Gallery – Thornton through the years

Our village in the past

The following 25 photographs recently came to light when two village calendars (1999 & 2000) were discovered in a filing cabinet, which had been locked for many years (no keys) at the Community centre. The calendars were produced by Iris and John Gleeson as part of their fund raising efforts for the Community Centre.

The photographs have been scanned, cropped and enhanced to produce the following images.

Do you have any images of Thornton in a bygone age? Or have any interesting facts about the village and its history then please email me (Gill Tapping) on thorntonvillage@aol.com

The Bricklayers’ Arms (pre 1907) – Landlord Thomas Dilks
The Bricklayers’ Arms – for nearly five hundred years the pub was in the hands of the Dilks family. In 1999 the landlords were Terry & Jane Swyer
The middle of the village, early in the 20th Century, showing the Old Bricklayers’ Arms (right and Laurel Farm (left)
Farm House with children Main street, Thornton 1909. (Henton Collection). The wall has long since vanished, but the building is recognisable as the Thornton club. Photo by permission of the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.
Tap House & Bulls Head, Main Street, Thornton, circa 1910. In the foreground stand Mrs Sarah Pykett and her daughter Kathleen. Sarah’s granddaughter Kathryn Shaw lives in a house built in the space between the houses.
Colliery Row, Main street, was built in 1902 to house the miners of the new Desford Colliery.
Dovecote and St Peter’s church (1909). Photo by permission of the Record Office for Leicestershire and Rutland (Henton Collection)
John Brown’s father Reg (far left) and helpers harvesting in Thornton.
The Key Family in front of Park Farm at the turn of the 20th Century. The youngest boy Sam Key, was the last of the family to farm the land.
Main Street, Thornton, mid 1960’s showing the Wesleyan Chapel, which was demolished in the mid 1970’s.
Main Street, Thornton (top end). The tall building (left) was the Reading Room. The Cottages (right) fronted Post Office Yard.
Main Street, Thornton, showing some of the outbuildings of Church Farm, now the site of Sharp’s Close.
Main Street, looking down the village. The cottage on the left was the Post Office in 1999.
Pinfold Cottage, Main Street was situated where the entrance to the Community Centre is now. To the rear of the cottage was the village pinfold, where any stray animals were given temporary shelter.
Polly Lowe’s House before renovation in 1998
At the junction of Main street and Bagworth Hill stands one of the oldest houses in Thornton, known as Polly Lowe’s House. Dating from 1700.
Poplar Farm, early 20th Century was the first home of five year old Reg Brown and his family when they came to live Thornton. The farm and outbuildings have been converted into luxurious dwellings.
Reservoir Farm at the turn of the 20th Century, William and Martha Massey at the gate. Annie and Charles Massey on the right.
Seal’s shop pre 1920’s. Horace Seal and elder daughter Leda are holding the horses.
The village shop at the corner of Main Street & Church Lane circa 1950 which was then run by the Seal family who had lived there since 1914.
St Peter’s church, dating from the twelfth century, and retaining some of its medieval treasures, viewed from the reservoir bank.
Interior of St Peter’s church 1900. Vicar Rev. Henry Symonds. Note pulpit in centre of church and the Rood Screen.
Looking through St Peter’s Lychgate at Church Farm
A view of the Old Post Office gardens, taken on a rainy morning in the 1960’s. On this site now stands a row of town houses.
Thornton Reservoir at the turn of the 20th Century
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