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| Ancestor Gateway Forum - STAMFORD MEMORIES GATEWAY (Lincolnshire England) used as PRIDE and PREJUDICE FILM SET | New Topic | Search |
| Vic |
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I remember coming home across Stamford meadows from St. Martin's Primary School (this would be in the late 1940s) and stopping to watch the horses being shod. The blacksmith was on the corner which is now the entrance to Bath Row car park - the building is still there though modernised - the entrance to the forge has been filled with a large window. There used to be a number of cottages - part of Gooch's Court - where the carpark now is. I wonder if this jogs anyone's memory? |
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| Mike Ireson |
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I think the blacksmith was called Bunning |
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| Kate |
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Yes Mike, it was Bunning. Had some help from the people in Stamford Museum today. 1934 J Bunning was listed also W E Tipler (cooperage). In 1940 It states J T Bunning, Gothic Ironwork & General Smith, Cook & Humphrey - blacksmiths Grundy Bros. Workshops. Anyone else have any more information or remember a Blacksmith at this Forge? Kate |
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| Andrew Matthews |
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I was interested to read this article. I currently shop for an elderly neighbour of mine called Dolly Tuck. She is the daughter of Mr Cook who was a blacksmith in Bath Row between the late 1920s and 1950s. He was in partnership with a Mr Humphries who was his son in law. Dolly often tells me stories of those days and all the characters who lived in the area at the time. Bath Row contained lots of small cottages in those days and an old style victorian court with a sort of balcony. There were no toilets/bathrooms in the court and water was obtained from a public tap in the street. These were all demolished in the late 1950s with many of the residents re-housed in the new council development of West Street Gardens. Dolly also tells me that Bath Row was regularly flooded by the River Welland. However, she has very fond memories of living on Bath Row back then and felt there was a really good community spirit among the residents. Kate: Very interesting Andrew. I wish I could see Bath Row as Dolly remembers it, especially that court with the balcony. I wonder if there are any photographs of it anywhere? |
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| Clem Walden |
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Andrew, Bath Row flooding,I have a book & photos of the great flood & a report in the Stamford Mecury dated the 23rd July 1880 reports the following: A child was left by itself in a bedroom in Bath Row & remained there in safety.When the flood reached the floor of the house the mother rushed out to fetch her husband,& though only absent a very few minutes the water had risen so rapidly that she was unable to return, some attempts were made during the night to rescue the child, but they were unavalling until about 4 o-clock when the Town Clerk obtained a boat, & by dint of cautious management it was floated to the house where the child was imprisoned & heroically rescued. The book also states that the St Swithin's-day flood of 1880 was not the highest flood in Stamfords on record there was a flood in April 1641, that was 16 inches higher. The Victorian court you refer to in Bath Row was perhaps Cooch's Court, that was built in 1872 & modelled on a Glasgow tenement demolished late 50s, the small cottages & blacksmith I remember well one of my old fishing friends lived in Bath Row. Perhaps interesting to note that at the time of the great flood 1880, Bath Row had a timber yard owned by a Mr Studwell, also a slaughter house, timber & cattle were lost & & also the iron bridge spanning the Welland from Albert road to Water street was washed away it had cost £350 (18 years earlier) hope you find this information of interest. |
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| syd |
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I used to call in and was allowed to hold the horses steady at times and pump the great bellows. Yes it was a lovely area around there, I have seen photo's of the area, so they are about, and also the buildings with the balconies were the Stamford tenements |
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| betty bradshaw |
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I too can remember the Blacksmiths as my friend lived in the house on Bath Row next door there was just the alley in between. I am sure if you contacted Dorothy Baker (nee Graham) she could tell you everything you need to know about Bath Row. We used to play Tennis on the road in front of the Blacksmiths. There were cottages up the back as I remember the Patricks lived in the one behind Dorothy. |
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| Clem Walden |
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Hi-Betty, Dorothy without doubt would remember, it was her Dad Sid that I went fishing with, also June Kettle & her brother Wally Kettle perhaps could recall more memories than most of us are aware of, June still lives in Bath Row in the same house her parents did, I remember the Patricks you mention & those cottages, but never knew you played tennis on the road in the area, you were a long way from home. mind you back then most of us would spend our times visiting friends throughout the Town & playing in the streets with them or other locations, we had no TV or computer games. all would walk to school unless you had a bike, transport was in general ones legs great day's fond memories. |
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| Dorothy |
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hello Andrew, i was interested to see that Dolly Cook is still living in West Street. We lived next door to her and her family until i left home in 1959. Her father ran the Blacksmiths next to our home and Bunnings had one near 'Dobbs' Dairy'. the white painted house which is still there, June Kettle lives in the house backing it. I also remember that Dolly had a brother Fred who i believe died a long time ago. Our homes were semi-detached, stone buildings with 4 bedrooms,--luxury , we also had running water but the toilet was -over the yard- the houses had only gas until they were demolished a little while after i had left home. Kate: Thanks for those postings Dorothy. So good to link up the names. I remember the Dobbs family. |
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| dorothy |
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i now believe that Fred was Dollys husband. perhaps Andrew can put me right about that one. |
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| Andy Matthews |
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Hi Dorothy, I read your message on here the other week and mentioned it to Dolly and she was thrilled to bits. She remembers you and your family very well. You are right by the way, Fred Tuck was Dolly's husband and he sadly died in 1972 aged only 46. During her marriage 2 of Dolly's brothers also lived with her who helped their father at the Blacksmith's, they were Dick and Jock Cook. Both have now passed away. Dolly is housebound these days but has a bunch of regular friends who visit and family who call to see her. She loves to talk about the old days living in Bath Row and all the people who lived there. She tells me that when they cleared the area for demolition in 1960 she was moved with Fred, Dick and her father up to Green Lane where your father lived nextdoor. She seems to think that you were already married or left home by then but your sister Christina was still at home. She says she hasn't seen any of you for a very long time but says they were good days!! |
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| tim musgove |
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andy if you see dolly cook again would you ask her if remembers my grandmother sylvia and grandad harold musgrove or his brother cyril ( was ill from early childhood and was always in a wheel chair ) and also harolds parents robert and florence who lived at corner of castle dyke and bath row . or would she even rember the booths as this was known as booths dairy. the booths being a relation of harolds i have been told that florence used to make ginger beer and sell it opp the house tim |
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| tim musgove |
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also just a note say i have some very good black and white close up aerial photos of the area of bath row from various view points which show alll the properties which were on goochs court. these date from between 1950 and 1959 tim These sound interesting Tim. Do any of them show the Blacksmiths or that victorian court and balcony people have referred to in earlier postings or had that disappeared by 1950? Kate |
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| Andy Matthews |
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Tim, I visited Dolly this morning and took with me a print-off of your message regarding your family. Dolly remembers Robert, Florence and their son Cyril, Sylvia and Harold very well. She says that Cyril lived with his mother and father who were quite old and he needed quite a lot of looking after. She remembers him being in a wheelchair but that he also used to walk using a yard brush as a crutch in the street near his house. She says that after Robert had died and your Great Grandmother became ill in old age she was unable to look after Cyril and he moved into a home/hospital to be looked after but she can't remember where that was. She says that Harold used to visit Cyril regularly but used to park his vehicle (maybe lorry) some distance up the road because if Cyril heard it he used to want to come home in it with him. She also said that Harold & Sylvia had a nice house with a large yard where they kept a horse and cart at one time (I guess that's before lorries came in). She can't remember the Booths though but Dolly's family only moved to Stamford in the 1920s so if it was before that she wouldn't remember. |
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| dorothy |
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Hi andrew, sorry i did not reply to your mail before this. Please give Dolly my regards and tell her that Chris now lives in Bourne with her partner Brian andBruce still lives in Stamford (Essex Road) with his wife Pat. Of course we are all now grandparents and very much older that when we last saw each other. She is quite correct, i had left home before the demolition, Chris did live in Green Lane but Bruce joined the Royal Marines. |
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| Lynne Cook |
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I realise this post is quite old now, but I am researching my daughters paternal family tree. Her Great Grandfather was John Cook born 14/11/1908 in Fosse Bridge. He had 2 children, but then the family broke up and they never saw their father again. I believe that this John Cook had a much younger sister called Dolly. He also had brothers Arthur, Dick & George and sisters Irene & Ethel as well as Dolly. Arthur & Ethel were witnesses to Johns Marriage to Audrey Bayes in 1930. His father, also called John was a Blacksmith. John Cooks children are now 78 & 80 yrs old and would love to know what became of their father, how his life progressed. Did he have another family and where, when, how did he die. Also where his final resting place is located. Can anyone help please? |
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| Lynne Cook |
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I am researching my daughters paternal family tree. Her Grandfather was born in Stamford in 1930. His father John Cook, born Fosse Bridge 1908, I believe is Dolly Cook's elder brother. John Cook married in 1930 in Stamford to Audrey Bayes & the witnesses at his wedding were his brother Arthur & his sister Ethel, who was married to Dennis Humphrey ( or Humphries). He also had brothers Dick & George and another sister Irene. John Cook had 2 sons, but the family broke up around 1934 and there was no further contact. His sons are now aged 78 & 80 yrs and are curious to know what became of their father. Did he have another family, where, when did he die? Where is his final resting place? If anyone knows of descendants of this family who would be interested in shedding some light on this story I would be very grateful. |
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| Andrew Matthews |
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Hello Lynne, I am a good friend of Dolly Tuck's and have known her for at least 14 years now. She will be 85 on 10 March (Thursday) and she has often told me all the family history. I do know about John Cook and what happened during the 1930's and how he tried to find his sons in the war because their mother took the boys to Liverpool I believe. When he went to where they lived it was all bombed out with no trace of them and he was led to believe they were all killed. John Cook did marry again and had 2 sons, one of whom I know quite well and he and his wife also look after Dolly although she still manages to be self sufficient in a wardened flat. I know Dolly will be amazed to hear they survived the war and went on to have families of their own as she surely believed they all perished in war time bombing. |
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| Lynne Cook |
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Hello Andrew. Thank you so very much for you reply. What a sad story, such a shame that John thought he had lost his family. Please wish Dolly a very Happy Birthday from me and the rest of the Cook family. She sounds like a wonderful lady and obviously well loved by her family and friends. You know I really can't believe this after all this time. John's sons are called Anthony (Tony) and Roy and I'm sure they will be just as amazed when I tell them about this. They have 2 half brothers that they know nothing about. there's lots more I would like to share. Hope Dolly has a wonderful day tomorrow. |
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| Lynne Cook |
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Hi again Andrew. I have just spoken to Tony and he is amazed and very excited to hear about Dolly and his father's search for the family. He confirms that they were bombed out a couple of times in Liverpool during the war and moved about quite a bit as a result. Having left Stamford quite young he has some vague memories. He recalls that they lived in New Cross Road, which was his fathers address at marriage. He also remembers his Grandfather and says that his place of work was beside the river. Do you think that the son that you know would be willing to get in touch, as Tony would love to know more about his fathers life. I realise this must have come as a massive shock to the family but it would be lovely to hear from any of them. We all still live in the North West, but not in Liverpool. I live in Wigan and the rest of the Cook clan are spread around Blackpool, Cleveleys and Fleetwood. |
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| Andrew Matthews |
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Yes Lynne, I will speak with Dolly when I see her tomorrow and see if she will ask her nephew about making contact. I will let you know through this site. |
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| Lynne Cook |
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Ok Thank you Andrew for your help. I have traced the Cook family back to the 1700's but this chunk of recent history was missing. I would also just like to say thank you to all the people who have contributed to this posting. It makes very interesting reading and is a wonderful insight into how our ancestors lived. It's great to read stories from neighbours of their memories of the Cook family. Special thanks to Vic who started this post and obviously to Andrew for replying. Thank you all |
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