Thats very interesting John - do you have any other information/photos etc - you are correct it is a private care home now. Do you know any of Williams background or that of his family/their lives/lifestyle whilst living there? Was he a farmer or renting the property to live? sorry to ask so many quesions.A relative of mine William Grantham b 1840 d 1928 is on the 1891,1901,1911 census a farmer living at Hole Farm Westheath
The information I have is that it was later called Primrose Hill Farm and was a 15th century timber framed house.
i payed a visit to see it a few years ago and you can not view it.Its been modernized and is a private care home
Regards
John Hughes
HiHere is a cutting from 30.12. 1972 in theBirm Post about the farm
HiHere is a cutting from 30.12. 1972 in theBirm Post about the farm
hi this brought back many memories, this lady ( my mums sister) was my Auntie who had been married to Bruce. Spent my six weeks summer holidays on that farm which seemed a long way from Cheshire where I still live. Many hours down the shippen milking the cows and taking food down to Edward and Charles her Son's when harvesting. Auntie Mary left the farm and moved to nearby Hawksley Hall where she farmed with her two sons Edward and Charles. This is exactly how I remember her and the farmhouse. Thank you so much.Here is a cutting from 30.12. 1972 in theBirm Post about the farm
I lived in the road next to your farm. Had many a good times there. Your dad (and mum) were lovely. Always let us local kids come and play in the farm field (accessed over the fence in the alley). I stayed overnight a few times. I remember your mum suggesting that there could have been a tunnel or priest hole under the kitchen floor as when she banged the tile floor with a broom it was hollow. I still remember a lot about the internal layout of the house. Happy days and memories. It would have been great had your parents been able to restore it properly and for it to have stayed a family home.I lived in primrose hill far 1987- 1992. My dad tried to get it restored with little help from planning department. We had to move as it wasnt suitable for four young children. We looked after it with a caretaker until 1997 when it was sold to another person, who unfortunately left it with no security and it ended up being set alight. My dad used to get the local lads to cut all the bushes back, on a saturday afternoon and pay them for their work.
Lots of stories about what happened to it after the garden centre but it was a home for my family for a time.
It is now an adult care facility
it is great that the old house was saved and is being used but i do wonder if poor mrs cummins ever did get her house in the country after being forced out...i do hope soHere is a cutting from 30.12. 1972 in theBirm Post about the farm