By 1881 the population of the town, now named Royal Leamington Spa, had risen to about 23,000. It was four times the size it had been when the original ‘Old’ Town Hall (see article) was built in 1830 and, consequently, a much larger building was required. Following the closure of the Upper Assembly on the Parade … Read more
By 1875 the Leamington Town Council had replaced the Leamington Priors Commissioners who had, in turn, replaced the Local Board of Health. The Commissioners had a base in Church Street adjoining the poorhouse, which they shared with the local magistrates as a Sessions House. It is likely that the Commissioners were persuaded to leave the Church Street … Read more
It was a fine day in Royal Leamington Spa as Balraj Singh Dhesi and his wife, Palweet, rose from bed and made special preparations for the day. It was 24th March 1988 and this was the day that they would meet Queen Elizabeth II as representatives of the residents of the town. We explore how … 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
Henry Bright was born in Sheffield in 1817, where his father Isaac and uncle Philip, were in business as Goldsmiths. Mr Isaac Bright opened a shop on the Parade in Leamington Priors 1831, – one of the first in the New Town, where he traded until shortly before his death in 1849. Mr Isaac Bright … Read more
Living modestly in Sydenham is one of the most influential people in the county, a man who has been making an impact on the local community and on local politics for well over forty years. That man is Mota Singh. Mota was born on 23rd February 1939 in the village of 17P.S. District Ganganager Rajasthan … Read more
Samuel Wackrill, the son of a prosperous draper from Chelmsford, and an experienced draper in his own right, arrived in Leamington in 1861 and set up a drapery business with his brother Jack. In common with other tradesmen of the time, the brothers worked very long hours. There was no early closing, or Bank Holidays, … Read more
The site for the 1831 Town Hall is land at the corner of High Street and Althorpe Street. It was assembled over a long period and in a rather complicated way. The first Town Hall was built by the Leamington Commissioners who had been appointed under the provisions of an 1825 Act of Parliament. They … Read more
Contact the Secretary, Margaret Rushton: secretary@leamingtonhistory.co.uk
August 12, 2026
August 8, 2026