Horseshoe Lane

Numbers 9 & 11

The above photo shows the only image of the houses that we have been able to obtain so far.  Numbers 9 and 11 are the pair of semi-detached houses on the right of the photo. They stood on the junction between Horseshoe Lane and what is now called Rock Street.

We have a reference to a property in Horseshoe Lane called 'Rock Cottage' and we have not been able to confirm where this cottage is.  The photograph in the thumbnail on the left shows that there was a large rock in front of the gate, so it is possible that this was the name of the cottage.  The young lad in the photo was George Frederick Harris, the son of Frederick and Lily Harris who lived in the house from about 1924 onwards.  Click on the thumbnail to see to full size photo. 

The houses were built before 1840 and are shown on the Tithe Survey map as Plot 132.  At that time they were owned by Mary Wilkes and occupied by Sarah Hughes and Mary Lidiard.  We have assumed that the Hughes family lived in number 9 and Mary Lidiard in number 11.

On Mary's death in 1849, she left the two 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 two 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 two houses were put up for the sale at auction in 1924 and they were sold to J. Tuck for £300.  Presumably this was Joseph Tuck who lived at 1 Rock Street. We have been told by Win Jenkins that she used to help the Harris family who lived in number 9 by taking their rent money to their landlord, William Short in Siblands. 

The houses were demolished in the late 1960's as part of the town's re-development and replaced by a complex of shops.

Click here to read about the occupants of number 9

Click here to read about the occupants of number 11

This page was last updated: 08/03/2010