Highcroft

HIGHCROFT

Highcroft was built in 1904 by the widow from the Elms farm: Mrs Helen Weston nee Franklin just prior to the marriage of her eldest son Henry J F Weston (Harry), she also owned the 3 acre field opposite (Highcroft Field) which had in it a depression which being an unusual rectangular shape has been said may well be the site of a moat to a small manor house, its outline is marked on older maps. This field was used for the Mayday celebrations and flower and vegetable shows along with fetes etc. after Knightons moved into Manor Farm,( previously Towns End farm).  At this time her second son Charles H Weston was the tenant of the Duke of Grafton at Moorend Manor farm in Moorend, later to buy it in 1920 from the Duke.

Helen’s youngest, unmarried daughter Edith lived with her when she moved in and her second daughter Nell (Helen) moved in with her two daughters when she suddenly became widowed when her children were young.  Helen: the mother died in 1914, Edith died in 1819 her sister Nell continued to live there into the 1920s probably until The Catt family moved in, she and her family then moved to Bedford.

B Pittam 2016

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Written by Peter Catt December 2005

My Grandfather, A.E.Catt, lived at Passenham Manor in the 1920`s, when my father married in 1921 they went to live at the Passenham Mill House. About June 1928 they moved to Highcroft. There were two children then, Warwick, born August 1924, and Yvonne, born May 1928

I was born there in April 1930, and we lived there till about mid 1935.

After we left we used to visit Mr. Crossland and the two girls, Pat. and Peggy Lewis until about 1940 when my mother had to stop using her car due to wartime petrol restrictions.

The pasture opposite used to have chickens in, looked after by Mr. Dellow.

There was a flower show every year with a big tent. I have quite a number of pictures of him with us all taken in the garden.