Flowers Final 28:02:25 - Flipbook - Page 18
ower family transformed the local landscape. Corn was raised and cattle bred but not without immense
including the protection of crops and stock from wild animals. Edward Fordham took an active part in
rk, which must have helped to form his remarkably energetic character and taught him not to shrink from
dertaking because it was too difficult.
ttlement had a radical ethos and was vehemently anti-slavery. Escaped slaves from Kentucky settled in
, encouraged by the Flowers and other community leaders. However, these formerly enslaved people
lways in danger of kidnappers aiming to sell them back into slavery. At this time, kidnappers regularly
d the Ohio River to capture free African-Americans and take them to New Orleans for sale. The Flower
were actively involved in preventing Illinois becoming a slave state and broke up the system of kidnapping
heir part of the Ohio. In 1823 a gang kidnapped a group of free African-American residents of Albion
aded south. Edward Fordham, aged 18, led a party that captured the gang at rifle point, freed their
s and saw the leaders tried and punished. Threatened with death by their supporters an attempt was made
life. Edward Fordham was sitting at home when a bullet shattered a mirror above his head. Edward
m's anti-slavery views were now well known and there was a price on his head. His father Richard thought
d be for the best if he returned to England for a while. Little did he know that Edward Fordham would
new life in England.
Return to England
d Fordham returned to England with his father Richard in 1823. Richard took him to New Lanark to
Robert Owen the Welsh industrialist and social reformer. It was here that he received his first formal
on. He finally settled in Stratford-upon-Avon where his first job was in Coxes Timber Yard a stone's
from where the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stands today. In 1827 Edward Fordham married Celina
s, eldest daughter of John Greaves and Mary Whitehead. They had four sons. Richard Fordham who
a child, Charles, William and Edgar.
emigrating to America the Flower family were brewers in Hertfordshire. When his father Richard died in
Edward Fordham inherited enough money to start a brewery of his own. After a struggling start, Flowers
y in Stratford--upon-Avon became one of the most famous in England. Edward Fordham had made his
and devoted the rest of his life to "good causes".
s mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon four times. After retiring from office he received a petition asking him to
leading role in organising the forthcoming celebrations to commemorate the tercentenary of the birth of
m Shakespeare. In 1864 he masterminded what was to become a new Shakespearean tradition in
rd. Aided by his son Charles, Edward Fordham's pioneering spirit and determination overcame many
es. A temporary pavilion was constructed and the ten day festival provided an unprecedented feast of
peare's plays which opened with productions of "A Comedy of Errors", "Romeo and Juliet" and "As You
It was at this time that the brewery adopted an image of the Bard as their trademark.
d Fordham twice stood as a Liberal parliamentary candidate but failed to get elected on both occasions.
mily home at Stratford was named "The Hill", after Marden Hill, Edward Fordham's childhood home. In
e moved to London and lived at 35 Hyde Park Gardens. For the rest of his life he dedicated most of his
the relief of the poor and campaigned against the "Bearing Rein", a particularly cruel form of controlling
Edward Fordham died in 1883.
