10 and 12 Kimbolton Road Bedford

10 and 12 Kimbolton Road May 2009

10 and 12 Kimbolton Road were listed by the former Department of Environment on 1971 as Grade II, of special interest. They were built about 1840 and have a stucco front and Welsh slate roof. The houses contain two storeys.

12 Kimbolton Road was the home, for a short while of Bedford solicitor Frederick William Budd. He was living in Buckingham at the time of the 1861 census but on Sunday 10th May 1863 he was beaten up by two drunks in Castle Lane. Returning home to 12 Kimbolton Road he died in his sleep in the early hours of the following morning as a result of bleeding into the brain from the injuries he had been given. His assailants were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years penal servitude.

12 Kimbolton Road May 2009

On 1st August 1915 Major John H. Younger MC of the 2nd/7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders living at 25 Kimbolton Road wrote about 10 Kimbolton Road [Z938/10/1/13]: “I have received your letter confirming the verbal arrangement made regarding the above house – namely that the Officers’ Mess Committee of the 2/7th A&D. Highs agree to take the same for one month from Wednesday the 7th April at the rent of £7.7/- & so on from week to week pro rata, subject to one week’s notice – which I now corroborate. I notice that the House will be vacated on Tuesday afternoon & I shall arrange to inspect the house then & make any arrangements that may be necessary to fit it as an Officers’ Mess. Do you wish to have an Inventory of the Contents made on that day? I do not suppose any other agreements than this correspondence will be necessary?”

There is something of a mystery about this letter. The 2nd/7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were a second line battalion which did not see active service. It was formed at Stirling in September 1914 and in January 1915 was attached to the 193rd (2nd Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders) Brigade, 64th (2nd Highland) Division. It moved to Falkirk in August 1915 and Angus for the winter. It moved to Norwich in March 1916 and then to Taverham in April 1916 until disbanded in March 1918. There is no official record of it ever having been in Bedford and yet there is no doubt that it is 2/7th Battalion as it is repeated twice in the letter. 51st (Highland) Division had its war base in Bedford. 1st/7th Battalion was in Bedford from August 1914 until December 1914 when it went to France and joined 4th Division. It did not rejoin 51st Division until 1st March 1916.

On 5th July 1923 Henry Whitbread died. He had been licensee of the Old George Public House in Bedford before moving to 10 Kimbolton Road [GK86/8]. An inventory was made of his furniture as set out below. 

Drawing Room: a small carpet rug; a red carpet; two Venetian blinds; an electric light pendant; a brass fender, two dogs and two pokers; walnut suite upholstered in tapestry; two easy chairs; a couch; four chairs; an occasional chair in velvet; a music stool with a chintz cover; a mahogany inlaid card table; an ebony inlaid china cabinet with a glass front; a walnut inlaid display cupboard; a bamboo table; a large glass mirror over the mantel; two small card tables; a fire screen; three jardinières; a sixteen inch Japanese vase; an eight inch green painted specimen holder; a twelve inch glass specimen holder; a four inch Japanese vase;  a five inch Japanese vase; a green dessert service of sixteen plates, a stand dish and two dishes.

Dining Room: carpet; a rug; inlaid walnut chiffonier wit ha marble top and mirror; a smaller walnut chiffonier mirror and glass top; a dining room suite of four chairs; three leather seated chairs; a couch; a dining table with handle; a table cover; a carved walnut stand; a large gilt mirror and two jardinières.

Morning Room: a Venetian blind; en electric light pendant, shade and lamp; a three drawer writing table; a brass pen tray; a brass ink stand; an easy chair upholstered in tapestry; two chairs; three brass jardinières, two on a stand; a bell with a deer’s foot handle; a nine and a half inch blue painted vase; two brass hooks on the door and linoleum.

Kitchen: two chairs; a deal table; a dresser; sixteen blue pattern plates; a blue dish; a large well dish; a vegetable dish (cracked); a cheese dish and cover; three water bottles; a coffee pot and a steel fender.

Scullery: an iron saucepan; an enamel jug; a deal table; a knife board; two boxes containing cooking utensils; a bamboo table; a strip of carpet; a bread pot; a pair of steps; a steel fender; a pail and five chambers.

Hall: linoleum;  two cocoa mats; a marble top hall table; an umbrella stand; a coat rack with seven brass hooks and ten chairs.

Front Bedroom: three hooks on a rail; carpet; a towel rail; a wardrobe; a chest of drawers, three long and two short with a swing glass mirror over; a washstand; a trinket set of two pots, a powder pt, a pin tray and a ring tree; an iron bedstead; a mattress; a gas globe, mantel and fittings; two cane seated chairs and two plush chairs.

Front Bedroom (left): a Venetian blind; carpet; a dressing table with swing glass mirror; a chest of drawers with three long drawers; a marble top washstand with two drawers; a wardrobe with a plate glass mirror, four short drawers, a cupboard and four trays; a towel rail; an iron bedstead; a spring mattress; a toilet set of a ewer, basin, soap dish, liner and lid and two chambers; a seat upholstered in tapestry; a glass overmantel and a pair of nine inch brass candlesticks.

Back Bedroom: linoleum; a brass bedstead; a spring mattress; a dressing table with swing glass mirror; a chest of three long and two short drawers and three keys; a washstand with a marble top and tiled back with two drawers; a toilet set of a ewer, basin, soap dish and liner, water bottle and glass, tooth brush vase, chamber and slop vase; a towel rail; ten cane seated chairs; an easy chair upholstered in tapestry and a steel fender and two implements

Middle Back Bedroom: a walnut circular table; three chairs; an arm chair; carpet; a writing table with two drawers; a brass pen tray and a steel fender and one implement.

Bathroom: a gas fitting; linoleum; hooks on the door; a stool with two drawers under and a bath with hot and cold supply.

Back Bedroom: a white enamel washstand; a cane seated chair and an iron bedstead

W. C. : carpet

Landing and Stairs: carpet; brass rods and eyes; a small strip of linoleum; a smoke condenser and a gas globe and fittings.

10 Kimbolton Road May 2009