James Coles of Water End Farm

James William COLE (1851-1923)

David Cole writes: My grandfather Charles Percy COLE (1884-1966) was a member of the family of James William COLE (1851-1923) who inhabited Waterend House soon after your ancestor Dolphin Smith left there,  i.e. from around 1878 until at least 1907 when my grandfather emigrated to Canada.

I note the following facts:

Water End Sandridge/Wheathampstead in 1830

Sandridge

Water End House was originally in the Parish of Sandridge, but is now in Wheathampstead. Sarah Jennings, who later became the Duchess of Marlborough, of Blenheim Palace, was born there. It was also the home of my Great Grandparents Dolphin and Maria Smith. I have just posted the following picture showing the rear of the house in 1830.

Water End House, Sandridge

The Ford at Water End, Sandridge/Wheathampstead

Rivers

Sandridge

I recently came across two pictures taken at the ford on the River Lea, I would guess about 1960. Since then the ford has been bridged over so that it is dry when the river is low, and the bridge has been replaced. Can anyone date the photographs and possibly identify the people?

Click here for older pictures of the ford and nearby Water End House.

Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, left her mark at Water End House.

Sandridge

Sarah Jennings was born at Water End, Sandridge (now in Wheathampstead) and little could have her parents guessed that she would end up as the Lady of Blenheim Palace! My interest in the house arises because my Great Great Grandfather, Dolphin Smith, moved there in about 1843. 

However the reason for mentioning the house now is that Harvey's father worked as a gardener at the house in the mid 20th century. As a result we now know that at that time the house was occupied by Colonel Bertram James Walker and his second wife,  Lucie Marie Ludovika Anastasia Adelheid Karola Hedwig comtesse Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow of Denmark. Harvey also provides an interesting description of the interior of the house - including an inscription "SJ" which is said to have been put there by Sarah Jennings.

A Patterson Sketch of the River Gade at Water End

The River Gade

Cycling

Frank Patterson (1871-1952) was a prolific artist who published a large number of pictures  in cycling magazines. This one shows the bridge over the River Gade at Great Gaddesden, just north of Hemel Hempstead.

Gt Gaddesden

In addition to adding the picture I have restructures the Great Gaddesden page so there are now separate pages for St John the Baptist Church, Gaddesden Place and Water End.

Censuses

I have also created new links to an old page on the population of Great Gaddesden in 1881, which demonstrates how few people moved more that a short distance from where they were born in rural Hertfordshire.

A Dispute over Charity Land at Sandridge in 1653

Water End House, Sandridge

This inquisition is interesting because the Church Wardens took the Lord of the Manor to court because the charity had not been getting its due income, and many personal names are mentioned. The Lord of the Manor was Richard Jennings, of Water End, Sandridge. He had a daughter, Sarah, who married John Churchill, and ended up living in Blenheim Palace! Richard's descendants include Princess Diana, and Winston Churchill (who was born at Blenheim Palace). The current Earl Spencer is Lord of the Manor of Sandridge.

It is of additional interest to me because my ancestor, Dolphin Smith, took the tenancy of Water End in about 1845.