The Laurels
The Laurels dates back to the early 18th century and was remodelled in the early 19th century, at the time when John Jones, a prominent local landowner, inherited the house, farm and lands from his father, Piercy Jones. Piercy’s will of 1796 reveals that John had been living across the road at The Pool House (present-day Nos 23 & 25 High Street), described as a “new built messuage or tenement with the garden and appurtenances”, but this was left to his second son, Piercy, so John moved into the main farmhouse where his father had been living. William Collett, farmer, described as “my good friend”, was named as trustee of the land. When John died in 1850, ownership passed to his niece, Mary Wheeler, along with the adjoining homestead, garden and orchard. After Mary’s death, The Laurels was sold in 1868, followed by the rest of the estate in 1888. It was sold again in 1890 following the liquidation of the estate of William Byrd. According to census records, the primary occupants were as follows -
1871 Charles Huband watchmaker
1881 John Byrd farmer
1891 Edward Evans retired innkeeper
1901 Elizabeth Evans Living on own means
1911 Elizabeth Evans Living on own means
1921 William Henry Reed Market Gardener
By the time the 1939 Register was compiled, the householder was Albert Brazier, who was listed as a Plumber, Heating & Sanitary Engineer, and his wife Beryl, Assistant Commandant Worcester 12 of the British Red Cross, and their son David, who subsequently inherited the house and family building business. It was David who opened a DIY shop in the yard at the side of the house, which was very useful to villagers in the days before DIY superstores! The shop remained in business until the mid-1980s.Albert died in January 1973, and Beryl in January 1988, having outlived David by almost two years. When the house was sold again in the 1990s, the land behind The Laurels was developed to form part of The Knapp.
The Laurels in 1968.