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Long Bennington in 1905 by Mrs L. Bowes - courtesy of Mrs. J. Bowes

 Shops, Businesses and other memories - courtesy of Mrs. A. Howell

 Memories of Long Bennington filmed by Mr. Douglas Wright and transcribed by Ms Joanne Winter, featuring interviews with Winifred Swallow, Doris Edlin, Kathleen Newton, and Ernie Dring

 

 

 

 

 

 The following are memories of’ Long Bennington early in the 20th century by various long-time residents.  Please note that not all the businesses were here at the same time. The record was compiled by Victor and Jean Bowes and Ann Howell in the late 1970s or early 1980s. There have of course been many changes to the properties and the listed owners in the intervening years.  Further details, or photographs, of any of the people, places or events mentioned would be very welcome.

Westborough Lane  The Water Mill (J. Bullen, G. Rowbotham,  Gash & Sons.~ Agriservices now occupy the Mill premises.

“The Ram” was a pump near the mill which supplied water from the Witham via King’s Farm (Walter Potts) to the Manor.

Ellwood Bros. Joiners & Undertakers. Now farm buildings — G. Fearn.

Kirton’s Lane Grocer’s Shop, C.K. Brown. Now closed.

Main Road.  Plumbers H. Rick, S. Rick — now closed and private house [Winter]. There was also a little shop selling sweets.

Wheatsheaf Lane  J. Fenton, chimney sweep — now closed.

Main Road  Wheatsheaf Inn & Blacksmith’s shop. The Tailor’s Shop (Mr. Bowes) — pulled down. The Cobbler’s shop (Mr. Ackland) and Sweet Shop — now closed. At the rear was Cooper’s Milk Round —now a private house (J. Priestley). There was also a grain mill at one time. Behind the house was a cycle shop (J. Ingleton) —closed.

Welbourne’s Lane.  G. H. Kirton — Builder. Now closed. At the far end on the right was the Cottage Hospital — now 2 private houses.

Main Road.  The Grocer’s Shop & Bakehouse (Allen, F. Winter) —now 2 private houses, G. Swallow and S. Bailey.

Bryn Tea Gardens (Teas with Hovis!) (Miss Bloor)

Stable and buildings for the postman’s horse and cart — this brought the letters from Grantham and also the Grantham Journal — then priced ld.

‘Old’ Post Office — near Mr. Conabeare. Post Office now moved.

The Saddler’s Shop (J. Boyers) now closed.

Cobbler’s Shop (F. Allwood) — closed.

White Swan Inn — now private house — R. Jordan.

Royal Oak Inn and Carters — horse drawn van, passengers to Newark and Grantham.

Tinsmith’s Shop (W. Walker) now closed.

The White Lion Inn — closed and now private house — Mr. Little. At the rear, the Milk Dairy~ (Rippon & Spouge) — closed.

W.  Johnson, Builder — now Mrs. M. Miller.

Ladies Hairdressing Shop — has been Milk Dairy, Saddler’s Shop, Fish & Chip Shop and Grocer’s Shop.

Sparrow Lane  G. Moyses, Bus Proprietors, now P. Miller. There was once a Slaughter House at the end of Sparrow Lane.

Main Road . Dame School and Bootmakers — now private house,  N. Howell.

G.  Dawson, Joiners — now G. L. Dawson, Builders.

Drapers Shop (Mrs. Ablewhite), Paper Shop (W. Turner), now private house (Misses Webb).

Mrs. Short who owned the Lime Kilns lived where Miss Dibb now lives.

H. Johnson, Coal Merchant, now private house — E. Holmes.

Wesleyan Chapel and Sunday School  - closed -  now private house.

Chemist’s Shop (Reddish) Grocers (Crabtree), Barnes Stores, now Potts Stores.

Wireless & Cycle Shop (E. Henton) — closed.

Joiner & Undertaker — R Drury, now private house — J. Cumberland.

The Old Post Office & Blacksmith’s Shop (at the back) (A. Dring), (Wadkin) now private house — J. Pearce.

Another Old Post Office — now J. Wadkins, private house.

Peacock Farm — where the coaches used to call.

Ayrshire House — teas and ices (Miss Buckle), now used as accommodation for trainee oilmen ~

The Reindeer Inn.

Alma Farm.

Garage — Walker Bros. then Blue Star.  Demolished and two bungalows (Abbott and Ingram).

The War Memorial. There was once a big house which belong to the Bradford family standing where the war memorial is now. It was vandalised and then demolished. This was prior to the First World War.

Two Chapel Rows. Now demolished.

Church Street  Grocers Shop & Cobbler's Shop (Willows Bros).  Then Johnson's Coal Merchant. Now private house (Pear Tree House)

Shop selling sweets and cigarettes (Miss Wilkinson). Closed, and now private house (D. Foster).

Daunt House. Dressmakers Miss and Mrs. Daunt lived here.

Chalk & Sons, Painters and Decorators. Original house demolished. J. Holmes house on site.

Meadow Cottages used to be the home of the pig killer, Frieston.

'Concord' once had rooms used for a shop and general store.

The Windmill supplied water from the Beck to Priory House.

Remains of a Priory near Priory Farm

St. Swithun’s Church. Once All Saints.

The Vicarage.

The other side of Church  Street_to the Main Road. Greengrocers — Mark Smith — pulled down and bungalows built.

 Shop — Browns — now pulled down and Old People’s bungalows built on part of the site.

Undertaker and Cabinet Maker — J. Linney — now closed.

The Bakehouse — Harstons — pulled down.

The Butcher’s Shop (J. Frieston, J. Swain) closed. Then Potts General Stores. Now pulled down.

 The other side of the Main Road  The Old Windmill - corn grinding - G. Rowbotharn. Pulled down.

Cafe & Filling Station (Ford) Now demolished.

The Primitive Chapel. Now store room.

The Wesleyan Chapel

The School. Old cricket field at rear.

The Pinfold.

The Doctor’s new house and surgery (Dr. Wilkie, now Dr. Brown)

The Village Pond, now filled in. P. Richardson’s house at rear.

The Doctor’s old house. (Burroughs, Middlebrook, Jones, Wilkie).

The Vicarage — now private house — Parklands.

Garage — Kenworthy’s Bros — milk round, buses. Now Bennington Gearchange.

The Reading Room. Now part of the Village Hall.

St. James Church. Now St. James Hall, the Village Hall.

The Manor, once a private house, Mrs. Grote—Joyce. Now the Manor Hotel.

Police House.

Mile Stone Cottage. Used to have a cobbler’s shop at the rear.

Grocer’s shop and bakehouse. (C. Ablewhite, H. White), pulled down and rebuilt. Now Mace Shop.

The Barn, used as a chapel for Plymouth Brethren. Now workshop and garage. Formerly Fred Witcomb, now Trimcliffe.

Butcher’s shop. (Bell, Kenworthy, J. Baggaley). Now Post Office.

Valley Lane Lime & Stone Pits (C. Kirton & Sons).  Closed.

A Private Asylum — Dr. Stafford. Now private house, J. Oliver.

A Pump, belonging to Mr. Rick, Plumber.

Costa Row   Harby & Sons, Joiners & Undertakers. Closed.

The Blacksmith’s Shop — Mark Baker — closed.

Seymour — shoe repairer — closed.

The Pond — filled in.

 

Clubs:  Cricket, Football, Tennis, Bowls, Fishing, Domino Team, Girls Friendly Society.

 

Other Memories:

In 1906 German gypsies passed through with a Police escort.

Circus animals walked through the village.

Troops passed through from Belton Park to Clipstone for training.

1st World War soldiers slept in local barns.

Silver Queen bus service from Grantham to Newark — fare from Long Bennington 5d (less than 2.5p return) Smallholdings houses and farm buildings built in Fen Lane.

Water brought from Claypole by lorry — one bucket per house per day.

Mile Stones removed during 2nd World War.

Children walked to school from Foston, Westborough and all out lying farms and cottages.

Foston by-pass opened.

Long Bennington by-pass opened (1967)

Gates put up at the entrance to the Parish Church.

Postal address altered from Grantham to Newark.

 Electric light in houses, water laid on, sewerage — some houses connected as late as 1962 — street lights, houses numbered, signs erected, streets named.

Workman’s bus to Hawton Plaster Pits — Kenworthy.

Workman’s bus from Ransome & Marles — W. Searson,now Pulfrey & Sons.

Barbara Moore walked through on her way from John o’ Groats to Lands End.

Garden Fetes in the Manor Grounds, and in Parklands Grounds.

Skittles and swings, etc. in the Royal Oak Yard.

Long Bennington Feast on the first Sunday after 10th July.

Sports during the week.

Trees planted on the greens.

Village Crier with bell — Bob Foster the last one.