Heroines under the spotlight as tour guides graduate in “gem” of a town
When a group of trainee tour guides began researching the unique history of Higham Ferrers, it turned out to be much more fascinating than they ever imagined.
Now, as a result of what was gleaned during training, a request has gone into Higham Ferrers Town Council to consider naming streets in a new housing estate after three Higham Ferrers heroines who served the country during both World Wars.
If the council agrees, the names of one WW1 Women’s Land Army girl – Lavinia Robert – as well as Betty Gilbert (nee Quincey) and Marjorie Martin (née Palmer), who served during World War Two will be permanently honoured in the town.
The army trained Betty to be a Y-station listener, making her one of the first vital links in the code-breaking chain. Her behind-the-scenes work was carried out on the Yorkshire Moors.
Recruited by the Foreign Office, Marjorie was deployed to the famous Bletchley Park, the WW2 code-breaking centre. She was based in Hut 7, which formed part of the cipher school.
The move to have the three women’s names on local streets was revealed at a recent ceremony when the new, now-qualified tour guides, received their certificates and identifying lanyards from organiser Carol Fitzgerald.
Carol recalled that there was a need for a new batch of tour guides after Higham Ferrers Tourism hosted visitors from around the county to the annual Northamptonshire Heritage Forum History Day a year ago.
“And after we told guests about our town, we were inundated with requests for guided tours,” said Liz Barnatt, chair of Higham Ferrers Tourism.
The demand was such that a call went out for potential guides and Carol and Liz could not have had a more enthusiastic group of people who responded, they said.
Then, Higham Ferrers Tourism, The Friends of St Mary’s, as well as Richard Oberman, a well-known local historican, set about training the recruits, telling them about the unique historic buildings, which date back more than 600 years, as well as the interesting people connected to them and the town down the years.
The new tour guides were joined by Gwen Tobin and Barry Matson, who became tour guides 18 years ago, with Barry telling the gathering that: “There are people who don’t know what a gem of a place Higham Ferrers is.”
Some of the new tour guides recounted what they had uncovered during their research with one, Lindsey Ambrose, saying there was even a “loose and intriguing connection to the gunpowder plot.”
Angela Shanahan Brookes told of being fascinated by “the various crosses that are not here as there was a purge and they were destroyed.”
Back in time “you were even allowed to marry people at the Market Square cross,” she revealed.
Theresa Clarke was impressed by the selfless service of Dr Richard Haycon, who treated patients during the typhoid outbreak of 1870, and who died after contracting the disease.
“1 157 local working-class people donated money for the obelisk that stands in the churchyard in honour of his service. He could have run away, but he didn’t,” she said.
Mayor, Chris O’Rourke, a former member of Higham Ferrers Tourism, said he planned to encourage other local mayors to join a town tour when they resume next year.
“Higham is such a great place,” he added.
Photograph: A gathering of guides: The newly-qualified tour guides join the very first batch of guides, Gwen Tobin (seated left) and Barry Matson (seated right), guests and organiser, Carol Fitzgerald (seated centre) at the certificate presentation (Photography: Robert Barnatt)
