The modern Manor today
1911 Census
In 1911 Joshua H Booth lived at Manor House, his household was as follows.
- Joshua H Booth Head, 34, married for 10 years with 3 children, assistant works manager at a general engineers, born in Manchester.
- Annie Booth, wife, 33, born in Liverpool.
- Frank Booth, son, 9, born in Putney.
- Arthur Booth, son, 7, born in Putney.
- Richard Booth, son, 2, born in Peterborough.
- Maud R Cucker, visitor, 31, single, born in London
- Elsie Racher, servant, 22, single, born in Bassingbourne Cambridge
We can tell from the birthplaces of his children that he has lived in the area less than 7 years. His occupation would suggest he isn't involved in farming as the subsequent occupant Mr Odam was. When Joshua died in 1942 he was living at Chesterton, Hunts. Joshua is also listed as living at Manor House in the 1910 Kellys Directory.
1914
In the 1914 Kellys Directory there is a Stephen Wilson living at Manor House.
During the Second World War Manor Farm was owned by Mr Odam. www.westwoodworks.net Tells how the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment Home Guard had its headquarters at Manor Farm, Dogsthorpe - the home of Mr. Odam - the Home Guard being allowed the use of his barn in inclement weather.
Defending Cambridgeshire: The Military Landscape from Prehistory to Present By Mike Osborne lists the locations used by the Home Guards, these include:
- Peterborough, Dogsthorpe Manor, Billiards Room, HQ "C" Coy 2 Northants Bn.
- Peterborough, Dogsthorpe Manor Farm, HQ "D" Coy and No 1 Platoon, 2 Northants Bn. also training area.
- Peterborough, Dogsthorpe Brickyards: range used by 1 and 2 Northants Bn.
1960's
In 1962/3 there was still a farm in Welland Road, where Dovecote Close now stands. My mother who moved to Welland Road in 1958 remembers taking me to look at the pigs. The third photo down of Welland Rd has the gable end of a large house on the right hand side of the road, this could well be the 16C Manor, the line of the roof and chimney are the same as the photo in H.F.Tebb's book. (Sadly this link is not available at the moment http://hipweb.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/cambscoll/history.html ).
There is now a Victorian style building called The Manor at 10 Welland Rd, which is Stepping Stones Nursery.
It is my suspicion that when the newer house was built it was called the Manor, and perhaps there was no manor prior to this. I have searched the 1891 and 1901 Census and The Manor is not mentioned whereas buildings such as the large houses on Dosthorpe Rd, the Blue Bell and Post Office are all identified. A press cutting from 1905 tells us that a 16C house was being demolished at that time, this was part of Sly's Farm, I am guessing The Manor was built to replace it.
My suspicions are confirmed by John Crunkorns book Memories of Dogsthorpe:
"On the south side of Welland Road, No 10 was known as the Manor House and was the home of Mr Frank Odam. He moved there from Lawn House in 1938 taking over from a Mr T Wilson who had died in 1937. The house was built about 1905 replacing a much older property known as Sly's Farm."
"There were extensive farm buildings at the rear plus stack yard areas and behind them grass fields extending through to Newark Avenue and the Eye Road."
Information about The Manor courtesy of Peterborough Images Facebook Group:
Christine Chadwick wrote:
I used to be Officer in Charge of Dogsthorpe Manor from 1976-81. It used to be the home of farmer Joe Odham. Opposite Fairchilds and the filling station. The house had been bought by Peterborough Mencap, and stood empty and derelict for six years before Cambridgeshire County Council, Social Services agreed to pay running costs. We did respite care Fri-Mon two weekends out of three at first. I managed to get it increased to three out of four, plus day care during the school holidays. Most children came from St Georges, although it was open to the whole county. There were endless squabbles about who was responsible for what, even though it clearly laid out, but Mencap had no money to keep their side of the contract. The building was poorly maintained and would not have passed todays Health and Safety Regs. It was a most frustrating place to work.