Bunkers Hill Cottages

A Great Time Was Had by All

These cottages still display the plaque “Erected for the Poor 1779”. TheĀ  Duke of Rutland leased land for cottages for poorer parishioners to the Trustees of the Poor and in 1779 he built a group of cottages which the Parish rented at low rents. They were named Bunkers Hill Cottages in memory of the first battle of the American War of Independence, the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was a British victory of a kind.

By modern standards the original cottages were tiny, but ‘each one had a coal hovel, a piggery and a good garden…In 1851 the poor houses in Bunkers Hill held 17 families with 71 people’ (Honeybone The Book of Bottesford) Although referred to as the Bunkers Hill Poor Houses, they are often known locally as Blue Bank, the name of the road to the station.
The cottages were sold in the 1920 Duke’s sale and have since been considerably altered. In 1979 the residents got together to celebrate their two hundredth anniversary.

Vic Martin recalls:’The photo of the “party” was taken in June 1979 when the residents decided to hold a “birthday party” for the cottages as they were built in 1779. The prime mover was Anne Cameron who lived at no53. We collected cash weekly over several months and invited as many ex-residents as we could find. In total 86 people turned up including morris dancers and we all sat down to traditional fare that would have been available in 1779. A special “brew” of ale and various cordials were made by the residents and a great time was had by all. In fact it was so good we continued collecting and all went to France for a long weekend the following year!

Those in the photograph are from left to right Tom Cameron, Norman Toon, Edna Toon, Vic Martin, Oliver Wilkinson, Tony Cameron, Mary Grice, Bill Grice, Mu Martin with Joe, Emily Martin and Mary Cameron.

We all dressed for the part if we could and decorated the back lane with home made bunting and wild flowers. We had a maypole and traditional games such as apple bobbing for the children.

On the front of the cottages near to the original date stone is another plaque commemorating this event together with everyones name.’
By Vic Martin (12/04/2007)

This page was added on 12/04/2007.

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