The band and the bus

We have seen this picture before on this blog but we have recently been given another copy and it seemed a good idea to try to make a better image of it.

So here we have seriously increased the contrast on the very flat toned original and made one and all more visible.

Market Lavington band and bus in 1912

The back of this card is captioned, ‘The band in 1912’.

Some band members are on the top deck of the bus.

Not much room on top on this bus.

We don’t recognise the driver

The bus registration is FB013.

Mr Trotter was landlord at the Volunteer Arms

The scene is outside the old Volunteer Arms where Mr Trotter was the landlord, supplementing his income by selling firewood.

He had other strings to his bow

There are more band members and plenty of other folks who were standing by the bus.

As ever, the chances of recognition are small for this is more than 100 years ago, but do get in touch if you can give any names.

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Mabel Baker and her brooch

Mabel was born in Market Lavington back in 1883. Her parents were John and Louisa. John was a whitesmith (working in tin plate) and ironmonger and occupied the former hardware shop which is opposite the co-op. John died in 1903 and Louisa in 1910. Four of the daughters, including Mabel, emigrated to Canada. Mabel went in 1912. We believe this photo of Mabel was taken in England.

Mabel Baker, born and raised in Market Lavington

Amongst treasured possessions which Mabel took, there was a brooch. This has made its way back to Market Lavington and is now in the museum.

A lucky survivor. Mabel was unable to get a berth on her emigration ship of choice which was Titanic. This brooch has been to Canada and back.

Susan Way, a member of this Baker family wrote the following about Mabel.

Mabel Alice BAKER (b.1883) was the third sister to emigrate to Canada.  She married Arthur Willoughby (b.1886) at St Matthew Church, Winnipeg on 29 Dec 1914. Arthur was in uniform and soon to leave for service in the First World War. Joan Woods (Mabel’s niece) was almost 3 years old when she attended the wedding and remembers the dress she wore.

They adopted James Norquay (b.1933).  Mabel was deeply religious woman and attended an Anglo Catholic Church, St Cuthbert’s by name – a church in Elmwood – a north-east suburb of Winnipeg.  Mabel died in 1943 in Winnipeg due to a blood clot following a successful operation.  Arthur died in 1960 in White Rock, British Colombia.

She was to have sailed to Canada on the ill-fated Titanic in 1912 but the ship was overbooked.

 

Church Street and mirror writing

This postcard is one of half a dozen which once hung in the Drummer Boy pub. This one actually shows that pub under its earlier name of the New Inn

Church Street, Market Lavington in about 1912

It is a delightful card. The main building – white painted and with decorative barge boards, is 21 Church Street. Other photos don’t show the trained tree on the end wall, but often tell us that this was the premises of Hopkins who were builders and merchants. We suspect that they occupied the premises then. They appear to have a good stock of chimney pots standing outside.

 

21 Church Street and the New Inn – now the Drummer Boy

The building on the extreme left was built by the Hopkins family in 1884. It stands on the site of a former property once used as the village workhouse.

This dwelling was built in 1884 on the site of a former, small workhouse

Both houses and the New Inn still stand and, apart from decorative changes still look much the same.

Now the message on this card is of interest as well.

The back of the card

It may not have a lot to do with Market Lavington for it was posted in Cambridge in 1912. What makes this interesting is that the sender has written it in mirror writing.

 

The message is in mirror writing

These days we can flip it digitally – and what with handwriting and fading it still isn’t easy to read!

Digitally turned around!

But it doesn’t seem to be any top secret message – rather it’s an apology for being unable to get a better postcard.

We, of course, think they got a perfect one!

Market Lavington Wedding, August 1912

The wedding referred to in this report was between Dorothy Welch and Charles Apps. This brief report, with a full list of gifts given, appeared in a newspaper.

Dorothy was the sister of Jack Welch. We are publishing diary entries and letters home by Jack Welch, 100 years after they were written. That appears on www.jackwelchdiaries,wordpress.com .

But here it is the present list which is fascinating, including gifts from many people we know much about at Market Lavington Museum including Jack, himself and also the Burbidges who lived in our museum building.

The wedding was of Mr C T T Apps of Calne to Miss Dorothy Welch of Market Lavington, daughter of Mr and Mrs James Welch. She was a teacher in the Sunday School, he was Assistant Master at the Dauntsey Agricultural College and had recently been appointed headmaster of the Calne County Secondary School. The ceremony was performed by Rev Alfred Apps, brother of the bridegroom, organist Mr M Taylor.

Presents were given by:

Miss Dorothy Akers (tea cosy)

Mrs Awdry (silver teapot)

Miss Norah Alexander (tray cloth)

Mrs Abrams (cushion)

Mr and Mrs Akers (teaspoons in case)

Miss Bouverie (pewter cake dish)

Mrs Billington (photoframe)

Mr and Mrs Bird (Trowbridge)(salt cellars and spoons)

Mr Burgess and Phyllis (sugar tongs)

Mr Herbert Bird and Miss Nelly Bird (custard pot)

Miss Bainham (hand painted doyleys)

Miss Benison (soup ladle)

Mr and Mrs Burbridge (glass jug)

Mr and Mrs Brewer (jam dish)

Mrs Brooks (water jug)

Mrs Buchanan (book)

Mr and Mrs Cole and Miss Summer (pair of silver candlesticks)

Mrs Stephen Coleman (tea cosy)

Mrs Chinnock (carved stool)

Mr C C Coombs (cake knife)

Mrs George Cooper (pair of vases)

Mr and Mrs Duck (set of trays)

Mr and Mrs Dunn (sugar sifter)

Mr Mrs and Miss Eldin (set of servers)

Mrs Earle (grandmother) cruets and household linen)

Miss M G V Freeman (butter knife)

Miss Irene Ferris (table mat)

Miss Giles (Lacock) (cushion cover and jam spoons)

Mr R L Gillingham (Calne) brass tea stand

Mr A Gough (Calne) (sugar basin and tongs)

Miss Gray (sauce bottle stand)

Mr A L Gough (thermos flask)

Mr and Mrs F Glass (cheque)

Misses Glass and Mr Cecil Glass (pendant)

Mr R Glass (pair of vases)

Mr and Mrs G Gough Misses Gough and Mr C Gough (pair of brass water jugs)

Mrs Goddard (tray cloths)

Rev and Mrs Frank Glass 9silver butter dish and knife)

Mrs Gye (set of jugs)

Mr and Mrs J E Gye (brass crumbtray and brush)

Mrs Green (fruit dishes)

Mr and Mrs Hiscock (set of jugs)

Mr and Mrs Hussey (gold pencil case)

Miss Nellie Hiscock (hand worked tray cloth)

Mrs Ingram (cushion)

Miss Johns (waist buckle)

Mr and Mrs W James (mounted oak butter dish)

Mrs King (pair of ornaments)

Miss R King (glass dishes and hairpincases)

Mr and Mrs W G Lush (carriage clock)

Mr and Miss Lord (chafing dish)

Misses Maggs (jam spoon)

Mrs Merritt and Mr H Merritt (jam dish)

Mr and Mrs H Merritt (jam dish)

Mrs Maynard (picture)

Mrs Mundy and family (jardiniere and ferns)

Mrs T Merritt (glass dish)

Mrs McInnes (pickle fork)

Misses Nosworthy (crocheted tea cloth)

Mr and Mrs E Notton (sugar sifter)

Miss M Newman (oil painting)

Mr and Mrs Oram (rose bowl)

Mr P L Oram (fountain pen)

Mr and Mrs Edwin Potter (dinner service)

Mr Percy Pond (silver mounted photo frame)

Mr and Mrs Parnall (tea service)

Mr and Mrs Pullein (Calne) (silver sugar clips)

Miss M Price (jardiniere)

Mr and Mrs W H Park (silver jam spoon)

Mr and Mrs Frank Potter (rose bowl)

Mr and Mrs W Rendell (Empire mirror)

Rev Mrs and Miss Sturton (brass kettle stand and lamp)

Mrs Stone (silver spoons)

Miss Sturton (table centre)

Miss Stevens (silver mounted salt caster)

Mrs and Miss Smith (cream jug(

Miss Slade (drawing room stool)

Mr and Mrs J Oakley Solomon (sugar basin and caster)

Mr Arthur Street (water colours)

Col and Mrs Stephens (dinner service)

Mrs William Smith (toilet bottle and glass)

Mr and Mrs John Sainsbury (case of fish carvers)

Mr and Mrs Saunders (glass jugs)

Mr and Miss Seabourne (picture)

Mr and Mrs Spencer Smith (silver fruit knife, spoon and bread flrk)

Miss Irina Stevens (ivory pepper mill)

Mr and Mrs W Savours (pair of silver vases)

Mr and Mrs Taylor (photo frame)

Mr and Mrs Ussher and family (pair of Doulton vases)

Miss Marah Ussher bridesmaid (silver photo frame)

Capt Mrs and Miss Viner Johnson (pair of silver flower vases)

Mr E A Vinter (shaving mirror)

Sir Thomas and Lady Warrington (picture)

Mr and Mrs Woodward (silver mounted blotter)

Mrs Wilshin (Devizes) (teapot stand)

Mr and Mrs Wodman (brass candlesticks)

Mr and Mrs Walton (silver mounted preserve jar)

Mr G F Welch (silver gravy spoon)

Mr J Welch (salad bowl and locket)

Mrs Ward (glasses)

Mrs J Welch (silver spoons and jewel case)

Mr and Mrs W Young and Miss Young (silver and ivory bread fork)

Messrs W D and C H Young (toast rack)

 

Maybe we’ll learn more about some of these people by publishing the list, Do get in touch if you can tell us anything about these people.

The Story of Laura Hughes

Laura was one of the last people to live at Pond Farm on the downs above Easterton. By the time she was there it was no longer a farm and her dad was employed to operate the water pumping engine.

Laura Lavinia Hayward was born around 1905 at Ludgershall but we can find her at Pond Farm with Dad, Mum and little sister at the time of the 1911 census.

In 1995 Laura was 90 and was called Laura Hughes. She lived in Warminster but she was taken on a surprise visit to her old home. This was reported in the Warminster Journal for 1^st September 1995.

It is their report we show below. The story is told by Laura’s son.

These pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

What a delightful story – and what a strange life for Laura as a young lass on remote Salisbury Plain.

We’d love to hear from any descendants.

A W James bill head

Walter James was a baker in Market Lavington who also sold groceries. He took over the business from the Sumner family having been employed by Mrs Sumner first. The bill head gives us a clue as to eras for it was pre-printed with most of the year. We are looking at the 1910s. His premises were at Number One, High Street – where the Post Office is today.

Walter James bill head from 1912

This bill was for July 1912 and once again we realise that shop keepers had to carry risk and allow credit to customers. Walter clearly had a customer here on a monthly account who would settle up as and when. Sadly the items written on this one have faded, but we can clearly see that the bottom number is a ten – in the shillings column. Ten bob, or 50p as we call it today, sounds like next to nothing. In terms of Walter’s income, it is equivalent to some £200 today. So actually, it was a significant amount of money.

The bill heads for Mr James were provided by an advertiser, in this case Home and Colonial Tea which we are told was ‘The tea which everyone should drink’.

The Church Lads Brigade Football Team

The England football team, despite an 8 –  0 victory, seem to be making slightly heavy weather of qualifying for the next world cup. I wonder how the local Church Lads would have got on.

This photo shows the lads – and some who might be more senior in the 1911/12 season.

Market Lavington Church Lads Football Team – 1911/12

Sad to say this is a ‘don’t know where, don’t know who’ photo. But maybe somebody out there will recognise some of the lads. That’s what we hope.

So let’s enlarge the team, bit by bit.

As an added bonus we have the person peering out of the window.

Please do get in touch if you think you know any of the lads.