Stanley House - 1 and 3 Church Road November 2011

1 and 3 Church Road used to be two properties but today is one dwelling called, appropriately as we shall see, Stanley House. The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. The valuer visiting the property [DV1/C234/50] found that it was the village post office, owned and occupied by Walter Stanley and was one dwelling by that date.

Directories for Bedfordshire, which were not published annually but every few years, give the names of the people running the post office in Pulloxhill. Only two names are found in these directories. The dates are the dates the name first and last appears not the dates of residence:

• 1885-1910: Mrs. Charlotte Cook;
• 1914-1940 Walter Stanley.

Walter Stanley was also listed as a printer in 1898, 1903 and 1906 and as a printer in addition to running the post office in 1931, 1936 and 1940. His printing works and office occupied Fieldside Cottage in Orchard Road.

The valuer noted that the property was "Right on road". It comprised a kitchen, a lobby, a living room, a sitting room, a parlour and a room used as a store. The drawing room lay upstairs as did five bedrooms. The post office itself measured 11 feet by 10 feet and Stanley also ran a general shop, measuring 22 feet by 9 feet. The valuer speculated about the presence of two attics and a cellar – perhaps he forgot to ask Stanley when he visited. He commented: "This is General Shop, don't think Post Office Crown property".

Outside stood a brick and slate washhouse, coal barn and wood shed. There was also a weather-boarded and corrugated iron wood shed and a brick and slate shed and earth closet.