A History of Preston
in Hertfordshire
Holly Cottages with barns and gardens
Back Lane, Preston saw a flurry of building demolition and construction between 1915 and 1918.
The then Lord of the Manor, H G Fenwick had the tumbledown cottages on the north-
Holly Cottages were built as tithe homes for retired workers of long standing from
the Kings Walden Bury Estate which was then in the hands of Major John (Jack) Fenwick
Harrison. Tithe in this sense means, ‘belonging to one owner -
Holly Cottages (so named because of the holly bushes which fronted them) were three-
Each of the cottages had a brick-
After 1945, the coal/wood cellar was converted into a bathroom which boasted a bath, washbasin and toilet.
The tenants who were retired employees of the Estate did not pay rent but had to pay their utilities bills. Later, some of their children were allowed to rent the cottages.
Some of the residents of Holly Cottages 1920 -
1920
George and Adelaide Andrews and George jnr.
Arthur and Mary Ayres
Harry Thomas and Daisy Brown
Robert and Louisa Crawley
Alfred James and Hilda Annie Hartless
Thomas and John Payne
The Peters family – George, Caroline, Isabella, Peter, Henry George, Walter Charles
John Swain
Frederick and Mary Annie Woodrow
1925
George and Adelaide Andrews and George jnr.
Arthur and Mary Ayres
Arthur Currell
Arthur and Agnes Dorothy Dobbs
Thomas Payne
George, Isabella and Caroline Peters
William George and Florence Daisy Staines
John Swain
Harry Cecil George and Nora Wilson
1930
George and Adelaide, George jnr and Emma Andrews
Arthur and Mary Ayres
Walter, Ellen and Lilian Bunyan
Arthur and Annie Currell
Arthur and Agnes Dorothy Dobbs
Thomas Payne
George Thomas and Eleanor Perry
John Swain
1951
1 Thomas E and Alice R Hedley
2 Arthur, Agnes Dorothy and Frederick Arthur Dobbs
3 Kathleen A Perry
4 Arthur, Annie and Alec Currell
5 John J, Lilian M and John J jnr Hodgson
6 Ellen Bunyan
7 Percy and Dorothy Rose Bailey
1955
1 Thomas E and Alice R Hedley
2 Arthur, Agnes and Frederick Arthur Dobbs and Elizabeth Porteous
3 Kathleen A Perry
4 Arthur and Annie Currell
5 John J and Clara Ann Hodgson
6 Ellen Bunyan
7 Alec and Sylvia Currell
8 Frederick George and Norah B Baker
1961
1 Thomas E and Alice R Hedley
2 Agnes D Dobbs
3 Kathleen A and Priscilla J Perry
4 Annie Currell
5 John J and Clara A Hodgson
6 Ellen Bunyan
8 Robina A Cross
1965
1 Thomas E Hedley
3 Kathleen A Perry
4 Annie Currell
5 John J and Clara A Hodgson
6 Ellen Bunyan
7 Patrick N R and Mary D Cave-
8 Thomas H and Robina A Cross
1971
1 Thomas E Hedley and Ellen Garner
3 Kathleen A Perry
4 Annie Currell
5 Charles and Shirley Welland
6 Ellen Bunyan
7 Frank Jenkins
8 Robina A Cross
1981
1 Thomas E Hedley
2 Alan G and Doris A Boxall
3 George F Parry
4 Annie Currell
5 Philip D and Ethel M Middleditch
6 Margaret J Banfill and Ellen M O’Dwyer
7 Frank Jenkins
8 Robina A Cross
The silhouette of Holly Cottages, viewed from the Kings Walden Road
(I am grateful to former resident Ann Fenton (nee Middleditch) for allowing me to include her memories of the cottages.)