Horseshoe Lane

Numbers 13 - 19

The houses which became known as number 13, 15, 17 and 19 were a block of four terraced cottages.  It is frustrating that we do not have any photos of these houses which were on the right-hand side going down Horseshoe Lane from St Mary Street.

We have been told they were very similar in appearance to a row of 4 houses in Rock Street which we do have a photo of and will be putting on the website soon.  We have been given a good description of the houses by Win Jenkins (nee Webb) who was brought up in one of them as a child.  Click here to read Win's description

We don't know when the houses were built.  We suspect that the orchard and garden land on which they were built was owned by Richard Williams, a pargeter or plasterer and tiler.  On Richard's death the property was given in trust to his wife, Mary Williams.  On Mary's death they eventually ended up being owned by Mary Wilkes - click here to read the full story

In the 1840 Tithe Survey, the houses were part of Plot 133 which also included the four similar houses in Rock Street referred to above.  All these houses were owned by Mary Wilkes.  The eight houses were occupied by Thomas Grigg, John Thomas, William Clutterbuck, Thomas Smith, Thomas Elton, Joseph Pym and William Matthews.  We know from the 1841 Census that Thomas Smith, Joseph Pym and William Matthews were living in Horseshoe Lane at that time, and we assume that Thomas Elton was also there.   However, in the absence of any deeds for these houses, it is extremely difficult to identify which family occupied each house until the period in the 1900's which Win was able to tell us about.   Until that time, we have based our findings on the tithe records, census records and other sources, but please remember it is still just 'informed guesswork'.

On Mary's death in 1849, she left the four houses to her daughter, Emma Knapp, the wife of Henry Knapp, the blacksmith and ironmonger.  When they both died in 1882, the houses were left to their niece, Mary Ann Wilmott, the daughter of Emma's sister, Ann Ann, and wife of Samuel Mullett Wilmott.  Click here to read about the Wilkes, Ann and Wilmott families

Mary Ann attempted to sell several of her properties in 1890.  We don't know if these four houses were amongst the lots put up for sale, but they remained in her ownership.  Mary Ann died on 23rd February 1917 aged 65 and Samuel died on 5th October 1923 aged 78.    Following Samuel's death, the four cottages were put up for the sale at auction in 1924 but they failed to find a buyer.  Win Jenkins who lived there thinks the row of houses may have been owned by the Cornock family but she can't be sure and she remembers Charlie Pitcher collecting the rents.

We believe the houses were demolished around 1960.  None of the houses were occupied in the 1961 electoral register.

Click here to read about the occupants of number 13
Click here to read about the occupants of number 15
Click here to read about the occupants of number 17
Click here to read about the occupants of number 19

This page was last updated: 17/02/2010