1922 May

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The Bushel and Strike in the 1970s

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The Clubroom now restaurant at the Bushel and Strike where the dances were held

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Moss Cottages

The Bushel & Strike was continuing its prominence as the go to venue for good night out.

They were promoting ‘well attended’ dances every fortnight and regular games nights. A domino team came from Hitchin but were beaten 10 games to 6.
The only other entertainment mentioned this month was a concert given by Mr Dan Hall at Congregational School. And of course the WI held there meeting which included a talk on ‘Clean Milk’ – something that we perhaps take for granted now.

Meanwhile the sports fields were very busy. There was one last football match of the season. An evening benefit match against Steeple Morden for Pickett who had been injured in a previous game. Ashwell lost by 1 goal.
In Cricket Division II Ashwell 2nd XI went to Hinxworth and won by 39 runs to 31. They lost to Holwell. The Division I team beat St Ippolytts by 13 runs and lost to Hitchin Blue Cross reserves by 48 runs to 29 but on home ground they beat the 1st XI.
At the Tennis Club Annual meeting Mr Fordham agreed to loan the courts for 8 (or more) weeks.

A correspondent signed ‘A Churchman’, writes enquiring why the church bells failed to ring at Christmas, New Year, and again at Easter. Alas there was no reply.

Susan Burr, 76, widow of late Thomas Burr, a long time Ashwell resident died at Crouch End.
There is the sad story which seems to come from another era when care of the elderly was very different. Ruth Pettingall, the wife of George Edward Pettingall Ashwell died, ages 81, at the Union Workhouse Royston. The Crow reports she was ‘late of Buttway’ but the 1919 electoral role says she was living at 5, Moss Cottage Homes. She was interred at Ashwell Church.

Gunshot Injury

Another very tragic death had a great impression on a large portion of the populace because it was so unexpected and involved a pillar of the community. Mr Samuel Parkhouse, 54, formerly in the employ of Page’s Brewery died of a gunshot accident. The Inquest was told he went shooting rooks or rabbits with his son on May 17th. When nearly home his son went off separately and shortly heard a shot. Albert Harradine also heard it and called at the house. They searched and found Mr Parkhouse lying in ditch with the left side of his head badly damaged. A Doctor was called but he soon died. It seemed he had tripped on a wire and fallen into the ditch at the same time firing gun accidentally and fatally. The funeral was very grand with many mourners.

Some extra Parkhouse Family History:

Samuel’s grandfather was  Samuel Parkhouse 1803-67 Colchester – Vet Surgeon married Emma Wallis 1805-75. Their son and Samuel’s father was Wallis 1832-1901 Comberton also a Vet Surgeon married to Elizabeth Philpin 1833-91. He had three sisters and one brother who was a Clerk at a Cambridge University.

Samuel was born in 1867 at Cambridge and died  17/5/1922 at Ashwell. He married Martha Jane Lavina Gilbert, 1864 Ireland – 1942 Ashwell.  He was a  Brewer’s Traveller/Clerk.  They lived on the High Street. They had Ada 1893 – Mabel 1896 – Wallis 1906 all at Ashwell.

Martha was sister to Thomas Hart Gilbert, 1859 Ireland, who married Annie Bonnett, 1863, he was a Customs and Excise Officer she was also sister to William Litchfield Gilbert, 1867 Ireland, who married Louisa Binyon 1869 Ireland.  Their daughter Isabelle Gilbert married Oliver Thorne 1894 which connects into Beatrice Christy who was bridesmaid to Oliver and Isabelle as seen in the recent wedding photo on Beatrice’s post.