Greenfields
At the time of the Inclosure Act in 1807, the land where Greenfields, and a number of other properties have now been built, was Plot No 355, an allotment in Upper Church Field, 1-0-14 and was owned by Robert Barnard who also owned other land in Norton at this time. There were no buildings on this side of Church Lane at all. Robert Barnard appears to have been living at what is now Church House, next to the gates to St Mary’s, Norton.
The Barnard family lost a son shortly after this date and the parish register for Norton records that on 2 February 1809 “John Baylis, John Holder, Richard Lea, John Bridgeman and William Barnard, were buried. The above five last named men were unfortunately drowned”. William still has a memorial at St Mary’s alongside his parents Hannah who died in 1817 and Robert who died in 1823.
“In memory of William the son of Robert and Hannah Barnard of this parish who died January 29th 1809 aged 18 years. Death with … when … my parents … twas God … time.”
“In memory of Robert Barnard of this parish who died Octr 9th 1823 aged 65 years. In action prudent and in word sincere. In friendship faithful and in honour dear Thro lifes vain scenes the same in every part. A steady judgement and an honest heart. Also of Hannah his wife who died May 11th 1817 aged 63 years. Meek was her temper pious was her life A tender mother and a faithful wife Alas ! shes gone dear object of my love To increase the number of the Saints above”.
I have been told that at some time the plot of land came into the ownership of Richard and Margaret Beale of Benges Farm but the earliest, more recent, reference I have to the site refers to George Henry Miles as owner.
The Miles family were at Church House for most of the twentieth century. George Henry Miles married Alice Beatrice Evans at Martley, Worcs, in 1905 and they had four children. Alice died in 1944 but George Henry Miles remained at Church House until he died in 1958 which corresponds to developments at the site of what became Greenfields.
Planning permission for the site, in Ordnance Survey No 241, was granted on 27 July 1956, George Henry Miles sold to Daisy Maud Gladys Roberts on 9 February 1957 and building plans were approved on 1 February 1958.
Daisy Maud Gladys James had married Stanley Gordon Roberts in 1917 at St Mary de Lode, Gloucester, and it is Stanley and Daisy who built the house and first appear on the Norton electoral roll at Greenfields in 1958.
Stanley was born in 1891 at Gloucester, the son of Harry Owen Roberts and Elizabeth Alice nee Millard. Father Harry, along with his brother John Owen Roberts, had been the founders of Roberts Brothers of Gloucester in 1895. Roberts Brothers made toys and games from the Glevum Works in Upton Street. Their large range of products were later exported across the world. The most common items were games; ludo, snakes and ladders and dominoes, etc. They also made dolls and soft toys and patented what was the first version of a game which became known as Subbuteo. Later trading as Glevum Toys the company was taken over from the family by Chad Valley in 1954 and then closed down in 1956. Stanley Roberts had inherited a share of the company when father Harry died in 1929.
Stanley Roberts wouldn’t have been in residence at Greenfields for very long as he died not long after coming to Norton in early 1958. On 30 October 1958 Daisy Roberts sold the property to Harry Bamforth, a Wing Commander in the RAF.
Harry had married Dorothy H Rankin in 1939 at Kingswood, Bristol.
On 23 May 1963, Harry Bamforth sold the property again to William Nicholls Blatchford, a local government officer, and his wife Erika Martha Blatchford. William had married Erika Korsetz, of German origin, at Islington, London, in 1942, and prior to coming to Norton in 1963 they had been living at 119 Melville Road, Churchdown.
At the time of the 1963 sale the property was described as; “… having a frontage to Church Lane of 55ft or thereabouts and a width at the back of 77ft or thereabouts a depth of the north side of 82ft or thereabouts and a depth on the south side of 122ft or thereabouts, bounded on or towards the north east by land now or formerly belonging to the estate of George Henry Miles deceased, on or towards the south by land now or lately of Ian John Macey, on or towards the west by Church Lane”.
The Blatchfords were still in residence in at least 1985.
A family by the name of Hampson were next to live here.
