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Woodbine Cottage
resident Christine Barford [nee Archer, formerly Johnson]
This former tied cottage to Brookfield farm is located next to The Bull and opposite the village green. Ned and Mabel Larkin were Brookfield’s first residents there, followed by his son Jethro, wife Lizzie and daughters Rosie and Clarrie [now Grundy].
A year after Jethro’s death in 1987, new farmhand Bert Fry took up residence with his mute wife Freda, until September 1999, when a lorry ploughed into the house. This saw the Fry's temporarily displaced to Brookfield Bungalow, only returning after the kitchen was extensively rebuilt. Bert and Freda moved back to Brookfield Bungalow in 2003, when David Archer decided to sell Woodbine to raise cash for the business.
Unfortunately for them, a buyer could not be found, and the house remained empty until 2004 when George and Christine Barford were looking for somewhere to rent after their home (The Police House) was served a molotov cocktail by Clive Horrobin. On George’s death in 2005 Christine decided not to move into the rebuilt Police House and purchased Woodbine from David. |
