Nostalgia: Yard was bustling
CARRINGTON S Yard was part of a complex of buildings including a granary, bakehouse, chaisehouse – a small coach house – stables, hovels and lofts, hogstyes, barns and a cornmill. One of these buildings was conveyed from William Carrington to James Kings
CARRINGTON'S Yard was part of a complex of buildings including a granary, bakehouse, chaisehouse - a small coach house - stables, hovels and lofts, hogstyes, barns and a cornmill.
One of these buildings was conveyed from William Carrington to James Kingsley in 1830.
He converted it into a brewhouse, adding a brewery tap off licence and sold them to William Bowyer, a brewer of Southoe, Hunts.
William then sold it on to George Higgins of the Castle Brewery, Bedford in 1845.
The brewhouse, later 5 Rose Lane, was an unnamed beerhouse until 1891 when it was named The Post Boy.
John Woodcroft, licensee from 1877 until his death in 1931, was also a poultry dealer, higgler and market gardener.
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Known as Hoppy Woodcroft, he was said to be the original owner of Hoppy's Meadow in Dells Lane.
Higgins Brewery Ltd was taken over by Wells and Winch Ltd in 1928. A full licence was granted in 1955 and it became a Greene King pub in 1961.
The last of a long line of licensees was Eddie Simpson from 1970 to 1973 when it closed.
The buildings became Creative Windows until Quinces Stoneworks Ltd in High Street purchased the site last year, and linked up both properties.
At 3 Rose Lane, the former tap was converted into a ladies hairdressers shop for A Presland in the 1920s.
It was run by Ruby Garner in 1934 and by Mrs Harwood in 1941.
It is now part of the Old Forge house.
At 1 Rose Lane, George Hill and Son took over a blacksmiths shop in about 1895.
This was handed over to Fred Hill in about 1919. The third generation, Stan Hill, then continued with the business after his father died in 1943.
It is now Biggleswade Sheet Metal and Engineering Co Ltd at The Old Forge.
The shop and premises at the corner of High Street was demolished in 2005 to widen the road.
