Lost landmarks

Reed/Read’s Pond

There was more than one village pond in Bassingham over the years. One was on Village Green – now called “Christmas Tree Corner” – at the junction of Eastgate and Lincoln Road, opposite “The Hollies” cottages. Sue Black has been in touch to suggest that this one was still there as late as 1990. I suspect that it went soon afterwards, filled in after a child drowned in it. Alan Taylor informs me that there are still steps down into the water channel that remains, but I have yet to find these.

The four postcard views here show the one which used to be at the junction of Carlton Road and Old Brick Kiln Lane and it is quite possible that the clay for the village’s bricks came from this site. Known as “Reed or Read’s Pond”, this feature is clearly marked on each of the maps through from 1654 to 1950.

In 1928 it was a dry season and Fred Sharp cleaned out the pond, but c1960 it was filled-in as no-one would clean or maintain it. The large chestnut tree was felled in 1929 by Mr. Akrill. I suspect that, based that on the growth of the trees in the picture, this first – postally unused – postcard is marginally the earliest of the selection that I present for you here. Given that the second is proven to be 1908 I’d say that this is probably a year or two earlier.

“Reed/Read’s Pond” postally used card 29th Jul 1908 (photograph by Kennewell)

The above postcard, with what appears to be a family ducks at one edge, was postally used on 29th July 1908.This second postcard of an almost identical view was postally used in August 1912 and features people at the top edge. The view is almost identical and the same buildings can clearly be seen. This one has also been tinted. Of interest is the message on the back: “This is a view in the village. The old lady shewn died a few weeks ago, aged 103. We were out for tea last night, it was a.m. when we came home, had a jolly good time. Showering again today. Hope you will have a good time on Tuesday, & that all will be fine. Love from Margaret”. In The Bassingham Story (2003), the old lady is named Nancy Reed, and that she died in 1926, both of which are incorrect; you can read more about who she actually was HERE.

“Reed/Read’s Pond” (undated postcard by Kennewell)

This fourth and final postcard is undated and, going by the water level at least, it shows the pond presumably at a later stage of the year.Today it is almost impossible to get a comparative view as the location of the pond is now fenced-off and has been turned into a large trade-off garden area. The only way to get anything like an accurate view is by lining-up the buildings in the background, most of which are rendered invisible by all the new tree growth.

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The Umbrella Tree

Now here’s a real oddity, again from the Bassingham Memories Facebook group. Does anybody know anything about this local landmark? It was clearly on a road out of/into the village at some point but I have no idea where. There are no identifying features in shot so it’s anybody’s guess.

One clue is that it is a CPC postcard; we can just see the logo at the bottom right…

The CPC logo is clearly visible.

On the back it might look something like this:

The Cotswold Publishing Company; a typical back of postcard.

The Cotswold Publishing Company address.

I found the following information online…

“The company owed its existence to Francis Frith of Reigate, a firm of photographic printers and publishers formed in 1850. Francis Frith decided to reproduce its photographs by the collotype process towards the end of the nineteenth century. Premises were rented at Charfield in Gloucestershire to do this, but by 1907 difficulties had forced it to close. Three employees, C. R. Bagwell, F. Jeater and J. H. Russell, bought the business in partnership and also bought the factory at Britannia Mill, Wotton-under-Edge. The three registered the Cotswold Publishing Company in 1909 under which name it remained until 1952 when it was changed to its present name, the Cotswold Collotype Company. In 1942 the Company amalgamated with the Berkshire Printing Company and was a part of the Brooke Bond Liebig organisation, until November 1980 when it was sold to new owners Capel & Co. of London. The Company is to date the only one in Britain still practising collotype printing. A staff of 60 work at the process producing inter alia fine book illustrations, coins and medals, drawings, engravings, manuscripts, oil paintings, lithographs, scientific illustrations, water colours and maps. “

All of which leads me to believe that this “Umbrella Tree” postcard was produced somewhere between 1909 and 1952 which is, admittedly, quite a large ‘window’.

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Navenby Lane Farm

These photographs are supplied by John Brogan and were given to him by Colin Walton. They both show – in the background – the now demolished Navenby Lane Farm house. The building was pulled down and replaced with the newer build which stands there now.

Colin Walton outside Navenby Lane Farm (© John Brogan).

Colin Walton and sibling outside the now demolished Navenby Lane Farm (© John Brogan).

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The Village Windmills

The history of the village windmills is very complicated, nevertheless I have done my utmost to unravel it and you can read my account by clicking THIS LINK.

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