News Archive
ILIFF FAMILY VISIT FROM AMERICA
Eight members of the Iliff family from Kansas visited Kibworth on Thursday 7th September 2017, their interest sparked by Michael Wood’s ‘Story of England’ series and the references to the Iliff(e) families. Their ancestor, Richard Iliff, had emigrated from England in the eighteenth century but the family had been unable to establish from where he had originated.
Norman Harrison led a walk around Harcourt in the morning and George Weston led a walk around Beauchamp in the afternoon that included a visit to an old framework knitter’s cottage (through the generosity of Celia Pemberton), with tea and biscuits at St Wilfrid’s, provided by Sue Bradbury.
The photograph shows: George Weston, Patrick Iliff, Chris Iliff, Doug Iliff, Paul Iliff, and Norman Harrison after the History Society’s meeting. The other members of the party, Theodore, Seth, James, and Justin, unfortunately, had to depart prior to the photograph being taken at the evening meeting on the same day.
46233 DUCHESS OF SUTHERLAND AT KIBWORTH
On Saturday 17th December 2016 46233 Duchess of Sutherland worked the York Yuletide Express through Kibworth from London. This was the first steam locomotive to travel through Kibworth on a revenue earning service for many years and was a last minute diversion as the Kettering to Nottingham line over Harringworth Viaduct was found to be out-
1891 CENSUS OF KIBWORTH & DISTRICT VOLUME 1 KIBWORTH BEAUCHAMP
After being out-
CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF PRIVATE BERTIE PELL
On Friday 26th June 2015 a private family ceremony was held at the grave-
The ceremony was organised by Harry Tharp, nephew of Bertie Pell, and was attended by Harry and Ann-
SKITTLES MATCH
Following the final meeting of our 2014/15 season, when we heard the fascinating true story of the German U-
Twenty-
THIRD BLUE PLAQUE UNVEILED
Kibworth’s third blue plaque, in honour of Anna Laetitia Barbauld and her brother, John Aitkin, was unveiled on Saturday 11th May 2013 by Edward Garnier MP.
Anna Laetitia was born on 20th June 1743 at ‘The Old House’ in Kibworth Harcourt, the eldest child of John and Jane Aikin. She is remembered especially for her splendid literary works, prose and poetry, and was a pioneer in writing for children. John Aitkin was a renowned physician, botanist and author.
Short speeches were given by Barbauld expert Professor William McCarthy, eminent historian, Dr Michael Woods, and Sessional Lecturer at Birbeck College, University of London, Dr Naomi Lightman.
Debbie James of Kibworth Bookshop gave a couple of readings from Barbauld’s works.
The plaque was paid for by Kibworth Improvement Team and uses the modern day spelling of Anna’s second name.
SECOND BLUE PLAQUE UNVEILED
Saturday 13th April 2013 saw the unveiling of a blue plaque as a memorial to Philip Doddridge, well known theologian, who lived and worked in Kibworth Harcourt for several years between 1719 and 1725.
The unveiling was conducted by Malcolm Deacon, biographer of Doddridge, at the White House, Leicester Road, previously home to the Dissenting Academy, and was attended by local residents, members of Kibworth History Society, and representatives of Kibworth Improvement Team.
After the ceremony Malcolm kindly presented copies of his book Philip Doddridge of Northampton to the assembled group.
KIBWORTH HONOURS EYE SURGEON: Sir Harold Ridley
A blue plaque was unveiled on 18 February 2012 as a memorial to Sir Harold Ridley, born here in Kibworth in 1906.
Harold Ridley trained as an ophthalmic surgeon and had many achievements in his career, but most notably the development of the operation to correct eye cataracts. It took many years for his pioneering work to be recognised by the medical fraternity but now it has given fresh sight to millions of folk around the world.
The plaque was unveiled by Sir Harold’s son, Nicholas, at a public ceremony witnessed by some 70 people including representatives from The Ridley Eye Foundation. Fascinating speeches were made by Nicholas Ridley (who recalled family episodes as well as his father’s career), Margaret Stowe (now a Kibworth resident who in her younger days was a nurse working with Sir Harold at Moorfields Eye Hospital), Geoffrey Woodruff (consultant ophthalmologist in Leicestershire, who has taken a special interest in Sir Harold’s achievements and more recent applications for children), and Edward Garnier MP. The event was also attended by the press and film crews.
The idea for the erection of the blue plaque came from Bob Haggerty, a village resident who underwent cataract surgery in July 2011, Kibworth History Society successfully researched and identified the house where Sir Harold was born, and the blue plaque was paid for by the Kibworth Improvement Team.
LONG LOST COUSINS RE-UNITED (January 2012)
Roger Yates, son of local historian the late George Yates, has been re-united with his cousins, Valerie Pathan nee Yates, and her brother David, after 49 years, thanks to the help of Kibworth History Society.
The cousins had last seen one another in 1963 despite Roger’s attempts at tracing Valerie, but when Valerie, who now lives in Nuneaton, was searching the internet she found the History Society’s website and was delighted to discover ‘Memories of Kibworth High Street and Fleckney Road’ by Joan Spain, on the ‘Memories’ section of the website. Valerie contacted the History Society and was put in touch with Roger’s son, Mark. Several emotional telephone calls have since taken place and they are looking to meeting in the near future.
KIBWORTH & SMEETON MIs NOW COMPLETE
The Society is pleased to announce publication in June 2011 of the St Wilfrid’s Churchyard Survey by David Holmes. This means that all of the memorial inscriptions within the churchyards, graveyards, and cemeteries of the villages of Kibworth Harcourt, Kibworth Beauchamp, and Smeeton Westerby are now available.
This enormous task has taken several years to complete but provides a wonderful source of information to local historians and anyone tracing their family history in the Kibworths or Smeeton.
Kibworth Congregational Chapel graveyard can be found here
Kibworth, St Wilfrid’s Churchyard, is contained within “St Wilfrid’s Churchyard Survey” by David Holmes
Kibworth Cemetery is contained within “Memorial Inscriptions at Kibworth Cemetery” by members of the Society
Smeeton, Christchurch Churchyard, is contained within “Memorial Inscriptions at Smeeton Westerby Graveyards” by George Weston & Norman Harrison
Smeeton Baptist Chapel graveyard is also contained within “Memorial Inscriptions at Smeeton Westerby Graveyards” by George Weston & Norman Harrison
The publications are all available from the Society; see the “Publications” page for full details.
Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
As part of the celebrations the History Society arranged for the lychgate to be open on Tuesday 5th June. Members gave guided tours of the cemetery and assisted in the location of graves. A steady stream of visitors took advantage of the opening and all expressed surprise at the magnificence of the interior of the Victorian lychgate building.
Whit Walk
We joined with the Great Bowden Heritage & Archaeology to walk on footpaths from Kibworth to St Mary in Arden via Great Bowden on Whit Saturday, 11th June, re-enacting a similar walk that was done as a religious procession every year at Whitsun to collect the chrism oil from St Mary in Arden, the minster church at the time.
We know it took place in 1264 with the violent and fateful results that have been publicized, and that it had taken place annually for many years prior to that, but we don’t know when this custom stopped. Perhaps people preferred the new church of St Dionysius in the centre of the emerging town and St Mary’s went into decline.
The weather remained fine, the sun shone, and the rain held off for the approximately 35 people who started the walk at St Wilfrid’s in Kibworth. We had a break for lunch at Foxton to eat lunch before walking on to St Peter & St Paul’s church at Great Bowden where we had some excellent home-made cakes and tea.
A further mile on, we were joined by about another 15 people at the ruined church of St Mary in Arden (next to Market Harborough station). We ended the day with a Compline Service conducted by George Marshall.
CALDECOTT HISTORY SOCIETY
Thursday 9th June saw the Society playing host to Caldecott History Society on conducted walks along the Harcourt Heritage Trail. Twenty members of the Caldecott group were guided by Norman Harrison and George Weston, and experienced an extended and more detailed version of the printed walk.