Major Thomas Henry (Harry) Gem was born in Birmingham on the 21st of May 1819. His father was a local solicitor dealing with criminal cases and was also clerk to the Birmingham Magistrates. After studying at King’s College, London, Harry also pursued a career in the law and joined his father’s chambers in Moor Street. … Read more
The house I grew up in, which we know today as 59 Beauchamp Avenue has not always been No. 59, or even Beauchamp Avenue. When the first plans for the development of this part of Leamington’s ‘New Town’ were made in 1825, the street was going to be called Newbold Terrace. When it was … Read more
Until about 1790 Bath Street was the site of an orchard with a few cottages and outbuildings. William Abbotts discovered Leamington’s second spring on the land adjoining the former Bath Hotel, where he built the first hot and cold baths, demolished in 1867 by Frederick William Francis in order to extend his store. Mr Francis … Read more
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
Leamington Cricket Club, Arlington Avenue The present Leamington cricket club was founded on 21 February 1899 at a meeting held in the Town Hall under the chairmanship of the Mayor Gordon L Bland, a patron of several local sporting associations. He became the first President of the club but soon relinquished the post in favour … 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
Perhaps you are vaguely aware of the shield for Leamington which has a chevron on top of a lion with two tails, three stars at the top and a border containing eight fleurs-de-lys. In an idle moment you may have wondered about its origins, what it all represents and if it tells you anything about … 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
Here is the history of Leamington College for Boys, otherwise known as Binswood Hall, in Binswood Avenue. The story is told in 42 slides and was compiled by Alan Griffin. Click on the forward and back arrows on screen or on the keyboard to navigate through the presentation. Click on the two-headed arrow symbol in … Read more
This is a slideshow by Alan Griffin which has images of many buildings which were coach houses in years past. Click on the forward and back arrows on screen or on the keyboard to navigate through the presentation. Click on the square symbol in the bottom right corner to enter full-screen mode. Coach houses slideshow … Read more
This is a summary of a Research Paper which may be viewed by Clicking Here Long before the subject brewery coexisted with a hotel, the Brunswick Street premises were known as the Castle Tavern and – according to an 1816 entry in the licensed victuallers’ records – its first licensee was Joseph Baker; it would … 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
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
November 7, 2026
November 6, 2026
November 6, 2026