Melksham Times Past

Moonraker’s Musings to Melksham Milkings

A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis

How many of you remember “Moonrakings” that ran in the Wiltshire Times?

It featured short mentions of happenings (mainly gossip) without revealing the names behind the contributors or participants. I only recall this because I wrote into the paper pointing out a difference in American versus British words that could lead to embarrassment, with the full confidence my name wouldn’t be used.

It was.

Along a somewhat less salacious tone, I offer you a look through Melksham’s random and unusual mentions throughout history. Let’s call it “Melksham Milkings.”

June 1834 – A retired tradesman from Seend ordered his own coffin to be made of copper. But when it was delivered, his wife refused to take it in, feeling she already had too many copper vessels in the house. A neighbour agreed to store the coffin in their home until it was put in use.

May 1845 – Two labourers were grubbing up a fence on the Halfway House Farm property of Mr Ruddle when they dug up a thimble. Two other thimbles were found with their open ends together; inside the pair was a banknote for £800 dated about 40 years earlier. Mr Moule of North Wilts Bank authenticated the note.

February 1867 – When Rev E L Barnwell bought Melksham House, he proceeded to make many renovations to the property. When some men were excavating a gravel area, they discovered a full-sized human skeleton buried a yard beneath the surface. It was estimated to have been lying there a considerable number of years.

October 1878 – James Stratton of Leaze Cottage had lifted 12 cwt of Magnum Bonum potatoes from 70lbs of seed. The prior year, Thomas Aland purchased 4lbs from Messrs Sutton and Sons of the same kind of potatoes and lifted 109lbs.

April 1885 – A well-known townsman was shocked to discover that his trusty steed was missing from his stable on Bank Street. With police assistance, he at once started a search, but it didn’t help his temper when a friend joked that the horse had probably gone to Devizes Fair to find another master. Shortly afterwards, a farrier from The City casually walked up the street with the missing horse, which he had previously taken from the stable to be shod.

June 1906 – At a church in Melksham, a couple anxiously waited at the altar, but the reverend who was to tie the nuptial knot was not. After a fraught delay, a messenger was sent to the absentee’s residence. The reverend had forgotten his obligation that day, and after his eventual appearance, followed by many apologies, the ceremony was duly performed.

May 1921 – Owing to the coal shortage, the pressure of gas will be further reduced, except on Sundays, Tuesday and Fridays, between the hours of 10.30am and 1pm.

May 1942 – A classified advert: “For sale, to genuine, kind home only, very beautiful heavyweight thoroughbred Colt, rising 3, by ‘Friar Gray’ bay, very gentle and well handled, accustomed to all traffic. Breeder has no keep and must part with him.” (The seller was famous dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse, who at the time was living at Withleigh on Spa Road).

May 1949 – A referendum was introduced on the question of relocating the Melksham War Memorial from its location at Canon Square to a new site in Bath Road. Against removal: 693; in favour: 232.

April 1951 – Mrs Bealing of 7 Bath Road was startled to see a fish fall from the sky in Bank Street. It was still alive when she took it home and placed it in a bowl of water. Mr A G Nott, a well-known local angler, identified the fish as a dace and was no doubt dropped by a bird in flight. The fish was taken to the river, still alive.

January 1953 – Albert Iles, the proprietor of the Willow Cafe, took Robert Wolfenden of Awdry Avenue to court for £3 15s claiming that his former tenant had burnt a hole in a wooden kitchen chair. The judge asked Iles how much he’d sell the chair for and Iles responded, “five shillings.” The judge then turned to Wolfenden and asked if he’d give five shillings for the chair, to which he agreed. “Your chair,” said the judge.

July 1956 – The town’s Electro-map seemed to cause ridicule by the people in the town and Councillor Day threatened that unless it was moved off the Market Place, it would be known as “one of Melksham’s follies.” He asserted that the advertising agency that had prepared and erected the map should move it immediately or the Council would remove it. (It was moved “to sit alongside Riverside Walk between Queen Mary Gardens and the Riverside Club, where it was left to fall apart.” (- Paul Carter)

March 1976 – The future of a large beech tree, which has been a landmark near the Assembly Hall for more than 100 years, was threatened when West Wiltshire’s environment subcommittee was told that the tree was diseased and could be dangerous.

April 1977 – During the local government reorganisation in 1974 from Urban District to Town and West Wilts District Councils, the walnut, five-legged table disappeared from Melksham Town Hall. To the relief of Ivan Petty, who had worried over its fate for a long time and asked after it, the table was located. “It is beautifully polished and cared for and situated in the sedate surroundings of the members room at the new West Wilts District Council offices in Trowbridge.” After these enquiries, it was left up to WWDC whether the table would be returned to the original location of the Town Hall committee room. (It was.)

November 1989 – Defence secretary Tom King was grilled over the use of four RAF fighter planes flying over the Harrier pub to mark its grand opening. Labour MP for Leyton, Harry Cohen, demanded answers as to why a third of Britain’s entire force of Harriers was parked at a nearby house while the pilots drove back for a celebratory drink. The pub (we now know it as The Pilot) was part of a scheme by Mivor Developments that included a convenience store and 26 starter homes.

Pictured: James and Caroline Stratton in their garden at Leaze Cottage