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Water Lane At the bottom of Foot Lane there was a walkway through to Water Lane, passed the rear of the bakery, which I see still exists. The Brook was the boundary of the bakery and Red Row and flowed under the pathway and Water Lane, to exit just down from the Alms houses, thence flowing down the right-hand side of the lane to a point across from Hillside. There used to be a ford across the road on the bend heading towards Higham Ferrers Road and it was at this point that the Brook flowed into a stream that flowed across the road.
The area you now call Duchy Close was the Threshing yard of George Britten, there were no houses this side of Water Lane until you got down to Hillside where there were three cottages in a row. One of which was occupied by Mr & Mrs Twelvetrees who moved in sometime during 1946, as far as I can recall .
Sawyer Crescent had a row of four houses fronting directly onto the roadway, and facing the open field where Joe Britten pastured his cows. Can't remember the names of the occupants.
Raunds Rd The six cottages you now call "Pretoria Cottages", had small front gardens that faced directly onto Raunds Road. Bert (Art) See lived in one, another occupant I think was Joyce Parsler. Further up the hill, on your right had side and just before the Stanwick turn-off was the Bettles family. There were four children, the only two I can remember were Brian and Doreen. Brian was a year younger and Doreen a year older than me. There were no other houses on this side of the road until you entered the village at the Alms Houses.
High St Across the Raunds Road from the Alms houses were two cottages, looking from the bakery, the left hand one was occupied by the Dunnit family, and the right hand one by the Dunmore's. Immediately opposite the bakery were the Baxter's, who, although they had a taxi license couldn't operate their taxi service until 1948 when petrol rationing was eased. Mrs Baxter was the village nurse.
The house next door to the Post Office (the one that caught fire) was occupied by Bernard Dunn and his partner. He was my History, Geography, and Physical Education teacher at Raunds Secondary County Modern School during the whole time I was there. He was a very quiet, tall slim man. His partner I recall was a blonde. Joe Britten occupied the only house in what is now known as Disbrowe Court. There were no houses in Kimbolton Road that I recall.
Caldecott There were no houses either side of the road from the Baptist Church to the Caldecott turn off. The Church House we have already mentioned, so too the vicarage. The Rev & Mrs C Ayton-Williams had two children; Monica and Trevor. Trevor was in boarding college learning theology in preparation to becoming a missionary and going to Africa in 1956. There were no houses between the church and the "T" intersection of Caldecott. To the right of the intersection and on the left hand side of the road was Alf Carr's farm, and to the right was a house occupied by the Stewart family. They had a daughter called Wilhelmina, known as Billie.
Taking the road out to Yelden I can only recall two houses on the right hand side, the furthest one owned by Jimmy and Connie James. Can't recall who lived in the other one. Jimmy was a very good artist and presented mum and dad with a pencil sketch of the Bakery as a farewell present when they left. My brother has inherited it. |
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Around the Village (part 2) |
