Housing Development before the Second World War
Barbers Hill 1911
Considerably more residential development had taken place on both sides of the road by 1911. The 1911 Census summary gives details of heads of households and the number of occupants in each house, along with house names. A pair of semi detached houses, Kirkwood and Inglefield, had been erected at the top of the south side. Below Wynholme (now No 24), a detached house was built in 1911, later called Northfield, followed by two pairs of ‘villas’, 1 and 2 Clarence Villas and 1 and 2 Eastnor Villas. A detached house called Shirley was next and is still occupied by Rosa, daughter of the Spires family who lived there from the 1920s. After a small field came another pair of houses, Antonia and Winstone, and then a detached house, St. Mary’s. A slightly larger field remained, where the track to the slaughter house can be seen on the map, followed by a further pair of dwellings, 1 and 2 Eastfield Cottages.
This is where the road ended but the 1911 census then lists Barbers Hill Poultry Farm, which was possibly where Burnlea is now. Directly opposite was Summerlea, next to a house called Monterey. Higher up was another residence called Eastfield Villa, perhaps built by the same firm as the cottages opposite. A large orchard is followed by five new addresses ~ Winterhome, then Elmstead, followed by a pair of dwellings known as The Rest and Esmonde, and lastly Cambridge Villa.
Barbers Hill/Wedderburn Road between the Wars
Stevens’ Annual of 1923 shows more infill has taken place. The road name has not yet changed to Wedderburn Road. New houses such as Woodcote, which has been tucked in along the north side, and Burnlea, Glascote and Oaklands are mentioned on the southern, lower end of the track. Kelly’s Street Directory in 1938 refers to Staincliffe which is now No 21. One of the Eastnor Villas has become Ivydene, while Winstone is now The Cottage, and Winterhome is known as Helensdale.
It is interesting to note that none of the houses built since 1901 have been demolished. Many have been extended and land in several cases has been sold off for further development. All the houses in Wedderburn Road that were built before the Second World War share a solid, familiar design that would suit the needs of families. Equally, unless the houses are semi-detached, most homes do not conform to the same style. It is this too that gives Wedderburn Road its unique character.