A MEMORIAL stone will be installed in the Friends Garden behind the spiritualist church, King Street, to commemorate Rachel Fowler and her legacy to the town.
At the town council’s asset management and amenities meeting, held on Monday 5th December, cllr Pat Aves put forward the proposal. She said the request had come from the trustees of the Melksham Almshouses, to erect a memorial stone in the Friends Garden to Rachel Fowler, with the costs being met by the charity.
The daughter of a prominent Melksham business family, Rachel Fowler was a renowned philanthropist. In 1864 she had five houses built, which became The Almshouses, to provide homes for widows and spinsters who were poor. The homes continue to the run today by the Melksham Almshouses charities. She also provided The New Hall in the Market Place, which opened in 1877 and which Rachel Fowler gifted to the town. She wanted the hall to be used as a place for lectures, reading rooms, and religious and philanthropic meetings for the general benefit of the townspeople of Melksham. To honour her legacy, when the congregational church, which is off the Market Place, closed down, it was agreed that the building would become an arts centre and be named the Rachel Fowler Centre.
During the town council meeting, cllr Graham Ellis said, “I understand and respect the want to commemorate Rachel Fowler; there are many others that could be commemorated there in a similar way, all of whom have done a huge amount for this town. This has been raised to me and I said I would mention this in the meeting.”
Cllr Pat Aves replied, “This is just for Rachel Fowler in the garden, behind the spiritualist church. It’s totally separate from anything else going on and the charity is paying for it.”
Cllr Jon Hubbard said, “There is no reason why a future motion could not be brought for any individual to be commemorated. We have done things like this before for recognised, notable people in the town.”
Councillors approved the proposal for a Rachel Fowler monument to be erected in the Friends’ garden by the Melksham Almshouses charities.
