The Chase was originally the home of businessman James Knox (1849-1931) who had it built with bricks from his own yard - the Haunchwood Brick & Tile Co. Ltd.
The Knox’s were a very distinguished dynasty of railway and civil engineers. James went into civil engineering like his father, Thomas. He was resident engineer on the first railway in Hungary, and later, closer to home on the Banbury and Cheltenham Railway. The resident engineer had the job of ensuring that as these railways were built that they conformed to the necessary standards of construction, that the builder had complied with the drawings and layout of the line, and used the proper materials, which were in accordance with the specification laid down. It was an arduous and complex job though it gave him a good insight into what was needed to be a good brick manufacturer.
During his stint on the Banbury to Cheltenham Railway, he met with the girl who would later be his wife, Florence Sadler. She was the daughter of a former Mayor of Oxford.
Sometime during the mid 1860s, shortly after the opening of the Nuneaton to Whitacre junction branch of the Midland Railway, James Knox was passing through the newly excavated cutting near Stockingford station, still bare from fresh excavation on a train. He noticed exposed in the side of the new cutting, a seam of Etruria marl clay. Being an experienced civil engineer he would have been familiar with the types of clay one found in railway construction. Everywhere new lines were built, there were set up brick kilns to make best use of building clays for the bricks for bridges and culverts, stations and the buildings along the route. He returned to Stockingford later to investigate and found at that time a number of brickworks which were in production making high quality blue, brindle and red engineering bricks.
It is not clear whether he started Haunchwood Brick & Tile from scratch or took over an existing works. It is thought initially the company mined the clay through a shaft, similar to a coal shaft; or it might have been an existing coal shaft that was used. This was subsequently abandoned and a new clayhole opened adjacent to the brickyard. After the formation of the initial private partnership was made, the business was incorporated and a limited liability company under the style: The Haunchwood Brick Co. Ltd was formed on 11th. May 1878.
James Knox became the proud father of nine sons. All of whom went on to good careers, and held their head high amongst Nuneaton folk. The eldest was Colonel James Meldrum Knox D.S.O. and Bar. He served in the Boer War. He trained, like his father as a civil engineer and worked on Bristol Docks. He later returned to Nuneaton and became Captain of the Nuneaton Volunteer Company of the 7th. Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and there he rose to the rank of Colonel. He was awarded the D.S.O. and bar and was mentioned five times in despatches. He volunteered for service during World War One and was killed in Italy at the Asiago plateau on 23rd September 1918, and there is a memorial to him there. A portrait of him is in the Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery.
The Chase is now a pub restaurant and hotel at number 2 Higham Lane, Weddington. You can read more of the history of The Chase at this link: A History of the Chase Hotel, Higham Lane, Nuneaton by Peter Lee.
The Knox’s were a very distinguished dynasty of railway and civil engineers. James went into civil engineering like his father, Thomas. He was resident engineer on the first railway in Hungary, and later, closer to home on the Banbury and Cheltenham Railway. The resident engineer had the job of ensuring that as these railways were built that they conformed to the necessary standards of construction, that the builder had complied with the drawings and layout of the line, and used the proper materials, which were in accordance with the specification laid down. It was an arduous and complex job though it gave him a good insight into what was needed to be a good brick manufacturer.
During his stint on the Banbury to Cheltenham Railway, he met with the girl who would later be his wife, Florence Sadler. She was the daughter of a former Mayor of Oxford.
Sometime during the mid 1860s, shortly after the opening of the Nuneaton to Whitacre junction branch of the Midland Railway, James Knox was passing through the newly excavated cutting near Stockingford station, still bare from fresh excavation on a train. He noticed exposed in the side of the new cutting, a seam of Etruria marl clay. Being an experienced civil engineer he would have been familiar with the types of clay one found in railway construction. Everywhere new lines were built, there were set up brick kilns to make best use of building clays for the bricks for bridges and culverts, stations and the buildings along the route. He returned to Stockingford later to investigate and found at that time a number of brickworks which were in production making high quality blue, brindle and red engineering bricks.
It is not clear whether he started Haunchwood Brick & Tile from scratch or took over an existing works. It is thought initially the company mined the clay through a shaft, similar to a coal shaft; or it might have been an existing coal shaft that was used. This was subsequently abandoned and a new clayhole opened adjacent to the brickyard. After the formation of the initial private partnership was made, the business was incorporated and a limited liability company under the style: The Haunchwood Brick Co. Ltd was formed on 11th. May 1878.
James Knox became the proud father of nine sons. All of whom went on to good careers, and held their head high amongst Nuneaton folk. The eldest was Colonel James Meldrum Knox D.S.O. and Bar. He served in the Boer War. He trained, like his father as a civil engineer and worked on Bristol Docks. He later returned to Nuneaton and became Captain of the Nuneaton Volunteer Company of the 7th. Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and there he rose to the rank of Colonel. He was awarded the D.S.O. and bar and was mentioned five times in despatches. He volunteered for service during World War One and was killed in Italy at the Asiago plateau on 23rd September 1918, and there is a memorial to him there. A portrait of him is in the Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery.
The Chase is now a pub restaurant and hotel at number 2 Higham Lane, Weddington. You can read more of the history of The Chase at this link: A History of the Chase Hotel, Higham Lane, Nuneaton by Peter Lee.
