Historic Articles
The Gas Explosion of 1987
Late on the night of Thursday 8th January, 1987, Wickwar local policeman PC Nick Shaw smelt gas in the High Street. He immediately alerted the emergency services and then set about rousing sleeping residents. Nine minutes later the first fire [...]
George Osmond: founder of Archfield Nursery
A recollection of George Osmond founder of Archfield Nursery, by his friend Eric Franklin. The article in the Gazette of 9 Dec 1988 on the occasion of the death of George Osmond described him as a local (Wickwar) character. I [...]
Neal Wickwire’s School History Project
The document below is a school project written by Neal Wickwire (assisted by his father Guy) who live in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Their ancestors are originally from Wickwar. Guy visited Wickwar in 1979 with his parents and was made [...]
Tobacco and Early Colonial Expansion
Established in the early 1600’s, Jamestown was Britain’s first colony on the American mainland. It survived primarily through the efforts of Thomas de la Warr and the introduction of tobacco. Descended from an old Wickwar family, renowned for their soldierly [...]
Trades
Spinning, Weaving and Dyeing In the 16th Century Wickwar had 34 Weavers and one apprentice weaver. Clothiers John Somers 1664; Nathaniel Daniell 1664, West End; Joseph Witchell 1664, High Street; Nickolas Roach 1662; Robert Burnell 1680; William Worrell died 1735; [...]
Lords of the Manor
The de la Warres were distinguished soldiers who came to England with the Plantagenets in the twelfth century. This may be the reason why John, Earl of Gloucestershire and brother to King Richard the Lionheart, gave the manor of “Wichen” [...]
