Ditton Priors

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Family connections.

My grandfather, William Simpson Bruchshaw, is the man coming out of the greenhouse with the plant in his hand.  He was head gardener to Mr Munro Walker until Mr Walker died.  My grandfather's youngest brother, Henry, was farm manager on the estate.  While at Pell Wall, my grandfather experimented in growing tomatoes on potatoes in about 1908 I think.  We still have the photos in the family.  After he left Pell Wall my grandfather lived in Little Drayton.  He died aged 91 in 1952.
A memory of Pell Wall contributed by KD Hill

Lock keepers at Tyrley.

My great grandfather worked as a lock keeper at Tyrley at the time of my grandmother's birth in 1883.  My great grandfather named William Nixon married an Elizabeth Timmis whose father and brothers also worked as lock keepers at Tyrley and lived there.  My grandmother Eva Nixon married Henry Thacker and he too lived near Tyrley and worked as a 'lengthsman' on the canal.
A memory of Market Drayton contributed by Mrs CA Hayes

Ethel May Tantrum

My husband's Grandmother, Ethel May Tantrum, was born in Craven Arms in 1885, but by 1891 was living in Elms Cottage, Little Stretton. In 1910, she married Harold Ezard and in 1924 she died at White Birches Cottage, Little Stretton. Their son, Harold, was born in Little Stretton, but we are not sure where (possibly White Birches Cottage?) and we would love to hear from anyone who could help us find out more about the Tantrums and the Ezards of Little Stretton.

We recently visited Little Stretton, by chance, with some friends and found it a fascinating place and plan to return in the future.
A memory of Little Stretton contributed by Judith Ezard

John Weaver Lilleshall sculptor

John Weaver is shown as being a stonemason on the 1827 Lilleshall baptism certificate of his son Alfred Weaver.

A family anecdote says that John Weaver took commissions for monumental sculptures and that after a statue of a horse and rider was unveiled it was noticed that he had omitted the girth straps for the saddle. This caused considerable ridicule from others and eventually depressed him so much that he took his own life by shooting himself.

I have long wondered if somewhere in or near Lilleshall there is such a statue?

Dr Paul Weaver, 23 Waddell Rd. Palmyra. Western Australia. pweaver@westnet.com.au (August 2006)
A memory of Lilleshall contributed by Paul Weaver