author

Henry Pidgeon

A 19th-century Shrewsbury chemist turned local historian, remembered for preserving the stories, streets, and daily life of his town. His best-known work, Memorials of Shrewsbury, became a lasting guide to the place he knew so well.

1 Audiobook

Memorials of Shrewsbury being a concise description of the town and its environs, adapted as a general guide for the information of visitors and residents

Memorials of Shrewsbury being a concise description of the town and its environs, adapted as a general guide for the information of visitors and residents

by Henry Pidgeon

About the author

Best known as a Shrewsbury antiquarian and writer, Henry Pidgeon lived from 1806 to 1871 and spent much of his working life as a retail chemist in the town's High Street. He also served as Borough Treasurer for 31 years, giving him a close view of civic life as well as local history.

His most famous book, Memorials of Shrewsbury, was first published in 1837 and appeared in several editions. The work is remembered as a concise, lively account of Shrewsbury and its surroundings, and it helped preserve details of the town's buildings, traditions, and past for later readers.

Pidgeon also kept a diary beginning in the 1820s, recording everyday events in Shrewsbury with an eye for human detail. Those writings add another side to his legacy: not just a compiler of facts, but an observer of ordinary life in a changing English town.