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USING his knowledge of local history,
Andrew expresses a personal opinion about the choice of the
street names on the Regents Park housing development.
I WAS shocked and
disappointed to discover that two new roads in Nantwich - on Regents
Park, the
housing development off Crewe Road - had been
named most inappropriately.
I always
understood that road names should, if at all possible, give credit
to the history of the immediate local area.
The houses have been built on
land which at one time belonged to Philip Barker. After his death in
the late 1890s, a school was established on the site, called
Willaston School. This school survived for 37 years and some old
boys went on to become famous in their own right - such as Henry
Mellor (Times newspaper editor), Norman Ebbutt (Times Correspondent,
thrown out of Germany in 1933 by Adolf Hitler); Sir Alan Parkes, and
Sir Robert de Zouch Hall.
Leaving that
aside, when the houses were built on some of this
land, but off London Road, at least the roads had a connection with
the school. We have Hirsch Close, named after Philip Hirsch VC;
Lewis Close after the first headmaster, Guy Lewis; Worthington Close
after A.H.Worthington, Secretary to the Governors; and
Brunner Grove after Sir John Brunner who laid the foundation stone for the school.
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The developers and local authorities
in their wisdom have decided to name a new road Stanley Boughey
Place. Stanley Boughey, who was awarded a VC, was born in Liverpool
and the very tenuous connection with Nantwich is that he was the son
of Lucy Boughey of Yew Tree Farm, Hurleston.
A far more
deserving candidate for recognition would be Thomas Hale VC who at
least was born, lived, and was a JP for many years in Nantwich. He
died in Faddiley.
It
is a shame that the memorial board commemorating the 12 old boys who
died in World War 1 is no longer on site. Maybe one or more of these
names could have been used.
And where does
Blears come from?
While it may be
appropriate to recognise the sacrifice of one Nantwich family
through the deaths of three brothers, the name ought to be used in a
more suitable location.
The roads could have been
named Lang Jones Place and Jacks Road after the next two headmasters
after Guy Lewis. Other candidates could have been any of the old
boys mentioned and if the argument is that the boys were not local
then what about Jim Edleston, the architect who died quite recently?
He was a pupil of the school.
It is to be
hoped that future roads on this estate will be named more
appropriately.
Nantwich Elim
Church (aka Elim Bible College
| Willaston School |
