Enderleigh (Everleigh, Norton Court Estate Cottage No 3)
In the early 1800s the piece of land where Enderleigh, No 3 Cold Elm, now stands was Plot No 374, known as Cold Elm Ground, was 1a 1r 1p in area and was owned by Thomas Rudge. There were no buildings on this plot, in fact, the only building on that side of the old road was directly opposite Wainlode Lane. Thomas Rudge also owned other land around the village at that time including Plot Nos 373, 375 and 386 on the following plan.
Extract from the 1807 Inclosure Act map for Norton
Thomas Rudge does not appear on the Land Tax schedules for Norton in 1796 so must have been a new arrival in the village around this time. The plot of land can’t be identified any earlier than 1807.
The divisions between Plot Nos 373, 374 and 375 get a little blurred at this time but a Norton Court Estate plan from 1856, see above, roughly records this area of Cold Elm. Lewis owned the cottages that are now Conquest House and Enderleigh, then Richard Vick with The Laurels, then the Mealings with the other group of cottages opposite the Wainlode Lane junction.
There had been a family of Lewis blacksmiths at Newent since the early 1700s and Joseph was descended from these. Joseph Lewis was a wheelwright of Norton when on 18 May 1811 he swore an allegation to marry Sarah Humphries at Shipton Oliffe. On 16 May 1823 Joseph was a 25 year old carpenter of Norton and a widower when he swore an allegation to remarry Alinda Bisco, a 25 year old spinster of Norton, at St Mary’s, Norton. [Perhaps the age of 25 was meant as ‘at least 25’ as Joseph was born in 1780 and Alinda in 1795]. Alinda was likely the daughter of Benjamin and Martha Bisco, a farmer of Norton. Benjamin witnessed her marriage allegation and stood bond to the sum of £500. Benjamin was still farming at Norton in 1826 but I can find nothing more about the Biscos at Norton although Martha has a memorial in the churchyard from her death in 1835 aged 83. She may have suffered a long illness as her memorial reads; “Affection sore so long I bore physicians help was vain till God alone did hear my moan and ease me of my pain”.
In 1838 Joseph Lewis owned part of Plot No 374 at Cold Elm that was described as a house, buildings and a garden, of 2 rods 4 perches. The site was let to William Everiss, William Clift and William Loveridge. According to this there was only one house here then.
In 1841 William Everiss was a 30 year old agricultural labourer living with his wife Catherine and son George. William Clift was a 45 year old living with his wife Jemima and six children. William Loveridge was a 30 year old shoemaker living with his wife Mary and four children. Other than saying that they all lived at Norton, however, the census doesn’t say where.
By 1841 Joseph and Alinda Lewis had moved to Newent and were living at Broad Street with two children and extended Bisco family including Alinda’s father Benjamin. Joseph died at Newent in 1843 as did Benjamin Bisco and by 1851 the widowed Alinda and son John had returned to Cold Elm, Norton, where she had become a Post Office keeper likely in one of these cottages.
1st Edition OS 25”, 1844-1888
The property we are discussing is shown to the left of the properties in Plot No 292 on the above map. It is believed that the row of cottages here were built prior to 1828 but identifying residents through the nineteenth century has proved impossible so far. Whilst the plan from 1856, above, isn’t too clear and may not be too accurate, there does appear to be just the two cottages on this site so perhaps No 1 Cold Elm Cottages had not yet been built at this time.
Alinda Lewis was still recorded as postmistress in the 1856 Kellys Directory for Gloucestershire and in 1861 was still postmistress living at Cold elm with sons John and Joseph. Alinda died at Cheltenham in 1868 but was returned to Norton for burial. By 1871 both sons John and joseph had left Norton and were in lodgings at Gloucester.
The Gloucestershire Chronicle newspaper of 23 May 1868; “Norton, near Gloucester. to be sold by private contract, a comfortable and convenient dwelling-house, with roomy Workshops, Smith's Shop, Yard, and Garden, now and for many years occupied by Mr Healing, wheelwright, together with three cottages and gardens adjoining. The property, which is freehold, is pleasantly situated near the Kings Head, Norton, and may be seen on application to the tenants”.
By 1871 Edwin Nash, a blacksmith of Staverton, had arrived at Cold Elm, likely after the 1868 sale. In 1871 Edwin Nash was aged 25 years old, was single, a blacksmith and his sister Elizabeth was living with him as his housekeeper. By 1881, Edwin Nash is no longer at Norton but William Nash, and his wife Eliza Wakefield who he had married at St Mary’s, Norton, in 1877, were living with their children in the same property. William was Edwin’s brother, also employed as a blacksmith, and sons of Joseph Nash of Staverton.
The Gloucester Citizen newspaper of 13 May 1912 reported; “John G Villar is instructed by the executors of the late Mr Joseph Nash to sell by auction, at the Queen’s Head Inn, Longford, near Gloucester, on Thursday, May 23rd, 1912, at 7 o’clock in the evening precisely, - Parish of Norton. Lot 2 – Three freehold cottages, with gardens at rear, and blacksmiths shop, adjoining Lot, in the occupation of various weekly tenants, at rentals amounting to £19 8s per annum. Rates by landlord”. Lot 1 was No 1 Cold Elm next door also owned by Joseph Nash.
The Old Road through Cold Elm in simpler times, early 1930s.
1936 must have been when Frederick and Gertrude Wilkins moved to Norton from Gloucester as on 23 April 1936, Mr Wilkins of 33 Deans Way, Gloucester, submitted plans to the Rural District Council for the construction of an additional bedroom to be added to the side of the house where a store room was already present. The plans were drawn up by Messrs Lewis & James, of Denmark Road, Gloucester, and were approved on 1 May 1936. The following are my reproductions.
Frederick Wilkins was born in 1879 and is believed to have served during the Boer War and the First World War. Frederick married Winifred Nellie Hackwell/Hill in 1922 at Gloucester and they had five children; twins Frederick William and Margaret Kathleen, Charles Frederick, Reginald Gilbert Anthony and Patrick Ernest Joseph. Wife and mother Winifred died in 1933 and Frederick Wilkins remarried Gertrude Florence Phillips at Gloucester in 1935 and it appears that they came here right after marriage.
By 1939 Frederick, a concrete worker, wife Gertrude, daughter Margaret, a cardboard box maker, sons Charles, a concrete worker, Reginald and Patrick were in residence. In 1939 there may have been a lot of other people in residence as well as Frederick, Gertrude and their children. There were also Ernest W and Frank E Phillips both at school, Ethel F Bishop (later Slatter) born 1914, Frank Bishop, an invalid born in 1884, and Alfred Harris under school age.
It is said that Frederick died during the Second World War, ironically after surviving as an active participant in two wars, as a result of injuries received in an accident with an American military vehicle in Norton. The Citizen newspaper of 9 November 1942 reported under the heading ‘Norton Cyclist Injured’; “Frederick Wilkins (69), of 3 Cold Elm, Norton, received head injuries when he was knocked from his bicycle by an Army lorry on Saturday. He was taken to the Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary and his condition is stated to be slightly improved”. If the story of Frederick dying from his injuries is correct then he appears to have died shortly afterwards although I have not been able to identify his death. Indeed, he is still listed at No 3 Cold Elm in 1947 although wife Gertrude is listed at No 2, living with neighbours the Slatters. By 1948 son Charles Frederick is at No 3 and Gertrude was still at No 2. By 1949 Gertrude is back at No 3 with her sons but no husband. Gertrude died in 1954, still at No 3.
In 1954 No 3 came into the ownership of Denis and Lily Williams who were to own several properties along the old road in the following 70 years. In 2000 Denis wrote an account of his memories from this time from which the following is an extract; “In 1954 I purchased my first cottage in Norton on the ‘Old Road’ and took up residence with my wife and eldest daughter. Adjacent to Mr Goulter’s was numbers 3,2,1, Cold Elm Cottages, built of brick under a slate roof. I purchased No 3 from the estate of Mrs Wilkins who had brought up a large family there. Mr Wilkins had served in the Boer War and the First World War. Sadly he was involved in an accident with an American military vehicle during the Second World War and died from his injuries. No 3 had a lean to extension towards Mr Goulter’s cottage. This was originally the blacksmiths shop with an entrance from the lean to across the cobbled drive previously mentioned. The cottages were in a poor state of repair and I started to renovate No 3. My second daughter was born here on a wild night with the midwife arriving in the nick of time. All building materials were delivered and stored on the front pavement, nothing was ever taken, I was able to mix cement by hand on the road. The only traffic would be a bus or a local farmer. I well recall paying the Council 10 shillings (50 pence) to open the road to install the water, this was achieved using a pick and shovel. At this time I met that wonderful man Harry Cook. Seeing me mixing concrete by hand he brought with him a concrete mixer which he lent me without thought of payment. This was typical of Harry, a legend in his time, he helped everyone, a country gentleman of a bygone generation. Michael Phelps would arrive with his tractor to move and lift all kinds of rubbish. We were so fortunate to have had neighbours and villagers of such quality and generosity. My family has always been grateful to the Norton people of that time for their help and encouragement. Nos 1 and 2 came into my ownership, No 1 which was in a dangerous state was demolished, No 3 was renovated and is now known as ‘Enderleigh’, No 2 became ‘Conquest House’”.
Photograph taken in 1954 showing Nos 3-1 Cold Elm with Denis Williams bent over shovelling.
By 1960 Denis and Lily Williams were living in a renovated No3 which was then named ‘Everleigh’.
By 1966 The Williams’ had taken on Nos 1 and 2 from the Slatters and were living at No 2. No 3 was then occupied by Colin C and Christine E Marsh and had been renamed ‘Enderleigh’. Colin and Christine were still here in 1985.
[2002]
In 2002 Keith R and Alma K Casswell were in residence.
