The church clock repaired and ready to be raised to the tower in July 1904.
Left front row: Left front row: Mr Gregory (landlord of the Swan), Sammy Gibbs. Left back row: Jack Smith, Dick Rutter, Arthur Garrett (church warden), Mr Gregory (Harry Gregory's father). Right front row: Tom Nicholls (choir master), Tom Courtman (blacksmith), Harry Newbury (clockmaker). Right back row: Charles Garrett, Fred York (baker), Ted Ditum, Bill Ditum.
HDHS archive, source Moira Courtman July 1998.
Church End infants school c.1920
back Row.: Edie Rainbow, ?,?,?,?, Fred Smith ?,?, Bert Keeves , Bill Gable, Cliff Eakins, Gladys Walker.
Front Row: Eleanor Clarke, Emily Ckarke, ?, Syilvia Lane, ?; Cisse Nichols, Eileen MacInnan Seated: Cissie Evans, Phyllis Sharp.
HDHS archive
Andrew and Betsy Nichols
c.1900
Andrew Nichols was born in 1841 to a family of agricultural labourers in Castlethorpe. He was the youngest of seven children of John and Elizabeth Nichols. She and her daughters were lacemakers. Andrew was working on the land by the time he was 10, but seized the chance for better pay and conditions as a striker at the railway carriage and waggon works at Wolverton. A striker worked in the blacksmiths’ shop as a labourer to the blacksmith where he would have struck the hot iron for the blacksmith to work on.
Andrew married Betsy Maria Rainbow on 14th July 1863. She was the daughter of Thomas Rainbow and Ruth nee Carter of Hanslope and was one of 11 children. They were agricultural labourers and lacemakers too. When bobbin lace went out of fashion due to the new and cheaper machine-made lace, the ladies reputedly burned the lace pillows and bobbins on the fire.
Andrew and Betsy had 6 children. They also headed to Wolverton to work, the boys as printers and the girls as envelope makers for McCorquodale’s.
Andrew and Betsy lived in the High Street at Hanslope. By 1901 they were living next door but one to the shop kept by Julia Varley.
Andrew Nichols died in 1912 and Betsy continued to live in the High Street. House title deeds show she was a tenant at number 9 High Street in 1930; the actual date of her death is not known but she was visited by her great grandson Roy Payne with his parents Walter and Grace Payne at number 9 during the 1930s.
Source Trudie Mundel
Andrew and Betsy Nichols (nee Rainbow) pre-1900
Andrew Nichols was born in 1841 to a family of agricultural labourers in Castlethorpe. He was the youngest of seven children of John and Elizabeth Nichols. She and her daughters were lacemakers. Andrew was working on the land by the time he was 10, but then got a job as a striker at the railway carriage and waggon works at Wolverton. A striker worked in the blacksmiths’ shop as a labourer to the blacksmith where he would have struck the hot iron for the blacksmith to work on. The blacksmiths’ shop can still be found in the car park of Tesco built on the old Works’ site.
Andrew married Betsy Maria Rainbow on 14 July 1863. She was the daughter of Thomas Rainbow and Ruth nee Carter of Hanslope and was one of 11 children. They were agricultural labourers and lacemakers too. A story passed down in the family was how, when bobbin lace went out of fashion due to cheaper machine made lace, the ladies burned the hated lace pillows and bobbins on the fire.
Andrew and Betsy had six children. They also went to Wolverton to work, the boys as printers and the girls as envelope makers for Mc Corquodale’s.
Andrew and Betsy lived in the High Street at Hanslope but seem to have moved house with each census. By 1901 they were living next door but one to the shop kept by Julia Varley.
Andrew Nichols died in 1912 and Betsy continued to live in the High Street. House title deeds show she was a tenant at (present day) number 9 High Street in 1930; the actual date of her death is not known but she was visited by her great grandson Roy Payne with his parents Walter and Grace Payne at number 9 during the 1930s.
This photograph dates from around 1900. Source:
Trudie Mundell who also provided the narrative.
Over 70s outing 1929, outside the Cock
This photo appeared in 6 July 1929 edition of Bucks Standard. The occasion was an outing for village over-70s organised by Fred Belham who ran the bus service from Gold St opposite the Watts Arms.
Source :Olly Webb July 2009, original taken by MT Kitchener