Parkfield, Windmill Road, Minchinhampton, Stroud

[ValJJJ]

Hi

I wonder if anyone can help me identify this property or its occupants in the 1920s please?

I have a birth certificate of a relative showing a single mother 'Mary Leonard of no occupation of Parkfield, Windmill Rd, Minchinhampton' on 24th March 1926.

I would be interested to know what number or position this house is/was in Windmill Rd plus anything about Mary Leonard or her family but as I have no age/place of birth etc I'm not sure I can do that.

In the 1911 census, I can find this property occupied by the Elliotts and the previous census entries were for Hillfield, Windmill Rd, then just Windmill Rd (but the occupant was a coachman so perhaps lived in the grounds of Hillfield?), then Parkfield.  After Parkfield was Glen Neath, then just Windmill Rd (golf professionals - was it a golf course building?), then Rowan Cottage, then Wellfield, then houses in West End.

Any ideas please? 

Thanks very much.

Val

[ValJJJ]

Sorry I realise the list of properties sounds like previous names for Parkfield.

I was listing the sequence of addresses/records in the 1911 census for Windmill Rd ie the neighbouring properties.

[HeatherLynne]

Hi Val, have you looked at the Royal Mail Address Finder website?  From there I've found that Rowan Cottage is no. 45 Windmill Road and Wellfield is no. 39.  The other names you mention don't appear on the current list of addresses but we could assume that Parkfield was several houses west of Rowan Cottage no. 45., maybe even what is now Horsfield House care home.  Could it be that Parkfield was a maternity home?  I know there are only three people living there in 1911 but it seems to be a largish property with 8 rooms.
Here's a map from 1922/23 that might help (or not!)  https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/386506/200500/12/101079
and another from 1924  https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/386601/200583/10/101078
It seems most of the dwellings were opposite Barcelona Farm and in the present day there is a Barcelona Drive just north of Windmill Road.

Ooh look!  There's a Minchinhampton Local History Group website  http://www.minchinhamptonlocalhistorygroup.org.uk/ Might be something helpful there 

Thanks for posting this enquiry, I've just spent some time reminiscing about driving through Minchinhampton Common as a child when visiting my Grandma in Nailsworth and Aunty in Stroud 

Good luck with your research!
Heather

[Hystericalwriter]

If you are on FaceBook, there's a Minchinhampton Memories page, there has been some discussion about Windmill Road a while age.

Anne

[ValJJJ]

Thanks for your thoughts and also the link to Minchinhampton Local History group, which I have just discovered myself and sent off a query to them.

Didn't know about the Royal Mail address finder so thanks for that.

I did come across Rowan Cottage=45 but wasn't sure if it would necessarily be the same property as the Rowan Cottage in 1911.  I Streetviewed Windmill Rd and it looks like new houses along here in places but 47 looked like it could fit the bill.

I don't think that Parkfield would be a maternity home as the birth cert shows registration date a month after the birth.  Also the birth address turned out to be the address of a midwife who advertised as taking in patients.  The birth cert also shows 'adopted' so that decision must have been made earlier.  So I'm thinking Parkfield was Mary Leonard's family home, but it's only an assumption.  8 rooms could have been kitchen plus 2 living rooms (or 1 dining; 1 living) plus 3 bedrooms - one each for brother and sister plus one for the servant.  2 other rooms - another bedroom and another living room???  Or perhaps the toilet was separate and counted as another room in addition to the bathroom which did not count as a room. 

Glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane.

Val

[ValJJJ]

Ann thanks for that tip - if it is a Facebook group I won't be able to access it though as I have the wrong type of account (sigh - long story).  Will look now.

[ValJJJ]

Sorry Anne, left off the 'e'.

I've just looked at Facebook and can't find the page since cannot see a search field.  Part of having the wrong account.

Please could you let me know the full web address of Minchinhampton Memories page and I'll see if I can get at it that way.  That would be great.

Ta
Val

[Dave Jones]

in March 1926 Parkside was owned by Charles Edward Hughes, bank manager of Bromyard. it was occupied by Reginald Godsell Critchley, farmer, and his wife Vera, who had been leasing it since 1916.
From court case between the two sides concerning rent arrears and dilapidated state of the house.

[ValJJJ]

Thanks for that snippet of information Dave - intriguing information.  I wonder if the tenants were short of money and rented a room to my mystery Mary Leonard, or if she was related in some way. I'll have to see what the maiden name was of Vera Crichley.

Also thanks Heather Lynne - I wrote to Minchinhampton local history group and had this reply:I haven't been able to find out much about "Parkfield" from this end, except that I think it was on the north side of Windmill Road, and possibly one of two houses built just before WWI next door to the garage. One of these was definitely "Glyn Neath" and is on the 1939 record, but the other was later called "Highgarth" by a Les Tanner, to the best of local knowledge.   If you follow the 1911 Census page by page, the two houses are on following pages. No-one amongst the older community members I have spoke to can remember any family Leonard.


I think I will write back with the info you've found Dave, to see if these names trigger anything.

Thanks once again.