EXHIBITION TELLS WHAT ELWES FAMILY DID FOR BRIGG

Elwes Street, Brigg  - an unusual view by KEN HARRISON

Discover the impact that the Elwes family had on the Brigg area in North Lincolnshire Museum’s brand new exhibition opening on January 13.
The exhibition at the museum in Oswald Road, Scunthorpe, will run until June 14 and will look at the history of the Elwes family, who owned much land and property in Brigg.
The family had a huge impact on North Lincolnshire - especially Brigg, Wrawby and Roxby. 
The exhibition will take you through the Elwes family timeline. Learn about important family members such as Gervase Elwes, the famous singer, and the legacy he left. Discover what it was like to have Cary Elwes as your landlord and find out what impact Valentine Elwes’ conversion to Catholicism had on Brigg. 
In 1674, Jeremy Elwes bought the Tyrwhitt estates of Wrawby, Brigg and Bigby for £2,300. At this time they consisted of nothing more than a few houses. His grandson, Cary Elwes began the development of these estates into the towns and villages we know today. 
The Elwes family also owned land at Risby, Roxby, in parts of Yorkshire, and Billing Hall in Northamptonshire. The Elwes family today live at Elsham Hall. 
In 1865, Valentine Cary Elwes married his second wife Alice Ward. The couple moved into the Manor House in Brigg in 1869. They had three children: Gervase, Dudley and Maud. Valentine played a big part in the local community. 
In 1874 the family visited Nice, in France, where they were converted to Catholic faith. At this time there wasn’t a Catholic church in Brigg for the family to worship in. So in 1875 Valentine converted the old Coach House, next to Manor House, into a chapel, which was known as St. Mary’s.
In the early 1900s, Gervase and his wife Winefride started an annual Musical Competition Festival in Brigg. Gervase also regularly held music workshops in London and at Billing Hall. Musicians stayed with the family for up to a week at a time and put on concerts and productions.
The exhibition will give a real insight into the lives of the Elwes family and how they made a difference to North Lincolnshire. Pop along to the museum over the coming months and  step back in time to discover the history of the interesting Elwes family. 
For more information about the exhibition, contact North Lincolnshire Museum on 01724 843533 or email museum@northlincs.gov.uk 
Coun John Briggs (Axholme), cabinet member for asset management, culture and housing at North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The Elwes family were very prominent in North Lincolnshire for many, many years and their influences in the local area can still be seen today. It is a fantastic exhibition that takes you through the Elwes family history, right from the very beginning. They were all involved in many different things from acting and singing to owning land and politics. Go along to this fantastic exhibition in the New Year and learn a bit more about North Lincolnshire’s history.”
NF adds: Today we can still see links to the famous landowning family in Brigg, including Elwes Street, Cary Lane and significant property in Bigby Street. The family was also important in the building of the Buttercross almost 200 years ago.