4th September 2008

 

On Thursday 4th September 2008, Norman Harrison welcomed members of the Kibworth History Society to the Annual General Meeting.  He drew the attention of those present to the medals awarded to Rose Holyoak and Betty Ward for their service as members of the Land Army during World War 11.
 

The AGM was opened and the minutes of the previous meeting were signed as correct, these having been distributed to members in advance with the Treasurer’s Report, which was adopted unanimously.  Despite the increase in speaker’s fees the subscriptions will remain at £8 for the next year.  The Officers were re-elected unanimously.  A vote of thanks was given to the committee for their work during the last year.

 

The speakers for the evening were introduced, each being a Society member who would speak on some personal object dear to them.

 

Celia Pemberton – had brought a tiny bear, given to her Mother in 1892 by her Grandmother when a pet monkey had bitten the nose off her favourite doll.  This bear had been precious to Celia’s Mother and has remained so to Celia.

 

Joan Exley – Joan had brought a collection of ancient dental instruments, found by her husband, Ken, when he opened his first shop in Leicester after the War.  The shop had belonged to Mr. Wilby who had performed extractions in a back room.  Other items found had included a book dated 1864.

 

Barbara Ward – delighted her listeners with a beautiful, miniature chest of drawers.  This chest had been made for her Grandfather in 1868, by an inmate of the Workhouse at Southwell, near Nottingham.  Surprise was expressed that such a craftsman had ended up in the Workhouse, able to make such an object from nothing.

 

Dennis Clarke – two beautiful pieces of silver, an inkwell and a mirror, were passed around the audience.  These had belonged to ‘Aunty Lucy’ who was born in 1872.  In 1885 she had been sent to work at the home of the local squire, Sir Philip Pain who obviously came to value her highly and had made these gifts to her.  Later in her life, Lucy went to work for Sir Philip again, this meant that her pet Siamese cat, Nippy, had to be fetched to live with Dennis’ family in Fleckney Road, the first night he escaped and three days went by before he re-appeared, causing much distress to the family, who feared reporting his loss to Aunt Lucy, who eventually died in 1947.

 

David Holmes – this unusual item was ‘a life preserver’ or ‘heaving line lead’, another beautifully made item, being a wooden stick with a lead weight bound to one end and a loop at the other.  It had belonged to David’s Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, being of early Victorian manufacture.  Its purpose was to be attached to a long line, either to be thrown around the legs of a miscreant to trip him, or to measure the depth of water under a boat.

 

Joan Spain – showed us all a fascinating clay jug, known as a ‘puzzle jug’.  This jug had a pattern cut out round the sides and three spouts from which to drink.  The puzzle being which spout to drink from and how to get the contents past the pattern cut through the sides.  This jug was a gift to Joan’s grandparents who were innkeepers in Leicester, it is 144 years old, the date being inscribed on it, and has passed down through the family to Joan.

 

John Tyers – has a great interest in transport and in maps.  The map he brought with him was dated between 1832-1840, and it showed the Nanpanton to Loughborough railway, one of the earliest in existence.  This railway was built to carry coal.  The map also shows in detail ‘turnpike roads’ and mail coach routes through Leicestershire.  He spoke of canals and David Holmes was able to tell him where to see part of a canal that never opened due to its leaking water.

 

Roy Bills – from a bag, Roy produced a small builder’s trowel and delighted everyone by asking what to tell a young man before he left home.  The young man in question was a forebear of Roy’s wife and the trowel was the tool he took to London with him, being sure that work would be available there, although there was none locally.  The young man moved into Rowton Houses, in London.  These being dormitory houses built by a philanthropist called Lord Rowton, for those with no home.  Bed, baths and food were available for a working-man, as represented by the little trowel.

 

Rose Holyoak – brought with her the clothes she had worn as a ‘land girl’.  These were commented on by many, exclaiming at the fact that they were still wearable.  She then told of her Father’s friend, Bix, who had gone to war in 1914 and had lost an arm and a leg.  She talked about the silver salad servers he had sent, in a presentation box, for her parents Silver Wedding Anniversary in 1944.

 

Thanks were given to all the speakers, and the Membership was reminded to sign up for the Christmas Social on 4th December 2008 at a cost of £6.50.

 

The next meeting will be 2nd October 2008 when Eileen Bromley will be talking on the Kibworth Methodist Church.

 

 

 

2nd October 2008

 

The History Society meets in the Methodist Church, so members were interested to learn about the history of the building. The speaker was Eileen Bromley, who has been a long time member of the church and, in 1997, was responsible for writing its history to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Eileen said it was not known exactly when Methodism came to Kibworth; dissenting worshippers had been recorded in the village since 1669. The founders of Methodism, John and Charles Wesley passed through Kibworth a number of times but never preached here. The first authenticated reference in Kibworth is in 1787 when John and Richard Markham registered their house as a licensed meeting place.

 

The first church opened in 1824 when an existing building was converted for religious use. This soon proved to be too small so a new building was commissioned in 1846 and erected on the same site. It opened in 1847 and is still used today. Records provide information on those early worshippers, such as John Allen (a butcher) and Job Woodcock (a baker) who lived at the corner of Weir Road. Alterations and improvements to the building have been made at regular intervals. In 1874, some alterations were made and new Sunday School rooms added. In 1893, the church was refurbished and a new harmonium installed. Improvements have continued up to the present day with the installation of a new ceiling this year.

 

Eileen mentioned many other items that were important to the grwoth of the church, from the Haymes and Paget trusts, which provided financial assistance, to the Band of Hope that gradually evolved into the church’s programme of youth work. This was a fascinating talk which enabled the audience to better understand the history of the building in which they regularly meet.

6th November 2008

 

The speaker this month was Dick Callan who gave members an insight into the history of Gartree prison.

 

The prison was built on part of the old Market Harborough airfield that was constructed in 1942/3 and was decommissioned in 1947.  The idea of establishing a prison in the Market Harborough was first discussed in 1960 but it was not opened until 1966.  It was designed on modern lines with four wings.

 

When opened, it first accommodated short term prisoners.  Following a review of prison requirements in the country, Gartree became a dispersal prison in 1968, taking prisoners of different categories including category A.  This heralded a period of discontent during the 1970s and 80s; many of the audience remembered the reports of riots and roof top protests and the most notorious event in December 1987 when a helicopter landed on the sports field, for only 23 seconds, and two prisoners escaped.  The difficulties of this period prompted a rethink in its use; it came out of the dispersal system in 1992.  

Today, the prison has been refurbished and an extension added.  It only accommodates men serving life sentences.

 

This was a serious yet humorous look at how the prison has evolved over the years by one who has spent much of his working life in the prison service and written its history.