candida cottage

[STEPHANIE1]

my mother was born in candida cottage , roade  , northants in1923.
 she did not know who her father was and why she was born there.
 can anyone solve this mystery please? i should be most grateful;

[hugatree]

It seems that Charles Rennie Macintosh oversaw alterations in 1918-1919

http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=219578

and is currently a grade II listed building

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-234954-candida-cottage-39-roade

WJ Barrett-Lowke bought it in 1914 as a country retreat.  Could your gran have been a housekeeper there at the time of your mum's birth?
I can't find any reference to a WJ Barrett-Lowke only Bassett-Lowke, so it could be a mis-type in the listing details...

[STEPHANIE1]

thank you for the reply. i did know about that link. on my mother's birth certificate, her mother is a house keeper but at collingtree lodge owned by her parents. i would love to know if candida cottage had been sold or rented out by 1923.

[artdec0]

Hi Stephanie, did you ever get this sorted? As a member of Roade Local History Society we could look into it if not.

[STEPHANIE1]

hello there
 no, it is still a mystery and my mother aged 91 still doesn't know why she was born there,
  any help would be much appreciated.

[artdec0]

We'll have a try, Stephanie. Please message me your contact details and name of Mum and grandmother as that would help. Wynn Bassett-Lowke was a Northampton town councillor who was world-famous for the scale models his company made - train engines, ships etc. Rennie-Mackintosh designed the interior of his house in Northampton, which has been renovated and is now a museum "78 Derngate". Candida Cottage is still fine. )