Richard Edmunds was born 29th March 1793 in Plumpton, Northamptonshire. He was the youngest in the family of nine of William Edmunds and Susannah Fletcher. William, who came from yeoman stock, had bought the title of lord of the manor and the family lived in the small manor house (which still survives in the village) and lived comfortably with an income from farming and rents. The family had lived in Northamptonshire for several generations but at some stage Richard made the decision to move to make his own fortune and settled ten miles away in Banbury.
He met Alice Page, born 10/2/1796, the daughter of Richard and Mary Page (born Austin) of Broughton. They were married by licence at St.Mary’s Parish Church, Broughton on 16/3/1818 with Elizabeth Page and James Edmunds, the bridegroom’s brother, as witnesses. At the time of the birth of his first child, Mary, in 1820, Richard was an ironmonger living in Cow Fair, according to the baptism register of St.Mary the Virgin Parish Church, Banbury. Between 1820 and 1833 Richard and Alice had a further nine children of which the three youngest boys, Samuel, Samuel and John Wesley Edmunds, died in infancy. The surviving family of six children were themselves to become influential in local politics and the church.
Richard Edmunds’ business in Banbury flourished. He established premises as a seed merchant, corn factor and ironmonger in Bridge Street.
Richard had been brought up as a member of the Church of England. His mother came from a family in which two brothers, her father and grandfather were clergymen. His father was a churchwarden of Plumpton for many years. Wesleyan Methodism was taking hold across the country although it was fairly late in coming to Banbury[i]. Richard had been attending St.Mary’s Parish Church in Banbury but was advised that the Methodist chapel might be a more suitable place for him to worship after he was heard exclaiming ‘Hallelujah!’ during the liturgy. He joined the congregation of the old Wesleyan Chapel built in 1812 in Church Lane. As the congregation grew so did the finances. New premises were built in Marlborough Road of Brackley stone in 1864/5 at a cost of £7,000 and opened on 9th May 1865[ii]. Richard became a stalwart member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. This church activity was to run throughout the family.
His involvement in the commerce of Banbury and his strong religious convictions contributed to a career in local politics for Richard and in 1831 he was elected Capital Burgess of the old Town Council. In the 1831 general election he voted for the Reform candidate but in later years he became a Conservative. He was active in the anti-slavery movement, the Bible Society and British Schools. Ever mindful of the need for progress and trade, in 1865 he argued for a new railway line to the west, declaring that …“We want as many railways as we can get.”[iii]
Four of Richard’s children were boys. Frederick Fletcher Edmunds, born April 12th 1821 was on the Wesleyan circuit plan as a local preacher in 1842.He was ordained a Wesleyan minister in 1846 at Richmond and was on the Maldon circuit. He eventually moved to Frodsham in Cheshire where he became the local minister but retirement was forced on him by a serious accident and he became a supernumerary. However although he was unable to continue as a Circuit Minister he preached frequently and took an active part in meetings. He died on March 2nd 1902 after 56 years of ministry.
The second son, also called Richard, was born 13th July 1822. In 1833 he was sent away with his brother Frederick to boarding school in Oxhill, Warwickshire, about 10 miles away. The school is possibly the one at Payn's House.
His younger brother Henry, born in August 1823, wrote to him,
“ My dear brother, It is with much pleasure that I sit down to write you a few lines we felt rather dull when you first left us. Papa and Mama went to Daventry on Monday 15th of April it was a Missionary meeting and Rugby on the Tuesday. Mr. Atherton preached at Rugby from Hebrews the 10 Chapter 12th and 13th verses. Mama said it was a very excellent sermon and they returned on the Wednesday night. Mr.Robinson came to see us the night you left and preached a sermon on Wednesday night. Mary (born January 1820) and I wrote it and it was a very excellent sermon. Mr.Appleby preached the Anniversary Sermons at Hook Norton on the 21st in consequence of which Mr.Britton came here and held a love feast. 16 spoke and it was considered a good one. I think you have been to Bloxham chapel. Miss Pain walked there yesterday to the love feast and in that small chapel nearly 30 spoke. Papa Mama Miss Pain with brothers and sisters and servants desire to be remembered to you both. I hope you are both quite well. Please give my love to Frederick and believe me, Your affectionate brother, Henry”.
The love feasts mentioned in the letter were gatherings where people shared the experience of God’s love, hence feasting on God’s love. The letter reflects the extent to which religion was a strong daily presence in this family’s life . Photos of the letter
Letter to Richard Edmunds at Oxhill circa 1833
If anything Richard junior was even more involved in Banbury civic life than his father. He joined the Wesleyan Society in 1837 and was a local preacher, becoming the circuit steward in 1846. He was married in 1848 to Elizabeth Walton from Little Bolton, Lancashire. The service at Chapel Bridge Street, Little Bolton, was conducted by Daniel Walton, her father who was also the local minister. Between 1849 and 1867 they had a family of nine. Richard joined the family business which by 1852 was now “Braziers, Brewers, Corn Merchants, Ironmongers, Life Assurance agents, and agents for Agricultural implements”[iv]. He was also the manager of the savings bank. In 1859 he was elected an Alderman of Banbury and between 1863 and 1864 was Mayor. In 1870 he was elected Chairman of the Building Society, in 1886 he was Chairman of the Gas Board. He was a Poor Law Guardian and Chairman of the Board of Health. Richard died on the 18th December 1894 and is buried in Southam Road cemetery. A contemporary of his, the Rev.Thomas Champness, wrote a book entitled “A Memorial to Richard Edmunds of Banbury”[v]. In it he said,
“ Mr.Edmunds never was rich, but he brought up a large family by his own business faculties, besides giving a great deal of time to Church and municipal matters. Wealth was not the snare to him that it has been to some, so he found time to care for the business of others….When his funeral sermon was preached, the Mayor and Corporation were present in the Chapel, and the day he was interred the flag on the Town Hall was half-mast high, every one feeling that a Prince had been taken from their midst.”
The third son, Henry, is my husband’s great great grandfather. He married Caroline Hatton on 26th July 1849 at St.Paul’s Parish Church, Islington. She was also from an active Wesleyan background in Halifax. The family appear on the 1851 census in Banbury but by 1853 Henry had moved to Halifax to establish an ironmongery business in the town and also became a local lay preacher. It was this family line that began my interest in family history research.
The fourth and last surviving son was William Edmunds who was born in 1826. In the mid 19th century he started the Hunt, Edmunds brewery in Banbury with his friend Thomas Hunt. In 1841 Thomas Hunt was a publican in Market Place and by the 1851 census Thomas Hunt with his wife Sarah and family were now living in Bridge Street and his occupation is given as “Brewer, maltster Wine and Spirit.” The business thrived and grew to own over one hundred public houses.[vi]
William Edmunds was married twice. His first wife, Eliza Smalley, was from Halifax and the couple had seven children. His life was characterised by devotion to the church and commitment to civic life. He was Sunday School Superintendant at Marlborough Road for over 50 years. One of the stained glass windows in the church was donated by him. It is inscribed “To the Glory of God E.S.E. (Eliza Susan Edmunds, his wife), and in memory of E.A.E.” (his daughter Emily Alice who died in 1822, aged 22) . In 1875 he joined the Town Council and he was elected Mayor in 1878, 1886/7 and 1888/9. It was during his time on the council that he was instrumental in extending the Borough boundaries to include Neithrop, Easington and Grimsbury. The order to change the boundaries was signed in 1889. William Edmunds terminated his association with the Borough in 1895 following his election as Alderman. He lived for much of his adult life at Dashwood Lodge, 123,Dashwood Road. Some time after the death of Eliza William married another Halifax lady, Mary Lydia Suter, with whom he spent his final years. He died on 17th January 1908 in St.Leonards-on-sea and was buried in Banbury on 21st January. William was a successful businessman and in his will his estate was valued at £30,000. Among the bequests were houses in Banbury occupied as almshouses which he left to his son and grandson with the express wish that they were kept as almshouses and £300 to be invested to provide for bibles and books as prizes for the Sunday School.
William’s son, Charles Fletcher Edmunds, born 20th October 1855 joined Hunt, Edmunds brewery in 1882, becoming a partner in 1886. In 1896 he took over the running of the company from his father. He predeceased his father in 1907 and his son Maurice took over the company reins and eventually became Chairman. Maurice served his country in both world wars. In 1914-1918 he served in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and in the Second World War was Colonel commanding the 5th Battalion, Territorial Army. He was awarded the O.B.E. and appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire. He died on the 23rd March 1950 and was buried at Southam Road cemetery.
I realise, as a woman, that I have said nothing about the women in this family. I suspect that when a family is involved to such an extent with town life, commerce, politics and the church the women must have been hard working and supportive behind the scenes. Unfortunately there is little documentation on their role.
I would like to thank several people who have assisted me during the last few years in researching the Edmunds family in Banbury.
Firstly, the help of the late Mr.Tom Rigg, archivist and historian of the Banbury Methodist circuit who shared his knowledge of Marlborough Road Methodist Church, provided much information about my Edmunds family by letter and regularly sent cuttings from The Banbury Guardian; The Centre for Banburyshire Studies and The Oxford Central Library.
This article has been submitted for inclusion in the Oxfordshire Family Historian (the magazine of the Oxfordshire Family History Society) and is reproduced here with permission of the editor
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[i] Victorian Banbury, Barrie Trinder. ‘Two distinct camps: The Churches’ p43
[ii] Kelly’s Directory 1924.
[iii] Victorian Banbury, Barrie Trinder .p.80
[iv] Gardners Oxfordshire Directory 1852
[v] A Memorial to Richard Edmunds of Banbury, edited by Thomas Champness. Oxford Central Library.
[vi] Cheers, Sir! – from the vicarage to the brewery C.L.Harman. Tallis Press 1987
Banbury Wesleyan Ministers and Local preachers A list of 53 men, ministers and laypreachers connected to the Methodist Church in Banbury with photo.
Pagden Wayman Hatton Pritchard Cooper Plumpton Gallery
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