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News

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

12 May 2022	Will of Richard Holland of Botolph Claydon, 1550/1 (proved 1551): a relative of the Hollands of Granborough and Winslow Will of William Halle, parson of Addington, 1546/7 (proved 1547): the will mentions people from Winslow Will of Sir William Brampton, priest at Hogshaw, 1540/1 (proved 1548)
6 May	Poor relief: In 1743 the parish officials of Chetwode brought a pauper to Winslow in the process of trying to get rid of her
5 May	Will of Margaret Fuller of Swanbourne, 1550 (proved 1551): a member of the Glenister family
1 May	Will of Ralph Carter of Dunton, yeoman, 1604 (proved 1605): husband of Alice Lowndes Redfield: death of George North, footman, 1905 Church: presentation to departing curate Rev. St.J. H. Beamish, 1916 (he later came back as vicar)
29 April	Will of Sarah Jones, widow, 1899: landlady of The Bull
26 April	29 High Street: inventory of contents after death of Thomas Ridgway, 1888 27 Market Square (Market House): apprenticeship of Ernest Ingram to Thomas Sare, 1877
24 April	27 Market Square (Market House): valuation of fixtures and contents, 1888
22 April	King's Head: valuation and estimate for repairs, 1888, with details of rooms and outbuildings
17 April	Will of John Waddup of Evenley, gentleman, 1709 (proved 1715): father of Elizabeth Dudley of Winslow
8 April	Will of Arthur Clear, retired police sergeant, 1898 (proved 1901): he left his collection of coins to his son Keach's Meeting House: entries from the burial register Parsons Close: Winslow RDC's plan to build bungalows there, and a poem objecting to it (1952)
4 April	Will of Henry Ingram, retired plumber, painter and china dealer, 1899 (proved 1900): owner of Rose Cottages and Station Brickyard
31 March	The Bell: inventory taken in 1886 when W.S. Neal took over from his father
28 March	1876 Bucks Election: a Liberal poem Road names: Carters Gate and Gibbs Close added Aerial photos: Some 1931 and 2007 high resolution photos from Historic England added
21 March	Public meeting about development, 1945: The ideas put forward at the meeting eventually (in some cases 20 years later) led to the creation of the current Recreation Ground, the industrial units in Station Road, and the Lowndes Way estate.
17 March	Rose Cottages: photo added of the Phillips family, c.1930
14 March	New page: George V's Silver Jubilee and Pageant, 1935
6 March	Workhouse: the registry office was transferred to 28 High Street in 1900 for holding weddings Biggin: comments about a cross from a lecture in 1900 Schools: arrangements for building the new school General election, 1900
5 March	Church: new pews completed in 1900 Workhouse: the porter and his allegations were dismissed Flower Show: report of the 1900 show Crooked Billet: tradesmen's dinner The Bull: more news about the gymnastic siblings Funeral of the Winslow historian Arthur Clear at Keach's Meeting House Parish Council: more about the proposed recreation ground at Gubblesgore and the water supply controversy
4 March	Additions from 1900 to Brook Hall, Baptist Tabernacle Winslow United FC: better news for the 1900-01 season The Bull: cricket club annual dinner Gymnasium: Winslow Open Poultry Show Congregational Church: the Mutual Improvement Society decided not to admit ladies to meetings Western House: serious explosion after the butler took a light with him to investigate a gas leak The George: sale of the contents, 1900
2 March	Additions from 1900 to The Bull (cricket club re-formed), Parish Council (discussion about a recreation ground), Workhouse (more paupers from Willesden) Winslow United FC: 1899-1900 season ended ignominiously
25 Feb	Girls' School: the architect in 1864 has now been identified as E.G. Bruton of Oxford
17 Feb	Board of Guardians: minutes Oct 1839 - March 1840: some Winslow Union paupers had been sent to Manchester
14 Feb	Board of Guardians: minutes Feb-Sep 1839
12 Feb	Extracts from The Nonconformist, a weekly Congregationalist newspaper, added to Congregational Church, Baptist Tabernacle, Workhouse
6 Feb	Bathing Place: a narrow escape from drowning, 1899 Winslow United F.C.: 1899 AGM and results Black Horse: retirement of Thomas Walker, 1899 The Bell: dramatic fund-raising entertainment for Boer War soldiers' widows and orphans Schools: letter from John Morgan lamenting the managers' "breeches-pocket argument" and supporting the establishment of a school board, 1899 Church: replacement of pews in memory of Mr Greaves, 1899 Congregational Young Men's Society: cricket match, 1889 Public Hall: detailed report of the first meeting about the town's acquisition of the Oddfellows' Hall, 1945
3 Feb	Workhouse: appeal for books for a reading room, 1899 Keach's Meeting House: departure of the Strict Baptist preacher, Albert White
2 Feb	Congregational Church: Oliver Cromwell's tercentenary, and fundraising for Boer War soldiers, 1899 Bathing Place: fundraising concert at The Bell Gymnasium: first poultry-fanciers' show, 1899 The Bull: sale of the inn and contents after the deaths of William and Sarah Jones, 1899 Cattle Market: cattle for sale obstructed the footpath around the Market Square Station: Winslow RDC requests safer arrangements for loading and unloading Schools: appeal from the School Managers for contributions to build a new school and avoid having a School Board
22 Jan	St Albans Archdeaconry: records of penances by Robert Daunce the vicar (1586) and Joan Turnham (1599), and weapons held by the clergy (1590)
20 Jan	Will of Francis Dodsworth of Whaddon, gentleman, 1657/8 (proved 1665): mortgagee of property in Winslow Road Names page updated
16 Jan	Church clock: a poem written in 1918 when the clock had stopped working Allotments: another poem written in 1918 about the Parish Council's inability to supply enough allotments Will of Henry Sharp, surgeon's assistant, 1880 (proved 1897) and obituary: the oldest member of the church choir
13 Jan	Will of Joseph Colgrove of Winslow, butcher, 1894 (proved 1898), and obituary: he lived at 75 High Street
11 Jan	Will of John Elley, retired baker, 1894 (proved 1899), and obituary
9 Jan	Will of Leonard Pigott of Beachampton, gentleman, 1619
6-7 Jan	Winslow Cycling Club: AGM 1898 A sheep-dealer was fined for allowing his lambs to block Horn Street because the Market Square was full Rev W.F. Armstrong had 20 different church organisations running in 1898 Winslow RDC election 1898: one Conservative and one Liberal were returned Will of William Ingram, groom and gardener, 1888 (proved 1894): lived at 32 High Street Will of Thomas Keys, tailor and formerly innkeeper, 1892 (proved 1896): former landlord of The Stag Poem by Silvanus Jones on the public meeting about Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, 1887 New page: The Bathing Place (opened 1898)
5 Jan	Loffler Family: Will of Ferdinand and administration of Harriet, who both died in 1897 The Winslow Club and the Aylesbury Club, 1810: Winslow's version of the famous Lunar Society 27 Market Square: added Censuses 1891-1911 Winslow United F.C.: AGM and results, 1898, and table for the first Buckingham & District League season Park Road: controversy about whether Winslow RDC should install a sewer, 1898 Congregational Church: Winslow's first eisteddfod, and a debate about old age pensions ten years before they were introduced Tuckey Farm: sold to H.S. Leon of Bletchley Park in 1898 Churchyard: installation of a wrought iron fence Workhouse: agreement to take 50 inmates from Willesden Lace: exhibition at Seven Gables, new house of Hon. Rose Hubbard
4 Jan	Nag's Head: Annual dinner for the Fire Brigade, the Postmen, and the Bellringers, 1898 The George: Annual ball for the Quadrille Class Baptist Tabernacle: re-opened after renovation Vestry, 1898: The vicar had to defend himself from complaints about "Romish practices" The Bell: Constitutional Association dinner and Flower Show concert
2 Jan	New page: Rent book of Robert Lowndes (1716-21 with later notes): this records the income which Robert was receiving from his Winslow tenants, with some later notes recording payments made to his son Richard Will of Edward Lane Sear, coachbuilder, 1891 (proved 1895): the end of a long-established business in the High Street
15 Dec 2021	Market Square: Paving carried out by voluntary subscription, 1897 Footpaths: County Council enquiry into responsibility for Market Square and Churchyard footpaths Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, 1897: including a house-by-house description of the decorations
9-10 Dec	Civil War: payment made to Henry Sandys of Little Horwood in 1649 for quartering of troops Cricket Club meeting, 1897: they were unable to find a ground after being turned out of their old home (now the Arboretum) The Old Post Office became a tea room where you could buy Whaddon Chase Hunt Sauce Winslow United FC: 1897 AGM and results Baptist Tabernacle: Total Abstinence Society Technical Education Committee: members and finances in 1897 Workhouse: possible solutions for the shortage of inmates were turning it into a biscuit factory and bringing in paupers from Fulham John Morgan: information about a former Winslow draper from a review of a book which he had published
7 Dec	King's Head: annual dinner for postmen, bellringers and fire brigade, 1897 Congregational Church: appointment of a new pastor, and Band of Hope activities Workhouse: more like a convalescent home in 1897, according to a newspaper report Relocation of 1897
6 Dec	Letters to Richard Lowndes from his sister Sarah: new letters added from 1759-60
30 Nov	William Lowndes' expenses at Enclosure, 1766-67: these bills show that the enclosure process cost him nearly £800, and he also bought up some small pieces of property Parish Council 1896: reports added from the local press about discussions over the Market Square and Winslow becoming an Urban District Cattle Market: committee appointed to look into improving the Market Square University Extension Lectures: evolution was the topic for 1896 Allotment holders' first annual supper, 1896
29 Nov	Disappearance of the Relieving Officer, 1896 Winslow United F.C.: 1896 AGM and results Keach's Meeting House: celebration in 1896 of the 236th anniversary of Benjamin Keach's pastorate Marriage of George A. Midgley, 1896 Tinkers End: water supply problems Congregational Church: various events in 1896 Liberal meeting in the Centenary Hall Biggin: additional information published by Arthur Clear Subsidy, 7 October 1594 (16 names from Winslow, 6 from Little Horwood) The Cock: It now appears that it wasn't on the site of the Bell Garage but slightly further along Sheep Street where the pedestrian gate into Home Close is now
25 Nov	Parish Council: additional report of Feb 1896 meeting (about the Parochial Committee) Winslow RDC: report on Winslow highways, 1896 The George: annual dinner of the Winslow Constutitional Association, i.e. the Conservatives Choirboys' strike: like all Victorian employers, the church reacted by sacking the ringleaders, not addressing the grievances Church: departure of Rev. P.H. Eliot, 1896
24 Nov	Redfield: death of H.R. Lambton, 1896 Church Houses: death of Charles Wilford the postmaster, 1896 Celebration at The Plough of building "Mr Illing's new stables" Rose & Crown: a fight in 1896 ended up in the magistrates' court Sale of 12 cottages belonging to the estate of Richard Willmore (1896) Vestry, 1895: church and charity finances Winslow RDC: inquiry into the disposal of refuse in Winslow, 1895 (with vivid descriptions of conditions) Board of Guardians: minutes for Nov-Dec 1838
22 Nov	Board of Guardians: minutes for June 1838
18 Nov	Board of Guardians: minutes for March 1838