Norton Court Estate Cottage - No 19
At the time the Inclosures came to Norton in 1807 Plot No 73 was a house already in the ownership of Edward Webb of the Norton Court Estate.
The earliest positive occupants of the house have not been identified until 1908 when William Longney paid £8 10s Lady Day Rental to the Norton Court Estate on cottage No 19.
William Longney, wife Susannah, and family arrived at Norton from Frocester in the late 1890s and in 1901 they were living in a cottage at The Green, possibly next door to Jeremiah Collins who was still at No 20 in 1908. William Longney was employed as a farm labourer. In 1911 William and Susannah were living in a three room property at The Green. William died in 1915 but it is not clear if widowed Susannah remained at No 19. Susannah remarried Arthur Sims in 1923 and briefly lived at Bradley Cottages until she died in 1924.
In 1928 Beatrice Mary Bishop of No 19 was buried at St Mary’s aged just 3 weeks. She would appear to have been an illegitimate child but I have not identified her mother.
In 1939 the cottage was occupied by Dorothy, the wife of Percy Hooper, and their young children having recently moved to Norton from the Forest of Dean. Percival John Hooper had married Dorothy May Holder at Newent in 1929 and they had 7 children whilst travelling around the county following work.
In June 1940 the Gloucester County Bench had to decide on where priorities lay between the wife of a serving soldier and that of agricultural interests. Harold Spiers of Green Farm, Norton, had applied for possession to be granted to him of a cottage at Norton Green. Mrs Hooper was the occupant of the cottage alone as her husband Percy was on active service with the army. A compromise seems to have been reached whereby Mrs Hooper was to be found alternative accommodation and although an order was issued to give possession of the cottage to Mr Spiers in between 21 and 28 days, a level of flexibility was built in to make sure that Mrs Hooper's new cottage was available before she moved out.
Although this appears to have come before the Gloucester County Bench in June 1940 it would appear to have been an issue some time before that. On 28 November 1939, The Herald newspaper of London reported; ”His home is saved, the soldier need not worry. Mrs Hooper, a soldier’s wife with five children, will be able to keep her threatened cottage home. She lives at Norton, near Gloucester, where her husband was a cowman employed by Mr Melville Spiers, of Green Farm. When Mr Hooper was called up on the outbreak of war, Mr Spiers said he wanted the cottage for another man, and gave Mrs Hooper notice to quit. She refused to go. Mr Spiers then asked Gloucester Agricultural Committee to certify that the cottage was necessary for the proper cultivation of the farm. A sub-committee recommended such certification. But yesterday the full committee, by a majority, decided not to grant the certificate”.
It is not known how this situation was resolved but the Hoopers later moved to Longford.
Between at least 1947-49 Albert William and Annie May Prosser were at No 19.
In June 1952 the Norton Court Estate was sold by auction and No 19 was included; “Living room with fireplace, oven and two cupboards; back kitchen, cupboard under stairs, and two bedrooms". It also had "a coal house, pigscott, EC, and garden". Gas had been installed and council water had recently been connected.
By 1954 and until 1960 Leonard T and Gwyneth Elizabeth Maud Longney were here.
By 1962 Englebert and Marjorie E Knickenberg had come here to live from Hereford and the family were to stay here for the next 60 years.
No 19 is the red painted property to the left of the semi. [2002]
