This handsome building was erected as part of the rebuilding of Warwick after the Great Fire of 1694. It was acquired by Warwick Town Council in order to provide more space for the activities of the Court House next door. Nowadays it contains the local registry for births marriages and deaths, offices etc.
Some interesting previous Owners
Kelynge Greenway JP, lived in 2 Jury Street in 1871 with his wife Charlotte, four children and ten servants. By 1881 he had sold the house, moving to an even grander house in Kingsbury. Unfortunately his bank (Greenway, Smith and Greenway) failed badly in 1887 and he and his brother George were jailed. The Nelson family bought the house and several of them lived there, including Sir Edward Montague, sometime Mayor of Warwick. He offered the house to the Town Council, who initially turned it down; in 1906 he loaned the house to the organisers of the Pageant, and it was eventually acquired by the Town Council.
Why the name Pageant House?
The reason for the name is interesting: costumes for the Warwick pageant of 1906 were made here. The pageant was very successful and raised enough money to purchase the back garden, which was converted into the first public garden in Warwick and named Pageant Gardens. This garden is still open to the public (entered via the Tourist information Bureau or through an archway in Castle Street) and offers a pleasant setting for wedding photographs.
We would love to hear from you if you got married here, or if you know more about the history of Pageant House.
Comments
I have a rather different history of The Pageant House. My history tells me that it belonged to the Nelson family (not bankers). Sir E Montague Nelson loaned the use of the house to the organisers of the 1906 Pageant followed by the eventual acquisition by Warwick Town Council
Many thanks, Edward, for useful information. The banker must have sold the property to your ancestor. Please accept my apologies and I’ll add a correction to the article.
My great-grandmother Rose Emily Bainbridge and her 4 unmarried adult daughters were living at 2 Jury Street, Warwick, in 1901 together with 5 servants. I assume we are talking about the same house.
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