{"id":1039,"date":"2024-10-08T18:32:03","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T18:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kemnal-road.uk\/?page_id=1039"},"modified":"2024-10-09T13:48:29","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T13:48:29","slug":"woodlands","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kemnal-road.uk\/index.php\/houses-in-kemnal-road\/woodlands\/","title":{"rendered":"Woodlands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Woodlands<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Woodlands
Woodlands from the Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

John and Eliza Webster moved into their new house, Woodlands, on the Ashfield-lane, as soon as it was completed in 1871. They had been living in Highgate, but with three children, all under 10 years of age, they wanted the space and quiet of country life. The railway had recently been extended to Chislehurst, and John would find it easy to get into London, where his hosiery business was booming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The house<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woodlands,
Woodlands front elevation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Woodlands was a striking house. It looked southwards over a pond on the corner of Ashfield Lane and Kemnal Road and beyond to the Commons, while behind it, to the north, lay Wood Heath, an area of wood and scrubland owned by Earl Sydney, though not forming part of the Commons. When Woodlands was sold in 1923, the Sale Particulars described it as \u2018a spacious house, with Stabling, Outbuildings, Garage accomodation, …beautifully Timbered Gardens and Grounds, Woodland and Rich Parklike Pasture<\/em>\u2019, and as being in a \u2018Picked Position, on high ground and gravel soil directly overlooking the Beautiful Common<\/em>\u2019. In all there were over 5 acres of grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The house was built of brick, with a slate roof. It had three floors and a cellar. The front entrance hall was long, 27ft 11in, with a side hall to the garden entrance, a lavatory and W.C. It led directly to the large Drawing Room (25ft 2in by 16ft 5in) at the rear, which overlooked the grounds behind the house. The dining room at the front (25ft 7in by 17ft 9in) had a \u2018handsome Italian marble mantlepiece<\/em>\u2019, as did the \u2018Spacious<\/em>\u2019 Morning Room. The remainder of the ground floor was given over to \u2018fully adequate<\/em>\u2019 Domestic Offices, with a Kitchen, fitted with \u2018double oven Range and Dresser<\/em>\u2019, Scullery with sink and a rain water Pump, Larder, Pantry, Tradesmen\u2019s entrance, and Servants\u2019 W.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woodlands
Rear of Woodlands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There were five bedrooms on the first floor, with a bathroom (with fireplace), W.C., and a housemaid\u2019s pantry, while on the upper floor there were several rooms for linen, lumber, and servants\u2019 bedrooms. One large room had been used as a billiards room but was \u2018adaptable as an excellent Bedroom<\/em>\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1923, the house was somewhat behind the times. While there was mains gas and water, there was no electricity. The sanitary arrangements were on the cesspool system \u2018and are believed to be in good order<\/em>\u2019. Somewhat apologetically, the sale particulars point out that, it \u2018would be easy to instal main drainage<\/em>\u2019. There were well-maintained gardens and grounds. The formal garden area around the house had pretty flower beds and borders, while beyond was a full-sized tennis court, and beyond that, a large, well-stocked Kitchen Garden, Orchard and \u2018Parklike Grass Land<\/em>\u2019. The remainder of the grounds was given over to woodland, with \u2018innumerable fine Trees and Shrubs<\/em>\u2019, with \u2018much of the Timber..of mature growth and excellent proportion<\/em>s\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally there were outbuildings around a paved stable yard: a Double Garage, Stabling for two horses, Harness rooms, Fruit room, Work shop, potato brick store and a coal cellar. There were two living rooms and a W.C. for outdoor staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"William
William Bonnett on Ashfield Lane outside Woodlands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Webster family<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John and Eliza were married in 1859 in Staffordshire. John was 39, and Eliza was 26. We know little about John\u2019s background. He was born in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, and he had set up an oufitters business with his elder brother, William, in London, which suggests that the family had a background in cloth. He married into business, since his wife was a daughter of William Machin, who ran the Waterloo Potteries at Burslem in Stoke on Trent, and they lived there for a while after marrying. In 1861 John decided to set up a hosiery business in London. The family moved to Highgate, where they had three children, and then a further two after moving to Woodlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n