This page is one of several pages which are based on articles in our book entitled Royal Leamington Spa, A History in 100 Buildings which was published in 2018 and is no longer in print. South Parade was the name of a row of eight houses on the north side of Charlotte Street towards the west end … Read more
This page is one of several pages which are based on articles in our book entitled Royal Leamington Spa, A History in 100 Buildings which was published in 2018 and is no longer in print. As the town became a fashionable spa, people needed entertainment when not taking the waters. Bath Street was close to several … Read more
This page is one of several pages which are based on articles in our book entitled Royal Leamington Spa, A History in 100 Buildings which was published in 2018 and is no longer in print. By 1875 the Leamington Town Council had replaced the Leamington Priors Commissioners who had, in turn, replaced the Local Board of … Read more
This page is one of several pages which are based on articles in our book entitled Royal Leamington Spa, A History in 100 Buildings which was published in 2018 and is no longer in print. This building stands on the corner of Pound Lane and Cubbington Road. It was designed by John Cundall in 1882 as the … Read more
This page is one of several pages which are based on articles in our book entitled Royal Leamington Spa, A History in 100 Buildings which was published in 2018 and is no longer in print. “Binsbrook and the quaint little Alpine Bridge by which it was crossed in Portland Place have both passed away, but … Read more
“Sceptre and crown Must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade.” Thus wrote dramatist James Shirley in 1658, reiterating a motif in popular discourse that death renders all lives, irrespective of status, wealth or achievement, equal.[1] But how far is death the great equaliser? Historians, whose … Read more
Great News – Leamington History Group are now in a position to start arranging for the Archive, containing over 5000 Photos, documents and maps, to be attached to this web site to enable anyone to access this fabulous collection which is growing monthly. Not only will the Archive cover all aspects of Leamington life but … Read more
Robert (known as Bob) Lee was born on 16th January 1938. He became a pupil of Leamington College for Boys, from 1949-1956, although he lived at Finham on the outskirts of Coventry. Norman Painting, (aka ‘Phil Archer’ of radio fame) was also a pupil at the College just before Bob was born. In his foreword … Read more
I was wondering, lonely as a cloud, through the Archive the other day and was thinking about the Blue Plaque that was put up in September 2023 to William Munger Heynes. William Munger Heynes was a man who was instrumental in the design, performance and production of so much of Jaguar’s successful days after WW2. … Read more
Norman Hyde, the legendary motorcyclist from Leamington, has been honoured to mark the 50th anniversary of his land speed record. Back in 1972, Norman who lives at Radford Semele, rode his home-built Roadrunner III to a speed of 161.8mph at RAF Fairford and in doing so achieved the World Sidecar Land Speed Record – an … Read more
Walter Ritchie was the son of a Coventry carpenter who trained with local stonemasons to become a fully -fledged sculptor by the age of 18. He said that they taught him how to hold a hammer and a chisel, – and a crowbar – in his words, “a very useful tool.” After WW2, he was … Read more
The story of Leamington’s water supply, subtitled “History under your feet” is a presentation on the Warwickshire Industrial Archaeology website by Jeff Burgess, well known to many members for his talks on the water industry. Jeff encourages us to look down as we stroll around town, and to appreciate what is there, under our feet, … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
June 9, 2026
Nelly (later known as Eleanor Velasco) Thornton was born in Stockwell, London, on 15th April 1880 to Frederick and Sarah Ann Thornton, who was also known as ‘Nellie’. They had...
May 26, 2026
This is Mark’s own brief personal and professional story about how he became interested in the history of Leamington Spa and producing films about the town’s full, varied and fascinating...
May 6, 2026
Acknowledgements to Contributors Writers of Articles Stella BolithoNigel BriggsPeter CoullsBarry FranklinMichael JeffsAllan JenningsMichael PearsonDr Sylvia PinchesMargaret RushtonSidney SysonRichard TaulbutDr John Wilmot Substantial Contributors to Articles. Kay Bugg; Alan Griffin; Dr...