|
|
|
Fairground Family |
The Family |
The 1863 Fire - 9 Deaths |
Inquest |
Life After the Fire |
Rosina Oldridge |
Rosina Whitelegg |
Acknowledgements |
The Fairground Family from Devon |
||
 |
Devon and Cornwall, the two most westerly counties in Great Britain, have had an abundance of fairs which take place between mid March and late November of each year. Some of these fairs are ancient Charter fairs steeped in history while others are classed as private business or are associated with local carnivals.
Teresa is quite closely related to the Whiteleggs. Her great grandfather, Mark Oldridge (1833-1918) had an elder brother, John, who was Fred's father. John Oldridge and Harriet Luxton married on 10 August 1834 in Newton St Cyres. John worked as a quarryman in and around Exeter but by 1848 they had moved to Plymouth. They had eight children altogether. Their fourth child was Eliza born in 1845 and their last child, William Frederick, was born on 11 December 1859 at 6 Amity Place, Plymouth when his mother was forty eight years old. The family's connection with the world of show people was further strengthened when Eliza married Thomas Wallser who was also a travelling showman. As Fred grew up, he worked with his brother-in-law Thomas Wallser in a travelling fair. The decorative panel either side of these paragraphs is about 1½ metres tall and is from a fairground attraction at one of Whitelegg's fairs. It shows the "W" being the Whitelegg logo. This panel is on display at Dingles Fairground Museum where they also have posters and other memorabilia from Whitelegg's Fairs. |
|
 A shooting saloon similar to that operated by Fred Oldridge. It may be that this was Fred's which he later passed on or sold. |
||
 Tom Whitelegg's Waltzer - Bloxham Steam Rally, 26th June 2005 | ||
The 1863 Fire - Nine DeathsOn researching Rosina Lismore's family a little more, we have unearthed an amazing but tragic tale which we shall unfold here.
Rose's father was Walter Lismore whose first wife was Ellen Commie. They had five children: Ellen (born 1845); Eliza (born 1849, died before 1855); Eliza (born 1855); Rosina (born 1858); Walter (born 1862). As the family travelled around the fairgrounds, the children were born in a variety of places throughout Cornwall and Devon. In 1858, at the birth of his daughter Rosina, the family were living in Phoenix Street, Plymouth and Walter and Ellen were described as hawkers. Later they are described as "comedians" which may be a reference to clowns. In the 1861 census they are living in 99 King Street, Plymouth with another showman's family, the Lawrences:
Walter Loosemore, head, married, 34, comedian, born in Bristol
In the early hours of Monday 9th March 1863 a fire killed most of the Lismore family and most of the Lawrence family.The incident was reported in the local newspaper, The Western Morning News on Tuesday March 10th 1863:  "In the early hours of Monday morning in a house in 99 Kings Street West Stonehouse, Plymouth, there was an explosion and fire and the loss of nine lives. The inhabitants of the house were:
"It seems that in the early hours of Monday morning the area was woken by a thunderous roar as the front room of the house exploded sending fireworks all around the area. Walter Lismore his wife and 3 children who had the front bedroom were woken by the roar and tried to flee via the door but due to the flames were driven back. They tried to break the window and ripped the whole window out, Walter pleaded with his wife Ellen to jump but she declined and told him to jump which he did. He suffered scorched eyes as a result but it was too late for his wife and children and the room immediately erupted into flames. "Morris Lawrence and his son who were sleeping in the front room on the ground floor died instantaneously. Ellen Lismore and Emma Lawrence who were in the back room of the house managed to flee without injury. All the others managed to flee via the garret over the roofs of other houses. George Collins and John Smith sustained injuries due to the fire and the manner of their escape and were taken to East Cornwall and South Devon Hospital. "The house was used to produce fireworks and on the night of the fire was full with them as they were being sent out for the celebration of the Prince of Wales Marriage." On the 1861 census were Morris' wife, Fanny, and four of their children - John, Sarah, Agnes and Mary. Fanny and the four children are not mentioned in the report of the fire, nor at the inquest shown below. Fanny died in 1867 and it seems that this part of the family were elsewhere on that fateful night. In the 1861 census Morris Lawrence jnr, one of the victims of the fire, was living in a caravan in Oldham, Lancashire: 1861 census - a caravan ,Spring Street, Oldham, Lancashire.
As with Fanny and her children, the whereabouts on the night of the fire of Emma and her children is not known.
An inquest was held the following day and reported: A verdict of manslaughter was recorded against Morris Lawrence, snr"Yesterday afternoon, at 4 o'clock, John Edmonds, Esq., coroner for the borough of Plymouth, held an inquest at the Guildhall, on the bodies burnt to death by the fire in Stonehouse Lane, on Monday morning last, and also on three others lying at the South Devon and East Cornwall Hospital, who have subsequently died from injuries then received. "The names are Morris Lawrence the younger, Ellen Lismore the elder, Eliza Lismore, Walter Lismore, and those at the hospital - Oliver Waterman, George Collins Harris, alias Button George, and Charles Lawrence. The following gentlemen composed the jury:- Messrs. Robert Robinson Langford (foreman), Thomas Vivian, Charles John Pertherick,, John Vivian, James Brock Torr, Josiah Solomon, Thos Holman, George Browse, Edwin Frith, Thomas Knuckey, Thomas Smale, Charles Fred. Crewes, Henry Bate, William Heath, Jeffry Hardy and John McKeer. "The coroner having stated the circumstances which caused death of these persons as reported to him, referred to the Act of Parliament passed in August, 1860, prohibiting persons making fireworks in towns, and said that Mr Lawrence had applied to the Town Council for a licence to enable him to make fireworks; but that body, after investigating his premises, refused to grant it. He did not apply again but had carried on that illicit business which had caused the death of these persons. Had he now be living he would have been charged at a criminal bar for the offence committed and he had no doubt that the jury would have returned a verdict of manslaughter. The jury then proceeded to view the bodies, which presented a very unpleasant spectacle. On returning to the Guildhall, the following evidence was adduced:-William Henry Lawrence said he was a maker of fireworks, and lately resided at 99, King Street West. Morris Lawrence, his father, 50 years of age, and Morris Lawrence, his brother, were also makers of fireworks and resided in the same house. He assisted his father and during the past month they had been engaged in making fireworks for celebrating the marriage of the Prince of Wales. The Coroner: Did you work Sunday last? Q. What did they consist of mostly? Q. Were they all packed up on Sunday night Q. Where were they going? Q. When was the last time you saw your father and brother alive? Q. What room were they in when you parted with them? Q. Had they a lighted candle in the room? Q. Where did you sleep? Q. On the following morning witness heard Waterman call out what was that? Q. Did you see him after he was out? Q. Was the house licensed as a lodging house? Q. Was it for fireworks? Q. Do you suppose that your father and brother Morris, Mrs. Lismore and her three children perished in the flames? The Foreman: How long had you lived in that house? The Foreman: And at intervals during that time you have made fireworks? The Foreman: How many chests were there in the room on Sunday night? The Foreman: Were there fireworks in other rooms of the house? A Juryman: Had you any materials in the house for making fireworks? "In answer to other questions put by several jurymen the witness said he thought the coloured fire ignited the other combustibles. On Sunday night before he went to bed he had a little fear of it, as there was a curious smell. He communicated it to his father who afterward thought he smelled it, but taking it to be an imagination, the matter was taken no further notice of, and they retired to bed. Mr. Whipple, surgeon, residing at No 14, Devonshire Terrace deposed that yesterday he went to the dead-house, in Westwell-street burying-ground where he examined the remains of six charred human bodies. Two he made out to be males, and another a female. All three were adults. There were three children of varying ages. He should think one six, the other three, and the other an infant. One of the males appeared a stouter and stronger developed man than the other. Button George and Waterman, died at the hospital from the effects of burns. In his opinion the effects of the vapour killed Charles Lawrence. "The Coroner asked Mr. Whipple whether it was not better to send the last witness, W. H. Lawrence, to the hospital, as he appeared to be suffering from the effects of the vapour. "Mr. Whipple, after examining him, said he ought to be taken care of and thought it would be advisable to send him to the hospital. The young man, however, refused to go, and the Coroner paid for a cab to drive him to his residence. "Ellen Lismore, a young woman of about 18 years of age, was then called. She said she was the daughter of Walter Lismore who lately resided at 103, King-Street West. About half past eleven on Sunday night Emma Lawrence got the supper, of which they all partook. They afterwards adjourned to the front room and she and Emma Lawrence were left alone. They went to bed. On Monday morning Emma Lawrence was awoke with coughing, which also aroused her from her slumbers. They both got out of bed, and Emma Lawrence opened the door. Seeing the passage in a blaze of fire they jumped out of the window into the yard. Emma Lawrence there called out 'Father', and she thought she heard him say, 'Morris, where are you?' Emma Lawrence was at present very ill. She knew the number of persons in the house on Sunday night. They were herself, Emma Lawrence; Morris Lawrence, the elder; Morris Lawrence, the younger; her father and mother; Ellen Lismore, aged 33; her sister Eliza, about 6 years of age; her sister Rose, 3 years old; and her brother Walter, 10 months old. She did not know how old Waterman was. George Harris was about 40 years of age. John Rogers, John Smith, Henry Roberts, and Charles Lawrence were there. The latter was about 17 years of age, and used to assist his father. Edwin Lawrence was also in the house. She had no doubt but that her mother had perished in the fire. Mrs Lawrence was very ill. Michael Burke, a mat maker, said he had recognised the dead bodies at the hospital as those of Waterman and Button George. Sergeant March, of the Plymouth police, said that he was on duty in King Street West at 2:25 on Monday morning when he heard an explosion of rockets flying across the street. There was no one else in the street at the time. The windows were blown out and the front room was ablaze. He sprung his rattle and alarmed the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. He did not see any one in the house. He left the other two policemen who were with him on the spot and went for a free engine. Oliver Waterman and George Collins Harris were taken away in a cab to the hospital about half-past three. He took the bodies to the dead house. He believed that Lawrence had been watched at different times. Two policemen were examined who were on duty near the house on Monday morning and proved that there was no fire in the street within half an hour previous to Sergeant March seeing it. James Swigg, a mason and foreman of the West of England Fire Brigade, said on Monday morning, about ten minutes before three o'clock, he arrived with the engine in Stonehouse Lane. They subsequently set to work in search of the missing bodies all of which they found in the front room down stairs. The bodies were removed to the dead house. "Mr. George Searle remembered about twelve months since Mr. Lawrence applied to the town council for a license for manufacturing fireworks, but was refused. He did not know that he (Mr Lawrence) had carried on the business subsequently. The Coroner having explained the law in such cases the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Morris Lawrence the elder and recommended the coroner to write to the Town Council as to the necessity of enforcing the statute for the protection of the public against the manufacturers of fireworks. The Coroner said he would do so." There is confusion whether the property concerned was number 99 or 103. The 1861 census records the families living at 99 King Street. The newspaper states it as 99 King Street when the fire was first reported but the inquest report records it as 103 King Street.
Life After the FireOf the Lismore family only Walter Lismore (39) and his daughter Ellen (17) survived the fire. Of the Lawrence family, siblings Emma (19), Henry (17) and Edwin (11) also survived the fire. Walter and Emma lived together after the fire. No marriage has been found for them, possibly because Emma was still married to Incennzio Lupo whom she married in 1858 at the age of sixteen. That marriage had obviously failed long before the fire in 1863. Incennzio had emigrated to the USA before 1861. Walter and Emma are listed in the 1871 and 1881 censuses: 1871 census - a group of caravans between 15 Central Street and 97 Union Street, Plymouth;
1881 census - 12 Granby Square, Plymouth;
Walter died in the Truro district in 1889 and in 1901 Emma Lismore is recorded as a widow and a fish hawker, aged 55. She was living at 1 Stafford Row, Plymouth on her own.
Acknowledgements and Further ReadingWith thanks and acknowledgements to Dingles Fairground Museum and to Guy Belshaw and his wonderful book:
We appreciate the contribution made by Carolyn Whitney Prola and her book
|
|||||||||
In 1881 William Frederick Oldridge, known throughout his life as Frederick William Oldridge or simply as "Fred", married Rosina "Rose" Lismore in Stoke Dameral, Plymouth, Devon. Rose was born into a travelling fairground family; her mother was Emma Lawrence and the Lawrence family were showmen celebrated throughout the west of England. Another important show family that also toured the western counties was the Whitelegg family. There was a strong cultural connection between the show families and in 1905 Thomas "Tommy" Whitelegg married Fred and Rose's daughter, Rosina Oldridge. Between them Tom and Rosina were a significant force in the world of west country show people.
Some time after their marriage the Oldridges started on their own account, fetching their family up in the Summer time on the proceeds of their smart looking shooting range and in the winter while Mr. Oldridge worked hard in the Plymouth Gasworks, his equally industrious wife carried on the good old game of pilchard cleaner on the Barbican. [A typical scene shown here.]
