25 to 35 Flitwick Road Westoning

25 to 35 Flitwick Road about 1900 [Z50/130/11]

Like much of Westoning, 25 to 35 Flitwick Road was owned by the Westoning Estate and was sold ay auction, with a considerable amount of other property, in 1918 [Z720/1/27]. The cottages were described as containing two rooms up and two down and being in the occupation of J. Hillyard, A. Hillyard, E. Pedder, E. Parkin, Charles Carter and William Higgs at a combined total of £35 per annum in rent.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every piece of land and building in the country was to be assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. Westoning, like most of Bedfordshire, was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting the terrace [DV1/C135/89-94] discovered that it was owned by someone he simply gave as "Evans". In ascending number order the tenants were: William Higgs, paying £8/16/7 per annum; Charles Carter paying £13 per annum; W. Nichols paying £15/12/- per annum; F. Block paying £10/8/- per annum; A. Hilliard paying £8/15/6 per annum and J. Peat paying £10/8/-  per annum.

Despite the greatly differing rents all dwellings comprised the same accommodation - a living room and kitchen downstairs with two bedrooms above. Outside each were a coal barn and an earth closet. The only difference was that Carter also had a workshop measuring 11 feet by 12 feet. The valuer commented: "Good row, high eaves".

25 to 35 Flitwick Road January 2010