​Bemerton HISTORY

In 1911 William and Emily Harris lived here with their teenage-son Charles.  William was a postman and Charles was an apprentice dental mechanic, who would go on to produce and repair dentures and crowns.  

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9 St Andrews Road

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This house was also known as Almora, which is a town in the Himalayan region of India.  In 1911 Henry and Julia Slater lived here with their three children.  Henry was a railway engine driver and their daughter Daisy was a costumier, while son Robert was a maltster’s clerk and son Bruce was at school.  A costumier was someone who made theatrical and fancy-dress costumes, usually for a theatre, and a malster prepared the malt from grain, usually to a brewer's specifications. It was a different occupation to that of a brewer who turned the malt into beer. 

 

11 St Andrews Road

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Henry Foot, a carpenter, lived here in 1911 with his wife Beatrice and their three young children, Gladys, Leslie and Vera.    In 1940 Beatrice was still living here with Vera. 

 

13 St Andrews Road

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In 1911 Annie Syms and her six children lived here, when the property was known as No 9 Bankside.   Annie had been married for 23 years but her husband was not at home at the time of the census. Their eldest son, 16-year-old Francis, was employed as a solicitor’s clerk.

 

Wendy Elliott, who was born in the house, recounts how her Grandma and Grandad, Fanny and Arthur Mitchell, lived in the house before the War. 

 

“Grandad was a train driver and when he drove his last train along the track at the back of the house he would give my Grandma a toot to let her know he was on his way home.  Grandma would then carry the coal upstairs for the fire so he would have a warm bed to come home to.

 

In 1940 when the War was on my mother and father were living with my grandparents.  My mother, Betty, was pregnant and gave birth to me in the front room but sadly passed away almost immediately following the sort of complications that caused the deaths of so many women back then.  I visit her grave in St John’s Churchyard from time to time.

 

There used to be steps up from all the back gardens of the odd numbered houses, but my Grandad put a gate in the fence at the top of the bank so he could get out at the top of Skew Bridge and get to his allotment, one of the allotments for railway workers on the embankment by the railway track.  Some of the steps are still there but, of course, the allotments are long gone.”

 

The property is now called Abrazos, which is Spanish for a welcome embrace. 

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15 St Andrews Road

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Issac and Sarah Lawrence lived in this house in 1911 with their young son Archie.  Issac was employed as a musketry clerk at the Army headquarters, then located in Radnor House near St Paul's roundabout. 

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17 St Andrews Road

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Edward and Ann Haines lived here in 1911 with their son Walter and Ann’s father Isaac Hayter.  Edward was a signalman on the railways, Walter was a garage motor driver and Isaac was a retired shepherd. Edward and Ann were here in 1940  and Ann was still here with Walter in 1950. Between 1965 and 1978 Geoff Herbert and his family lived here, when the house was known as Beckinsdale. Geoff worked in Woodrows, a builders merchant and ironmongers on the site of the Tesco Metro store in Castle Street.  His duties included making nameplates for houses and he made a plate called 'Beckinsdale' when it should have been 'Beckinsale'.  Rather than throw the misspelt nameplate away, he named his own house Beckinsdale and for many years made use of the nameplate. 

 

19 St Andrews Road

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In 1911 Abraham and Emily Hill lived in this house with their five children.  Visiting them at the time were Alice and Thomas Shergold, probably Emily’s parents.  Abraham was employed as a locomotive fitter. 

 

21 St Andrews Road

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This property was occupied in 1911 by Frank and Kate Luxton.  Frank was a nurseryman and he and Kate were still here in 1940 and 1950. 

 

23 St Andrews Road

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Rees and Emma Keniston lived here with their two young children in 1911.  Rees was employed as a tailor.

 

25 St Andrews Road

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In 1913 William and Ellen Treadgold lived here, having moved from 1 Orchard Villas (now 16 St Andrews Road).  Charles and Louisa  Alsford were here in 1940 and 1950.  

 

27 St Andrews Road

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Augustus and Ethel Kidd and their young daughter lived here in 1911.  Augustus was employed as an iron turner.  This role would now be called a metal machinist.  Lathes were driven by a belt attached to a pulley wheel on a line shaft at ceiling level, which was driven by an engine.  The turner would place cast iron, brass or bronze blocks into the jaws of the lathe, which would then be turned to produce tools, parts and castings.

 

29 St Andrews Road

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Occupied in 1911 by John and Maryann Fludgate, John was a retired railway employee.  The house was also known as Ronsburgh. 

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