Modern Roots
A quest to verify the birth of Miss Laura Havercroft for her 100th birthday led to a detailed investigation of Goxhill's geography and school records. Through rate assessments, property deeds, and school log books, researchers traced her family to a farm in Thornton Road and uncovered vivid memories of village life in 1902, including school attendance awards and the strict social standards of the era.
A few weeks before Christmas last year I received a visit from Councillor Peter Clark. A letter had been passed to him, which came from a man seeking information about his mother who had been born in Goxhill 100 years ago. Peter had been told that I was interested in such matters and asked if I could help him.
The Search for Hallands
The young lady was Miss Laura Havercroft and she remembered walking to school and thought that she lived at Hallands Farm. Our first piece of research created a problem for we found from the rate assessment that Mr John William Roberts owned and lived at Hallands Farm. Hallands is however an ancient and much loved name which has been a part of Goxhill since Viking times.
It is of Norse Viking origin rather than Danish, which makes it unusual in this part of England. We found from the rate assessment that William Havercroft had been the tenant of a farm, which belonged to Messrs. Faulding and Fussey and was situated in the Hallands field. The farm buildings were no longer there but had stood at what is now the site of The Homestead, the home of Mr and Mrs D Lamming.
Education and Social Standards
Mr Lewis was the head master of the Goxhill Wesleyan Day School and he lived in the house next to the school. Laura remembered going to school and also that Miss Smalley was a teacher at the school. Miss Smalley was “walking out” with Mr Will Harrison a divorcee.
So incensed were the parents of the schoolchildren that the School Governors dismissed Miss Smalley from her post and both she and Will were obliged to leave the village. Laura felt that this was very narrow-minded. An extract from the school Log Book Goxhill Wesleyan Day School 1907 shows the awards for perfect attendance, including Laura’s sister Mary and her brother George.
Prominent Residents of 1902
Laura remembers the name Cocking. George Fredrick Cocking owned and lived in Pelham Manor (now Pelham Lodge) and was a fruit and potato merchant in Howe Lane. There was a Wesleyan, a Primitive Methodist and a Methodist Chapel. The vicar of All Saints church was the Rev William Seed. Mrs Davey lived at Mayfield House opposite the school and Mr George Martinson lived at New Hall.
Mrs Scott was the sub postmistress. Alfred Ironmonger was the miller at the windmill and George Catley was a tailor beekeeper and assessor of the Queens taxes. Doctor Jonathan Fearnley was a surgeon Physician and Medical officer and Public Vaccinator for Glanford Brigg union and lived at Bridgehill Cottage.
"Peter next went in search of a copy of the registration of the birth... The entry revealed that Miss Laura Havercroft had been born in Thornton Road in 1902."
Peter Clark has asked me to give special thanks to all of the people who have helped him. I am sure that all of the readers of the Gander will wish to join with Peter and myself as we wish Miss Laura Havercroft now Mrs Laura Foster every happiness for her Birthday on the 14th. April 2002.
Exploring Collection: Our Houses & Families
A Note on the Authors
The vast majority of this archive was penned by the late Maurice Brawn, whose wit and meticulous research brought the 18th and 19th centuries to life for Gander readers for decades. We also feature the architectural insights of Kees van den Bos and the educational history of former Headmaster A. J. Regan. We are honoured to preserve their legacy here.
