Wainlode Hill (Norton Court Estate Cottage No 32)
At the turn of the nineteenth century the Red Lion Inn, a cottage, and some land in this area, was owned by the Belcher family but in February 1805 the cottage was put up for auction; “Gloucester. To be sold by auction by Mr Phillpotts, Sen, at the White Hart Inn, in this city, on Monday, the 25th day of February inst, at the hour of six in the afternoon, subject to such conditions of sale as shall be then produced … Lot 2. All that cottage or tenement, with the orchard and garden thereunto belonging,, together with about one acre of arable land, situate at Wainload’s Hill, in the parish of Norton. The premises contained in this Lot are held during the life of William Belcher, of Twyning, in this county, aged about 51 years”.
At the time of the 1806 Inclosure Act this was Plot No 235 and owned by Edward Webb of the Norton Court Estate.
[1806]
In 1838 this was a cottage and garden of 38 perches, owned by Edward Webb of the Norton Court Estate and occupied by John Brown. In 1841 Hannah Brown, a 60 year old agricultural labourer and four young children were here but husband John wasn’t recorded. Ann Young, 13 year old, was also in residence. John Brown had been born at Norton in 1780, son of Thomas and Susannah and he married Hannah Godsell at Norton in 1807. Hannah died in 1848 and in 1851 John Brown, a 71 year old agricultural labourer, was living here with his daughter Charlotte, son Thomas, a 38 year old agricultural labourer, Thomas’ wife Mary and their five young children. Father John died in 1857 and in 1861 Norton Court Estate papers record that cottages and gardens were in the occupation of Thomas Brown. The census confirms that Thomas Brown, a 47 year old agricultural labourer, was living here with his wife Mary and five children, all agricultural labourers.
The cottage can next be identified in 1901 when Thomas Piff, a general farm labourer, his wife Annie and four young children were here. Thomas had been born at Down Hatherley in 1855, son of James and Emma Piff, and by 1881 the family were living near the Green at Norton. Thomas married Annie Calcutt at St Mary de Lode, Gloucester, in 1890, and they appear to have first lived at Priors Norton before moving to Wainlode. Thomas died in 1903 and Annie and family must have left soon after and went to live with family at 23 Bradley Cottages, near the Green.
In 1908 Charles H Smith paid £5 in Ladyday rentals to the Norton Court Estate for No 32. In 1901 he had been lodging at No 30. Charles Smith was still here in 1910.
Between approximately 1924-28 Alfred George and Fanny Beatrice Hannis were here before they left for Cold Elm.
From 1929 Horace Samuel and Florence Hayward were here. Horace Samuel had married Florence Witts in 1926 and they had one child, Stella. In 1939 Horace was employed as a painter for the electric company. Stella Hayward was remembered by Tony Bradshaw, once of Dunsworth Cottage, Norton, who told me in 1997; “at one time, approximately 1940, a Stella Hayward lived at the one cottage on the Wainlode side of the hill and after school every day it was her job to go and collect some water for the family; the houses not being connected to the mains until many years after this. The water spring was located at Wheeler’s Pitch, at the foot of the hill on the village side, and still identifiable today. She would walk over the hill and back pushing her bicycle with a bucket hanging from each handlebar”.
On 21 May 1949 Alexander Claude Bayliss ceased to be gamekeeper and left the Keepers Cottage when he signed a Norton Court Estate agreement to become a general Estate labourer, earning 3 Guineas a week and living at No 32 Wainlode Hill with wife Margaret and family.
In June 1952 the Norton Court Estate was sold at auction and the cottage was described as follows; "a semi-detached cottage being No 32, pleasantly situated on the Hill overlooking the River Severn and near to the Red Lion Inn. It is built of brick, in the main has a tiled roof, and contains: Living room with fireplace, oven and sham and cupboard, larder, back kitchen with furnace, landing bedroom and bedroom. Coal and wood sheds, EC, pigscot and garden. Water is obtained from the Red Lion Inn by courtesy of Mrs Mitchell, the Licensee. The assessment for rates is £5, the current half year's payment being £2 2s 5d. Vacant possession will be given on completion of the purchase".
[1957]
The Bayliss’ stayed here till 1958 when they moved next door to No 33 and Jess and Dorothy H Green were here, in 1962 William N and Sylvia E John, in 1963 Michael S Smith and in 1966 Michael M R and Dorothy B Wiggett.
[2002]
[2017]
