A History of Clewer

12. Smallpox in Clewer

The Clewer Group

In 1978 when Denis Shaw’s sons, Michael and Nicholas, were aged ten and eight, they made a fascinating discovery. Digging at the far end of the Rectory garden they uncovered the 19th century rubbish heap from the old Rectory which stood where Chantry Close now stands.

What was the Rectory garden in the Shaw’s time was originally the Rectory orchard. In the wall separating the Rectory garden from Chantry Close was a green door. Through this, one supposes, a Rectory employee had, in the old days, wheeled barrow-loads of rubbish for burial in the orchard. Among the many interesting objects found in the rubbish heap were many pieces of broken pottery bearing a St.Andrew's Cross in red. Research revealed that these were connected with an outbreak of smallpox in Clewer in 1893.

There was no isolation hospital, so Rector Roland Errington had marquees erected in the Glebe Field (now the playing field of St. Edward's School). He borrowed crockery and nursing staff from St.Andrew's Hospital in Hatch Lane and when the epidemic was over it lasted from May until August - the crockery was not returned, perhaps from fear that it might carry infection.

Michael and Nicholas also dug up a number of glass-stoppered vinegar bottles still containing some of the coal-tar which had been used to treat the smallpox suppurations.

Rector Errington was personally involved in the care of the sufferers and a few weeks after the recovery of the last patient there was a public meeting in Clewer Parish Hall at which he was presented with a set of silver dessert dishes in recognition of "his self-sacrifice and courage, and prompt and noble action."