Winifred Mary Wilcox was born in Condover a few miles to the south of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. He parents were Edward and Edith Mary Wilcox. Her father was an Agricultural Labourer. In 1906 Winifred’s father died and the family moved to Liverpool where they took a house at 78, Macdonald Road, Wavertree. The 1911 Census…
Month: March 2016
The Squinting Speaker from Sussex
On 21st June 2009 I was working in the Houses of Parliament when I heard a rumour that the Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin was about to resign. He found his position untenable due to the his role in the expenses scandal. A Speaker had not been ‘sacked’ since the 17th Century…
Did a 10yr old cause a train crash?
The Railway between Brighton and Lewes was opened on 8th June 1846. The London Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) took over the new railway just a few weeks later. Railways were dangerous places, indeed the opening of one of the first railways – The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was marred by the death of…
A Royal Flower Girl who packed a punch!
Elizabeth Quill, (known as Kitty) was born in Kingstown, Ireland in 1861. At some stage she moved to London where she met a labourer David Quill. Although they lived in London Kitty spent the summer in Eastbourne where she lodged and did a brisk business as a flower seller. The Dukes of Devonshire regularly hosted…
Quirky Sussex History by Kevin Gordon 