Melksham Times Past

Trees, parks and roads for the Silver Jubilee

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

Prior to King George V, British monarchs only celebrated jubilees after 50 years on the throne.

In 1935, his Majesty was the first to celebrate a Silver Jubilee, marking his 25 years as monarch.

Following with tradition of past jubilees, King George V commissioned trees to be planted in his honour, thus providing work to hundreds of people at a time when there was high unemployment and economic difficulties in Britain.

Melksham, along with the entire nation, took up the celebration chalice with great plans of creating parks with these trees. Yet, while the plans were being made, King George V died in 1936 of smoking-related health problems. So, while we call our contribution the “King George V Playing Field,” it was actually purchased by subscription in 1937, the year of the coronation of his son, King George VI.

But the playing field was not the only park area to celebrate the Silver Jubilee. Coronation Park is located at the corner of Coronation and Spa Roads. It has a bench, a tree and a postbox. 

Retired farmer Moses Moore lived in Manoria Villa on Spa Road until his death in 1916. In 1935, Manoria Villa was demolished to make room for new housing; thus creating Coronation Road. The small park and trees lining each side of the road were installed in 1938. The site was an impressive size totalling more than four acres; it had not only a three-bedroom house but outbuildings consisting of three separate stone structures to fit a total of 10 cows, along with a stable.

The shape of Moore’s home property was like a “T” but rotated to the left, and backed onto the existing houses numbering 35-59 Spa Road. Manoria’s demolition also allowed the creation of Martigny Road.

Moore, in fact, owned several properties in this same area.

Moore’s two daughters inherited the properties; the older, Ada Annie Hatherell Moore, married Edwin Lee, a grocer on Bank Street. Others of Moore’s properties were then combined to total more than 11 acres, on which Lee built their home and called it “Martigny House”. 

This home has now been demolished, but for years it was in the rear of the Southern Electric Board property (now SSE) and used for offices until a newer building replaced it.