Quaker Meeting House

Quaker Meeting House (Now A House)

The founder of the Society of Friends, known as Quakers, was George Fox who was born in Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire in 1624.   In the 1660’s the Beaumonts had him arrested at the Quaker Meeting House on the corner of Main Street and Church Lane.

Baptist Chapel

After the Quaker families died out or moved away, the building became a Baptist Chapel.

Blacksmith’s Shop

The Rowse family lived in the house and worked the premises as a blacksmith’s shop.   List of blacksmiths

• Census 1841 –  William Rowse 20
• Census 1851 –  William Rowse 33 born Swannington
• Census 1861 –  William Rowse 43 born Swannington, George Rowse 15 born Swannington (apprentice)
• Census 1871 –  John Rowse 25 born Swannington, Thomas Rowse 20 born Swannington
• Census 1881 –  Thomas Rowse 30, born Swannington
• Census 1891 –  Thomas Rowse 39, born Swannington
• Census 1901 –  Thomas Rowse 50, born Swannington,  William Rowse 18 born Swannington (blacksmith’s son)
• Census 1911 – William Henry Rowse 28, born Swannington, John Rowse 19 born Swannington (blacksmith’s apprentice).  By 1911 Thomas Rowse had died and his wife Mary Ann Rowse (nee Henson) had remarried to Joseph Chester and they were living across the road in the Stone House.
• 1939 Register – William Henson Rowse 57, master blacksmith and carter, Thomas W Rowse 14 (blacksmith’s labourer)

 

William Henson Rowse was the contractor whose horses pulled the coal trucks from the bottom of the Incline to Calcutta Pumping Station.  He was criticised by the coroner for being careless in allowing the trucks to roll around the corner without checking if anyone was there, resulting in the deaths of Elsie May Horrobin and infant son Horace in 1938.