William Smith was born in 1844 in Fenny Compton, where his father Thomas was a grocer and draper. At the age of fifteen, William came to work in Leamington Priors, where he became apprenticed to Daniel Humphrey, a shoemaker in Bath Street. By the age of 37, he had become a Master Bootmaker with an … Read more
Many Leamingtonians are not aware of the detail of the bombing raids on Leamington during the Second World War. Ask them if we were bombed and they will often tell you that Queen Victoria’s statue was moved because of a bomb. Many will tell you that Lipton’s grocery shop on the Parade was demolished … Read more
The story of the ship’s orchestra playing the hymn ‘Nearer my God to Thee’ as the Titanic sank is well known and documented. Survivors of the sinking also recounted how a Roman Catholic priest gathered more than a hundred passengers round him on the stern of the ship and led them in prayer after all … Read more
Thomas Baker was a well-known artist based in Leamington Spa from 1833 and has been the subject of a page on this website for some years; this can be found HERE We have learnt recently of a new website dedicated to the artist and this can be seen by clicking HERE. The site has been developed … Read more
Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay DFC Blue Plaque unveiled The youngest Squadron Leader of the Dam Busters, and one of the youngest pilots, was a local man. Henry Eric Maudslay was born at 1 Vicarage Road, Lillington on 21 July 1921. The Maudslay family had been involved in various branches of engineering for several generations. An … Read more
Richard Hewens was born at Morton Pinkney, Northamptonshire in 1819/20. The first mention of him in Leamington is his marriage to Mary Ann Hall of Budbrooke at All Saints Parish Church in 1841. Richard and Mary Ann were listed at 38 Althorpe Street in the 1851 Census, with Richard’s profession given as “Smith.” They had … Read more
Leamington History Group is very grateful to Dick Fisk for allowing us to display this amazing map on our website as we will soon celebrate the centenary of the end of the First World War (The Great War, The War to End Wars). You will probably find it quite overwhelming and will need to zoom … Read more
Henry Bright was born in Sheffield in 1817, where his father Isaac and uncle Philip, were in business as Goldsmiths. Mr Isaac Bright opened a shop on the Parade in Leamington Priors 1831, – one of the first in the New Town, where he traded until shortly before his death in 1849. Mr Isaac Bright … Read more
Edward Tracy Turnerelli was the grandson of an Italian count. His father Peter was one of the most eminent sculptors of the age and in 1801 became Royal Sculptor in Ordinary to King George III. He carved portrait busts of many members of the Royal Family and enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. One of … Read more
In the Summer term of 1926, Arnold Thornton the headmaster of Leamington College made a surprise announcement following a morning assembly in the Great Hall. He had received a request from the Air Ministry to grant the boys a half-holiday in celebration of the award of a cadetship at RAF College Cranwell to a former … Read more
One of the largest, if not the largest, monuments in Leamington Spa cemetery at Brunswick Street is that of William Riley. At the top of the monument there are 3 faces; 2 are engraved and the 3rd is blank. One of the faces shows an engraving of a panoramic view that includes a dog, … Read more
“The most important man in the history of Italian Football” This is an introduction to a more detailed article which can be seen when you CLICK HERE. The Daily Mail dated Friday 15th April 2016 reviewed a new football related book entitled ‘Mister’. Part way through the article there is a reference to William Garbutt, … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
August 12, 2026
August 8, 2026