Before Market Harborough's Garden of Remembrance

In 1951, preparations were underway for the town's new Garden of Remembrance.
Workmen remove the Speight sign from 29, The Square, Market Harborough in 1951Workmen remove the Speight sign from 29, The Square, Market Harborough in 1951
Workmen remove the Speight sign from 29, The Square, Market Harborough in 1951

In 1951, Market Harborough War Memorial Committee met for the first time in two years and decided that the town's war memorial should not be moved into the not-yet-started Garden of Remembrance, behind Welland House. Work had begun to demolish 29, The Square, the former home of Mr G Speight, to make space for the garden in early October.However, due to a labour shortage the work had been delayed by a few weeks.

The demolition of 29, The Square,was to make way for the town’s Garden of Remembrance and Riverside Walk.The former owner of the house, photographer, oboe player, footballer and well-known rose grower Gulliver Speight, 87, had recently moved to a new home in Meadow Street. Unfortunately, Mr Speight had died the same week the final bricks had been removed from his former home.