31 High Street

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Summary:

Earliest information: 1609
Original estate: ?Hungerford
Common Rights? Yes (Frontage 25ft; 2 horses or 4 cows)
Date of current building: 1852
Listed? No

Thumbnail History:

Cotton, Waldron, Norris, Pocock, Knackstone, Major, Lewis. Penny Bank from 1852-1932. Now private residence.

Photo Gallery:

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-Old Penny Bank,31 High Street, Jan 2007.

- Architect's drawings of early designs for the Savings Bank, 31 High Street, 1852.

- Savings Bank, 31 High Street, c.1918.

Timeline:

1609 (NH) (QR) Ralph Mackerell. 

1663 (NH) Hearth Tax: Rafe Mackerell (3 hearths).

1676 (NH) (QR) Widow Bunny or Walrond, q.r. 4d.

1704 John Norris buried
1705 Mary Norris, widow, buried
1719 Thomas Norris of Kintbury married Ann Dobson of Hungerford.

1731 (NH) Norris of 1753 MAY have been Thomas Norris of Fosbury in Titcombe, Wilts. who purchased some property in 1731 (though this may have been land only) in Hungerford. IF the purchase refers to this site and the site WAS land only in 1731, quit rent would still be payable, since it was a rent on the burgage plot, with or without a building. A lease and release (24 & 25 June) 1731 passed property in Hungerford from Joseph Mackerell of Hungerford to Thomas Norris of Fosbury in Titcombe, Wilts, though this may have referred to land only. (Item 424 of Berks Docs for Sale – Marcham & Co). [In 1720 a daughter Elizabeth was buried, daughter of Thomas and Ann Norris]

See also: Norris Family.

1753 (QR) Norris, quit rent of 4d

1754 (HCB) No Thomas Pocock; No Norris

1774 (QR) Thomas Pocock late Norris, quit rent of 4d. [Thomas Pocock is in list of freesuitors in Hungerford Court Books of 1758, 1760, 1768, and 1770]
1781 (CL) unclear
1795-04 (QR) Thomas Pocock late Norris
1796 (BK) Pocock: no entry for Thomas but Anne Pocock, broker & John & Edward Pocock, both carpenters & joiners
(1792 UB - same entries but without first names)

1804 (*1) First Savings Bank in England, at Tottenham. Often known as "Penny Banks", with the idea of encouraging the working classes to save their pennies.

1805 (QR) Knackstone late Norris, insertion further along line reads Francis Knackstone, q.r. 4d.
1807 (CL) Knaxtone (no. 77 on list)

1818 (QR) Francis Knackstone deleted, late Norris; name of Thomas Major superscribed, q.r. 4d.

1818 (*1) Savings Bank established in Hungerford. Held at Town Hall. Open Wed. 1-2pm. Interest £3.8s.5d per annum. See Correspondence with TSB 1989. (Also confirmed in 1899 Kelly)

1821 (*8) Will of John Knackstone, D.C.W. dated 20th June 1821, leasehold properties and lands on trust to be sold by auction nephew Francis Knackstone son of late brother Joseph (no reference to a wife).

1822 (*8) Will of Hannah Knackstone, D.C. Windsor dated 11th May 1822, of Hungerford, widow leaves 2 messuages on west side of High Street and a messuage in Down Pit in Hungerford in occupation of Joseph Dare(?): all to be sold by auction bequeathed to Francis Knackstone, son of Joseph Knackstone labourer, et al.

Both wills, probate granted 8th August 1822.

1830 (PD) Thomas Major junior, Attorney; Only entry for Banks: King, Gosling & Tanner, 11- 3pm every Wed.at the Three Swans, HS
1832 (QR) Thomas Major for house late Morris (scribal error for Norris)[*8]
1836 (QR) Thomas Major for house late Morris (scribal error perpetuated by a copyist)[*8]
1841 (CS) ? James Rosier (30) blacksmith, ? Sarah Bird (70) schoolmistress, ?Edney Raymond (60) ......maker, probably these 3 persons living at this site no entry for Major or Lewis
1844 (PD) Thomas Major, Attorney, HS.

1847 (*10) William Major, Harry Hopkins Pearce Major, Sarah Major & William Alexander sold to D.Lewis

1847 (KD) Savings Bank, held at the Town Hall, open 12-2pm every Wed., Mr. Henry Edward Astley, Actuary. Daniel Lewis, travelling draper, HS
1847 (CL) Devisees of Thomas Major (owner); ....Lewis (occupant)

Savings Bank, c1850-1918:

1850 (SD) Savings Bank, HS, open Wed., HE Astley, Actuary. David Lewis, haberdasher, HS
1851 (CS) Daniel Lewis (43), linen draper.

1852 (*10) Daniel Lewis sold to The Savings Bank Trustees for £350. New building built for Savings Bank. Architects G.Martin & H.Seymour.

See copies of drawings & plans; originals at BRO, undated(!) and deeds of conveyance.

1854 (BD) Savings Bank, HS, open Wed 12-3.30pm, HE Astley, Actuary. London & County Bank, High Street (only other bank listed), which was later (National) Westminster Bank, 119 High Street.
1861 (CL) Savings Bank Trustees (own); Widow Field (occ)
1861 (CS) Eliza Field (59), housekeeper
1864 (BD) -do-
1861 (CL) Savings Bank Trustees (owners), Widow Field (occupant)
1861 (CS) Savings bank, Eliza Field (59) housekeeper
1866 (*9) Deed of 32HS states:to the N.is the H/ford Savings Bank, & garden ground & workshop belonging to Mrs. Child, occupied by Thomas Beasant (ie.30HS)
1869 (PO) Savings Bank open Wed 12-1.30pm
1871 (CS) Eliza Field, portress
1877 (KD) same entry as in 1869
1881 (CS) Savings Bank, Thomas Ladd, general labourer
1891 (KD) Savings Bank, open Wed. 12-1.30pm, John Holmes Wooldridge, Actuary
1895 (KD) same entry as in 1891 but open 1-3pm
1896 (CL) Savings Bank Trustees (owners), Thomas Ladd (occupant)
1898 (*2) Mr. A.N.J. Salt (brother of Mrs. J.V. Harris, born at 31HS, killed in WWI. Parents - Arthur (coachbuilder) & Eleanor (nee Mapson) Salt.
1902 (T&M Register) The Trustees of Savings Bank (owners) [Undated: John Henry Fisher]
1903 (KD) same entry as in 1895
1903 (*2) Mrs. J.V. ("Vera") Harris (nee Salt) born 31HS. Later taught music in 31HS.
1903 (T&M Register) Thomas Ladd (occupier until 1908)
1909 (T&M Register) Arthur Salt (occupier until 1921)
1911 (KD) same entry as in 1903 but open 1-2.30pm
1914 (CL) Savings Bank Trustees (owners), Arthur Salt (occupant)
1915 (KD) Same as KD 1895.

Reading Savings Bank, 1919-1933:

1919 Reading Savings Bank took over Hungerford branch
1922 (T&M Register) Ellen Salt (occupier until 1931; vacant 1932-33)
1924 (KD) Reading Savings Bank - Hungerford Branch, High Street. Open Mon, Wed, Fri, 11-1pm.
1928 (KD) Reading Savings Bank - Hungerford Branch, High Street. Open Mon, Wed, Fri, 11-1pm.
1931 (KD) Reading Savings Bank - Hungerford Branch, High Street. Open Mon, Wed, Fri, 11-1pm.

1932 (QR) Mrs Percy (amended to Mr Fisher, late Savings Bank) "House formerly Norris' afterwards Majors then Daniel Lewis' ", q.r. 4d.
1933 Reading Savings Bank Trustees sold H/ford Savings Bank to Mr. Fisher (see attached conveyance)

Residential:

Mr Fisher, 1933-1945:

1933 Bought by Mr Fisher. Occupied by Miss Sherwood.
>1933 (*6) Wooldridge's removed a large safe.
1934 (*7) Dudley James at 30 HS told Mrs. Jayne: extension to rear of bank built in ?1934
1934 (T&M Register) Miss Winifred Rachel Sherwood (occupier until ?1945)

1939 (KD) Miss Sherwood, The Holt

1939 (BL) 31 HS: Sherwood, Nurse, The Holt, private nurse; & Bushell, W.R., The Holt.

1940s (*3) Mr. Fisher (brother of Mrs. Percy of Wilton Hse, 33 HS) there before Denness's.

Frederick Denness, 1945-1949:

1945 (*3) Bought by Frederick Denness. (Son Gilbert & a daughter)
1946 (T&M Register) Frederick John Denness (occupier until ?1967)
1947 (CL) Frederick John Denness
1949 (*10) ditto Boot maker & repairer, lived at 31HS , business at 44 HS.

Mr & Mrs Pennock-Purvis, 1949-1987:

1949 (*3) Mr. & Mrs. Mark & Winifred Pennock-Purvis (nee Gingell) bought 31HS from Denness. (See Conveyance 1949, which refers to the name "The Holt"). (They had come to Hungerford in 1930).

Mark Pennock-Purvis served as a soldier in WW1 in France, was captured, held as a prisoner of war, but managed to escape. He wrote an account of this experience, which has been published (May 2018) by his grandson's wife Carolyn Sheircliff as "The Escape" (available on Amazon for £3.99, Kindle edition £1.99). A great read!

1952 (CL) Mrs. Winifred Louisa Pennock-Purvis

1950's (*4) An agency existed at a local shop (where?) able to receive deposits, and pay out up to a limit, passing transactions onto a branch where main records were kept.

1956-1983 (CL) Mrs. Winifred Louisa Pennock-Purvis (died in 1980s)
1968 (T&M Register) Winifred Louisa Pennock-Purvis (owner & occupier)
1984 (CL) Winifred Louisa Pennock-Purvis
1985 (CL) Winifred Louisa Pennock-Purvis

Denys & Janine Janes, 1987-2000:

1987 Bought by Mr. & Mrs. Denys Alfred & Janine Henriette Janes, had 2nd old Savings Bank safe removed from front right room, ground floor. Deeds of 31 HS at solicitors,from 1852 , photocopies attached 31 HS has a cellar, ?of previous building 1852 builder's specification has instruction to "fit out part of it as a pantry"
1999 Denys Janes died.
2000 (CL) Janine Harriete Janes

Tony & Liz Barry, 2000-present:

2000 Janine Janes sold to Tony and Liz Barry (from Chievely)
2005 (CL) Anthony James Barry
2011 (CL) Anthony James Barry
2016 (CL) Anthony James Barry

Feb 2021 Tony Brry died.

Key to reference sources:

*1 = "Savings Banks of England", 1829.
*2 = Mrs. Vera Harris, Delaware, Stroud Green, Newbury.
*3 = Mrs. Gladys Denness, 26 Montrose Close, Fleet, Hants.
*4 = TSB Regional General Manager 1989 (Mr. D.J. Smith).
*6 = Mr. W. Wells, 35 High Street, Hungerford. (Wife was Ruth nee Harris).
*7 = Mrs. Janine Janes.
*8 = Mr. Norman Hidden.
*9 = Deed of 32 High Street.
*10 = Deeds of 31 High Street.

Documents in file:

- Architects drawings and plans, c.1850
- Notes from TSB, re history of Savings Banks in England and Wales from 1817
- Conveyance (1852) Daniel Lewis to Trustees of Hungerford Savings Bank
- 1923 – Congregation Union re manse window adjoining Savings Bank. Chapel not regarding the window as right or as an ancient light.
- 1933 – Conveyance The Trustess of the Reading Savings Bank to J.H. Fisher
- 1945 – Conveyance to Mr John Henry Fisher to Mr F.J. Denness
- 1987 – Deed of grant to Mr & Mrs D. Janes with map
- 1949 – Conveyance Mr F./J. Denness to Mrs W.L. Pennock-Purvis

See also:

- Hungerford Savings Bank 1818 onwards - correspondence with TSB 1989

- Architects Drawings of Savings Bank, c1850

- 1852 Conveyance Lewis to Trustees of Savings Bank (cover)

- 1852 Conveyance Lewis to Trustees of Savings Bank (main text)

- 1923 Agreement with Congregational Church re additional window

- Deeds, 1933

- Deeds, 1945

- Deeds, 1949

- Deeds, 1987

- Banks