Spring Cottage33 Bridgend Chellington

This page was written by Pamela Hider.

Spring Cottage c1930s with sign stating Brandon Bros. premises, carpenters (Cropped image of Z55/5/709/1) 

Spring Cottage is located on the corner of Bridgend and Felmersham Road. 

The Historic Environment Record for Bedfordshire describes it as :

A post medieval house, it is a brick construction with a tile roof. The house is on a 3 bay plan with sash windows and a cornice running under the eaves.

Spring Cottage had been built by George Brandon (widower), a plumber and glazier from Luton, who moved into it in 1886 after his second marriage. George died in 1895 (aged only 40) and his widow, Mary, was left to bring up the children whilst being a self-employed dressmaker. She is found there in the 1911 census with her sons Fred (carpenter & joiner) and William (house decorator); her husband's son Ernest (butcher) from his first marriage (Z1306/25/8); and a boarder. One of her sons had a workshop in the back yard (since demolished).

In 1927, property in Carlton and Chellington was valued under the Rating and Valuation Act 1925 (DV1/C227). Every piece of land and building in the country had to be valued to determine the rates to be paid upon it. The Owner & Occupier of Spring Cottage at that time was M. Brandon and it was described as follows: Brick & Slate, Red Brick, Builder etc., Detached double front, Living Room, Stairs, Kitchen, Up 3 bedrooms. Stone & Tile Large Barn 'good' + Outhouse, open hovel + up road wood & iron garage. Comments =  on corner, good, v. lettable.

Mary Brandon lived on in Spring Cottage to the age of 94; she died in 1953. The cottage was then sold to the Betts family who occupied it for a further 40 years.

Spring Cottage 2022