDIEU PRIORY
Re Grace Dieu Priory Evangeline Phillips
wrote (05.12.01):
Dear Stephen
I was born in Old Manor House, Brook Lane Thringstone in 1954 as
Evangeline May Bancroft. My parents were always keen on local history
and told me a story which is supposed to be true about the white lady
of Gracedieu. She was supposed to have been Lady Rowsia de Vernon who
was prioress of the Grace Dieu nunnery (now known as the gracedieu
ruins). When the priory was closed in the days of Henry the eighth her
body was moved to Belton Churchyard. Ever since then when the weather
is misty there is the shadowy figure of a lady in white which is
supposed to be her trying to get back to her grave in the abby burial
ground. It is a fact that there was a Lady Rowisia de Vernon who was
prioress in the twelvth century and that the nunnery was closed during
the reign of Henry the eighth but the rest is unproven.
My father was Hubert Bancroft who the Thringstone Gardening trophy was
is in memory of. It was first presented in 1988 when the Hubert
Bancroft memorial running trophy was first awarded. The running trophy
was first presented by Molly Bancroft, his widow. This was covered by
the Coalville Times. My Husband John Phillips and son, Hubert's
grandson ran in this race although neither won anything except a
finishers medal.
Please contact me if you would like any other information or memories
of my time in Thringstone.
Regards
Evangeline Phillips (nee Bancroft)
PUBLIC HOUSES
Re Man Within Compass (Rag and Mop)Matt Merritt (Leicester Mercury)
wrote (05.12.01): I came across your excellent Whitwick pubs page while
browsing Thringstone Online, and think I may be able to help a little regarding
the origin of the pub name Man Within Compass. It has been suggested to me that
it has a connection with Freemasonry, compasses being a very Masonic symbol.
Masonic lodges often chalked out symbols on the floor, especially when they
were using premises that were part of a pub or public building, and so Rag and
Mop would refer to the fact that said tools were needed to clean the place up
after a meeting. Whether or not this is true, Whitwick and the surrounding area
do seem to have a lot of place names connected with Freemasonry and the Knights
Templar (whose beliefs and practices Masons have often claimed to keep alive).
These include: Man Within Compass Rag and Mop Temple Hill Zion Hill (at Pegg's
Green, but close at hand nonetheless) A parish church dedicated to St John the
Baptist (Templars revered him above all other saints) Mount St Bernard's Abbey
(St Bernard of Clairvaux outlined the rule of the Knights Templars at the
Council of Troyes in 1128). City of Dan City of Three Waters Incidentally, do
you know why Cademan Woods and Street are so named? I'd be interested to know
whether it is just after a local Mr Cademan. Thanks for your time and help, and
keep up the good work.
Matt Merritt Whitwick resident
Re Crown and Cushion, Silver Street (Hull family)David Hull wrote
(12.05.02): My nephew six times removed and fellow family historian, John
Hull of Watford has pointed out your pleasant and interesting site on the pubs
of Whitwick. My gt gt grandfather (Joseph Hull) kept the Silver St C&C up
to his death in 1889. I also know a descendant of the people who kept the pub
therafter. If you would like to know more of what we know please ring me on
.......(phone no. supplied)
With best wishes David Hull
Re Hastings Arms (Coulson family)Mike Foster (New Zealand) wrote
(01.11.02): I found my way to the Whitwick story by way of a google search
for Thomas William Coulson, someone who appears as the 1904 landlord of the
Hastings Arms. I don't know if the writer of the Whitwick story would know
anything more of Thomas William Coulson but I think it possible that he is one
who appears in our family, born in March 1863.
Regards Mike Foster
Re White Horse Inn (Frank Middleton)Paul Taylor wrote (09.03.04):
Dear Stephen,
Just a brief line prompted by today's Googling across your excellent
site.
I notice you give landlord Mick Noon his due as a pro footballer, but
omit
that claim to additional fame from the Frank Middleton who you note as
landlord of The White Horse Inn in 1916 and 1928.
I'm co-author of the Leicester Fosse/City histories Of Fossils & Foxes
and
The Foxes Alphabet, and, assuming your interest, append my latest file
on
Frank:
MIDDLETON, Francis
b. Whitwick, Leics, Apr qtr 1879
Career: 1896 Whitwick White Cross; Nov 1901 Derby County; Aug 1906
FOSSE; cs
1909 Whitwick Imperial.
Fosse debut v Burslem Port Vale (A) 1.9.06 (scored once)
An outstanding outside-left whose top-class potential was first
signalled when
Derby paid �100 to his local Midland League club for his signature,
Frank
stepped straight from life as a riveter in a railway wagon-works into
the
Rams' First Division front line alongside the near-legendary likes of
Steve
Bloomer. After 65 League games, he had confirmed his chief role to be
as a
provider, having scored only three goals; yet upon moving to Leicester
for
�75 he notched one counter in each of his first four games before
suffering
injury. Frank contributed some fine wing performances in the first half
of
Fosse's promotion season � being described as 'light, but a flier on
the
sinister flank', and 'a capital hand at centring' � but was sorely
distressed by the death of one of his young children in January 1908,
and
dropped out of contention soon after. He was subsequently noted as a
beer
retailer during WW1, and as raising a charity cricket XI in Whitwick in
1923, while running the White Horse Inn there. Of his sons, Aubrey was
a
winger with Whitwick Imperial and Stableford's Works in the mid-20s,
while
Harold later played local football for Whitwick Imperial, Loughborough
Corinthians, Whitwick Holy Cross and Whitwick White Cross, and in
September
1934 undertook a month's trial with Racing Club de Calais.
LFFC Apps: FL 49; FAC 3.
LFFC Goals: FL 10.
As you can see, I have as yet no record of a date of demise. If you
were to
utilise any/all of the above on the site, could I just ask that a small
appeal for that very information be added?
Anyway, hope all this is of some interest.
All best regards,
Paul Taylor Re Thringstone Pubs, Terry Ward wrote (26.07.05):
I wonder if your contributor on Thringstone public houses has any information on 'The Blacksmiths Arms'. This pub/beerhouse stood in Rotten Row, which was in Thringstone parish in the 19th century, but is now Coleorton, Lower Moor Road. This house was kept by the Ward Family starting with my gg grandparents William & Sarah Ward in the 1880-1890's and then passing on to one of their sons Henry Ward (my gg uncle) in the early 20th century. It's last keeper was a 'Johnny Ward' (relationship not known) and was finally demolished sometime after WWII. The only other thing I can tell you is that according to my g uncle Joe Ward the best fights he ever saw were outside the Blacksmith's Arms! If there is any photographic record I would be most interested to see it.
Re The Fox Inn (Thringstone), Three Crowns (Whitwick) and Whitwick Working Mens' Club, Beverley Croasdell wrote (17.11.05):
Regarding the bomb that was dropped behind the Fox Inn at Thringstone, the lady who ran the pub, Mary Ann Musson, was my Great Aunt. The story I was told was the bomb landed at the back of the pub in a field and all the windows were blown out. The Mussons were either in the bookie or pub landlord trade. My great grandfather ran the Three Crowns in Whitwick and was tragically
killed when his trap overturned by the Church and he landed on the spikes of the railings. My father, Herbert Stanyard was steward at Whitwick Working Mens' club in the early 1950s as I can remember living there as a young girl.
Great memories as I probably have visited lots of the pubs or have memories of them before they were closed.
Many thanks for a lovely web site
Bev Croasdell
PS I'm not sure but I think there was once a pub in Green Lane, Whitwick. Re Waggon and Horses, Whitwick, Lindy Pickering wrote (03.02.06):
Hi
My name is Lindy Pickering, and I see my gr grandad ran the Wagon and Horses Inn in Whitwick 1861.
I was horrified to see its been demolished :-(
Has anyone got a picture of it before this happened.
I would like to stick it in my family tree book.
Thank you
Lindy Pickering Re Man Within Compass and Cricketers Arms, Whitwick, Samantha Hussey wrote (02.08.06):
Hello Thringstone on-line
Just some info in relation to the Whitwick pubs page.
Two of my Stanyard relatives ran pubs in Whitwick. Thomas and Ann Stanyard ran the Man Within Compass in the 1901 census and Charles and Esther Stanyard ran the Cricketers Arms in the 1901 census. I note from your page on Whitwick that the Cricketers was ran by someone else between 1904-1908 so I assume this must have been when they ceased to be landlords. Neither of the brothers appear at the respective pubs in the 1891 censuses. Do you know if there is any way of finding out how long they ran the pubs for other than censuses. I know there are many Stanyards from the Whitwick area, there are many in my tree. I would be pleased to hear from any Stanyard descendants.
Regards
Samantha Hussey
PS By the way, can I congratulate you on such a wonderful and informative website. I just wish Coalville (where I live) had one the same! I have used it for both reference and interest on many occasions. Keep up the good work!Re Marquis of Granby, Whitwick, Lynn Robinson wrote (10.10.06):
hi, i,m hoping you can help, my brother lives up cademan st,and we were told that the house he lives in sits where the marquis of granby stood,my grandad (douglas wardle)gave him a walking stick (which he has hung on his landing wall) which himself and his father used when they walked to the marquis for a pint,were looking for picturs of the pub? and i,m searching n searching,but cant find a thing,hope you can be of help thanks so much, fantastic site ,lynn
Re Queens Head, Thringstone, Gerard Lally wrote (25.11.06):
Hello.
I think the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge visited the Queen's Head
Thringstone (in singularly dramatic and unhappy circumstances) on
Saturday 27th December 1806, although on a brief tour of your website I
didn't find any reference to this.
His notebook entry refers to the place as 'Stringston', and the location
of the pub is given as half a mile from Coleorton Church.
See:
Rosemary Ashton, 'The Life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge' (1998) Chapter 9,
page 241
Richard Holmes, 'Coleridge, Darker Reflections' (Flamingo Paperback
1999) Chapter 2, Section 8 page 83.
Best wishes,
Gerard Lally Re Talbot Arms, Whitwick, Christine Denton wrote (18.09.07):
Dear Stephen,
I am not sure whether or not the attached photograph is of any use to you, in your very informative website. I will include here the notes that I was given with regards to the building, and Publican - Thomas CHALLONER.
In notes written by Debbie Challoner which I read on 20 August 2006 she had written the following ; -
""Thomas Challoner (1833 - 1881)
This was my great great grandfather born in Oadby, Leicestershire to John Challoner and Mary Hill from Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. He was a very respectable policeman in the Swannington, Coalville and Shepshed areas of Leicestershire. He was oathed in on 21 July 1855 and eventually made a sergeant in 16 January 1865. He made the local papers quite a few times in his life.
According to the Ashby News May 1863, he was sent from Shepshed to the St Bernard's Abbey Reform School to curb some of the rioters. Unfortunately he was very badly injured, being struck on the arms and head. A year later, he went back with a Constable Fardell to sort out some more rioters who managed to escape to Loughborough, having just recovered from the previous encounter. This story also appears in the book about the Leicestershire Constabulary 150th Anniversary. The reform riot ended up with a discussion in Parliament.
After retiring from the force he became a publican at the Talbot Arms Inn, Swannington. He sadly died 9 days before his last child was born. His name hit the newspapers again when he died. A quote from the May 1881 Ashby-de-la-Zouch Gazette - "As a mark of respect the local police followed him to the grave. During the interment unfortunately the rope broke whilst the body was being lowered into the grave, causing one end of the coffin to be standing up whilst the other end was at the bottom of the grave, and which created some considerable trouble in setting to rights." "".
1863 was a Police constable at Whitwick, source Leicester journal 1863, later becoming a Police Sergeant.
Back to me now. Thomas CHALLONER, son of Thomas CHALLONER mentioned above, married Clara MOON who is the daughter of William Curtis MOON and Clara TOON. William Curtis MOON was one of the bodies that was never recovered from the Whitwick mining disaster of 19 April 1898.
I leave this to your discretion as whether you use it or not.
Regards,
Christine M Denton nee Curtis
Born Coalville, Leics. now residing Wangaratta, Vic. Australia
Re Crown and Cushion, Whitwick, Graeme Hird wrote (29.11.07):
What a great read your site is! Chock full of fascinating details.
I have been researching a family member - one William Hird and according to a listing in Pigot's Directory of Hull in 1834 he is the Publican of the Crown and Cushion in Silver St. This fits very well indeed with data from the 1851 Census which gives his address as 18 Silver St and occupation as Licenced Victualler.
By 1861, William and his wife Martha are living in Aldborough, (running a boarding & lodging house) but exactly when or why they left the Crown & Cushion is unknown to me.
I would be interested in any further details you might have about the Crown and would like to contact David Hull, descendant of Joseph Hull, who contacted you back in 2002.
Regards
Michelle Hird
Fremantle, Australia Re The Fox Inn at Thringstone, Linda Emmerson (of Australia) wrote (20.06.08):
Hello, I was looking for pictures of the Fox Inn in Thringstone and stumbled upon your site. What a little gem, I'll have to come back and have a good look around. So pleased to be able to learn more about the village as we are distantly related to John Emmerson landlord of the Fox Inn. What a shame though the original building is long gone. Keep up the good work.
Linda Emerson
Re The Hastings Arms, Whitwick, Jane Knight wrote (19.08.08):
Hello
Just a quick note to congratulate you on your marvelous site about Whitwick Pubs! It is very interesting and informative. Please find attached a copy of a photograph I have of the Hastings Arms taken around 1925.
I have been taracing my husbands family tree and discovered that his great great grandfather was Daniel Fern (the landlord of that pub).
Hope you find the picture interesting.
Regards
J KNIGHT
