People

Henry Fedeski, Architect

Henry Michael Fedeski, FRIBA, Dip.T.P, AMTPI, 1907 – 1993 Henry Fedeski was born on Friday, 6th December 1907 at 28 Clarendon Street (now Road), Aston, Birmingham. His father was also named Henry and his mother was Mildred Mary. Our subject Henry, was one of five children; he had one brother and three sisters and his … Read more

Architects of Victorian Leamington Spa

This is a video of the Zoom presentation made to our Virtual monthly meeting by Mick Jeffs on Monday, 25th October 2021. It will be available for a couple of weeks so that people can view it again or catch-up if they missed it. Just click on the title image below

Dr E A Huntley, (1852-1917) Medical Pioneer

Dr Edith Ara Huntley, 1852-1918, Pioneering woman doctor Edith Ara Huntley was the older of two daughters of Arabella and Richard Huntley, born at Kings Langley, Hertfordshire in 1852, where their father was then joint owner of a Brewery. Edith lived in Leamington Spa, with her parents and younger sister Eliza from at least 1861 … Read more

Mary Hart, 98 Brunswick Street, Leamington

Attempted Suicide by Local Leamington Resident Mary Hart, aged 31 years, caused quite a stir on Saturday 2 July 1870 at10.15 p.m. when she tried to drown herself.  She was hauled before the magistrates for the crime of attempting to commit suicide by jumping off Castle Bridge, Warwick, into the River Avon. Originally from the … Read more

A Wartime Telephonist

Betty Monica Still In an interview  a couple of years ago with Betty Still,  Betty recounted her early life in Leamington and her work as a telephonist up to and through WW2, in Leamington and Coventry.  She was born at 4 Victoria Road Leamington Spa.    When she was five, the family moved to 42 Willes … Read more

A Leamington Knife in Argentina

  In the summer of 2016, Leamington History Group received a message asking for help from Alberto Guido Chester, a knife historian and researcher in Argentina who had acquired a “gaucho” knife probably made in the 19th Century and stamped ‘Hobson Cutler Leamington’ (right). Alberto had not been able to find much useful information about … Read more

Harry Warr, Builder and Bandleader

Harry Warr joined his father George* in business as a plumber and house decorator when he left Clapham Terrace School aged thirteen in 1923.  By the outbreak of WW2, he had become a Special Constable, and joined the Police War Reserve.  In October 1943, Harry was drafted into the Navy, and the business was ‘mothballed’ … Read more

Guided Walks for Groups and Coach Parties

Leamington History Group has resumed its Private Guided Walks programme in 2023. Tours will be available for groups or coach parties. The cost will be £8 per person with a minimum charge of £20 for each walk Bookings may be made by email to the Secretary at secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk

Video No 3, Life After Victoria

We are proud to launch our new video on 12th August 2021.  This follows the story of our town from 1900 to around 1930. Simply click on the image above or this title “Life After Victoria” This video follows our two earlier ones entitled “Birth of a Spa Town” and “Leamington’s Victorian Legacy”. We particularly … Read more

Confederate President Jefferson F Davis in Leamington Spa

Leamington History Group has recently been fortunate to receive information from Jacksonville, Florida. We are grateful that William J Stier has presented us with images of an original unpublished postwar carte de visite of Confederate President Jefferson F. Davis (1808 to 1889). Initially the connection with our town is obscure, but the CDV bears the … Read more

Daniel Goodman Squirhill, Architect, 1809-1863

It is almost certain that Daniel Goodman Squirhill was born in 1809 in (Fenny) Stratford in Buckinghamshire, although he was recorded as being born a year earlier in the village of Nobottle in Northamptonshire by Toby Cave. His father, Charles, is said to have designed parts of Lighthorne church in 1808. He studied at the … Read more

George Thomas Robinson, Architect

George Thomas “Metz” Robinson was active in Leamington Spa for only about a dozen years from 1855 to 1870 but he went on to be successful elsewhere in several fields. He did draw up some designs for buildings in Leamington but he had other interests and occupations including journalism. His journalistic career perhaps began in … Read more