Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911 Family History Local History

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Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911

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Topic: Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911 (Read 279 times)

IAFC
RootsChat Member

Posts: 131

Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911
« on: Thursday 09 April 09 22:50 BST (UK) »

Hi

I am wondering if anyone can give me any info on a fire that occured at the Bell Hotel, Leighton Buzzard. I am particulary interested in Emily Pouchot who died in the fire, (her death was registered in the July, Aug, Sept, quarter of 1911) and who was the mother of John Pouchot DCM.

Regards

IanC


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tazzie
RootsChat Marquessate

Posts: 4863

Re: Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911
« Reply #1 on: Friday 10 April 09 09:45 BST (UK) »

Hi Ian .....

Mrs Pouchot was the landlady of the Bell Hotel at the time of the fire. It was one of two fires in 1911. In Jan a chimney caught fire but no-one was injured however on the afternoon of 2 Sept 1911 Mrs Pouchot was badly burned as she lit an oil geyser in the bathroom. A barmaid was also burnt trying to out the flames out.
The next door shop was Coopers which held gunpowder amongst it's stock so wall were doused with water. Firemen had to borrow high ladders from a local builder further down the High St.

In the Book I have "Old Pubs Of Leighton & Linslade" there is a photo of the fire.

Emily Marian Holdom married Auguste Francois Pouchot in Newport Pagnell area Sep 1897.
She came from a pub background, her parents were Thomas & Mary Holdom who ran the Park Hotel on Bletchley Rd. Which I am sure is right in the middle of Bletchley today and still called the Park.

I will be able to look in the local news archive but possibly not until next weekend as they close for Easter Holidays.
Let me know.

Tazzie


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Liscoe -all
Green/Simpson/Underwood-Beds
Walker/Foulkes/Fookes/Fooks/Hedges/Lamborne-Bucks.
Stanton/Pattrick/Cooper/Fitzjohn/Holland/Spalding-London
Rewallin/Underwood -Devon
Casbolt-London/Cambridge
Favell/Favel - Lincs-Beds

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tazzie
RootsChat Marquessate

Posts: 4863

Re: Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911
« Reply #2 on: Friday 10 April 09 10:28 BST (UK) »

Hi Ian
I see the discussion on the Great War Forum that says he won the DCM at age of just 15.

What did they allow to happen to these children in the cause of war? Amazing looking at some of those photo's they are so very young.

Do you have any of the memorials in photo. The School one is now behind closed doors at the Royal British Legion..... my in laws are on the commitee there so can get one for you.

Tazzie


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IAFC
RootsChat Member

Posts: 131

Re: Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911
« Reply #3 on: Friday 10 April 09 10:57 BST (UK) »

Hi Tazzie

Thanks for the info, I would be very grateful for any photos or further info that you can get me.

Although I now live in Dublin, I am from Fenny Stratford and lived there for many years and I have been working on a website about Fenny in the Great War, (http://www.freewebs.com/fsitgw/). I came across John Pouchot in an index I was given some years ago that lists soldiers mentioned in the North Bucks Times for the Great War period. Because it was such an unusual name I just entered it in a search engine and came up with info about him as he is in a recent book about boys soldiers of the Great War. I knew from the CWGC site that he had been fostered at sometime, last weekend I was in the area (to go and see Luton play at Wembley) and had time to do a bit of research at CMK library where I found a mention that his mother had died in this fire C1911. Although John was not born in Fenny his Mother was and had strong links there. On the 1901 census the family, (Emilys husband was Auguste Pouchot, an auctioneers manager) were living at 29 Claverton St, City of Westminster, which I presume was a bit posh, so it was a bit of a change to end up at the Bell Hotel in LB, I don't know yet but it may have been that the marriage failed.

As you say The Park is still there, (I think it may be a Beefeater now) I used to go sometimes as a very small boy, in the late 50's, as my auntie was a cleaner there.

Regards

IanC


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tazzie
RootsChat Marquessate

Posts: 4863

Re: Fire @ Bell Hotel, L. Buzzard, Circa 1911
« Reply #4 on: Friday 10 April 09 11:10 BST (UK) »

Hi Ian....

Small world .... I was born and brought up in Leighton Buzzard so anything that comes up as local I love to find out about it. The Bell Hotel has been called the Market Tavern in its time and is still trading as a pub today. I myself live in one of the older parts of Milton Keynes and pass the Park Hotel on Chandos Place each week....no longer a Beefeater.

My family & in laws are all in Leighton Buzzard so when I pop over with my children I will be able to get some photo's for you. He also appears on the main Granite column outside All Saints which is/ or was the largest single piece quarried in the Britsh Isles

If it is ok send me a pm with your e-mail ( dont put it on here beware scammers) and I will fish the book out and scan a copy of the fire photo to be going on with.
Popping to Tesco now ......oh joy of joys.... still it means we go past the Park... I will give it a wave from you

.

Will be back later

Tazzie


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