Cemetery walks prove popular

Recent walks in the cemetery, part of the Leamington Looks Back History Festival, traced the footsteps of some of the town’s most famous people.

The first two walks were conducted by Leamington History Group members Alan Griffin, Barry Franklin and Allan Jennings and were considered to be very successful.

Mr Jennings said: “Thank you to everyone who helped promote them. A total of 36 people turned up for the afternoon walk and 19 turned up for the evening walk. We showed where 27 people of interest were buried.

“We had thought that the walks would take around 60-90 minutes but the interest was such that the walks lasted around two hours.”

The historians enlightened people about World Middleweight boxing champion Randolph Turpin and former England and Arsenal footballer Eddie Hapgood.

Other notable people visited on the tour included: Vice Admiral Sir Jahleel Brenton KCB - who was one of Admiral Nelson’s commanders; Job Allwood - a Crimean War veteran, as well as bombing victims from the Second World War; George Pollock Antrobus - a senior king’s messenger; William Edwards - chief inspector of police; Edward Tracy Turnerelli - sculptor, artist and eccentric; and Elizabeth Whitehead whose work can be found in Leamington Art Gallery. Whitehead’s work included portraits named ‘Peonies’, ‘Fishing Nets by the Sea’ and ‘Harvest Scene’.

Then there were: Charles Goodfellow VC, William Riley - factor and lifeboat donor, Margaret Cusack - the ‘Nun of Kenmare’; Sidney Flavel Jnr - public spirited businessman; Cdr Morton Sanders - United States Naval officer who died on the river at Emscote. People were also told about Ada and Emily Place - the sad case of two sisters who died on the River Leam.