Lynford Hall

[Subaru]

Does anybody know anything about the employees who worked in the grounds of Lynford Hall around 1900 onwards?  My great grandfather was head gardener there and lived in a cottage in the grounds.  I know that the grounds were taken over and are open to the public now, and used for activity groups etc.  Has anybody been, and are the cottages still there?  His cottage was next to a main road.

Rosemary

[Blue-Spirit]

Hi;
I go to the area some times, its just a short distance from where i live,in fact I 'm that way tomorrow. There are many cottages scatted, leading and just beyond the hall, and only possibly two in the grounds, one of which I suspect was the Gardners house, as there is a large wall around the house which looks like the main garden for providing the hall.
Can you offer a picture of the cottage to compare today, also can you give a name of the family of your Grt Grandfather.
In 1933 Thomas Disney Head gardner to Sir James Calder CBE Lynford Hall..

regards

[Subaru]

Hi

I will try to send you a photo - this was presumably around 1930?  My great grandparents were Robert and Alice Main.  Robert was born in Great Cressingham in 1854.  My mam and uncle have always said that he was head gardener, but he could have been one of many, as I understand it is an enormous place.

On the 1901 census, the house is down as being Cottage by Carriage Dawd, if that means anything.  They had 8 children.  He is down as garden labourer then.

Here goes

Rosemary

[Blue-Spirit]

Hi Rosemary.
studying  the picture  unfortunately cannot see much of the house i will take it with me tomorrow, unless some one else comes up with positives.
The name could mean something, it might help when making a visit.

Do you know where your grt grandparents are buried?.

I also see via the 1891 census names,  a MAINE, living at Lynford..

[Subaru]

Yes that's the same family.  Ethel is my grandmother, b1895.  They were both buried in Thetford, both in 1935, Alice died first.  Alice's maiden name was Pryke. 

My mam remembers staying there when she was little, and some geordies doing the road by the cottage.  As she is a geordie, she was really pleased, and had a good crack with them!

She was sent to stay down there just before the war broke out by her dad, and was down there when it was declared.  He thought she would be safer there, but there was a big army base down the road.

Don't worry if you can't find it, I'm sure some were probably knocked down, but it would be nice to know it was still there.  One of these days, I'd like to visit the area.  I understand a few of the villages don't exist now after being taken over by the MOD.  Sad really, but life goes on doesn't it?

Rosemary

[Blue-Spirit]

Lynford Hall stands almost on the boundary of the Battle area, which consisted of villages West Tofts,Tottington , Langford Stanford, Stuston & Buckingham Tofts, taken over by the MOD in 1942, the occupants at that time were forced from there homes, with the promise that they could return later, a promise that was never kept ( sounds familiar), some buildings still stand but most were destroyed, The churches are well cared for and out of bounds to the troops.

The battle area stands just over the hedge from me...
Knowing the area well, I feel sure that the house on the picture still stands..........

Later....

[Subaru]

I found a cottage on the internet a while ago called Old School Cottage - which is now rented out, on the edge of Thetfod Forest.  website www.4starcottage.co.uk
It looks like it could be the back of this cottage, but my uncle says the original had a thatched roof.  I told him that maybe it did then, but has since been roofed in tiles.  Could this be the same cottage?

Rosemary