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The Barrett-Browning Memorial Institute, Ledbury
Newspaper references to its building and opening
These are notes from Ledbury Free Press 1889-1896 covering the building of the Barrett Browning Memorial Institute. They have been gleaned from its Editorial (ED comment) - Local Intelligence (LI local news) and Communications (CMS readers letters.) columns.
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The Communications column was headed with "It must be distinctly understood that the Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents," followed by the writer stating 'To the Editor Ledbury Free Press,' then 'Sir,-
No Clock Bell, Clock Tower or Barrett Browning Memorial Institute coverage was found before 1889.
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CMS 3rd December 1889. FIRE BELL AND CLOCK TOWER: AN OFFER
A short time ago we heard that the fire bell had received a polite notice to quit, "The Feathers;" later, that an application had been made to the Trustees of St Katherine's Hospital for permission to fix it over the centre of the almshouses. I think it would be somewhat difficult to design a turret that would not be an ugly experience, an eyesore, in such a position, and the bell would certainly unduly alarm the aged and infirm inmates.
A gentleman, a Ledburian, who takes a fond interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of his native place, has today, authorised me to announce that he will give £50 towards a Clock Tower, to be erected in the High St, the Tower to be the future home of the bell. If agreeable to those concerned, it would be easy to combine with the above the Granite Drinking Fountain, recently given to the town through the public enterprise of Mrs Lambert.
A good position for the Tower would be about eight feet E of the kerb, near the fountain or pump, it would miss the line of Jubilee trees, and could be seen from some distance down to "The Southend," and from "Belle Orchard." I should be glad if those who feel interested in the town would give this generous offer the consideration it deserves, and if thought worthy of acceptance, I shall be at once prepared to name the benefactor
Yours truly
Charles W Stephens
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CMS 10th December 1889. CLOCK TOWER
Mr. Councillor Stephen's letter in your last issue, will, I am sure, have been read by our townsmen with feelings of great pleasure, as a donation of £50 towards a much needed clock will be most acceptable, but I trust he and the donor will kindly reconsider the suggested position, as a clock tower of sufficient height, would require a base that would cause an obstruction in our beautiful street that could be avoided. Now I hope Mr. Councillor Stephens will endeavour to obtain the sanction of the trustees of the St Catherine’s Chapel (really in place of the present one.) This with two faces could be seen from the Upper Cross to the Belle Orchard, and heard to strike all over the town. Such a clock would, I am sure, be greatly appreciated, and I trust our liberal minded Ledburians will be equally pleased to contribute his donation towards it. I do not think a fire bell turret on the tower of St Catherine's would be unsightly, and certainly not more disturbing to the inmates than the position suggested,
Ledbury, 7 December 1889 Yours truly
EDWARD MADDISON
CMS 17th December 1889. CLOCK TOWER AND FIRE BELL
I was very pleased to see Mr. Maddison in your last, proving, as it does, that some interest has been taken in the generous offer made by our townsman. I have had an interview with that gentleman and find his views do not quite accord with those of Mr. Maddison. A bracket clock could not be seen from the pavement between the Capital and the Counties Bank and the "Royal Oak," not even from the "Feathers" doorstep. In 10 years hence, if the Jubilee trees grow as they should, it is probable such a clock would not be seen from the east side of Homend-street from the Lower Cross to the "Horseshoe," and a two faced clock would be quite useless to the residents immediately opposite. On the other hand a clock in a tower could be seen from all positions I have named, but I admit the trees might obstruct the view from the west side of Homend-street from the Lower Cross for 150 yards north.
Would a clock tower obstruct the traffic in consequence of the size of its base? I think not, the street opposite No 7 being 45 feet wide from the kerb to gutter, and both pavements being the widest in the town, and moreover there is 10 feet to the good between the gutter and kerb on the East side. The base for a tower 30 feet high would be about 12 feet one way, and supposing the base was all on the highway, there would still be about 33 feet left for what traffic, six feet more than opposite the Capital and Counties Bank, and wider than some of the best streets in Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester.
Of course the proposed tower must be a handsome one, worthy of the town, and the clock in every way suitable, illuminated at night (here is a chance for an offer from the Gas Company.) I am convinced there will no difficulty about the money if the townspeople and neighbours say yes to the project. I have said nothing about the turret over St Catherine’s, I cannot believe "another move will be made in that direction".
I may mention that Mr. J.S. Webb, still taking an active interest in fire matters, suggests that a tower should be large enough in the basement to contain the two best engines. There is no occasion for any undue haste. Let us think the subject out, and talk it over a little, and in the course of a month a friendly meeting might be held for discussion. The £50 will not be withdrawn yet awhile.
Yours very truly
The Cross, December 14th 1889. CHARLES W STEPHENS
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CMS 24th December 1889 THE NEW TOWN CLOCK, CLOCK TOWER, FIRE-BELL TURRET, AND ENGINE HOUSE SCHEME.
If Messrs C.W. Stephens and Co.'s suggestion to erect a tower in the centre of our town had not been challenged by Mr Maddison with another suggestion, to which, of course, Mr. Stephens naturally objects, we should probably have heard nothing more of the scheme, and I am sure I should not have thus trespassed upon your columns and the time of your readers in referring to the same subject.
Mr. Stephens’ second letter, however, brings a much more formidable matter to our notice - a suggestion to erect in the centre of the Market place "a tower large enough in the base to contain the two fire engines." Now there must be surely "something gone wrong with his works," or else Mr. Stephens is perpetrating a cruel joke at Mr. J.S. Webb's expense, who, he says, suggests the engine house, & co., be included in the scheme. It really seems that before the extinction of that generation of Ledburians, who paid so heavily for the removal of the unsightly Butcher-row, which stood on the same ground, is complete, there are others amongst us who, to carry out a certain crochet of their own, would sacrifice one of the chief features of our town - its spacious and open street. I ask any of your readers who take an interest in this matter to stand at the top of the High Street, or away in the Homend and look toward the centre of the town, and to imagine there a building large enough to contain two fire engines. I would then ask them what they thought of the "Stephens-cum-Webb scheme."
Ledbury, December 20th 1889. A Ledburian
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(1) CMS 31st December 1889 THE PROPOSED CLOCK TOWER
AND FIREBELL TURRET
The only notice I purpose taking of your anonymous correspondent, is to refer him to the fifth paragraph in my letter published December 3rd: "A good position for the tower would be about eight feet R of the kerb, near the
fountain or pump," and I should like to say that on reading the expressions "Stephens and Co.’s suggestions," "cruel joke," and "Stephens and Webb," I thought I recognised an old friend using a new nom-de-plume.
Yours very truly
The Cross, December 28th 1889. CHARLES W STEPHENS
(2) CMS 31st December 1889 "Ledburian’s" epistle has understandably lost weight by the very improper tone in which it is written. No person who has lived for any length of time in Ledbury cannot but be struck by the amount of peace and good will manifested in the everyday life of its inhabitants. It is only the few who tolerate, and only the very few that will uphold a spiteful cantankerous spirit: - but withdraw these discourteous remarks, and the latter in question, without any doubt, is the voice of the town. We shall not agree to any encroachment in the High-street; and besides if the Jubilee trees grow to their usual size, the branches will spread 15 or 20 yards from the trunk, and the height be 40 or 50 feet.
An offer of the sum of £50 we all think handsome, and Councillor Stephens could not do other than make it publicly known. Is there no place besides where it could be put? Once upon a time there was a market house at the Upper Cross; might not an erection be placed somewhere there? If put at the top end of Southend (a street with but little traffic) the gangway on either side of an eight foot building would be the same the whole width of the top end of New-street. This is of course an obstruction, but if we are to have a tower in a prominent position in a street, This would I think be the least objectionable site. I shall not fear "Ledurian's" criticism, but trust he will be courteous.
Yours truly
PEACE
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(3) CMS 31st December 1889. It would really seem from your correspondence column that we have a dearth of topics in Ledbury, and that if the new fire bell ((however much it has been abused) had not come to life, the present discussion would not be troubling some and amusing others. I sincerely trust that the Free Press columns will not be hastily closed against "suggestions," and that you will allow all who wish to do so to "air their opinions." These may prove useful to the future Ledbury historian. I don't think any probable costs of the schemes before us have been mentioned. These would be interesting too.
Ledbury, December 26th 1889 CURIOUS
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(1) CMS 7th January 1890. LEDBURY ENGINE HOUSE CLOCK TOWER.
The first half of this long letter seeks to identify anonymous letter writers on subjects totally unrelated to a Fire Bell or the Barrett-Browning Clock Tower until the following:
We all, I hope love "Peace," but it does not necessarily follow that we should be compelled to have it at "any price." Is this monumental structure or miniature Eiffel Tower required at all? I think not, but if it is held to be essential for "the purposes of the proposed illuminated clock," then comes the question of site which is, I admit somewhat difficult solution. I take it High St has escaped. "Peace" suggests its erection in the Southend near the Upper Cross, but I anticipate will find the inhabitants of that locality very much at war if his suggestion should ever assume tangible shape. Would the proprietor of the "Royal Oak Hotel" and the trades people living near quietly submit to the erection of such an obstruction, in front of their respective business premises? Would Mr. Biddulph have no objection to the fire bell being placed immediately opposite his windows?
And is not one narrow dangerous corner, such as the east end of New Street, sufficient without creating two others adjacent to it? There is another obstacle which I think would somewhat difficult to surmount and should not be overlooked – i.e. - the cost of building this imaginary Tower of Babel. The total expenditure would not be less than £300 or £400, and, although the subscriptions through Mr. Stephens is a very handsome one and deserves our appreciation and thanks, yet, even if a suitable site could be found, how is the other £300 or more to be raised. Not, I am afraid, from the pockets of the already burdened trades people, before whom subscriptions lists are continually being laid. Again, if erected, how is the clock, etc, to be maintained? It is now found impossible to raise the small annual sum of £6 in order to keep our church clock and chimes going, would it be an easy matter to obtain a much larger amount every year for the maintenance of the proposed new one?
I am told that a comparatively small amount would be sufficient to place both our public clock in good going order, and, if so, is there any absolute necessity to expend a large sum of money in the purchase and erection of another?
An illuminated clock of the centre of this town would, in doubt, be both useful and ornamental, and, if the possession of such an article be with in "reasonable distance," it has occurred to me that it would not be altogether impossible to attach a projecting double faced clock to the south West corner of the Town Hall, where it cause no obstruction, and could, I think, be seen from nearly a great a distance as if erected on the opposite side of the street where suggested by Mr. Stephens,
Yours, &c,
Ledbury 3rd January 1890 JOHN PREECE
(2) CMS 7th January 1890. There are times when writing or speaking one is compelled to "call a spade a spade" but not more so than in the present Tower Controversy, as some of the suggestions, have been so very Quixotic. I feel flattered when "Peace" writes that my last letter was "the voice of the town," but he must excuse me when I say that his idea of erecting a tower with an eight foot base on the east side of the Cross is even more absurd than my other previous suggestions, whilst his remark "we shall not agree to any encroachment on the High Street," is not at all complimentary to the previous writer and does not savour of the "Peace" which he strongly professes, Yours truly