Knocking on the door to the past

I was talking recently with some friends about answering the door or answering the telephone to unexpected callers, and how these days we often choose not to. This set me thinking back to a conversation I had with another friend years ago who said: "if you can't drop in unexpectedly on your parents, then who can you drop in on?" I must have been thinking about this a lot lately because I dreamed one evening that my parents dropped in on me when I was out, but others in my house were in, so when I got home I was horrified - not horrified to see my parents, but horrified because I hadn't vacuumed for 4 days, the place was untidy and the washing basket was overflowing. And as for the dust ... well!

So these days, I wouldn't dream of calling in on anybody without either phoning them, texting them or emailing them to arrange a suitable time for a visit. I might walk past their house on a regular basis, but I certainly wouldn't interrupt their life without due warning. And even if we did arrange something, we'd be more likely to meet for tea in a cafe in town!

But, as we know, this closed door society hasn't always been like this. Years ago people didn't even used to shut their front door, kids played in the street and not only would you pop in and chat with your friends and neighbours, you'd even - horror or horrors - borrow some sugar from them!

This led me to the curious thought of who from Loughborough's past would I call in on if I happened to be around during their lifetime! Here's some of those who are on my list - and it is just some of them, as there are hundreds more!

• In 1891 I'd visit William Clarke, who was part of the Clarke's Dyeworks family, at The Gables on Forest Road. It's student accommodation now, but I wonder what it would have been like inside as a new house around 1891? And what would William and his family have been like? In 1911 I'd have called in on his widow, Laura, who was now living at no.55 Park Road. That house would surely have been magnificent in those days. In early 1953 I'd have visited William's son, also William, at his home at no.3 Park Street, unaware that this was probably the last time I'd see him.

• In 1889 I'd pop in to see Arthur Paget and his wife, Rose, in Radmoor House, to hear how exciting it was to have an invention displayed at the recent Paris Exposition! Arthur died in 1895, and Rose moved away, so, later that year, I'd drop in an Ernest Coltman, son of Huram Coltman, boilermaker, and see how the house and nearby grounds had changed.

• In 1891 I'd mount the steps of no.20 Burton Street to pop in on Thomas Messenger and talk about the old Messenger business he sold to Walter Burder in 1874. In 1911 I'd be calling in two doors down, at no.22, to pass the time of day with Henry Corah, who ran a printing business. 1939 would see me again calling in at no.20 to see what architectural plans Arnold Barrowcliff was currently working on.

• In the meantime, in 1891 I'd pop in to see how Walter Burder was getting on in his new house, Field House, after moving here from Park Road. Then I'd walk over to The Elms, off the Leicester Road and see how his younger brother, Alfred was getting on in his big house.  

• Having visited Edward Middleton, owner of Middleton's Bank in Market Place, at his home in the Grove on Ashby Road (now student halls) in 1871, I'd then walk up to Leicester Road, to visit his son Edward William Craddock Middleton and his wife Augusta Sophia. They're living in Shelthorpe Cottage, a beautiful house in a park setting - lovely and quiet! In 1887 Edward died, and Augusta Sophia continued to live in Shelthorpe House, but eventually moved to Fairfield House, now known as the White House, probably to get away from the steam of the new Great Central Railway, and the constant machinery of the new Tucker's brick works, which both opened around 1898-9. In 1907 I'd pop in to Fairfield House and chat about the recent events Mrs Middleton had been to - she's a very social lady and has numerous friends!

And this would leave me plenty of other folk to visit on other days!

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Dyer, Lynne (2019). Knocking on the door to the past. Available from:  [Accessed  14 July 2019]

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