Leamington History Group is very grateful to Dick Fisk for allowing us to display this amazing map on our website as we will soon celebrate the centenary of the end of the First World War (The Great War, The War to End Wars). You will probably find it quite overwhelming and will need to zoom … Read more
Henry Bright was born in Sheffield in 1817, where his father Isaac and uncle Philip, were in business as Goldsmiths. Mr Isaac Bright opened a shop on the Parade in Leamington Priors 1831, – one of the first in the New Town, where he traded until shortly before his death in 1849. Mr Isaac Bright … Read more
George Cunnew was not Leamington born, but he made Leamington his home and built up a successful business here. He came from Bethnal Green, one of the poorest parts of the East End of London in the nineteenth century. George, born in 1822, worked for a bookseller, and looking for better opportunities, moved with his … Read more
Recent research on local iron-founders and ironmongers has uncovered a quite remarkable man with a busy career in court in the second half of the nineteenth century. The man in the spotlight is George William Grove. He first appears in the Leamington Courier as the executor of a will in 1871. Over a period of … Read more
Edward Tracy Turnerelli was the grandson of an Italian count. His father Peter was one of the most eminent sculptors of the age and in 1801 became Royal Sculptor in Ordinary to King George III. He carved portrait busts of many members of the Royal Family and enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. One of … Read more
In the Summer term of 1926, Arnold Thornton the headmaster of Leamington College made a surprise announcement following a morning assembly in the Great Hall. He had received a request from the Air Ministry to grant the boys a half-holiday in celebration of the award of a cadetship at RAF College Cranwell to a former … Read more
The only remaining Almshouses left in Leamington are in Prospect Road. They were built by a bequest of William Riley who was born in 1815 and died in 1st May 1904 and a charity was set up called “William Riley Of Birmingham and Leamington Charity”. The charity would build Almshouses in both areas in the … Read more
Leamington Spa Ale & Porter Brewery [AKA: Public Brewery, Regent Brewery, Leamington Brewery] Wise Street Summary This is a summary of a Research Paper which may be viewed by Clicking Here Researching and piecing together this brewery’s history was particularly interesting because so little is known about it and even less has been written – … Read more
One of Leamington’s longest established businesses became yet another casualty of the increasing rents demanded for commercial premises when H B Dunn the Regent Street Chemist moved to alternative premises this year. The properties adjoining the old Lloyd’s Bank including the Golden Lion Inn were some of the first buildings to be erected when … Read more
Massey Bromley has at least two connections with Leamington Spa; he was a pupil at Leamington College and also he is buried in Leamington cemetery in Brunswick Street and has a memorial in St Mary’s church. He was pretty unique in that he was possibly the only locomotive superintendent with a railway company at the … Read more
A wine merchant had operated from 61, Clarendon Street since at least 1878 – Arthur Watts was the licensee, followed by Lionel James circa 1900. In August 1908 an application was granted for the temporary transfer of the wine merchant off-licence from Lionel James to William Udal; this was made permanent in the October and … Read more
Summary of a Research Paper by Martin Ellis, May 2016 (updated July 2017) The Leamington Brewery was founded in 1839 after, London textile merchant, Stephen Lewis purchased a block of land in Lillington Avenue from Thomas George Skipwith, Glynne Welby and Christopher Wise. Stephen Lewis’ original partners were Everitt Allenby and a Mr. Sandeman, and … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
July 22, 2026
June 9, 2026