The Ashbee Family

Isodore Ashbee

Isodore Ashbee, the self-styled 'Steam Demon', came to Malton in 1893. In interviews with local papers he mentioned the coming of suburban railways to Malton as the reason he 'had to follow'. Ashbee's passion was steam engines, and his hobby (believed to be unique to the area) was steam engine racing. While passenger trains strove to achieve faster and faster speeds taking trains from point to point, Ashbee and a number of friends rented track from the railway companies and raced their own creations against each other.

Accounts of the time describe Ashbee as a tall man with a mane of black hair that was rarely, if ever, combed and often in need of a cut. He had lost an eye in an engineering accident and wore a glass prosthetic in the socket. After losing five glass eyes through crashes and absent-mindedness, Ashbee had a special version custom-made with a monocle attached, the monocle then being attached by a chain around his neck.

Ashbee's sense of adventure and pride in his 'Englishness' led to his untimely death as one of the first casualities in the early stages of World War One.

Current family members

The Malton-based Ashbee family became extinct following the death of Euphemia Ashbee. While this branch of the family is gone, that is not to say that there are no other relatives of the Ashbee family still in Malton. Isodore Ashbee was a 'larger-than-life' character who may well have sired other children in the town. Also, despite his flamboyance, Ashbee is not known to have ever mentioned siblings or parents. While he may have been an only child, he can be safely assumed to have had parents. These parents may have had siblings of their own, or Ashbee may have simply decided not to mention any brothers or sisters.

Ashbee Avenue

After the death of Isodore Ashbee's only surviving kin, his daughter Euphemia Ashbee, the Ashbee home and lands were sold off. The property developers named the area Ashbee Avenue after the famous previous owner.

Ashbee Boulevard Railway Station

Initially, this station was called 'Cherry Grove' after the orchard which had stood where the station was built. The name 'Ashbee Boulevard' was applied to it during the height of Isodore Ashbee's use of the railways as it was here where he built his workshop and could most often be seen. The name was officially changed to 'Ashbee Boulevard Railway Station' in 1937.

History

The Ashbee family are believed to be a branch of the family of the Victorian scholar and eroticist, Henry Spencer Ashbee.

While there is no evidence of Henry Spencer Ashbee ever having visited Malton, he is known to have travelled extensively during his lifetime. Some scholars have pointed to a number of erotic prints held by museums in Malton as proof of the 'Malton connection'. This view is disputed by others, mainly on the basis of the lack of other proof. Ashbee was, they point out, not the only collector of erotica in Victorian times. Sadly, both views are now academic after the widespread looting and destruction brought about by 'The Outbreak' which has scattered the collections held in museums.