Edward Nicholson and his wife, Sophia Hill hailed from Northumberland. Son of William a butcher and Margaret Nicholson, Edward was born in Hexham and she in North Shields. They married in 1846 and five years later, Sophie gave birth to Eliza Henrietta to be followed a year later by Alfred James. At that time Edward described himself as a draper. He must have been successful for they had two servants.
In the mid 1860s Edward and Sophie moved south to Middlesex. It is believed that this was to meet up with Fredrick Walton, the inventor of linoleum.
Edward made is fortune in the Linoleum Manufacturing Company, and when he retired he purchased Matthews Green Estate in 1877 from Captain Elliott Morres. The property was advertised in The Times as follows:-
“The attractive Freehold Residential Estate known as Matthew’s Green, Wokingham, including a capital house with pleasure grounds, stabling, farmer, three cottages and very picturesque will timbered park size land, in all about 70 acres.”
In 1880 he rebuilt the western end of the 17th century Matthews Green House which became the family home. Around that time he also purchased Wiltshire Farm.
Edward took an active part in local politics as an ardent Liberal. He was instrumental in starting the Working Men’s Club at Embrook in 1884. Sophie was an active member of St. Paul’s Parish Church and regularly helped to organise Mothers’ Meetings and other entertainments at Embrook Mission Room.
While hunting in December 1884, Edward had a serious accident from which he never fully recovered. He died from pleuro-pneumonia on the 25th of September 1885 at the age of 60 and was buried in St. Paul’s Churchyard. Sophie remained in Matthews Green House and continued to participate and give generously to church and local activities until her death in January 1901. She was buried beside her husband.
Their daughter, Eliza had married John Barran in 1870, who on his father’s death in 1903 inherited his title becoming Sir John Barron 2nd Bart. John, together with Edward’s son, Alfred James and an Alfred Henry Hill of Cleveland House, North Shields were chosen to be Edward’s executors.
In 1888 Alfred James purchased some of Wokingham’s glebe land from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England, an area of over 17 acres laying behind the gardens of the houses in Rose Street, Broad Street and Milton Road. He later purchased a triangle of adjacent land that was left over when the Palmer Schools were built. As part of the terms of the purchase of the first piece of land, Alfred James took responsibility of maintain unadopted roads now Glebelands Road and a portion of Rectory Road. These lands included part of High Close where he built a house in 1890 at a cost of £ 8,000 and named it Glebelands.
The 1891 census revealed that there were six servants living at Glebelands; Mary Brenton, dressmaker; Matilda Shint, cook; Annie Goddard, nurse; Frances Wise, kitchenmaid; Eleanor Herman, housemaid and Emily Cooley, parlourmaid.
Glebelands Lodge was built next door and accommodated Henry Genery, coachman and his wife and two children plus Alfred Shorter, stable helper aged fourteen years. Above the entrance to Gleblands Lodge is the devil in the shape of a ram’s head. It is believed to be a warning to the servants to stay on the straight and narrow.
Alfred’s family increased, so he built a much larger house, designed by Ernest Newton R.A., one of the famous local architects, that was completed in 1897. Edward named this Glebelands and renamed the first house Clare Court.
Alfred and his wife, Letitia were public spirited and participated in various events. Alfred was elected as a town councilor in 1901, serving for one year. In that year he sold Matthews Green Estate to Colonel Raymond South Paley (c1838-1913), a retired army officer who renamed it Cantley.
At the time of his death, on 22nd December 1908, in Glebelands, Alfred James was chairman of the Linoleum Manufacturing Company and he was buried in All Saints Churchyard. Letitia joined him many years later in October 1929.
Nicholson Family Memorials
All Saint Parish Church
Plaque in the South aisle:-
IN MEMORY OF
ALFRED JAMES NICHOLSON
BORN NOVEMBER 9, 1852
DIED DECEMBER 22, 1908
St. Paul’s Parish Church
Plaque beside the font:-
To the glory of God and to the dear memory of
Edward and Sophie Nicholson
Loving parents, faithful friends, good citizens
Who entered into rest Sep 25th 1885 – Jan 21st 1901
And are interred in this churchyard.
Wokingham Town Museum Unique Identifier: WTH0335