Tom Haines of Market Lavington

Market Lavington’s Last Town Crier

Tom Haines may have earned his keep, at one time, as a tobacconist on High Street in Market Lavington but he was also, officially, the last town crier.

A photo held by Market Lavington Museum shows him in full cry as he neared retirement in the 1930s.

Tom Haines - last Town Crier of Market Lavington in about 1936

This picture is at the crossroads in Market lavington, sometimes known as Lamb Corner. The house behind the people was demolished many a year ago and the red telephone box stands there now. Signposts on the house tell us that you can go to West Lavington and Westbury along Church Street (to the left) whilst Potterne and Devizes can be reached along Parsonage Lane.

Let’s zoom in on Tom and the cheeky chappies around him.

Close up on Tom Haines from a photo at Market Lavington Museum

There’s Tom, with top hat, cravat style tie and war medals displayed.

Tom Rogers Haines was born on 20^th May 1872 and baptised at St Mary’s, Market Lavington on 18^th August of that year. His parents were John and Adelaide. John Haines was a policeman and the family moved around. In 1881 they were in Tilshead, the first village to the south of the Lavingtons but from the birthplace of Tom’s younger brother it looks as though they also spent time at Tinhead to the west.

In 1891 young Tom was an attendant at the Devizes lunatic asylum, later Roundway Hospital.

Tom married Amelia Whiting from Little Cheverell in the early part of 1895. The couple lived on High Street in Market Lavington in 1901 and Tom was a tobacconist.

In 1911 this family lived on Church Street in Market Lavington.

Last names	First names	Sex	Birth year	Age in 1911	District	County
HAINES	AMELIA	F	1870	41	Devizes	Wiltshire
HAINES	TOM R	M	1873	38	Devizes	Wiltshire
HAINES	TOM H W	M	1905	6	Devizes	Wiltshire
HAINES	WINNIFRED A	F	1906	5	Devizes	Wiltshire

Sadly, young Tom Henry Whiting Haines died the year after the census. He is buried at St Mary’s, Market Lavington.

Tom died in 1939. He, too, is buried at St Mary’s, Market Lavington.  Amelia died in 1944 and joined her husband at St Mary’s.

Tags: Market Lavington, medal, Military, Museum, person, photograph, Shop