Manor House Farm (aka Hall Green Farm)

Hello Lewis62. Here's a little more information from the 1850 directory Farmers in the Foleshill parish. As an aside I did a little research about John Newbold Barnett and it would appear he got his middle name from his mother, whose maiden name was NEWBOLD. Joseph BARNETT married Hannah NEWBOLD in 1822 at Wyken. Joseph BARNETT was born in about 1794 / 1796 and died in 1864. The marriage date given is October 27 1822.

Heathite, thank you, "Reynolds, Tussey bridge" - thats a new one for me, could alter a lot of things. Foleshill Lodge, was that Foleshill workhouse?

The Foleshill Lodge was close to the workhouse and just south of a farm called Hollybank. The farm and the lodge look like they were part of the same thing at one time. They were both off Foleshill Hall Lane (now Lythalls Lane) where it makes a sharp turn north towards the hall. There is a field boundary that suggests the road originally separated from the main road at Parting of the Heaths (now the A444 Foleshill Road roundabout). Just before the war it was north of a rail line the Coventry Loop). It was gone by 1950 and had been turned into a timber yard. The rail line is now the A444. Foleshill Lodge

Lewis62 It would help if you know the area very well, and a larger map, if you want to try and find out more. Now if I read that as 182 acres, then that figures to the farm stock sale, and makes it even more interesting, because I would guess the farm would have two maids, one female cook, 3-4 ploughmen, 2-3 labourers, gardener, several boys - most would live in the farmhouse. Now you say it had trouble with flooding, that doesn't surprise me one bit and I can explain it, but first, how well do you know the area?

Heathite, Many thanks for that information. I have got a void when it comes to John Newbold Barnett in 1851 as I cannot find him on the census. I believe that the census was taken on 30 March 1851 and he got married 16 June 1851 [in Holy Trinity Church] but I cannot find him nor his bride to be Ann Orton. They may have been living in Coventry [as it was then]. Ann's father John Orton held Orton Farm near Bulkington. Neither John nor Ann were with their parents on the 1851 census - I can understand that for John as he had a fall-out with his father, Joseph Barnett [Red Lion Walsgrave], and he cut him out of his will!! I wonder if JNB and Ann ran off to hide somewhere until they were married. On looking at the info I have I was wrong in thinking JNB moved from Weston Lawn Farm to Hollyhurst and then further down to Manor House Farm as the youngest children were born in Hollyhurst [from 1853] and the first child! and possibly only to be born at Weston Lawn Farm, was about 1870. JNB was recorded on the census of 1871 and 1881 at Manor House Farm but by 1891 he had retired to sunny Courthouse Green. He therefore moved away from the farm in between 1881 and 1891 - as substantiated by the for sale poster of 1881.

Kaga, Looking at the 1871 census John Newbold Barnett only had 1 farm-hand living with them, so he must have been really busy or others lived nearby and commuted to work - or he used all his children? I do not know the area well as I was born and bred in Tile Hill. I only came over to this area of the city to visit my gran's sister Sally Worviell who lived in one of the cottages along Old Church Rd just before Pearson Ave - I have a photo of my grandfather John Flavell [of the Bell Inn] watching the Carnival before that road was built. I will post it. Did you know Dennis Cakebread? He lived opposite the bridge. I corresponded with him about 7 years ago.

This map covers a slightly larger area However, i have just found the same area covered by one of the maps in Rob Orland's collection - it's the 1926 Wyken & Walsgrave Ordnance Survey Map, which can be enlarged as necessary.

Lewis62 Then it looks as though they only had one arable field, and the farm did stretch over to the Alexander Pit, but I was hoping to see how far it stretched in his day along AGRd. I have a feeling it was to the slough road and the slough field when not flooded belonged to his farm. Dennis Cakebread, I read his story but do not know him.

I've had a search through possible 1851 censuses Lewis, and came across this one taken at 4, Horse Fair Deanery Place, Wolverhampton.... Could this possibly be your John, working temporarily as a servant prior to marriage perhaps, in Wolverhampton?

1912 directory showing Manor House Farm... and other things.

Helen, thanks for the map's of foleshill lodge and sorry for the delay, forgot what topic it was on for a while, there was a building on the opposite corner to the farm in the fifties, that seemed nearer to the road than any on your map and I thought was the 'Holly bank farm house' and were you list it was the farm buildings. two guys that had worked at some factory had clubbed together and had just opened there as a factory on either side the road in the early fifties, I attended as a fireman one night, the fire station was just round the corner next to the tram depot, but I never did visit the Lodge.Thanks again for your info.

Kaga, I will post another map showing the northern extent. DC emailed me about 7 years ago and sent comments regarding his recollection of the farm so I will post an extract so you can see what he put. Do you remember or have ever heard of the existence of a well? I always assumed that it was at the farm. I recall my Gran, Rosa May [known as May] Flavell, telling me that her Grandparents [i'm not sure which side] had a well which must have been open to the public. At some point the well was locked [there must have been some formed of hinged wooden shutter?] denying anybody access. Apparently this was never forgotten [it may not have been her only issue] and when she died locals put stinging nettles on her grave!!

Rob, JNB was born in Jan 1825 so the date of birth indicated is very close. I do know however that he was married in Trinity Church Cov and not Wolverhampton. If this is him I wonder where his bride-to-be Ann Orton was - I guess she could have been living in digs or similar, although it states he was visiting and not residing at the property, so why was she not with him?

This map shows the northern end of the farm:

Lewis62 Have you actually read the wills? Half of my family weren't on the census, and some had no birth certificate, but wills did tell me a lot of information about the family, and back in the fifties I had to travel to London to see them. On your map the brick cottages and clay pits are shown, but the kiln was off your map, way to the right