Wainlode Hill (Norton Court Estate Cottage No 31 / Woodbine Cottage)
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 first occupants have been identified in 1891 when Samuel Hayward, a cowman, was here with his wife Florence and daughter Rose. Samuel had married Minnie Florence Preston on 24 November 1885 at St Mary’s, Norton, and with daughter Rose being born at Norton in 1888 it is possible that they came here straight after marriage. Minnie Florence was born on 8 February 1862 at Norton, the daughter of Henry Preston, a bootmaker. Samuel Hayward, then a domestic gardener, was still here in 1901 with wife Florence and daughter Gladys and John Collins, a carpenter and joiner, was lodging with them. In 1908 Samuel Hayward paid £5 in Ladyday rentals to the Norton Court Estate.
[Outside the Hayward cottage with Samuel and Florence seated]
A newspaper report from The Gloucestershire Chronicle newspaper of 16 November 1912 carried the following article referring to Samuel as a fisherman and the house as ‘Woodbine Cottage’; “A CLAIM FOR WAGES. Frank Lively, residing at Coalville, Leicestershire, and formerly of Elm Cottages, Norton, sued Samuel Hayward, Woodbine Cottage, Wainlode Hill, Norton, fisherman, etc, for £2 1s, balance of wages due in lieu of notice. Defendant had paid 7s balance of wages into court, but counter-claimed for 17s damages for plaintiff wrongfully quitting his employment. Mr H Langley-Smith appeared for the plaintiff and Mr A Lionel Lane for the defendant. Plaintiff said that when he entered defendants employment on April 22nd last defendant agreed to pay him 17s a week, and extra for long hours. On July 26th fishing proved to be very unremunerative, and Hayward told him to knock off work for the afternoon. Later in the day he told him he had better ‘chuck it up’ altogether, and come for his money on Saturday. Defendant, on that day, however, refused to pay at all and added ‘very likely you will have to pay me’. Sidney Stevens, Norton, and Joseph Hughes, Norton, who were also employed by the defendant at that time, gave corroborative evidence. Defendant denied dismissing the plaintiff, and said that on the contrary, the plaintiff left him without giving notice. Mrs Hayward also gave evidence. His Honour gave judgement for the defendant on the claim and for the plaintiff on the counter-claim. There were similar claims brought by Stevens and Hughes and similar judgements were entered”. This is the only reference I have seen to ‘Woodbine Cottage’.
[The Hayward family outside their cottage]
In 1997 Tony Bradhshaw who grew up at Dunsworth Cottage shared his memories with me; ”On occasion as a young boy, I would go to meet my father when he was on his way home from work on the Norton Court Estate. One dull January day in 1938, when I was 9 years old, was one such time. Father said to me, “a torso was pulled out of the river today”. I did not know what a torso was but father explained and I was somewhat shocked.
In the following days I recollect that the motor boat that belonged to Ossie Hayward (who lived in the right hand cottage of the semi-detached pair at the top of Wainlode Hill – what was known as Wheelers Pitch) was being used to assist the further efforts of the searchers to find other limbs and the head. I remember it was the first time I had seen a diver with the very cumbersome suit and headgear with air pipes connected to an air pump operated by two men in the boat”.
[A few of Ossie’s boats waiting for customers]
In 1939 Samuel and family were still at No 31 Wainlode, Norton, with Samuel, known as ‘Ossie’ in the village, employed as a boatman. Ossie had a number of small rowing boats down by the 'beach' at Wainlode that he used to rent out. He also had a houseboat there for a time. Samuel died in 1940 and Florence in 1946.
The next occupants were Percy Lionel and Agnes Annie Coles who were here in 1947-48 before they moved to No 21 at the Green. Arthur Field signed a service agreement and undertook to become Under Gardener at Norton Court in November 1949. He would receive £4 per week and would reside at No 31 Wainlode Hill.
In 1949 William Henry and Dorothy Love were here. William Henry Love was employed on the Estate as a ‘pruner and grafter’ earning £3 15/- per week and was living at No 31 Norton Green. When he was sent a copy of his Service Agreement in June 1949 he refused to sign until “Capt Walker has said what he is going to do about the cottage as it wants doing up inside”. Capt Walker’s solicitor replied on his behalf saying that “he has no intention of doing any internal repairs”. It would appear the Mr Love still refused to sign his Agreement as on 14 September 1949 the solicitors wrote on behalf of Capt Walker again to “give you notice to leave his employment and vacate the cottage which you occupied by reason of such employment”.
In June 1952 the Norton Court Estate was sold at auction and the cottage was described as being well built of brick with a slate roof, situated at the summit of Wainlode Hill and contained; "Living room with fireplace and oven, back kitchen with furnace and fireplace, cupboard under stairs, larder and three bedrooms, two with fireplace. Coal house, EC, pigscot, wood shed and garden".
, Between at least 1956-63 Frederick C, Clarice G, Selwyn C and Arnold F Perry were here before moving to Cold Elm. In 1966 David and Sylvia M Claridge, in 1985 Sheila Broughton, and finally in 2002 Andrew D Broughton and Jennifer Jones.
[2002]
