Introduction
The design, construction and maintenance of the individual buildings in the town are obviously the backdrop to the town as we know it today.
We have already addressed the architects who designed many of the buildings in other pages on this website and have now turned to the people and firms which built, extended and repaired them.
It is clear that some of the builders were in a large-scale way of business; some of them directly employed over 100 workmen at a particular time as revealed by reports of several ‘works outings’. Some others were jobbing builders who simply carried out repairs and changes to buildings and rarely, if ever, completed a whole building from scratch. Many others were in the middle range but completed relatively few buildings.
Funding of construction was from a diverse range of options. In the simplest form the builders would buy the land, have the plans approved (if necessary) and complete the building within their own resources. During construction they might employ contractors for specific tasks. In another scenario a landowner or developer would own the land and employ the builder to complete the construction. As examples, G F Smith built houses in Quarry Street on land he owned as owner of the quarry. In another instance the town council bought land and contracted with John Fell to build the Town Hall on the Parade. In another case, an agent, John Locke, acquired land in Priory Terrace and contracted with a builder to construct three pairs of houses; he went on to own and live in one of them himself (thanks to Janet Ainley for this example).
A problem during research has been identifying which of these three or more categories the people and firms belonged to. Obviously, most of them started small but some grew and grew as the years went by; but others obviously had bumpy financial circumstances and many failed early in their careers.
Master Builders
A particular issue which has been difficult to resolve is what is meant by the term Master Builder at various dates and which of the builders could be classed as such master builders. It is debatable whether it is a measure of size, quality of workmanship or being respected as near the pinnacle of the building trade. Dictionary definitions concentrate on skill or proficiency. This factor has been difficult to determine for many of the builders we have listed although frequent employment by key commissioners such as local councils may be a fair indicator. However, the term has not been used to describe any of them in this report.
Dictionary definitions of Master Builder vary –
Merriam Webster – “a person notably proficient in the art of building”
Collins – “a person skilled in the design and construction of buildings (especially before the foundation of the profession of architecture)”
The phrase was certainly used in local newspapers from 1834.
Nationally, in 1859 the Master Builders Association was negotiating with workmen who were on strike on behalf of their builder members and the Leamington Master Builders Association existed from before 1878.
The present Federation of Master Builders in the UK was formed only in 1941; it purports not only to be a trade association but also sets standards for performance for members which is independently assessed.
Other Notes
Another issue with interpreting the research is whether the sale or letting of a property by a builder is firm confirmation that they built it. We have little evidence about this and have been cautious about drawing conclusions.
Uncertainty about the use of the word “Builder” has created difficulties. We were keen to include mainly those who could provide workmen for every stage of a contract and to project manage the job. However, it is often found that so-called Builders were confined to one or more of the building trades such as plumber, decorator, bricklayer, road maker or sewage engineer. It has not yet been possible to sift out with certainty those who did not provide all the services of a builder. Also, of course, Builders do not (and did not) directly employ all the men working on a project; they would hire in what we know today as sub-contractors. In addition a full-scale Builder may emerge from a background in particular trade to take on the whole task and, equally, may at some stage of his career as a Builder choose to specialise or give up project managing on a large scale.
HELP PLEASE !! Most of the entries in this list are incomplete. Any information that the reader may have will be gratefully received.
THE LIST
About 500 Builders who Worked in Leamington Spa
Links to builders beginning with —
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T V W
Abbott, Simon. The only record seen is a notice of bankruptcy in 1829.
Alcock, Matthew John. The sole record seen is that Alcock designed and built Ginnett’s Grand Drawing Room Circus, in Bedford Street in 1869.
Allard. Only a single reference has been found in 1832 for this builder was over the border in Emscote.
Allen W V (Builders) Ltd. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1980. The address given was Crown Way.
Andrew Son & Co. Also referred to as W E Andrews. Liquidation sale in 1931 at 58 and 62 Lower Bedford Street; another address was 132 Parade. Amongst other activities the firm is referred to as a builder. It is believed that the company later became known for furniture removal and storage with yellow vans with red writing. They were later based in Charlotte Street.
Astell, William Alfred. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1914 for obstructing a pavement with bricks. The address was 33 Shrubland Street.
Atkins, Benjamin. Atkins was active from before 1918. He was later in partnership with Cyril Richard Mortimer Bennett who became bankrupt in 1830. The business address of the partnership was No 3 Windsor Street and Atkins home address was Queen Street, Cubbington.
Atkins & Bennett. See Atkins, Benjamin.
Atkins John. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he painted the exterior of the Town Hall on Parade in 1891.
Atkinson J. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in an advertisement in 1890. The address is given at No 11 Leam Street.
Bailey is a name encountered at several periods of time.
The first reference to a Bailey (without forename) as a builder is in a court case in 1829.
Bailey, Charles. A single reference is found in 1830 in a directory with the address Wellington Street and is most likely to be the Bailey mentioned above.
Bailey, Joseph. The only reference found is to his insolvency in 1835.
Bailey, Thomas. Several references have been found to Thomas Bailey, T Bailey and T Bailey & Co in the period 1867 to 1912. Thomas died in 1907 but there is a reference to Bailey & Co in a directory in Clarendon Avenue in 1912.
Bailey, T W was in business in 1920 but withdrew from one contract because of ill-health and difficulty recruiting tradesmen. He and his son merged with G R Dickens in 1925 to become Bailey Son & Dickens Ltd.
Bailey Son & Dickens Ltd. See Bailey T W.
Ball, George. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was charged with burglary from his accountant in 1877. Verdict not yet found.
Ballard, Henry. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he erected the timber pavilion along the Victoria Colonnade which was used as a Drill Hall in 1849. Henry was the son of William Ballard.
Ballard, William. 1814-1871. William Ballard was a major builder in the town from about 1845 until his death at the age of 57. Initially his premises were in Regent Street but he moved to No 3 Clarendon Street in 1846. One of his earlier works was the Tennis Court in Bedford Street in 1846. He went on to doing work at Lillington church, roadworks for the Commissioners, work on the new cemetery in Brunswick Street in 1851 and two years later he was advertising a new house in Binswood Terrace East for sale or let (presumably built by him). He moved to Woodcote Lodge in Lillington Road in 1853. In 1856 he occupied premises near the corner of the Parade and Warwick Street. He was elected member of the Leamington Board of Health in 1856 and was involved in establishing a fire brigade. In 1862 he was working at Warneford Hospital. He was clearly building houses in several areas of the town because a letter to the Courier in 1864 suggested that Ballard was “able to build where he pleased”. He built a new schoolroom at Lillington school in 1864. It is intended to write a more comprehensive article about William Ballard soon.
Ballinger, Arthur. Ballinger was listed as builder and undertaker in a directory in 1892. By 1903 he was a builders’ merchant at No 74 Clarendon Street and No 33 Kenilworth Street, premises which he acquired from Harridence. It is uncertain if and/or when he ceased building work.
Barnwell, John. It is reputed that in 1808 Barnwell built the first house on the Parade, next but one to the building which is now Lloyds Bank (now No 69). Note that there is a rival claim that the building on the north-west corner of the Parade and Regent Street (No 90 Parade) was the first. He went on to build Nos 59 to 71 Parade. He also built the Half Moon pub and many houses in Satchwell Street around 1815 . He went on to build in many areas of the town including Cross Street and Regent Street. Sadly, his five-year-old son was killed by a falling plank in 1841.
Barnwell, Thomas. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1841.
Bartlett, Richard. Only two reference have been found for this builder when he was charged for not fencing a building site in Grove Street in 1834 and the following year when he was selling building land in the Grove Street and Brook Street area.
Bateman, Joseph and Clarke, Edward. They were the builders of Warneford Hospital around 1832. Bateman appears to have been the architect and Clarke was the builder. See Edward Clarke.
Bates, Thomas & Son was a Coventry builder involved with the development of the houses around Lime Avenue around 1930.
Beckett, Victor. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1980.
Beeston, PJ. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in an advertisement in 1947.
Bennett, Cyril Richard Mortimer. He was bankrupt in 1932. See Atkins, Benjamin for information about the partnership of Atkins and Bennett.
BIRD is another name which appears over several years with various initials and Christian names and it has been difficult to identify them all with certainty.
Bird. Only two references have been found for this builder when he was working in Kenilworth Road in 1875 and in Norfolk Street in 1878.
Bird, Alfred. The only reference to this builder (other than charges of drunkenness) are to the liquidation of the business in 1872.
Bird, Arthur. This builder was active from about 1892 to1922. He was a son of Samuel Bird (below). He is first noted as being clerk of works for the building of Leicester Street school in 1894. He went on to build houses in Hyde Place, Gaveston Road and Greatheed Road. He lived at Gloucester Villa, Sherbourne Place. He died in 1922.
Bird, J junior. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when consent was given for the building of one house in Adelaide Road in 1867. He predates the other Birds in this list.
Bird, John Edwin. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he died in 1938 at age 65. He was a son of Samuel Bird (see below) but it is not yet clear whether he worked in consort with his brothers Samuel junior.
Bird, Samuel. This Bird was a major builder. Strangely the first records found so far relate to a sale of properties following bankruptcy in 1840. These included houses in Brook Street, Binswood Crescent, Binswood Terrace, Dale Street, Wathen Road, Covent Garden Market and Quarry Street and land and equipment at the quarry in or near that street. Samuel was often in dispute with the authorities about the routing of sewers in Brook Street or culverts in Althorpe Street and leaving of rubbish in Clemens Street around 1844. He went on to build houses in Adelaide Road and Leam Terrace East in 1854. In 1858 he was building houses in Wood Street and in Bath Place in 1862. In 1864 he had a serious fall causing injuries to his head when his horse bolted. Later from around 1865 he built house in Holly Street East, Plymouth Place, Upper Villiers Street and Leicester Street. He was appointed as builder for the Town Council in 1882. In 1904 he carried out alterations to the Regent Hotel. He died in 13th March 1913 at age of 79. For much of his life he lived at No 25 Grove Street although he died at Grasmere in Leicester Street.
Bird, Samuel junior. Active 1863-1938. It has been a struggle to separate Samuel from his father with the same name. Reports do sometimes refer to him as ‘junior’. The partnership appears to have been formed with another son, Arthur, around 1863 and after that date they built houses in Gordon Street, Adelaide Road and Avenue Road before 1868. They went on to build in Church Hill, Campion Terrace and Holly Walk in the 1870s. They had been running the quarry and brickworks near Quarry Street for many years but in 1883 the three main brickyards named Leamington, Victoria and Lillington Brickyards merged to become ‘Leamington and Lillington Brickyard Co Ltd’. Samuel junior died in March 1938, aged 65.
It is said that the two Samuels and Arthur built over 1,400 houses in the town.
Blackwell, P. Active 1948-1950. This was probably a minor or jobbing builder and the only references found so far were an advertisement and two entries in directories.
Bloomfield, William George. Active 1856-1906. Bloomfield was a very important builder in his time and his son took over the business in 1894. The first record found about him was when he was involved in a court cast case when the vicar John Craig sued Matthew Wise for libel; Craig eventually withdrew the suit. Work included the extension of Holy Trinity by 25 feet in 1865 and work on the parish church in 1880. He was also an undertaker. He retired in 1894.
Blower & Reading. Active 1950-1950. This was probably a minor or jobbing builder. The only records found so far relate to winding up the business
Blunt, Standbridge & Parker. Active 1920-1921. Only a couple of references have been found for this builder and one them was about an agreement to employ disabled men as 5% of their workforce.
Blunt, Stephen William. Active 1943-1943, Only a single reference has been found for this builder. It is not yet clear whether this is the Blunt in partnership with Standbridge and Parker 20 years earlier.
Booth, Richard. The only note of Booth found so far is in a directory in 1830.
Bowen & Russell. See Richard Bowen.
Bowen, Richard. Bowen was a major builder who was based in Tavistock Street. The first record found stated that he came from Shropshire just before 1870 and started in partnership with a Mr Russell. He was soon trading on his own account. He was building houses in Willes Terrace in 1879 and extended the council depot off Adelaide Road in 1881. In the 1880s he built 15 houses in Emscote Road, extensions and a wall at Leicester Street school and the Wesleyan chapel in Cubbington. A major project was Rugby Road school in Milverton in 1891 and then a gymnasium at Leamington College. In 1893 he arranged a works outing to Edge Hill for 40 employees. He improved the Turkish Bath at the Pump Room in1894 and built at least 14 houses in Campion Road and Waller Street in the following year. He also demolished the brickyard’s chimney in Campion Road in 1896. He went on to make several new streets for th council and built greenhouses at the Jephson Gardens in 1896. In 1898 he built the new engine house at Lillington waterworks and next year demolished the chimney at Oldham’s Mill. In 1900 he sold Claremont House and then built houses in Claremont Road and Charlotte Street. In the next decade he built houses in Granville Street, Farm Road, Wathen Road and Brownlow Street. He took over the building of the library in Avenue Road in 1902. He died in March 1910 and afterwards many houses were sold all over the town, many of which he probably built. It can be presumed that he built many of these houses and let them during his lifetime. The business was carried on by his executors and they built the Sunday School at the Dale Street Wesleyan church. They went on to build houses in Kinross Road and Holly Walk. The goodwill of the business was eventually sold on to George Bradford in 1947.
Bowker & Smith. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in an advertisement in 1936.
BRADFORDs. This has been found with several initials or Christian names. The most important of them were George Bradford and John Bradford.
Bradford, George. Believed to be active 1907-1970. This was a very important builder. He may have been in business from 1896 but the references found so far do not include initials. A son Frederick is mentioned in the 1940s and probably ran the business to the end. The business was based in Mill Street.
Bradford, John. John was born in 1849 and the business is recorded in directories from 1884. He appears to have joined forces with Ernest Bradford around 1921 and the business of J & E Bradford is recorded from that date until 1940. He built the London City & Midland Bank, Harrington House, St Peters Church and the Salvation Army Citadel in Park Street. He lived to be 90 years of age.
BRADSHAWs. This name has been found with several initials or Christian names. The Christian names Benjamin and Frederick recur but it has been difficult to disentangle the web of the Bradshaws
Bradshaw, Benjamin. Active 1840-1916. Benjamin started the business around 1840 and for most of the time the business was based at a house called Solent in St Mary’s Road. From about 1892 the firm is referred to as B & F Bradshaw because his sons, Benjamin and Frederick, took over. Benjamin died in 1892 at the age of 77 when being carried in a carriage. The bridle of the horse came loose and the horse could not be controlled, the carriage collided with tree. He became a Guardian of the Poor and a member of the Board of Health at various dates. He became an alderman when the Borough council was established. An early job in 1857 was to improve the cells at the town hall in High Street. In 1862 he designed and built a church on the site of the Clarendon Inn. In the following year he replaced the bridge in Mill Walk. In the 1860s he built a new tank and holder at the gas works, the Catholic chapel in George Street and extensions to many houses including Binswood Terrace, St Mary’s Road and Windsor Street. In 1874 Bradshaw was accused of using abusive language in the street to Thomas Mills such as ‘you have only been in damned trade for 5 minutes’. He was fined 40 shillings. Another important contract was extensions to Leamington College or Binswood Hall around 1892. His son, Benjamin Bradshaw junior continued the business with F Bradshaw. See also B & F Bradshaw.
B & F Bradshaw continued to thrive. In 1902 a workmen’s supper was laid on for 50 people at the Oak Inn, Radford Road. In 1916 the business was sold. Benjamin junior died in April 1919 aged 70. Frederick died in February 1932 aged 70.
Bradshaw, J. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1900
Bradshaw, J E. Only two reference have been found for this builder in a directories in 1932 and 1940
Bradshaw, Thomas. The only record found was in a directory in 1894.
Bromwich, Harry. This builder was found in directories from 1921 to 1940 but there was a report in 1936 that W G Rathbone had taken over the business.
BROWN is another name which appears quite often in the list.
Brown, James. James was noted in a directory in 1841. One of his larger contracts was building St Luke’s Episcopal chapel in Holly Walk in 1850. He was also the Parish Clerk. He died in 1855 and a letter from Rev John Craig commended his work.
Brown, John. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he laid a drain into a sewer in Leam Street without a permit in 1857.
Brown, William. This builder was one of several who provided tables for the celebration of Princess Victoria’s birthday in 1837. He was still in a directory in 1850.
Buddle, William & Son (also William). This firm was mentioned in several directories from 1830 to 1841 but was reported as bankrupt in 1839.
Builtec Developments Ltd. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages directory in 1980.
Bullivant. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he built a malthouse in 1871 in William Street for Mr Warren.
Bullock, Charles. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was building a wall in Brook Street in 1842.
Burgess. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was announced to be secretary of the Leamington master Builders Association in 1898.
Burgess, EH, Ltd. Burgesses appeared in directories in 1950 and 1961. The office was in Warwick Street and the works at Kenilworth Street.
Bursill, Frank Guy. Bursill is in this list because he lived in Leamington from 1927 at Greville House in Northumberland Road although his work relating to building appears to be wide-ranging, including London, Winchester and Croydon. The only reference locally was to bankruptcy proceeding in 1931 when, perhaps surprisingly, he claimed that his financial troubles occurred because he paid for large gifts and entertainments for architects.
Carter, Richard. The only reference found so far is to Carter’s death in 1832.
Cashmore Bros, also J H &T Cashmore. The firm appears to have operated for nearly 30 years but little record has been found. In 1885 they were victims of theft. One tragic incident was when Thomas Cashmore was called to shore up a wall at the Priory in Warwick; sadly the wall collapsed, killing one workman and seriously injuring another. The firm was bankrupt in 1912 when Thomas lived at Claremont Road.
Ceravale Properties Ltd. The only records found so far are to the formation of the company with registered office in Clarendon Place in 1978 and listing in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Chambers, Thomas. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when bankrupt in 1833.
Chandler, John. Little is known about this builder who moved from Bedford Street to Tavistocjk Street in 1849 and was in a directory in the following year.
Checketts, Benjamin. Benjamin started in business around 1833 and died in 1860. He was a builder and a mason. His yard was initially where Lansdowne Crescent now stands. He had a son John, who also named his son John. John junior succeeded his father around 1906. The building business was succeeded by the business of Checketts monumental mason which became well known in Brunswick Street.
Checkley, Harry Grimerd. In 1843 he was selling a house at 18 Upper Parade and was living at Leicester Cottage, Clarendon Street. Checkley died in 1850. He lived at 10 Forfield Place and had his yard in Camberwell Terrace.
Chinn, Matthew. The first report found is that Chinn is selling 18 plots of building land in Brook Street in 1829. In 1831 he was selling land in Portland Street West and East. In 1834 he was involved with land in South Parade (Clarendon Avenue). In directories he is always referred to as a builder but no firm evidence has been found of any building that he built.
Church, William Henry. Church was a builder in Rugby Road, Cubbington in 1938. He was listed in a directory in 1940 and was fined for showing a light during blackout in the same year.
Clarke & Sons who became Clarke Brothers (Leamington) Ltd. Active at least from 1947 to 1980 and probably later. In 1948 the firm was working in Heathcote Road and two years later in Windmill Road. The business address was initially in Clarendon Street but later moved to Scar Bank, Millers Road, Warwick.
Clarke, Edward. Active 1831 to 1867. Edward Clarke was involved with the building of Warneford Hospital in 1832. In the same year he laid a sewage pipe along the bed of the river Leam. He was involved with building Eastnor Terrace in (Old) Warwick Road and a house there was sold unfinished when he became bankrupt in 1837, probably following the bank collapse. However, he went on to continue in business, building near St Mary’s church in 1843 and in Milverton in 1846. He died in 1867. One reference found for a builder called Clarke at the relevant date was when a building he built about in 1861 at Mona Terrace, overhanging Milverton Brook, collapsed in 1871.
Clarke, Edward. This Edward Clarke only came to notice once when he was penalised in 1891 for not submitting a plan for a building, place unknown. His office was in Russell Terrace.
Clarke, WH & Sons. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in advertisement in 1948.
Clarke, Willie. The only reference found for this builder was notice on bankruptcy and subsequent sale of the yard in Regent Place. He lived in Russell Terrace builder was not very significant.
Clarkson, Frank. Only one reference in an advertisement in 1927Active 1927-1927, Only a single reference has been found for this builder with an address in Hampton Street.
Clarkson, Job. The only reference was his death in 1832 and a creditors Meeting.
Cleaver, B W. The only reference found so far is an entry in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Clulee & Sears (Construction) Ltd. The firm was founded by Brian Clulee and they had a yard in Leicester Street, near the junction with Clarendon Street. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in an entry in Yellow Pages in 1980. They work on Improvement Grant work in the 1990s???
Cockeril, l F. The single reference found so far is a general advertisement in 1929 with an address in Bedford Street.
Colley, William. This builder was noted in a directory in 1862.
Colton. The single reference was when he contravened the byelaws on the north side of Tachbrook Street in 1864.
Commander, George. The single reference to this builder was when he fell from a ladder in Bishops Tachbrook church in 1908 and died at the age of 66. He lived in the village.
Cooper & Clark. Only a single reference has been found for this builder so far; it was a general advertisement in 1949 with an address in Spa View, Whitnash.
Corbett, A A. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1941
Cordingley. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he accused Edward Clarke of destroying his business in 1836.
Court & Son; later Court & Son (Leamington) Ltd. Active 1920-1970 and probably later. The first reference was to a pledge by court to employ 5% disabled men. The principal was probably Frank Court. In 1932 an apprentice with Courts rescued a 9 year old boy from the canal. The office/yard of the firm was variously at Warwick Street and Portland Street.
Cox, W A. The sole reference to this firm was when they had a site office at Sydenham Drive in 1980. It is known known if they were building houses or business units.
Craber. Only one reference found when he was selling a house in Clarence Terrace in 1834. His office and yard was at No 16 Grove Street.
Craig, J. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Cranston & Plummer. Active 1936-1980. The first reference was a general advertisement giving addresses in Farm Road, Rushmore Street and works at Euston Place in 1936. The firm appears in directories up to Yellow Pages in 1980 when the firm had become a limited company. Further research is required.
Crawley Sussex Ltd. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when the company was formed in1937.
Darby. Three records have been found for this builder from 1857 to 1962; in every case he was involved with a dispute with someone else.
Davidson. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was Surveyor for the Milverton Board of Health in 1873.
Davies, W. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was involved in a dispute about fittings in the property he rented in 1885.
Davis, George. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1862.
Davis junior. The sole reference found is when this builder was building in Rushmore Street in 1878.
Davis, William. This Davis was born in 1844 and was apprenticed to the builder John Hart. The first record of him as a builder on his own account is an entry in a directory in 1872 and he was advertising as a builder at Tiber House, Radford Road in 1880. He became a member of the borough council in 1880 and he worked on the school in New Street in 1882. He represented Mrs Willes when the council wanted to buy some of her land for a school in Radford Road in 1888 and he was building houses in 1890 in Chesham Street. He was elected Mayor in 1900 when he was described as a retired builder. He died in 1924. He is probably best remembered today for the clock tower in the Jephson Gardens erected in his memory by his wife.
DAWKES is another name which occurs several times in this list.
Dawkes. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1826.
Dawkes, Arthur Thomas. He had a dispute with a customer in 1906 and built houses in Llewellyn Road in 1910. He was listed in a directory in 1912. This Dawkes became a building inspector in Coventry after being a builder in Leamington. He died in 1938.
Dawkes Bros. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1900 with premises in Radford Road.
Dawkes, E. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1912.
Dawkes, W. Active 1875-, Only a single reference has been found for this builder
Dawkes, William. William was born about 1832 in a cottage in front of the parish church. He was elected a Guardian of the Poor in 1892 and was elected to the council in the same year. He advertised in 1894 and repaired the parish church after a gale in the following year. He was one of several Dawkes’ who had the address at Sparkfield, 13 Radford Road and the name Dawkes Bros is sometimes used. William died in 1898.
Dawkins, John. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was bankrupt in 1839.
Dawson, Henry John. Henry was born about 1875 in Leamington. Dawson started as a builder in Leicester at the age of 23. He spent some time in Durban in South African and came to Leamington in 1906 and he soon took over the business of W G Bloomfield & Son. He was listed as a builder in directories in 1912 and 1921. The address of the business was given as 22 George Street or Chapel Street. He obtained an exemption from call up for an employee in 1918. In 1924 he was elected to the council, when his occupation was listed as builder and undertaker. Soon after this he decided that his future lay in the undertaking business. He left the business in 1945 when it became a limited company. There remains today an undertaker using the name H J Dawson in George Street, possibly where Dawson was based in 1912, over 110 years ago. He died in 1949 age 74. In 2024 there is information that this undertakers will be renamed Rathbones.
Dewe, William. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1849 when he was suing a customer for payment.
Dickens, G R. This builder joined Thomas W Bailey to be the directors of Bailey Son and Dickens Ltd in 1925.
Dickenson, Benjamin. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was found bankrupt in 1840.
Dingley, Samuel. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was found bankrupt in 1829.
Dowler, Thomas. He arrived in the area in 1825 after seven years in London. He lived opposite Copp’s Hotel in High Street and had a yard in West Street, Warwick. He was one of several builders who provided tables for the celebration of Princess Victoria’s birthday in 1837. He died on 11 January 1845 aged 78 at West Street, Warwick..
Draper, Henry and Thomas. It has been difficult to unravel these two Drapers. They were both listed in directories and advertised for several of the same years and both gave their address as Forfield Place. Thomas is recorded from 1882 when he restored Mill Street Chapel; he was appointed builder for the council in 1883 and 1891 and died in 1897. Henry was first listed in 1892 and advertised until 1912.
Duggins & Co Ltd. This builder was listed in directories from 1950 to 1961 and the address was given as Grange Yard, Cubbington
Earl and Groocock. Only one reference has been found for this firm in 1830. They had land in Bertie Terrace and presumably they were building there. They appear to have been based in Leicester.
EGM Cape (UK) Ltd. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Ellard, John. Only one reference has been found for this builder when he sued the landlord of the Queens Cross in Livery Street for payment in 1890. His office was said to be in Tavistock Street.
Elton. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when a report referred to him as a builder in Tachbrook Street in the 1850s.
England, Alfred. Only a single reference has been found for this builder after his death in 1888.
Essex, James. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in an oblique reference in 1943.
Fairbrother, N & D. This builder was listed in a directory of 1970 with addresses in Manor Road, Cornwall Place and Tavistock Street. In 1980 they were listed in Yellow Pages as a limited company based in Hill Street.
Fairfax, William. Fairfax was recorded as moving from Smith Street, Warwick to Spencer Street in 1836 when he was listed as builder and upholsterer. He sold the business to William Norman of Lichfield in 1853.
Fell, John. Fell was a key builder in the town from 1848 until about 1906. Fell was born 1848 and started his business in 1870. In 1875 he started building the nave of St John’s church. He went on to build the Trinity Wesleyan Methodist chapel in High Street (now Radford Road) in 1877. In 1878 he converted the Victoria Coffee and Cocoa House; he was a keen supporter of the Temperance Movement. In the same year he built the buildings which replaced the Upper Assembly on the Parade; this is still often known as ‘Woodwards’. He built the organ chamber in the parish church in 1879 and also carried out work on the Royal Pump Room. In 1881 he was the owner of the land which later became the site of the Town Hall and he was proposing to build houses there. A key moment was when he was commissioned to construct the Leamington & Warwick Tramway from Avenue Road to High Street, Warwick. Much of his life began to revolve around tramways. He built the Theatre Royal in Regent Grove in 1882 on land that he owned. As a contrast to his successes, in 1883 one of his horse-drawn vans ran away and collided with a lamp post on the corner of Clapham Terrace; people and horses were uninjured. In 1884 he built the new Town Hall on the Parade. Following his local experiences he altered the Wolverhampton to Dudley Tramway to steam operation in 1885. In 1886 he was busy in Kenilworth, building a convalescent home in High Street and 16 houses on Kendal’s estate. In 1887 he was the contractor for the Magdeburg Tramway in Germany; sadly this contract involved Greenway’s Bank in Warwick which collapsed and this led to a catastrophic plunge in Fell’s finances. There was clear fraud by the Greenway brothers, one served 5 years penal servitude and the other one year hard labour. At this time he built a factory for Humber in Coventry and constructed the new Kenilworth Road in north Leamington.
He built tramways from Dudley to Stourbridge, Birmingham and Dudley, Coventry and Bedworth. He also built a tramway in Malaga in Spain and the first electricity station in Wise Street in 1887.
His offices were initially in Satchwell Street but he moved to Bedford Street. He became Mayor in 1888 and he was elected to the county council in the same year. He lived at Holly Hurst in Holly Walk. While he was mayor he opened a Bazaar to fund the removal of the houses on the site where the parish church tower was to be built. In 1889 he built Clapham Terrace school and an extension to the Citadel in Park Street. He was required to move back five cottages in Clapham Terrace in 1890 because the street was not 40 feet wide but he challenged this and was successful (????). In 1891 he built the schoolroom at Spencer Street church. At this time he was considered as a candidate to be MP but ultimately withdrew, probably because of his financial predicament. He built Shrubland Street school in 1892.
In 1892 he joined Gordon & Co of London to form Gordon & Fell Ltd. He sued the Worcester Tramway company for monies owed a and soon sought receivership of the company. He began to sell or let land and to sell livestock he owned in Lillington. At this stage of his life he was described as ‘cantankerous’ but he was instrumental in having the swimming pool built at the Royal Pump Room. During the 1890s he made trips to the East and to Egypt, presumably in connection with tramways. He became president of the Tramway Institute of Great Britain and Ireland in 1896. He moved to London in 1899. He sold Denby Buildings and the Liberal Club in Regent Grove in 1899.
The much-delayed bankruptcy was confirmed after tortuous deliberation in 1906. The proceedings revealed that he had been involved in other tramways at Gloucester, Mansfield, Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon & Portishead, Barrow in Furness, Nottingham and Derby. He was also connected with the Rugby Cement works, a bridge across the Tyne at Newcastle and a railway in Nova Scotia. A life fully lived but ending sadly. It is believed that he died in 1926.
Fell, John Barraclough. (1815-1902). This Fell is mentioned here to ward off potential confusion with John Fell of Leamington. This Fell was the inventor of the Fell mountain railway system with a rack centre rail. His early years were spent in London but in 1835 he moved to the Lake District. The rack system was developed in the 1860s and was widely used. Most Fell systems had been displaced by the 1960s. The only remaining Fell system in the UK is the Snaefell Mountain Railway on the Isle of Man which uses the central rail only for emergency braking.
Fern, Matthew. Little has been found so far about this builder apart from a directory entry in 1850 and a couple of disputes with customers in following years.
Foster, Frederick. Frederick was first recorded in an advertisement in 1873. His father was Joseph Foster of Cheltenham. He was on a train in a coach which was involved in a derailment on the way from Leamington to Worcester in 1876; there were only slight injuries. In 1876 his business was liquidated. He then re-invented himself as an architect.
Foster, Henry. The first record of Henry was when he advertised an ‘exhibition house’ available to view in Telford Avenue in 1935. No reference has been found to him after 1944.
Fowler, A or John. Little is known so far about Fowler(s). The first record is in 1841 and he was selling property in New Street in 1843. His address was given as Althorpe Street. A builder named Fowler was bankrupt in 1845.
Fox, John. A single reference confirmed that he was insolvent in 1837.
Franklin, John. Only a single reference to being involved in a fight in 1869 has been found for this builder
Fraser, John. He was found to be bankrupt in 1829.
French, Anthony. In 1868 his office was in Ranelagh Street and he had two small detached villas for sale in Radford Road. He was living at Glasgow Cottage, Church Street. In the next few years he was selling four houses in Albion Row, Wise Street, alongside the canal and five in St Marys Crescent. Presumably these were houses that he had built. Sadly, there were two recorded court cases when he had mistreated horses. The last record of French was found in 1874.
Friend, Thomas. This builder was listed in directories from 1884 to 1912. He was listed as a jobbing builder in Queen Street, but later moved to Clarendon Street. An oak gatepost was stolen from Friend at a site in Stoneleigh Road, Kenilworth in 1898.
Fullwood, Robert. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1862
Gale, Jacob Leonard. One reference has been found when Gale was found to be bankrupt in 1931 at the age of 69. He had traded as Thomas and G L Gale until 1929. He was earlier at Priory Terrace but had moved to Clarendon Street.
Gardner, Henry George. Gardner is recorded in Bedford Street from 1879. In 1902 he moved to York Road and he retired in 1910. He then stood for election to the council. He died in 1932. It is not yet certain whether he is related to William Gardner.
Gardner, William. This Gardner was listed in directories in 1862 and 1872.
Garratt, John. The sole record found so far is when he was selling unfinished houses in South Parade (Clarendon Avenue or Charlotte Street?) in 1834.
Gascoyne, William. This was a major builder. He started business in about 1852 and soon had major contracts. He moved to what was then No 1 Newbold Road (now No 12 Willes Road in 2024). He was praised for the work in converting what is now No 126 Parade to a bank faced with stone in 1857; this is HSBC in 2022.
A separate page will be required to do justice to Gascoyne. Suffice it to say that here are some headlines from his life. In 1859 he entertained 70 men for Christmas at his yard (the number had become 90 men by 1862). He built houses in Brunswick Street, Newbold Terrace, Villiers Street, Binswood Avenue, Lillington Avenue and many other streets. He built St Peter’s Catholic church in Dormer Place in 1862 and the tower in 1878. In 1873 he was president of the Builders Association. He removed the old LNER bridge at The Bridges in 1862. He was elected to the Board of Health in 1864 and became chairman in 1866. He opened a branch in Beckenham, Kent but it appears that his son, William, was not a good manager. Unfortunately William senior faced bankruptcy proceedings from 1885 in Croydon. He sold a great deal of his property in Lillington to pay his debts. He died in 1902 at No 115 High Street, Beckenham, age 76.
Gathercole, Robert John and Frederick Philip. These two Gathercoles were sons of Robert Payne Gathercole and they took over his business at his death. Robert junior was born in 1898 and Frederick in 1907. The first advertisement found for this partnership so far in 1931 encourages people to ‘spend Leamington money in Leamington’. Very soon, it was reported that this firm was selling the business as a going concern in 1932. It was based in Morton Street and Morrell Street. It appears that they both soon left Leamington. In 1937 Frederick was reported to be bankrupt in Croydon, having left Leamington.
Gathercole, Robert Payne. Robert was born in 1866. The first record of this Gathercole is a listing in a directory in 1892. His office was in Clarendon Street. He built houses in Queen Street, Granville Street and Kenilworth. He was listed in 1901 as builder and undertaker and in 1911 and 1921 as builder and contractor. He was mentioned for constructing a splendid shopfront for Thomas Logan Ltd on the Parade in 1909. In 1917 Gathercole managed to delay call-up of one of his employees for two months; he said that he had lost six out of seven employees to serve in the war. In 1919 he was fined 5s (25p) for obstructing Regent Street with ladders. He died in 1927, age 62. His sons RJ and Frederick Gathercole took over running the business
Gilks, Thomas. Little information has been found about this builder. Gilks advertised cottages to let in Chesham Street and John Street in 1901; possibly he had built them. He was listed in directories in 1912 and 1921. He died in 1932, age 79.
Gilliver, Joseph. All that has been found about this builder is an auction of effects after his death in 1867 at Morton Street and Avenue Station yard.
Glover, John. The only information seen so far is a single advertisement in 1869 which mentions yards in Upper Bedford Street and Morton Street
Godfrey, William. The only reference so far is to when Godfrey was sued for wages by an employee in 1882.
Golby, Philip and/or Thomas. The sole record is of insolvency in 1833.
Goold, Ebenezer. In 1842 Goold built the church at Kings Sutton to the design of Daniel Squirhill, a Leamington architect. In 1856 there was an auction of eight houses and plots of land in various places but he was found bankrupt two years later. His address was Wellington Street (later Regent Street). He died in 1904 when residing in Grantham.
Goold, John. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1862. The date suggests a link to Ebenezer Goold.
Goss, Bros, (William Joseph and Edward George). This firm was involved in building a pair of houses in Princes Drive for C B Wardman of Kigass Ltd in 1945. The houses were to be named Peace Haven and Victory. Edward was executor of William’s will in 1938.
Graham & Gold. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Gray, James. References have been noted of building work by Gray in Lansdowne Crescent in 1865 and Russell Terrace in 1866
Green, William. Active from about 1834 to 1874, Green was a major builder in the town and the business passed to his son, also William, in the 1860s. The first record found relates to the widening of Bath Street in 1836 prior to the building of Victoria Terrace; he was a member of a committee advising on this and other town improvements. He extended the parish church in 1838 and built St Mary’s church in Leamington for John George Jackson, architect, in 1839. He went on to build many other key buildings in the town including the widening of Victoria Bridge, building the Roman Catholic church in George Street, building in Covent Garden Market in 1840 and building Bath Place school in 1859. He died in 1861 age 58. It is intended to write a separate article about Mr Green.
Green William junior. William Green junior took over from his father after his death in 1861. The office and yards were in Clarendon Street and Kenilworth Street. He carried out alterations at No 23 Parade in 1862. He built Milverton cemetery chapel (now demolished) and chapels at Brunswick Street cemetery in 1868. He built the Wesleyan chapel in Dale Street and carried out work at the sewage works in in 1871. He carried out a deal of sewer work in Milverton and elsewhere around 1872. William junior became a Guardian of the Poor but died in 1888. His son Bertram H Green was installed as an honorary canon at Worcester cathedral in 1940; at some time he had been curate at St Mary’s, Warwick for 10 years, when he was also a master at Warwick School. One of the Pratts bought the yard in Kenilworth Street in 1889.
Greet, John. Greet is referred to in 1864 as trading as R Greet & Son. Greet had also been Inspector of Lighting for the Board of Health. Greet was earlier listed as a painter and also as a plumber. He was also deputy captain with the volunteer fire brigade. He was paid by the Board for work on waterworks, parks and public lighting. He was a member of the School Board for some years. Sadly a reference found for Mr Greet was when he gave evidence at the inquest in 1875 on Stephen Maycock who died after falling when he was working on a chimney on No 17 Dale Street. The verdict was accidental death, but it was stated that Maycock may not have secured scaffolding properly. He died in May 1879 age 49.
????? There is some uncertainty whether there are two or John Greets in the building trade.
Gregory, Robert Zinthai. The first reference found for Gregory was in a directory in 1884. He was listed again in 1892 and 1900 with addresses in Kenilworth Street and Clarendon Street. He died in March 1901.
Greves, Henry. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was found bankrupt in 1842. A man with this name was running a beer-house in Newbold Street in 1847.
Griffin RG (Builders & Contractors) Ltd. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Groom. This builder is recorded as building two houses in Radford Road in 1939. His address was in Chesham Street.
Groom, Edgar George. Few references have been found for this builder. He was son of W Groom of George Street. He moved to Llandovery in Wales in 1895 and he died there in 1938 age 74.
Groom, Thomas and Albert Thomas. The first reference to this firm was in a directory of 1940. The address was at No 47 Chesham Street but on the death of Thomas in 1947 at age 63 the office transferred to Sungarth, Golf Lane, Whitnash. A Groom from Whitnash owned Toytown toyshop in Regent Street from the 1960s.
Gulistan Road Construction Ltd. This company appeared in directories from 1950 to 1970. More research is required.
Hall, G H. The only reference found so far is listing in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Hancox, John. The only reference so far is when he sued a customer for payment in 1880; builder Benjamin Bradshaw was appointed as arbitrator.
Harper, William. The first reference found for this builder was in a directory in 1872. The last mention of him was in 1883.
Harris & Son. This builder was listed in a directory in 1970 and in Yellow Pages in 1980. More research is required.
Harris Bros. This builder advertised three houses in Cubbington Road in 1931 and houses and shops on the Packmores estate in the following year. The business address was in Lillington.
Harris, John. Only one reference has been found so far in 1948.
Harrison, Frederick John. Little is known; Harrison was granted six months exemption from call-up in 1918. He died in November 1949 at No 18 Granville Street.
Hart, C & G. This firm was active in making Claremont Road in 1873 and building some of the houses. It is possible that it was a successor business to John and George Hart.
Hart, George. The single listing found so far is that he extended the parsonage in Mill Street in 1864. George was the son of John Hart.
Hart, John. This Hart was a well-known bridge builder by 1850 and built the bridge for the Rugby line at The Bridges, Bath Street. In 1860 he was working on drainage for houses in Eastnor Street (later Eastnor Grove). He was involved with the railway bridge near Leek Wootton which tragically collapsed in 1861 killing the two footplatemen. In 1863 he made Adelaide Road, Avenue Road and Warwick New Road. By 1871 he was building villas in Claremont Road (see also C&G Hart). It was agreed to provide street lights in Claremont Road in July 1872. He died of suicide by strangling in October 1872 at Shrubland Terrace at age 72 after suffering painful illness for at least 10 days.
Hawkins, William and Smith, Charles. The only report seen so far was when Hawkins and Smith were found bankrupt in 1836.
Hayward, Frank Dudley. Hayward was a London builder who chose to live in Leamington from about 1898, latterly at Silvanus Park in Adelaide Road, on the corner of York Road. He had been a builder of projects such as the Oban Palace Hotel, the Metropole Hotel at Southend, a Masonic Temple near Croydon and another hotel at West Worthing. His financial collapse with liabilities of £310,000 in 1901 was headlined as the worst ever of a Leamington resident. In bankruptcy proceedings it was stated that he had previously been a traveller in the drugs trade. His main work in Leamington was construction of an impressive garden at his home. A very unusual ‘builder’ indeed in the context of Leamington.
Hazelhead Properties Ltd. Another firm that appeared in Yellow Pages in 1980; they had an address at Somerset House, Warwick Street. More research is required.
Heath, Robert Joseph. Only one record of him being sued in 1954 when he was located in St Marys Road.
Hewitt, Robert. Hewitt was found bankrupt in 1837; however, he, or perhaps another Robert Hewitt, was listed as a builder in a directory in 1850.
Hill, James. Active from about 1836 to 1861. Hill was building in Holly Walk in 1836 when based at No 3 Augusta Place; he was one of the biggest builders in town from this time. He had the misfortune to be a partner in the Leamington Bank when it collapsed in 1836. In 1843 he was insolvent and was selling property and land in Brick Kiln Lane, Newbold Comyn. In 1845 he built Warwick Street Chapel Day School, next to the Baptist Church.
Hill, Walter. The first record of this Hill was when he and a partner were prosecuted in 1942 for defrauding Birmingham City Council on the cost of bomb damage repairs. They were sentenced to 12 months in prison. He lived in a caravan on the Kingsway estate and took the estate over. In 1954 he was refused permission to build 20 houses next to the Heathcote Inn, Whitnash.
Hirons, George. Hirons was active from about 1870 to 1888. In 1870 he was consulted about the extension of Avenue Road and in 1872 he was building in Adelaide Road. He was based in Clarendon Street. In 1876 he advertised for an apprentice carpenter. In 1878 he was nominated for the town council. In 1881 and 1882 he was letting houses in Leam Terrace and Radford Road, presumably houses which he had built. It is remarkable that, for one reason or another, Hirons appeared in court on at least nine occasions, as plaintiff or defendant.
Hodges, H. The only reference found to Hodges was in Yellow Pages 1980.
Hodgkinson, Richard and/or Robert. Little information has been found so far. A door was stolen from his building site in Clarendon Crescent in 1833 but he was bankrupt in 1836.
Hodgkisson, G T. First noted in a directory in 1884 and then again in 1892 and 1900. In 1888 he was appointed builder for the town council. He is noted as redecorating the Theatre Royal in Regent Grove. He died in July 1910 age 60 at his long-time home in Wise Street.
Hodkisson, Richard. First record found in 1886. He built a new stone staircase at the Royal Assembly (Parthenon) in Bath Street in 1888.
Holbeache. He was awarded the contract for decorating the Town Hall offices in High Street in 1852. W Holbeche was listed in a directory in 1872; it is unclear whether this was the same man.
Holt, Alfred. The only reports seen so far relate to his bankruptcy in 1912.
Hopkins PA Ltd. Listed in directories in 1970 and 1980. More research is required.
Houghton, Thomas. Only one record has been found about this builder so far. He took over extension of the cemetery in Brunswick Street in 1884 when Richard Bowen decided not to take on the job. Houghton was based in Court Street.
Howard, Richard. Another case where the only record found so far is about Howard’s bankruptcy in 1834.
Hudson, Edmund. The only record found so far is about Hudson’s indebtedness in 1889.
Humpage, Alfred. The sole record so far relates to Humpage being sued in relation to a property deal at Stratford upon Avon in 1933.
Hunt, George Howard. Another case where the only record found so far is about Hunt’s bankruptcy in 1939/41.
Hunt, John and Richard. These two brothers carried on the business of their father, Thomas, for a few years after 1864. Equipment and partly-built houses in Binswood Crescent were sold in 1867/68 to pay off the debts of John Hunt.
Hunt, Thomas. Thomas was active from about 1842 until his death in March 1864 at age 61. The business was taken on by his sons John and Richard for a few years. He lived at No 2 Binswood Terrace. Houses in Gordon Street, Queen Street, Hill Street, Binswood Walk and Comyn Street were sold after his death. Presumably he had built some or all of these houses. The yard in Morton Street was also offered for sale.
Hurney, P. The sole record for Hurney so far is general builder advertisement in the Leamington Courier in 1950.
Hurst, John. A single reference is an advertisement announcing Hurst’s new business in 1865.
Hyam, Edward & Son. The first record found was in a directory in 1950 but in 1961 they were no longer in the building trade.
Hyam, Thomas. Thomas was listed in a directory in 1921 and Hyam, Thomas & Son became the business name in 1924. They had premises in Morton Street and Leicester Street.
Hyde, W A & Co Ltd. Only a single reference has been found in a directory in 1950. The business was based in Southam.
Inglefield, KG. The only reference found so far is in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Izon, William H. References were found to this Izon in directories in 1950, 1961 and 1970.
Izon, Horace. The single record found was when this Izon successfully sued a customer for payment for work on repairing a chimney in 1938.
J&S Construction Ltd. The only reference found is in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Jeffs, Andrew. The only reference found so far is to his death in February 1934 age 73. He may well have been a son of Jesse Jeffs.
Jeffs, Jesse. The first reference found so far is building a Wesleyan Chapel in Avon Street, Warwick to the design of John Cundall in 1863. His office/home was in Waterloo Street, Leamington. He built two houses on the north side of Russell Terrace in 1864 and was reprimanded for building a house in George Street without permission in 1872. He then went on to build an extra storey on a house in Church Street without a permit in 1873. He died in August 1873 at age 56, sadly within days of being found bankrupt.
Jelley, G. This builder was listed in directories in 1892 and 1900.
Jenkins & Sons. During the short period from 1889 to 1891 they built the open air swimming bath at the mill, replaced walls at the parish church, built new rooms at the Royal Pump Room and worked on the new iron bridge in Adelaide Road.
Jenkins, Isaac James. This builder was listed in directories in 1921, 1932, 1940 and 1950 with address at ‘Shelsley’ in Rugby Road.
Jennings, Edward George. A single reference has been found to this builder in 1950 with address at La Verna, Llewellyn Road.
John, Roland Joseph. John was listed as a builder when he was sentenced to 6 months in prison for issuing valueless cheques in 1953.
Johnson, William. Another builder found to be bankrupt in 1933.
Jonas Bros Ltd. This firm was listed as a builder in a directory in 1961.
Jones, H (probably Henry). The only references found so far to Jones are to building a west wing for Warneford Hospital in 1864 and extending this wing further in 1867. His office was listed as South Parade (later Clarendon Avenue). He may be the Henry Jones who delivered gravel to the Milverton Board of Health in 1869.
Jones, Thomas Henry. It is not clear whether this Jones had any connection with H (probably Henry) Jones. The business address was in Chandos Street. Jones worked on Francis’s store in 1867, conversion of cottages in Guy Place West in 1868 and two houses in Heath Terrace in 1871. He probably built a terrace in Woodbine Street in the same year and in 1872 he built three houses in Percy Terrace. He left Leamington in 1877 and went to Australia for two years. On his return he settled in Wimbledon until 1884 when he returned to Leamington. He was found bankrupt in 1888; in the following year he requested discharge from bankruptcy but this was refused because he had kept no books of accounts and made some rash speculations.
Keening, Thomas. Another builder who was in debtor’s court in 1833.
Kelbrook Property Developments Ltd. The only reference found so far was in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Kennard, G H & Son Ltd. The first record found is in a directory in 1961 and subsequently in 1961 and 1970, when they were based in Heathcote Road, Whitnash. More research is required.
Keranbrun, Ernest H. The only record for this builder so far is in a directory in 1961.
Kimberley, J S. Kimberley was based in Banbury and built a new wing at Warneford Hospital in 1892.
King, Norman. King was listed in a directory in 1950 with premises in Tavistock Street and Beaconsfield Street.
Kitchen, R & Son. Reginald Kitchen was listed as a builder in a directory in 1950. The business was listed as R A or R Kitchen & Son in 1961 and Yellow Pages in 1980.
Knight, C J. One record has been found of Knight building 82 houses in Braemar Road in 1938.
Knight, George. The sole record found of this builder is that he built the Jephson Temple in the Jephson Gardens in 1868.
Knight, John. The only records seen so far relate to Knight’s insolvency in 1834. Subsequently, his home and office in Covent Garden Market was sold along with properties in Clarence Terrace and unfinished properties in Hamilton Terrace which perhaps he built.
Lakin, John. Lakin was listed with an address in Grove Street in a directory in 1841.
Lander. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he provided some tables for the celebration of Princess Victoria’s birthday in 1837.
Lapworth, John Henry. Only a single reference has been found when Lapworth’s bicycle collided with a taxi cab in Regent Street in 1930. He was not seriously injured and was aged 50.
Leam Castle Ltd. The only report seen so far relates to listing in Yellow Pages in 1980 with an address at No 2 Leam Terrace.
Lee, Frederick William. Lee was active from about 1872 to 1901. In 1876 he let a villa in Beauchamp Avenue and a cottage in Milverton when his office/home? was in Russell Street. He had a house to let in Beauchamp Square in 1878 when his office was in South Parade (later Clarendon Avenue). He was listed in a directory in 1884 with addresses at Guy Street and Clarendon Avenue when he was also advertising for work on sewers and drains. In 1888 the Milverton Board refused permission for 16 cottages, address unknown. He became a councillor in 1896, and then an alderman. He retired in 1908 and died in July the following year aged 62. His son, Frederick William Hobbit Lee, became a notable local architect in the local firm, Quick & Lee.
Legge, William George. The only record found so far is Legge’s death in January 1931. He started his own business in 1910 at No 36 Clemens Street. He was the son of William Legge.
Letts, Elias. The only record found was in a directory in 1841.
Letts, Samuel. This Letts was listed in directories in 1829 and 1830 with an address in Church Street. In 1834 he bought building land in the Great Feeding Ground, now Euston Place. He died in November 1856 aged 81.
Lewis & Watters was active from about 1928 to 1961.
This firm was founded by William Herbert (Bill) Lewis who was born in Penkridge in Staffordshire in October 1905. His father and mother were Herbert Edward Lewis and Annie Elizabeth Hinton. They also had a daughter Marjorie, born 1908, and son Arthur, born 1910. Bill was determined to be a carpenter and eventually settled in Leamington Spa. He founded his building business in 1928.
He married Dorothy Law in 1932, a Penkridge girl. They eventually settled at No 186 Cubbington Road – a house built by Lewis & Watters. They had two daughters, Freda, 1934, and Sylvia in 1935. Bill retired from business in 1965. He died in Kineton in December 1990.
Bill’s partner in the business was to be John (Jack) Watters. Jack was born in Coleraine in Northern Ireland in December 1898. His parents were Joseph Watters and Mary Ann McLaughlin. He had three brothers and two sisters. He too became a carpenter but little is known about him until he joined Bill Lewis about one year after the business began. They lived at 143 Cubbington Road. John married Margaret Grimshaw form Larne in Northern Ireland in 1924. They had a son Sean in 1928. Sadly, Margaret died at the age of 37 in 1934. Four years later Jack married Jessie Knowles form Birmingham. Again, sadly, Jessie died in 1944 at the age of 41. Jack died in March 1959. Jack, Jessie and Margaret are all buried in separate graves in the churchyard at St Mary Magdalene, Lillington.
Messrs Lewis and Watters built a successful business, partly from advertisements and endorsements in local papers using catch-phrases such as ‘ Builders of Better Homes’, ‘Inspect an Ideal Home’. Hey were based at Farm Buildings, Manor Farm, Lime Avenue, for many years. They built many of the semi-detached houses in the surrounding area before the war began in 1939. In 1935 they had a show-home in Lonsdale Road. Before and during the war they were involved in building airfields and other military sites and opened an office in Stafford in 1943. They also built hospitals, factories, public houses and churches.
The business became Lewis and Watters Ltd after the war and built a wide range of properties. Permission was granted for 23 houses at Stud Farm in 1951. In the following year an accountant was charged with stealing £240 from the firm. They built Eden Court in 1960 and Baileys Furniture shop in Warwick Street in 1963 (now demolished). They also built the Hexagonal houses in Cubbington Road which were also demolished in 2020.
In 1961 the firm became a part of Annol Development Ltd with C P Nolan as Chairman and Dennis Howell MP as a Director. The firm moved to Welland Mill, Lock Lane, Millers Road Warwick in 1963 and the premises in Lime Avenue became part of Lime Garages, a Saab dealer. Within 12 months of the retirement of Bill Lewis in 1965 the firm met with financial difficulties and ceased trading.
(Thanks to Denise Watson, article published by Lillington Local History Society April 2022)
Lewis, A J. Only a couple of references have been found which suggest that this Lewis had a builders yard in 1934 and in 1937 he was prosecuted for having incomplete records for a motor vehicle.
Lewis, Frank Edward. The only reference found so far relates to his death in 1951, aged 51.
Lissaman, William. This builder was first noted in a directory in 1872. There are hints that his was a significant business but little else is known as yet. He made an unsuccessful bid to build the library in 1880, he was a member of a Grand Jury at Warwick Court in 1882 and he owned a property in Victoria Street in 1885.
Lloyd, AC. This business was established in 1948 and is still trading very successfully in 2022. The businesses are registered in 2022 with eight business names.
Albert Cecil (Cyril) Lloyd was born in 1916 and as a child lived on the Guys Cliffe estate. He married Mildred Alice Williams at St Mary’s church, Leamington Spa, in 1938. It appears that he was known as ‘Cyril’ because that was an uncle’s name. In his early working years he was employed by Lewis & Watters. When war began he enrolled with the Royal Army Service Corps and drove heavy goods vehicles. After the second World War he was working as a sub-contractor for Walter Hill (of Coventry) on the Kingsway and Queensway estates of housing. He soon employed Reg Hopkins to carry out estimating and he told Reg of his intention to establish his own business and promised that Reg would have a major role in the new venture.
Cyril sold his home at No 10 Westlea Road to provide funds for the new business and lived in a flat over Norton’s cycle shop in Church Street for four years. It was at these premises that daughter Janet was born in 1948. They soon moved to convert a stable block at No 4 Cliffe Road. They moved again in 1953 to ‘Elmbank’ on Lillington Road. Daughter Anne was born in 1955.
It is important to mention Reg J Haycock who played an important role in the companies. He was born in Penkridge in ???. He served in the Royal Engineers in the war. He was then a foreman carpenter with Lewis & Watters and that is where he met Cyril. He became joint managing director of A C Lloyd (Builders) Ltd in 1953. After a career with the companies he died in July 1977.
Cyril set up the business at No 1 Dormer Place, which was a three-storey building with a small yard. Initially business was mainly repairs but it soon grew to include the purchase and renovation of properties. The first houses built from scratch were eight semi-detached in Westlea Road for the council.
In 1951 it was agreed that A C Lloyd (Builders) Ltd would concentrate on private houses whereas A C Lloyd and Hopkins Ltd specialised on large council contracts. A key moment was in 1952 when Cyril was introduced to Eddie McGregor who owned Manor Farm in Lillington. Development of this farmland had been considered since the 1930’s and houses were built in Leicester Lane; in fact one was built for the occupation of E McGregor himself. Eventually over 750 houses were built on this land and the adjoining Hut Farm, owned by Eddie’s son Donald McGregor.
In addition, houses were being built by Lloyd’s in many locations, including a Manse at the Full Gospel church in Charlotte Street, bungalows in Lee Road and houses in Lillington Close.
Sydney McGregor, brother of Eddie, owned Stud Farm in Lillington where he bred race-horses. Lloyds were involved in building many houses on this land from 1951.
The next major development for the firm was in 1957 when A C Lloyd and Eddie McGregor bought Sydenham Farm from Alderman Tickle. It was formally the property of Milcel Ltd, a company which combined the names of Cyril and his wife, Mildred. The initial layout was by Sir Frederick Gibberd but later stages were designed by Mike Parry of Donald James and Partners.
The firm took further steps to grow by buying allotment lands at Clapham Terrace in 1962, Holly Walk in 1963, Newbold Comyn and Campion Hills, also around 1963. They went on to buy land from Albert Groom in Golf Lane, Whitnash around 1964. Some of this land was formally owned by R L Hopkins (Builders) Ltd which was also a Lloyd’s company. He moved to live at Sydenham Farm in 1962.
Cyril had a stroke following an illness in 1962 and lived with symptoms for the rest of his life. However, he carried on running the business much as before. He made light of his health issues and when asked how he was feeling he is reputed to have always replied ‘Topping’. He died in 1986.
In addition to a fairly prolific rate of new building, the business was involved in restoration and refurbishment of existing buildings. A notable example was the restoration of Rossmore House and two adjoining houses for the council in Newbold Terrace, completed in 1984. The firm also spent many years updating all aspects of Ford’s Foundry in Old Warwick Road and were pleased to be asked to restore interior features of the Royal Pump Room in 1999 including the Hammam, Turkish bath.
The companies established a new headquarters on the north side of Chapel Street and after various changes the new complex was opened in 1992. The businesses moved from there around 2018 to Nicholls House, Tachbrook Park, Homer Close, Warwick, and of course, the site at Chapel Street was developed with housing.
(This article relies heavily on a book entitled ‘No Bricks without Mortar – 50 Years of A C Lloyd 1948-1998’ by Shirley Reading, published by A C Lloyd (Builders) Ltd
Long, J H. The only references to this builder are in a directory in 1980 with the address No 82 Helmsdale Road.
Lovell, John. The sole reference for this builder so far is to his death in June 1873 with an address in Russell Street.
Lucas, James Moore. Lucas appears to have been quite active although records found so far only relate to the period from 1870 to 1873. In 1871 he received consent to build a villa in Warwick New Road and in 1873 he applied to build 10 houses on the north side of Leicester Street. He was involved with a dispute over a footpath in old Kenilworth Road (now Lillington Road) and later was accused of assaulting an accountant. His office/yard was in Upper Bedford Street.
Manning, John. References to this builder have been seen in the period 1835 to 1839, He was based in Tavistock Street. He was found bankrupt in 1838 and sued by an accountant in 1839.
Marriott, James. This builder was based in Coventry and was involved with work on the Parish Church in 1866. He was in a substantial way of business and it is almost certain that he was Mayor of Coventry in 1867.
Martin, Henry. Active about 1860 to 1880. In 1864 he was building cottages near Waterloo Street and in nearby St Marys Place and another seven near Waterloo Street in 1866. He built houses in Guy Street in 1869. In 1871 he was involved in a dispute about a building which had been built in Mona Terrace above the Milverton Brook and had partially collapsed. He carried out alterations in Lower Parade in 1871 and Bedford Street in 1879 for Burgis & Colbourne. He must have been in a substantial way of business because in 1878 he purchased the Militia Barracks in Clapham Terrace for £2,425.
Martin, Charles. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he married in 1849.
Mason. Only briefly mentioned in 1871/1872. He may actually be Thomas Mason (see below)
Mason & Mills. This partnership between Thomas Mason and Thomas Mills only lasted for about a year, 1871-1872. They were recorded as buying land in Rugby Road, Lillington, applying for drainage to two houses in that road and being involved in the construction of Sidney Flavel senior’s house in Newbold Terrace. After the partnership was dissolve, both partners continued in business on their own.
Mason G W & Co. Only one entry has been seen in a directory in 1980.
Mason, Thomas. Mason was involved with building houses in Queen Street in 1853, three houses in South Parade (Clarendon Avenue) in 1857 and houses in Beauchamp Terrace (Avenue) in 1860. He erected a stand near Holy Trinity church for the visit of Queen Victoria in 1858. His office was at 21 Oxford Street. In 1860 he built houses in Russell Terrace and a school and church at the Arboretum in Tachbrook Road in 1861. In the 1860s he built houses in Queen Street, South Parade, Newbold Road (Willes Road) and Warwick Place. He tidied Beauchamp Square in 1866. In the 1870s he built houses in Clarendon Place, Heath Terrace, South Parade and Arlington Street (Avenue). He moved his office to South Parade. He was elected to the council in 1876. Despite his civic position, he was fined for keeping a dog without a licence and also for building a house in Arlington Street without permission.
Masters, Joseph. Only a brief reference has been found in 1880.
Masters, Thomas. This Masters is recorded as leaving his role as licensee of the Augusta Tavern in 1864 to set up as a builder in Adelaide Road. In 1867 he gave assistance when three girls fell through the ice when skating on the river; one was saved but sadly, two of them died. He built houses in Bertie Road. His son Frank John Masters died in a shipwreck, age 22. He was somehow involved in the renaming of Cricketfield Street as Archery Road. In 1878 he built houses in St George’s Road. In 1880 he was appointed as builder for the Council.
Masters, W. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1882.
Matthews Bros. One reference states that their office was in New Street and that several houses recently built were for sale in 1910.
Mauzer, Samuel Ernest. A single reference has been found to his suicide in 1946, believed be due to stress of filling government forms, etc.
Meddows Brothers. The partnership is mentioned in 1876. It is not yet certain who the brothers were, but it seems likely that they were Henry and Isaac, see below.
Meddows, Henry. Henry built houses in Farley Street and Leam Terrace East around 1864. He had premises in Gordon Street.
Meddows, Isaac. Isaac built at least three houses in St Marys Place. His office and yard were in Farley Street in 1870.
Meridith, James. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1850.
Messenger & Co Ltd. It is possible that this firm built or rebuilt the Pavilion in the Jephson Gardens.in 1924. Other sources state that much of the glass roof was replaced in 1926, possibly also by Messengers.
Miles, Albert. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1884.
Millman, John. This builder was mentioned in directories in 1830 and 1852.
Mills, Thomas. Thomas was a partner with Thomas Mason for a short time around 1871. Mills left his partner to take over the business of J B Stanley in Morton Street. In 1868 his office had been at 136 Warwick Street. From 1870 he was involved with new houses in Beauchamp Terrace (Avenue) East, Russell Terrace and Tachbrook Road, In the same year he was building at least five houses in Clarence Street. He won the contract to lay a major sewer in Leam Terrace in 1874. In 1875 he built a new mortuary behind the ‘old’ town hall in High Street. In 1878 he built Kings Middle School in Warwick to the design of John Cundall. He also built St Johns vicarage designed by the same architect. He later built a villa in Guys Cliffe Road (1879) and four villas in Milverton Terrace (1880). He built Holy Trinity Church in Beauchamp Avenue in 1881, again designed by Cundall. In 1882 he built Cundall’s finest church of St Johns, Tachbrook Street and he built a villa with ten bedrooms in Lillington in 1882. In 1883 he was appointed builder for the School Board. In 1883 he built houses in New Street and in that year he also concentrated energy to the business of selling houses as an agent. There is some evidence that he was connected to the brickfields opposite St Paul’s church in 1888.
Milman. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1862.
Milman, John. Only two references have been found for this builder in 1830 and 1837
Montgomery, J. This builder was noted while building in Windmill Road and Heathcote. He was listed at Heathcote Road in a directory in 1950. He was probably succeeded by W A Montgomery Ltd.
Montgomery, W A, Ltd. This was a major builder from about 1950, mostly in Whitnash, which is officially beyond Leamington. It is likely that the company was a successor to J Montgomery and built many houses in that village (now town).
Moore, William. This was a minor or jobbing builder, active around 1881.
Morgan, E M & Son. Listed in directories in 1950 and 1961.
Morrall, Richard. Listed in directories in 1884 and 1892
Morton, George. Only one reference has been found, in 1848.
Muddeman. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in 1864 when a rival accused the Board of Health of favouritism.
Murray & Co. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1950 with an address in Stamford Place.
Newcombe, Charles. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he was insolvent and was committed to Fleet Prison in London in 1834.
Nichols. The only note found so far is that he was involved in the demolition of Claremont House in Tachbrook Road in 1921, although other records state that the house was demolished in 1927. This house was between Charlotte Street and Claremont Road.
Nicklin, Samuel. Nicklin is recorded as building three houses in Court Street in 1860. He had been declared bankrupt in 1837. His occupations are a little confusing because he was also an important architect for some years and he later became a publican.
Nicks, John. In 1830 Nicks was involved in dealings with parcels of land in Tachbrook Road and Clemens Street but it is unclear whether he built houses on any of them. He moved to Warwick in 1833.
Norman, William. Only a single reference has been found for this builder when he purchased the business of William Fairfax in 1853.
O’Donnell, D J. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1980
O’Dwyer, D G. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1980
O H Descon Ltd. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1980
Oldham & Bradshaw. Active 1855. Only a single reference has been found for this builder
Olorenshaw, Thomas. The business was started by his father in 1810. He moved from Oxford Street to Park Street in 1893. He built houses in Lillington and Cubbington around 1897. He sold land near Lillington Waterworks in 1935. He died in 1938 age 79.
Oranges. The Oranges appeared in directories from around 1930. Little else is known about them.
ORTONS. The Orton family was active for about 70 years from about 1850 to 1921.
The first record found is about Charles Orton who was born about 1784 and who moved to Leamington when he was 17. He died in 1866 aged 82. It is likely that he had a business as a builder but he had a son and grandson, both also named Charles, and it is difficult to untangle which of them is referred to in reports. We refer to this Charles as Charles1
A Charles Orton is first recorded around 1851 and was building the Hydropathic Establishment, later known as the Royal Midland Counties Home or Arboretum, in Tachbrook Road. At this date Charles1 would have been about 72 so it is likely that his son, Charles2, is the person concerned. It is assumed that mentions of Charles Orton in the next 40 or so years are to Charles2.
Charles2 was initially in business with Thomas Summerton but he carried on alone after 1856. Charles2 was born in 1816 and lived until 1898.
In the 1860s Charles2 built houses in Wood Street, Althorpe Street, Campion Terrace, New Street, Farley Street and Mill Street. Charles 2 also built houses in the Comyn Street area and the area became named ‘Bumbalow’ and there was even a Mayor of Bumbalow for some time. In 1865 he was engaged by John Craig, the vicar of the parish church, to carry out work but it is not yet clear what was built.
Charles2 was not without problems. He was censured because the ceilings of some houses in New Street were less than eight feet high. In 1866 he was reluctant to pay the Board of Health for paving Wood Street but he was forced to do so. His office and yard was in Wood Street and he also lived there for most of his life. In the same year there was dispute about levels in the New Street, Farley Street and Mill Street area; the street was eventually lowered by about eight inches and steps had to be provided for the houses. To cap it all, there was a complaint about his stand-pipe in Farley Street causing a nuisance in 1867.
Charles2 was a member of the local Rifle Corps for many years and became colour-sergeant and then Captain of the corps.
In 1889 Richard Albert Orton took over the business from his father, Charles2. Richard was a member of the town council for at least 15 years and he was also a member of the town’s volunteer fire brigade.
Richard Albert Orton (1841-1919) had two sons, Charles3 (1890- ) and Albert (1882-1922). Albert is recorded as a builder in Wood Street in 1912 but he died in 1922, believed to be as a result of wounds received in World War 1. It seems clear that Charles4 did not follow in the building business.
After the death of Richard in 1919 all the buildings they owned in Wood Street were sold.
Overton, John Lowe. A couple of records in directories around 1830 and bankruptcy proceedings.
Overton, William. He is first recorded as building St Lukes day and Sunday schools in Augusta Place in 1851. His business address was South Parade (Clarendon Avenue). He is noted as being involved in preparing to build the National school in Bath Place in 1856 and Weymouth Cottages in Warwick Street. Sadly, in 1852 his three-year-old son died after his clothes caught fire.
Parker, Arthur. The single record found is of his death in 1954 in Granville Street.
Payne, C F. Only a single record has been found in 1877.
Payne, R W. A single reference has been found in a directory in 1980.
Pentiman, Arthur. Active 1947. Only a single reference has been found for this builder.
Pettitt. This was a minor or jobbing builder in 1863.
Peace and Hill. This firm started to build Eastnor Terrace in Old Warwick Road, which was demolished before it was completed to build the Great Western railway station
Pinder, Edward. In 1836 this Pinder was building in Holly Walk and advertised several houses for let in 1851. He met financial troubles but was discharged from bankruptcy in 1858. He went on to build in Campion Terrace in 1862 and in New Street and Queen Street in 1871.
Pinder, Samuel. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1850.
Pitt, John George. Pitt appears to have had a long career; he was repairing a house in 1894 and his stock was sold in 1934, soon after his death.
PJS Building Co. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Plummer, M. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in Yellow Pages in 1980.
PRATTS, several of this family were in building trades.
Pratt, Arthur. This member of the Pratt family took over the business from his father Thomas when he died in 1943. The business had been founded by his grandfather, also Thomas, around 1880. Arthur was born in 1899. The firm was seeking workmen in 1947 but Arthur announced that it was closing in 1952 because of his ill-health. Belatedly, the firm’s Appeal against refusal of planning permission for housing on 5 acres near the Midland Oak was allowed in 1953.
Pratt, John. Active 1889-1903, This was a minor or jobbing builder
Pratt, Thomas senior. Thomas Pratt and his son Thomas were significant builders in the town for many years.
It is believed that Thomas senior was born in 1844 at a tenement off Oxford Street in Leamington Spa. He married Lucy Blyth in 1866; Lucy had been born in 1840. By 1871 they were living near his birthplace on or near Guy Street and had three children Lucy (1868), Thomas (1869) and George (1871). They had another son Herbert in 1875.
By 1881 they were living at 32 Clarendon Street and Thomas was a plasterer employing 9 men. By 1890 he had clearly been building and had houses for let in Lansdowne Street and Grove Street,
By 1891 (it is not clear whether they worked for their father at this stage).George was a builder’s assistant and Herbert was an apprentice decorator. In 1894 Thomas was involved in building work in Newbold Terrace East. In 1896 he was refurbishing St Luke’s Chapel in Ho;;y Walk. In the same year Councillor Molesworth provided dinner for Pratt’s employees following the completion of work on his house. Also in 1896 he had a house to let at Rugby Villa, Sherbourne Place, Clarendon Street. Sadly, an employee was injured when a cart broke and fell on him at Pratt’s sandpit in Lillington.
In 1897 he had a house, Dalehill in Dale Street, to let. In the same year one of his bricklayers was struck by lightning and there was an appeal for donations to support him. In 1898 he had a house in Cubbington, Nos 1, 2 and 3 South Bank, Lillington, several houses in Manor Road and No 6 Lansdowne Circus to let. The business was now at No 34 Clarendon Street. In the next few years he built many houses to let, including Alveston Place, Manor Road and Grove Street. He made alterations to Milverton Court House in Rugby Road in 1902. He went on to build more houses in Manor Road and Vicarage Road, Lillington.
He was appointed to Warwick Guardians in 1902 (they administered the Poor Law provisions). He was elected as a councillor in 1904.
By 1912 he was building in Portland Street and was involved in the demolition of houses in Beauchamp Square for the extension of Holy Trinity Church in 1913. Sadly, an employee died after a fall during the demolition work.
In 1920 he signed up for a scheme to employ 5% disable men (presumably following the war). H retired in 1922 and died in April 1926 when he was living at No 4 South Bank Lillington.
Pratt, Thomas junior. Thomas junior took over the business from his father, Thomas senior, in about 1922. He had been born in November 1868 and was therefore about 54 when he took control. He had married his wife Ada in 1972. They had children, Winifred in 1865 and Arthur in 1899
He allowed Slum Clearance Co to have the land to build the first slum clearance houses at The Holt, Cubbington Road. Thomas junior lived at No 34 Clarendon Street. He became the president of the Leamington and Warwick Master Builders Association in 1926 and he was chairman of the Chamber of Trade by 1930.
Two fossilised elephant tusks were found in a sandpit in Lillington in 1927 and another monster tusk in 1929. His grandson Dennis became a successful actor using the name Dennis King.
He was sued by stonemason in 1932 under the Silicosis Act of 1929 and compensation of £1 per week was awarded.
Building work appears to have been on a reduced scale and included ‘motor houses’ (garages) in Hill Street and William Street around 1932.
Thomas junior owned Riplingham which was a large house on the north side of Lillington Avenue, on the corner of Arlington Avenue opposite to his home; an earlier name was Bolarum. It was reputed to be the largest house in Leamington and it is said that it had over 40 rooms. In later years it was used to store furniture and was later totally replaced by apartments also named Riplingham.
Thomas junior died in May 1943, age 74 at Rosedale in Arlington Avenue. The business appears to have continued under the leadership of his son Arthur; there were advertisements for workers for the firm. However, in 1952, Arthur announced that the business was closing down because of his ill-health.
Pratt, William. Active 1867-1867, Only a single reference has been found for this builder
Prestidge W & Co. Active 1884-1900, This was a minor or jobbing builder
Price, Thomas. Active 1869-1869, Only a single reference has been found for this builder
Price, John. Active 1832-1832, Only a single reference has been found for this builder
Quinn, J. Active 1980-1980, Only a single reference has been found for this builder
The RANDALL family were builders in the town for many years.
The first one traced is William Randall (senior) who was born in 1827 in London. In 1841 (age 14/15) he was living alone in Leamington, presumably as a lodger, and working as a plasterer. He married in 1852 and had 4 sons and 2 daughters. In 1871 he was still recorded as a plasterer, but in 1881 he was described as a builder employing 4 men and three boys. He built at least five houses in Eagle Street and owned property in Binswood Avenue and St Johns Road, which he probably built. For some years his office was in Clarendon Avenue. He died in 1903.
Two of William’s sons (John William and George Alfred) also eventually became builders.
Randall, John William, born 1855, is recorded as a plasterer in the censuses from 1871 to 1901. He married in 1892 and had 4 sons. After his father’s death he took over the business and is recorded as a builder and decorator from 1911 onwards. His workshop was in Morton Street. In 1908 he sold six houses in Emscote which he built. From about 1920 the business is recorded as JW Randall and Sons. In that year they agreed a scheme to employ 5% disabled men. John William died in 1931.
Randall, George Alfred, born 1863, is recorded as a Carpenter from 1881 to 1901. He married in 1884 and had 4 sons and 2 daughters. His first wife (Maud) died in 1910. In 1911 he was recorded as a house builder, but no evidence has been found that he was working with brother John William. He seems to have become bankrupt in 1917. In 1921 he is recorded as a carpenter & joiner employed by Whitchbury & Son. He died in 1928.
Two of John William’s sons (William and Ernest) joined the building trade.
Randall, William John, born 1893, was recorded as a painter and decorator, employed by his father in 1921. He probably died in 1957.
Randall, Ernest Victor, born 1901, was also recorded as a painter and decorator employed in the family business in 1921, and in 1939 he is listed as a Builder & Decorator (Master Works). No record has been found of Ernest marrying. He died in 1968.
It can be deduced from the listing of the ‘Randall Brothers’ in Kelly’s directory from 1932 to 1950 that they were William John and Ernest Victor.
Two of George’s sons (Frank Ernest and John Alfred) were carpenters. In 1921 John Alfred was a car body maker working for the Singer Motor Co. He died in 1957.
Rathbone, W G. Rathbone began as a builder when he took over the business of H Bromwich of Guy Street in 1936. By 1950 he was recorded as a builder and undertaker at 50 Clarendon Avenue.
Rhodes, John T Ltd. A well-known company. NEEDS A LOT MORE RESEARCH
Robbins & Son. This firm was listed in the 1950s at 30 Russell Terrace and Gordon Street.
Robbins, Samuel. Robbins was in partnership with Bailey in 1835 and had an address in Springfield Street (Shrubland Street) but was insolvent the following year.
Roberts, William. There are several references to a builder of this name from 1880 to 1884. He was granted a licence to build Eastbourne Terrace, Eagle Street, next to his yard, He was also involved with a site in Rugby Road. However, the business was in liquidation in 1884.
Rolf, James. There is one report that Rolf started in business in 1848. He appears to be trustworthy because he did work for the Board of Health and the Free Library Committee but he was dogged by misfortune. However he was also censured because he infringed byelaws in St Marys Place in 1864 and blocked part of Ranelagh Terrace with bricks in 1879. In 1886 one of his ladders fell on a lady in Euston Place. In 1894 he was in dispute with the borough engineer about cement which had not set. These incidents indicate that he was active over a wide area. He died in 1901. It is likely that his sons, James and John Thomas Rolf continued the business. This business was based in Clemens Street.
Rolf, James and John Thomas. They continued the business of their father, James. James junior died in 1917 aged 65 and John Thomas died in 1925 aged 71. John’s will included properties in Radford Road, Chesham Street and Ranelagh Street which indicates that the business may have built them and kept them to let.
Russell. A Mr Russell was in partnership with Richard Bowen around 1870.
Russell, John. Russell is briefly noted in 1824 and 1829.
Sage, F & Co. This renowned London firm which designed a new shopfront for Chandlers the jewellers in Victoria Terrace in 1899 and another for Francis’ in Bath Street in 1911.
Salmon, W J. Salmon was listed in a directories in 1912 and 1921
Saul, Alfred. Saul was listed in directories 1912 and 1921 with address in Plymouth Place. His house and builders yard were for sale in 1936.
Sayce Bros. This firm won a contract to build 22 houses for the council on the Stud Farm in 1951. Also listed in a directory in 1970. There must be more to report.
Scott. Robert. There is a single record of Scott building in a court off Brook Street without permit in 1835; he was fined 5 shillings.
Sharp and Sons. The sole record in 1917 is that an employee was granted exemption from military call-up for three months.
Sharp, E J. Sharp was active at least from 1943 to 1949. He became a councillor and spoke about his colleague builder, Wallsgrove.
Sheasby, Arthur. Sheasby was active from 1872 to 1882. Reports are of financial troubles and an incident when a horse pulling a cart bolted when the town cryer rang his bell.
Simmonds, Dan. Only a single reference has been found for this builder in a directory in 1850.
Smith, F W. This Smith was the son of George Frederick Smith and became a partner when the business was renamed G F Smith & Son around 1898.
GEORGE FREDERICK SMITH and Sons
Smith, George Frederick was born at 7 Oxford Street, Leamington Spa, in 1833 and died in 1918. In the intervening 85 years he achieved much as a builder, a quarry owner, a brickmaker, as an official of the Milverton Board of Health and as a father.
His parents were John and Mary Smith. In 1841, John was carpenter and was later referred to as a joiner. In 1851, son William (age 19) was a surveyor and George was a joiner (age 17}.
In 1861 George was married to Emily and they were living at a terraced house in Rugby Road named Newland Cottage. George was described as ‘Farmer and Builder’ employing ‘27 men and 3 boys’ at the age of 28. No other reference has been found to explain the use of the word ‘farmer’ on the census form.
George’s business grew quickly and the number of substantial building projects under way at any time is impressive. He built a home for the family at 1 Beauchamp Hill in 1876. The builder’s yard was nearby in Union Road and this yard is now the site of Henry Tandey Court. He also had a steam sawmill and later he had a stone quarry on the site of Quarry Road (now Street).
He soon had a brickyard on Old Milverton Lane, adjacent to the railway yard and later it had its own siding. The yard made many items of clay, as well as bricks. George Smith had a strong presence in Milverton and many local properties were built by him, and utilised his bricks. From an early stage he became involved in the purchase of land in the Milverton area, and one notable purchase was the Comber House estate in 1880. This included Comber House at the southern end of Union Road and extensive grounds to the north and east of the House. In 1911 two houses were built in the grounds along Union Road.
Important people in running the business were George’s brother Charles, who became business manager, and son Frank William. In 1888 Frank qualified as an Associate of the Surveyor’ Institution.
George carried out several projects for which John Cundall had been the architect; there seems to have been some competition between John Fell and George for the task of building Cundall’s designs. Of these, Smith’s projects included St Pauls church (1877), the spire of St Johns (1887) and the tower of St Albans (1889).
Perhaps one of the most significant buildings that involved Smith was St. Mark’s Milverton, designed by George Gilbert Scott junior. Nor was he a man to miss a building opportunity, and when it was decided to build a new church (St. Mark’s) in place of the ‘Pepper Pot/Pepper Box’ Chapel on the corner of Milverton Terrace and Warwick New Road, it was Smith who bought the chapel, and once his St. Mark’s contract was completed, demolished the chapel in order to build houses on the site.
It was not simply buildings that came under Smith’s influence and direction. Several civil engineering projects took his attention including sewers in Guys Clife Road, and he also became involved in local community matters via his role as Surveyor for the Milverton Board of Health, and his later role as Inspector of Nuisances. Great care was exercised to avoid conflict between these roles and his business interests.
Smith’s was a substantial business. In 1872, Lady Wheler gave a supper to the 78 of his employees on the completion of Milverton New Church (St. Saviour’s) and in July 1893, Mr Robert Emmons gave a dinner to the 70 men who had been engaged in building his new home in Northumberland Road which he called Mount Vernon.
George died in 1918 and he was buried in Milverton Cemetery. Frank William Smith took charge of the firm although he was to die in 1929, aged 69.
In 1929, the firm faced accusations of emitting excessive smoke from the chimney at the brickworks, after at least five warnings. The works were large; they included five kilns and employed 16 men. After Frank’s death his daughters Clara and Emilia Maria had nominal control of the company. The offence was found to be proved and an enforcement notice was issued. The works closed the following year; and the remainder of the assets, machinery and stock, were sold.
A sample of buildings by GF Smith and Sons:
1872 St Saviour’s church, Heath Terrace
1877 St Paul’s church, Leicester Street
1877 St Mark’s church and vicarage, St Mark’s Road
1879 Reredos at All Saints church, Church Street
1879 Warwick School, Myton Road, Warwick
1880 Bought abandoned Pepper Pot chapel, demolished it, built houses, Milverton Terrace
1880 Milverton Cemetery, Old Milverton Lane
1880 Most of houses in Albany Terrace
1880 Additional wards at Warneford hospital, Radford Road
1880 First houses in Northumberland Road
1884 Repairs to St Peter’s church following fire, Dormer Place
1884 Gas works improvements, Ranelagh Terrace
1885 Many houses in Rugby Road
1888 Spire at St John’s church, Tachbrook Street
1888 Fire engine shed, Adelaide Road
1889 Tower at St Alban’s church, Warwick Street
1891 Awarded contract to maintain roads in Lillington and Milverton
1892 Reservoir, Campion Hill
1893 Alterations to All Saints church, Church SDtreet
1894 School, Leicester Street
1898 Extension Home for Incurables, Tachbrook Road
1898 Bought and demolished the Butts, Guys Cliffe Road
1901 Weir and other works at the river, including boathouse, Mill Road
1901 Tower at All Saints church, Church Street
1903 Lychgate, Lillington parish church, Church Lane
1905 Urquhart Hall, Mill Street
1905 Houses in Quarry Road, Quarry Road
1909 Screen and choir stalls at Lillington parish church, Church Lane
1910 County and Westminster Bank, Parade
1911 Two houses at Comber House land, Union Road
1912 Four houses, Milverton Terrace
Property portfolio of G F Smith
One final indication of the property interests of G.F.Smith comes from the sale in
1947 “of the remaining properties of the G.F.Smith Estate”.
These were: ‘Oakwood’ 1 Northumberland Road, 11 and 13 Albany Terrace, 5, 7 and 9 Beauchamp Hill, 124 Emscote Road and 24 houses in Quarry Street.
The sale raised £34,000 (equivalent to over £3million in today’s money),
Thanks to Martin Green for sharing information about these Smiths
Smith, Herbert. Several brief reports have been found from 1878 to 1900. He was bankrupt in 1880 and his son in law Mason ran the business for a while. He was again listed in directories from 1892 to 1900
Smith, John Nathan. Only a single reference seen in 1858.
Smith, Thomas. Listed in directories in 1850 and 1862 with an address in Portland Road.
Sperring, Arthur Ltd. The first report found was about a showhouse in Rugby Road, Cubbington in 1836, but the yard in Clarendon Avenue was for sale in 1838.
Standbridge & Golding. The sole report in 1934 relates to the winding up of the business.
Stanley, J B. Reports from 1870 to 1873 suggest that Stanley was building in Clarendon Street, Avenue Road and East Grove. Thomas Mills took over this business in 1873.
Stevens, John Henry. A single reference has been seen in a directory in 1884, with an address in New Street.
Stockwell, John. First noted in a directory in 1892 with a base in Clapham Terrace. He was working in Woodbine Street in 1900.
Stowe & Co. George E Stowe started the business in 1919 and died in 1952. He was listed in a directory in 1921 with premises in Satchwell Street. He was a very successful and well-known builder but little record has been found about his projects. He built the pavilion at Gulliman’s golf course in Tachbrook Road in 1932 and houses in Charlotte Street (and probably matching houses in Claremont Road) in 1935. There must have been a number of employees because there was a staff outing in 1934. In 1940 George was inspecting property in Warwick when a floor collapsed; he fell into a cavern and then into an old well; he was rescued by firemen but suffered only minor injuries.
Swain, William. Little is known about this builder. He was noted in 1835 but was bankrupt within a couple of years. He died in 1863.
Tarmac Construction was noted to be building on the Queensway estate in 1980. They specialised in producing buildings materials and, especially, used them for building roads.
Taylor, George. He was noted in a directory in 1850.
Taylor, Richard. He was noted in a directory in 1850.
Taylor, Theophilus. This Taylor was a resident of Warwick and built the Regent Hotel in Leamington in 1819. No other project in Leamington by him has yet been found. He died in 1851.
Taylor, Thomas. He was listed in directories in 1850 and 1862.
Thacker, G. Thacker listed in a directory in 1980.
Thomas & Son. See David Thomas
Thomas, David. David Thomas was born in Monmouth in 1852. He went to Liverpool with an uncle who was a builder and came to Leamington about 1878. He is listed in directories from 1884 with an address in Chapel Street. Little is so far known about his building work but it is likely that he built houses in Court Street. The business became known as David Thomas and Son around the time he died in 1923. The son was George Henry Thomas who died in 1945. Following this, the firm was known as David Thomas and Hill.
Thomas, George Henry. It is uncertain whether there were two Thomas’s named George Henry. Just two notes have been found about this name in 1916 and 1945. One of them was son of David Thomas.
Thomas, H. The only record found is that this Thomas was granted exemption from call up in 1918 because he was carrying out building working for the RAF.
Thomas, William. William was a member of the committee which was considering the widening of Bath Street in 1836 which soon led to the building of Victoria Terrace.
Thompsons. This firm from Peterborough carried out work on the parish church in 1889 and 1909.
Thompson Partners. This firm won a contract to build six houses on the Stud Farm estate in 1951.
Timms, John. Timms was listed in directories in 1841 and 1850. Nothing has come to light.
Toone John & Co. John Toone senior was in Leamington Spa in 1809; it is believed that he came from Stoneleigh. He established the building business about 1815 in the Parade. He built the east side of Upper Parade from No 61 to Warwick Street in 1820. He built many houses in Satchwell Street of very basic standard, including Toone Court, all around 1822. He was building in Tavistock Street from 1827. He built cottages in Union Road at the north east corner in 1828. His office was working in Warwick Street in 1829. He built Mill Street chapel in 1830. He built the ‘old’ Town Hall (originally named Sessions House) in High Street in 1830 and the Wesleyan chapel in Portland Street a couple of years later. In 1834 he was in court to face a charge that party walls were too narrow in Toones Court, off Satchwell Street. In the following year he was building in Milverton Crescent. In a surprising change of tack he opened a hat warehouse at 26 Upper Union Parade in 1835. He became a Commissioner for the town in 1836. John Toone junior & Co had a coal business at 26 Upper Parade and wharf at Emscote in 1838. John senior went on to build the brewery in Lillington Avenue in 1839 and also a school and alms-houses at Bedworth in the same year. By 1840 Toone senior still owned 26 Upper Parade but had let the premises to Wm Carter ironmonger and is selling off hats etc. Sadly, he was bankrupt in 1841. Properties in Milverton Crescent, Warwick Street and Upper Parade were sold, which it may be assumed he built. He was soon continuing the business; in 1843 the Commissioners criticised him for putting in drains in South Parade (Clarendon Avenue) in the wrong formation. In 1846 the Commissioners paid Toone for culverts. In 1847 he carried out repairs to the Golden Lion pub in Regent Street. Toone was on the list authorised as a plumber by the Waterworks in 1850. In 1854 several properties in or near to Milverton Crescent were for sale by Toone. In 1855 he started a partnership with sons based at 28 Parade. After 40 years in business. In 1855 he started the Central Estate Agency to sell property. He auctioned premises in Regent Street and Park Street in the same year. An advertisement in 1856 claimed that the business began in 1809; this contradicts other reports which state 1815. He carried out alterations to the Roman Catholic schools in New Street in 1856. He was selling Strathearn House near Milverton Crescent in 1858. In 1859 he was awarded the contract for painting the town hall in High Street. He moved to 42 Clarendon Street in 1860. He advertised Albion House, High Street opposite the GW station for let in 1861. He was the proprietor of the Albion Hotel in High Street in 1862. There was dispute over the flagging of Covent Garden in 1864 and complaints about flooding soon after. However, the Albion Hotel, High Street, was for sale or let in 1866. His son Thomas junior died age 46 at Portland Street in 1868.Toone died in 1875. Another son, John Toone, died in Utah age 80, in 1893; he was influential with the Mormons.
(The author of this article is a descendant of John Toone senior)
Treadgold, Edward. The first reports of Treadgold were that he was selling parcels of land in Church Street and Royal Parade in 1829 and he was listed in a directory in the same year. He was advertising premises on the corner of Bath Place and Bath Street and the Old Bowling Green pub in 1830 but it is not clear if he built them. He won the contract to build the ‘House of Industry’ in Court Street in 1832; this was the name given to the work-house at that date. In the same year he built houses in Gloucester Street. In 1833 there was a serious fire at his premises in Church Street but it is understood that the business continued. Edward died in 1839.
Trepess, William. Trepess was in business with his son in Warwick. They built the Milverton Episcopal Chapel (Pepper Box Chapel) in 1839 but were bankrupt in the same year.
Trollope and Colls. The London company which built the Royal Spa Centre in Newbold Terrace, designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, which opened in June 1972. The company was in business from 1903 to 1996.
Turriff Construction. This firm was in a local directory in 1950 and had a base in Warwick. but more research is needed to establish their work in the town.
Vincent, Charles. Vincent won the contract to build the Lillington Board office in Cubbington Road, designed by John Cundall in 1882 but the business was liquidated in 1883 and his workshop in Morton Street was sold. It is likely that he had previously built at least three cottages in that street.
Walker, G. The only record found is in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Wallsgrove, Frank P. In 1953 he was recorded as builder who was beneficiary of a will. The relationships of the Wallsgroves remains uncertain.
Wallsgrove, John and Sons. There is evidence that he started as a builder in 1831. John had his office at 22 Oxford Street in 1860 and was selling houses in Milverton Crescent and Milverton Terrace; it may be that he built these houses. John retired in 1863 after 31 years in business; work was taken on by his sons, trading as Wallsgrove Brothers. They built 10 properties between Oxford Street and Clarendon Street around 1864. They went on to build houses in Milverton Crescent and Beauchamp House in 1868. John died in 1869. Joseph and Thomas Wallsgrove liquidated the business in 1872.
Wallsgrove, Richard. It is not clear if Richard was related to Thomas and Joseph – see John Wallsgrove and Sons. Richard advertised a house for sale or let in Campion Road which he may have built in 1908. He built Oddfellows Hall at Cubbington in 1910. He died in 1924.
Wallsgrove, William Henry. Again it is not clear if William was related to John Wallsgrove, although the name ‘Wallsgrove Brothers’ is occasionally published. He appears to have worked between 1931 and 1949.
Wallsgrove Brothers. This firm was listed in directories from 1950 to 1970 but no record of the partners or their building projects has been found.
Wamsley, William. The only record found so far is his death in 1846.
Warley Building Ltd. This firm was listed in a directory in 1950.
Warr, HA. Warr was listed in directories between 1950 and 1970.
Watkin, William. William was first mentioned as being in business in 1812 and was in a directory in 1829. Reports refer to him as being a member of the Grand Jury on occasion but nothing is known so far about his building projects.
Watson, Edward. Edward was listed in a directory in 1830.
Watson, Frederick George. The only relevant note is that he was in a motor accident in 1943.
Watson, Frederick Payne. The only record found is that he was bankrupt in 1838.
Watton, J. The sole record found is of W, in 1883atton selling four new villas in Rugby Road, Nos, 98, 99, 100 and 101; his office was in Guys Cliffe Road.
Watts, Edwin. Edwin was listed in directories in 1892 and 1900 with addresses in Clarendon Street and Woodbine Street.
Watts, Thomas Martin. Only one record has been found; he may have built a house in Russell Street; his office was in Russell Terrace.
West, L S Ltd. Listed in directories in 1970 and 1980.
Whateley, F. Listed in Yellow Pages in 1980.
Whatton, John. Whatton specialised in building greenhouses from 1884 to 1921.
White, Joseph. Only one record has been found of White in a directory in 1872 with an address in Campion Terrace.
Whitehead, Henry Richard. He built a large boathouse at Oldham’s Mill in 1862 and he was listed in a directory in 1884.
Whitehead, John. John was listed in directories from 1850 to 1900. This appears to be a lengthy period and may represent father and son or just namesakes. It is uncertain whether either of them were related to Henry Whitehead.
Wilcox John, The only reference so far is to John setting up in business in 1873.
Wilcox, Joseph. Joseph died in 1914 and his obituary refers to his grandfather as being one of the men who built the Parade and ‘other streets’.
Williams ‘of London’. The single reference found is that Williams of London built York Terrace around 1830.
Wincote, Charles. Wincote had a substantial business; in 1856 he gave an entertainment to 26 of his workpeople at the Green Man, Grove Place. (This pub became the house where my maternal grandmother lived when the pub name moved to the corner of Shrubland Street, MJ). His office was in Portland Place. His father was at the Royal Pump Room. He built in Kenilworth Road in 1862 but died in 1864 at the age of 49. The business continued under the same name for a time and was later named for Thomas Wincote. It is assumed that Thomas was a son of Charles. The business was building in Avenue Road in 1871 and in Kenilworth Road in 1875 and was still listed in directories until 1912.
Wincote Thomas. See Charles Wincote.
Wincott, William. The references to William which have been found relate to creditors’ meetings and bankruptcy proceedings around 1885.
Winkles, Thomas. This builder was listed in a directory in 1862.
Winters, Walter and Son. This firm was based at 21 Russell Terrace. The firm was listed in a directory in 1912 and the base in Russell Terrace was sold in 1951.
Woodward, J H (Contractors) Ltd. This was a company based at Rosefield Street, then Eastfield Street and finally at the Quadrant in Coventry and was listed in directories from about 1946 to 1970. No records have been found of any projects.
Woolison, Frederick A. Frederick carried on the business of his father, John, The first reference is an advertisement in 1866. He built three houses in Queen Street in 1866 and extended the schools at the Congregational chapel in Brandon Prade in the following year. He went on to build in Forfield Place, Comyn Street and Holly Place. His office was in Upper Bedford Street.
Woolison, John. John was active from about 1853 and concentrated on interior decoration. He died in 1863 when he was aged about 60. His son, Frederick, took over and developed the business.
Wright, William. Wright was a bricklayer whose only record is that he converted a workshop to a dwelling without permission in 1863.
Wrighton, George. George was listed in directories from 1950 to 1970. No further information has been found.
Acknowledgements
Findmypast Newspaper Archive Ltd/BNA
Janet Ainley for ancestry research