Place Names of Calne: Streets named for places outside of Wiltshire

Corfe castle, the probable inspiration for Corfe Crescent.

We have a few streets in Calne named for places outside of Wiltshire, listed below. So, why name a street after another town?

Charlieu is an easy one and commemorates the twinning of Calne and Charlieu, France in the early 1970s.

What we know as Oxford Road, is one of the earliest roads and was the direct route to Swindon - and perhaps onwards to Oxford? Interestingly, it seems that at least p

Some place names may have been suggested due to personal connections for the housing developer or a councillor at the time of building the street, or perhaps they reflect some historical relationship that I'm not currently aware of.

The estate near Tesco Express has four apparent place names (Amberley Close, Newbury Avenue, Richmond Road, and Thatcham Close), but apart from Newbury and Thatcham (which are approximately 9 miles apart), there doesn't see to be any real connection when looking at a map. Corfe Crescent is located within Braemor Road, and Oxford Court is an offshoot of Oxford Road.



London road and Oxford road are historic roads in Calne and will have posts with a deeper discussion. As will Cotswold Close, Portland Way, Perbeck Place, which are named for the building material rather than the actual place.

Street Name

Amberley Close

Charlieu Avenue

Corfe Crescent

Dunnet Close

London Road

Newbury Avenue

Oxford Court

Oxford Road

Richmond Road

Rochdale Avenue

Thatcham Close

Westerham Walk

 

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Timeline Calne: 24 December 1899, Second Boer War Memorial Service

The afternoon of Sunday 24 December 1889 saw a well attended memorial service for the fallen soldiers of the Second Boer War was held at St. Mary's church.

The Second Boer War had started a few months earlier, on 11 October 1899, after Britain rejected the untimatum issued by the Transvaal, which led to the South African Republic and Orange Free State declaring war. The ultimatum demanded all disputes between the two states by settled by arbitration, that British troops would be withdrawn from their borders, and the solders headed for South Africa by ships would not disembark[1].

The Calne contingent of Volunteers under the command of Lieutenant Woodward attended and were played to at the church by the Calne band. "Eternal Father, strong to save" was one of the hymns song with special reference to the troops en route to South Africa by sea.

The vicar of the time felt that this war was 'unavoidable' and that an honourable peace would soon be established. A positive outcome of this service was the creation of the Transvaal War Fund however the war would continue for another two years, ending with a British victory (although there were many deaths on both sides), on 31 May 1902[2].


References:
[1] BBC - History - The Boer Wars. 2019. BBC - History - The Boer Wars. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/boer_wars_01.shtml. [Accessed 19 December 2019]. 
[2]  'Calne'  Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 30 December 1899 [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001557/18991230/152/0006 [Accessed on 19 December 2019]

Place Names of Calne: Alma Terrace

Alma Terrace is named to commemorate the Battle of Alma that took place on the River Alma during the Crimean War (1853-1856).

During this battle, which took place on 20 September 1854, the British, French, and Turkish forces battled the Russian forces, who were defending the Crimean peninsula. The Russians made their stand at Alma Heights, which is south of the River Alma. Eventually, due to the superior rifle power of the British, the Russians were forced to retreat, leading to an allied victory. However, of the 8600 casualties and loses, 2000 of them were British[1].

Alma Terrace

The land that Alma Terrace was built on was sold in the 1850s, with both terraces built by 1885, with the north side developed initially and a terrace and semi-detached (see photograph) developed later[2]. A board at Calne Heritage Centre details that the street wasn't named until 1870, 16 years after this battle took place. This shows the terrible impact this war had on the people of Britain and the Commonwealth, with many streets and pubs named after the event from London and Sheffield to Vancouver and Fremantle[3].

In 1916 a house at the end of Alma Terrace was aquired by St. Mary's school and named St. Prisca's. The junior forms were transferred to this house, along with some borders, with the tiny kitchen used for teaching cooking. This house was enlarged in 1928 to provide a large room for cookery, with dormitory above, named for Arthur Dunne[4].

The question of whether Alma Terrace should be taken over by the council or remain a private road cropped up many times in the early 1900s. However the owners of the houses were always unwilling to bring the road up to standard and it wasn't until 1937 that the road was finally 'made up', with St Mary's footing £177 7s 1d of the £221 13s 10d cost that the council finally adopted the road[5].

 

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References:
[1] Battle of the Alma - Wikipedia. 2019. Battle of the Alma - Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alma. [Accessed 25 January 2019].
[2] Calne: The town in the 19th century | British History Online. 2019. Calne: The town in the 19th century | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp41-44. [Accessed 25 January 2019].
[3] Tate, T., 2018. A Short History of the Crimean War. 1st ed. London: I.B.Tauris and Co Ltd..
[4] Stedmond, K., 1986. St. Mary's School Calne 1873-1986. 1st ed. Nailsworth: B. A. Hathaway Printers, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. 
[5] 'New Highways'  Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 13 February 1937 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001557/19370213/108/0006 [Accessed on 5 December 2019]

Bremhill War Memorial

Bremhill War Memorial

Bremhill War Memorial, which sits in the churchyard of St. Martin's church, was dedicated in November 1920 'in memory of the Men of 'this Parish who laid down their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918.

Each place of worship within Bremhill Parish was also presented with an illuminated and framed Roll of Honour bearing the names of the men who served the parish during the Great War by Mr Bull of East Tytherton.

The Wiltshire Times[1] reported on November 13, 1920, that after the cross was dedicated by Archdeacon Bodington, it was unveiled by Lady Lansdowne, who said:
"This ceremony is one of a great many in which, not only throughout our own country but throughout the British Empire, our people have been taking part during the last few months. How much these unveilings mean to us mothers. They are the expression of our gratitude to those who during the Great War, laid down our lives for us, and for all that we hold most precious, the love we felt for them while they were with us, and for the respect which we feel for their memory. It is because we desire that these feelings shall survive when we are no longer here that we are setting up in almost every village, a permanent memorial such as this, which shall remind our successors of the debt which they owe to these brave men"

Bremhill War Memorial Dedication

The stone is inscribed with the following:
'SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO / WENT FROM THIS PARISH TO SERVE THEIR / KING & COUNTRY & WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN DEFENCE OF RIGHT, JUSTICE AND LIBERTY IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918'

The 20 names that follow are:
Henry George Aspeck
Thomas Baker
Walter John Cook Brittain
George Charles Chubb
Clement James Eatwell
Charles Fortune
Reginald James Freegard
Albert James Harding
Frederick James Henley
Oliver Arthur Henley

Harold King
Jesse Edward Lewis
Percy James Matthews
Edwin Minty
Arthur Francis Ponting
Tom Ponting
Frederick Charles Robins
Herbery Henry Rumming
Sidney Selman
James Henry Summers


The Grade II listed memorial is constructed of Portland stone. Upon a tall, octagonal shaft, itself set on a square plinth and two stepped hexagonal base, is a Maltese Cross variant. A Maltese Cross consists of four 'V' or arrow shaped concaved quadrilaterals which converge at right angles in the centre. It developed from earlier forms, which consisted of eight-pointed crosses, and is known as a heraldic cross variant from the Knights of Malta. Malta was a medical recovery outpost during WWI.

References:
[1] Wiltshire Times,  Saturday 13 November 1920 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001557/19201113/299/0012 [Accessed on 8 November 2019]

Timeline Calne: 3 November 1863, Calne's Unofficial Holiday

The Calne branch of the railway opened to passengers on Tuesday, 3 November, 1863. On this day an unofficial holiday took place with all shop closed and the 4th Wiltshire Volunteer Corps Band paraded through the streets. As with most English holidays, it apparently rained heavily on this day in 1863!

The excusion train to Bath opened the line, with an estimated 1000 passengers travelling on that first train, with many left behind due to lack of space.

The branch railway, of 5 and a quarter miles, cost £54,000 and was opened with nearly no debt. All stone required for the build, including bridges, came from Mr. Benjamin Baily's land. A standard run from Calne to Chippenham took 10 minutes in 1863, with 12 passenger trains running daily.

Reference:
Tanner, G., 1972. The Calne Branch. Oxford Publishing Co.