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Stoke-on-Trent Districts: Lower Lane

 


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Lower Lane, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.


The Bakers - the family who 'built' Fenton:

Fenton Town Hall

At the beginning of 1886 William Meath Baker offered to build a new town hall for Fenton. In April 1888 he submitted plans to Fenton Local Board of Health for three new streets which were subsequently names Station Street, Baker Street and Gimson Street. 

William Meath Baker was the only son of Revd. Ralph Bourne Baker. 
Revd. Ralph Bourne Baker was the brother of William Baker III who left all his estates to him on his death in 1865. 
William Meath Baker continued the family tradition of public benefaction. He built Fenton town hall at his own expense.

 


The new town hall lay at the centre of the new development.

It was a large two storied building of red brick with stone dressings, designed in a combination of late Gothic and Tudor styles by Robert Scrivener & Sons. The main block of six bays has a small central gable and is flanked by lower gabled side wings with oriel windows to the upper floors.
The area in front of the town hail was laid out as a square.

 

 


Baker family arms on Fenton Town Hall

On the right wing the arms have a shield charged with two goats,
a spread-eagle and three
crescents

the family motto is 'ARS BONA VIOLENTIA'.

 


old postcard of Fenton Town Hall

the spire was removed at some stage as it was unsafe.


Commercial buildings in Church Street (now Christchurch Street)

William Meath Baker constructed a range of commercial buildings leading from the High Street (now City Road) to the new square laid out in front of the town hall.


A range of three story shops, the largest retail premises in Fenton
- known as 'The Arcade'


further view of the shops - Christchuch can be seen at the far right


on the corner of Church Street and Baker Street
the new premises for Lloyds bank

 


The new public library

Behind the new town hall William Meath Baker provided land for a new public library.


The library in Baker Street
 the library was paid for by a donation from
the Carnegie Trust

 

 


next: the construction of Victoria Square
previous: The Bakers and Fenton Athenaem

 

Questions, comments, contributions? email: Steve Birks

 



Page History:

Page created December 2007

Updated 14 Aug 2025: arms of the Baker family -  motto details corrected.