The Nuneaton & North Warwickshire FHS is, on Saturday 24 January at Chilvers Coton Heritage Centre, heralding the 150th anniversary of the serialisation of George Eliot's "Scenes of Clerical Life". The day will concentrate on Nuneaton in her time, and on those real life people on whom she based some of her characters, especially those in "Scenes".
If anyone descends from, or otherwise has dangling in their extended family tree, any of the following, do please pm me. We would very much like to involve real descendants of real characters in the event. We would also like to hear from anyone who has George Eliot (Mary Ann EVANS) in their family tree - however distant.
The real life people (and their character) are as follows:
Rev G W Stanford (Mr Baird)
Rev John Gwyther who moved to Fewston, Otley (Amos Barton)
Mr Baines, gardener at Arbury (Mr Bates)
Dr William Harris of Attleborough (Mr Brand)
Clay family of Chilvers Coton (a member of this family was Mrs Brick)
Mr Burton, churchwarden (Mr Budd)
John Astley, grocer in Nuneaton Market Place (Luke Byles)
Rev George Hake, rector of Chilvers Coton 1829-1844 (Mr Carpe)
Sir Richard Newdigate (Sir Anthony Cheveral)
Sir Roger Newdigate (Sir Christopher Cheveral)
Hester Margaretta, second wife of Sir Roger Newdigate (Lady Henrietta Cheveral)
Rev J Fisher, rector of Caldecote and Higham (Rev Martin Cleves)
Rev Hugh Hughes 1779-1830, curate of Nuneaton (Mr Crewe)
Janet Buchanan, wife of James Williams Buchanan (Janet Dempster)
James Williams Buchanan, 1792-1846 (Lawyer Dempster)
Rev Henry Hake, vicar of Chilvers Coton 1844-1859 (Mr A Duke)
Rev W H King (Mr Ely)
Joseph Harpur (Mr Farquahar)
Rev Henry Bellairs of Bedworth (Mr Fellowes)
Mr Baker, the verger (Mr Fitchett)
Rev W S Bucknill, vicar of Burton Hastings (Mr Furness)
Rev Bernard Gilpin Ebdell, vicar of Chilvers Coton 1786-1828, incumbent of Astley 1789-1828 and Chaplain at Arbury (Rev Maynard Gilfil)
Thomas Barnacle, grocer in Market Place, Nuneaton (Mr Gruby)
John Everard (Mr Jerome)
James Wheway (Jonathan Lamb)
William Craddock (Ben Landor)
Mrs Hill (no first name known) (Mrs Linnett)
Mary & Rebecca Hill - daughters of Mrs Hill (The Miss Linnetts)
John Towle, Abbey House (Mr Lowme)
Martha Howe (Nancy, the servant)
Charles Newdigate-Newdegate (Mr Oldinport)
Mrs Hutchin[g]s (Mrs Patten)
Mrs John Robinson, Church Street, Nuneaton (Mrs Pettifer)
Mr & Mrs William Bull, banker/partner of Wm Craddock (Mr & Mrs Fred Phipps)
William Bucknill, Nuneaton surgeon (Mr Pilgrim)
George Greenway (Mr Pitman, partner of Lawyer Dempster)
Mr Bond, Nuneaton doctor (Mr Richard Pratt)
The Hon & Rev Robert Bruce Stopford, vicar of Nuneaton when Hugh Hughes was curate (The Hon & Revd Mr Prendergast)
Mrs Wallington (Mrs Raynor)
Sarah Shilton, local miner's daughter (Caterina Sarti)
Mrs Fitchett (Mrs Short)
Mr Hackett of Attleborough (Mr Spratt)
Thomas Hincks (Mr Tomlinson)
Rev J E Jones, curate at Stockingford Chapel of Ease (Rev Edgar Tryan)
Wagstaff family - one was landlord of the Bull Hotel (Mrs Wagstaff)
Many thanks
Kate Keens
Committee member NNWFHS
