The Spinney (Spinney Cottage)
At the time of the Inclosure Act, 1806, there were no buildings on the plot of land behind No 375. It was then Plot No 373, an allotment in Lower Churchfield, 7-3-25 in area and owned by Thomas Rudge.
At some time three cottages were built behind the shop in Plot No 375 and this will discuss the third of these cottages coming from the south.
[1806]
Identifying the residents of this cottage through the nineteenth century has proved impossible so far and the first residents that we can be sure of were Gordon and Edith Cobert and they arrived in 1934 and remained here until prior to 1947.
Gordon Wilson Alan Cobert was born on 8 June 1907 at Gloucester, son of Frank Cobert and Florence Mary nee Spicer. Gordon grew up at 24 Vauxhall Road, Gloucester, where his father was an inspector of boy messengers for the Post Office.
Gordon was living at 1 Nettleton Road, Gloucester, employed as a newsagent when he married Edith May Jackson on 6 April 1929 at St Michaels, Gloucester. [Edith May Jackson was the sister of Phyllis Phelps of Norton Villa]. Edith was born on 7 May 1909 at Gloucester, daughter of Daniel and Clara Jackson. She grew up at 93 Great Western Road, Gloucester, where her father was employed as a general builder’s labourer. After marriage Gordon and Edith lived at ‘Philomel’, Cheltenham Road, Gloucester, and then 107 St Leonards Cottages, Barton Street, Gloucester, where they were still living in 1933. By the following year they had moved to Norton and were living at Cold Elm. In 1939 Gordon was employed as a ‘railway tyre borer’ and that same year they took in an evacuee child to Norton, Hilda Taberner of Birmingham. They must have left Norton just after the war and in 1947 were living at 222 Barton Street, Gloucester. Edith died at Southampton in 1975 and Gordon at 3 Penlake Close, Four Lanes, Redruth, Cornwall, in 1981.
Edith’s nephew Tony, son of Phyllis Phelps of Norton Villa, has told me; “Gord was a real live wire and lots of fun. Dad [Cyril Phelps] recalled that he was a stalwart of the village hall shows. These sound like they were a lot of fun. Dad's favourite memory of these was a Cowboy sketch, throughout which there were constant references to the fearsome size and nature of the sheriff. Finally to cries of ‘Bring on the sheriff!’, the cast pick up a heavy rope and, tug of war style, drag the sheriff, played by the four year old Ron Phelps, onto the stage”.
The next identified residents were Mr and Mrs Harry Smith who must have followed directly after the Coberts. Henry Thomas ‘Harry’ was born in 1907 son of Edwin Robert Smith and Elizabeth Jane nee Trigg and married Rose Lillian Jefferies at Gloucester Register Office in 1928 and had two daughters; Vivian Gladys and Audrey Mary.
In the 1990s, their daughter Viv Cook wrote the following; “Dad was a baker at the old mill on the Tewkesbury Road (by ‘West House’) he was employed by George Jordan. I was born at ‘West House’ where my mum and dad lived with Mr and Mrs Sam Hughes. We moved later to Cold Elm. My dad was born in a cottage at Norton Green, my great grandfather lived in the thatched cottage. To the right is a brick built cottage where my grandmother and grandfather lived, he worked for Mr Spiers senior at Green Farm. My dad attended Norton School along with my auntie Gladys. Mr Perrett was the headmaster. Grandmother told me there was a little private school opposite ‘Court Hay Farm’. My sister and I worked as dinner ladies at Norton School for 25 years at that time we had three sittings for each midday meal”.
In 1958 was known as Spinney Cottage. Still living here in 1960, Harry Smith died in 1966.
At some time prior to 1985 the old cottage was demolished, a new house built on the plot of land and named The Spinney. Rose Smith was still in residence in 1985, dying at The Grange, Northway, Tewkesbury, in November 1996.
In 2002 The Spinney was owned by Paul A and Susan Handley of The View and was unoccupied.
