Parish News; January 2023 - January 1923

January 1923

Let’s begin the New Year by looking back 100 years. Life was just beginning to adjust after the First World War, and after the Draycot Estate had been sold in a number of auctions and private sales from 1920 through 1922. (There was one final sale in early 1923, when Draycot House and Park were sold to Captain Herbert Dixon, MP.)

Sutton Benger in January 1923 now had two public houses: the only inn throughout the 1800s had been The Wellesley Arms, but Wadworth’s had bought the building which used to be the Hull brothers’ emporium: it was previously a ‘Wholesale Wine, Spirit & Cheese Merchants, Grocers & Bacon Curers’. But in 1923 the new landlady, Mrs Florence Bull, was offering ‘good accommodation for visitors’ at The Vintage Public House (today’s La Flambé).

There was a village police station, a post office, a decorator, a watch maker, a wheelwright, a draper, a baker, a boot repairer and a stone mason. As well as a village shop and Frank Dee’s new ‘agricultural motor and general engineer’ (aka the garage and petrol station.) The last blacksmith’s shop had recently closed, as had the butcher’s shop. However, a new butcher’s would soon open on the High Street, and there would also be two bicycle shops and two more groceries. Just three places – Manor Farm, the garage and The Vintage – advertised telephones (with 2-digit phone numbers); but you could send telegrams from the post office, as well as make telephone calls ‘to places within a limited distance’.

The village had a population of just over 350, and the village school (on Seagry Road) apparently had up to 78 children. Draycot Cerne, with a population of just over 120, still had its own church and rector; but its school (today’s Grey House) had closed and the children walked to and from Sutton Benger.

If you want to help in any way by researching the parish history or by testing the walking / cycling routes on foot or by cycle, please get in touch at: hello@bengertrails.co.uk

Please do get in touch at hello@bengertrails.co.uk