Wax work at the Cross Keys

Probably the best known wax museum in the UK is Madame Tussauds. It was in 1802 that Madame Tussaud first brought her travelling exhibition to the UK, and in 1835 set up a more permanent display at ‘The Baker Street Bazaar’. Eventually, in 1884, thirty-four years after her death, the waxworks museum we know today was set up. 

Wax museums and exhibitions, as well as animal menageries became popular, and various of these toured the country. One such was Hyltons. In 1851, Mr Edward Hylton was advertising his travelling show as a ‘Grand Imperial Museum of Magnificent Moving Figures, as large and as natural as life’ and brilliantly illuminated with gas, ahead of his visit to Newbury in May that year. 

In June 1851, the show visited Marlborough, and we learn that the residents were pleased with their view of what was described as ‘Hylton’s Panorama’, considering it instructive and amusing, particularly to young people, presenting nothing to offend, and everything to awaken and instruct. Hylton also had a brass band, and this was loaned out to the members of the Marlborough Branch of the Wiltshire Friendly Society, to accompany their annual festival.

October 1851 was a busy month for Hyltons, and they could be visited at the Nottingham Goose fair; the Hylton brass band played at Barnstaple, and the ‘Museum of Wax figures’ comprising, amongst other things, models of interesting objects, and a panorama of the Crystal Palace, was on show in Queen Street, Exeter, and was, apparently, skilfully executed.  

1852 was no less quiet! During the period between Christmas and New Year 1852, Hylton’s ‘wild beast’ show delighted audiences at North Shields, and in May, ‘Hylton’s Exhibition of Wax Figures’ was on view for several days at Shepton Mallett, having narrowly escaped complete destruction when a fire took hold, after a naptha lamp was overfilled. 

In September, Hyltons were at the Ashby-de-la-Zouch statutes fair for about four days, and had lots of visitors, and the Hylton brass band attracted large crowds. In October, Hyltons attended the Goose Fair in Nottingham with the wax work collection, alongside Howie’s ‘museum of wax figures’, Batty’s menagerie, and Winroe’s mechanical exhibition. 

Later in October 1852, Hylton’s attended the Mansfield pleasure fair that was part of the cheese fair. The amusements consisted of wax figures, four views of Crystal Palace, a chamber of horrors, and three young cubs. Moving swiftly north, Hylton’s ‘National Menagerie’ was busy with visitors when it exhibited at the Saturday market in Beverley, Yorkshire. However, its outing to Brigg in Lincolnshire seemed somewhat less popular, staying for only one day, and being less busy than hoped for, despite the band giving a good performance of several of the most popular pieces of the day.

In the coming years, Hyltons unique collection of wax figures visited Dundee, where the ingenious mechanisms employed seemed to make the figures move. These figures represented people like the Duke of Wellington, the Emperor of Russia, the Sultan of Turkey, and others. By the time the 1854 exhibition reached Nottingham in December of that year, it was advertised as ‘Hylton’s Animated Wax Work’. In December 1857, Hylton’s wax work exhibition made an appearance in The Square at Chepstow, as part of the Chepstow Farmers’ Club Annual Cattle, Poultry, and Crop Show, and Hylton’s brass band enlivened the proceedings by playing some popular pieces.

At the end of December 1857, the moving wax work figures travelled to Cheltenham, where it was sited in the ground behind the market. Some of the models represented Queen Victoria, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke of Wellington, the Maid of Saragossa, and Don Carlos. All was accompanied by the brass band.  The admission prices were:

One shilling for ladies and gentlemen; 

6d for tradespeople; 

3d each for the working classes and their children. 

Children from the workhouse were admitted free of charge, and those belonging to charity schools were half-price, while children from other schools were admitted on ‘reasonable terms’. 

The events were open daily from 2-5pm, and 6 to 10pm. During the hours of 2-4pm, private viewings of the exhibition cost 1s each.

In July 1858, Hylton’s Wax Exhibition is advertised for sale by public auction in Moore Street, Birmingham. In all, there were five lots.

Lot 1 was a caravan containing Androcles and the lion; King of Delhi and two Sons; six views with glasses.

Lot 2 was a stage carriage with complete decorations; two figures front inside; Nana Sahib; Captain Rogers; Group of Duke of Wellington and Attendants.

Lot 3 was a caravan containing 24 figures, representing the death of General Zumelncarraguay, a Spanish Chieftan.

Lot 4 was a caravan containing 19 figures, representing the Maid of Saragossa Defeating Napoleon’s Army; also views with eight glasses

Lot 5 was a caravan containing 21 figures, representing the Council Chamber of Constantinople, including the Sultan of Turkey.

All the carriages were in good condition. The figures were all worked by machinery. Four of the caravans were 20 feet long, and 8 feet wide, while the stage carriage was 16 feet long by 8 feet wide.

The reason for this sale was because Edward Hylton had died the previous year, in fact on 21 August 1857. Probate, which stated that he was formerly a cooper of the City of Lincoln, but most recently was a travelling exhibitor and proprietor of model wax figures, was granted on 21 June 1858 to his wife, Maria.

But, what has all this to do with Loughborough?

Towards the end of September 1852, after visiting Ashby, and before visiting Nottingham, Hylton brought his wax models to Loughborough, and exhibited them at was then the Cross Keys Inn, now the Phantom, on High Street. This must have been a difficult and sad time for Edward and Maria, as their 17-year-old daughter, Sarah took ill, and they left her at the Cross Keys to recover, the landlord of which was Mr Dougherty, while they proceeded on to Nottingham Goose Fair. Sadly, despite receiving medical attention from a nurse and an attendant, Sarah died.

The Phantom pub, formerly the Cross Keys Inn, High Street

The funeral took place a couple of days later, and the coffin was borne to the grave by six residents of the town, while six females town residents, supported the pall. Amongst the mourners were Edward, Maria, and their son, Joseph. Their grief was indescribable, and of the several thousand spectators who were there, many were moved to tears. The Hylton brass band returned from Nottingham and, wearing mourning dress, hatbands and black gloves, they led the procession from the Cross Keys to Emmanuel Church, playing the Old Hundredth psalm. Reverend Bunch conducted the moving burial service and this was followed by the band performing the music to Pope’s Ode to the Soul. What a sad experience: perhaps Edward never fully recovered from the loss of his daughter.

Emmanuel Church

Curiously, on census returns and other documents, the surname of the family is sometimes spelled Hylton, and sometimes Hilton, but daughter Sarah is always recorded as Susan.

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follows:

Dyer, Lynne (2022). Wax work at the Cross Keys. Available from:https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2022/04/wax-work-at-cross-keys.html   [Accessed 24 April 2022]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne                    

Spotlight on Glebe House

Nestled between a primary school, the former home of Loughborough’s first mayor, and close to a university hall of residence, on what is affectionately known as the Forest Green Belt, Glebe House will be a name well known to those who are familiar with Loughborough. For many years the property was home to the Glebe House project, being used by Loughborough MENCAP from about 1982 until 2010. 

Glebe House

But what of the building before this, and what afterwards? And what exactly does this have to do with no.57 Forest Road - now part of a student property, but once part of the Forest Rise Hotel - and an unassuming mid-twentieth century property, no.47 Forest Road?

Rev. William Holme, who was Rector of Loughborough, initiated the dividing of Loughborough from one large parish, served by the church of All Saints, into two parishes. As a result of this, the building of Emmanuel church began in 1835, and was completed by 1837, with the service of dedication being held on 4 September 1837. At this time (and until 1839) Loughborough was in the diocese of Lincoln.

As Rev. Holme was the rector of the whole of Loughborough, he resided at the Rectory in Rectory Road, practically adjacent to the church of All Saints. When the reverend died in 1848, a new rector for Loughborough (i.e. the parish of All Saints) was appointed, as was a rector for the relatively new parish of Emmanuel.

The Old Rectory on Rectory Road, home to the Rector of All Saints

Rev. Robert James Bunch arrived in Loughborough in 1848, and in June of that year Rev. Bunch married Mary Anne Cooper, daughter of the Rev. B. Cooper, Rector of Lewcombe in Dorset, at Christ Church, St Pancras.

On the 1851 census, Rev. Bunch and his wife are listed at The Grove on Ashby Road, the family home of the banking dynasty of Middleton. 

The Grove, Ashby Road

However, also in 1851 the new rectory for the Emmanuel church was completed at a cost of around £2,000 to build. Apparently this new rectory was designed to be similar to the vicarage in Yetminster, Dorset, as both Mrs Bunch’s grandfather and father had been the vicar there. What emerged was a beautiful red-brick Victorian Gothic rectory, which today appears on the register of Locally Listed Buildings.  

During the time that Rev. Bunch and his family were living at the rectory, in October 1869 there were a series of about nine fires, deliberately set alight, all in a straight line and within a quarter of a mile of each other. According to a newspaper report, “On the right, and very near to Emmanuel Rectory, the residence of the Rev. R.J. Bunch, a haystack, the produce of six acres, belonging to Mr Robert Handley, was being consumed.” The perpetrator of the crime had given himself up and confessed to the police.

On 19 June 1870, Rev. Bunch died, and in August 1870 the auction house on Baxter Gate were auctioning valuable furniture and contents from the rectory, including 700-800 volumes of books. Bunch’s position as rector was filled by Rev. Octavius Glover, a bachelor who lived in the rectory with his four servants. Rev. Glover retired from his position as rector of Emmanuel in 1904, and died in Torquay the following year. Oddly, in August of 1904 the auction house of Garton and Amatt on Baxter Gate was again auctioning furniture etc. from the Emmanuel Rectory.

The former offices of auctioneers, Garton and Amatt

It was in September of 1904, following the retirement of Rev. Glover, that the Rev. Richard H. Fuller first appeared to preach at Emmanuel church. He and his family lived at the Rectory, but there were a number of things about the building which worried him: the house wasn’t connected to the local water supply, instead relying on water drawn from a well, and the sewerage system was not up to scratch either, nor did Rev. Fuller appreciate the necessity for employing a large number of servants! In March 1907, Mr Beeby, a 24-year old gardener with 2.5 years’ experience was advertising that he was looking for a position elsewhere: the address given in the advert was the Emmanuel Rectory Loughborough, and it appeared in the Stamford Mercury.  

Rev. Fuller continued to live at the rectory until about 1920. During the period from 1904 – 1920, there were many newsworthy things happening. 

In 1908 there was an extensive report in the newspaper about one of the many fetes and sales of work that were held in the rectory grounds. Apart from giving everyone the chance to have fun, the aim of the fete was to raise funds to improve and extend the church. Although the rain fell, and people got bogged down in the garden, the event went well, and funds were, indeed, raised.

In 1911 Mr Amatt was auctioning, amongst other things, a plot of freehold building land on Forest Road, previously belonging to Mrs S.J. Crosher. The plot was currently occupied by Mr Scott, and was subject to Land Tax and a Tithe Rent of 14s. 6d. payable to the Rector of Emmanuel. The plot had a frontage of 90 feet onto Forest Road, and was of 1,036 square feet.

In March 1914 the ‘Loughborough Echo’ reported that a nest of thrushes were hatched in the Emmanuel Rectory garden. And in September that same year an appeal was put out by H. Sabina Fuller [sic] of Emmanuel Rectory for people to knit socks for soldiers, as the War Office allowance was only three pairs.

A couple of years later, in March 1916 a young person was charged with stealing a cycle lamp used by Miss Fuller, and belonging to Rev R.H.  Fuller of Emmanuel Rectory and worth 6s. 6d.. This was taken in October 1915 from outside Rosebery School, while Miss Fuller was attending a nursing class. 

In August 1917 ‘The Tatler’ carried the announcement of the marriage between Miss Cecil Sabrina Fuller, the only daughter of Rev R.H. Fuller and his wife, with Mr Maurice Woolley.

In 1920, Emmanuel Church bought a smaller property, on Forest Road, as a home for the rector. This house, at no.57, was a semi-detached Victorian red-brick villa, which has more recently been the left-hand half of the Forest Rise Hotel, now student accommodation. At the time of purchase, the house was just over £4,500, and despite being smaller than the original rectory, still had six bedrooms!

These two semi-detached properties, nos.55 (right) & 57 (left), have been merged

Perhaps it was at this time that the 1851 rectory became known as Glebe House, to make it more easily differentiated from the new rectory?

Let’s very quickly look at successive rectors and their homes …

Rev. Fuller moved on in 1923 to become rector of North Luffenham in Rutland, and Rev. Douglas A. Robson took over from him. Rev. Robson came from Par in Cornwall, and when he moved on in 1939, it was to South Kilworth in Leicestershire. Rev. Harold Marley took over in 1939, coming from Sedgley, and moving to be rector of Thorpe Morieux in Suffolk.

Rev. Lancelot Edgell Dashwood became Rector of Emmanuel in 1951, following on from Rev. Marley. His immediately previous position was as vicar of Hugglescote and he retired in 1961 to Hothfield in Kent. It was during Rev. Dashwood’s incumbency, in 1953-54, that the current rectory, no.47 Forest Road was built and became home to future rectors.

No.47 Forest Road

The rector from 1961-1969 was Rev. Alfred Reginald Meakin, who came to Loughborough from the position of Rector of Appleby Magna. ‘Rex’ as he was known, retired to Dorset in 1969, and his shoes were filled in 1970 by Rev. Ian D. Campbell, who, in 1980 moved on to become vicar of All Saints in Leamington Spa. Coming from Thorpe Arnold, near Melton Mowbray, Michael T.H. Banks became Rector of Emmanuel in 1980. Rev. Banks was followed by Rev. David Newman, who left Emmanuel in 2009 to become Warden at Launde Abbey, and he was followed in the role at Emmanuel by Rev. Michael Broadley, who remains as rector today, and resides at no.47.

So, now we’ve seen where the rector resides after 1920, wouldn’t it be interesting to know what happens to ‘Glebe House’ once the rector moves out?

Find out in the next post!!!

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). Spotlight on Glebe House. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/11/spotlight-on-glebe-house.html [Accessed 6 December 2020]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

You can leave comments below, but do check back as my reply will appear here, below your comment.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne