A stroll down New Road - Odds 209 to 245
Map Data: Purple - Early Cottage Names / Blue - Current Cottage Names / Green - Buildings on 1880 OS Map / Pink - Buildings since 1914 OS Map
Odd numbers between Barton Way and Watford Road. Continuing down the odd numbered (library) side of New Road, the first pair of cottages, 209 and 211, have a (slightly peeling) plaque high up on the front wall declaring them to be Springfield Cottages.
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Springfield Cottages in 2006
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There is no date shown on the plaque and the cottages are not shown on the 1871 O,S. map but are listed on the 1891 census, when they were occupied by George Reeves, a gardener and Daniel Ladd who was described as “working on his own account”. An extract from the 1898 O.S. map above shows the cottages standing in quite a large area of ground.
Like most of the names given to the various groups of cottages, I currently have no record of the why this particular name was selected.
Nos. 213 to 237 do not appear on either the 1871 O.S. map or the 1891 census but are shown on the 1914 map, indicating that they all came into being during this period.
Like most of the names given to the various groups of cottages, I currently have no record of the why this particular name was selected.
Nos. 213 to 237 do not appear on either the 1871 O.S. map or the 1891 census but are shown on the 1914 map, indicating that they all came into being during this period.
Further down, No. 219 is “W A Carr and Son Ltd”, well known locally as providers of catering equipment. In Kelly’s 1968 Directory they are listed under the same name but as a Hardware store.
In each of the 1910/11, 1919/20 and 1930 Kelly’s the occupant is shown as John Edward Sirrett, Dairy.
The nearby advert from an All Saints’ magazine of 1910 confirms his presence in the road although, unfortunately, it doesn’t contain the house number.
In each of the 1910/11, 1919/20 and 1930 Kelly’s the occupant is shown as John Edward Sirrett, Dairy.
The nearby advert from an All Saints’ magazine of 1910 confirms his presence in the road although, unfortunately, it doesn’t contain the house number.
Number 219 Carrs in 2006
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Back in 1939 the shop was occupied by “Norman Thompson, Ironmongers” as this advert from the Croxley Argus of that year confirms.
231 to 237 is another block of cottages – also probably built in the early years of the 20th century. A sign on the front says “Mildred Cottages” but again, unfortunately, no date or further information is given. They were not on the 1891 census although they are shown on the 1914 O.S. map, so this dates them to somewhere within this period. |
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Mildred Cottages in 2006
It is strange that the name is only stencilled on although the rebated plaque that it is written in is contemporary with the building of the houses. It is also a little strange that the current plaque is offset over the left hand pair of cottages even though they were almost certainly built as a block of four. The difference in size of the upstairs windows is also a little unusual.
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No. 245 has been a shop for many years, being built sometime in the period between the date on which the 1880 O.S. map was published and the 1891 census which appears to include this location. Since the 1891 census doesn’t include house numbers (not unreasonably, since they hadn’t been allocated by this date and therefore didn’t exist!) it is difficult to be certain. It is also shown on the 1898 O.S map.
The 1930 edition of the Kelly’s street directory shows the shop as being occupied by Reginald Payne, Bootmaker. The adjacent advert from a 1933 edition of the All Saints’ magazine confirms its presence at around this date. |
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The old photograph below shows the shop somewhere around this period. It is impossible to date accurately but I would guess it was in the 1920s or 30s.
The right hand side of the shop in the photograph appears to have the name “Beatrice” over the window but it is not detailed enough to make out what goods are on display.
An entry in the 1930 Kelly’s shows No.245a as being occupied by Miss Olive Payne, Hairdresser, so it could be that she operated under the name of “Beatrice” or perhaps had taken over an earlier business – from what we can make out in the window it clearly could have been a ladies hairdressers at the time of the photo.
The right hand side of the shop in the photograph appears to have the name “Beatrice” over the window but it is not detailed enough to make out what goods are on display.
An entry in the 1930 Kelly’s shows No.245a as being occupied by Miss Olive Payne, Hairdresser, so it could be that she operated under the name of “Beatrice” or perhaps had taken over an earlier business – from what we can make out in the window it clearly could have been a ladies hairdressers at the time of the photo.
Towards the end of the 1930s it was being advertised as “Wright’s”.
The first advert here is from “The Croxley Argus – Official Organ of the Croxley Green Residents’ Association” issue No. 2 dated July 1939.
The one below goes on to say “Shoe repairs that satisfy. Any style. Agents for Lotus, Delta, Moccasin and other brands of footwear.”
The shop is listed in the 1940 Kelly’s as “William Wright – Bootmaker” and again in 1968 as “J & W Wright – Shoe Retailers”.
The first advert here is from “The Croxley Argus – Official Organ of the Croxley Green Residents’ Association” issue No. 2 dated July 1939.
The one below goes on to say “Shoe repairs that satisfy. Any style. Agents for Lotus, Delta, Moccasin and other brands of footwear.”
The shop is listed in the 1940 Kelly’s as “William Wright – Bootmaker” and again in 1968 as “J & W Wright – Shoe Retailers”.
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The advert alongside from an edition of the Watford Observer in the 1960s shows that it was, by then, a shop selling, or perhaps displaying “Spice UPVC windows” and in 1974 it was listed as “E J Gray and sons, Outfitters”.
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