Photo Gallery
Cuttle Hill Cottages 1910/20
The single property on the RHS ( now IvyBank ) was a hat shop, you can just see the large window which was used to display the fancy bonnets
The entrance to the school is visible with the large brick pillar
Nurse Pike lived in one of the cottages opposite, she was a real character and served the village for many years with her compassion and midwifery skills. “ She obviously did a great job as she brought me into the world all right “
Universal Stores 1920
This business was owned by Harold Pick, he was a Baker and Master Grocer running the store from 1911 until 1960, the cottage next door at no 59 also belonged to him
Harold ran a delivery service ( initially horse and cart, then progressed to a van ) around the neighbouring villages 3 times a week, so there no shortage of customers
He sold everything - except Milk , which could be purchased direct from the farmers
“In 1940 he had a telephone installed which was the source of much excitement, until the bill arrived, then there would always be a hue and cry “
At the end of the building is a small gate into the back garden, this was always in use as when the shop door was closed the back door was always open, Harold never refused a customer !
On the RHS is a large tree which was in the cottage garden to Burneham House on College Street, this is now the car park
Main Street - Kneeton Road corner 1920s
Just above the white window is the sign for the Post Office, which was located at no 1 Main Street from 1916 until 1941, it was ran by Miss Mary Dexter and then Miss Gertrude Moore. The business then moved to Dovecote Close further up Kneeton Road and then various other locations on Main Street
The corner was a busy area with Millingtons Grocery facing the cottages
Haycroft Cottages, Main Street
These stood opposite Teapot Row, the Pea factory is further down and the Church tower is faintly visible
The road surface was not improved until late 1930 after mains water and drainage had been installed
“ there was never any traffic, my friends and I used to start our whip and top at no 59 and keep it going until church corner “
Haycroft Cottages, looking up Main Street
The cottages were demolished in the late 1960s to make way for the Haycroft Way development. The small white building was originally a fish & chip shop run by Mr Ellis
“ chips were a penny and fish threepence “ it later became a hair salon
Ariel view of Main Street 1950
So the first white building on the left is The Post Office which was ran by Mr Caldecott, next to it is Universal Stores now also painted white, the Anderson Air raid shelter is visible in the back garden ( it’s still there ) also the lovely garden of Burneham House is visible
The large group of white buildings which are on Walnut Tree Lane, known as Clough House, was once a school ran by the Clough family
Fosters, the butchers are opposite Universal Stores
Just along from Fosters lived Mr Sherman and his wife Sabine, they were the village undertakers. “ He made the coffins and she made the linings, we knew in a minute if someone had died as he would be hammering all night and Sabine would be mixing the glue “
Corner of Walnut Tree Lane 1910
This is another Grocery store, so the village was well served for retail outlets
It was ran by the Jones sisters: Edith and Maud
Maud was known as “ mardy Maud, she was not as industrious as her sister, far more interested in standing in the doorway, particularly when she had a new hat to show off “
The Chapel is visible on the RHS
Mr & Mrs Simpson kept the Royal Oak, they had a tea room as well as a lounge bar.
The Daykin family ran the Masons Arms, it was a little more spit & sawdust, Mr Daykin was known as Paraffin Jack. Both pubs had a skittle alley and a back yard to sit in.
They also had lovely gardens which were not used for relaxing, just growing produce
The larger house, slightly set back belonged to the Ingram family
Mr Ingram was a decorator, he trundled about the village with his handcart and mixed all his own paint. “ I would often be sent to Ingrams to fetch some paint, we always had it put in an old treacle tin, no cans in those days ! “
In later years Mr Ingrams daughter, Rose went on to run the corner shop opposite the church, it was was a real Alladins cave
Kneeton Road 1950s The corner is still a busy retail hub, the Bus Time Table now visible on the RHS of the large window Tommy Lewis ran the Bus Sevice from 1925 - 1956 using a yard on Main Street next to Railway Cottage as his depot The school bus is waiting at the bottom of of the slope In 1952 the 30 mile speed limit was enforced in the village “ pity we don’t seem to know about it now “ The corner of Trent Lane is now looking more familiar
This is a great view of the lower half of Kneeton road and Main Street taken before any sport or recreational development of Butts field, only the cricket pitch is visible
The extent of the grounds of The Old Hall is showcased as this is prior to the Cuttle Hill Gardens development. There was a wonderful kitchen garden that bordered Browns Lane and the swimming pool in the front garden is very prominent
“ towards the end of summer, Mr Farmer, who lived at the Hall, would let us come from school to paddle in the lily ponds as a bit of a treat. To be honest it was far from that, it was a cold and slippery and not at all nice. However the swimming pool, well that looked much more inviting, but we were never allowed to try it “
These photos of the 'Plough & Farrow' on Kneeton Road have been given to us by Rachel Barclay.
