Tor Cottage
From Lacey Green History
Research by Joan West
Hallmark Advertisement. Frank 'Joey' Dormer of Tor Cottage advertised his business of Builder nd Decorator from October 1982 to February 1987.
The land on which Tor Cottage was built was part of Lane Farm.
In 1926, the land was sold by Albert Stevens of Lane Farm to Charles Avigdon Birnstingl of Wimble End (click Albert & Gertrude Stevens for Albert's life story).
15th June 1933. Conveyance. Wimble End and the land sold to Peter Kenneth Chance
25th March 1936. Conveyance. Wimble End and the land sold to Archibald St. John Austin.
Late 1930's said by a later owner, to be tenanted by Mr & Mrs Fowler with two daughters, Diane and ? Tor Cottage now shown on map with Cottage and garden
Before and during WW2, two Tenancy Agreements, researched by Laurence Rostron, between Mrs Isabella Austin and firstly to Mr J G Stewart and then during the war to Lionel Robbins and his family. In June 1941, a Professor Lionel Robbins signed a Tenancy Agreement for Tor Cottage in Church Lane (now replaced by Trillium) which he planned to continue using with his family until the end of the war. Probably unbeknown to local residents, he was a famous British Economist who was, with the possible exception of John Maynard Keynes, the most famous British Economist of his day. He was born in 1898 and schooled in Middlesex, but his University education was interrupted by the first World War where he was wounded and returned home in 1918 to resume his studies. In 1925 he started his long-term relationship with the London School of Economics, where he stayed for the rest of his career. He was initially a Lecturer and was named a Professor of Political Economics in 1929 and he continued to teach there until 1961.
During the 2nd World War he served as Director of the Economic Section of the Offices of the War Cabinet. It is believed that he played a significant role in the Bretton Woods negotiations under the leadership of John Maynard Keynes.
From 1954 to 1955 he was President of the Royal Economic Society and in 1959 he received the highest recognition for his work by being created a life peer as Baron Robbins of Clare Market in the City of Westminster. He resigned from the London School of Economics in 1961 to become Chairman of the Financial Times and remained in that position until 1970.
He published a multitude of academic papers, reports and books including his famous Robbins Report in 1963 which revealed the need for additional resources in higher education which later led to a significant expansion of University education which is recognisable today.
His other roles included Chairman of the Court of Governors at the London School of Economics, Trustee of the National Gallery, Trustee of the Tate Gallery, Director of the Royal Opera House and Chairman of the British Academy.
In 1944 he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Birthday Honours and in the New Year Honours in 1968 he was appointed a Companion of Honour.
The above picture was taken at the opening of the Lionel Robbins building at the London School of Economics in 1978
In his autobiography he explains that early in the war the London School of Economics was moved to Cambridge and that he then spent the week in Cambridge and long weekends in “a country cottage north west of London.” The choice of Lacey Green was almost certainly due to the fact that his wife’s parents lived in Whiteleaf, near Princes Risborough and it made sense for his wife and children to be out of London and near her parents for the duration of the war.
This agreement started on the 13th June 1941 and was planned to continue until the cessation of hostilities. i.e. the end of the war.
September 20th 1944. Conveyance Wimble End and the land sold to William Stanley Rhodes.
Mrs Isabella Austin of Wimble End, sold to William Stanley Rhodes, Wimble End and a piece of land opposite for £6,300
March 11th 1954. Conveyance. William Stanley Rhodes of Wimble End sold to Andrew & Doris Oliver the piece of land opposite to Wimble End.
Andrew Oliver Purchased the bungalow called Tor Cottage with its driveway and also the field surrounding it on the east, south and west. There were public footpaths on the south and north sides of the property.
The following is an extract from the obituary of Doris Oliver. "After only a couple of years at Sunnybank Andrew and Doris moved to a smallholding in Church Lane - Tor Cottage (now called Trillium). Andrew returned to work and Doris was running the enterprise more or less alone. She enjoyed this. She loved animals, and would rather run a business than do housework. With two children at school, she made friends in the village, and was enjoying life.
Eventually the smallholding became too much for her. She and Andrew chose a retirement bungalow in Kiln Lane."
Research by Laurence Rostron
1964 Andrew & Doris Oliver sold Tor Cottage and part of the land to Mr & Mrs F J Dormer
1967 Andrew & Doris Oliver sold the remaining land adjacent to Tor Cottage to Mr & Mrs F J Dormer
(Research note by Joan West. Frank & Freda Dormer had a poultry farm at Tor Cottage in Church Lane, Lacey Green and his mother Beatrice 'Bea' Dormer went there to help them grading the eggs for them into her old age. click Fred & Beatrice Dormer for the life story of Frank's mother 'Bea'.)
1998 John Story purchased Tor Cottage, which was demolished in 2000 and a new house, 'Trillium', was built to replace it.