Woodcroft in Leek

[sec3mitchdr]

Hi 'Hepburn'
Henry Davenport, a well-known, silk manufacturer and mill-owner in Leek at the time was living in Woodcroft with his wife and two children plus about five servants.  Henry unfortunately died young at the the age of 49 in 1895.  Once the two children had married, Eliza, Henry's widow went to live with one of them and the other, Fred Davenport moved into Woodcroft with his wife Alice and their two sons.  Fred was killed in WW1.  His widow continued to live there until the two sons married and then she sold it to the Shorter family in the mid-1920s.  It appears that they then sold it to developers in the 1930s who demolished it and built a housing estate.  I think the problem probably was that it was too big having 9 bedrooms a billiard room, library and 3 reception rooms together with stables and other out-buildings and about 2 acres of land.   
Henry was a very wealthy man leaving about a quarter of a million in his will (1885).  He was my cousin x3 removed.  Unfortunately none of his wealth came down my branch of the family!
Regards
sec3mitchdr

[hepburn]

That's a travesty    fancy not getting any of money.. Still,it's a shame they demolished it.

[Boy Scout]

sec3mitchdr,

I am researching the Fynney family of Leek.

On the 1891 census the Prince family are shown as resident at Woodcroft House, Leek. Head of the family is a silk manufacturer William Prince his wife is Ella Milward Fynney 1834. Ella died in 1893 and William in 1896 I had presumed that the children were still at Woodcroft in 1901 I am obviously mistaken.

Could you tell me where you obtained the photograph I would love a copy.

Cheers

Boy Scout

[sec3mitchdr]

Hi 'Boy Scout'
Your 'Woodcroft House' and my 'Woodcroft' are two different properties.  If you look again at the 1891 Census you will see that Woodcroft is listed above Woodcroft House.  There was also a Woodcroft Grange at which the Shorter family lived - these were also silk manufacturers.  I think all of these houses were probably on an area known as Woodcroft just off the Newcastle Road to the SW of Leek.  It seems incredible that the site appears to have been levelled in the 1930s and all of these houses lost.  If you look at the current map of Leek there is a Higher Woodcroft off the Newcastle Rd and the original Woodcroft site was to the NW of that.
I am happy to let you have a copy of the architect's image of Woodcroft but as I said it is not your Woodcroft House.  If you want one send me your email address.
Hope this helps.
sec3mitchdr

[Boy Scout]

Hello Again sec3mitchdr,

Thank you for your reply and offer but as you say the image is not the house we are interested in. It is true that many houses are lost but Leek in particular has retained much.

Good luck wit your further research.

Boy Scout

[Boy Scout]

Hello Again sec3mitchdr,

 I'm not sure if this is any use to you but I believe that there is a photograph of Woodcroft Hall, Leek in a book by Catheryn Walton called Lost Houses of North Staffordshire. I have not seen this personally but am reliably informed that it is so.

Could this be your Woodcroft.

Boy Scout

[Andavid]

I have a photo from a glass negative circa 1910, the box has "Woodcroft, Leek" on the back. Not sure if this is Woodroft Grange or House or not any of them.

[sec3mitchdr]

Hi Andavid
Thanks for your interest in this. Unfortunately I don't think it is the house that was just called 'Woodcroft'.  As you mention, there was also a Woodcroft Grange and Woodcroft House and possibly others in the same area so I am thinking it is probably one of these.
Thanks again
Regards
sec3mitch

[Boy Scout]

Andavid, This is a magnificent photograph and it would be interesting to identify it correctly. As sec3mitch says it is unlikely to be his Woodcroft a photograph of which I have hopefully attached to this. Your house could possible the one I referred to earlier as being the home at one time of the Prince family. We have an elderly Aunt who may know but she is not on the internet so it will take me longer to get in touch with her.

sec3mitch, since my previous post on this subject I have done more research and have a newspaper report of a Wedding between the Prince and Depree families. This report not only lists the guests but also details of their gifts. Amongst them are members of the Davenport family, including Fred and there were gifts from the staff at Woodcroft, which Woodcroft, again we do not know. If you would like a copy of this I am happy to share if you PM me with your e-mail I'll sort it out.

Boy Scout