Wainlode Hill (Norton Court Estate Cottage No 30)
At the time of the 1806 Inclosure Act there were no buildings on this site and it was to be another 50+ years before that changed.
[1806]
In 1861 a Norton Court Estate plan shows that there was building work in progress on this plot so it assumed that the pair of semi-detached cottages date from this time and they can be seen on the 1st Edition OS 25” map.
[1st Edition OS 25” map]
The occupants haven’t been positively identified until 1901 when Charles Slatter, a 43 year old cowman on a farm, was here with his wife Ellen and five young children. Their daughter Ellen was born in 1895, and the first born at Norton, so perhaps this is when they took on the cottage. William Bailey, a 38 year old bricklayers labourer, and Charles H Smith, a 43 year old general farm labourer, were also both lodging here in 1901.
The next occupants to be identified are in 1924 when Fred, a farm labourer, and Florence Wheeler were here with their children. They were still here in 1939 when Fred was a widower.
In June 1952 the Norton Court Estate was sold by auction and cottage No 30 was included in the sale; "a brick and tiled semi-detached cottage situate at the top of Wainlode Hill. The accommodation comprises: living room with fireplace, oven and cupboard, back kitchen with fireplace and furnace, cupboard under stairs, larder and three bedrooms, two having a fireplace. Coal house, EC, shed and pigscott and garden. Water is obtained from a pump at the bottom of the hill on the Norton side".
We then find George W and Margaret J White in 1958, Louis H and Maud E Gingell in 1960, James and Ceinwen Fletcher in 1966, and Edward W Holmes in 1985. Finally, in 2002, Michael A Cook.
[Although this photo predominantly shows cottage No 31, No 30 can be seen on the far side of the pair, 2002]
