FROM: Chris Tomlinson, Far North Queensland, Australia
Having returned from ten years in Ontario, Canada and moved around various locations in England, my wife, Pauline and I settled in Kenilworth from 1973 until I moved to Oxford in 1992.
Pauline and I had all our three children, Ian, Robert and Lindsey between 1978 and 1982, all born in The Warneford Hospital, Leamington which, I understand has recently been dismantled and replaced by a small housing estate.
When we arrived and moved to Beech Drive, Leyes Lane was an unmade road with a few farm houses on it and fields all the way down to Glasshouse Lane where the old glass houses, although derelict, were still in evidence.
The Wardens Cricket grounds were on Leyes Lane also and Kenilworth School was two schools, one of which was a grammar.
All this time I worked for Chryslers in Coventry and then between 1980 and 1984, my family came with me to work for Land Rover in Nigeria although we retain\ed the house. Upon return, I worked at Land Rover Parts in Birmingham.
All our children attended Thorns School and then moved on to Park Hill. Ian briefly attended Kenilworth School prior to our reluctant move to Oxford because of work relocation. Both Ian and Robert played local boys’ soccer firstly for Leek Wootton and then for St Peter’s Leamington, whose ground is still there adjacent to the Leamington Rugby Club.
Ian went on to be selected for Soccer Schools of excellence with Stoke City and later with Birmingham City where he was selected to represent The Blues under 14s at international levels in Europe. He is now a Cad Cam Engineer in the Oxford Area.
We have the fondest memories of Kenilworth, even the open air swimming pool. But the Abbey Fields and the Castle Fireworks stay bright in the memory for our children as they grew up in a very happy environment.
They are all grown up and adults now and sadly, Pauline died in 1998 and I took early retirement the next year. Three years ago, in 2002, I came to Far North Tropical Queensland, Australia where I have a small farm on the Atherton Tablelands. I return to the UK once a year and make a point of visiting Kenilworth, where I still have many friends.
Email Chris Tomlinson
