42 and 44 George Street Woburn

42 and 44 George Street March 2012

42 and 44 George Street comprise an attractive building constructed by the Duke of Bedford’s Estate. It is built in a style reminiscent of his other estate housing in the district but more ornate, as befits somewhere which has a view of Woburn Abbey itself.

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. Woburn, like much of the county was valued in 1927 and the valuer visiting 42 and 44 George Street [DV1/C126/1-2] found that Number 42 was occupied by Charles Edwin King whose rent was 1/10 per week. His accommodation consisted of a living room, a kitchen and a scullery with two bedrooms above. A washhouse, earth closet and coal barn all lay outside. The property was lit by gas. The valuer commented: “Upstairs much smaller than page 1 [i. e. Number 44].

Number 44 was in the occupation of William Giles (another, later, hand has annotated this “Stringer”) and his rent was also 1/10 per week. Accommodation was identical as regards number and type of room, though the later hand has annotated the upstairs to read one bedroom and a boxroom. The valuer noted, in addition, that mains water was laid on.

The rear of 42 and 44 George Street March 2012