In Search Of Something – Page 8

Warminster Resident Gloria Sloper Has Died At The RUH, Bath ~ But No Will Has Been Found, No Funeral Has Been Arranged ~ Danny Howell Is Seeking Her Relatives

Wednesday 17th January 1996

Miss Gloria Sloper Has Died ~ But No Will Found.
The many friends and former dance pupils of the late Miss Gloria Sloper are still waiting to hear when her funeral will be held.

Miss Sloper died two days before Christmas 1995. Because she left no will, legal formalities mean that the funeral has not yet been arranged.

Because of the delay, there has been some talk in the town, and local historian Danny Howell set out to try and find out answers after many people got in touch with him asking for information. He contacted various local lawyers and finally talked to Mr Peter Rogers of Pinniger and Finch, of Westbury.

That firm have been looking into the matter – as they held the deeds of Miss Sloper’s home at Boreham Road, Warminster, where she had lived for about 35 years.

Mr Rogers said he had contacted other lawyers and banks, to see if any will or family papers can be traced, but there appear to be none. Nor are there family papers (birth certificates and so on) in Miss Sloper’s house.

Nor did there seem to be any relatives. However, as a result of Danny Howell’s enquiries, information has come to light. Mr Rogers has received a phone call from a woman who says she is a relative of Miss Sloper.

Meanwhile, the matter has been passed to the Treasury Solicitor, who acts for people who died without a will or traceable relatives. The hope is that the Treasury Solicitor will guarantee the costs of the funeral (probably to be paid later from Miss Sloper’s estate), then friends of Miss Sloper can arrange the funeral.

The Morgan Family

A letter, dated 13th July 1995, from Mrs. Vivienne Davidson, P.O. Box 149, Donald, Vic. 3480, Australia; to Danny Howell, Warminster:

Dear Mr. Howell,
I am writing to you as a result of purchasing a map – Old Ordnance Survey Map – Warminster 1899.

I was interested to read the information regarding William Frank Morgan who if my family information is correct was the first son of William Morgan and Jane Fookes born May 7th 1835.

William Morgan was the fourth son of John Morgan and Elizabeth Pearce. Their first born John Thomas Morgan married Emma Manley of Pickwick, Wilts.

Which in the end makes my great grandfather, Godfrey Morgan, directly related to William Frank Morgan and I suppose explains my interest in Warminster.

I have tried, through inter-library loan, to obtain your books listed on the back of that map relating to Warminster and have been unable to do so. It appears that the only one available is on the Wylye Valley.

Are they available for purchase? If so – from what publisher and their ISBN Nbrs.

John Thomas Morgan was born in Warminster on August 21, 1789 and died at Weston, Bath, August 8th, 1841. His wife Emma Manley was born June 29, 1799, tenth child of John and Martha Manley. They were married November 26, 1825, at Corsham, Wilts.

I was a member of the Wiltshire Family History Society however received no response to a request re the Morgan family of Warminster. Is there a group dealing only with the Warminster area?

The Ursuline Convent At East Street, Warminster

Monday 18th March 1991

Irene Pickford, of Warminster, writes:

May I appeal for information about the Ursuline Convent that was at East Street, Warminster?

The property is now known as Yard Court, previously Yard House, and before then The Mansion.

The Ursuline nuns were in residence from 1906 to 1919, during which time they opened a school for ‘boarders, day boarders and day scholars – moderate terms’.

Perhaps someone remembers their grandmother or mother talking about the nuns, the convent and the school?

Any information. memories, or photographs would be appreciated.

Any Local Traditions In The Wylye Valley?

Letter in the Wylye Valley Life magazine, Friday 8 February 1985:

The Editor, Wylye Valley Life.
Dear Sir,
In my native Lincolnshire, I knew a man who had been born in 1873. He remembered, when very young, conversing with an old man at Caistor in the north of the county. This old man could just remember his ancient grandfather, who could remember as a small boy watching King James the Second go hawking at Clixby, near Caistor, some 300 years ago. Readers would, I guess, be interested to hear of any local traditions of this kind in the Wylye Valley.
Patrick Blakiston,
Jasmine Cottage,
97 Monkton Deverill,
Warminster, Wilts.

Who Remembers The Pony At Stapleford?

Danny Howell writes:

When I was a child, and I’m talking now about the early 1960s, there used to be a piebald or a skewbald pony which used to stand with its head over the fence of its paddock (or small field) adjacent the A36 at Stapleford in the Wylye Valley. It was a familiar sight on the right hand side of the road (south side) as one travelled towards the Salisbury direction. The paddock was between the road and the River Wylye and was just up from the area known as Serrington, a few hundred yards before you got to the Pelican inn.

Whenever I was in the car with my parents going to (and also on the way home from) Salisbury or beyond, say if we were going to or returning from the seaside at Bournemouth, we always used to look out for the pony. As soon as we approached that way someone would say “Let’s keep our eyes peeled to see the pony.” And we were always gladdened when we saw him/her. He/she seemed to like watching the traffic go by. He or she was like a living landmark and must have been a very familiar sight for regular users of that stretch of the A36.

It’s over 50 years ago now but I do remember that when I was at jumble sale in Warminster, in the 1990s, I heard one of the ladies at the jumble, Hilda Goodenough, who lived at Sambourne Gardens, Warminster, suddenly remark, out of the blue, to another lady, “Do you remember the piebald pony at Stapleford?”

A few more years have passed and I would like to hear from anyone who has special memories of the Stapleford pony, particularly if they know who owned the pony or what the name of the pony was? It would be great to know more about it. I wonder if there are any photos of it?

If you can help with information or photos, please contact us by email: dannyhowellnet@gmail.com

Reference Material Sought For A History Of Warminster

An advertisement in The Warminster Herald, Saturday 11th January 1873:

History of Warminster. The Rev. J.J. Daniell would be much obliged for the loan, or copy, of any M.S.S., documents, or deeds, having reference to the civil, ecclesiastical, parochial or manorial history of Warminster.
Wilton. Jan., 8th, 1873.