Finding Mr Wright

An update, rather than a conclusion - I've been trying to determine who owned the Brewery plot and the whole thing is complicated because several plots have been merged and at times split up again. Mr Phillips' house was originally bordered to the north by Broad Yard with the Coach and Horses Inn (previously the Black Bear) and to the south by Bell Court and the Green Dragon. All were connected to the Brewery in some way over the years. By 1850 the inn had moved to near the Whitefriars gatehouse but the yard still had a malt house, a smithy, stabling etc. Different people owned or rented or leased parts of the 3 courts. From what I can gather the house was by then a silk warehouse and factory but with the front still being used as a house/office. Outbuildings also seem to have tenants or businesses within. I think I've worked out that the house was number 126, not 124/125. It makes more sense if you count down rather than up. Note to self � always check the 1950s map for numbering. Further complicating things is the loan systems back then, because rather than a bank lending the money, individuals did and things get complicated when the borrower dies or defaults on the loan/s. The lender owns a share and may relinquish it for money or may pay other debts on the property and then own it. The properties and land in Broad Yard seem to have been sold by at least 1906 and become the Standard Motor Works then Charlesworth Works, then part of Lea Francis. The transition was probably after the brewery completed the big new malt house in the garden behind 126. One possible route for the house to come into the brewery possession is thus:- John Whittingham nursery man of Coventry (Born 1722 approximately) Elizabeth Whittingham spinster of Foleshill Charles Whittingham of Goswell St, London 1813 Charles Adams - silkman Prior to 1836 Cleophas Ratliff - silkman Reverend George Heaviside (rent?) Francis Phillips (rent?) There's a record where James Marriott lets to Francis Phillips and Walter Henry Marriott 126 & 127 (127 was built over a front garden and a street facing outbuilding), Much Park Street (having a frontage of 104 feet 6 inches, which matches the full width of Mr Wright's property quite well). So maybe James Marriot buys it and then initially lets part of it to the brewery and part to Francis to live in? There is an alternate timeline. Thomas Brown sells Jonathan Bray � silkman James Bray occupies Charles Bray inherits and sells James Marriott However this timeline may refer to a property on the north side of Broad Yard. I keep going round in circles with the same names popping up but not getting much further back than the early 1800s. I seriously can't understand why house numbering didn't come in sooner. It makes for interesting reading about who were the neighbours north, south and west but when you also don't know where those neighbours were exactly, it makes pinpointing difficult.

A picture of the rear of 126 and 127 Link to image

I've traced number 126 in the directories and it was Ashleigh House, occupied by Francis Phillips and later Robert George Bell, brewer. I think it would be very hard now to argue that Mr Wright's house and number 126 MPS Ashleigh House weren't one and the same.

Hi Helen, don't know if this is any help in your quest. CET 16th February 1901 The death of Mr Francis Phillips took place on Friday night in his residence, Ashleigh House, Much Park Street. The deceased gentleman was managing director and chairman of Messrs Phillips and Marriot Ltd, Midland Brewery, Much Park Street and had enjoyed a very successful business career. He came to Coventry from Northampton, and assisted in establishing the present well known firm. He had a heart attack and was aged 75. Phillips & Marriott Ltd NB The William Ratliff mentioned ran Coventry Brewery in Leicester Row.

Thanks Anne, it helps to know that it was called Ashleigh House in his lifetime, though I've not found out if he named it. The records of the brewery, that I can read online, are confusing and past a certain point house numbers aren't used. It doesn't even seem to have been called anything specific. The deeds tend to describe a place by referring to who lived next door. About as dumb a methodology as it's possible to get. Because the three blocks of Broad Yard, Ashleigh House and Bell Court ended up being owned and/or built upon by the brewery and then being rented or sold off it's not all one block that can be traced backwards or forwards. The area was of mixed use and at least some of it was ribbon making. Cleophas Ratliff is described as a silk/ribbon manufacturer. I assume that it is through him that the buildings end up as part of William Ratliff's brewery. Before him was Charles Adams who was a silk/ribbon manufacturer. The most likely owner as far back as I can trace is John Whittingham, nursery man of Coventry, who may be a guy who died in Jan 1781. I can't however join him to Thomas Wright. I think your suggestion that, like the Birds, he had a business at the back is looking more and more likely, especially if it took time for him to sell it. Subsequent buyers may have just held it as an investment and lived elsewhere.

Thanks to Heathite, I can confirm that The Reverend George Heavyside was indeed at 126 Much Park Street and it was being used as a gentleman's boarding school in 1868. That ties in with the line of occupation I thought I'd worked out but introduces an interesting use, which may open up more info.

Coventry Collections search is back up and running. Now all I need to do is remember what I wanted to look up.

Oh dear, folks, our Helen is suffering from histrionicitis. Give her a 'Mickey Finn' someone - good for her memory.

Mickey Finn? No, I don't think he lived on Much Park Street I was looking for the Reverend Heaviside but alas there's no more useful information for what I'm looking for.

Is this the gentleman, Helen, died 1914?

Thanks Anne, that's the chap but it was his school I wanted more info on. There's an article worth writing on the various characters who lived there at different times. Sorry, I'm still trying to trace Mr Wright's house.

There are several articles and adverts for a school. An article in 1972 mentions a school at a small farmhouse called The Hollies. He had a school until Kevitt Rotherham took over the house in 1891. There is also mention of High School in Stoke that he ran. I can look later for any names mentioned if that would be any help but going out shortly. In 1891 the school is advertised in Grosvenor Street.

Hi Anne, from directories I've got the reverend Heaviside at 126 Much Park Street running a boys school. I was hoping that there might be something about the origin of the building, or some description that might tie in with Mr Wright's house. William Ratliff, the previous owner moved into the brewing business but was previously listed as a silkman, which ties in with the property history. I'm fairly sure now that Charles Adams (silkman) owned the house before that and it was probably bought from the Whittigham family but Adams owned multiple properties on Much Park Street and I don't know exactly which property the Whittinghams' owned. Our Derek (Robthu) is the expert on John Whittingham but there's almost nothing about John owning property within the city. Whittingham was a pioneer plantsman, agriculturist and landscaper. With a side line in social justice. The Much Park Street reference I have is of Charles Whittingham (brother to John Whittingham senior) selling the property on behalf of John Whittingham (his son) on the death of spinster Elizabeth Whittingham, daughter of John Whittingham senior. The house may never have been owned by John Whittingham senior but by his son Charles (also a seedsman who was in business with James Weare in 1795), who may have left it to his sister Elizabeth, who in turn left it to her nephew John Whittingham (they really needed to be more creative in the naming of kids). The family were Catholic and while they rubbed shoulders with important people they may have been slightly persona non grata. That might explain why the house, despite its grandeur was unheard of. In other records, in about 1795 a 'Mr Whittingham' set up a temporary Catholic chapel in his garden in either 'Mitford Street' or Much Park Street depending upon different records. It's thought that there was a conflict between the two names and that Mitford Street was meant to be Smithford Street but as we know, Much Park Street had another name 'Midsford Street', so it could be a poor transcription of that. The building of the chapel is probably too late to refer to John Whittingham. There's no record of John Whittingham senior's death or burial but there are suggestions that he suffered from dementia in old age. Maybe he lived out his last years at the house on Much Park Street and was buried in their own chapel on their land? The Much Park Street property I'm researching could easily have housed a chapel. So I've still got a gap between the mid 1700s to the beginning of the 1800s.

Hi, Helen. Been having a little poke round and here are a few little things I have found that may or may not help in your search. There are quite a few records mentioned on the National Archives site of documents that mention Much Park Street that are in Warwick. Of course they don't mention house numbers, that would be too easy. One document dated 1710 mentions Edward Fairbrother dec'd having three properties on the south side near Newgate (I don't know the position of 126 or Newgate so have no idea if this is relevant, Helen). He was leaving these properties to his daughter Katherine who was married to John Yardley, who were parents of the Margaret Yardley you mention in an earlier post, who was married to Lawrence Wright who may perhaps be your Mr Wright. They were doing some sort of swap with property on the west side! 126 MPS was being sold in 1866 when occupied by A B Herbert Esq and described as "Containing every convenience for a large family, coach House, Stable, Lawn, Pleasure Gardens, Walled round and containing vineries in full bearing." These vines are mentioned in several adverts, at one point being sold off by the pound. In 1930 Messrs Bass, Ratcliffe & Gratton, the owners of the spacious premises formerly occupied by Messrs Phillips and Marriott Ltd in Much Park Street, has been leased to the Hospital Carnival Committee at a very low rent. They were using it until at least 1939.

Thanks, Anne The A B Herbert reference is new and may take me in a new direction. I know for sure that 126 ends up where they build the brewery. There is supposed to be footage of the preparations for the hospital carnival inside the house. I know for sure that the property had extensive gardens and outbuildings in 1850. The problem is that a series of properties were repeatedly split up and then reformed under different owners. I'd got numerous Yardleys popping up but the south side and New Gate was too far away. I am looking for a west side location.