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. A considerable part of North East Leamington, including the plot where Victoria House now stands, was originally purchased from the … Read more
Jane Elizabeth Tolson was born in Yorkshire in 1879 and followed her older brother, John Edwin, into the teaching profession. A qualified teacher, geography specialist, member of the Royal Geographical Society, able linguist and inveterate traveller, Miss Tolson held a series of teaching posts, becoming a head teacher for Staffordshire County Council by 1911. It was … Read more
South Parade was the name of a row of eight houses on the north side of Charlotte Street towards the west end of the street. There was some confusion with the name South Parade because Clarendon Avenue was also known as South Parade until 1881. The name South Parade does not appear to have been used for the … Read more
In 1884 the Leamington School Board’s first triennial report stated that they had great difficulty in securing suitable sites for two much-needed new schools to be built. In the south, after trying for land in the Ranelagh District, the only land available was in Shrubland Street, which was bought for £1,422.6s.0d It was said that … Read more
When the provisions of the Leamington Priors Enclosure Act were implemented in 1768, of the 867 acres allotted by the commissioners, over half of it was awarded to Mr Matthew Wise. The Wise allotment of 472 acres made Matthew Wise the largest land owner in the parish with a holding marginally larger than that of … Read more
Thanks very largely to the support of Dr Thursfield, Chairman of the Library Committee, a purpose-built, modern Library and Technical School opened on the site of Perkins’ Gardens in Avenue Road, in 1902, and was used until 1999. It was designed by J Mitchell Bottomley of Leeds and built by Richard Bowen of Tavistock Street. The foundation stone was laid … Read more
In 1860 John Gardiner sent plans to the local board to build a large house on the corner of Upper Holly Walk and Newbold Road (now Willes Road). The plans were eventually approved and the large house was built in a Classical style. It demonstrates the long period within which houses were built in the street; some on … Read more
Rev Arthur Margoschis was born in Leamington Spa in 1852. He died of ill-health at a relatively young age in 1908 in India. He had dedicated his life to the people of the village of Saan Pathu (now known as Nazareth) in Tamil Nadu, South India. Thanks to Leamington Town Council for these pages from … Read more
This building stands on the corner of Pound Lane and Cubbington Road. It was designed by John Cundall in 1882 as the Local Board of Health Offices for Lillington, before Lillington was incorporated into the Borough of Royal Leamington Spa. An early postcard describes it as Corporation House. The Local Board represented an early form … Read more
“Binsbrook and the quaint little Alpine Bridge by which it was crossed in Portland Place have both passed away, but the sylvan loveliness of this silver streak may be easily imagined by the observer who will glance at its deep delved bed still extant at the east end of old Comber House, Milverton, facing the … Read more
In response to an increasing demand for school places in the locality, Clapham Terrace School was commissioned by the Leamington School Board. The Leamington Spa Courier of the day reported that “ To all appearances the schools are built as public buildings should be – substantially and well – and the School Board are to … Read more
In early Victorian England very few children from ordinary families attended school. For lots of parents, with many mouths to feed, it was not a priority. In village communities such as Lillington, where the majority of the men were employed as agricultural labourers, many parents themselves could not read or write. A Gloucester philanthropist, Robert … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
September 9, 2026
August 12, 2026
August 8, 2026