Well Cottages
From Lacey Green History
Research by Joan West
Well Cottages were originally three attached, unnamed little properties in Church Lane, Lacey Green. They were listed in the enclosures of 1823 as already established.
Research was done on the life of Edith Walton, by Madeline Cleaver. click George & Edith Walton for more about Edith, and click Bill & Madeline Cleaver for the life of Madeline.
Edith Janes was born in 1897 in the first cottage of a row of three known as Well Cottages, Church Lane, but moved to Coombs Grubbings at an early age.
In May 1900 the death of a child from drowning happened here and was reported in the Bucks Herald. See 1900 Tragedy by Drowning.
Autobiography extract by Douglas Brett. See 1931 Douglas Brett in Lacey Green for the full story
Our Condemned Cottage. In 1931 my mother, older brother Stanley and I, came to Lacey Green from Chiswick, London, via Naphill, about 1923/4 when I was 6/7 years old. My father had abandoned us, paid no maintenance and had severed all contact. We lived in one of the thatched cottages opposite the famous Tennis Court in Church Lane. Our house had been condemned but the law was not enforced. It was rented from Fred Floyd, a local farmer. It was very basic. One bedroom, living room and tiny kitchen. There was a public footpath right through our garden and a pond 100 yards away. Because of close proximity to a small farm (Lane Farm), we were often overrun with rats which ran riot under the thatch and floor boards and there were masses of cockroaches.
In many ways life was simpler then. No mains water or electricity, no radio or television, no media hype brain–washing children to demand designer clothes, trainers, etc. and the computer hadn’t been invented. In many ways though, I think we were more contented with the simple things of life. In the early 20’s there were no buses and only 3 or 4 cars in the whole village and many children walked long distances to school. Pocket money was unknown.
Research Note by Laurence Rostron. In 1955 the three Well Cottages were purchased and converted into one cottage named White Close. After being purchased again in 1971 the property was renamed Well Cottage.