Old Bakery (The)
Also see:
Bakery and Chapel Going by Joyce Juggins
OLD BAKERY:
1853 “Built by Edward Wheatley (a builder), who occupied the left one of a pair of cottages.”
“Long building lease probably granted by Lord De Lisle who, as the ground landlord, would have reqd the lessee to mark the cottages with his crest (Bear & Ragged Staff).”
“RH cottage let to Mr Gibbs, and used as a baker’s shop.”
“Wheatley built two other cottages at the same time (El Vanin & Ranmore),”
In 1921 the Old Bakery – house, shop and garden, formed part of the sale of properties belonging to the Penshurst Estate, see Penshurst Sales Particulars 1921, page 20. In the Sales Particulars, the building is described as ‘A Commodious House and Baker’s Shop’ situate at Lower Green, close to the Halt and Leigh Village and embracing an area of about 1rod 18perch: let to Mr T Belton on a yearly Michaelmas Tenancy. The house contains: four bedrooms, two attics, sitting room, living room, kitchen and attached is a bakehouse with eight-bushel oven and flour store over. Coach house, two-stall stable and store shed. W.C. Company’s water and gas laid on. The coach-house and 2 stall stable is now the next door bungalow, going south down Lower Green.
Occupants of the two cottages (1858-79)
Date Southern Northern
1863 (October) John Leigh,John Wickenden 1858 (April)
1864 (March) Ed Wheatley,James Marchant 1863 (October)
1872 Mr Hill Mr Marchant (1872 Drainage Report) and owned by Mr Wheatley
1875 (May) John Hills,
1879 (May) Mrs Martin,
1860 “Shop established, according to photo with Belton’s name freshly overpainted. “”Baker, confectioner and corn merchant”””
1869 “Ordnance Survey Map, 25 inch, shows the two cottages that became the bakery.”
1872 “Drainage system put in village by Samuel Morley; Houses 81 (Marchant) & 82 (Hill) on plans, small & lge scale. Both houses had “”eaves gutters”” at the front, common privy over ditch & brick closet behind.”
1883 “The two cottages were merged, and the actual bakery transferred to this site from what is now Laundry Cottage.”
Frederick Hollands baked and sold bread on this site.
1898 “Sale by public auction, on 28 June at Rose & Crown, Tonbridge, of ‘Baker’s house, shop and bakehouse, with coach-house & stable, workshops, large garden and lawn, let to Mr Hollands at £40/ann.’ The Free Press June 25, 1898.”
1902 Piped water from Tonbridge reached Leigh.
1906 Piped water in Lower Green.
1910 Sewage scheme extended through village.
1912 Gas in Lower Green.
?1914 “Mr Friend the baker, & Elsie & Arthur his children.”
1921/1922 “House sold by KFR as “”A commodious house and baker’s shop,… let to Mr T Belton on a yearly Michaelmas tenancy””, when outlying portions of the Penshurst Estate (cut off by the railway in 1842) were sold to pay Estate Duty. Coach-house, two-stall stable and store shed mentioned. Mr Belton famous for his iced cakes, sold to TW hotels,”
“Tom Belton “”lean & dumpy”””
1927 “Robert Phipps the baker, who ran the chapel, & sold teas.”
1929 “Electricity came, by cable through Powder Mills – Tonbridge UDC.”
1930s The Trengroves must have taken over the Bakery in the mid ’30s (Joan Coomber).
1930s late “Old Bakery also hosted the Post Office, between locations at The Square and the Green, before the war.”
1939 Business sold by Phipps to Mr Lakeman (?Lakeland )
?1949 Old Bakery sold by Lakeman to Mr F A Smith
L E Smith & son took over
Smith sold Old Bakery to Mr Trengrove.
1964 “Converted to one larger dwelling house, for a retired colonel.”