Lime Tree House (1876)

Post date: Sep 07, 2017 4:12:54 PM

Sale particulars by Messrs Debenham, Tewson and Farmer from Wateringbury Estate sale catalogue (P385/28/3 at Kent Archives) of 1876 (note the name, Lime Tree House, is not used in the sale particulars):

LOT 12

(Coloured Green and numbered 36 on Plan)

A very productive

FREEHOLD HOP AND FRUIT PLANTATION

With good Road Frontage, situate in the Parish of Wateringbury, near the Red House, together

with a NEAT COTTAGE, containing three Bedrooms, Loft, Sitting Room, Kitchen, Pantry, and

Wash House, Plumber's Shop, Piggery, Cider Store, Shed, Pump, and well of water; in all about

3a. 2r. 30p. Let to Mr. John Featherstone (who is under notice to quit at Michaelmas next), as

yearly tenant at a Rental of

£33 PER ANNUM.

The following is a reproduction of an article originally published in 1996 in Wateringbury People & Places. No author is identified.

LIME TREE HOUSE, OLD ROAD

The date of the building of Lime Tree House. now 20, Old Road is unknown. It is however typical of local building in the late 17th and eighteenth centuries. The earliest residents known to us are the Featherstone family. Pigot's Directory of 1839 lists William Featherstone of Wateringbury as a boot and shoemaker. He had ample competition in his trade for the Directory also lists George Cripps, Henry Richardson and Henry weller as shoemakers in the parish. William and Mary Featherstone were residents at Lime Tree House in 1841 according to the Census.

The 1951 Census informs us that the house was occupied by William Featherstone and his family. William describes himself as a shoemaker and farmer who employed four men. He states he was born in Offham and at the time of the Census was 53 years old. Mary, his wife was 54 and is described as a laundress, born at Woolwich.

They had three children living at home, William, a carpenter age 19; John, a carpenter age 16; Mary, a scholar age 13. All were born in Wateringbury. In addition the following people also lived in the house, Hannah Paine a 20 year old servant from Sussex; Lily Webster an 18 year old servant from East Malling; Henry Hubbarb a 30 year old lodger. He was a farm labourer and probably an employee of William Featherstone.

The parish records have several entries relating to the Featherstones:

Baptised Mary Featherstone 17 June 1838. Daughter of William and Mary. Father a shoemaker.

Baptised Clarissa Elizabeth Featherstone 29 March 1863. Daughter of William and Elizabeth Jane. Father a carpenter.

Baptised John George Martin Featherstone 26 February 1865. Son of William and Elizabeth Jane of Barming. Father a carpenter.

Baptised Leonard Featherstone 31 January 1875. Son of John and Ann. Father a plumber and glazier.

On 11 September 1847, when he was only about 15 years old, William Featherstone was paid £1 5s. 0d. for 2 ¹/₂ days work "repairing the cage".

In his book 'Wateringbury re-visited', George Newman mentions visiting his old schoolfriend 'Bumpy' Featherstone at Lime Tree House.

In 1891 the Census records the occupation of Edmund Gibbs, a 25 year old carpenter from Strood and Emily his 27 year old wife who came from Ightham. It is interesting to note that John Featherstone and his wife Annie were still living in Wateringbury in 1891 with their daughter Leonora age 16. The Census gives Annie's birthplace as Mereworth.

The house was purchased from Lord Falmouth with 3a 2r 30p of land by John Thomas Gibbs on 2 December 1919. John Gibbs was a plumber. He ran his business from the huse with stores and workshop adjoining. The manhole covers at Lime Tree House have his name cast in them. It would be nice to know if any others survive in the village.

In 1958 the house was acquired by Eric Stanley Boorman, still fondly remembered by many people in Wateringbury. He was a butcher with premises in Bow Road, now a bridal wear shop. His family included his wife Joy. five children and Nanny. Joy Boorman ran a nursery school from the house for many years. She would drive round in a Commer van to pick up the children, bring them back to Lime Tree House and Nanny helped to look after them.

In 1993 the house was purchased by Mr and Mrs Missons.