Questions about some Properties in Bagshot
To reply to any of these enquiries, please use the message pad at the foot of the page.
Providence Cottages, Guildford Road
John: Does anyone have any pictures, or any information about, Providence Cottages which were just south of the viaduct. People who lived there might have been called Beauchamp or Papworth. I am assuming that the cottages have now been replaced by the flats called Providence House. Were they damaged in the bombing raid that damaged the White Hart, or was that 2 other cottages? [Aug-Nov 22]Fair View Cottages, Guildford Road
Vicky : I have been researching my Mother's family and one of her aunties married Arland Andrews a baker in 1906. On the 1911 census their address was given as Fair View Cottages, Guildford Road. Can someone tell me if these cottages still exist. [Jul 16]
Carol offers an answer: I
wonder whether it
could be Fairlight Cottages, rather than Fair View Cottages? Fairlight
Cottages still exist, between the RC Church and Manor Way, although
they lost their 'Fairlight' name some years ago and now just have a
'Guildford Road' address. My father and family used to live in number
1. which became 40 Guildford Road. [Aug
20]
Fairlight Cottages would have been quite new at the time of the 1911
census as they do not appear on the 1898 map.
Brook Cottage, Higgs Lane
Lindsay asks : Please can you help me find out some more about my house in Bagshot. It is 1 Brook Cottage, 2 Higgs Lane. We have only lived here a few years, but we were told by the previous owner that part of it is 300 years old, and was originally a very small 2-up 2-down cottage. The kitchen is Victorian, and was apparently used as a dairy during the war. The rest of the house is more recent, and was built in the 1920s. Number 2 Brook Cottage was originally an extension added in the 1950s, but the house was split in 2 in the 1970s. We have found an original fireplace and much of the original structure remains. We would love to find out more. [Mar 15]
A previous occupier of the cottage has provided some information which I have been able to forward to Lindsay. [Apr 18]
Loren : We lived in Brook Cottage from about 1950 - 1962. It was my grandmother who added the extension in the early 1950s - it was where she lived - attached but separate. [2021 Nov]
Montreal, High Street
Montreal, High Street, Bagshot is the address that appears on Val's parent's marriage certificate in the 1950s. She thinks the name of the family living there was Machenand. Do you know which house is/was Montreal, or anything about the Machenand family as Val would love to know. [Oct 13]
Ray has suggested, and others confirmed, that the family name was Machen, not Machenand, and that the property was opposite the chemist. [Jun 14]
Dave Gibb : "I remember Mrs Machen at Montreal in the High Street. She lived next to my Nan and Grand dad Mr and Mrs Victor Stowe who lived at Sunnyside the High Street.
"I remember Mrs Machen always being well dressed and I thought she was very posh. In the late 1950's I remember being asked on a few accassions to go round and play with her children a girl and a boy. Unfortunately I can not remember their names.
"Montreal was one of the terraced houses in the High Street with the railings in front. As you looked at the houses with the Cinema / Plastics Factory on your right. The first house to the left was Sunnyside. The next was Montreal." [Jul 14]
This link to Google street view shows the present buildings at this location. The Institute/cinema/etc building has been demolished and replaced with the shops and offices over that are on the right of the image. The terraced houses had a significant make-over (possibly 20 years ago) but the proliferation of chimney pots is a sure sign that the basic buildings are a lot older. A postcard circa 1920 I have seen shows these same cottages.
Jayne Gibb also has an interest in these cottages that are opposite the chemist as her Nan lived there many years ago. Can you help with any more information about their histoty? [Aug 14]
5 High Street
John Draper : My father (Mr E A Draper) had a bakery business at 5 High Street, Bagshot, from 1925 to 1937 and his book-keeper during the 1930s was a Mr Robins who lived with his wife in a cottage on Park View. I knew it as a boy and think it was the first cottage in Park View on the right hand side after leaving the A30 bypass road. There was only open land on the left hand side. [Dec 17]69 High Htreet
Alex Tait wrote "69 High St, on the corner of Half Moon Street was, from 1967 to 1972 the offices to an engineering firm which was at the rear - I used to work there. It is now flats." [15033 xx Sept 15]
Manor House Farm
Jayne Gibb is interested in the history of Manor House Farm. Can you help? [Aug 14]
Humfrey's Farm
Pat asks: "Can anyone help trying to trace HUMFREYS FARM on checking the 1871 census it would appear to be in the area of Guildford Road and the Half Moon. The family lving there were James and Jemima Humfrey not as the census has it Pumfrey. [Jan 13]
Peter Baggs, the present owner of Ashleigh Farm writes : I believe Humfrey's Farm to be Astage Hill Farm, at the end of Rectory Lane, Windlesham. The fields that went with it were the Pound Field, and others bounding the Old House Lane track. It is still there and now worked as part of Ashleigh Farm.
The Humfrey's were tenants, the farm was sold about 1900 to the Fromow family to be part of their nurseries. [Apr 13, Dec 13, Aug 14]
The location Peter describes is shown here. The selection of old maps are particularly interesting: 19th century maps name Astage Hill Farm, then most 20th century maps refer to Astage Hill Nursery, Ashleigh Farm not appearing until 1970, and by the 1980's no reference to nurseries is made.
Marie de G Eedle's book "A History of Bagshot and Windlesham" makes several references to members of the Humfrey family over quite a long period of time and owning or occupying diverse fields. Her book also includes photographs of Astage Hill Farm, and a map of the approximate locations of farms. This latter suggesting a c1800 location for Humfrey's farm some distance from Astagehill Farm.
Wheelwrights on Jenkins Hill
Tim asks: I looked up the 1911 Census to research my great grandfather Thomas Neville who was a Wheelwright. His address in the Census was simply "Jenkins Hill". I wondered if anyone knew which house was the Wheelwright's or whether there was only one on Jenkins Hill in those days.[Mar 12]
The Beeches, Guildford Road
S Horn : I would like to ask if anyone has any information about a property called 'The Beeches'. It was situated on Guildford Road, Bagshot. My Great Grandfather, Doctor Charles Harry Hanger East lived there with his second wife Mabel. Charles died in Dec 1945 and Mabel in March 1950, both still resident at The Beeches. [Aug 11]
From Dan : "The Beeches" on Guildford Road, that the enquiry likely refers to a house that my family lived in for a time in the 1980s. It may be a different "The Beeches" of course, but "The Beeches" that my family lived-in is on a stretch of the old Guildford Road. The enquirer will find it with a street address search (on Google Maps or Street View) for "9 South Farm Lane Bagshot GU19 5NT". It is just off the new A322 "bypass" road at Lightwater. It is quite a large house. I expect that the current owners would like their private business to remain such, but I understand that the house was most recently sold in 2010 (for a sum which would have made our eyes water in the recessionary 1980s).[Oct 12]
Soulby, Vicarage Rd
Ray Trowse writes: "We
recently
purchased Soulby in Vicarage Road, Bagshot and would like to find out
when it was built and by who.
I have paperwork that states that the land Soulby is built on was
purchased by Wilfred William Draper in January 1936 with a clause
stating that no building shall be erected of less value than £800. I
also inherited some paperwork dating from 1850 showing the ownership
and sale of a package of land in Vicarage Road, part of which is the
land Soulby is on. Also, whilst clearing out the loft I found a letter
dated October 1944 from the Mickey Mouse Club addressed to Miss R
Draper, Lyncroft, Vicarage Road (across the road from Soulby). It's a
bit coincidental so I wondered whether this Miss Draper was related to
Wilfred William Draper and whether Wilfred William Draper had this
house built and / or ever lived in it. I was informed that one of the
previous owners of Soulby, (then known as Indian Summer, was this its
original name?), died after falling from his bicycle into a ditch in
which he drowned. Any information, help or advice any one can provide
would be greatly appreciated. [Jul 11]
Hilda Williams (nee Draper) replies: Yes
this was originally called Indian Summer and my Uncle Wilfrid Draper
had it built by a local builder Les Soane.
The letter mentioned addressed to Miss R. Draper, Lyncroft, Vicarage
Road, dated October 1944 from the Mickey Mouse Club was for my cousin
Ruth (Wilfrid's daughter) and the address was her Grandmother's - our
fathers mother).
With regard to one of the previous owners of Indian Summer who died by
drowning after falling from his bicycle into a ditch in Higgs Lane -
yes, this is correct. {Oct 11}
Chris : The Mickey Mouse Club mentioned may have been the club run by my maternal grandfather, Sidney Channing, manager of the Odeon cinema. [Jun 12]
Wayside, 24 London Road
Annabelle wrote : I would love to find out the origin of my house, Wayside, 24 London Road, Bagshot. [Aug 11]
From Carolyn : In 1973 the owners of Wayside were Mr and Mrs Lowery. They were a lovely couple who I think moved to the Hull area. We met them at St Anne's church soon after we moved to Bagshot (Mr Lowery was the treasurer) and they invited us to have a meal one evening. The house struck me as very large with a beautiful dining room. The big hedge along the front kept out all the road noise. In those days the garden was huge and extended almost down to the railway line. There were a lot of fruit cages etc down the bottom end and it was all kept in tip top shape. Once they moved away I suspect a developer bought the property because the bottom part of the garden was fenced off and left to grow wild until the Lory Ridge development went up some years later. [Dec 11] This enquiry is now closed. [Aug 18]
24 and 26 London Road were sold to developers. Late 2018 they were boarded up awaiting demolition which occured in early 2019 with a block of appartments being built on the site later that year.
36 London Road
Lauren : I have been told that 36 London Road used to be a hotel before being converted to flats. Does anyone have any further information or pictures of the hotel? [Jun 14]
Medlars Cottage
Tamsin writes I live at 159 London Road, formerly Jenkins Hill opposite Notcutts, my house was originaly 2 cottages that were converted into one property in the 1960's. The house is now called "Medlars Cottage" I have no idea if this is a new name or an old one. I am interested in anyone that could give me any information about the history of the cottages. All the cottages in my terrace have a gate at the bottom of the garden leading onto the woods and a path...with a stone bridge leading to Pennyhill Park hotel....are the cottages connected in some way to the hotel? Jan10
Jesmond House, Jenkins Hill
Paula writes: I am researching my grandfather Capt Stanley Cockerell and I have a death certificate from 1940 stating that his occupation at that time was Civil Servant, Jesmond House, Jenkins Hill, Bagshot. I am hoping someone might be able to tell me something about that address and what sort of civil service work might have been done there during the war. Previously he had been a test pilot and motor dealer. iix9
Bagshot Manor
Alex (writing in 2009): The current office building was built in 1988 but I believe it is on the site of a much older house and wondered if anyone had any history, information or pictures of it? [Aug 09]
From Don O'Mahony The manor was owned and lived in by Peter and Bootles MacCarthy from 1930's (?) to 1950's when as a widower he died. He left the manor etc to his only blood relation, the late Anne MacCarthy, his brother Liam's only child. It was sold to the council in the early 60's (?) [Sep 10]
From M Bowers: My parents and I lived in Bagshot Manor in 1963-64. I have a photo if anyone would like a copy. [Oct 10]
From Philip: As a boy I lived in Bagshot Manor between 1959 and 1963. The previous residents were the McCarthys.[Philip Kealy Jul 11 xx]
The dwelling house was demolished in the 1960s to build offices for the Bagshot Rural Distrct Council. This building had a life of only about 10 years as, following the reorganisation of local councils in the early 1970s, the new Surrey Heath Borough Council decided it did not need these offices and, in what I have always considered to be an inditement of council building expectations, decided that a building built to serve the council as offices was unsuitable for use as commercial offices, and so demolished it to allow for the development of a new office building.
The new office building was built in the 1980s for Sun Microsystems. I never saw any evidence of it being used so I assumed that it must have been part of some contingency plan. It was taken over by Steljes as their headquarters but after a while fell vacant and had been empty for several years when plans were announced to convert the building into nearly 90 flats. This is when the community discovered that there is a loophole in the planning laws - such conversions are 'permitted development' that do not need approval, and furthermore the conversions don't even need to meet the standards that would apply to a new build. Personally I would not call the work that was done a conversion, the builders demolished virtually everything other that the floor slabs and rebuilt even higher than the original, then put an additional 5 houses on the car park. This was circa 2020.
Lightwater Cottage
Pam Newman writes "I am trying to trace the whereabouts of Lightwater Cottage Bagshot - the aunt of a friend of mine lived there from 1906 to about 1920. She was an artist called Edith Houseman. Does anyone know where the house is?" vi9
Rose Cottage
Lee asks: Does any one know the history of Rose Cottages at the top of Jenkins Hill opposite Notcutts.vii9
From Ann Roberson (nee Kircher): My grandmother and grandfather Ellen and Frederick Kircher lived at no 5 Rose Cottages, Jenkins Hill, I have my fathers life policy James Philbrook Kircher which was taken out on 30th June 1919 from above address. My grandmother opened her front room as a shop after her husband was injured and unable to work, they brought up eleven children in that cottage though sadly two young girls died in a local measles epidemic and one son Herbert Kircher died from wounds in the first world war (shot in the trenches) in France. He was taken to Bethune Hospital, but died. My brother Michael, sister Marilyn and myself took our father Jim to visit the grave in the French cemetery on his 80th birthday, a very emotional day for us all.
Adrian asks : does anyone
have any further information regarding Rose Cottages, Jenkins Hill
especially prior to them being owned as
tied cottages by Waterers nurseries? We have lived at no 6
(now
143 London Road) for 46 years and understand that some time in
it's history someone raised a family of 11 children here. [Aug 20]
Oral history tends to be a bit unreliable as small details can change with time. It would not surprise me if the 11 children in no 5 that Ann recounts has got retold as relating to its neighbour no 6. But that still leaves Adrian's basic question - do you know anything about these cottages prior to being Waterer's tied cottages - or perhaps they were built as tied cottages?
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The Red House
Frank Harvey writes: A relative of mine (Rev. John LEIGH) visited his friends William and Mary Ann LEE and their children in Bagshot in 1914 ~ before returning to Canada. They later received a postcard from the LEE's with the address: The Red House, Bagshot Surrey. I see from the Surrey Trade Directory of 1913 that William Lee was a Verger (I assume at St Anne's church) and also connected with the Working Men's Club in the High Street. At the 1911 Census they were living in a 12-room house on the High Street, near the railway station (although the designation 'Red House' is not used). He is listed as: 'Verger and gardener'. The residence is also close to a pub called 'The Mariner' and another a few doors further away called 'The Red Lion.'
We are at a loss to understand why John Leigh should have spent any time in Bagshot during a short visit home from Canada, when his wife came to Essex and he came from Staffordshire. However, before ordination in Canada the John was a Church Army Evangelist for many years in the UK. Recently I have been wondering if the visit to Bagshot was not so much to visit with the LEE family, but to visit someone else who may have been associated with St. Anne's church at Bagshot. Are you aware if St. Anne's church had any connection with the Anglican Church Army, or if there was any Church Army Welfare work in Bagshot in the early years of the 1900's? Mar09 Dec09
From the description of the size and location of the house it seems likely that it is the red brick property at the far end of what is now called Bridge Road more usually called Queen Anne House.
Queen Anne House has also been used as Tea Rooms and a restaurant. and as offices before being converted in 2022 to five flats with further new-build dwellings in the grounds.
Writing in 1949, F B P Lory (son of Bagshoy's first vicar) recorded that the house had previously been known as Brook House and then Roseneath before Red House.
.Location.
Can you help Frank with the potential Church Army connection?
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Connaught Villas and a Blacksmith Shop in the High Street
Nigel asks : Does anyone know the location of Connaught Villas? My grandfather (Ernest Charles Leggett, or Leggatt) was born there in 1889. Also the location that my Great Grandfather (James Leggett ) had his blacksmiths shop on the High Street? He had the business for about 15 years before he sold it to a Mr Cudlip in 1899 and moved to Caversham. [Jan 08]
Chris has replied that he lived in Connaught Villas for a
while in 1970s and they are opposite what was The Fighting Cocks.
[Dec 14 X]
In the 1891 census they are listed as Leggatt and residing in High
Street, which is consistent with Chris' reply.
James has added : Connaught Villas was the name given to 6 High Street Bagshot, possibly originally meant to be a butcher's shop & built on land owned by The Duke of Connaught. My great grandparents Annie & Bert Clements lived there. [Apr 15]
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Stone Hill House, Guildford Rd
Jill asks : Can anyone provide any information on Stonehill House 81 Guildford Road on A329 almost at the Junction of the M3 (next to Aldington Dog Kennels). It is an old house, converted some 25 years ago into flats. I have heard it was the weekend residence of The Bishop of Westminster and then became a convalescence home before being converted to private flats. I spend all my spare hours tending the huge garden and spend many minutes of those hours wondering what went before me. Any light shed would be most appreciated. 8058.708
In separate correspondence, Bridget recounts that she lived in Stonehill House as a child some 40 years ago, adding that she had heard something about it becoming a nursing home and then being burnt down. [7043.407 X]
Stone Hill House gets a brief mention in Marie de Eedle's book indicating that it was build about 1910. It appears on the 1934 OS map but not on the 1894 one.
Ann Roberson (nee Kircher) tells us "As a child I used to play in the grounds of Stonehill House with my friend Rosemary Pontin, I think her mother was the cook there. My delight in visiting the grounds was that they had a settee swing which I thought was marvellous, never managed to get inside the house, but we lived almost oppostie then in 1, Stonehill Crescent, Lightwater which I think is now 236 or similar Guildford Road, our neighbours were called Clitheroe. our garden backed onto common land but has since been built on." Nov09
Felicity has written in with some information and offered to correspond directly with the enquirers : "Stonehill House had been converted into two and belonged to my grandmother and aunt in the 50's and I lived there for about a year in the mid 50's. I have so many strong childhood memories of that house and the neighbouring cocker spaniel kennel run by a Mrs. Salmond at that time. So you can imagine how amazed I was to see on this site someone asking for information. Later my grandmother and aunt sold the property and I believe that later it was converted into a nursing home". [Oct 12]
Snuff Lane (or perhaps Blind Lane)
Joanna : In 1901 my grandfather's brother was born at Blind Lane, Windlesham, which I believe may have been a Travellers' site. Until I discovered this I wasn't aware of any connection with the Travelling community, but I am now researching this. On the 1901 census there was a family of Travellers called Parker living in a caravan at Snuff Lane, Guildford Road, Windlesham. Please can anyone confirm if Blind Lane and Snuff Lane were/are Travellers' sites? I'd be grateful for any other related information. [Oct 18]
Bagshot often gets recorded as Windlesham in census transcriptions, but reference to Guildford Road clearly locates to Bagshot. I am not aware of anywhere called Snuff Lane or Blind Lane. There is a road called Swift Lane off Guildford Road and is today the location of a traveller's site. I do not know how long it has been such. As Joanna observes, the census records several families living in caravans. From the other entries on the same census page it would appear that they were located in the vicinity of Swift Lane.
If you can help Joanna please reply via the message pad.
Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill & London Road!
Mary Kent writes: My mother lived in Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill, 1910ish. Can anybody give me the exact address location? I will one day visit Bagshot, but for now I will carry on enjoying your web site. 7090.1207
Iris Westerman confirms that Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill are a row of 4 cottages opposite Notcutts Garden Centre (formerly Waterers Nursery) adding: 7032.v8
My grandfather Richard Cranham eventually owned numbers 2-4. He and his wife Louisa (nee Main) lived in number 4 and I believe Louisa's sister Elizabeth Harding (nee Main) lived next door with her husband Bert and quite a large family. My mother Kathleen Cranham was born there in 1902 and my grandfather died there in 1963. He had let the smallest cottage, number 2 (I don't know to whom) until that was sold in perhaps the 1950's. He never owned number 1. Number 3 was later let to a Mrs Bowman and she was still in occupation when my grandfather died. Numbers 3 and 4 were sold by my mother after the death of my grandfather in 1963.I don't know when the cottages were built. The only photo I have is of the front of number 4 when my mother was married from there in 1932. I could dig this out if anyone is interested. I would love to know whether Mary Kent's mother is in any way related to me or whether her mother lived in number 1 or 2. I have been trying to trace any Harding descendants, it would be lovely to have found one!
.. and later...
Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill, appear on a large scale OS Map of the area in 1870, looking quite well established. I continue to try and discover when they were built and by whom.
I am however puzzled as to the relationship between London Road and Jenkins Hill. My grandfather (died 1963) always used the address 4 Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill now I believe known as 165 London Road. Does anyone know when the change came about and whether Jenkins Hill has now been totally absorbed into London Road? What was the extent of the original Jenkins Hill? Jenkins Hill entries appear in the 1901 Census preceded and followed by entries for London Road. I am mystified! 908
Alan confirms that the cottages existed in 1881, the census of that year recording his ancestors Henry and Ann Wynes living in number 3 Laurel Cottages. 8057.708
I am at a loss to be definitive as to a distinction between Jenkins Hill and London Road. I think that Jenkins Hill runs from somewhere along where the road starts to rise as it leaves Bagshot centre towards Camblerley on to the Jolly Farmer, and the name London Road being given to the whole of the A30 through the parish. The location of Laurel Cottage is further confused since, as Terry points out, there are several, including a pair of cottages at the junction of London Road and Church Road - a bit of road that might even be considered to be the 'bottom' end of Jenkins Hill. And just to add more confusion, I have seen an old postcard on which Jenkins Hill has been named as Portsmouth Road!
The location of Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill, is immediately to the right (north east) of The Foresters Arms public house and can be confirmed on both the 1970 and circa 1880 OS maps. See here to view these maps. The cottages can be viewed on Google streetview. From what Iris wrote about her grandfather we may deduce that No 1 was next to the Foresters and that they were numbered left to right as you face the cottages.
Laurel Cottages, Jenkins Hill, feature in the story of Emily Jane Popejoy.
Replying to an enquiry from Louise (for whom I no longer have contact details) Wendy wrote "My family lived at 4 Laurel Cottages, High Street Bagshot, from 1950 till 1971. We often had deliveries belonging to 4 Laurel cottages Jenkins Hill . We were on the lower London Road, near Church Road . Thompson from Snows Ride, Windleham owned 3 & 4 and before that we paid rent to a Mrs Cannon. My friend lived in 2 & a Mrs Weeks lived in 1. The houses had been shops before the Bagshot bypass was built. I do have some photos". Feb11
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Little Yews, London Road
Peter writes : I own Little Yews, Jenkins Hill, 105 London Road, Bagshot. The deeds indicate that the property is some 250 years old. Some parts of the roof would appear to be original with tiles held on with a very thin rusted nail! The entrance hall has a floor which I believe to be original and there is a bean across this entrance which would appear to be part of the original building. Surrey Heath Borough Council designates the house as of local historic interest. Perhaps there is some historic information that we can find about the house?
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Lambourne Villas
Lisa is seeking information about Lambourne Villas where her Great Grandparents lived at the beginning of the 20th century, and Belle Vue Cottage on the London Road where her Grandparents lived around 1940. 6122.1006
Lambourne
House was one of the "big houses" and is
now replaced by Lambourne Drive and its housing. From
an old map, Lambourne Villas were a pair of semidetached
houses on London Road (now the A30) immediately southwest of what is
now known as School Lane. There is still a house in this location, but
not a pair of semis and is a different shape. I assume that this
property was Lambourne Villas combined and extended. It now
only has a number, not a name.
Reg
Ward has observed that there is a hatch in the wall at the London Road
end of School Lane and wonders what its role was. The hatch
can be seen in this photo. The
building is that which I presume to have been Lambourne Villas. My
guess is that it was for tipping coal into an outbuilding that
has since been linked to the main building. Do you have any
better ideas, or first hand knowledge? [Nov 14]
Ian confirms my thoughts : "I remember the hatch, and my father always told me it was for coal delivery." adding that "The house at the bottom of School Lane was the home of Dr Isbister, known for at least two generations of my family as Dr Asbestos." [Dec 18]
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Belleview Cottage
Bellevue House was on London Road, just southwest of the junction with what is now Lambourne Drive. Now demolished it has been replaced with a row of old people's houses. Belleview Cottages might have been nearby.
A correspondent looked up the 1881 census "A Richard Rewed aged about 57, a farmer of 15 acres, resided with his family in 1881 at Bellevue Cottage, Lightwater Road, Windlesham. Neighbours: Lightwater Lodge and "Mountan Head?" Lightwater Rd; while Park House and the Guildford Road seem to be close by. " This location would be about 2 miles south east of the London Road, Bagshot, location in what is now known as Lightwater. At the time Bagshot and Lightwater were part of the parish of Windlesham, though a few years later Windlesham parish would be split to form Bagshot Parish (which initially included Lightwater). 7010.807
There is also an enquiry about Bell View Farm
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Millfield
Amanda writes: I live in Lower Mill Field, (off Yaverland Drive). I was just wondering out of pure curiosity if there was any information about this area of Bagshot. When were the houses built, and was it ever a "mill field" as the names suggest? 513.0406
I would guess the houses were built in the late late 60's as they were there when I moved to the village in 1973. This was before Yaverland Drive was built and access to Lower Millfield was via Higgs Lane which was then open onto the A30 and ran through to College Ride. I assume that it was indeed once a mill field, the mill being the building just down from Beech House on Church Road and now converted to housing.
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Park View and Park Street
Park View (location) is an un-paved road leading off the A30 and ending at a no-longer-used boundary gate of Bagshot Park. It was a continuation of what is now called Park Street until the building of the bypass in the 1920's cut it in half. The whole used to be called Brew House Lane (no prizes for guessing why). There are houses along one side of Park View, there used to be housing on Park Street but these were demolished and commercial properties and a Day Centre built.
Michael Campbell lived in one of the properties in the 1940's and recalls that it had had no electricity, no hot water and no indoor plumbing. "I lived at No 13. The house was relatively small. It had two bedrooms upstairs, a front room looking out at the dirt lane, a small parlor (living room) and a skullery. Up until 1947 the house was heated by a coal burning stove. In 1948 my Grandfather demolished the stove and replaced it with a fireplace which he built himself. Until 1949 the house was lit by a oil burning lamp that was located in the parlor. If you wanted to go to another part of the house at night you carried a candle. After 1949 gas light was installed. Activation of the gas lamps was achived by inserting a shilling into the gas meter. Outside of the house there was a small flower garden in the front and a long narrow vegetable garden in the back. Between the two gardens was a coal shed and an outhouse (toilet). That was fun in the winter. Since there was no indoor plumbing taking a bath was an adventure. You boiled water over the fireplace and then poured the hot water in a large portable bathtub." Apr/May06
A new Bagshot resident has written that he had not realised how historic the village was until he found this website and is intrigued to find out some history of the Park View properties - such as who would have first lived in them. Can anyone help with personal accounts or sources of reference? 623.0106
Bob
Chapman writes: Park
Street used to be much narrower than it
is now. Next door to our shoe shop on the High Street (Chapmans Shoes)
there was a green grocer's shop, run I think, by a Mrs Coma, and then
the narrow lane. The green grocer's shop was demolished in the late
1960s or early 1970s and the site was vacant for several years - for a
while it had a BT telephone box on it, and then it was re-developed
originally for the shoe shop to move into, and more recently occupied
by a florist (closed earlier in 2006) and a hairdressers. At that time
the road was widened. An extension added above the shops prominently
overlooks the square and added an extra room to the flat above.
124.1006
Bob also sent this photo of Bagshot Square, thought to be about 1930's, and just showing the narrow entrance to Park Street opposite the Kings Arms.
Roger Craven writes: My mother and father, Pat and Bob Craven, lived in 11 Park View from 1936 to the early 80s. In the 50s and 60s our neighbours included the Doleman and Bennet family, Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Cherry in Park Lodge.
The property at the top of Park View, near to Park Lodge was occupied by Mr. Wright and his son Michael. Mr. Wright who in the 60s was in his nineties use to tell me of his time he worked for Queen Victoria in the gardens at Osborne House, Isle of Wight. I now live on the Isle of Wight and I am a member of the Friends of Royal Osborne. Jan01+Oct10
From JJ : Bunny Bennet, who worked at the Dolly Varden cafe, lived in one of the houses on Park View I also think that the first property (on the corner of the Dolly Varden car park) was owned by Mr Bowler the original owner of the Dolly Varden. xi08
Neil writes: Whilst researching my Family History I came across a planning application by my Grandfather (Fred Parker), for a "fire proof engine room" at the rear of 4 Park Street, we are assuming this was the start of my Grandfather's wood selling business that eventually became Parkers of Bagshot which was located on the Guildford Rd between the viaduct and the White Hart Public House. The application describes my grandfather as a Tenant of the Princess Cinema so it must have been they who owned no. 4. My father (Peter Parker) was born at 4 Park Street in 1923 vii9
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Failthe Lodge and Weston House (Lake House)
Several people have asked questions concerning Faithe, Failthe Lodge, Weston House and Lake House including:Jill asked where Failthe Lodge was, adding that "the place of birth given on a birth certificate in 1902 was Failthe Lodge, Bagshot. The father, William Henry Barrett, was a gardener and may have actually been living in Lightwater". [436.2004]
Terry asked if anyone has any photos of Lake House / Weston House. [Aug 14]
Gary wrote: Lake House / Weston House (now on Butler Road, Connaught Park) where I live was one of the original houses before the development of Connaught Park. Why was it not taken down and where would I find out any information on its history? 667.406
A few messages talk of occupiers ..
The late Lionel Parr wrote that during World War II Weston House was rented by Sir John Ellerman (the head of a large shipping line - he was sufficiently worthy to have been invited to the 1953 Coronation) to provide a base outside London, away from the bombing. He was a recluse. His secretary, a man named Pratt, was an officer in the local Home Guard. After the war Ellerman returned to London. Lionel believes it was then rented to someone else. 118.1206
From John : I was born in 1943 and spent my first 2 years living at Weston House. [Dec 12]
From Roger My mother Patricia Reason and her parents Maud and Arthur lived in Weston Lodge while Sir John Ellerman was in residence. Maud was a lady's maid and Arthur was the gardener. [Jun 14]
Lionel Parr also wrote :
Failthe Lodge burned down before 1928. It was a country house. Originally it belonged to a wealthy Ulster family. Its dower house is the present Weston House on the Lightwater road near the junction with the M3.118
The site of Failthe Lodge lies close to the kennels and motorway footbridge. Iron gates, presumably at the end of an avenue leading to the house, could still be seen in the 1930s in what was then an unnamed country lane. This was near a farm, possibly named Bagshot Green Farm.
Lionel's son added "I learned on Google that "Failthe" is the Scottish Gaelic word for "Welcome". This correlates with Dad's recollection of the Ulster folk - perhaps they are on the 1901 census? The equivalent Irish Gaelic word is spelt differently."
Weston House & Failthe intrigued me, in no small measure because there is so littler information about them. They are not mentioned in Marie de Eedle's book "A History of Bagshot & Windlesham". From other correspondence I think it is pretty clear that the names Weston House and Lake House were for a time used interchangeably. The use of Lake House is not unreasonable as a reasonably large lake had been dug less than 100 yard from the house.
My research using old maps suggests that Lionel's
recollections may have got confused. Unfortunately I can't discuss my
conclusions with him.
A large dwelling named Failthe first appears on the 1896 Ordnance Survey map along with its lake. It is reached by a 400 yard long drive from Guildford Road, and has stables and a building, identified as a lodge, where the drive meets the road. All of this is consistent with the building of a prestige dwelling. None of this is shown on the 1885 map. The works appear to have resulted in the demolition of Stonehill Cottage (more likely a pair of cottages) a few yards from the new lodge. Thus the building can be dated to circa 1890.
Come the 1920 map and it is still called Failthe but by the 1934 map it is called Weston House and remains so until the 1985 map when it is Lake House, however the 1991 maps reverts to Weston House.
In 2006 is was told that the building had been divided into 20 flats and called Lake House. 6101.806
The road sign where the drive meets the relatively new Butler
Road says (in 2023) Weston House, Lake House and West Wing.
Throughout this transition from Failthe to Weston House the
building remains in the same place and with the same footprint, so I
think the same building has had several names. But that conclusion
leaves me wondering what building Lionel describes as having burnt down
prior to 1920.
The lodge was demolished in the 1960's, presumably as part of the roadworks to build Bagshot's eastern bypass and in preparation for the M3 intersection. The stables were more recently demolished as part of The Woodlarks gated development.
The kennels that Lionel refered to were demolished when the Connaught Park housing estate was built.
The locations of the places mentioned can be seen on maps by clicking these links:Failthe/Weston House/Lake House | Failthe Lodge | lake | kennels
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45 Guildford Road
Back in 2005 Miles, intrigued by a near-derelict
house on Guildford Road, wrote:
I drive through Bagshot many times and have come to notice the abandoned house (number 45) right next door to the White Hart pub. I am very interested to find out what has happened, who used to live here, any older pictures of it etc and any hidden secrets there are to this house. My Dad once saw people decorating the house and doing it up then suddenly a few weeks after that it was once again abandoned. Any sort of information would be great! 527.0405
A conversation with a Bagshot resident revealed that this property, the sheds behind it and the small single storey office beside it, together with a large yard the other side of the pub, were part of Kemp's coal and haulage business. The business ceased operating sometime in the late 1970's or early 1980's (presumably a combination of the decline in the use of solid fuel for heating and the proprietor wishing to enjoy his retirement) and the yard was for a while used for the overnight parking of articulated lorries.
In the late 1800's the Kemp family had owned a gasworks nearly opposite. Through the Duke of Connaught's connection with Russian royaly, Kemps were invited to build a gasworks in Moscow (more about that here). As a result the Bagshot gas works became known as Moscow Works, and the family home, number 45 opposite, as Moscow Villa, a name that transferred to the adjacent house to which the owners moved.
Eventually the yard was sold off and redeveloped as a quite
attractive complex of office buildings. I
assume that Mr & Mrs Kemp decided to retain no 45 in order that
they did not get the inevitable block of flats overlooking their
garden. Folowing their
death
no 45 was sold to developers who gained planning consent to build
housing. It was partially demolished in 2019.
After a pause
work resumed in 2020 and the new block of 5 flats was occuipied in 2022.
There is more about the gas works in my December 2019 newsletter.
Ron Frost adds: During the war (1939-45) most houses were lit by gas, some were still paraffin and only the better off had electricity, but heating was invariably by coal. There were three main coal delivery companies: Kemps, Parkers and Morrises. Parkers had a house and yard beside the railway embankment, with their entrance by the viaduct on the left hand side as you travel towards Lightwater. Morris's coal storage was opposite that entrance under the viaduct. All three companies had their main stores of coal adjacent to the Bagshot railway station. During the very harsh winters of 1941 & 42 women would take their baby's prams to that station yard to buy small quantities of coal, because the delivery lorries could not get through or the demand too great. ref 612.0206Ken Wills, who lived at the White Hart from 1954 to 1963 when his parents were the tenants, confirms that the occupants of the house were local coal merchant Ron Kemp with his family, and that the coal yard was the other side of the pub. 637.0206
Bob Chapman : Ron Kemp (Richard Ronald Kemp - born 1915) was the last Kemp to run the coal and removals business. He died in January 1997 and is buried in Bagshot Cemetery. His widow, Jean Kemp, lived on in The Windles, 41 Guildford Road, a bungalow adjacent to the coalyard and Moscow Villa, until she died some years later. [Dec 22]
Curley View Cottages
John asks: Does anyone have any information about Curley View Cottages (now 19, 21 23 and 25 Guildford Road)? When they were built or any other information. 330.0406
The Cedars and Cedar Cottage
Another new resident writes:
My partner and I have just moved into Cedar Cottage and would be interested to hear any local history about the house. We know about it's use as the home of the tutor of Alexander II, a pharmacy, stables and servant's quarters to the Cedars and a farriers but any more information would be gratefully received. 144
From Cassie
My Great-Great-Grandfather's sister, Phoebe Leney, owned half of the two cottages known as Cedar Cottages prior to her death in 1858. She was a shopkeeper from Harrow Weald in Middlesex. Phoebe left Cedar Cottage to her nephew, my Great-Grandad, George Leney, who was a schoolteacher in Sudbury, Suffolk. George later became the owner of "The Essex and Suffolk Free Press" newspaper, the building of which still exists in Sudbury. I have recently found out that Cedar Cottage was the location of Phoebe's property in Bagshot, as her Will only records her property as being "in Bagshot". Would be interested to hear from anyone with connection with the cottages. Oct10
Jan Jones / Paula Collins asks "Does anyone have any info on the history of the Cedars at Bagshot." Dec 12
From Kimlet
My grandmother Mrs Fryer lived and died at the Cedars and my mother Winifred Argenton Fryer was born there and I remember going there as a child in the early 1950s and remembering the 2 huge cedars at the front of the house. It seemed a huge house to a child and I slept in a tiny room up a narrow staircase on the third floor. There was a splendid garden the other side of the house and lots of rose beds and stone toadstools which I thought the fairies could hide! [Jul 20]
Kimlet's grandmother was the wife of Lt Col John Fryer who was killed in WW1 and is commemorated on the Roll of Honour in Bagshot's church. You can read more about him here.
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Connaught Road
Connaught Road is a turning off Vicarage Road. Location. You do not need two guesses to conclude that it was named after the Duke of Connaught who lived in Bagshot Park (whose grounds extended to Vicarage Road).
Andy asks : Does anyone have any history on the Victorian cottages in Connaught Road ? 6102.806
From Stanley Draper : I know about the cottages in Vicarage Road. My Grandmother Annis Draper lived in No 4 Vicarage Road and my uncle Bill lived in the house on the corner of Vicarage Road and Connaught Road which now has a roof light. Does anyone have any information on Vicarage Road? 6148.1206
From Hilda Williams (nee Draper): I was born at 3 Connaught Road (now renumbered No. 5). I have a brochure for a Public Auction to be held at The Cricketers Hotel, on 6th July, 1949, for the sale of No's 1-14 Connaught Road consisting of 3 terraces of cottages. The total rental at that time was £341.13.8p. per annum. Also for auction was a small freehold allotment extending to about 1 rood. When I was a child there were no buildings on the left hand side opposite the cottages, apart from one bungalow near the top of the road. I also have photographs of Connaught Road before it was made up and paths built. I moved out of Connaught Road about 1975. (Oct 11)
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questions & answers index page
Many of my pages have been prompted by, or include questions or information from, my readers. If you can add anything to the above please write to me using the message pad below.
This page is part of the Bagshot village web site.
Data provided only for personal background information. While every effort has been made to provide correct information no assurance as to its accuracy is given or implied. Check any facts you wish to rely upon.
Florence Villas, Church Road, also the Mill and builder Edwin Spooner. Text now relocated