Overview
Circa 1900 – Bush Cottage becomes “The Paddocks.”
This 1902 map from the wonderful National Library of Scotland maps website, shows the location of Bush Cottage. The problem is, I’m not 100% sure which of the dwellings on this map shows the actual location of the cottage! It is one of the three un-named houses that I have circled, situated in between Rose Cottage, Sunny Bank and Upper House, off Pergoed Lane. My guess is that Bush Cottage is the largest of the three houses shown, within the wooded area.
I believe that the 19th century “Bush Cottage” and the 20th century “The Paddocks” are either the same house extended or were built on the same site. I expand more on my thinking on the “Bush Cottage” page, which you can access by clicking the link below.
UPDATE: December 9th 2024.
I found a newspaper advertisement that proves that “The Paddocks” and “Bush Cottage” are one and the same house! The advert alerts the public to an auction on May 5th 1902. It describes a “Very desirable Freehold Farm and Dwelling-House” known as “The Paddocks.” Later in the advert it was described as “a small, compact freehold property in this neighbourhood” with three bedrooms, and four good rooms on the ground floor. The key piece of information is that it states that the property has been “recently rebuilt” and that “the same now is in the occupation of William Howells, a yearly tenant.” The 1901 Census shows William Howells to have been living at “Bush Cottage” on census night, Sunday March 31st, 1901.
This is almost certain proof that “The Paddocks” was a new name given to “Bush Cottage” – presumably to market the property to a new bidder. It was probably further extended later, since by 1911 it had “12 rooms.” There were six upstairs bedrooms by 2014.
Facts and Figures
Year of Construction
Bush Cottage was on the site previously. This was re-built around the turn of the 19th to 20th Century and re-named "The Paddocks."
First Recorded Residents and year
1902 - William Howells and family
Residents at time of the 1851 census
The house was not known as "The Paddocks" at this time.
Location
This Google maps screen grab, shows the location of “The Paddocks.” Click on this link to explore the area on Google Maps.
Residents
William and Eliza Howells, and family. The first known residents.
The 1902 advertisement of Public Auction of the property is the first time that I have seen the name “The Paddocks” used for the property. Bush Cottage was rebuilt and expanded into the Twelve roomed Edwardian Villa, “The Paddocks” in the late 19th or early 20th century. By the 1911 census Bush cottage had disappeared from the census and other records; “The Paddocks” was in its place. This was possibly the first of a whole series of houses that transformed the village from the village remembered by Catherine Sainsbury in “Cathy’s Farm”.
William and Elizabeth had been at “Beech Cottage” at the time of the 1891 census.
William was a “Wood cutter” who by 1911 (probably earlier) was employed at Usk Saw mills. He had been born in Gwehelog in 1862. Elizabeth Ann had entered the world in 1864 as “Eliza Ann Williams,” the daughter of James Williams and Ann (nee Symon) who had been born in Devon. James and Ann lived at Twyn, where Elizabeth was presumably born. Eliza had worked away “in service” as a domestic servant in Wrexham in 1881, although returned home to marry William Howells in 1885.
In 1901, seven children were in residence at Bush Cottage – Albert born circa 1886, Elizabeth (c. 1889), Ellen (c. 1891), William J. (c. 1892), James (c. 1893), Thomas J. (c. 1895), George (c. 1897), Benjamin (b. 1900), Flossy (c. 1901), Gladys (b. 1902) and Ernest (b. 1907).
They had 11 children in total, who were all still alive at the time of the 1911 census. They were probably all relieved that “The Paddocks” had been extended – although were tenants, rather than the owners of the property.
The family had moved to “The Cross” by the time of the 1911 census, which was named “Cross House” on the 1921 census.
This link is to the details of “The Paddocks” when advertised by a local Estate Agency, Elstons Estate Agency of Usk in 2014. If at some point in the future, this link is broken, let me know since I have also downloaded a copy of the details.
Herbert and Lillian Brown.
By the time of the 1911 census “The Paddocks” had new residents in place.
Herbert Brown was the Head of Household at “The Paddocks”, with his wife, Lillian Rosa. Herbert and Lillian had married in 1909. Herbert was a Commercial traveller, selling Cattle medicines, was aged 29 and a Hereford native. Lillian’s maiden name was Lillian Rosa Rowland – a native of nearby Griffithstown.
This link is to the details of “The Paddocks” when advertised by a local Estate Agency, Elstons Estate Agency of Usk in 2014. If at some point in the future, this link is broken, let me know since I have also downloaded a copy of the details.
Reginald and Ellen Burge (1920s to 1966).
Reginald Senior was “not occupied for a living” in 1921 and
was noted to be a “retired Poultry dealer” by 1939. Reginald Gordon Burge,
their son, became a Barrister. I imagine that in 1921 he was still studying,
since he has “None” written as his occupation.
Documents from the planning permission being sought in 2008 for
Rose Cottage show that Reginald Gordon Burge sold “The Paddocks” (and also
“Rose Cottage”) to Arthur Ernest Gilbert in 1966.
Records
Censuses
- 1911 – Herbert and Lillian Rosa Brown.
- 1921 – Reginald M., Ellen and Reginald G. Burge.
- 1939 National Register – Reginald M., Ellen and Reginald G. Burge.
Registers of Electors
- 1922 and 1929 – Reginald and Ellen Burge.