Map shows Leamiongton’s streets of sorrow

Queen Street in Leamington was truly a “Street of Sorrow” during the First World War.

Queen Street in Leamington was truly a “Street of Sorrow” during the First World War.

A total of 19 men from the street were killed in action, according to research conducted by a member of Leamington History Group.

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Richard Fisk, 71, of Lillington, has drawn up a map with red dots pinpointing the houses which lost a family member during the war.

His research is part of a history group project called “For King & Country: Streets of Sorrow” which aims to publish details of all those recorded on the Leamington War Memorial.

Mr Fisk is a former pupil of Clapham Terrace School, which lost many of its former pupils from 1914 to 1918. Apart from Queen Street, Court Street suffered 13 deaths and Brook Street 10. In the town as a whole there were 44 sets of brothers killed.

Mr Fisk said: “As well as the 600 Leamington men killed, there were three or four times that number injured in the war. It had a big impact on the town. A lot of young men volunteered, particularly from the Old Town area. They thought it would be over by Christmas. They would have known each other, so it was really grim for the area.”

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He was inspired to draw up the map by Michelin maps, which use mauve dots for war cemeteries, and by a commemorative book “Warwickshire Roll of Honour 1914-2005” by former policeman Ken Fowler. Mr Fisk did most of his research by walking the streets.

The present map goes from Kenilworth Road to Brunswick Street but Mr Fisk hopes to extend it to include Lillington, Cubbington and Whitnash. He is always updating it. When the project is completed, it is hoped to stage an exhibition in the town. For more information visit www.leamingtonhistorygroup.co.uk

Pictured: Part of Richard Fisk’s map showing the houses in the Old Town area which lost family members. Below: Queen Street

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