The History Hour… by HannahWright


Summerholidays areuponus,herein whatwasonceoneof thecountry’s primeholidaydestinations.Onevisitor inparticular,dramaticallychangedthe fortunesof thetown. Rewindabout250years.


Cheltenhamwas a steadilybecoming a thriving spa townwithapopulation of around1500.FarmerWilliamMason haddiscoveredpreciouschalybeate mineral springswhichpigeonswere utilising aroundBayshill, andhad fenceditoff inorder tochargeper the glass. Chalybeatewaspurportedtohave


tremendoushealthbenefits andwas recommendedbymanymedical professionals,whostatedthat it cured: “…thecolic, themelancholy, andthevapours; itmadetheleanfat, thefat lean; it killedflatworms inthe belly, loosenedtheclammyhumours of thebody, anddriedtheover-moist brain.” Awell respectedphysician,Dr


Short,hadpublishedhis findings in ‘HistoryofMineralWaters’, and declaredCheltenham’s spawaters to beamong thebest inthecountry.This ledtohundredsof visitors.William Mason’sdaughter andsoninlaw, ElizabethandHenrySkillicornehad developedthespring intoa small complex including anAssemblyRoom formeeting andentertainment.There werenowtree-linedavenues leading tothespa, andthe‘Paving Commissioners’hadbeen established,withpowers topave, cleanandlight thestreetswithoil lamps.Thespawasbecoming a lucrativebusiness andthetownwas


62 AUGUST2017 THECHELTONIAN


becoming adestination. WhenKingGeorgeIII suffereda


‘bilious attack’ insummerof 1788, it was tothesuperiorwatersof Cheltenhamthathewas sent. KingGeorgeIII arrivedonthe12 July


1788, accompaniedby ahouseholdof Keepersof theRobes,Necessary WomenandRoyalEquerries.His visit lastedfor fiveweeks.This timewas spentenduring themedicinalpowers of thewater-whichwouldhavehada laxativeeffect, andalsoenjoyingquiet timeaswell asentertainment at the newtheatreonGrosvenorTerrace andsocialevents intownandacross theregion.Hewouldriseat6amto takethewaters, followedby awalk and breakfast at8.30am.Onmostdays at 10amthecarriagewouldarrivefor a day’s sight-seeing. Hewas a gracious,personableand


philanthropicguestwhoproved popularwithlocalpeople.Upon visitingGloucester Infirmary and County Jail, theKing left£300for the paymentof theinmates’debts.The Kingwas abletowalk freely,often unaccompanied, andengagedin conversationwithall thelocalshe met. IntheQueen’sownletters, she writesofhow“Neverdidschoolboys enjoy theirholidaysequal towhatwe havedoneour littleexcursion.”


Thepapers gavereports suchas:


'Thismorning,hisMajesty andthe PrincessRoyalwereat theSpa very early.HisMajesty, afterputting the PrincessRoyal intothecarriage, walkedacross themeadows, attendedbyonly twolittledogs. Nothingpleases theinhabitantsof this placemorethantheunguarded manner inwhichhisMajestywalks abouthere- they say it is a confidence thatwouldmakeevenrebels loyal.' TheKing left infinehealth, andhis


glowing recommendationswerethe catalyst for thespabusiness in Cheltenhamtoboom. Over thenext50years, thetown


wasdevelopedat a fastpace.Further spas andentertainment venues opened, gardenswerelandscaped andCheltenhamwasestablishedas oneof themost fashionablespa destinations. Sadly, just twomonths after thevisit


whichleft theKing andQueeninhigh spirits,GeorgeIII fell ill againwith porphyria- a rarehereditarydisease whichalsoafflictedsomeofhis childrenandfamilymembers. Symptoms includedpain,paralysis anddelirium. Itwas thebeginningof hisextendedperiodsof illhealth whicheventually ledtohimbeing declaredmentallyunfit torule.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68