A wine merchant had operated from 61, Clarendon Street since at least 1878 – Arthur Watts was the licensee, followed by Lionel James circa 1900. In August 1908 an application was granted for the temporary transfer of the wine merchant off-licence from Lionel James to William Udal; this was made permanent in the October and … Read more
This is a summary of the Research Paper which is available in full HERE Born on 7th August, 1854, Henry Edward Thornley was originally a farmer at Radford Hall, Radford Semele, who initially commenced brewing solely for his own labourers. However, by 1898 he had broadened his business interests and is listed at Radford Hall … Read more
Summary of a Research Paper by Martin Ellis, May 2016 (updated July 2017) The Leamington Brewery was founded in 1839 after, London textile merchant, Stephen Lewis purchased a block of land in Lillington Avenue from Thomas George Skipwith, Glynne Welby and Christopher Wise. Stephen Lewis’ original partners were Everitt Allenby and a Mr. Sandeman, and … Read more
Mrs Fowler, legendary owner of Leamington’s pre-war Blue Café, was born in Derbyshire and grew up in Polesworth, where her father was Vicar of the Parish Church, and Rural Dean. In 1906, at the age of 25, she married George Herbert Fowler, an Oxford-educated mining engineer who was managing director of Arley Colliery in nearby … Read more
Mrs Margaret Mary Maitland Fowler, sometime owner of Leamington’s famous Blue Café in Bath Street, became something of a Midlands legend in her own lifetime. She was appointed OBE for her services to charity, to disabled ex-servicemen and the Red Cross. Mrs Fowler worked for the Red Cross and fund-raised for charity for most of … Read more
While the history of Leamington’s pubs is comprehensively covered in the 2014 publication ‘Pubs of Royal Leamington Spa – Two Centuries of History’ [by Allan Jennings, Martin Ellis & Tom Lewin], we should not overlook the breweries that were once part of Leamington’s social fabric, albeit a great many years ago; their respective histories were … Read more
In common with all the other spa towns that existed in the first decades of the nineteenth century, visitors came to Leamington only during the summer months. The so-called ‘season’ lasted from April through to September. The reason for this is simply that most of the buildings at that period had no means of heating … Read more
A Detective Story – Last Orders in William Street Strange how we often fail to pay much attention to buildings that we frequently walk past. I have often walked along William Street at the rear of Brandon Parade, but it wasn’t until I had passed that way several times that I noticed the large two storey building adjacent to an … Read more
The James family were involved in the local licensed trade for over eighty years. Francis James commenced his business activity on 23rd July 1897, when he took over from James Walters the Park Tavern Inn, at 1a Union Road, Packmores, Warwick, (renamed Lakin Road in 1941). The Park Tavern had a bar, smoke room, and a … Read more
In the early 1970s, Kit and Ivy Reading were interviewed for the 1st edition of the Bath Place Times, painting a vivid picture of their lives and the area where they grew up. The Reading family kept the Althorpe Arms in Althorpe Street for 42 years, until the area became a trading estate in the … Read more
Eric chats about his long and varied life, as a window dresser, costume designer at the RSC, interior design specialist, entrepreneur and restaurateur. 51 mins. 57MB mp3 file. This recording was made as part of the “History @ Bath Place” project, 2007-9. eric-shadbolt
1875-1880 Mr Charles Pratt Charles Pratt was a Picture Dealer who had been born in Leicester in 1825. In 1871 Charles was living at 10 London Road Leicester were he owned an old China and Earthenware shop, Working for him as a servant was Elizabeth Ann Westbury, aged 22. She had come to Leicester to … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
November 7, 2026
November 6, 2026
November 6, 2026