I have quite a few postcard images of Soranks Manor, Fairseat, or The Manor as it is referred to on some of the images. I thought it interesting to put them together to see the evolution of the garden. I don't have a date for the last image, but presume it to be the latest one.
I haven't seen this old postcard before. It shows the lovely view from the footpath by the War Memorial, which runs up the hill and over the fields to Hodsoll Street. I know it well, as I used the footpath to walk my son to and from Stansted school between 2006 - 2012. And it is still a highlight on any walk around the village. It is a great spot to watch the sun set. The field was then full of some kind of crop, whereas it has been grass for as long as I've lived here. The trees are in full leaf so must be taken one summer, many years ago.
Note 1: this image is also on the wonderful Stansted and Fairseat History Society website. They caption it as "Stansted prior to 1920 when the cottages opposite the School were built"
Note 2: I saw this postcard, and another of Stone Rocks in Stansted, for sale on the US Ebay site. It was located in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA. I wonder if it was taken by a resident who emigrated out to the US, as a memory of home?
Gosh, long time since I posted. Haven't found anything interesting for ages. But this postcard of The Black Horse popped up a while ago, which I haven't seen before. It looked so different I had to check it really was our Black Horse, but windows and doors all match. Never knew it was once called The Black Horse Hotel.
Found this postcard of the inside of Standted Church purporting to be 1920s era.
Two versions of an old Poscard of Stone Rock, Stansted. I wonder what the origins of the name of the house are? Is there a big rock somewhere on the property?
Front and back of an Ebay postcard find. Postmark dated 1907. See here for another view of the house and more information on it.
Information from an old book. This toll-house pre-dates the bungalow on the corner of Vigo Road/A227.
Here is some information I found in an old book, and stupidly I've forgotten to take a note of what book it was in.
When out walking I always admire the fine looking old house next to the Church at Ridley. It looks fascinating, I'd love to have a look around it! I haven't found out much about it at all, but did find this press photo from when one of the barns burnt down in 1938. I also found a very small image of the house.
Here are a few other images I have found of the now sadly burnt down Green Man in Hodsall Street. I don't know what date they are, but the one showing the white painted front is obviously more recent. I also found a clear picture of the pub sign used on that image, which was taken in 1985.
Interesting little bit of history. Front, back and sides of an old Milk Carton - the milk was 'Farm Cartoned' at Haven Manor, Haven Hill, Fairseat, Kent. The milk is untreated ie. Raw milk.
Digging about a bit, I tried to date this packaging.
Firstly, I assumed that milk cartons were perhaps from the 50s era, but I was wrong. In fact milk cartons were invented roughly 1929, and my research led me to a fascinating website about Danish Carl Hartmann of Hartmann packaging, who apparently invented the Satona, a fully automatic carton making, filling and sealing machine for milk. He also invented egg boxes! The Hartmann history page is a fascinating read, do take a look at this page www.hartmann-packaging.com/world/about-us/history/
I also Googled 'when did mass pasturisation of milk become common?'
'One of the most deadly micro-organisms that can live in milk is bovine tuberculosis, which killed thousands of children before pasteurisation became widespread in Britain following the 1922 Milk and Dairies Act'
Hmmmmm... I could perhaps try and date the carton from the fonts used, but I think I'll leave it for now. Perhaps a relative of the Harris's of Haven Manor, Fairseat, will stumble across this post and tell me when H A & W M Harris were living at Haven Manor.
Anyway, do enjoy my funny little 'find'.
I found an old advert, either from a newspaper or a magazine, for the auction of Fairseat Manor and 235 Acres. I have different records as to whether the date of auction was 1960 or 1968, probably because a zero and 8 can look quite similar in small print. I'd be grateful if anyone can confirm the date. The auction took place in July of that year.
On another post about Fairseat House (which is next door to Court House/The Cottage) Becca Peters commented and told me this:
"Fairseat House was a school. Court House was originally built for the headmistress' brother which is why there is a little gate between the two. It was deemed unsuitable for a man to live in the same building"
Dick also told me this information:
"Horace Grant had the house built in around 1850 at about the same time as Fairseat House. He lived in it and called it The Cottage. His sister, Hannah, ran a boarding school for girls in Fairseat House"
I don't have the image in a better quality or size, but will continue to look out for one.
The image beneath has featured on my blog before, but it had a watermark over it,. I've managed to get rid of that now.
These are both beautiful images of a bygone era.
