Chapel Street

150 years of shops and trades

By Sue and David Middleton

Detail from 19th Century Map
Detail from 19th Century Map
H. Phillip's Bakery Cart
H. Phillip's Bakery Cart
A Singleton's carriage early 20th Century
A Singleton's carriage early 20th Century
Chapel Street North side 2008 - far left the Old Bakery and near right 'Marble Arch'
Chapel Street North side 2008 - far left the Old Bakery and near right 'Marble Arch'
H. Simpson and Sons Bakers - staff outside the bakery on Devon Lane, Bottesford in 1950.
H. Simpson and Sons Bakers - staff outside the bakery on Devon Lane, Bottesford in 1950.
Singleton's House at the North East end of Chapel Street shortly before demolition in the early 1960's
Singleton's House at the North East end of Chapel Street shortly before demolition in the early 1960's
Mr William Parnham
Mr William Parnham
Mr William Parnham
Mr William Parnham
The Chapel and Rutland House before conversions
The Chapel and Rutland House before conversions
Corner Shop
Corner Shop
Cottage formerly Watchorn's Shop
Cottage formerly Watchorn's Shop
Watchorn's Shop c 1980s
Watchorn's Shop c 1980s
Early 1900s advertisement
Early 1900s advertisement

Some history

Before 1845 Chapel Street was known as both Doctor’s Street and Baker Street. In a document named ‘Rental of the Parish of Bottesford’ (date uncertain), Chapel Street is named Doctor’s Street, possibly because Doctor Walker lived there. It was also named Baker’s Street in the 1841 census, possibly because William Page occupied baker’s premises on the street. The Wesleyan Chapel was built in 1845 – Chapel Street had gained its name by the 1851 census.

Recent shops and trades

The west end of Chapel Street did not exist as a road before the houses on The Square were built after the 2nd World War. It was a lane through to Albert Street, called Back Lane. The Square was built on a paddock where the horses and carts belonging to the bakery of J.D. Phillips were kept.

Victor Marston (son of Arthur Marston) remembers that when his mother was working at the Bottesford laundry in Queen Street, washing would be laid out to dry, on the grass and bushes as far down as the River Devon.

Chapel Street – North Side

On the north side of Chapel Street, at the corner of Devon Lane, the house known as The Old Bakery was originally a bakery. According to ‘A Little History of Bottesford’ the building became a bakery when William Billings Lane moved his bakery from premises on the corner of Chapel Street and Queen Street. The previous owner of the property had been Mr. Fisher who owned a horse and wagonette business.

William Billings Lane died in July 1900. In the 1901 census a baker from Nottingham, named Everitt Atkin was working at premises in Chapel Street.

The bakery on the corner was taken over by John Henry Phillips who was baking bread, pork pies, and Christmas cakes in 1908. He was also willing to bake foods brought to the bakery by villagers. Mr. Cecil Briggs lived on The Green and worked as a baker for Mr. Phillips in the late 1920s.

Mr. Phillips had an entry, as a baker, in a directory of 1941 but by 1946 the Simpson family from Cropwell Bishop had taken over the bakery. Thomas F. Simpson was a master baker and when he moved into the bakery, he found that a domed oven (shaped like a cupola) had to be replaced by double-decked steam piped ovens, fuelled by coke from the Bottesford gas works. Mr. Elliott managed the bakery until 1948 and Mr Cecil Briggs continued to bake there. Members of the bakery staff included Win Claricoates, Herbert Turner, Kathleen Langton and Emily Rayson.

The bakery closed in 1953. During the war, there had been a subsidy on bread but when the subsidy was withdrawn in 1953 (meaning that the price of bread rose from four and a half old pence to seven and a half old pence), it was not possible to sell bread at a competitive price.

Freshly baked bread in Bottesford was then supplied by Mr. Freeman Brown. His bakery was in Foston and he made a daily delivery to his shop in Queen Street (now the Malthouse Deli).

Mr. and Mrs. T. Simpson stayed at The Old Bakery in Chapel Street until 1974 and then the building was sold, becoming a residential property.

At No.3 Chapel Street, next to the Old bakery,  Cecil Jallands and his son had a painting and decorating business. They operated within the village and used a hand-cart to transport their equipment.

These cottages were converted into flats and other cottages towards Queen Street include Dyer Cottage. For further details please click on the Dyers Cottage page.

Samuel and Catherine Rawdin (nee Bockin) lived in Rose Dyer’s cottage. In the 1901 census, Samuel’s occupation was a bricklayer. (One of the Rawdin children was Ada Elizabeth and she married George Singleton who ran a carriage business further down the street.) Behind these buildings were the cottages known as Wright’s Yard (later Redford’s Yard). They were approached through an archway entrance, known locally as ‘Marble Arch’.

The land as far as The Old Manse was the site of Singleton’s house and orchard. The Singletons both farmed and ran the carriage business. Older residents of the village recall that the Singleton cows were taken up to fields just over the Normanton level crossing and brought back for milking through the ford by the church. It was possible to buy milk by the jug from the kitchen at the Singletons. There were also rooms to be rented, particularly after the war when accommodation in Bottesford was in short supply.

The Singleton’s house was demolished in the early 1960s. W.J. Roberts then developed the site for housing.

Chapel Street – South Side

There is record of a Mr Jackson working as a painter and decorator who lived on the corner of Chapel Street and Albert Street in a cottage (now demolished and replaced with modern housing). The lane through to Albert Street bordered pasture land owned by Billy Parnham. He farmed and his obituary in 1958 records that he was a ‘noted breeder of Lincoln Red Bulls’. Mrs Dorothy Beedham also recalls (Click here for further details) that her family would purchase fresh milk from Mr Parnham.

The Wesleyan Chapel, was built in 1845. It was used for worship until the end of World War 2. During the fifties, the chapel was used as an extra classroom for the school so that needlework and domestic science could be taught. It was later used for commercial storage of building material by Mr Bill Roberts until conversion into flats in 1988.

The building known as Rutland House (No.16) was originally two cottages. At some time the cottages were combined and during the eighties, Rutland House was a rural branch of the Halifax Building Society and then a solicitor’s office. It is now a residential property.

At the corner of Chapel Street and Queen Street is a former shop  – F.H. Winn. Details of this can be found by clicking on the page ‘Shops and Trades in Queen Street’.

The building on the opposite corner according to ‘The Little History of Bottesford’ is where William Billings Lane had his bakery in 1899. He also rented out two front rooms to the Grantham Cooperative Society that used them as a shop. Shortly after the Co-op gave up this shop. Mr. Lane moved to the corner of Devon Lane and J. D. Robinson took over the premises for a short time. After J. D. Robinson moved to Market Street around 1900 the shop then had a number of occupants.

Older residents recall that Arthur Germany, a baker and grocer used the ovens left by Mr. Lane and also sold knitting wool. Other trades-people in this shop included Mrs. Welbo(u)rne (shopkeeper), Kath Randle, Rosie Dyer (general store), Joy Taylor (antiques) and Mrs. Durrant (flowers, plants, fruit and greengrocery) in the 1980s. This large house was then modernised and converted into two dwellings. The original bake ovens are intact but are covered with plaster-board and there is still stabling for a pony at the rear of the house.

Towards Market Street on the South side of Chapel Street the next building was originally three cottages. One cottage still remains but the other two were converted into single accommodation.

Mr. and Mrs. A.V. Topps lived in the house until they moved to Church Street in the sixties. Mr. and Mrs. Watchorn then moved in and converted the house into a shop with two windows – one flat window and one bay shop window. On the right hand side as you walked in, were displays of everything to do with handicrafts and in particular wools for knitting. Mrs. Watchorn was an expert knitter and knitted for people in the village. On the other side of the shop were sweets and groceries.

 

Earlier Shops and Trades

Further historical Information about shops and trades in Chapel Street has been taken from business directories and census material. It is difficult to pinpoint exact locations along the street during the nineteenth century as a shop or trade was not necessarily at the Chapel Street address – the address given could be the home address.

1851 census

The 1851 census lists 17 households on Chapel Street and 8 in Wright’s Yard.

Wright’s Yard (later known as Redford’s Yard) is included in details of Chapel Street.

There were a number of people connected with building and brick making – John Millus, John Price, William Lee and William Tyler.  Joseph, Hugh and William Challands had their homes on Chapel Street but their business (builders, joiners and brick and tile makers) was based on The Green in 1899.

Robert Taylor, Philip Rawden and William Robinson were involved in shoe manufacture.

Thomas Richards and William Wood were master tailors.

William Page was a master baker. It is possible that he had his bakery at the corner of Chapel Street and Queen Street where William Billings Lane had his business in 1899.

Dr. Benjamin Walker, a G.P. lived on Chapel Street.

There were also labourers for agriculture and building work.

1863 Drake’s Directory

The curate, the Rev. Henry Martin Baker lived on Chapel Street as did Edward Haynes, the Parish Clerk.

John Grafton Walker was a revenue officer. S. l. Widdowson was a baker; Robert Taylor was still making boots and shoes; Samuel King was a grocer and William Brewster was a tailor.

1877 White’s Directory

In that directory James Calderhead was an inland revenue officer, living on Chapel Street and the Rev. Caleb Eacott was curate. Samuel King still had his grocery, Robert Taylor was still making boots and Joseph Lenton was a butcher and cattle dealer.

In 1880 Wright’s Directory the Rev. Henry Howlett was curate and Marshall Lane was producing bread. Robert Parkes was a boot and shoe-maker and Samuel King had added being a draper to his directory entry.

1881 Census

1881 Census lists 16 households and 8 in Wright’s Yard.

The Rev. Henry Howlett lived with his family at The Manse on Chapel Street and Samuel King the grocer is also a Primitive local preacher. Timothy Archer was the Primitive Methodist Minister and Miss Sarah Walker had a boarding school with 10 scholars as boarders and Miss Helen Stark as governess. The school had been previously in Market Street at Craven House. The only building large enough to house a school was the building known as Singleton’s farmhouse.

Trades listed were:

Railway signalmen, plate layer and engine cleaner.

Joiner, bricklayer, carpenter, drain-pipe maker and draining tile maker.

Maria Ayre was a laundress and Mrs King was a dressmaker.

Agricultural labourers and general labourers.

1899 Wright’s Directory

Wright’s Directory of 1899 placed William Billings Lane as a baker in Chapel Street and Samuel King was entered as grocer and draper.

John Thomas Cooper was a tailor.

Joseph Singleton is entered as a farmer and as a trap proprietor on Chapel Street, living in the large house known as Singleton’s House, (demolished circa 1955). In later directory entries the Singletons were cab and fly proprietors as the business passed to Alfred and George Singleton. The broughams, wagonettes and flys for the carrier’s business were parked on the land to the rear of the property. As Bottesford railway station was billed as ‘Bottesford for Belvoir’, a cab and landau service was available for transportation to the Peacock Hotel at Belvoir. By 1936, Alfred Singleton’s entry was as a farmer. Perhaps the advent of more motor vehicles on the road had made horse traffic unprofitable.

1901 Census

1901 Census  lists 15 households listed and 8 in Retford’s Yard.

The Primitive Methodist Minister, Robert Middleton, from Bradwell, Derbyshire lived with his family on Chapel Street.

Police Constable Thomas Chambers lodged with Joseph Singleton and his family as William Hollick (Police Inspector) occupied the Police Station on Queen Street.

Trades listed were:

Railway signal fitter, railway foreman platelayer, railway labourer.

Brick-maker, brick-maker’s labourer.

General labourers and agricultural labourers.

This page was added on 11/08/2008.

Comments about this page

  • Many thanks for your kind comment. What is now called the Old Manse was more likely where the Rev Howlett lived. It is at the other end of Chapel Street on the corner with Market Street. There is a picture at the following web site

    htthttp://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=190038

    We will add a current one in the near future to the Chapel Street page.

    It is our understanding that a Mr H Hart lived in one of the two cottages in the 1950’s (Mr R Jackson lived in the other) that was converted into the single dwelling now called Rutland House – Now No 16 Chapel Street. The picture on this page shows the dwellings before conversion.

    If you are doing research on the Hand family we know of other people researching this family and the Hand Charity. We could send your contact details on to them should you wish

    By David Middleton (13/08/2008)
  • I was very interested to read about chapel St, as I had discovered an ancestor of mine was a servant at 1 Chapel St. She worked for the Rev. Howlett and his family in 1881. Would no 1 be where the bakery was? Do you have any pictures or info. about the family or their household? I also remember visiting Harry and Dora Hart who lived in a tiny cottage in Chapel St. I think Harry worked at the signal box nearby, around the 1950’s.

    By Avis Hand (13/08/2008)
  • Thankyou for all the information. I would be happy for you to forward my details to the Hand family so that we might share any information on possible ancestors. This is an excellent website.

    By Avis Hand (14/08/2008)
  • Thank you – will pass on your details asap.

    By David Middleton (16/08/2008)
  • I was very interested in this article. My 3x ggrandfather William Page was the Master Baker on Chapel Street. I intend visiting Bottesford when the weather is better and follow the village trail. I understand that the 1st WW memorial in the church mentions the surname Page as well so I am currently looking into whether or not he was an ancestor. This is a great web site.

    By Sarah Page (08/01/2010)
  • I have done a bit of research on Robert Turlington Noble Page who is listed on the Bottesford War Memorial (Transcribed on the following web page – http://www.bottesfordhistory.org.uk/page_id__334.aspx). His family was from Northamptonshire and moved to the Nurseries on Belvoir Road, Bottesford prior to the 1901 census. Born in 1889, he was one of five young men from Bottesford who emigrated to Canada before WW1 and were recruited into the Canadian forces. Sadly all were killed in action. His Canadian recruitment attestation papers on the 19th August 1915 list him as a ‘bank clerk’ and give his birthplace as Banbury, Oxon. However the 1901 Census lists his birthplace as ‘Grimsbury, Northamptonshire’ which is in the parish of Banbury but in Northants. He was already a member of 103rd Calgary Rifles. The papers are stamped as the ’44th Overseas Batt. CEF’ (Canadian Expeditionary Force). We are currently looking into the ship manifests to trace when he sailed to Canada. He most likely sailed from Liverpool around 1911. Others sailed on the Allan Line S.S. Corsican around that time from Liverpool. I would be most interested in any further information your might come across about Robert Page as we are currently preparing a web page on all five men who served in the Canadian Forces. We do not know whether William Page the baker is related Robert Page’s family. Many thanks for your interest in the web site and your kind comments.

    By David Middleton (09/01/2010)
  • I am not sure that Robert Page is related to William Page as my research shows that William originated in Boston Lincs. This is nevertheless interesting and worth some more research. I will let you know if I find anything out.

    By Sarah Page (10/01/2010)
  • It would appear that Robert Page was either a younger brother or cousin of Corporal Thomas Frank Page who is buried at Bottesford Church Yard. I think he was killed in the Boer War. Both appear to have been born in the Banbury area. I have ordered the birth certificates to see what they say. I will let you know when I receive them.

    By Sarah Page (12/01/2010)
  • Many thanks – look forward to receiving any further information.

    By David Middleton (12/01/2010)
  • I have the birth certificates and Robert and Thomas Page were brothers. Their parents were Elizabeth Miller and Thomas Page. They were both born in the Banbury area. Interestingly Elizabeth and Thomas were married in the Melton Mowbray area, possibly Long Clawson, but the writing is very difficult to read. I have still not proven any link back to William.

    By Sarah Page (09/03/2010)
  • I am about to move in to 12 Chapel Street and am very interested in the history of the property. I would be grateful for any information about the history of the property. Many thanks.

    By David McQuire (29/07/2010)
  • I am tracing the Miller family tree and have been told by my aunt who still lives near Grantham that my great aunt – Agnes Miller, married her cousin William Page (from Northants). He was shown as a fruit grower in the 1901 census. They then moved to Canada where they had eight children. I have the ‘pitted’ family tree from this branch if you are interested. Keep up the good work with the history of Bottesford.

    By Anne Irons (28/09/2010)
  • Many thanks for your comments on William Page. I would be most interested in any details you have of his emigration to Canada and where he settled and whether this is William the brother of Robert Turlington Noble Page. According to our research both Turlington and William emigrated to Canada. Turlington joined William in 1906. But we are unsure where they actually lived. (He sailed on the 3rd May 1906 on the Tunisian from Liverpool to Montreal). Turlington Page’s military records show that on his death his will was forwarded to William Page in Wallacetown, Ontario. I have not yet managed to track down any entries in Canadian Census records. Their parents and their sister Sarah visited Canada in 1909. I hope to produce a web page giving details Turlington Page’s emigration and WW1 service in the Canadian Expeditionary force once the research is more complete.

    By David Middleton (29/09/2010)
  • William Page was the brother of Robert and the Bottesford census 1901 confirm this. Elizabeth Miller, their mother was born in Nether Broughton, Leics. and the father, Thomas, in South Newington, Oxfordshire. William moved to Ontario soon after he married although I am still trying to locate the sailing. He came back to Bottesford briefly in 1907 but sailed back with his wife Agnes (Miller) and their 2 eldest children on SS Lake Manitoba arriving on 20/10/1907 in Quebec. The family, along with his sisiter Sarah E. Page are shown in the 1911 Ontario census. They were living in the Dunwich, Elgin West area. William died in 1961. Most of the family are buried in the Tyrconnell United Church cemetry. It appears his sister, Sarah E. Page is buried there too. Hope this is of use.

    By Anne Irons (17/11/2010)
  • Many thanks for this further information on the Page family in Canada. It is interesting that William returned in 1907. That would accord with Robert’s (known as Turlington) obituary in the Grantham Journal which indicates that he looked after his brother’s shop during a period when William was away in England. It also looks as if William might have visited England again in 1909 and returned with his mother, father and sister Sarah E. Page on the 20/8/1909 on the Virginian from Liverpool to Quebec/Montreal. Sarah is listed with Thomas (father) and Elizabeth (mother). The mother and father are also ‘stamped’ as’ Ret’d Canadians’ who are ‘touring’. It appears that there are quite a few Pages with Oxfordshire connections in the Dunwich area of Ontario who are associated with the Tyrconnell Heritage Society. The Bottesford School Logbook for 1909 announces the resignation of Sarah as a teacher and her intention to go to Canada. Progress has been made on Turlington’s WW1 service. It could be that it will be possible to trace descendants (e.g. descendants of William and Agnes) in Canada who may have further information concerning his 9 years in Canada before enlistment. Turlington Page is commemorated both on the Bottesford War Memorial in St Mary’s Church and on the Central Methodist WW1 Memorial Tablet in Calgary.

    By David Middleton (17/11/2010)
  • I am interested in the name of Robert Turlington Noble Page as there is a Gt Uncle of mine called Robert Turlington Noble who was killed in Africa. His life story was written by his brother my GT GT GT Grandfather Rev. John Gibson Noble. I found the complete text of John Gibson Noble’s memoir of his brother, the missionary Robert Turlington Noble. In case you haven’t seen it, it’s at http://books.google.co.uk (A Memoir of the Rev. Robert Turlington Noble: Missionary to the Telugu People in South India). The Rev. Noble was vicar at Nether Broughton which I believe Robert Page’s Mother came from. I am looking to see if he was named after the great man or was he related to the noble family?

    By Ian C Pearson (03/04/2011)
  • Many thanks for this very interesting comment. We would be most interested to learn of any connection that can be established between Turlington Page’s mother (Elizabeth – maiden name Miller) and the Noble family. It would certainly help to explain the naming of Robert Turlington Noble Page who was born in 1889 before moving with his family to Bottesford sometime in the mid 1890s. The 1861 Census places the Miller family in Long Clawson. Elizabeth Miller marries Thomas page on the 27th April 1874 in Long Clawson. The officiating vicar was a Thomas Mitchell, so no direct connection there to the Nobles.  Elizabeth’s mother (also Elizabeth) is listed in the 1861 Census as born in Dalby. The memoir of the Rev. Robert Turlington Noble is a fascinating document and makes reference to Dalby and nearby villages. The Miller family might well be the link. From the memoir it seems that the Rev. Robert Turlington Noble died in India from dysentery in October 1865 after a cyclone earlier that year had ravaged the district in which he lived (p.322). One other interesting connection with Bottesford was that the Rev. Robert Turlington Noble was ordained at the same time as the then rector of Bottesford Canon Frederic J. Norman. His letter of condolence is on Page 66 of the memoir. We have made further progress on Turlington Page’s WW1 service. He enlisted in Calgary, Alberta on the 19/8/1915 and sailed to England after initial training with the Division of Cyclists on 30/1/1916. After further training he was posted to France to join the the newly formed 44th Infantry Battalion on the 12/8/1916. He is reported hospitalised with pleurisy between 27/9/16 to 22/10/16 and returned to the field on 22/10/16 to join in the 44th Battalion’s first engagement on the Somme against the Regina Trench. Two days later he is reported ‘missing presumed killed’ on the 25/10/16. Robert Turlington Noble Page is commemorated on three war memorials: St Mary’s Church, Bottesford, England; The Central Methodist Memorial Calgary, Canada and Vimy Ridge Memorial, France. We are still trying to gain further information about his life in Canada. Although he emigrated to work in farming he gained employment as a bank clerk. His obituary in the Grantham Journal (October 1916) reports that ‘Pte. Page, who was 27 years of age, went to Ontario about eleven years ago. After managing a store for his brother William, who was home in England on a holiday, he went through an educational course at Chatham College and later entered the service of a prominent Canadian banking firm. He served in several parts of the Dominion, including the Far West, Alberta and British Columbia.’  

    By David Middleton (04/04/2011)
  • I have found another relation in the Noble Family. Letitia Noble 1800 – 1863 daughter of Rev John Noble married a John Beasley. Their youngest son was called Robert Turlington Noble Beasley Birth Oct 1843 in Chapel Brampton, Northamptonshire, England. It looks as if the name of Robert Turlington Noble was held with some esteem within the family. I cannot find where the name Turlington comes from. I suspect that the Noble family did call some of the children after people the knew rather than somebody within the family.

    By Ian C Pearson (30/05/2011)
  • Elizabeth Miller (nee Woodford) and her family originate from Old Dalby and have no Nobles as far as I am aware in their family. Neither have the Page family as far as I can see, tracing them back to 1699. If it is connected to my family, I suggest it will be through my GG grandfather, Francis Miller (b.1824 Hose). Unfortunately I have no details as yet of his brothers/sisters or parents as he was living away from home in the 1841 census. When I visit Leicestershire from Cumbria, I hope to find out who his parents etc. were. There is nothing on his gravestone but maybe his mother was a Noble? I will let you know when I find out. I will try and contact my ‘Page’ relatives in Canada and see if anyone knows there.

    By Anne Irons (04/07/2011)
  • Thank you for this further feedback and look forward to anything from the Canadian connections.

    By David Middleton (04/07/2011)
  • The Nobles originated from Frisby-on-the-Wreke and the Beasleys from neighbouring Thrussington, Leicestershire. These families intermarried several times. John Beasley moved to Chapel Brampton, where he became factor to Earl Spencer, and a leading Agricultural Reformist. Tor Langton is the origin of Turlington

    By Bryan Mockridge (11/08/2011)
  • Thank you for this further information. Please do updated us if you find further details of the use of ‘Robert Nobel Turlington’.

    By David Middleton (11/08/2011)
  • Still waiting for a response about the history of 12 Chapel Street.

    By David McQuire (01/06/2012)
  • David, Sorry we have had nothing to add about No.12 Chapel Street, in spite of the fact that it is a most interesting house. Perhaps if you could lend us the deeds for a short while we could deduce more about its history. Neil Fortey

    By Neil Fortey (16/06/2012)
  • Hi, I lived at 7 chapel St from 1958 to 1972, and can help a little bit with your query about 12 Chapel St. Mr Hudson lived there. He was a school teacher and taught my Grandad when he was a boy [Bob Sutton 13 high St, now deceased] at Bottesford school.The only other thing I can tell you is that there was a very, very old car found in the garden shed when Mr Hudson died. 

    By maxine kaye (10/07/2012)
  • Thanks for that Maxine. I am trying to get hold of the deeds and will post anything i find out

    By David McQuire (31/07/2012)
  • My 3rd greatgrandfather William Lee and his wife Emma Tyler lived on Chapel Street in 1851 Census. After reading the above im sure that this must be them mentioned, does anybody know anymore about them please.

    By debbie askham (03/02/2013)
  • I remember that car which belonged to Mr Hudson, it was a Singer and I nearly bought it from him around the late 1950s or early 1960s. That was the model Singer when you started it the starter motor made a noise like a ringing bell. Also Mr Hudson I think also taught at Bottesford C of E, just before and after the war, he also helped out during my time at Bottesford School, around the late 1950s. He helped to teach English and it was my first experience of Rudyard Kipling, which has stayed with me all my life and his gift of imparting knowledge I have never forgotten.

    By Michael Bradshaw (25/02/2013)
  • William Page (born Grimsbury, Northamptonshire, December 1880) married Agnes Mary Miller (born Abb Kettleby, Leicestershire, September 1879). They shared the same grandparents, Francis and Elizabeth (___) Miller of Leicestershire. William Page was the son of Elizabeth Miller 1855-1917 and Thomas Page 1847-1926. Agnes Miller was the daughter of James Miller ~1851 Howse, Leicestershire and Emma Jackson ~1857 Blackwell, Derbyshire. Brother and sister Miller, James Miller’s daughter married Elizabeth Miller Page’s son. The 1901 Bottesford, County Leicester census, page 27, schedule No. 207, reported that Elizabeth Miller Page was born at Nether Broughton. The Francis Miller Family may have known Robert Turlington Noble when they dwelled at Nether Broughton at least 1855-1857. Back to William and Agnes-they married February 20, 1902 at Bottesford, Leicestershire. They immigrated to Ontario, Canada where their first known child, William Miller Page was born August 15, 1903. Agnes’ sister, Gertrude Miller immigrated after 1911 to Canada. Gertrude’s son described Will Page (son of William & Agnes) as a preacher with prayers being said before meals and bedtime. Will Page was reportedly strict in expecting good behavior from everyone. If I recall correctly Page’s had a farm in Tyrconnell near St. Thomas, Elgin County, Ontario and Lake Erie. Gertrude’s sons worked on the Page farm during summers of their boyhood years, (1930s-early 1940s). Here are the known children of William and Agnes (Miller) Page: William Miller Page b. August 15, 1903 m. June 11, 1924 Alice Morrish; Dorothy Emily Page b. June 28, 1906 m. April 28, 1927 John William Mann; Annie Page b. May 29, 1908; Daisy May Page b. October 29, 1909; Thomas James Page b. abt 1914; Mary Louise Page b. abt 1919; Robert Page b. abt 1922 (reportedly named for his Uncle Robert T. N. Page 1889-1916); Muriel Agnes Page b. Abt 1925. I appreciate corrections to this work in progress.

    By Gertrude Miller Descendant (09/04/2013)
  • Thank you for this most interesting and helpful information about William and Agnes Page. Turlington Page named his brother, William, as his executor in his will written just before his active service in France. The records indicate that it was forwarded to William on Turlington’s death on the Somme in 1916. We are in the process of organising 1st World War centenary events for 2014 onwards. We would be most grateful to learn if the family in Canada has any further information about Turlington’s life in Canada prior to his enlistment in Canada or any correspondence between between the two brothers that they might be willing to grant access to. I also understand that William bred prize winning cattle in Canada. I will look up the newspaper clipping to check on the details. Many thanks for your interest and help.

    By David Middleton (09/04/2013)
  • Hi David, re 12 Chapel St. Lived there from 1973 to 1978. We bought it from April and Ian Parsons, (I think). It had been we believe x 2 houses originally, and was one house when we bought it, but in need of some TLC. We were very young (early 20s) and a bit mad, and had no children at the time. This was before Grand Designs, and we embarked on our own grand design of 12 Chapel Street. This involved completely gutting the house, think we had about nine skips in all, the children on their way home from school would watch this process being delivered very gingerly, by lorry. We lived in a small caravan in the side garden, and got stuck in. We started in the spring, and moved back in the house in the October. By then there was a new kitchen, bathroom, central heating, and a spiral staircase (do hope its still there), plus we had turned it into a four bedroomed house. Think we made a pretty good job, and we did most of it ourselves. Think my blood is behind the plastered walls somewhere! and also the wood panelled wall. Would love to step over the front door again one day for a peek, as I just loved that house, but please do not blame me for any defects that have occured during the intervening years!! If you need any reference to validity of this piece I am sure Wendy or Brian Cross of 12 the Square, will confirm this story. Hope you are happy in 12 Chapel Street, please look after it, walked past only last week, on a visit to see Brian and Wendy. Pauline Limmer P.S. did find the “well” when we were doing all our works.

    By Pauline Limmer (03/03/2014)
  • Thank you for your information about 12 chapel street . We moved here in Sept 2010. We have converted the small bedroom into a bathroom . Refitted the kitchen and put in an aga . The spiral staircase is still here and we have just put a log burner in the sitting room. We would love to know the original site of the well. Any more history about the cottage would be much appreciated. Many thanks

    By david mcquire (14/03/2014)
  • Fascinating page My parents Francis and Dorothy Moxon lived at the Old Manse from 1950 until the death of Francis in 2003. I was away at School. Moved to Sussex(working with Dogs then to America, came back to UK in 59 married in 1961, now live in Sussex.

    By Patricia Cheetham (nee Moxon) (03/03/2017)
  • Hello, I am a great granddaughter of William Miller and Alice (Morrish) Page. I’m so heartfelt that I just read all of the names of William Miller’s siblings. I was blessed, being born in 1970, to have met most all of them. My mother is Barbara (Ripley) Rosin and her mother was Mona (Page) Ripley the oldest child of William and Alice. We remember him as Grandpa Miller, I think he went by his middle name. Thank you for sharing this info, I love staying connected. They say that a hundred years from now our descendants won’t remember us, but I do and always will remember mine. If it weren’t for their existence, I wouldn’t be here.

    By Laura (Rosin) Walker (06/01/2024)

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