Bockings Cottages
Bockings, the lane opposite St Mary’s churchyard, once had a group of seven cottages along its eastern side. The three brick dwellings in the middle were called Cambridge cottages because they belonged to King’s College Cambridge, who owned the St Mary’s ‘advowson’ (the right to appoint the rector). Next door and nearest the church – the tallest buildings furthest along the lane in the photo below – were two cottages once run as a beerhouse by James and Sarah White. On the southern side of Cambridge cottages was an old thatched cottage. All were demolished in about 1960, although the footings can still be seen in the bank along Bockings.
Bockings cottages in about 1910
The site of Cambridge cottages in 2012 – the footings can still be seen along Bockings. Photo by Tom McCall
Bockings Cottages from the ford. St Mary’s is behind the trees on the left; the beerhouse is in the centre.
Cambridge cottages in about 1910, looking along Bockings toward St Mary’s. The furthest building used to be a beerhouse.
See also Les Swain’s memories of his childhood in the 1930s at Cambridge Cottages – click the photo below
Leslie SwainAlice ‘Widow’ Clements at rear of Cambridge Cottages
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Why were the cottages demolished?
actually this photo is not of Walkern, it was taken in the back garden at my grandmother’s house in Cavendish Road, Luton. The children are my father, Tony Wareham and his elder half brother William Oyston.
Alice Clements was my great grandmother through her daughter Elizabeth who married Peter Wareham. I can just remember her though she died in around 1972 when I was 9.