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Bamville Wood, Harpenden, c. 1911 January, 2013 |
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Jacky Fawcett.(fawcettjm @t hotmail.co.uk) writes from Tiverton, Devon, saying I am researching my family tree and believe an Alfred Thomas White to be living at Little Barnville Farm in Harpenden, aged 45 yrs, at the time of the 1911 census. He was married to Bessie White and worked as a dairy farm manager and had 4 children living in the household. It is difficult to read the farm name but it looks like Barnville Farm. Having unsuccessfully looked online for this farm I wonder if you could enlighten me on its existence. Alfred was born in North Brewham, Somerset and his wife in South Brewham, Somerset.
I don't recognise the name and on looking at census return the first thing I looked at is the capital letter - as these are often misinterpreted - but in this case it is very similar to the capital "B" in Alfred's wife "Bessie". FindMyPast lists the entry as Bamville Farm, Harpenden Common, Harpenden, and I would also read the name as Bamville. I also notice that the youngest child was only 2 years old and not born in Hertfordshire - so the family had only been in the area for a couple of years at most, so there is no point at looking for Alfred in Harpenden before 1909.
Assuming the census forms are in order of the census round it is worth asking who Alfred's neighbours were - to help locate the farm.
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Charlotte Bowens was a widow living on "private means" at East Moor House (18 rooms), Harpenden.
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Alfred John Mooney was a gardener living in the Stables at East Moor House, Harpenden
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Joseph Heard was a chauffeur living at The Lodge, East Moor House, Harpenden
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Stephen Ragden Child was a chartered accountant living in a 16 roomed house called Bamville and employing a two resident domestic servants and a coachman.
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Alfred Thomas White, at Little Bamville Farm was a Farm Manager working on a Dairy Farm
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Edward John Woodward was a cowman living at East Common, Harpenden. Interestingly his employer was in "Chemical Manufacture" which indicates that he was employed from Rothamsted.
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Herbert Gray - was the publican at the 3 Horseshoes, Harpenden Common.
If we look at the 1901 census we find that John Dickenson was a farmer at Bamville Wood Farm, with the farm bailiff living in Little Bamville Farm. These are situated on Harpenden Common, in the parish of Wheathampstead, between the 3 Horseshoes Public House and a large house then called Minsko House.
If we look at the 1884 large scale OS Maps we find. at the southern end of Harpenden Common:
While modern maps show:
This suggest the farm where Alfred Thomas White lived is the building now described as Bamville End Cottage.