Butter’s Spelling

We love old school texts. They tell us what was important in times past and what youngsters were expected to know. One such book is Butter’s Spelling – a book of no great interest from the outside.

Butter’s Spelling – a book at Market Lavington Museum

The title page of Butter’s Spelling - published in 1879

The title page tells us that the book was published in 1879 and that this was the 400^th edition. Clearly it was a very successful book, used widely and not just in Market Lavington. We are also told that the book has a portrait of the author, so we are able to see Henry Butter in all his magnificent glory.

Henry Butter

But of course, at the heart of the book are lists of words, arranged in interesting ways. Here we see words that sound similar except for one small piece of pronunciation – and they have different spellings.

 

Some similar sounding words and how to spell them

One can imagine the poor scholars being given lists of spellings to learn – but Mr Butter wanted more. He wanted our Victorian ancestors to know the meanings as well. Mr Hatley, headmaster at Market Lavington, no doubt encouraged the youngsters with his ‘great big stick’, but probably some found it very hard.

We can pick out changes in life style from the words. We’d guess not many 21^st century youngsters would know the words bodice or chaise, let alone disseize. And it is interesting to see that Mr Butter regarded the pronunciation of ‘practice’ and practise’ as different.  Maybe that would save problems these days.

This book hasn’t made it to our ‘school days’ display this year, but it is in place in a cabinet in the entrance room at the museum.

Here’s hoping I have avoided too many spelling mistakes in writing this!

Lucinda

The year is 1975 and the shop carrying the name Lucinda looks just a tad careworn.

Lucinda – a former shop on Church Street, Market Lavington

Lucinda is on Church Street and in a previous existence it had been Mr Pike’s butchery. George Pike had taken over the business from Mr Godfrey.

This shop has a long history. This photo shows George Pike and staff in about 1913.

That’s George Pike second from right.

It is interesting to note the petrol pump in the 1975 picture. This was associated with Mr Reid’s garage next door and was surely out of use by 1975.

Lucinda was about to change too. It was extensively rebuilt although it retained that gable end facing the road.

In this later picture, we can see the new brick frontage and see some of the other commercial premises which still existed on Church Street at the end of the 1970s.

Lucinda rebuilt – a view of Church Street, Market Lavington in the late 1970s

Beyond Lucinda is the Spar shop and in pale blue after that there is Peter Francis’s photographic business. The person on the pavement is just approaching where Saint Arbuck’s is now. This coffee shop is now the only commercial property along the length of Church Street apart from The Drummer Boy pub.

A Mud Wall

A fairly standard Wiltshire wall building technique has been to use cob. Cob had, as one of its major ingredients, clay. There’s a habit of calling soils and subsoils mud, so a cob wall might be called a mud wall.

Mud walls need waterproof boots and a waterproof hat. The boots take the form of hefty stones which can raise the mud above the wet ground level. The waterproof hat, traditionally, was thatch although tiles could be used.

Cob was common for the walls of buildings, but if we talk about a mud wall, we mean a boundary wall, rather than a wall as part of a bigger structure.

One of the last survivors of a mud wall in Market Lavington was at The White House on White Street. This photo of it was taken in about 1958.

Johnathan Gye stands by a mud wall on White Street, Market Lavington ca 1958

The wall is clearly getting to be on its last legs. The waterproof hat definitely looks in need of attention and without a good thatch, water will soon spoil the cob.

The young lad is Johnathan Gye and he provides some scale. It is quite a substantial wall.

Perhaps the best known mud wall in Market Lavington ended up getting its name corrupted. The little street known as The Muddle had a mud wall alongside it and Muddle is a corruption of mud wall.

On the Buses – again

Trips out by coach were clearly major events in the 1920s. These were those occasions to be commemorated in photographs. Once again we have a trip out from Market Lavington and probably heading for the coast. A photograph of the passengers was taken on the outward journey, usually in Salisbury and prints were ready for purchase on the return.

This journey seems to have had a poor day for weather but at least an enclosed vehicle was provided.

It may be that a reader will be able to identify the type of chassis and the coachwork on it. We guess the bus belonged to the Lavington and Devizes Motor Services. The photo is only dated as ‘1920s’.

Coach trip from Market Lavington in the 1920s

We do know quite a lot of the people shown here.

Visible on the bus we have Les Baker, Alan Baker, Rosie Ingram, Mrs Notton and Stan Ingram. Sadly names are not attached to faces We hope one of you can help us.

Standing in front of the bus the people are:

Bert Cooper, Billy Coles (driver), not known, Vi Cooper, Percy Notton, Harry Cooper, Jim Gye and John Shergold.

Next comes

Les Draper, Winnie Haines, Tom Haines, Mrs Haines, Mrs Matthews, Mrs Tom Gye.

And then there are three more ladies so once again we can’t be certain who any of the last half dozen ladies are.

However, we have a lovely photo that captures the doughty spirit of people determined to have a good day out, even on a none-too-good day.

Cubs at the Museum

It was very good to welcome the cub pack to the museum on 20^th May 2013. There was a lot of interest from the cubs in many aspects of life in the village past. They wanted to know about their houses and areas. Of course, they wanted to know about The Scout Hall. In particular, they loved items of old cub uniform we have. And here we have a cub of 2013 modelling cap, scarf and woggle of the late 1970s.

A cub of 2013 wears cap and scarf of a 1970s Market Lavington cub

These days the cubs do not wear caps – very much a thing of the past. Thirty five years ago the Market Lavington cubs had a red scarf. Now the cubs are just the Lavington pack and they wear white.

In the cabinet next to the cub we can see items from Ken Mundy’s shoe shop, including the much viewed Phillips Stick-a-sole man. The shelf below has items relating to John Baker and his family who were tin smiths and what we might now call hardware merchants in Market Lavington.

Another view from the Racquets Court

When the Racquets Court was shrouded in scaffolding in 1972, the opportunity was taken to shoot some different views over the village and we look at another of those photos today.

A view from the Racquets Court, Market Lavington

It can be hard to get bearings in these shots from a high location so let’s point out some landmarks.

The row of white walled bungalows is on the street out of the back of Market Place. Beyond them we can see the former Vicarage which is now the nursing home.

The old Vicarage, Market Lavington

The cottages between the bungalows and the old Vicarage are on the Terrace, Northbrook.

It is the area just to the right of this which is most interesting – for it is utterly changed.

The buildings of Wiltshire Agricultural Engineering

We are now looking where Rochelle Court stands now. Back in 1972 it was the buildings of the Agricultural Engineers and before that it had been Fred Sayer’s bus yard.

The Market House, Market Lavington

The house facing us here is The Market House, still extant and still being renovated in 2013. To the right of it was the car park for the engineers. The white gable end was then the first house on High Street – where Harry Hobbs had his shop – later The Midland Bank and now just a private house.

The backdrop to the photo is Salisbury Plain, towards Easterton and Urchfont.

Thatching

Very few Market Lavington Houses retain their thatched covering. Over the years, the thatched roof has been replaced with more durable and less fire hazardous tiles or slates. Off hand we can think of just four thatched properties in the village. This is one of them, at 25 White Street. It is getting a 21^st century make-over.

25 White Stret, Market Lavington receives new thatch

Throughout the wider area there are enough thatched properties to keep several thatching firms alive and kicking. Easterton has several thatched buildings including, of course, its pub, The Royal Oak.

As is usual, the firm here are not re-starting the thatch from scratch. A new layer is being added. A thatched roof tends to get thicker over the years helping the thatch to do its job of keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer.

Thatching is a country craft which has survived and is thriving in the 21^st century.

The Philpott Family

On our opening day of the season we had a visitor tracing the history of the Philpott family. We probably don’t know as much as we might about this once leading family in the village.

Let’s start with some dates. In 1773 Henry Philpott was at The Green Dragon. We are not sure in what capacity. There are plenty of Philpott baptisms in the parish.

Year	Month	Day	Surname	Forename	s/d	parents
1673	AUG	2	PHILPOT	BRIDGET	D	HENRY
1680	JUL	9	PHILPOTT	ANNE	D	HENRY
1684	DEC	26	PHILPOT	WILLIAM	S	HENRY
1686	SEP	21	PHILPOT	MARY	D	HENRY
1688	DEC	28	PHILPOT	STEPHEN	S	HENRY
1689/0	MAR	2	PHILPOT	JUDITH	D	HENRY
1696	SEP	3	PHILPOT	HENRY	S	HENRY
1702	APR	1	PHILPOT	MARY	D	HENRY    CARPENTER
1703	SEP	17	PHILPOT	JOHN	S	HENRY    CARPENTER
1708	OCT	27	PHILPOT	SHADRACK	S	HENRY
1708	SEP	12	PHILPOT	STEVAN	BBS	ANNE
1709/0	FEB	2	PHILPOT	RICHARD	S	HENRY
1742/3	JAN	27	PHILPOT	ANNAH	D	HENRY
1746	JUN	2	PHILPOT	JAMES	S	HENRY
1747/8	JAN	31	PHILPOTT	ELIZABETH	D	THOMAS
1748	NOV	18	PHILPOT	JOHN	S	HENRY
1752	APR	24	PHILPOT	THOMAS	S	THOMAS
1771	SEP	13	PHILPOTT	HENRY	S	JAMES
1773	MAR	7	PHILPOTT	JANE	D	JAMES
1774	NOV	28	PHILPOTT	BRIDGET	D	JAMES & ELEANOR
1775	AUG	20	PHILPOTT	BRIDGET	D	JAMES & ELEANOR
1776	NOV	8	PHILPOTT	MARY	D	JAMES & ELEANOR
1778	OCT	30	PHILPOTT	ANN	D	JAMES & ELEANOR
1781	MAY	12	PHILPOT	HENRY	S	JAMES & ELINOR [BT PHILLPOT]
1782	MAR	22	PHILLPOT	HARRY	S	JOHN & SUSANNA [BT HENRY]
1783	AUG	17	PHILLPOT	ELINOR	D	JAMES & EINOR
1783	JAN	31	PHILLPOT	JAMES	S	JOHN & SUSANNAH
1785	AUG	21	PHILPOT	JAMES	S	JAMES & ELEANOR
1785	JUL	15	PHILPOT	JAMES	S	JOHN & SUSANNAH
1787	AUG	21	PHILLPOT	JOHN	S	JAMES & ELEANOR
1788	APR	11	PHILLPOT	ELIZABETH	D	JOHN & SUSANNAH
1790	AUG	24	PHILLPOT	HENRY JAMES	S	JAMES & ELEANOR  3 MONTHS 1 WEEK
1790	MAY	14	PHILLPOT	JOHN	S	JOHN & SUSANNAH  4 DAYS
1790	MAY	14	PHILLPOT	SUSANNAH	D	JOHN & SUSANNAH. 4 DAYS
1793	JAN	25	PHILLPOT	BRIDGET	D	JAMES & ELEANOR  1 MONTH
1797	AUG	22	PHILLPOT	RICHARD	S	JAMES & ELINOR  8 WEEKS
1801	JUL	13	PHILPOTT	JOHN	S	HENRY & FRANCES  18 WEEKS
1802	DEC	23	PHILLPOTT	ELIZABETH	D	HENRY & FRANCES  8 WEEKS
1805	JAN	25	PHILLPOTT	HENRY	S	HENRY & FRANCIS  5 WEEKS
1809	JUN	9	PHILPOTT	CAROLINE	D	HENRY & FRANCES  2 YEARS
1810	AUG	24	PHILPOTT	WILLIAM	S	HENRY & FRANCIS  6 WEEKS
1811	AUG	31	PHILPOTT	ELIZA	D	JOHN & SARAH  1 WEEK
1812	SEP	4	PHILPOTT	CATHERINE	D	JOHN & SARAH  2 WEEKS
1813	NOV	25	PHILPOTT	HARRIET	D	HENRY & FRANCIS  INNKEEPER
1814	MAR	17	PHILPOTT	ELIZABETH	D	JOHN & SARAH  LAB
1816	NOV	17	PHILPOTT	SARAH	D	JOHN & SARAH  LAB
1818	DEC	21	PHILPOTT	CATHERINE	D	JOHN & SARAH  COACHMAN
1819	DEC	20	PHILPOTT	SUSANNA	D	HENRY & FRANCES  INNKEEPER
1820	AUG	30	PHILPOTT	ELEANOR	D	JOHN & SARAH  COACHMAN
1823	AUG	29	PHILPOTT	JAMES	S	JOHN & SARAH  COACHMAN
1823	JUL	17	PHILPOTT	SARAH JANE	D	HENRY & FRANCES  INNKEEPER
1824	OCT	25	PHILPOTT	ANN	D	JOHN & SARAH  COACHMAN
1825	AUG	26	PHILPOTT	ROBERT SLOPER	S	JOHN & HANNAH  MALSTER
1825	DEC	16	PHILPOTT	AMELIA	D	HENRY & FRANCES  INNKEEPER
1828	DEC	28	PHILPOTT	HENRY	S	JOHN & HANNAH  MALSTER
1828	DEC	28	PHILPOTT	JOHN	S	JOHN & HANNAH MALSTER 2YRS 8MTHS   2WEEKS
1832	APR	29	PHILPOTT	WILLIAM	S	JOHN & HANNAH  MALSTER
1833	JUL	21	PHILPOTT	ELIZABETH	D	JOHN & HANNAH  MALSTER
1835	APR	19	PHILPOTT	JULIA	BBD	ELIZABETH
1836	APR	3	PHILPOTT	TOM	BBS	SARAH
1839	JAN	18	PHILPOTT	GEORGE	S	JOHN & HANNAH  LICENSED MALSTER

Henry also took the brickworks. We know he leased Brick Kiln Field in 1840.

The Philpott family drifted away from Market Lavington. In 1851 there were 18 Philpotts in the parish. By 1881 there were just 8 and in 1911 there were none.

One Philpott has left his mark, literally, for the museum.

Brick inscribed Philpott at Market Lagvington Museum

In 1861 Caroline Philpott, Widow, was ‘victualler’ at the Royal Oak in Easterton.

We have odd snapshots of information. It would be lovely if someone out there can put some flesh on our bare Philpott bones.

Collecting for the centenery

Next year – 2014 – we will mark the centenery of the start of World War 1 which, sadly, did not live up to the name given – the war to end all wars.

Market Lavington and Easterton played quite significant roles in the war. First of all, many of our own young men served in the forces and in the various theatres of war which opened up during the next four years. If you have personal stories – letters, postcards or just things told you about how the ordinary chaps from our area coped during the war –  then we’d love to hear from you so that we have the opportunity to share your stories with a wider audience. Maybe you have photos of a local soldier (and for us that means from Market Lavington or Easterton) in uniform and just a little tale of what the soldier did. It would be good to be able to honour such men who served.

But our parishes also had a wider role. Salisbury Plain was a training area for Commonwealth troops and we know that many Australian and Canadian soldiers spent time in Lavington and Easterton before being sent to the front to fight. People all over the world may have tales they have heard about Market Lavington and, in particular, the Pond Farm Camp.

Here, as a reminder, is a  little medallion from Valcartier Camp in Canada. This was an embarkation point for soldiers coming to train in England.

Medallion from Valcartier Camp, Canada, found in a house in Market Lavington

This medallion was found in a crack in a cupboard at 60 High Street, Market Lavington. The house had been occupied by Mrs Crouch and her sister married a Canadian who was billeted in Market Lavington. It was a more recent resident at the house who found this item and gave it to the museum.

It’s people like the descendants of  Mrs Crouch’s sister that we’d love to hear from with any tales they might be able to share.

You can contact our curator on lavingtoncurator@gmail.com .

Moving an organ

We have seen Hopkins invoices before on this blog.

This one is the February 1911 account rendered to West Lavington Church. . For £1 – 8 – 6 Mr Hopkins cut along the floor, removed the organ forward and blocked up the level for temporary use in church. It was a 100% labour cost as nothing new was built or installed.

By 1911 Market Lavington born William Hopkins had moved to Littleton Panell but his firm was still based in Market Lavington.

One son, also a William, was running the acetylene works in Market Lavington at that time. Another son, Sam, was listed as a builder and employer in 1911. He, too, lived in the West Lavington area.

Postcards from around 1911 clearly show the HQ of the Hopkins business at 21 Church Street in Market Lavington.

Hopkins HQ – Church Street, Market Lavington