A view of the day the cottage burned down
image courtesy of Denis Perry
A view of the day the cottage burned down
Image courtesy of Denis Perry
Many of the thatched cottages in Polesworth burned down due to the nature of their construction including Little Jim’s cottage. The cottage on this page was near the Chetwynd Arms on the square. These photographs show the day the cottage burnt down.
Thatched roof
The thatched roof was completely burnt. I was a member of the fire brigade attending the fire (the one holding the shovel) on that day. I had to make a hole in the wattle and daub wall to let the water out. All the thatch washed down the drains, blocked them up and then flooded the square. The cottage was later demolished. Nothing stands there today.
Later the Chetwynd Arms was flattened and a new fire station built there in its place.
Comments
I remember the fire at the thatched cottage in the High Street in about 1942. All the schoolchildren stood on the opposite side of the road to watch. The cottage was demolished afterwards.
I also remember the thatched cottage in The Square burning. I was just coming down the road on the way to school and saw that it had already gone – it was a real feature of the village that had disappeared.
i was walking to work at S and D Stonehouse plumbers the day it burnt down,we used to buy sweets from a small shop one part of the building,it was a great loss to my home village Polesworth,where I was born and grew up until leaving in 1993, another loss was the fire that burnt to the ground,Little Jims Cottage,up the lane leading to the Jaw bones.My heart still belongs in my beloved Polesworth.
I was born 03/01/1934 at 76 Grendon Road Polesworth and later to 3 St Helena Road. I remember everything from those years. Regret all the old buildings now demolished. Educated at Nethersole schools and then at Atherstone Grammar. Now live in Spain.
Hi Brian my father was born on Grendon Road in 1930, can’t remember the number but his name was Philip Wright They sold up in 1959 to go to Australia but unfortunately couldn’t go as my grandmother had a TB scar on her lung – wondered if you knew them at all.
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