Page 5 - Leighton News December 2018
P. 5
-5-
Thank you to Martin Dyson for adding a ‘Tommy’ soldier to our village Armistice
commemorations outside Leighton Church.
It is with sadness that we hear of the passing of Mrs Elizabeth Emberton. Liz lived for many
years at Pentre House and was involved in all aspects of village life hosting many very
memorable events there. Our best wishes and thoughts are with Glynne, Judith and Gareth
at such a sad time.
How poignant to read last month about Hugh Elton who was born in Leighton and served in WW1.
100 years ago and so many stories faded by the decades. So who to ask about Leighton in the 1930’s? Well our
own Marjorie Cadwallader was of course very young then but her memory and local knowledge is amazing – no one
knows the village better.
Marjorie recalls that Hugh Eltons’ widowed mother lived in Castleview along with her companion/housekeeper. She
was a very private lady but each summer took great pride in organising the Leighton Cricket match teas along with
two other leading Leighton ladies being Miss Hickman of Pentre Lodge and Mrs Nibblett (wife of Admiral Nibblett)
of Pentre House. The three ladies apparently had such high standards they would have made ‘Bake Off’ look
uncompetitive and the renowned spread put the Cricket Team themselves under pressure to up
their game! Expectations were high!
Leighton Cricket Club played on the village cricket green that was between the Church and Home Farm
(now stud) on the lower side. Coincidentally, as a young man Marjorie’s late husband Sid used to play
cricket for Bishops Castle and he had told her that when they had a match at Leighton the teas were
renowned for being substantial and protocol had to be upheld when all the young boys like him really
wanted to do was play! The rest of the pitch facilities left a little to be desired however as there
was nowhere to change or toilets so to do either the cricketers had to jump over the fence into
the little wood that borders it. Marjorie’s older sister Peggy used to enjoy keeping the cricket
scores at all the matches as she was so keen on the sport.
Also remembered is the son of Admiral & Mrs Nibblett (Pentre House) as he lived in a tent outside
the house which was the way they then treated consumption, a wasting disease we would call
tuberculosis (TB) today. As he was unusually tall this disease left him looking very thin indeed but
eventually he became stronger. Sadly this was not the only house in the village with a TB
sufferer camping out in all weathers.
Pentre House itself was built originally as a substantial Vicarage in the same beautifully
ornate gothic style as the Church itself, which was a vital part of John Naylor’s estate .
However in Naylor’s time the Vicar apparently rejected the newly built residence and to
appease him John Naylor built a new Vicarage (now Old Vicarage) which the Vicar duly
accepted and moved in. The original Vicarage was then renamed Pentre House and later was
lived in by the Niblett family (as above) with both houses having been much admired by all
the generations of villagers since. JW
LEIGHTON CAROL SINGING
Come along and join in at 6.30pm on TUESDAY 18th December.
We are meeting again at the home of David Hawes and Bethan
Thomas who live in the centre of Redwood Close. All ages and
abilities most welcome. Thanks to David & Bethan for their
hospitality and to Catherine Williams for organising it again this
year. The benefiting charity will be announced on the night.
Thank you to Martin Dyson for adding a ‘Tommy’ soldier to our village Armistice
commemorations outside Leighton Church.
It is with sadness that we hear of the passing of Mrs Elizabeth Emberton. Liz lived for many
years at Pentre House and was involved in all aspects of village life hosting many very
memorable events there. Our best wishes and thoughts are with Glynne, Judith and Gareth
at such a sad time.
How poignant to read last month about Hugh Elton who was born in Leighton and served in WW1.
100 years ago and so many stories faded by the decades. So who to ask about Leighton in the 1930’s? Well our
own Marjorie Cadwallader was of course very young then but her memory and local knowledge is amazing – no one
knows the village better.
Marjorie recalls that Hugh Eltons’ widowed mother lived in Castleview along with her companion/housekeeper. She
was a very private lady but each summer took great pride in organising the Leighton Cricket match teas along with
two other leading Leighton ladies being Miss Hickman of Pentre Lodge and Mrs Nibblett (wife of Admiral Nibblett)
of Pentre House. The three ladies apparently had such high standards they would have made ‘Bake Off’ look
uncompetitive and the renowned spread put the Cricket Team themselves under pressure to up
their game! Expectations were high!
Leighton Cricket Club played on the village cricket green that was between the Church and Home Farm
(now stud) on the lower side. Coincidentally, as a young man Marjorie’s late husband Sid used to play
cricket for Bishops Castle and he had told her that when they had a match at Leighton the teas were
renowned for being substantial and protocol had to be upheld when all the young boys like him really
wanted to do was play! The rest of the pitch facilities left a little to be desired however as there
was nowhere to change or toilets so to do either the cricketers had to jump over the fence into
the little wood that borders it. Marjorie’s older sister Peggy used to enjoy keeping the cricket
scores at all the matches as she was so keen on the sport.
Also remembered is the son of Admiral & Mrs Nibblett (Pentre House) as he lived in a tent outside
the house which was the way they then treated consumption, a wasting disease we would call
tuberculosis (TB) today. As he was unusually tall this disease left him looking very thin indeed but
eventually he became stronger. Sadly this was not the only house in the village with a TB
sufferer camping out in all weathers.
Pentre House itself was built originally as a substantial Vicarage in the same beautifully
ornate gothic style as the Church itself, which was a vital part of John Naylor’s estate .
However in Naylor’s time the Vicar apparently rejected the newly built residence and to
appease him John Naylor built a new Vicarage (now Old Vicarage) which the Vicar duly
accepted and moved in. The original Vicarage was then renamed Pentre House and later was
lived in by the Niblett family (as above) with both houses having been much admired by all
the generations of villagers since. JW
LEIGHTON CAROL SINGING
Come along and join in at 6.30pm on TUESDAY 18th December.
We are meeting again at the home of David Hawes and Bethan
Thomas who live in the centre of Redwood Close. All ages and
abilities most welcome. Thanks to David & Bethan for their
hospitality and to Catherine Williams for organising it again this
year. The benefiting charity will be announced on the night.
