The awarding – or not – of the Nobel Peace Prize has been in the news recently. But Alton once had its own Nobel Prize winner living in the town, writes Jane Hurst.

His name was Sir Owen Willans Richardson, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1928. He lived at Chandos Lodge in Anstey Road from about 1939 until his death in 1959.

His obituary was published in the local paper at the time:

“Born on April 26, 1879, at Dewsbury, Yorkshire, and the son of middle-class industrialists, he began to show his scientific inclinations and qualities at an early age. Encouraged by his father, he did remarkably well in physics and chemistry and was awarded a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge.

“He was awarded a fellowship in 1902 and, at the age of 27, was elected professor of physics at Princeton University in the United States.

“By the time he left the United States eight years later to take the Wheatstone Chair at King’s College, London, he had already become recognised on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the band of physicists who were busily engaged in laying the foundation of atomic physics.

“He spent the greater part of his academic career at King’s College for 10 years occupying his university chair until, in 1924, he was appointed Yarrow research professor of the Royal Society. It was while at the height of his work at King’s College, and still a relatively young man, that in 1928 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.

“When he resigned his Yarrow chair and his directorship of research at King’s College in 1944, at the age of 65, he continued to work hard in the quietude of his home at Alton.

“He was knighted in 1939 and was first married in 1906 to Lillian Maud Wilson, sister of a friend and former colleague at the Rice Institute in the United States. They had two sons and one daughter.”

His wife died in 1945 and, three years later, he married Henrietta Maria Rupp, of London.

Sir Owen was buried at Brookwood Cemetery and Lady Richardson continued to live at Chandos Lodge.

There was once a plan to put a blue plaque on the house saying: “Professor Sir Owen Willans Richardson (1879–1959). 1928 Nobel Prize for Physics. Lived here c1939–1959.”

On August 5, 1946, Sir Owen gave permission for an agricultural show to be held in Chandos Lodge Park. The event was organised by the North-East Hants Agricultural Association and began with judging of sheep – groups of five breeding ewes and lambs.

Next came the cattle – Shorthorn, Channel Island, Friesian and Ayrshire. Some classes were quite strict, such as the dairy heifer, any breed, in calf and showing not more than four broad teeth.

Many entrants were well-known locals – Col J B Scott, W G Brock, Lord Northbrook, the Butlers and the Retallacks.

There were seven classes for heavy horses, including the Cleanest Harness and Best Groomed Horse and the Best Shod Horse for Farm Work.

Light horses came into the ring at 11am with two classes for hunters before luncheon. The programme listed both the entrants and the names of the horses. Among the hunters to carry more than 13st was Quality Street, entered by Chawton House Stables.

After the break there were three classes for children and their ponies, followed by the parade of cart horses and presentation of the challenge cups for the best exhibits in the show.

Four jumping classes followed and then two for horses being driven.

There were also exhibitions of modern farm machinery, a bee and honey show, a rabbit exhibition, a police road safety film show, a tug of war and a Punch and Judy show.

Trade stands included Alton Auto Ltd and the Southern Counties Agricultural Trading Society (SCATS).

Maybe some of our readers of a certain vintage can remember the shows being held there.