DATE FOR PHOTO FOCUS 22 BLACKHORSE

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I think I can put a date to a photo in FOCUS 22 the AERIAL VIEW OF THE BLACK HORSE INN AREA date uncertain mid 20th century. After enlarging the photo and looking at it more closely the house opposite the Black Horse is Hill House the back bedroom window looks new compared to the rest in the house, I remember helping to replace that window when I worked for Charlie Jones in1952. Now looking at the house on the opposite corner to the Black Horse is the old post office as run by Edgar Wileman, by the way the Black Horse at this time was run by Jack Jones if you can’t remember him Ronny was his son who also ran the pub after Jack. Looking at the road junction what is now Black Horse Hill you can’t see any NO ENTRY signs I don’t think is was made one-way until 1953 but I will stand being corrected on that, back to the junction and Mawby’s Lane on the left hand side looking down the hill, when enlarged you can make out a trench that was dug for the laying of water pipes which started in 1952, looking at the vegetables in the gardens and trees I would say the time of year was mid summer, I don’t think the laying of the water pipes lasted until summer 1953 so I say the photo was taken in 1952

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Thanks Walter

Here's a link to the picture: Blackhorse Aerial View

and to the article by Richard Dunmore: In Focus 22: 1841 Census Part 4
The picture is about half way down.

Marilyn

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Yes, thankyou Walter. Excellent detective work! My "mid-20th century" guess was based on the style of the parked car, which is post-war but not by much. It looks like a Humber, Hillman or Morris but of course you can't get a closer look. I've just googled various cars from that period and come up with a picture of a 1952 Morris Oxford, which would fit you dating precisely. The key feature of the car is the split windcreen. Google Morris Oxford 1952.

Perhaps someone was out for a run in the countryside in their new car and stopped at the Black Horse for refreshment? We shall never know, but nice idea. Richard (also 1937 incidentally).

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I would also say 1952 as the bedroom window at Hill House was replaced around then, and the pub is still with Jack Jones. Ronnie Jones drove a coal tipper for a local firm at the time - it is parked at the back of the Black Horse - later on he started a coal round taken over I think from Teddy Farmer.
The No Entry came in in 1953 but intially they put the signs right at the end of Black Horse Hill but later moved them down opposite our farm drive gate so that we could access the farm buildings from Top Street. From what I can see also there are infills where trenches have been dug but whether for sewerage or water - water came first if I remember an sewerage later?

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I would add that Ronnie Jones lived in one of the cottages opposite the Black Horse on Mawby's Lane - at that time they were three but were later split so that they became two. Edgar Wileman's brother Frank lived in one of the others - his claim to fame were his home grown tomatoes and cucumbers.

Jack Jones had been a farm manager before taking the Black Horse.

There was always some confusion once the RDC named the streets as we always knew Mawby's Lane as Black Horse Hill and Black Horse Hill as Post Office Hill.