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Thursday, 15 October 2026

31 Days of Graves Day 15 Saint

I’ve spent quite a lot of time over the past few weeks having a really good look around our local cemeteries, on the hunt for graves that fit a specific theme. Now, you’d think, wouldn’t you, that there might be mentions of saints, or perhaps statues representing saints? I found angels, I found women, and I found things that could well have been saints, but I was unable to work out which particular saint was represented.

I was struggling a bit with this theme, until I decided to branch out from our Anglican cemeteries, and headed off down Ashby Road to St Mary’s Catholic church. I wasn’t feeling particularly hopeful, as having spent a good deal of time walking up and down Ashby Road [1], I’d never spotted a graveyard at the church. However, I was not disappointed with my visit!

No, there wasn’t a graveyard, but, along the perimeter of the church facing Hastings Street stood three memorial stones.

The stone to the right commemorated Thomas and Francis Reaney, while the one on the right was the one that really caught my attention.

The inscription reads:

Of your Charity

Pray forth Repose of the Soul of

Francis Heap,

who departed this life,

on the feast of Saint Mary Magdalen,

July 22nd 1852:

being the 26th Year of his Age

We have loved him let us not forsake him until by

our prayers we have introduced him into Eternal

tabernacles.

Requiescant in pace.

Thank you for reading the blog!

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Notes

[1] One of my earliest posts to this blog was about Ashby Road, and I've revisited the street and written about its houses (odd numbered, and even numbered), and its shops.

____________________________________

Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

_______________________________________________

Thank you for reading this blog.

Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2026). 31 Days of Graves Day 15 Saint. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2026/10/31-days-of-graves-day-15-saint.html [Accessed 15 October 2026]

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Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 11 October 2026

31 Days of Graves Day 11 Interesting Epitaph

Numerous of the gravestones I looked at could fall into the category of bearing an interesting epitaph, so it was quite difficult to make a choice of what to include.

Below is the memorial to William Howard Rendall Gibbs, found in the old cemetery on Leicester Road. William’s parents, William John and Edith Elizabeth, nee Bromhead, were married at Emmanuel church on 27 April 1887. William was a coal and builder’s merchant, along with some of his brothers, who had their business on Station Street. The family lived at West Leigh, No.115 Ashby Road, a home with 10 rooms. Edith died in 1914, and William married again, to Gertrude, and he himself died in 1938, leaving quite a substantial sum of money. Sadly, their only child, William Howard Rendall Gibbs died in Bedford on 17th November 1905, aged 17.

Here’s the full inscription

To the

Precious memory of

Our only child

William Howard Rendell Gibbs

Born on Good Friday March 30th 1888

Passed into eternity Nov. 17th 1905

“Thine for ever may we be”

Also sacred to the memory of

Edith Elizabeth Gibbs

Beloved wife of

William John Gibbs

Born July 18th 1855 died July 21st 1914

“His banner over us is love”

In loving remembrance

William John Gibbs

May 26th 1859

August 21st 1938

Also Gertrude beloved 2nd wife of the above

Died November 9th 1952 aged 70 years

The following memorial to Marguerite (Rita) Williams, also in the old cemetery on Leicester Road, says:

In cherished memory of

Marguerite,

(Rita)

The loving wife of the

Rev. W. Charles William

Wesleyan Methodist Minister

Loughborough

Lifter higher

April 3rd 1900.

She was always pleasant.

She “was not. For God took” her.

Over in the churchyard at All Saints with Holy Trinity on Steeple Row is a memorial to Elizabeth, wife of Richard Nicklinson, and to Richard himself. Richard and Elizabeth Chapman were married at All Saints church on 18 June 1809.

Richard had been an apprentice to master grocer, John Toone, a few years earlier. By 1832 he owned a property on Mill Street (now Market Street) which was let out to Edward Chesterton. In 1835 Richard was listed in a trade directory as a brush maker, Secretary of the Permanent (subscription) Library on Baxter Gate, and an oil and colour man working on Baxter Gate. In 1841, Richard was a brush maker, and had a freehold property on Baxter Gate, again let out to Chesterton, although Richard was also conducting his business – as a brush maker, and a dry salter, from Baxter Gate, as well as being an insurance agent for the Manchester, based on High Street.

A couple of years before his death, Richard was a brush manufacturer, an oil and colour man, and an agent for Pelican Life and Manchester Fire Offices, his business still being based on Baxter Gate.

The full inscription reads:

In memory of

Elizabeth

Wife of

Richard Nicklinson

And daughter of

Samuel and Elizabeth Chapman

After a long and painful affliction

She died at peace with God

And all mankind

An humble following of her Saviour

On the 24th day of May 1850

Aged 603 years

Also of

Richard Nicklinson

Husband of the above

Who died March 21 1856

Aged 72 years

He was much respected by a nume

rous acquaintance both rich and

poor, the latter of whom he was a

sincere friend and helper.

Also sincerely mourned by

those to whom he had been

a friend and father.

The following memorial stone, also in the churchyard of All Saints, needs no explanation. It is hard to read due to weathering and the weather.

Transcription of the inscription

The

Lord gave and

the Lord hath

taken away;

Blessed be the

name of the

Lord

In memory of

HANNAH, wife of John TROTH,

who died in child-bed, July

25th 1826, Aged 30 years

A loving Wife, a Friend sincere,

Seven Babes with her lie Bury'd here;

A Christian faithfull just and true,

who liv'd and die'd with Heaven in view,

In Christ the Lord she put her trust,

Now Earth to Earth and Dust to Dust

But e'er she'd been a Wife seven years,

She was took from this Vale of Tears;

The seventh Infant ne'er was bom,

But caus'd her Death, and Friends to mourn,

But now she's Bless'd, among'st the just,

Earth to Earth and Dust to Dust.

Not all her Friends nor Doctor's art,

Could to her aid or help impart;

But when the Trumpet's hallow'd sound

Shall thro' Death's silent Vaults resound;

She'll rise! triumphant with the just

Awake to life - and quit the Dust

How lov'd how Valu'd once; avail'd thee not.

By whom respected, or by whome begot:

A heap of Dust alone remains of thee

is all thou art - and all ¬the proud shall be

This Stone was erected by her surviving

... ... ... solemn …

Finally, this memorial stone to John White was originally in the churchyard of the Wood gate Baptist Chapel, but now stands in the grounds of the Old Rectory. I haven’t researched John White of Cotes, so here is my photograph, and my transcription of his memorial:

Beneath

Are deposited the mortal remains of

John White of Cotes

Who during a period of more than

forty years was a regular mem

ber of the Christian Church as

sembling in the adjoining Chapel

his attachment to the Redeemer’s

cause was sincere and unabated

his zeal for its advancement was

manifested by personal assertion

and pecuniary sacrifices. In tend

ernes of conjugal and fraternal

affection and the punctual dis

charge of the relative and special

duties few have exceeded him.

The stroke by which he was sep

arated from his affectionate fam

ily, his brethren and a wide circle

of friends was awfully sudden

being summoned to an exchange

of worlds by an apoplectic seizure

under which on the 27th of

January 1825

The remainder of the inscription is beneath the soil, but I did find something on the internet which might be the completion of it:

“in the 62nd year of his age, after an affliction of a few hours only he sank late the arms of death.”

These are just some of the unique memorials to be found in our cemeteries.

____________________________________

Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

_______________________________________________

Thank you for reading this blog.

Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2026). 31 Days of Graves Day 11 Interesting Epitaph. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2026/10/31-days-of-graves-day-11-interesting.html [Accessed 11 October 2026]

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External Links:

Blog archive and tags:

Searching the blog:

site: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/ “Radmoor House”

NOTE – the words you’re actually looking for must be in “” and the first of these must be preceded by a space

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Saturday, 3 October 2026

31 Days of Graves Day 3 Overgrown

These days there seems to be a couple of schools of thought regarding the upkeep of cemeteries. I have visited some that are clipped, cut, and maintained to the nth degree; I’ve been to some where one small area is devoted to re-wilding to help the flora and bees, and I’ve been to other cemeteries which are completely overgrown. I think there is no right or wrong strategy.

So, let’s look at some overgrown memorials. All these are in the Leicester Road old cemetery. Three of these were taken in 2014, one in 2020. I cannot tell you anything about the seriously overgrown ones, as I can’t quite work out where they are today in the Leicester Road old cemetery!

The following memorial is to Edward Chatterton Middleton, the banker. In 2014 it was somewhat overgrown, and the impression at the time was that it was a standalone grave. However, since the area has been cleared, the extent of the memorial can now be seen, along with evidence that there were once iron railings around the plot. You can read a bit more about E.C. Middleton on an earlier blogpost.

On a rather whimsical blogpost, I once wrote the following, about people I’d visit if I were living in their time period: the Middletons were most hospitable!

"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 into Fairfield House and chat about the recent events Mrs Middleton had been to - she's a very social lady and has numerous friends!”

I hope this was an interesting read, and look forward to sharing more memorials with you tomorrow.

____________________________________

Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

_______________________________________________

Thank you for reading this blog.

Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2026). 31 Days of Graves Day 3 Overgrown. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2026/09/31-days-of-graves-day-3-overgrown.html [Accessed 3 October 2026]

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External Links:

Blog archive and tags:

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site: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/ “Radmoor House”

NOTE – the words you’re actually looking for must be in “” and the first of these must be preceded by a space

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 20 September 2026

Tallow Chandlers

On a recent visit to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, a place I’ve been going to for nearly 50 years, albeit rather sporadically, I discovered that quite a lot had changed!! On this particular occasion, I made a few poor choices … I usually park up by the crematorium and the converted water tower, but on the day I arrived, there was a funeral taking place, and the road was packed with cars.

I found somewhere else to park, and walked around some areas of Ashby I’d not been to before, which was fine, and I managed not to get lost! I did accidentally happen upon the old railway line, so that was quite pleasing. However, I hadn’t anticipated that Wednesday would be half-day, or in some cases, all-day closing, so some of the cafes I have been going to for years were closed.

Hunting for somewhere open for a cuppa, I wandered down Mill Lane Mews, an area which was once burgage plots (a rented long and narrow strip of land), but which had been converted to properties in a yard, back in the 18th century. It was only in the late twentieth century that the buildings along this little lane were converted into shops.

I chose what looked like a familiar café that I might have been in before, but once I stepped in, it looked completely different – a new owner, a new deli counter, and a few walls removed to make one large space. But what were those nails sticking out of the black beams (and now, how I wish I'd asked if I could take a photograph!!)?

So, back in the early 19th century, one Thomas Orme lived and worked in this property: he was a tallow chandler, and the nails in the beams we where he used to hang his candles from, as they were often made in pairs, and could be hung as such by their wick. Thomas lived with his wife Dorothy, and children Thomas (c.30), Abraham (c.25), George (c.15), Dorothy (14), and Edward (10). In 1851, journeyman chandler Thomas was still in the property, although his wife had died, and he was living with some of his children. By 1861, the tallow chandler living in the property was George Simms, aged 45, with his wife aged 40, and his children Catherine (13), Thomas (11), Hannah (4), and Guy aged 6 months.

I haven’t traced the people living in the building before 1841 nor after 1861 because this is about Ashby, and the blog is about Loughborough, and it would take me too long! However ...

Tallow chandlers have been the focus of some of my research into Loughborough over the past couple of years, and there are a couple of sections in my latest book, ‘Loughborough At Work’ relating to them. Here are a couple of snippets from the book:

From Chapter: Early local apprenticeships and trades

“Mary Sheppard, the daughter of Samuel Sheppard, was apprenticed to Samuel Withers, a master tallow chandler, in 1681. Whether or not Mary went on to make and sell tallow candles is not known. The work of the tallow chandler was hard and most unpleasant, as the tallow used to make the candles came from animal fat, which had been mixed with water, boiled, and then pressed to extract the tallow. The resulting candles when burned would smell dreadful, would fill the area with black smoke, and the wicks needed to be regularly trimmed. Candles made using beeswax didn’t smell unpleasant, were quite easy to roll, but were expensive, and so were the preserve of the very wealthy. Candles would also have to be stored securely, as the animal fat would attract vermin!”

From Chapter: Framework knitting, dyeing, and other occupations

“Tallow chandlers

Around 1763, John Toone of Loughborough, was apprenticed to Thomas Lord, a bootmaker. Apprenticeship completed, in 1785 John Toone was now a tallow chandler in Loughborough and had taken on John Bates as an apprentice. John was listed in the 1792 trade directory, alongside Thomas Toone, as a tallow chandler, but by 1802, when he took on two apprentices - Richard Nicklinson, and James Cumberland - his trade was listed as grocer. This is credible, as he would need to sell any candles he made, but this also reflects the nature of trade directories, recording and listing trades and occupations differently. John Toone may have died around 1818, as a trade directory of 1822 lists a Mary Toone as a grocer and tallow chandler, in Biggin Street, and a William Toone as a grocer, hop merchant, and tallow chandler, also on Biggin Street. Mary and William are also listed in the directory under tallow chandlers, along with John Chapman, another tallow chandler on High Street. So, the Toones were still making and selling candles, but in addition were also selling other provisions. In 1828, they also appeared to be tea dealers, but by 1841, Mary and William were no longer listed, and in their place was one Joseph Toone at Baxter Gate: John Chapman was, however, still listed.

An 1846 directory tells the same story, but by 1849 while Joseph was still a grocer and tallow chandler on Baxter Gate, John Chapman was simply listed as a grocer, but at two properties, one on High Street, the other on Baxter Gate. In 1854, Joseph Toone was listed as a tallow chandler, and John Chapman had just the one grocery shop on High Street.

Although around the late 1700s oil lamps, with their circular wick, provided a brighter light than candles, it wasn’t until the end of the eighteenth century that lighting was provided by gas. However, while the wealthy began to illuminate their homes with gas lighting, the poorer people still relied on tallow candles.

Neither the Toone nor the Chapman family appeared in the 1861 trade directory, but three other tallow chandlers were listed: Edward Spreckley on Bedford Square; John Vice Stevens on Baxter Gate, and Frederick Thirlby on Biggin Street. Stevens and Thirlby also appeared in an 1863 trade directory, but the 1876 directory listed no tallow chandlers, preferring to classify the two men as grocers. This changes in 1877 when Thirlby no longer appears, Stevens was a grocer and tallow chandler at 7 Baxter Gate, and Arthur Ball was a grocer, tallow chandler, and hop merchant at 1 Biggin Street. In 1892, Stevens, still running his grocery shop, was the sole remaining tallow chandler, which by 1908 was run by Robert Stevens Crane. This was the last time a tallow chandler was mentioned in the trade directories. A sign of the times, perhaps, that gas lighting had now become more common and more trusted, and the use of electric lighting was beginning to dominate: subsequent trade directories (1912, 1925, and 1928) list initially A. & E. Thompson, and then Walter Dakin as incandescent dealers at 56 and then 56-7 Mill Street.”

Tallow chandlers are, of course, just one of the occupations that are covered in the book!

By the way, if you happen to be looking for a place to eat in Ashby, I found the old tallow chandlers to be a lovely place – now called Lil Bo’s Deli

____________________________________

Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

_______________________________________________

Thank you for reading this blog.

Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2026). Tallow chandlers. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2026/09/tallow-chandlers.html [Accessed 20 August 2026]

Take down policy:

External Links:

Blog archive and tags:

Searching the blog:

site: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/ “Radmoor House”

NOTE – the words you’re actually looking for must be in “” and the first of these must be preceded by a space

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Billposters

On a rare occasion, I recently found myself sitting waiting for someone to cook my dinner for me! As I twiddled my thumbs, did a bit of doom scrolling, and a bit of people watching (feeling glad I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t be bothered to cook!!) I happened to glance out of the window, where my attention was caught by the advertising board. Of course, I’d noticed that the traditional poster board had been replaced across town with electronic boards – who hadn’t! But it got me to thinking …

There was a glitch the day I looked, so this was a permanent advert!

At one time there was actually a company called the Loughborough Bill Posting Company, based at 35 Ashby Road, so let’s have a bit of a wander around the world of billposting.

It’s a bit of an odd term, to my mind, bill posting. We tend to think of a bill in terms of money that we need to pay out, and indeed the technical meaning of ‘bill’ is about it being a written list. Arguably, written bills have been around since the invention of moveable type printing, invented by Gutenberg in 1450. Posters, used as a term for people who put up bills, as in adverts, is a much newer concept, probably coined around 1830, and the combination of the terms, i.e. ‘billposter’ came about around 1864. However …

In an 1854 trade directory for Leicestershire, we find one Cornelius Wooding listed as a newsagent and billposter on Church Gate (some sources say at No.15, others at No.16). The same entry appeared in an 1863 directory, and throughout his life, Cornelius was referred to variously as a newsagent, tobacconist, billposter, and stationer. He advertised his services in various newspapers, adding ‘publicity agent’ to his roles. This advert appeared in the ‘Hinckley News and General Advertiser’ in April 1868:

Cornelius’s billposting activities seem to take place around the same time as those of Joseph Ryder, although I’ve only been able to find Joseph advertising in 1866-7. Also working around the same time was Charles Adcock, whose offices were on Upper Charles Street in Leicester, but who by 1872 appears to have offices in Loughborough, too.

Billposting was quite a fraught occupation, and in 1862 the United Kingdom Bill Posting Association was created 1862 by Edward Sheldon. Sheldon was a billposter in Briggate, Leeds, where he’d taken over the business from his father-in-law. I say the occupation was fraught because the industry was unregulated, and there was a lot of competition, with people sticking up bills without permission, which caused friction with other billposters. Hence, Sheldon’s association, which changed its name in 1890 to the United Billposters’ Association, was created to turn the chaos that was billposting into a respectable trade by standardising practice, enforcing ethical working practice, thereby unifying the industry. The Association had its own journal, the ‘Bill Poster’ which ran from 1887-1910, and was published monthly. Charles Adcock’s business in Leicester was a member of the United Kingdom Bill Posting Association.

Back to Loughborough …

In 1868, another billposter appears on the Loughborough scene – John Preston, working from Court A on Fennel Street. Preston is a member of the United Kingdom Bill Posters’ Association, and in mid-February he also advertises in the ‘Hinckley News and General Advertiser’:

In late February 1868, Preston accused Cornelius Wooding of defacing his posters, which Preston had posted on walls that cost him 5s. a year to rent. However, the case was dismissed as Preston had permission from the landlord or owner of the premises, while Cornelius had permission from the tenant. Strangely, a similar charge was brought against Joseph Ryder, but was not carried through. This is the report that appeared in the ‘Leicester Mail’ on 25 April 1868:

“RIVAL Bill Posters - John Preston v. Cornelius Wooding.
The plaintiff in this case sued defendant for the sum of £3 - £1 for damages alleged to have been sustained by him by defendant having fixed placards upon certain stations rented by him; £1 12s. 6d. for expenses involved in a previous suit taken before the magistrates; and 7s. 6d. for loss of time incurred by going before the magistrates and watching his walls.
His Honour said the two last items could not be sustained.
It appeared from the evidence brought before the court that plaintiff rented two posting-stations, one in Pinfold-gate and the other in Pinfold-jetty, from Mr. Start and Mr. Capewell, at a nominal rate of 5s. and 3s. 6d. per annum respectively.
A spirit of rivalry or animosity existing between the parties at suit in respect to the posting of their bills, plaintiff, to ensure himself if possible from the repeated annoyances to which he was subjected by defendant placing his placards over those fixed by him, took the precaution in February last of renting the places above mentioned.
However, notwithstanding that he published notices notifying that these stations were exclusively his by right of tenure, his bills continued to be torn down and posted over, in consequence of which he contended his business was disparaged, and to recover damages for which he brought the present action.
In cross-examination plaintiff said he had pulled defendant’s bills down many times from the walls, but he did not go out purposely to do so.
He knew a wall on the Ashby-road, but he did not get an iron rake one night to tear some of the placards down.
It had been a custom for anyone to post bills on those walls before he rented them.
He put a notice on the walls stating that they were rented by him, and that those who covered his bills would be prosecuted according to law; someone however had even put a bill right over the notice.
There was another bill-poster in the town beside defendant, named Ryder, and they were determined, if possible, to put him down, but he would not be put down (laughter).
Mr. Ryder and Mr. Capewell spoke as to the treaty entered into.
Mr. Black said that on Thursday, the 20th of February, he saw defendant pulling down bills and sticking others up on Mr. Capewell’s walls, in Pinfold-gate.
His Honour said his judgment would involve the suggestion of the reply of the Irish rebel to his brother, when he had killed one of the Hessians troops brought over from Germany to quell the insurrection, who, as he was proceeding to rob him of his green uniform, wished to go shares in the spoil; but he replied, “Go, and kill a Hessian yourself.”
So he would say to defendant, “Go and rent walls of your own, and don’t interfere with plaintiff any more.”
Plaintiff had simply proved that defendant had interfered with the wall belonging to Mr. Capewell, and he would therefore only give the amount of rent paid, 8s. 6d., as damages.
If, however, either interfered again with any portion of the walls rented by them, they would render themselves liable to damages for a considerable amount as, those practices must necessarily do the aggrieved person injury.”

An interesting name in the above report was that of Alfred Start who himself went into the billposting business, and who married Emma Wooding, one of Cornelius’s daughters in 1874. Preston continued billposting until at least 1877, but there his trail runs dry. Start, who was based at 23 School Street, had moved to 35 Ashby Road by 1887, and by 1889 also had offices in Ashby, under the business name of Start and Co.. On 10 October 1900, Start’s wife, Emma, née Wooding, was admitted to the Leicester County Lunatic Asylum where she died three days later. In 1901, Start married again. On 5 June 1902, when Start died he was described as a retired billposter, living at 124 King Street. Probate was granted 7 October to his son Lewis, the tobacconist. Effects were £2,455 8s.

From 1908, the billposting company based at 35 Ashby Road, became the Loughborough Bill Posting Company. By 1910, the company was being run by Harry Fellows (12 February 1869-18 July 1944). Harry’s father, Thomas, had been a billposter living at upper Charles Street, Leicester in 1881, so maybe he worked for Adcocks? Harry lived in Leicester in 1891 where he was a billposter; in 1901 he was a billposter in Blackpool, and on the 1911 census, he was working at 35 Ashby Road, as manager of the Loughborough Bill Posting Co.. James Forbes worked as a billposter with the company, around 1921, probably after Fallows had left to start his own company at 17 Derby Square. Sometime between 1928 and 1939, Harry moved his business to 13 The Rushes, where he died in 1944.

_______________________________________________

What follows is a short timeline associated with Cornelius Wooding and Harry Fallows:

Cornelius Wooding Timeline

2 April 1823 – birth of Cornelius Wooding to Abolsom Wooding and his wife Mary. Cornelius was baptised on 8 June 1823 in Yardley Hastings, Northampton

1824 – birth of Alice Hefford to Samuel and wife Julia, baptised at St Sepulchre in Northampton, later to become wife of Cornelius

3 September 1831 and 22 April 1837 – Cornelius attended the Northampton General Hospital as an out-patient, the reason for which is not known

1841 – the census records Cornelius Wooding aged 17 living on Bath Street, Northampton, surrounded by shoemakers and cordwainers. Cornelius himself is a cordwainer, and is sharing part of a property with two other cordwainers, while the other part is inhabited by another cordwainer, his wife, and two children

12 June 1843 – Cornelius Wooding married Alice Hefford at St Sepulchre church in Northampton. Cornelius was a shoemaker, as was Alice’s father, Samuel, while Cornelius’s own father, Absolom, was a labourer. Bride and groom were both resident at Harding Street, Northampton

1851 – Cornelius aged 28 and his wife, Alice aged 27 are living on Church Gate with their children, George aged 7, Charles aged 6, and Ann aged 2, where Cornelius is a newsagent. The premises is next door to Dr Fosbrooke, the surgeon and general practitioner

1854 – a trade directory lists Cornlius as a newsagent and billposter on Church Gate

1861 – the 1861 classes Cornelius as a newsvendor on Church Gate, living with his wife Alice aged 36, sons George aged 17 who is an assistant in his father’s shop, Charles aged 16 who is working in a ribbon factory, and daughters Mary Ann aged 11, and Emma aged 9 who are both at school

1862/1863 – trade directories list Cornlius as a tobacconist on Church Gate

1870 - a trade directory lists Cornlius as a newsagent and billposter on Church Gate, and his son George as a tobacconist in Market Place

1871 – Cornelius, the newsagent, aged 48, is living at 15 Church Gate with his wife Alice aged 46, and two daughters, Mary Ann aged 22 and Emma aged 19

1874 – marriage of Cornelius’s daughter, Emma to Alfred Start, a billposter and tobacconist

1875 - a trade directory lists Cornlius as a newsagent and tobacconist at 16 Church Gate, and his son George as a tobacconist at 23 Market Place

1877 - a trade directory lists Cornlius as a billposter, newsagent, stationer, and tobacconist at 16 Church Gate, and his son George as a tobacconist at 23 Market Place

September 1880 – death of Alice, wife of Cornelius

1880 - a trade directory lists Cornlius as a newsagent and tobacconist at 15 Church Gate, and his son George as a tobacconist at 23 Market Place

1881 – widow Cornelius is living with his daughter, Mary, who is the head of the household and running the newsagent and stationers at 15 Church Gate. On the night of the census returns, the shop was employing two assistants and an errand boy.

1883/1887 - trade directories list Cornlius as a newsagent and tobacconist at 15 Church Gate, and his son George as a cigar merchant and tobacconist at 23 Market Place

31 January 1889 – death of Cornelius Wooding aged 65, registered in Loughborough, and listed as being of 16 Church Gate

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Harry Fallows Timeline

12 February 1869 – birth of Harry Fallows to Thomas Fallows an engine driver, and his wife Emma, in West Gorton, Lancaster

1871 – the family moved to Leicester, and lived at Court B off Talbot Lane. Thomas was now a clicker (working in the shoemaking trade), while Emma his wife was a mechanical sewer. Their son, Thomas was aged 5, and at school, while Harry was aged 2

1881 – Harry was now aged 12 and at school, along with his younger siblings, Charlotte aged 10, Charles aged 8, and Frederick aged 5, while older brother Thomas now aged 16 was out of work. Father Thomas was now a billposter, and mother Emma was not listed as working. The family were living at Upper Charles Street. It’s possible that Thomas Fallows was working for Charles Adcock

1888 – Harry Fallows married Mary Laffar in Leicester

1891 – Harry was employed as a billposter and was living at 64 Upper Charles Street, Leicester, with wife Mary aged 23 daughter Emma aged 2, and son Edgar aged 7 months.

February 1893 – Harry was a billposter in Leicester, and commented on the state of a wall and hoardings in Belgrave Gate, Leicester that had fallen and killed Henry Scotton of Leicester

1901 – by 1901 the family had moved to Blackpool, where Harry, now aged 32, was a billposter. Mary was also 32, Emma was now 12, Edgar was now 10, and there was another daughter, Ellen Mabel, aged 8

April 1910 – some boys broke some windows in the offices of architect Willie Thomas Hampton, and also a window at the Loughborough Billposting Company on Ashby Road where Harry Fallows was the manager, having succeeded Alfred Start who had retired by 1901

1911 – by 1911, Harry was manager of the Loughborough Bill Posting Company which was based at 35 Ashby Road. Living with him was his mother Emma now aged 69, who was widowed, son Edgar now aged 20 who was a machine hand in an electrical company (possibly The Brush), daughter Mabel aged 18, an overlocker in the hosiery trade, and youngest daughter, Florence Mary aged 7. Meanwhile, wife Mary was living at No.2, Court H, Upper Charles Street, Leicester, and was occupied as a box maker

1921 – by 1921, Harry, now aged 52, had moved to 17 Derby Square where he was running his own billposting company. Also at the address were Florence May Briers aged 47, a second hand wardrobe dealer, and her children Alfred aged 24, Colin aged 20, Philip aged 17, and Winifred aged 12, and two boarders – a coach painter and an upholsterer who were with Loughborough Technical College. Meanwhile, wife Mary was still at No.2 Court H, Upper Charles Street, Leicester, working as a box maker for Jane Cox and Co, box makers at 30 York Road, Leicester

1928 – a trade directory lists Harry Fallows as a billposter living at 17 Derby Square

1939 – by 1939, Harry Fallows was still working as a billposter, but had moved to 13 The Rushes, along with Florence May Briers, who was still dealing in second hand wardrobes, and Harry’s son Charles, now aged 66 and a commercial traveller

18 July 1944 – death of Harry Follows of 13 The Rushes, Loughborough. Probate was granted on 30 November 1944 to Alfred Briers, a foreman fitter. Effects were £974 4s. 3d.

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2026). Billposters. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2026/07/billposters.html [Accessed 14 July 2026]

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