#Cheltenham #EMMS #Gloucestershire #Lido
Last weekend in a discussion with a friend was told that a family rumour included someone called EMMS being involved in the construction of Cheltenham Lido 1. Despite having lived in the town for years believe only went once because it is the place people go in a heatwave (rare to be free if that happened) along with everyone else and so does not actually appeal to me.
It is also known as Sandford Parks 2 Lido and was constructed between 1934 and 1938 to designs by G Gould Marsland. It became Grade II listed n 2019 3. A further note says constructed by A Jackaman and Son of Slough and by S C Morris and Co so no obvious significant Emms involvement.
Having researched the surname taken on marriage aware that the local origins of EMMS seem to originate around Broadway, Worcestershire so not that far away. Plausible therefore to presume that there could be a connection and have therefore dived in for a bit of research.
Now a few days ago a quick Google search found an E A Emms which it appeared to connect with the Lido. This was an unfortunate AI result but gave me a name to look into further. However, when trying to revisit could not seem to get the same information but decided to try to find out more about them anyway.
An Edgar Alfred EMMS was born in Cheltenham during 1874. They went on to be a ‘Monumental sculptor In Marble & Stone’ according to the 1911 England Census. This would be a plausible role to have worked with the Lido as if you look at the images on the BBC article ‘Historic lido celebrates 90th year of opening’ 4 there is an ornate fountain visible.
From this built out their family tree in both directions and established that firstly they are actually a direct ancestor of my friend. Found an article on a website 5 that is about mapping the sculpture professionals over a century that shows several generations of the family were involved in this ornate stonework as a career.
Edgar Alfred EMMS was trained by his father, Alfred Jeffery EMMS, and a son Edgar Jeffrey EMMS also became a sculptor. From this and other records realise that Alfred died in 1910 and Edgar having taken over the business sadly died only nine years later in 1919. He was just 45. Therefore as the Lido was not built until the 1930s it is clear that neither of the older gentlemen were involved.
However, Edgar I have established lived until 1970 so logically the reference could be to him running the business. Front page of The Cheltenham Chronicle and Glo’shire Graphic 6 from 01-May-1937 has an advert to say ‘Beautiful Memorials E. A. Emms Hales Road Cheltenham’ which would indicate that the focus of the establishment now is presumably grave markers.
Another article found shows that the company was known as E A Emms until 1978 and someone who apprenticed with them then set up their own business and in 1985 had the opportunity to buy the original property at 23 Hales Road, Cheltenham so moved back to where they had trained. Sadly the latest Google Maps image 7 does not show it in a good light but there are a number of older photos.
In the 1939 Register Edgar’s occupation is transcribed as ‘Ponument-Building Store Manf Master’ which I believe actually says Monument + Building Stone Manuf. Master. There’s definitely more of a line in the word to seem more like an f is included as otherwise would have taken to be mason. He is also an A.R.P. Senior Warden.
Unfortunately have not found any actual evidence to connect Edgar with construction of the Lido but as the construction company was from Slough perhaps they used his local knowledge / assistance. Unlikely to find anything concrete out but believe the origination of the information came from a niece of Edgar. They would have been a teen at the time of the construction and therefore seems likely there was a link as that would be first hand knowledge.
In the course of researching did find an article about the Whish Sisters’ Fountain 8 which is now situated in Sandford Park and wondered if that was perhaps something the Emms family was responsible for as a rather ornate piece. They were Mary, Anne and Ellen who wished to commemorate their 50th anniversary in the town.
However, it seems commissioned in 1891 but erected in 1901 by the ecclesiastical sculptor A. B. Wall of Whaddon Road 9 in the town. Really enjoy research like this as come across many interesting facts about a town that I lived in for a long time but had no idea about. Think next time I’m in Cheltenham will visit the Sandford Parks area and explore for the history rather than just seeing friends.
Back to the connection between the Cheltenham EMMS family identified and the Broadway EMMS family although not fully confirmed it does appear plausible that the shared ancestors are Thomas EMMS (1752 – 1851) and Elizabeth NICKES (1752 – 1850) who married in Cleeve Prior, Worcestershire during 1769.
They had a son George EMMS born 1791 in that location that did not know what happened to after this date. Working up from the Cheltenham line found a George EMMS born 1816 in the same place, father George EMMS so seems a high probability that this one could be the 1791 individual.
*Small World*
Footnotes –
Most research undertaken using Ancestry, FreeBMD and Google Maps. Additional resources listed below if utilised.
- Cheltenham Lido – Our Heritage; https://www.cheltenhamlido.co.uk/our-cheltenham-heritage/ ↩︎
- Sandford Parks – History of Sandford Parks; https://www.sandfordparkfriends.co.uk/history ↩︎
- Historic England – Sandford Parks Lido; https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1462183?section=comments-and-photos ↩︎
- BBC – Historic lido celebrates 90th year of opening; https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce39nny2212o ↩︎
- Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain & Ireland 1851-1951 – Edgar Alfred Emms; https://www.sculpture.gla.ac.uk/mapping/public/view/person.php?id=ann_1294616999 ↩︎
- Cheltenham Local History Society – The Cheltenham Chronicle and Glo’shire Graphic; https://cheltlocalhistory.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Graphic_1937_05_May.pdf ↩︎
- Google Maps – 23 Hales Road, Cheltenham;
https://www.google.com/maps/place/23+Hales+Rd,+Cheltenham+GL52+6SF/@51.8947341,-2.065112,512m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x48711bc08b831655:0x1f267152439a836a!8m2!3d51.8947308!4d-2.0625371!16s%2Fg%2F11c5ncjd4p?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDUyNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D ↩︎ - Facebook – Friends of Sandford Parks; https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfSandfordParks/posts/hidden-beauty-rich-history-sandford-park-%EF%B8%8Fthe-whish-sisters-fountain-was-commiss/579095318165472/ ↩︎
- Cobalt Health – History of Whish Sisters Fountain; https://www.cobalthealth.co.uk/history-of-whish-sisters-fountain/ ↩︎
