Village House History
Posted by admin on 13 Oct 2009 at 08:06 am | Tagged as: Home - Newsletter
The Darren Butler House History Project is developing well in time for the Exhibition but he is appealing for more help – More…
Chapel Square
Darren would like any information on the original White Lion Inn; it seems that the three stories White Chapel Inn that most people remember was actually a second build, built sometime between 1849 to 1884. The original White Lion Inn demolished sometime between 1884 and 1902, was next door between the new White Lion Inn and the row of cottages which were pulled down in 1935 along with the new White Lion Inn. I obviously don’t expect anyone to remember this older White Lion Inn but there may have been information passed down through family members. Who lived in which house, what were the houses numbers and who owned them, especially the Whitehouse family who seemed to own many of the buildings.
Rosemary Road – Bridget Masefield of Rosemary Rd (51) 21.06.1949 G73
Also need help with the building which stood at the end of and at an angle to the other houses half way up Rosemary Road. I believe this house was number 23 and possibly had a Mr. Macefield living there in the late 1930′s. There is a theory that in the early 1900′s this house was split into two dwellings. Can anyone confirm this or can anyone remember seeing this house later on and confirm that it showed possible signs of once being two dwellings?
Station Street
It seems during the latter part of the 19th century parts of Station Street and numbers 3, 5 and 7 Rosemary Road (The Railroad) were classed as Chapel Square. Also prior to Chapel Square this area was called White Lion Yard.
High Street
And finally Darren needs help on the layout of the buildings on the corner of High Street opposite Landywood lane. The majority of the buildings and their numbers but there seems to be the odd reference to buildings behind the houses fronting the road. One example is No. 37 the Three-ways beer house off license? These houses were immediately to the left of the Bricklayers; continuing around the corner to the Salem Church. The enumerator’s route doesn’t make sense, so has anyone knowledge of the buildings and the people who lived in them on this corner?
If you can help with any of these locations please contact Darren on 01922 413076.
I don’t know if the cottage at 23 Rosemary Road was ever split but I do know that my grandparents lived there for a number of years with their numerous children – one of whom was my father.
My grandparents were Lewis [aka Oscar] and Bridie [Bridget Masefield, nee Coton or Cotton] Masefield. Bridie’s family had come from Ireland. The children who survived to adulthood were Fred, Jack, Sid, Nell, Mary, Sheila, Jean and there was a child who died as a youngster – he was called Albert or Arthur, I believe. My grandparents lived there for most of their married life and were certainly there in the 1930s and, I believe, before then.
My father and aunts used to tell me tales of strange goings-on at he cottage and my very down-to-earth father swearing it was haunted!
Even if this hasn’t been useful, I hope it’s been interesting!
Diane Lucas [nee Masefield].