Robinson Family
Builders Bowls Tennis And A Scandalised Lady Beaumont
In 1881 bricklayer Albert Robinson lived in Main Street near Manor Farm, where John Richards was the tenant. On the 1st August 1882 Albert married Frances Richards, John’s daughter at St George’s Church. By 1891 Albert, Frances and their three children were living at Manor Farm with the Richards family.
Manor Farm prior to the demolition of the cow sheds. The Stone House, Belmont Terrace and the Bull's Head are on the other side of the road.
Fountain Inn
Railway Inn
Frances Richards was eight years old in 1871 when her John Richards father was a coal miner and publican at the Railway Inn.
Fountain Inn And Building Business
Frances’ upbringing at the Railway Inn would have helped her run The Fountain from 1901 and Albert continued his building business there.. Albert died aged 45 years in 1904, but his 20 year old son John Alfred (Alf) continued the building business. In time his younger brother Albert William joined the business.
Bowls Green
Alf, a keen bowls player built a bowls green which provided lots of customers for The Fountain.
Tennis Court
Alf’s sister Emma persuaded Alf to build two tennis courts at The Fountain. In the 1930’s Lady Beaumont was scandalised when she saw the Walker girls walking back to Vine House (bottom of Spring Lane) “half naked” and wrote a note to their mother insisting they changed out of their tennis shorts in the pavilion before walking home.
In later years the Fountain Inn had a large tarmac car park. This was built where the Robinsons stored their building materials.
St George’s Lodge
In 1936 Frances Robinson retired as landlady of the Fountain Inn and moved to St George’s Lodge, opposite Redhall garage on Loughborough Road.
The family continued living at St George’s Lodge until 1989.
St George's Lodge, Loughborough Road 2021
Irons Shop – Piano Row
Gertrude Annie Robinson was an 18 year old pupil teacher at Swannington school at the1901 census. The contract ran from the 1st January 1899 to the 31st December 1902. Gertrude was paid six pounds a year for the first two years (10 shillings or 50 pence a week!), provided she passed examinations and reached the needed standard of teaching this increased to eight pounds a year for the third and fourth years of the contract.
The contract was signed by Gertrude and both of her parents. The only legible signature out of three on behalf of the school was JHE Bailey – the Reverend John Hooley Ella Bailey, vicar of St George’s, was chairman of the school managers.
Gertrude Annie married Joseph Irons at St George’s Church on the 23rd January 1907.
In 1911 and 1939 they were living at 4 Ash Cottages (118 Main Street). The 1939 register shows Gertrude as being a shopkeeper (grocer), it is not known when she started the shop. The downstairs window is a very noticeable shop window.
Who can share memories of visiting the shop?
The shop window of Irons grocers is visible on the white house
Glendare – Church Hill
Glendare / Glendevon is the house on Church Hill just below the junction with Hospital Lane.
1913 Purchase By Frances Robinson
Frances Robinson purchased Glendare from John Nicklinson, Emeline Margaret Tyler, Harriet Tanser and Joseph Brooks Nicklinson on the 1st June 1913, when it was in the occupation of a Mr. Steer.
1944 Purchase by Edith Emma Robinson
Emma Edith Emma Robinson purchased Glendevon from her uncle James Richards in his capacity as executor of her mother’s estate, on the 1st December 1944. She was thus buying it from her own family.
1987 Purchase by Colin Greasley
Colin Greasley of 110 Main Street purchased Glendevon (formerly Glendare), 25 Church Hill, on the 18th February 1987 for £10,000.