Members of the First Barrow School Board 

William Leighton Newham.  First Chairman of the School Board.

According to the census he was born in Scotland. He married Frances Darvall at St Mary’s Church Reading on April 17th 1854. He was 32, she was 22. Her father was a solicitor. He was appointed vicar of Barrow in 1854 until and retired in 1889.

On the census in 1861 they are recorded as living at the vicarage in Church St they have four children: Frances (5), William Edward (4), Herbert Leighton (2) and Arthur (7 months)

They have three servants: Hannah Toone (28) cook, born in Quorn, May Jane Langton, born in Oswestry, and Harriet Clarke, nurse, born in Leicester.

By the 1872 census they have five more children: Gertrude (8), Frank (6), George (4) Adelaide (2) and Henry (0) Frances, William and Herbert are not listed.

Their servants are Sarah Freeman (18) and Sarah Thorpe (16)

He managed to obtain some money from the fund left by Humphrey Perkins to found the Grammar School and in 1859 set up the national school near the church on the site which is now Hall Orchard School. He was a frequent visitor to the school.

His death is recorded in 1903 age 81; he died in Nicosia where his son Frank was vicar. In his will dated August 8th 1888 he leaves everything to his wife. The will is witnessed by J Hands Solicitor, Loughborough and Henry Sayer his clerk. He is buried in the grounds of Holy Trinity church and there is a memorial brass plate to him in the vestry.

Mr John William Woolley

According to the 1881 census he was born in Collingham Notts. in 1821. His wife Harriet was born in Kettering. He was a solicitor and lived in Crown Lane Barrow on Soar (by the Three Crowns pub)

Also living in the house were:

Charles Dalton Woolley  
23 Solicitor    
Born BOS

Joseph Edward Woolley  
19 Undergraduate at Oxford University    
Born BOS 

George Henry Woolley
28 Visitor Solicitor Registrar of County Court of Leicester

Jane Ladkin  
46   Cook    
Born BOS 

Hannah Butcher  
22 Servant      
Born Norfolk

Susan Dainty  
20 Servant

He is listed in the Register of Electors in 1894 and 1896. He is described as living in Catsick Lane (former name of Cotes Rd) with a freehold house and land.

Charles Cross        

In the 1861 census he is recoded as a farmer of 60 acres and contractor living in Industry St. (in the farm which eventually became part of the Chestnuts.). He is 39 years old and married to Lucy Maria Cross (26 years old). Also in his household are his Mother in Law and brother in law as well as three servants: one male, (age 19) described as a carter, one female (24) a house servant and one male (14) a cow boy.

There are similar entries for 1871 and 1881.

A report of his funeral appeared in the Leicester Chronicle on September 2nd 1890. According to the report he had lived in the village all his life and was well known and respected in every household. He was Chairman of the Liberal Club.

On the day of his funeral the street was lined with spectators for the short journey from his house in Industry St. to the Baptist Chapel. The service was conducted by the Rev. C. Wicks of Loughborough and his coffin was carried by six men from the Chapel congregation, the hymn was Lead Kindly Light.

One of the foundation stones on the outside of the Baptist Chapel was laid by Mrs Cross in 1887.

 Mr Ephraim France

According to the 1877 census for Barrow he was born in Yorkshire in 1833, married to Sarah Ann and died in 1888

He was an elastic web manufacturer with his factory in Railway Buildings 92, Conduit St Leicester. He is listed in the various trade directories, one of the many elastic web manufacturers in the city. His private address is given as Barrow on Soar. In the Barkers Directory for 1875 he is listed alongside the clergy and gentry in Barrow and living in Bridge St. As a male property owner he had the right to vote.

Joseph Johnson.

He was born in Barrow in 1812. He married Priscilla Wright in 1842. His address is given as 19 North St. According to the 1851 census they had four children: three sons and a daughter. He is described as a butcher/farmer occupying 60 acres and employing two men as lime burners as well as two other men.

By 1881 his farm was 436 acres and he employed four men and three boys.

He died in 1895 age 83.