The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
   

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Thread Topic: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
Topic Originator: Philip Rudkin
Post Date November 28, 2010 @ 7:33 PM
 The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
  Field Kings Road
 Field K.Rd/greycells active here!
 Field on Kings Road.
  field Kings Road/? Woodville Road
 RE: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 RE: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 RE: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 RE: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 RE: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
  The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 The field/well done Syd
 The field/Hodges Mill
 The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
  The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 RE: The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 The field/taking time to research
 The field on Kings Road, Stamford.
 The field on Kings Road, Stamford.

Philip Rudkin
November 28, 2010 @ 7:33 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Puzzle from Phil

This photo should help everyone to solve the following puzzle.
The photo is of my sister Joan, who is now 84 years and has lived in France since 2006.  Joan says she was about 5 years old, and she is here playing with her cousin, Ken Barwell.   Joan lived at Essex Road.  If the photograph is enlarged (with two left clicks), then it is the background row of houses (behind the hedgerow), that to me, looks exactly like Kings Road.   I can just remember watching a soccer match on the field, bordering Essex Road/Kings Road, and then the next developement later was the Italian prisoners of war digging up  the field, for the laying of the foundations for the pre-fabs.   I am sure it is that field.   If anyone else remembers this field, look closely at the photograph and let the Gateway Memories readers know please.  Also what was the name of the field.  I had a chat to Joan Stafford recently, and she thinks husband Geoff knew the field and the name.  Thanks, I wait with anticipation!

Clem Walden
November 29, 2010 @ 2:05 AM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi Phil, I agree with you the houses are Kings Road and the field is as I remember it before the pre-fabs were built, Tolethorpe Square as you will remember backed onto this field. And although I lived in Tolethorpe Square from birth I have no idea what the correct name of this field was. Dad would always tell me the St Georges football team and the Daniels played there games there so did many other local clubs between 1925-1940s. I do remember as a very young boy the American forces being on this field at the back end of the war I also remember the Italians starting to dig all the trenches footings etc for the pre-fabs which became a new play area for me along with many other boys and girls that lived in the area. If my memory serves me well the pre-fab development started about 1945/6 but I am not 100% sure?  it could have been a little later say 1947? anyway your posting brings many fond memories.
Kate:  Thanks for adding these details Clem.

syd
November 29, 2010 @ 11:26 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

With an hour or so with nothing to do and being an old Essex Roader I sent this to Phil and he insisted I send it in, I'm not boring, really!!

Hi Phil
Just done a bit of working out, to the left of Joan's left elbow is Ashcroft House and below her right hand is no's 24 and 25 Kings Road, so working out my angles Joan is on the left hand side of Essex Road Going toward Kings Road and just opposite  and a bit further up from Woodville Road  away from Kings Road.
Now there's not many young 'uns on here will know of Woodville Road!
How about that then.
I'm sure we could more or less pinpoint the spot
your cous
Syd

Joan Stafford
November 30, 2010 @ 3:34 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Geoff's memory has let him down, he cannot remember the name of the field.  But Woodville Road rings a bell, where was that. Was it anything to do with the lemonade people (Woodvilles) who lived in North Street, below the Police Station?  Not far from Bennets sweet factory (who remembers that)?
Kate:  Hello Joan.  I think the lemonade people  you refer to were Woodbridge?

John Tyers
November 30, 2010 @ 8:40 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

I don't class myself as a Stamfordian having only been here since I was three and am now the "wrong" side of seventy-six; my wife was born and lived in Queen's Street before we were married and she, as a genuine Stamfordian is as intrigued, as I myself, as to where was Woodville Road?  Explaining my ignorance in the local geography, in my youth it was not wise to venture too far out of your own area; there were numerous noteworthy and unsavoury older characters who might cause you actual bodily harm such as a "thick ear" for treading their turf and the least you might expect was a verbal "Get back to your own end of the town!"

Clem Walden
November 30, 2010 @ 9:39 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi-Syd, well spotted mate. Ashcroft House, 24-25 Kings Rd. some of us young'uns remember them all Incuding old "Frosts Shop" Did not Harry Skells live in Ashcroft House? And was this  about three houses above from where the Hardboards lived? Martin,Dennis, and Robin. John Fichett and David Yarwell also lived in the Kings Rd do you remember them. Those I remember living in Woodvile Rd would be:-Tony Cove,Richard Cove, Brian Plowright, the Marvells,Platts,the Smiths. Woodvile rd. actually ran parallel to Tolethorpe Sq.as you may recall, you may also remember the air-raid shelter that stood in the top left hand corner of this field (If one was looking from the bottom of Essex Rd towards the Spinney of Fane School) this was of course knocked down when the Pre-Fab development started.
Prior to that there was a large fence around this field with a mud path going round the outside on the left hand side that went by the old spinney to the Fane School. Perhaps you used this path to get to the touch-wood tree in the spinney? all great memories Syd thanks for your observations that reminded us young'uns about the area back then and those that lived there.

Pete Leatherbarrow
November 30, 2010 @ 9:55 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Re the Thick Ear, I remember old Nimpy giving me a thick ear once for ringing door bells and  running away!

Clem Walden
December 1, 2010 @ 2:05 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi-Syd, just thought of another family who lived in Woodvile Rd (pre-Fabs) Mr and Mrs Glen, feel sure you will remember their son Ralph Glen. Mrs Glen became the Town Mayor do you remember her? The old pre-fabs became the home of many of my old play mates and school friends Chas & Ken Rawlings, Andy & Robert Farrel, the Boskill family Linda, Norma, & Tony all lived in the pre-fabs. Chas Rawlings was my best man when I got married in 1963. I can still picture in my mind the whole area as it was back in the 40s & 50s and can also recall getting the odd clip round the ear from one or two residents who lived in te area. Fond memories and great days.

Patrick
December 1, 2010 @ 3:13 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

A great photograph to bring back the past!
I have a vague memory that the field was once called `Wheatley`s Field`. Perhaps it was part of Northfields Farm, occupied by the Wheatleys, before the houses were built. We just called it `The Field`.
I think the house on the left of the photo is No: 29. The last four houses in Kings Road were built to a different plan and lower roof line and you can just see the break on the edge of the picture.
Ashcroft House was owned by the Leaberys until the early 30s. When Mr Leabery died it was a very posh funeral with a black glass-sided hearse and two black horses with black plumes. With four or five other scruffy kids, aged around 7 to 8, I sat on the verge opposite the house watching. One of the grooms, complete with top hat, came over and said `B***** off, you lot` giving us an instant addition to our vocabulary. And, of course, everyone in Kings Road drew their curtains until the funeral had passed.
Mr and Mrs Skells moved in shortly after. They formed the Skells Trust which I think benefits the town
Incidently, why is Tolethorpe Square named after a local hamlet when everywhere else is called after a county or city?

Joan Stafford
December 1, 2010 @ 4:03 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

My memory must be as bad as Geoffs.  The lemonade people were Woodbridge NOT Woodville. Miss Woodbridge was one of my teachers, such a long time ago.

syd
December 1, 2010 @ 7:01 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

If it is of any help to anyone there is a site    www.old-maps.co.uk    type in stamford or whatever, it gives us as Stamford, Northamptonshire?
Yoo can bring up maps of the area from the 19 century onwards, it is quite good showing the way Stamford developed.
Have a bit of patience and you will find little gems from the past, for e.g
1901-1905 map about where Twilleys was, was a hospital (infectious diseases) and small pox huts!!
Kate:  Thanks for finding this Syd.  I had a look but didn't get to the right results.
Perhaps you wouldn't mind writing some step-by-step instructions once on the site?
Thanks if you are able to do this for everyone.

Patrick
December 4, 2010 @ 8:14 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Well done, Syd - a great find. I see on the 1889/91 Map Northfields is laid out in building plots with only about six existing houses, Ashcroft House seems to be named Ebenezer House!
There is no name on `The Field`. What is now Northfields Farm was then Little Casterton Lodge. On Little Casterton Road there is nothing beyond the Cemetery apart from the `Brick Pits`. Alongside the Brick Pits is a rifle range stretching to Casterton Road. I wonder when that disappeared. All very interesting.

Clem Walden
December 4, 2010 @ 8:25 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi-Phil, Looking on a survey map dated 1833 by "James Knipe" there was no development at all within the Kings Rd area. The whole area is just shown as open fields. However within the approx position where our field stood (football Pre-Fabs) one can see on this map in the far right hand corner a Mill called "Hodges Mill" could the field be "Hodges field" ??? looking at a later map 1895 one can observe the Northfields in part as it was being developed. On this map the old spinney is shown but Tolethorpe Sq, and Essex Rd are still un-developed and shown as open fields 5 in number. these fields have individual references on them:-BM 188.5 BM 189.2 BM 182.1 BM 178.0 BM 167.3 above these references it states "Corporation Coppices" Seems to me from this map the field with ref:- BM.188.5 eventually became the old football field you and I recall (Which later became the pre-fabs)  Sorry I am not able to actually name our field but hope the above is of some interest.

Clem Walden
December 5, 2010 @ 5:26 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi-Patrick, good question why is "Tolethorpe Square" named after a Hamlet (Tolethorpe) Could the following be a clue? or the reason? Back in the thirteen century:-William de-Tolethorpe married Alice who was the daughter of "Ralph de-Nomanville of Empingham they had two daughters Maud who became the wife of Nicholas de-Burton of Stamford and Elizabeth who became the wife of Giles de-Erdington and settled at Tolethorpe. There is of course considerable more history regarding these families. But it seems to me the names of Tolethorpe and Stamford have been linked for centuries. And perhaps in the 1930s? when Tolethorpe Square was developed the powers that be decided that "William de Tolethorpe" family conections with the Town should be recognised?  Would have to say I have no real idea but the above story may be the reason?

Dan entwisle
December 7, 2010 @ 10:02 AM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Is Kings Rd the one backing onto Queen St? If so I think I can see my old house in that shot. It backed onto the big house everyone is talking about.

What was the story with that place? I lived in Queen St from 1979 to earlt 1982 . That house was always a bit scary. There was an old hearse parked in the garden. Studenty sort of people lived there.

There was also an old garage built at an angle into the back lane. Never saw it open but the rumour amgonst local kids was that there was some sort of rare sports car stored there.

Patrick
December 7, 2010 @ 8:12 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Thanks, Clem, I`m convinced. No point in arguing with a heavyweight explanation like that but I`m impressed with the history!

Clem Walden
December 8, 2010 @ 5:17 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi-patrick, Thanks for you comments re:-history sometimes however history can be a little misleading and point us all in the wrong direction. I just wondered when I read your posting why I had never asked the question of myself years ago (Why the name Tolethorpe) As you may know I was born in Tolethorpe square and lived there until 1963. I suppose when I was much younger I was too busy doing other things so never bothered about researching areas within Stamford. Of course one must pay credit to this excellent Forum site that provides us all with so much information and reminds us all of our fond memories (grateful thanks Kate) Just one thing Patrick "you were refering to the History being "Heavyweight"
Kate:  Thanks for that Clem.  Its the peoples Forum  - we've got lots to share.

Patrick
December 8, 2010 @ 9:14 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Praise, Clem, praise! When you reach the age where you cannot remember what you had for lunch yesterday I am impressed that, six hundred years ago, someone thought it worthwhile to record local marriages and the record has survived.

Clem Walden
December 9, 2010 @ 11:27 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Hi-Patrick, I agree with you age creates many problems for both you and I. I don't only forget what I had for lunch yesterday? I often forget when yesterday was?  perhaps 600 years ago those who found it worthwhile to record local marriages new one day someone would ask why Tolethorpe Square was called such? The only problem you I and the readers of this forum have would be:- Is the reason I scripted that was based on this recorded history correct? impressive may be! But correct? Who knows "Not I"