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News

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS IN WINSLOW
16-19 SEPTEMBER 2021

Thursday 16 September, 14:00 and Saturday 18 September, 17:00
Winslow History Walk based on this year’s HOD theme “Edible England”. The walks will last about an hour. Please contact David Noy to book, by email (d.noy@btinternet.com) or phone/text (07713641238). This is to limit the numbers on the walks. There will be no need to book for the other events.

Saturday 18 September, 11:00–17:00
Keach’s Meeting House will be open to visitors, with a display of information about the history of the building and the Winslow Baptists. You can see inside the small Baptist chapel (the oldest one in Bucks) built in 1695, which has open-backed benches, box pews, a gallery, pulpit, communion table and memorial tablets.

Saturday 18 September, 14:00–17:00
28 High Street (Winslow Town Council Offices) will be open to visitors, with displays of information about the history of Winslow and the work of the Town Council. It’s a Victorian building which was rebuilt as offices in 1885 by the solicitor T.P. Willis who lived next door. After the scandal following his death in 1909 it became the headquarters of Winslow Rural District Council.

Sunday 19 September, 19:30 in St Laurence Church (please note the revised time)
Book launch: How One Man Transformed A Town: Winslow 1640–1770 and William Lowndes
A talk by David Noy about his new book (published in 2020) on William Lowndes and the impact he and his descendants had on their home town. William Lowndes will make a guest appearance during the talk!

NEW BOOK: HOW ONE MAN TRANSFORMED A TOWN:
WINSLOW 1640–1770 AND WILLIAM LOWNDES

Why does Winslow Hall dwarf the rest of the town? Why is there a vast open space in front of it? Why has Winslow got so many houses with a mixture of architectural styles from different centuries? Why are all the farmhouses hidden away in the fields?

This book tries to answer those questions, starting with Winslow in the 1640s when it was a town of small-scale farmers and craftsmen and had two visits from Oliver Cromwell. William Lowndes went off to London in 1667 and soon made enough money to start buying up land in Winslow and knocking down houses. He turned the town into a place where one family owned most of the land, and built a mansion in a style Winslow people had never seen. Meanwhile the Baptists became very influential for a time and built their own meeting house. Lowndes family money helped to create a town full of doctors and lawyers who modernised their houses, and the market and turnpike road provided business for inns and shops. The open fields were enclosed and farmers moved out into newly built farmhouses.

The book’s 386 pages also include ten detailed studies of Winslow families and 28 photos and maps. It is available from the Bucks Archaeological Society (https://bas1.org.uk/) for £11 + £3.50 p&p. If you’re in Winslow you can get it for £11 direct from David Noy (16 McLernon Way, tel.711683, d.noy@btinternet.com).

The Bucks Family History Society has published a transcription of the Winslow parish registers 1560-1901 on CD-ROM: click here to order

A transcription of the Winslow Congregational registers, with lists of members and abstracts of some minutes, is now available from the Eureka Partnership.

Winslow books for sale:

David Noy, Winslow in 1556: The Survey of the Manor (Bucks Archaeological Society, 2013): £5
David Noy, Winslow Manor Court Books 1327-1377 and 1423-1460 (2 vols, Bucks Record Society, 2011): £50
Alan Wigley, A Window on Winslow (Winslow, 1981): £5 - this contains many historical photos of Winslow

Please contact d.noy@btinternet.com for more information.

Additions to website

4 Aug 2021	27 Market Square: sale in 1893 after death of Grant King the owner Winslow Town F.C.: 1893 AGM and results Silver wedding celebrations for T.P. and Sarah Willis Activities in 1893 at the Rose & Crown, Nag's Head, Brook Hall and by the Technical Education Committee
2 Aug	Fire insurance 1791-92 for 5 Vicarage Road, Arundel House, Redfield, various properties of Robert Gibbs, The Bank, Greyhound, Rose & Crown, property of William Blake, Blake House, The Bull
30 July	Winslow Parochial Schools: In 1890 the Charity Commissioners imposed new regulations which put the schools firmly under Anglican control
21 July	Fire insurance 1789 for 5 Horn Street and the Old George.
19 July	Vestry 1892: arguments about highways, lighting and the fire brigade 5 Horn Street: Winslow's first recorded lawn tennis tournament The Bank: celebration of the opening and detailed description Bucks County Council election, 1892: a Liberal split and a Conservative win General election, 1892: better news for the Liberals
18 July	Lectures: you could study Shakespeare, chemistry, drawing and agriculture at evening classes in 1892 Oddfellows' Fete including a procession around the town Girls' Friendly Society: service in the church and garden party at Redfield Proposed new railway: Winslow wanted the Grand Central Railway (now part of the HS2 route) to go via Verney Junction Provident Society: death of the secretary James Spooner (1892) Workhouse: treatment of vagrants in 1892
17 July	Football: 1892 AGM and results Opening of the Gymnasium (later the Public Hall) Congregational church, 1892: cricket v the Baptists, football v Royal Latin School 27 High Street: Mrs Jones in trouble for not having a licence to keep a servant Jones family: death of Silvanus' youngest son Davy, a professional musician Death of Harriet, widow of T.B. Saving
16 July	Brook Hall: fire insurance policy in 1787, showing how the new owner James Burnham had gentrified it The Bank: William Turner's insurance policy, 1788, showing the nature of the property before it was "Georgianised" Redfield: insurance of Dudslow Farm by Thomas Read, 1788 Winslow Hall: advert for a footman, 1892 Western House: an extra storey added for Mr & Mrs Greaves
13 July	Inventory of Thomas Fyge, 1705: a wealthy London apothecary descended from a Winslow family
5 July	Jones family: William Jones became secretary to Beerbohm Tree in 1891 and wrote another play under the name Silvanus Dauncey His friend George D. Day also put on a new one-act play 1891 Vestry: arguments about who was responsible for pavements and the Market Square Technical education: a vote by every household showed that the most popular subject was agriculture and allotments. Drawing and agriculture classes were also available at the High School. Reading Room: activities of the Parish Club in 1891 Workhouse: proposal to send paupers from Edmonton to Winslow The Swan: proposed alterations Cattle market: boys were working at the market instead of going to school in 1891
1 July	Board of Guardians: minutes Dec 1837 University Extension Lectures (started 1890) and an essay written for the course on European statesmen Winslow Town F.C.: foundation in 1891 and results of their first matches 1891 North Bucks by-election: another Liberal win
29 June	Congregational Church: Mutual Improvement Society, 1891 Station: serious accident involving milk for the Creamery The Bell: a course on butter-making backed by the British Dairy Institute, 1891 Church: a dig at the vicar by the churchwardens Misfortunes of Thomas Simons, formerly of 14 Market Square
28 June	Board of Guardians: minutes Oct-Nov 1837 Schools Committee: in 1891 the committee was completely taken over by Anglicans The George: Quadrille party ball until 4 a.m. The Boot: landlady taken to Stone Asylum, 1891 Baptists: departure of Rev. G.T. Gillingham in 1891 with "nothing to show" for his time in Winslow Station: improvements to the booking and ticket offices
21 June	Parish meetings 1948: decided to go ahead with the Recreation Ground Parish meeting 1949: decided to update the War Memorial
19 June	Parish meetings 1947: problems with allotments and public conveniences
15 June	Parish meeting 1946: election of the parish council which later acquired the Recreation Ground for the town
13 June	Dr Newham (d.1890): sale of his furniture less than a month after he died Winslow politics in 1890: the Conservatives were suddenly much more active than the Liberals Cricket match between the Odd Fellows and Hearts of Oak
11-12 June	Cricket Club and Reading Room activities in 1890 Winslow High School: extensions and alterations Church: new organ installed, 1890 Congregational Church: Sunday school festival, 1890 Charities: allotments provided at Shipton; accounts for 1890 Norden House: argument between Dr Vaisey and the Board of Guardians about the footpath to his new house Quarter Sessions 1770-74: alleged cases included a husband assaulting his wife and a group of men committing riot and assault
10 June	Vestry, 1890: much controversy over James King's conduct as surveyor Station Inn: more about the death of the landlord John Bennett in 1890 Station: new waiting rooms built on the "up" platform Winslow Choral Society inaugurated at Brook Hall School in 1890; most of the committee were Anglican women
8 June	Complaint of hedge-breaking in Shipton, 1642
6 June	Will of Joan Forde: in 1647 Chancery ordered her executor to pay the legacies she bequeathed to the children of William Lowndes Will of John Redding Holland of Aylesbury, grocer and tallow chandler, 1804 (proved 1805): owner of 1 Horn Street
2 June	Obituary and will of Lt-Col. William Selby-Lowndes of Tinker's Corner, 1951
31 May	Will of Thomas Dawney of Aylesbury, gentleman, 1815 (proved 1816): a Baptist who was buried in Winslow and helped set up the Baptist chapel at Swanbourne
27 May	Vestry, 1889: arguments about the charities and cleaning the Market Square
20 May	Proposed School Board, 1889: a hotly contested vote was heavily influenced by the vicar North Buckinghamshire By-Election, 1889: this seems to have aroused less feeling at Winslow The Bell: Winslow Volunteers' prize shooting and dinner, 1889
19 May	Baptist Tabernacle: a change of pastor in 1889 Crowning the Queen of the May: an Anglican response to Congregationalist use of this ceremony, 1889 Church: departure of Rev. Hamilton Douglas-Hamilton in 1889 Cricket Club: ended the 1889 season successfully despite the vicar's withdrawal of support Winslow High School: ran a football team which played "Winslow Town" (not an organised club at the time) 5th November was celebrated in Winslow as "Mask Day" Will of George Willmore, farmer, 1888 (proved 1889): he lived at 32 Sheep Street
17 May	Parishioners' meeting 1924: S.P. Wigley's attempts to bring electricity and water supplies to Winslow Board of Guardians minutes, Sep 1837: The workhouse acquired new gates, and Joseph Neal got the contract for supplying liquor William Robyns, butcher, was pursued in 1485 in the Court of Common Pleas for a debt of 6 marks
16 May	More information about Richard Edmunds (d.1605) Board of Guardians minutes, June 1837: payment of numerous bills Bucks County Council election: some additional reports from early 1889 The George: a ball for 70 guests The Black Horse: celebration of the completion of T.P. Willis' new offices (28 High Street) Church: decision to build new chancel aisle and vestry, 1889 Salvation Army: first anniversary in Winslow Winslow High School: technical education in 1889 Cricket Club: a big argument with the vicar in 1889
9 May	6 High Street: sold to J.G. Hawley in 1869 by his uncle's executors Board of Guardians minutes, May 1837: the master and matron of the workhouse were suspended
6 May	Board of Guardians minutes, March 1837: including beer and coffins for the paupers
3 May	Winslow's first election for Bucks County Council (1889): it was decided by four votes, and a stag and a cat became involved
1 May	Vestry, 1873: plans for the new Infants' School due to a dispute with the vicar Vestry, 1876: G.D.E. Wigley refused to serve as Guardian Obituary of Henry Wigley (d.1888), "intellectual Liberal", and sale of property Bankruptcy of George Grace Lee, saddler at 4 High Street
30 April	Vestry, 1872: arrangements about churchyard fence and church clock Liberals: infighting in 1888 between W.H. French and other activists Juvenile Oddfellows Festival: including cricket, music and dancing Flower Show: accounts for 1888 The Bull: meeting of the Winslow bakers, who apparently operated a cartel The Bell: masquerade held by the dancing class
29 April	Will of Elizabeth Victoria George, spinster, 1911 (proved 1912): stationer at 34 High Street Will of George Baldwin, gentleman, 1903 (proved 1905): retired draper, lived at 13 Market Square Congregational Church: activities in 1888 Baptist Tabernacle: departure of Edmund Buckingham and his daughter for America Nag's Head: caught out by a policeman outside the window Church Sunday School: celebration of 100th anniversary in 1888 Flower Show: a new secretary in 1888 Reading Room: a cricket club was re-formed, open to Reading Room members and non-members A new play by W.J. Jones (Silvanus Dauncey), younger brother of the more famous H.A. Jones High School: a report showing the syllabus in 1888
27-28 April	Exhibition of Local Antiquities and Curiosities, 1888: dozens of people lent their family heirlooms Salvation Army: more information about their activities in 1888 Rose & Crown: advert for the brewery, 1888
26 April	Will of George James Starkey, gentleman, 1886 (proved 1887) Will of Catherine Carling, spinster, 1886 (proved 1898)
20 April	Will of William Selby-Lowndes of Whaddon Hall, esquire, 1884 (proved 1887): also an obituary and report of his funeral Will of William Hutt, grocer, 1869: kept a shop in the Market Square New page: 1A & 3 Horn Street (Old Millfield House) and 4 The Walk
17 April	Manor court, 1525: list of jurors, and some entries concerning Little Horwood
15 April	1870 Vestry: discussions about the infants' school, fire engine and water supply 1871 Vestry: the water supply again
10 April	Market Square: made available again for fairs and circuses in 1887 Conservative meeting at The George; one of the participants fell down the stairs Obituary for Neddy Pickett (d.1887) A war of words about Daniel Grace in the Buckingham Advertiser Redfield: 1891 Census lists 57 people in the house and on the estate
8 April	New page: George D. Day (1872-1911): from trainee auctioneer at Wigley's to a theatrical manager whose wedding was attended by J.M. Barrie and Rider Haggard Charities: Liberal Brotherhood meeting in 1887 with some not entirely accurate information Accident involving W.H. French and a stepladder Schools: a new controversy about whether they should take children residing at the Workhouse John Grace: a case brought by his executors in 1887 on behalf of "a widow who was very poorly off" Church: memorial window for Edward Selby-Lowndes Outbreak of swine fever
6-7 April	Will of Richard Baldwin, gentleman of Tingewick, formerly of Winslow, 1861: formerly of The Bull and 3 Horn Street Will of William George, grocer and stationer, 1886: his shop was at 34 High Street Obituary for Mary Morgan, d.1887 aged 90 May Day 1887: no sweeps 5 Horn Street: sale of William Selby-Lowndes' furniture after he moved to Whaddon Hall Queen Victoria's Jubilee: detailed description of the celebrations including how the houses were decorated; there was also a suggestion for celebrating the Jubilee by improving the pavements and roads and renaming Horn Street Election for assistant overseer: A Liberal success in getting an election called and in winning it United Schools: the 1887 subscribers' meeting touched on some controversies in the local press, including one about the Rogers School Trust which was brought up by the Liberals Allotments: some new ones established after Liberal agitation
5 April	Churchyard: removal of the fence and erection of four gates, 1887 (with a plan) Redfield: an invitation ball and a servants' ball at the new house King's Head: to let in 1887 after being run for 24 years by Frederick Roads Parish Reading Room: smoking concert at The Bell, showing that it was now run by Anglicans Vestry, 1887: churchwarden's accounts included "bath chair for parish" Congregational Church: Young Men's Society soiree New gasometer, 1887 The curfew bell
2 April	New page: 1 Horn Street (Illing's): a grocer's shop for more than two centuries
30-31 March	Will of Agnes Anna French of Winslow, spinster, 1888 (proved 1902): died in an asylum at Salisbury Vestry, 1867: discussion about a bridge on the road to Addington Vestry, 1869: business included vandalism and repairs to the church, telegraph poles and the fire engine
27-28 March	Red Hall Farm: Retirement sale of Thomas Woodward, 1886 W.J. Jones: sale of his farm stock at Mill Knob Market Square: Christmas Fat Stock Show (the beginning of a long tradition) Football: matches against Wolverton Apprentices and Stony Stratford, playing a form of rugby General Election, 1886: this time the Conservatives narrowly beat the disunited Liberals in North Bucks; events in Winslow were less heated than in 1885 Controversy involving the vicar, 1886: he was attacked and defended in the local press Baptist Tabernacle: anniversary celebrations in 1886 with a political speech by W.H. French Church Defence Society meeting in 1881 Workhouse: Walter Lorkin's experience of the tramps' ward in 1906 Gibbs family: article by Arthur Clear about Rev. John Gibbs of Newport Pagnell, a nonconformist contemporary of Benjamin Keach
26 March	Provident Society: an unusual speech by Mr Monk at the 1886 festival The Church Army held services until June 1886 Death of Caroline French, wife of W.H. French and sister of G.D.E. Wigley G.D.E. Wigley started the annual Sheep Fair in September 1886 Railway: a day excursion to Liverpool Rose & Crown: sale of William Grace's stock-in-trade on his retirement, 1886 The Bell: retirement of William Neal in favour of his newly married son The Classical and Commercial School was re-opened by William Warne Festivities on a wet Whit Monday organised by the Odd Fellows and the Baptists
24-25 March	Hand in Hand Benefit Society: dissolved in 1886 Liberal activities in early 1886 involving W.H. French J.C. Hawley took over the grocery and spirits part of William George's business United Schools: annual meeting in 1886 Literary Institute: Winslow's most unsectarian organisation closed down, to be replaced by the Parish Reading Room under the vicar's control Nag's Head: a theft and a sale The Bull: services of a bonesetter advertised Redfield: temporarily known as Winslow Court, with its own cricket team in 1886 while it was being rebuilt Mr Neal complains about people sub-letting their allotments
23 March	Keach's Meeting House: transfer to new trustees in 1866 Vestry, 1865: decisions about pavements and drains Vestry, 1866: trouble with the Charity Commissioners and Poor Law Board
18 March	Will of Erasmus Grove of Tingewick, yeoman, 1684: father-in-law of Benjamin Keach
16 March	13-15 Vicarage Road: new information about the ownership of the original cottages on the site North Buckinghamshire Election, 1885: democracy (of sorts) comes to Winslow, culminating in an attempt to storm The Bell W.H. French denounces the vicar in a poem
15 March	Will of John Turnham, baker, 1893 (proved 1894): lived at 8-10 Horn Street John Grace (d.1885): obituary and sale of his farming stock Literary Institute: athletic club dance Redfield: sale of Selby Lodge estate to H.R. Lambton, 1885 Church bells: rehung in 1885 Death of Alfred White, bailiff to T.P. Willis
14 March	School Board debate: new information about the arguments in 1885 Literary Institute annual meeting for 1885: this was now the most non-denominational organisation in Winslow Will of James East, retired outfitter, 1901: prominent Winslow figure who fell under a train at Swanbourne
13 March	The George: The dancing class held a ball in 1885 The Bell: lecture on Russia by Egerton Hubbard of Addington (whose family lost their Russian investments in 1917); concert and tableaux vivants in aid of the Church Restoration Fund 27 Market Square: bankruptcy of Thomas Sare, 1885 Brook Hall School: new summer holiday arrangements Redfield: Obituary for Edward Selby-Lowndes, 1885 Baptist Tabernacle: arrival of the new pastor, Rev. J.S. Poulton Vestry, 1885: the main issues were keeping cattle out of the churchyard and replacing the old iron fence
11 March	Windmill Inn: sale of wheelwright's business, 1885 Nag's Head: hunting boxes to let Estate of George Maydon: sales of property and furniture Church Room: activities in the 1950s Whitsun fete, 1932
10 March	Will of Joshua Lewin French of Winslow, gentleman, 1883 (proved 1884): active Congregationalist, grocer at 1 Horn Street Will of Mary Ann Warr, spinster, 1872 (proved 1884): from a North Bucks farming family
2-3 March	Will of Thomas Selby-Lowndes of Winslow, esquire, 1884 (proved 1885): retired army captain who lived at The Bank before it was rebuilt Will of Charles Ernest West of Winslow, gentleman, 1877 (proved 1884): descendant of the family which ran the Greyhound Lane tannery 6 High Street: added drawing of Hawley's shop, allegedly founded in 1761