Numbering is difficult to follow due to later building. The numbering used here is as accurate as possible to the 1939 register (the only one to actually record house numbers), anything prior can only be arrived at with much research, and some guess work, and remained as such through the 1950’s, before the developments. Clicking on any of the highlighted links will take you to more information about that place.
Coming out of The Narrows if we carried straight on, the footpath would take you across fields, The Leys on the left, and Lammas Piece on the right, to Whetstone. At the right side of the footpath are a pair of semi detached houses built in the mid to late 1930’s. The first, No.2 in 1939, and probably from new, was occupied by Joseph Hubbard then aged 32, and wife Majorie, with their 10 year old daughter Frances. Also there was George Buckley their lodger aged 47, and hotel cleaner (likely at The Narborough Arms). Joseph was a carpenter at Empire Stone in Narborough for most of his working life. He died on 9th Febuary 1978 aged 70, leaving £11601 in his will.
Next door at No.4 was George Heighton, a master blacksmith, and partner in Heighton Brothers, builders, timber merchants, and wheelwrights just across the road, He lived with daughter Doreen, a silk winder at Burgess & Co. Victoria Mills
Again George was likely there since the house was built, his family firm, Heighton Brothers, almost certainly built it along with No.2 in the mid-1930’s. George died 11th March 1976 aged 84 and is buried in Narborough Congregational Churchyard. He left £10453 in his will.
No’s 2 and 4 Cosby Road pictured in 2023
Next door on the plot between No’s 4 and 10, was Heightons woodyard. Here they stored the tree trunks for later milling in their workshops across the road. The trees would have been bought as they stood in the hedgerows locally. Transport being by horse drawn timber bob, certainly in the early 20th century when the firm was established. In the late 1960’s they built two bungalows on the site (No’s 6 and 8) with Tony Heighton living in No.8.
No.10, the shop on the corner of Warwick Road was Alf Brocklehurst the butcher, it was built sometime between 1921 and 1938, it doesn’t appear on any maps prior to 1921. Tom Gooder, age 48 was living there with wife Mary in 1939 when he described his occupation as that of joiner. Also there were son Tom aged 25, a slaughterhouse man (presumably for Brocklehurst), daughter Mary 22 engaged in domestic work, Arthur 20 a painter & decorator, and Harold 14 still at school. The Leicester Evening Mail dated 26th January 1945 reports on Tom senior’s war bravery. Tom senior also raised the alarm for the fire at Heighton’s sawmill across the road in January 1951. The business was sold to Shiltons’s (uncle of Peter Shilton, Leicester and England goalkeeper), and continued for a time as a butchers.
On the opposite corner of Warwick Road was No.12, build date uncertain but it shows on the 1886 Ordnance survey map so it pre-dates that.. Occupied for a long time by Howard Heywood and wife Sylvia, they were there at the time of the 1939 register. Howard was a painter & decorator. He served in the Second World War and suffered wounds in May 1943. He returned home wounded from Italy in April 1945, flags were put out in the streets to welcome him back.
No.32 “Linden Lea”. This was the first of two pairs of semi-detached houses built in 1939 on a virgin plot, (they don’t show on the 1938 OS map). William Heighton aged 36, a partner in Heighton Brothers was certainly here at the time of the 1939 register taken in September. The Plant family lived here in the 1950’s.
No. 34 Joseph Johnson 47 and wife Joy 31 in 1939. Joseph was an artificial stone worker employed by Empire Stone. I believe there until the 1950’s when they were followed by the Townsends.
No. 36 “Westlock” George Harry Hall and wife Lily here in 1939, both aged 26. “Harry” was a painter and decorator. In the early 1960’s they opened a shop next to the station yard in Narborough selling decorating materials and nails etc. It was run by Lily.
No.38 the last of the four semi’s. In 1939 Charles Osborne, retired and aged 77 lived here with wife Mary. During the 1950’s Bill Heighton was here until bought by Vernon Panter from Station Road.
The Narborough Transport Fleet pictured outside the semi’s on Cosby Road
No.40. At the time of the 1939 register, George Wright 48, a signalman at Narborough station lived here with wife Ada, daughter Kathleen 20, a shoe machinist, and son Frederick 19, a shoe repairer. The Goddards, well known local turf suppliers and dog breeders took it on in the 1950’s.
No. 42. The first of three terraced houses built in the early 20th century (After 1901 but before 1914). Recently retired licensee of The Old Inn, Ambrose Tomkins aged 67 in 1939 was here with wife Alice, and daughter Monica 17, a typist. The Leicester Mercury dated 25th Febuary 1954 carried an advert for its sale, price isn’t mentioned but we do know the ratable value was £9.
No.44. In 1939 William Gosling aged 31, a wheelwright and agricultural implement maker for Holyoaks of Regent Street, Narborough, was here with wife Norah (Gertude). Later they adopted a son Roger. Norah nee Bingley was the village post lady. They were followed by the Waddingtons.
No.46. 1939, Edgar Bingley 43, and a lorry driver for his father Abraham Bingley (1871-1956), lived here with wife Elsie. He later bought No’s 56 & 58 on the other side of The Ridgeway – Abraham Bingley’s Builders Yard.
No’s 56 & 58 “Veronica Cottages” Built pre 1886 as they show on the OS map published that year, quite possibly early to mid 19th century. One of these, if not both, in 1939 was lived in by a retired gamekeeper Stephen Stokes. Edgar Bingley then bought and re-named them “Veronica Cottages” after the ship he had served on in The First World War. Edgar served on Narborough parish council for 32 years. He died aged 79 in 1975.
Let’s continue towards Cosby then cross the road at Brooklyn Corner by Cosby brook. The first houses we would have come to in 1939 were a pair of semi’s built circa 1910, the first in the 1950’s was occupied by the Hartletts, with the Bransons next door, they had a two-storey workshop at the bottom of the garden. I believe this was connected with the shoe-making business, there being shoe factories in nearby Cosby, Whetstone, and Blaby.
Coming towards Littlethorpe was a bungalow come smallholding built for Walter Starmer (1884-1964). Known as Wally, in his youth he was a prominent local footballer. The Starmers were boot and shoe manufacturers in nearby Cosby. I remember my dad Ernest Thompson buying Wally’s car an Austin Ten Lichfield registration number BHX 245 from Mac Sharpe in 1964, he paid £10 for it. Passing by a couple of fields on the left brings us to No 53, Riddingtons Nursery originally know as The Vineries, more information about the nursery, the Riddingtons and it’s previous occupiers the Lamberts can be seen by clicking the link.
Continuing our way back to the village centre we come to a pair of bungalows, the first of which No.49 “Berea” is occupied by George Bennett (7th August 1885) a post office sorting clerk, he is married to Mary (23rd July 1884) and they have a daughter Joyce (26th October 1924) she is a typist in a hosiery factory. George a keen cyclist is president of The National Cyclists Union and obviously a keen gardener too as seen below.
Leicester Evening Mail 27th September 1937
The Leicester Evening Mail of 10th September reportd that George now aged 75 marries his 59 year old aunt by marriage, Hilda Spence at All Saints Church Narborough, he was living at Huncote.
His next door neighbour at No 47 “Fernleigh” was William Gosling (1879-1951) he was there with wife Susan and son Richard at the time of the 1939 register. His occupation was joiner and wheelright. The Leicester Evening Mail of 9th Febuary 1951 reports his death at home while trying to repair his water tank two days earlier, he was 72. He left £2291 6s 11d in his will.
A recent picture of Fernleigh 47 Cosby Road
At the time of the 1939 register there was no No. 45 it was a vacant plot, but later Harry Holland had a house built here. No.43 was in the occupation of Amos Cooke (19/5/1881-1949) he married Madeline Mills (12/4/1888-) at Cosby on the 3rd August 1918. Amos was resident in Littlethorpe at the time and was a journeyman carpenter, in other words just out of his apprenticeship. In 1939 he describes himself as a carpenter and mould maker, quite likely for Empire Stone in Narborough.
Next we have No’s 41 and 39 Titanic Cottages built in 1912. At 41 is John Glover (18/11/1893-) and his wife Julia (30/11/1889-) with them is daughter Kathleen (24/6/1920-). John is employed at the County Council depot as a fitter and turner. Kathleen is employed as an invoice clerk, and as was usual then, Julia kept house. Earlier in 1921 John was employed by Croft Granite Quarry as a steam wagon driver. At No 39 was Herbert Abbott (11/4/1889-1977), a watch and clock maker, he had maried Edith (15/7/1884-) in 1917. With them were son Evan b.25/8/1921 an accountants clerk, and daughter Edith b.12/2/1926 at school. Sadly Evan died in a cycling accident as reported in The Leicester Evening Mail of 28th November 1940. Herbert was a keen singer, choir master, and organist at Stony Stanton and Sapcote Methodist Churches. The Abbotts are still here in the 1950’s.
Titanic Cottages built in 1912 No’s 39 and 37 Cosby Road in the 1939 register.
.No’.’s 35 and 33 Victoria Cottages. in 1939 at 37 was Laura Glover (26/7/1867-1956) a widow. No. 35 is home to James Ginns (22/7/1899-1972) a carpenters labourer at the conrete works, presumably Empire Stone. He is married to Laura b.12/9/1898. Lauras mother, Laura Glover (1867-1956) is living next door at No.37. James and Laura have a daughter Heather b.24/3/1931, she is at school.
Victoria Cottages No’s 35 and 37 Cosby Road
No. 33 in 1939 was home to the Howkins family. Head was John (21/2/1872-) an elastic braid hand, no doubt employed by Burgess & Co at Victoria Mills on Warwick Road. His wife Ellen was born 19th July 1879, she was a housewife. Their children were Winifred b.7/7/1901, Charlotte b. 9/1/1903, both of these were hosiery hand binders, Hilda b.10/10/1906 an elastic web king winder, again almost certainly employed by Burgess & Co. Son William was born 21/7/1915 he was employed as a carpenter by the GPO, or as we know it today the post office. At No. 31 was Robert Mills (24/7/1907-) a general labourer at artificial stone works (Empire Stone) he is married to Doris b.14/7/1900, they have a son Geoffrey b.16/4/1931 at school and Terence b.18/9/1934.
29 Cosby Road in 1939 Thomas Bingley (31/1/1893-1946) a master butcher and farmer. he is married to Jessie b.9/5/181897, she keeps Thomas’s account books. The Bingley’s were still there in 50’s. No’s 27 and 25 were then empty plots belonging to Thomas. Next is the pair of semi-detached houses built by Harry and Abraham Bingley. Harry (21/9/1887-) is at No.23 he is single and lives with sister Jessie who keeps house. He works as a handyman at the Gummed Paper Works, Victoria Mills. Living in is Frederick Bailey b.1899 a concrete worker. Harry’s name appeared in the local press from time to time, usually to do with drinking out of hours or, on one occasion for playing football on the highway!! for this he was fined 5 shillings (25p), that was in 1902. Sadly Harry died as a result of a road accident at Narborough in October 1946 while riding his cycle. Mr & Mrs Cliff Pears lived here in the fifties, Cliff was the local milkman. No. 21 Abraham Bingley read more about him here. His daughter Ivy continued living here after his death in 1956.
No’s 21 and 23 Cosby Road built by brothers Abraham and Harry Bingley in the late 1890’s.
17 Cosby Road, and still in 1939, we have Mary Vernon (5/7/1876-) a widow, and son James b.28/8/1896 a stone labourer, this could be at one of the local quarries or maybe Empire Stone. Next door at No.15 is Annie Burgess a widow aged 81, with her are her children Thomas (19/7/1909-) a carpenter at artificial stone works (Empire Stone), and Grace b.23/7/1906, an hosiery cutter, also there is Monica (Pither) who would appear to be Graces daughter born 22/3/1934 who is at school.
Emanuel Cottages built 1912 No’s 13 and 11.
Emanuel Cottages No’s 11 and 13 built in 1912
No.13 is occupied by Wilfred Fowkes (11/9/1875-) he lives alone and lists his occupation as industrial stoker, very likely at Victoria Mills across the road. 1950’s Mr & Mrs Burgess.
At No. 11 is John Goodman (18/7/1895-) he is a foreman at Burgess & Co elastic web weavers, Victoria Mills. His wife Florence b.31/3/1898 keeps house, at home are son Ronald b.18/12/1922, an hosiery counterman, and daughter Barbara b.24/7/1924 a machine hand in the hosiery trade.
Heighton Brothers Sawmills occupied plot No’s 9 and 7 and across the way from their yard access road was No 5 (The shop) this was the residence of the Heighton family until the late 1940’s when it was taken on by Eric & Kathleen Hall, becoming The V.G. Stores in the 1950’s. No.3 in 1939 was the home of Frederick Hester b.1880 and his wife Dorothy b.1882. Also there were Leslie and Elizabeth Blick these were presumably a married couple, Leslie was a nailer in the boot and shoe trade. In the1950’s and early 60’s Tommy Taylor was there before moving to Stanton under Bardon where he took over The Plough Inn. No.1 called Central View, in 1939 the occupier was George Spence (1863-) he was retired, and living with his wife Harriet b.1871, with them was son Marlow b.1900 a hosiery hand. Home to Mr and Mrs Butlin in the 1950’s.
This brings us back to the Holly Farm outbuildings and the end of our walk. Hope you enjoyed it.
Page extract showing some of the Cosby Road addresses, from the 1939 register
All of the above is a brief glimpse of the past covering numerous families and their history, with information gleaned from various sources, perhaps some will have more knowledge, if so any corrections and additions will be more than welcome via the contact page.
Sources: Nev Duncan, Sue North, Rachel Cooper, Pauline Chapman, Find my Past, 1939 register
As with any local history research continues on this and more information will hopefully be added as it is found, so keep checking for the latest updates. In fact if you can add anything to the above please get in touch via the contact form
