An error was found on the Abbey Ward postal ballot papers, which caused a delay in not only the ward’s declaration but the whole election. The issue was that the Labour party’s logo was printed next to the name of Liberal Democrat, Andy Tulloch. Following discussions between Lib-Dems election agent, John Whitehouse, the district council and the Electoral Commission it was decided the 1,090 affected voters would be sent newly printed forms, which would be in a different colour to the original. Mr Whitehouse said that with people voting for up to three candidates from a list of twelve, many voters rely on party logos to help guide their choices. In such a tightly contested ward, it could have seriously affected the outcome of the election.
The results were finally declared on Saturday 9th May and the Tories had taken overall control of the council. Andrew Mobbs, who retained his seat easily in Park Hill is the leader of the council, said; “I am delighted we have gained six seats which actually is nine seats due to the defections before the election”. We had been running a minority administration of 22 before the election but now with 31 we can push through our policies, especially building new council houses”.
In Kenilworth, all nine Tories candidates were easily returned. In St. John’s, John Dagg and Norman Vincent did not seek re-election and were replaced by Pat Cain and John Cooke. Cllr Cain is new to the council but Cllr Cooke had previously been a member from 1983 to 1991.
For the Lib-Dems it was a tough election, to say the least. Ann Blacklock, who had been on the district council since 2003, did not seek re-election and was a hard-act to follow. Kate Dickson had an increased vote of 300 in Abbey ward from the 2011 poll, but could not overhaul Rowena Hill, who took third place for the Tories. This will be Cllr Hill’s first time on the district council.
The Green Party once again entered nine candidates in a Kenilworth. In 2011 they polled 2,815 votes but that was increased this year to 4,823. In the overall district, they had their first ever success, Ian Davison, being elected in Leamington Brunswick, polling 1,264 votes.
There was a heavy turnout of over 70% in all three wards, this was the largest since the 1979 election, when over 80% of people voted.
District Results: (46 seats) 31 Tories, 9 Labour, 3 Whitnash Residents Association, 2 Lib-Dems, 1 Green Party. Conservatives have overall control.
Kenilworth District Councillors
9 Conservative Party
(R. Davies, P. Cain, A. Cooke, D. Shilton, F. Bunker, A. Mobbs, M. Coker, R. Hill, G. Illingworth)
On Monday the 29th June 1903, the gamekeeper of Chase Woods and Boer war veteran, Caleb Carter, had disappeared, and hadn’t been seen for two days. Concerns were growing for his wellbeing but what un-folded over the next few days and weeks, sent shockwaves throughout town, and one of the longest Kenilworth murder mysteries had only just begun.
(Artist’s Impression by Cyril Hobbins)
Caleb Carter lived in a cottage along Chase Lane, and was last seen alive on the evening of Saturday the 27th by his younger brother Alfred, who had come over from Birmingham to spend the afternoon with him. They eventually parted company at just before 8.30, as it would be getting dark soon and Alfred needed to be on his way home.
At about the same time, Caleb’s 17-year-old fiancé Mabel Hancox and her mother Ellen, had called in at his cottage to drop off some caps and socks which they had bought for him in Kenilworth. With him not being there, they thought nothing strange about that, expecting him to be out on the land somewhere with his brother or even waiting for them at their home, Warriors Lodge Farm, which was only about a quarter-of-a-mile from the cottage.
But as the evening wore-on, the Hancox family, and especially Mabel, had become increasing worried by his absence. They stayed-up late into the evening in the hope that he would eventually turn-up, but he never did.
Caleb’s Early Life
Caleb was born into the farming community of Gospel Oak, Snitterfield, on the outskirts of Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1875, to parents Alfred and Eliza. But when he was around four years-old, tragedy struck the family when his mother sadly passed away. But his father soon re-married, and so for most of his young life Caleb was brought up by his step-mother, Ellen. He had three other siblings, two sisters, Lily and Agnes and brother, Alfred. By his mid-teens, just like his father, he was working on the land. In the 1891 census, he was recorded as a ploughboy.
But as he grew older, he decided he wanted more out of life and enlisted in the 2nd Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. He eventually sailed-off to South Africa to fight in the 2nd Boer War, and like many other young men of his generation was looking forward to serving his country. If he wanted a new life of travel and adventure, then he certainly found it in South Africa. Fighting the determined Boer’s, along with disease and the climate was certainly no picnic. He eventually became a Bugler, and the rank of Lance Corporal. He was wounded towards the end of the war in 1902, and was medically discharged. He returned home on a ‘short pension’ of 1/6d per-day for a year.
Caleb’s Arrival in Kenilworth
It’s believed that Caleb came to Kenilworth around the beginning of 1903. He got the position as gamekeeper for Mr. James Booth, who held the tenancy of Chase Woods. He was a well-known gentleman and Justice of the Peace for Warwickshire who lived just a few miles away in his grand residence of Rowington Hall, a far cry from Caleb’s cottage along Chase Lane. Mr Booth’s landlord, was Edward Hyde Villiers, Earl of Clarendon, who at the time was a prominent member of the House of Lords and held the position of Lord Chamberlin of the Household.
Rowington Hall, the residence of James Booth, Caleb Carter’s employer
Where is Caleb?
By Sunday, 28th June, the Hancox family were still worried about Caleb’s continued absence, but they knew he was going over to visit his parents at Gospel Oak and said he would be back in the afternoon, so at this stage, they weren’t too alarmed. But they still couldn’t understand why he never called at the farm last evening. It was suggested that he may have gone over to Birmingham with his brother and forgotten all about their arrangements. It was very strange and out of character for such a reliable person.
By late afternoon, Mabel was getting extremely anxious and she again called-in at his cottage, but he was still nowhere to be seen. She walked across the fields on a couple of occasions in the direction of Honiley Church just on the off-chance that she might meet him on his return home, but she couldn’t find him. By night-fall the Hancox family didn’t know what to think, Caleb was still missing.
Caleb Carter was murdered within quarter-of-a-mile of Honiley Church
Search Begins
By mid-day on Monday, Caleb was still missing. So the Hancox family began searching the woods and land, inch-by-inch. It was decided to send a telegram to his brother informing him of the crisis. He eventually arrived in the afternoon at about 3 o’clock. He then mentioned that he had heard a gunshot soon after they had parted company, but at the time he thought nothing of it. Hearing shots in this rural area was commonplace, indeed, they had heard shots only a few minutes earlier whilst walking across the fields.
The Hancox family were now seriously worried, and not long after Alfred’s arrival, it was Mrs Hancox who came across Caleb’s body, lying in a shallow brook. It was the boundary of the Booth and Willies shooting territory. Alfred was called over and he went into the water to have a closer look, their worst fears had come true, Caleb was dead. Alfred went straight to Kenilworth and informed the police. He arrived back at the scene with Inspector Parkinson and some constables, and they began to process the scene.
Caleb’s Death Goes ‘Viral’
Caleb’s murder became headline news, and was reported in the press all over the country, what increased the interest, no doubt, was the landowner being a Lord of the Realm. The Penny Illustrated Paper, a London based publication, even sent a photographer to the murder-site. Two photos appeared in their 11th July edition, one showing the brook where the body was found and the other of four members of the Hancox family, lined-up outside the farmhouse. In the days following the crime many hundreds of people descended upon the site to ‘have a look’. The murder had taken place within yards of a public footpath, so no one could stop them coming. But in reality, there was nothing for them to see.
Inquest, Warriors Lodge Farm, Chase Lane, 30th June
Possible area where Caleb was last seen alive (1903 OS map) ‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
The Coroner
The grandly named, Mr J. J. Willington-Wilmshurst, Coroner for Mid-Warwickshire and Kenilworth resident, presided over the inquest. He was also the clerk of the Kenilworth Urban District Council. John Knight was the chosen foreman.
Evidence of Brother
Alfred Carter who by trade, was a journeyman blacksmith, presently at Sparkbrook, attended as a witness. He confirmed the body was that of his brother and he was 28 years-old.1 He had cycled to Kenilworth that day, and met deceased at Warriors Lodge. They then went to his cottage where they had some tea together. Witness rode to Kenilworth Station to collect a bicycle that belonged to himself which he was going to lend to his brother, if they couldn’t fix his machine that day. He had put it on the train at Birmingham before he cycled to Kenilworth. Witness stated he arrived back from the station at about 6pm.
They had not been talking about shooting or poachers during the day but deceased had previously mentioned he had no problems in that direction. On the evening the deceased had no walking stick or gun with him. Alfred stated that he had been on friendly terms with his brother. After saying goodnight at 8.20pm near Hazel Hill Wood, he was three or four fields away from the highway leading from the Warwick to Birmingham. He had cycled about 50 yards when he heard a gunshot which seemed to come from the direction of where his body was eventually found. They had not seen anyone with a gun, although they had heard shots earlier, but took no notice of it.
Evidence of Ellen Hancox
Ellen Hancox, the wife of Stephen Hancox, a shepherd of Warriors Lodge Farm, was the next to give evidence. She said that the deceased had been courting her daughter for many months and they were to wed in September. Witness and her daughter had called at his cottage early on Saturday evening but he wasn’t there. They expected him at the farm later, by 11 o’clock, he still hadn’t called. She added, that the deceased had said he was going to his parents home at Gospel Oak on Sunday morning, and would be back in the afternoon. When he did not return, they felt extremely anxious. So, on Monday morning, when they found the cottage as they had left it, they commenced a search of the woods and surrounding area. Alfred joined them in the afternoon but it was the witness who found the body lying in the brook.
Sovereigns and Gold Watch Found on Body
Inspector William Parkinson reported that he was called to the scene of the tragedy at 3.45pm 2 on July 2nd, by the deceased’s brother, Alfred. The body lay face down in the middle of the brook. He was fully clothed including his cap, his face was immersed in water. There did not seem to have been a struggle.
The body was removed to his cottage and the clothes were searched. To their surprise they found ten sovereigns in his belt and a gold watch in his trouser pocket, which had stopped working at 2.25am, due to being under water. Over the following two days, Parkinson and his Superintendent plus several constables were actively engaged in searching the area. They re-examined the spot where the deceased was found but their efforts to find any further evidence was not successful. Detectives from the Aston Division were also called in and made inquiries at Honiley village, but to no avail.
The shallow brook where Caleb Carter was found dead
Medical Evidence
Dr William Growse, medical examiner, stated that on examining the body he had found 40 to 50 shot marks in the nape of the neck, and the back of the scalp. There was also blood in the left ear. He estimated that the deceased had been dead for approximately 30 hours. In conjunction with Dr Tweedy they had performed a postmortem, and extracted a number of shots, one of which had penetrated the brain. There were extensive lacerations to the brain, and the skull was splintered and fractured. Death was probably instantaneous. Judging from the direction of the shots, the gun had been fired in a downwards direction. The wound could not have been self-inflicted, his theory was that he fell where he was shot. Although, he may have taken a few steps before he fell.
At this stage the coroner proposed to adjourn the inquest until 10th July, at the council house in Kenilworth. It was hoped that in the meantime the police could make further inquiries, that would enable the jury to bring in a satisfactory verdict. The jury was then bound over to re-appeared at the appointed time.
Reward Offered by Police
In the days following the inquest, the police offered a £20 reward to anyone with information that would lead to the arrest of the person responsible for the crime. Even though £20 back then was a lot of money, no one ever came forward.
Adjourned Inquest,Council House,Upper Rosemary Hill,10th July
In a crowded council house, the jury met at the appointed time of 10.30 am, but one juror, Mr. Oldfield was five minutes late, and was gently rebuked by the coroner. He reminded the court that he had adjourned the first inquest to give the police more time to make further inquiries. It was also noted that the witnesses present were not examined closely enough as might have been the case, all were re-called so that the jury could examine them further.
The Former Council House, Upper Rosemary Hill. (Now apartments)
Brother Cross-Examined
Alfred Carter, the deceased’s brother, was the first witness called. The evidence he provided in the first inquest was read out. The coroner questioned him regarding the time he got back from Kenilworth Station, as he now stated that he could not be sure as to within a quarter of an hour. “Was it 6 o’clock, before or after?”, asked the Coroner. “I could not say, It might have been a quarter past or ten minutes to”, replied the witness. He added that he and his brother had tea of bread and butter with lettuce, which they got from the farm. He could not say what other food was in the cottage or what his brother may have eaten earlier in the day.
Witness also stated that Caleb and his fiancé Mabel, seemed very friendly, but he did not talk about any appointment with her that evening. In the afternoon Caleb had his shotgun with him but he took it back to the cottage and left it there. He loaded it saying that he wanted to shoot a rabbit for someone at the farm. Later, he went into the wood and shot a rabbit and bought it back home. When he left his brother, he said the time 8.20pm, but witness had no means of saying whether this was correct. When he had cycled about 50 yards after leaving the deceased, he heard a shot but paid little attention to it. Alfred told the court that he arrived back home in Birmingham at about 9.20pm.
Ellen Hancock Recalled
Ellen Hancock was called before the court and her previous evidence read over. She added that her daughter was distressed when Caleb did not come to the farm on the Saturday night as arranged, and said “How strange that he does not come”. They had both called at his cottage about 8.30/9 o’clock and left some caps and socks which they had bought for him. They found his dog outside, so they put it inside. When they left the cottage, they expected to find him at Warriors Lodge, but he wasn’t there. When they found his body Alfred was called over and he said; “Oh dear, what am I to do now?” Witness replied; “You must go to Kenilworth at once and get the police”. Foreman, John Knight, asked about her daughter’s relationship with the deceased. She replied that she has never been engaged to anyone before, Caleb was her first sweetheart. She also stated that as far as she knew, the deceased had not been on un-friendly terms with anybody.
Miss Hancox’s Evidence
Mabel Blanche Hancox the daughter of the previous witness, said she last saw deceased, to whom she was engaged, at his cottage about 6 o’clock on the evening in question. At the time she was going into Kenilworth with her mother. She corroborated her mother’s evidence concerning the time they returned from Kenilworth and the articles they placed in his cottage. As the deceased was not there they expected him to be at Warriors Lodge. However, not seeing him there, she concluded he had gone to his family’s home at Gospel Oak. Indeed, he had told her that he was going there the following day (Sunday), and expected him back by 3 o’clock.
She walked in the direction of Honiley Church in the hope of meeting him on his return, but with no luck. She went again in the evening, and then to his cottage, she looked through the window, and she could see the bicycles where still in the same position, nothing had been moved.
On Monday morning, the cottage was searched again, but nothing had changed, so her father decided to telegraph his brother telling him to come over.He arrived at about 3 o’clock and told us where he had left Caleb, adding; “After he left me, I heard a shot fired”. Witness’s mother said; “Oh dear, we shall not expect to find the dear fellow alive now”. Witness’s mother saw the body first. They screamed out to deceased’s brother, who was searching in another field, so he came over to the brook.
Police Inquires
Superintendent James Ravenhall from Warwick Police, stated that since the tragedy he had personally supervised the investigation. Under his instructions everybody in the vicinity of Featherston’s Grove on evening of the 27th, had been interviewed. And as far as his information went, the witnesses who had been called were the only persons that could throw any light upon the affair. Regarding the evidence of the deceased’s brother Alfred, he stated that he had heard a shot shortly after leaving him, but could not see his brother because of all the trees. He said that the shot was from the direction of the hill near to the wood known as Featherstons Grove. This is not far from where the body was found.
Courtesy of ‘Warwickshire Constabulary History Society’.
Inspector William Parkinson,said he had carefully examined the ground near the spot where the deceased’s head was, and a nearby stone seemed to have the appearance of being stuck by lead shot. This was near the point where a spring flowed into the brook. His opinion was that the shot had been fired from the direction of Featherston’s Grove wood. He found no spent cartridges on the ground nor could he see any footprints. By carefully examining the leaves which were not marked by shot holes, he found the only place from which the shot that struck the stone could have been fired from. Blood had not run down his back as would have been the case if he had been carried or dragged to the brook. It was clear he was shot where he lay.
Edge of the former Featherstons Grove Wood, looking across Long Meadow (2022)
The Inspector went to the deceased’s cottage, and found his 12-bore shotgun, both barrels were dirty due to a recent discharge. The cartridges had been removed. He also found a half-empty box of No 5 shot cartridges. His teeth were closed and the back of his throat and pallete were clear of any mud. The coroner asked, if he had endeavoured to find out who had the right to be in the locality? I have, replied the inspector; And is it not a fact that everybody you can ascertain had a right to be there and others that had not, been interviewed? Yes, he replied. And those persons, on behalf of the police, you propose to be put them forward as witnesses at this inquest? Yes, said the Inspector.
Warwick Division helped with the Investigation. Inspector Parkinson and Superintendent Ravenhall are seated next to each other in the centre of the front row. Courtesy of the Warwickshire County Records Office Ref. 165/5 Img 10298
Medical Evidence
Dr Growse said with reasonable probability, the Inspector’s theory was correct. The shot looks to have been fired from the direction of the wood, whilst the deceased was bending down drinking from the spring. The lungs were normal with no water present. The stomach contained a considerable amount of un-digested food, which had the appearance of meat and vegetables. However, there was no indication of lettuce. No excess water or the smell of alcohol, or beer was present. The appearance of the contents of the stomach would suggest that he had eaten about three hours before death.
At the first inquest, Dr Growse indicated that the deceased had been dead for approximately 30 hours, but he would now like to amend that to 40 hours. He arrived at this conclusion due to the rigor mortis, which had started to pass-off by 6 o’clock on the evening of the 29th, but by the following day, it had gone completely. There was no other marks of violence on the body apart from an abrasion on the nose, which may have been caused when he fell.
New Witness Testimony
Witness Joseph Smith, labourer of Grove Cottage, Honiley, in the employ of Mr Eykyn, said he had only seen the deceased twice since he came to Kenilworth. The last time was about two months ago. On the evening of 27th, he was not within half-a-mile of where the body was found, and saw nobody else in the vicinity. He went into town with John Pearson to buy some groceries and returned about 8 o’clock. When they reached the footpath which runs along the bottom of Chase Woods, witness turned left at the dry pit towards his home.
Possible dry pit on the edge of Chase woods referred to at the Inquest (1903 map) ‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
Witness was not carrying a gun nor did he own one. But Pearson was carrying his shotgun, and used it often as he had shooting permission on Mr Horne’s farm. He promised to shoot a rabbit for the witness that evening. Pearson asked him to meet him later at the gate leading from Mr Horne’s field into Mr Eykyn’s property. As witness got near his home, he met Mrs Parkin, a resident of Grove Farm, she remarked that he was home early and it was 9 o’clock. They talked for a few minutes then witness went to meet Pearson at the gate, the time would have been 9.20 to 9.30pm. But he was not there, so he ‘whistled’ to find out if Pearson was close-by, and indeed he was, he ‘whistled’ back from the direction of Featherstons Grove. Pearson did not have his gun or a rabbit with him, but said he had left them at another gate not far away. Witness had misunderstood Pearson at which gate to meet him. The rabbit which Pearson had shot was still warm. The following day, Pearson gave the witness another rabbit. Witness paid Pearson 6d for the two.
The field adjacent to Chase Woods, once known as Long Meadow (spring 2022)
Pearson’s Testimony
Witness John Pearson, a cowman, in the employ of John Horne of Honiley, said he saw the deceased occasionally and knew he was a gamekeeper. He had last seen the deceased about six weeks or two months ago. On the Saturday night in question, he was with Smith at the Queen & Castle Hotel. Witness could not say exactly what time they started walking home, as neither of them had a watch, but it was around 8 o’clock.
He corroborated the evidence given by Smith as to the way they went home and said he saw no one from the time he parted company with Smith and later when he saw him again. After Smith left, he heard two gunshots when he was near thedry pit, at the bottom of Chase Woods.
He was going straight home and the shots seem to come from the other end of Chase Woods. He took no notice of the shots, as they heard gun reports around here all the time. But he saw no one as he walked away. He went and shot a rabbit in Mr Horne’s field called Big Hill Close, adjoining Featherstons Grove, and then went to meet Smith to give him the rabbit. Witness was out shooting early on Sunday morning and shot another rabbit, which he gave to Smith later in the day. Smith had paid for the rabbits on Saturday night and witness had two pints with the money.
(1903 OS map) ‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
Unavailable Witness
Whilst ‘topping’ a hay-rick for Mr Eykyn at Pleasance farm, labourer, William Parkyn had a seizure, and fell heavily onto the ground. Dr Growse attended him, and found he was having intermittent fits. On the day of the adjourned inquest, he was far too ill to attend.
Mr Parkyn was apparently going to be an important witness, but what information he had, we will never know. However, he must have given the police some sort of statement to be told to attend the inquest.
The Verdict
After the Coroner had summed up at length, he asked the jury if they wanted to adjourn the inquiry so that further evidence could be found. But as Superintendent Ravenhall could offer no hope of producing any additional evidence of importance, the Jury decided to retire for deliberation. When they returned, foreman, John Knight, announced an open verdict; ‘That the deceased had met his death by a gunshot wound by a person unknown’.
The inquest concluded at 5 o’clock, having lasted for five-and-a-half hours.
Caleb’s Final Resting Place
Caleb’s body remained at his cottage, to which it was first removed, until Wednesday 1st July. The coffin was of polished elm, with black fittings. On the name-plate was the simple inscription: ‘Caleb Carter, Died 27th June, 1903’. On the head and foot plates read: ‘The spirit shall return unto God who gave it’ and ‘Thy will be done’. The coffin was then taken to St Michael’s Church at Wilmcote Village, near Stratford-Upon-Avon. He was laid to rest the following afternoon (2nd July) 3, next to his birth mother, Eliza. The officiating minister for the burial was the Rev. E. T. H. Allan, pastor of the Stratford-Upon-Avon Congregational Chapel.
Unfortunately, there are no headstones or plot numbers of Caleb or his mother, (they may well have had wooden crosses back then). Indeed, the church have no known surviving records or information that Caleb or his birth mother, were ever buried there.
Caleb Carter’s final resting place. St. Michael’s Church, Wilmcote near Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Hancox Family Move On – But More Tragedy
Following Caleb’s death, the Hancox family eventually moved away from Kenilworth. In the 1911 census, they had settled into the farming community of Wootton Wawen. By this time, Mabel had found love again, marrying Alfred Morby in 1908, an engineer/fitter from Leamington Spa.
But sadly, in the early part of 1926, the Morby household went through a double tragedy. On 7th March, their 17 year-old daughter Marjorie, died of tuberculosis4, and the following day, Mabel died from the same disease, she was just 40. 5. Alfred was present at both their deaths. Luckily, their 9 year-old son Maurice, managed to survive the devastation and went on to have a long-life. He married Alice Gillard in 1938 and eventually died in 1993 6.
References
According to the 1875 England & Wales Birth Index, Caleb was born in the 3rdQ (Jul-Aug-Sept). So he may have been 27 years-old at the time of his death. However, his death certificate records his age as 28, and his brother also gave his age as 28 at the inquest. ↩︎
Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth & District Circular 2nd July 1903. ↩︎
The ward system was re-structed in Kenilworth for this election. Ever since 1983, three large wards had existed; Abbey, Park Hill and St John’s. But two extra wards were introduced: Dalehouse, plus the return of the historical ward of Borrowell, which was originally introduced in the KUDC election of 1934.
But with the increased number of wards, it produced a strange pattern of voting. All five wards are of one political percuasion or another, no mixtures. Abbey is Conservative (2), Borrowell and St. John’s belong to the Liberal Democrats (7), while Park Hill and Dalehouse, are all Green (8). This election saw the first ever Green party members elected to the council. The last time any Green candidates stood was back in 2003, one of those being Philippa Austin, who was elected in Park Hill at this years poll.
Incredibly, the Conservatives lost a total of 13 seats, which many people believed could never happen in Kenilworth, but it did. Kenilworth was swinging to the left.
Long serving councillor, George Illingworth (pictured) was one of the 13 Tory casualties. He was un-successful in new Dalehouse ward, finishing sixth of the ten candidates.
He was first elected in Abbey ward in 2003, and became Mayor in 2012/13.
Many new members contested the election as ‘paper candidates’, One being Peter Jones (pictured) who put his name down in Dalehouse ward due to a ‘spare space’ being available, and he was duly elected in second place, well clear of his Conservative rivals. He also became Mayor in 2021/22, not bad for a paper candidate!
Kenilworth Town Councillors (17 members)
8 Green Party (P. Jones, A. Firth, T. Drew, A. Kennedy, A. Dearing, J. Dearing, P. Austin, P. Barry)
7 Liberal Democrats (K. Dickson, R. Dickson, G. Hyde, S. Cooke, A. Chalmers, J. Worrall, A. Milton)
2 Conservative Party (J. Cooke, M. Coker)
Mayors
2019-20 Alison Firth
2020-21 Richard Dickson
2021-22 Peter Jones
2022-23 Samantha Louden-Cooke (pictured)
Town Clerk – Maggie Field
(photo courtesy of the Kenilworth History & Archaeology Society)
“I wasn’t paying much attention to my driving because I had just had a row with my brother” said Peter Connelly of Leamington, who was fined a heavy £25 and had his licenced endorsed by the court for dangerous driving.
It was stated that Connelly, who pleaded not guilty, was being followed by a police car when travelling along the Leamington Road towards Kenilworth on March 17th.
When he stopped at traffic lights in Leamington, he stalled the engine. By the time he had re-started the engine the lights had changed to red again but he still pulled away. With the blue lights one, the policemen gave chase, and then saw Connelly approaching a temporary set of traffic lights at Chesford bridge. Instead of waiting, he overtook a stationary car at the lights and proceeded across the bridge swerving all over the place and then turned sharp left. The police eventually caught up with him in the car park at the nearby Chesford Grange Hotel, where they felt his collar.
Dates Were Different
A Kenilworth woman motorist was fined a total of £8 for driving a car when a test certificate was not in force and for not having an excise licence. She is Anne McLellan of ‘Kingcroft’ in Red Lane, who pleaded quilty to the charges.
When McLellan was using her car in The Square on March 20th, P. C. Dick pointed out the offences to her. She replied; “I think my husband has the licence, but must have forgot to put it on the car”. (Yeah, right)
When she later produced the licence and test certificate at Kenilworth Police Station, there was a problem. Both documents were dated after the offences had occurred. (Oh dear….. Mrs McClellan)
Friendly Towards Gypsies
A Kenilworth man who rented his caravan in Rouncil Lane to gypsies because, he said; “I feel we should help these people” was fined £5 at court for using land as a caravan site without a licence to do so. Before the bench was Norman Fox of Warwick Road, who pleaded guilty to the offence.
He was also charged with being £51 in arrears with his rates, which he was ordered to re-pay at £2-a-week. Exchanges between Kenilworth Council and Fox about the licence had been going on for some time. “The situation has become a complete farce and holds the local authority to ridicule” said Mr. C. Riley, Clerk of the Council.
Regarding the gypsies, Fox told the magistrates; “I feel we should help these people, they are pushed from one place to another and they get frightened. I have always had the idea that the Council are biased against these caravans”.
‘Harsh Penalty’ Slashed
An appeal was up-held at the recent Warwickshire Quarter Sessions bought by motorcyclist, 19 year-old Terry Vallance of Moseley Road. His solicitor stated that the 5 year driving ban imposed upon him by Kenilworth Magistrates a few months ago was an ‘un-duly harsh penalty’. The chairman of the quarter sessions, allowing the appeal, stating evidence had since come forward which had not previouly been presented at the Magistrates court hearing. Accordingly, he reduced his ban to just one year from the date of the appeal.
The evidence being that the brake pedal had sheered off his machine early on in the chain of events, so he could not stop. Vallance had pulled out and overtook a sports car which was in turn overtaking an un-lit parked car. He lost control and his machine mounted the offiside pavement, shot back across the road, took-out a hedge and then demolished a bollard. The accident happened near the Warwick-Leamington road juction at the bottom of Warwick Road.
His solicitor, Mr. Cox, stated he had been put into a sudden emergency when the sports car pulled out, he then careered over 200 yards along the road until he finally came to a halt. Vallance could not recall the accident because of injuries to his head, pelvis and ankle, he indicated that he did not want to ride motorcycles again but did seek to drive a car. (That’s wise)
Juvenile Girl Caught ‘On the Pop’
Her part-time job at a local cafe evidently caused a 14 year-old Kenilworth girl to work up a raging thirst. The place to quench her thirst came in the cellar of the premises and she took full advantage. At the juvenile court, she was charged with stealing eight bottles of ‘Baby Cham’ and 18 bottles of mineral water.
Inspector Albert Cox said the offences came to light when the cafe proprieter spotted bottle tops on the cellar floor. He knew no one had authority to open the bottles in the cellar. Suspecting something was untoward, he informed the police.
When the girl was questioned, she admitted it saying; “Yes sir, it was me, I took two bottles yesterday and three today. In all, I suppose I have taken twenty bottles”. The girl was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay 30 shillings in court costs.
She does not work at the cafe anymore.
Sheep Worrier Was Soon a Dead Dog
Retribution descended rapidly on a black labrador which worried livestock. Within a few hours of its offence being discovered it had been destroyed, said Peter Roseby of Brooklyn Caravan Site in Leek Wootton.
At court, Roseby, the dog owner, was fined 10 shillings for not keeping his dog under control. The bench heard that sheep and lambs had been huddled into the corner of a field on the farm of Arthur Silk, which adjoined the caravan site. He noticed a black labrador amongst the flock and it was worrying them. He fired his shotgun into the air and the dog ran off. When he inspected his sheep he found that a two-week old lamb had been severely injured and a number of sheep had been damaged.
Unpleasant Pheasant Death
Feathers plucked from a poor old pheasant were literally on the bench at the latest juvenile court hearing. The bird had been shot by a ‘party’ of three boys from Coventry on April 15th.
But the trio had made a trio of mistakes. Firstly, they killed the bird out of the pheasant shooting season which from 1st October to 1st February. Secondly, they did not have a game licence and finally they were trespassing on the land on which they ‘bagged’ the bird. The three boys all pleaded quilty to the offences. Prosecuting, Inspector Albert Cox stated that they shot the bird and a squirrel on the 200 acre, Hurst Farm at Stoneleigh.
Mr George Powers, the tenant of the farm, saw the boys walking across a field carrying a dead hen pheasant and a squirrel. He went over to them and asked what they were doing, the boys said nothing. Mr Powers then carted them off to Kenilworth Police Station where they revealed the whole sorry story. After the feathers had been plucked so that they could be presented as evidence, the bird was given to Mr Powers.
Mrs L. Smalley, presiding, warned the boys of the gravity of the offences, saying they could well have been fined up to £20 each for killing game. But they were ordered to only pay £4 each.
‘On the Tick’ Trouble for Fake Name Woman
A 24 year-old housewife, Ann Croal, a resident of No. 1 flat, at “The Woodlands” in Birches Lane, appeared before the court on charges of obtaining money by credit fraud. The defendant also told the bench that she had been feeling lonely.
Inspector Albert Cox, said that Croal went to Morley’s Dairy shop in Warwick Road and asked for goods on credit. After it was explained to her that it was highly irregular, the proprietor gave her goods to the value of £2-11s-3d. Croal said her name was ‘Mrs Bull’ and also gave a false address.
On April 11th, she obtained 19 shillings worth of goods on credit from St. John’s Stores, also in Warwick Road, saying; “I’ll pay you tomorrow”. She gave the same name and another false address, 76, Birches Lane.
As a result of complaints, police made investigations and Detective-Sergeant J. H. Smart discovered that 76, Birches Lane was an empty bungalow. However, after further inquires, Croal was traced. At first she said; “No it was not me. I think you have made a mistake”. But she later admitted it, saying; “It was me, I had no money and I had to do something to get food”. Mrs Croal and her family, it was stated, had only lived in Kenilworth since March and didn’t have any friends here.
Mrs L. Smalley, presiding, said, “In Kenilworth there is no need to be lonely, there are plenty of clubs and women’s organisations”. She was put on probation for two years.
This year’s district election mirrored that of the town council election as each ward was of one political persuasion. The newly named Abbey & Arden ward is all Tory, Park Hill is Green and St. John’s belongs to the Lib-Dems.
In the 2015 poll, the Conservatives had totally dominated all three wards, resulting in nine elected members. But this year, they only managed to control Abbey & Arden, with the re-election of John Cooke and George Illingworth plus new member, Richard Hales.
In Park Hill, the Tory candidates, Shilton, Bunker and Mobbs, who were all seeking re-election, got un-seated by three Greens, Alistair Kennedy, Alix Dearing and her husband, John. Dave Shilton had been a district councillor for 24 years, Felicity Bunker 16 years and Andrew Mobbs 12 years.
In St. John’s a similar thing happened when three Tory candidates were ousted, this time by the Liberal Democrats trio of Andrew Milton, Richard Dickson and wife Kate. All three being elected to the district council for the first time.
Kate DicksonRichard DicksonRichard Hales
39 Years of Service
Tory veteran and former coroner, Michael Coker (pictured), did not seek re-election this year. He had done a total of 39 years on the WDC, from 1976 to 1995 and from 1999 until this year. The 39 years he served is never likely to be beaten by anyone.
District Council Results (44 seats): 37.6% turnout, spoilt ballot papers 448 (171 in Kenilworth)
19 Conservatives, 9 Liberal Democrats, 8 Green Party, 5 Labour, 3 Whitnash Residents Association. No overall control.
Kenilworth District Councillors
3 Liberal Democrats (R. Dickson, K. Dickson, A. Milton)
3 Green Party (A. Dearing, J. Dearing, A. Kennedy)
3 ConservativeParty (J. Cooke, R. Hales, G. Illingworth)
For the next decade, 82 year-old David Deacon of Birches Lane will have to forego one of his main interests in his long life, driving. He was banned for that period by the court and in addition to his disqualification, the defendant was fined a total of £14 and had his licence endorsed.
Twelve months ago, Coventry Magistrates ordered him to pack-up motoring until he had passed a driving test. Because of that ruling, Mr Deacon continued his driving but only around his own driveway. But on May 15th his round-the-house enjoyment was threatened when the car was running low of petrol. Temptation to obtain a refill proved stronger than discretion and on to the road he went. On the way to the garage, only a mile away, he had a number of near misses. This resulted in him being charged with four offences. He pleaded quilty to driving in a manner dangerous to the public, driving a car unaccompanied by a competent driver, when the holder of only a provisional licence, not displaying L-plates and driving when disqualified.
Mr Deacon was not in court. He was represented by Mr David Sergeantson, who said; “This is not a case of a man driving dangerously along the road, in Coventry last year, Mr Deacon was disqualified until he took another test and that detered him”. Inspector Albert Cox said that as far as the police are concerned, the proceedings at court were not brought to impose a heavy fine but to determine whether or not Mr Deacon should continue to drive.
When Mr Deacon left home on May 15th to buy petrol, he travelled along Birches Lane at about 10 to 15 m.p.h, swerving from side to side. He was followed by two cars, the drivers of which were afraid to overtake him because of Deacon’s erratic ‘driving’. A little girl on a bike near to Thickthorn Close had to jump clear as Deacon’s car bore down on her. The car stalled in Moseley Road causing following vehicles to brake and stop. One of them tried to get round him but Deacon had, by then, re-started the car and started to moved off. This almost caused a collision.
The accused, the Inspector said, continued along Moseley Road intending to turn left into Thornby Avenue. As he approached the junction, a motor cycle was coming the other way. The passenger on the machine recognised Mr Deacon and warned the driver who slowed down to avoid a collision. Mr Sergeantson said that Mr Deacon first had a motor cycle in 1911 and had been driving cars for 40 years. Of the offences, he said that Mr Deacon was; “An old man, out on the road, who was not really aware of what he was doing”.
It was explained that for the dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified charges, a prison sentence could have been imposed. But, Mr. W. Maddocks, presiding, said; “We have decided not to send him to prison at his age but to disqualify him from driving for ten years, the fines are only nominal“.
A 26 year-old scrap dealer of no fixed abode and his 20 year-old girlfriend were charged at court with stealing 60 paving slabs from the Royal Showground on July 10th. Ivor Taylor was fined £15 and Celia Hamilton of Buxton was put on probation for two years.
Inspector Albert Cox said that the couple owned a lorry and for the past two or three months had been taking goods to the Royal Show site. The Inspector said; “Their lorry became quite well known and after the show had finished they were able to go into the grounds uninterrupted”. He added that the couple were seen loading the slabs onto the lorry by two men, who reported them to police. In a statement, Taylor said; “I realise what a fool I have been and I am only sorry my girlfriend had to be involved”.
Police Barely Caught Them
Eight Coventry youths, aged between 18 and 21 went for a midnight ‘skinny-dip’ in the open air baths in the Abbey Fields on June 6th. They were John Grey (18), Andrew Scott (20), Garry Owen (20), Richard Craddock (19), Roger Mellwraith (21), Bernard Ferris (21), David Winter (19) and Ralph Dolby (21). They were each fined 10 bob (50p).
Inspector Albert Cox said that a police officer heard the boys, five of which were caught plus three who had disappeared into the darkness but they later returned. Inspector Cox also said that there was always trouble of some sort in the Abbey Fields but the culprits weren’t caught every time. He told the bench; “We were able to catch these boys because we confiscated their clothes while they were swimming“. They wouldn’t have got far without them.
Priest Wasn’t Paying Enough Attention
After a collision, a Leamington priest was charged with driving without due care and attention at Bericote crossroads on May 7th. The Rev. James Murphy of St. Bede’s College, pleaded not quilty but the case was found proven against him. He was fined £7 and ordered to pay £1-2s-4d in court costs and his licence was endorsed.
The 17 year-old motor cyclist involved in the accident, Philip Bunting of Warwick, said that he was travelling home from Coventry. As he approached the crossroads he saw a car coming towards the halt sign on the minor road. “I am sure it stopped” said Mr Bunting; “I accelarated but the car pulled out and it was nearly half-way across the main road when the collision occurred”. Continuing, he said “I hit the front of the car and travelled further up the road. I couldn’t stop straight away because my left leg was broken”.
Mr W. Maddocks, presiding, said that the bench knew the visibility was bad at that crossroads because of a hedge and recommended that the County Council should look into the matter. Inspector Cox told the magistrates that recommendations had already gone through as a watch had been kept on several crossroads at the time of the Royal Show.
Two Naughty Boys ‘Knocked Off’ Bicycles
Two Kenilworth boys, one aged nine and the other aged 12, admitted at the juvenile court to offences of cycle stealing. The nine-year-old was given a conditional discharge but the older boy was put on probation for two years. Both stole cycles from outside of Kenilworth swimming baths and then sold them. The three cycles concerned in the case were said to have been disposed of for the grand price of 2s-5d each, bargins!
Dream Rider
For riding his bicycle on a footpath in the Abbey Fields, a 15 year-old boy was fined 5 shillings at the juvenile court. The boy said that he did so; “sub-consciously, I didn’t give it a thought”.
Arrested as They Rested
A tall story was told to a police officer when he apprehended two men in a summer-house in the garden of a house in High Street. “We were only resting” said one of them, 48 year-old Robert Matthews, of no fixed abode. The officer saw to it that Matthews and his 27 year-old accomplice, Reginald Mariner, who also does not boast a home address, were escorted to a place more in keeping with their kind, a cell at Kenilworth Police Station.
At court, both admitted being on enclosed premises for unlawful intent. They departed from court en route for other enclosed premises far less pleasant than those in which they were nabbed, a prison cell. Three months at her majestys pleasure was imposed on both men. For Matthews it will be his 16th prison term. His criminal record was triggered off in 1940 and has since made 18 court apperances. These led to a total of 22 and a half years of convictions, in which he has served about 20 years. Matthews told the bench his troubles began after he was torpedoed during the war, and he added that a man who has incurred as many prison sentences as he had, could not be normal.
The arrest of the two men, said Inspector Albert Cox, was due to the keen observation of an off-duty Coventry policewoman who also lived in High Street. She had noticed them hanging about and kept an eye on them from a window. When they thought the coast was clear they shinned over a wall into the garden where the summer-house was located. She then phoned the police. At the station, Matthews shouldered the blame for the intended escapade. Mariner said he would not have been involved but for the fact that a few drinks had dulled his “sense of responsibility”.
This ‘casual vacancy’ was caused by the resignation of Liberal Democrat, Jack Worrall, who was elected to the council in 2019.
Enough voters in St. John’s called for an election to fill the vacancy (rather than co-option) and as such, an election had to be held. The poll took place on the same day as the elections for the Warwickshire County Council, as well as the Warwickshire Police & Crime Commissioner.
By-election’s, by their very nature are difficult to call, but people would probably have expected a Liberal Democrat to be re-elected, but it didn’t turn out that way. Tory, Rik Spencer winning by a majority of 231 votes over Liberal Democrat candidate, Alison Insley, who was standing for the first time in a town election – but she would be back.
In the 2019 election, all four seats at St. John’s were taken by the Lib-Dems. But two-years-on, voters were starting to have a change of heart, especially the traditional Tory voters. Many of whom, may well have been shocked by the previous election result, when 13 Tory councillors lost their seats.
Kenilworth Town Councillors (17 seats)
8 Green Party (P. Jones, A. Firth, T. Drew, A. Kennedy, A. Dearing, J. Dearing, P. Austin, P. Barry)
6 Liberal Democrats (K. Dickson, R. Dickson, G. Hyde, S. Cooke, A. Chalmers, A. Milton)
3 ConservativeParty (J. Cooke, M. Coker, R. Spencer)
The court was told, that whilst shopping at the Fine Fare self-service supermarket in Warwick Road, a 58 year-old Kenilworth spinster stole a pound of butter and a packet of gammon. Housekeeper, Lilly Watts of Stoneleigh Ave, pleaded guilty to the thefts. Remarking about supermarkets, Inspector Albert Cox said: “These are places which display their goods to all and sundry and there is a temptation for people just to take stuff”.
He said that Watts was shopping in the supermarket on September 3rd and was putting several articules into a basket. But the manager saw her slip the butter and gammon into her own basket. He told the cashier about the incident. After paying for the goods in the store’s basket, the cashier asked if she had anything else on her. Watts said she had not. But when the manager approached her, Watts admitted the thefts. She was fined £2.
Cigs Cost Her Nearly £1 Each
At court, a 48 year-old Kenilworth woman alleged to be earning £9-a-week, stole 30 cigarettes from self-service supermarket, Fine Fare in Warwick Road. Winifred Ellen Bucknill of Mortimer Road, pleaded guilty to the theft.
Inspector Albert Cox said that Bucknill was shopping in the supermarket at around 12.45p.m. on October 8th. The store’s assistant manager saw her take the cigarettes and place them in a basket provided by the store. When she went to pay she did not declare them to the cashier. When the manager questioned her she said she had not taken them. But later, when the police were called, she admitted all.
The bench was told she had previous convictions of a similar nature. The court showed no sympathy and fined her a right packet – £25.
Not So Clever ‘Litter Lout’
Norman Parkinson of Coventry was not so clever as he ought to have been when he set out to dump a pile of junk which included, three tins cans, a pedal operated bin, cardboard boxes, paper, bricks, a cement bag, a car battery and a box of rubbish. The place he chose to convert into a wayside tip was a country lane, Cryfield Grange Road, which connects the Coventry Road to Crackley Lane.
To the defendant’s dismay, he was traced by the painstaking work of a policeman, who discovered amongst the junk a bit of paper bearing his name and address. Which proved very useful.
The magistrates dumped a fine of £5 on Mr. Parkinson for ‘depositing litter’.
For the past four years the Tories had been leading a minority administration, along with the Whitnash Residents Association. But in the election, they lost 10 seats, and were left with only 6 remaining members.
In Kenilworth, the Lib-Dems easily retained their three seats in St. John’s. In the other two wards, five seats went to the Greens, which included four new faces. The remaining seat went to surviving Tory member, Richard Hales, who retained his seat in Abbey & Arden by just 17 votes. John Cooke, lost his seat in the same ward, which he had held for the last eight years.
Tory, George Illingworth (pictured) who was first elected to the WDC in 2007, did not seek re-election this year due to retirement from local government. He was elected chairman in 2019/20.
The Greens are Growing
The Greens were the biggest winners, gaining 6 seats to become the largest party with 14 members. But there was no overall control. So the parties had to come to an agreement that would suit everyone.
Voter ID Arrives – with success
99.95% of electors who came to vote in Warwick District Council polling stations brought photo ID, which met the newly introduced voter ID requirements.
Figures across the district shows that 28,432 electors voted at 126 polling stations. 106 electors that were initially turned away, 92 returned with a valid ID and voted. But 14 electors (0.05%) did not return. This means 86.79% of those initially turned away returned later in the day and voted.
State of the parties at the council (44 seats): 14 Green Party, 11 Labour Party, 10 Liberal Democrats, 6 Conservative Party, 3 Whitnash Residents Association.
Kenilworth District Councillors
5 Green Party (D. Armstrong, K. Aizlewood, A. Kennedy, L. Cron, L. Williams)
3 Liberal Democrats (K. Dickson, R. Dickson, A. Milton)
