St Leonard's Church Interior c1960, Bridgnorth
St Leonard's Church Interior c1960, Bridgnorth Ref: B204127
Memories of St Leonard's Church Interior c1960, Bridgnorth
St Leonard's Church
This Church is now in the care of the Redundant Churches Commission having been closed for regular worship in the 1970s. It is open daily and special events are held there including the annual Hyden Festival and other concerts and special worship services. I was baptised there in 1948, attended Sunday School across the road in "The Old Grammar School" (now a Solicitors Office) and my husband and I married there in 1971. Happy memories and regularly visited whenever we return for a holiday.
Bridgnorth & local memories
Read and share memories of Bridgnorth and Shropshire inspired by Frith photos.
Baptism at St Leonard's
I was baptised in this font in July 1948. My late grandmother's family were parishioners at St Leonard's and will have been baptised there too. The family is connected to carpet weaving in the town, one of whom was the first Axminster weaver. That family name was/is Head and there are still members of the family active in this church, although it is now under the care of the Redundant Churches Commission. Lots of information on this church available in Bridgnorth Library and the Church itself.
The Crimean Cannon
If the cannon was still there in the 1950's, then it can't have been melted down to help the war effort in the 1940's. Can anyone be sure they saw the cannon there in the fifties - and what do they think happened to it? I'd like Bridgnorth to get its cannon back - Ludlow still have theirs, and they've got railings around their church as well!!
Richard Baxter's House
This house is significant because I lived around the church close in Glenn Place (top of Moat Street) at the time of this picture. Also, my late father was a well known sign writer - Herman Williams - who hand-painted the 'Baxter's House' details on the front of the house. Richard Baxter was a former curate at St Leonard's (details on the house and a photo inside St Leonard's).
Fire Station Northgate - Great Grandfather Enoch Williams
My great grandfather was Enoch Williams at one time Superintendent of the Fire Station at 1 High Street. He went to Bridgnorth from Gt Whitley in 1894. I have photos of the fire crew of that time - horses and carriage. Horses were kept in a field down Love Lane! Enoch and my grandmother Rebecca had many children and lived above the fire station. My grandfather William Williams had the shop to the right of this picture from 1908. It is now Wetherspoons pub. The Builders' Merchant, William Williams still operates in The Innage.
Fire Station
My great-great-grandfather and family resided here, at 1 High Street. It was once a Fire Station!
Old Fire Station
The building on the left of the two arches is the old town Fire Station, which was replaced in the 1960's with a new station on Innage Lane. The property is now a retail outlet. If on a visit to the town you look above the shop front you will see engraved the words Fire Station.
Need to Find A Photo
I'm searching for a photo of a prominent man who resided in Bridgnorth. Does anyone know the best way to find out if he was featured in any magazines or newspapers in the late 1800s or early 1900s? Any help will be appreciated!
Thanks!
My 50 YEARS IN BRIDGNORTH
I was born in Bridgnorth in 1958 and spent 20 years at sea navigating B.P. Tankers around the World. I loved the Town so much I used to write historic booklets on the Town in my spare time at sea and during my long shore leaves. I have about 15 on sale at present throughout the Town. I am at present working on A History of Bridgnorth to be published in June/July 2009 which is very comprehensive and is most of the history I have ever found!!! A very popular booklet is A History of R.A.F. Bridgnorth as many elderly people will remember their square bashing here.
I hope everyone enjoys the Town as much as I do. Happy memories Clive Gwilt
My 9 Years in The Town
Where do I start? 1943 - my first job from school, aged 15, at The Radio and Gramophone Development Co (RGD) located in Hospital St. My home was in Wolverhampton and I lodged firstly in Whitburn St. Later on stayed with the Heads in Conduit Lane. What a surprise, years later, when travelling through the town, to find the factory gone and replaced with a housing estate! Bridgnorth provided my dear wife - nee June Oliver, from The Innage - married at St John's church in 1951, and we are still together, now in Christchurch, Dorset.
In 1952 I left RGD and we moved to Wolverhampton - complete with our firstborn, Peter. Happy days!
Early Years in Bridgnorth
I was born in Bridgnorth in 1938, we lived in the Hookfield which in the thirties and forties, was on the edge of the town and surrounded by fields. I spent the war years there often going to London for a holiday? My father worked in the local carpet factory making aircraft engines, also he was the projectionist in the cinema which on my last visit was still there and he also did some of the maintainance on the cliff railway when it was operated by water. He was also in the local homeguard. I have not been able to find any information on this although I have a photograph of the regiment labelled Shropshire light infantry.
RAF
As a trainee aircrew member of the RAF I was posted to Bridgnorth in 1943. I don't recall the exact location of the ITW (Initial training wing), but there we learned radio and morse code procedures, aircraft recognition and gunnery during an eight week course before going on to active training. My most vivid memories are of the huge number of pubs, both in low town and high town - in those days filled with service man and women from all branchs of the services.
Nev Robinson
