Bust and Boom; Inter war house buying in 1930

 With hindsight any thoughts on the purchase of a house in 1930's England will have been a cause of some anxiety.

The Great Depression had just crossed the Atlantic from the United States and was beginning to affect the economies and incomes of citizens across England and in Europe. There was already the emergence of fascism and even as early as the start of that decade there was speculation that the world was heading for a war. In all pretty unstable times.

However, those attending a house auction in the Lincolnshire town of Louth on 23rd July 1930 may already have committed to the prospect of acquiring "Fir Close", a Grand Mansion in just over an acre of mature grounds and a Trout stream.

The fact that the sale was being conducted in a town hostelry, the historic Masons' Arms may have given an opportunity to take in some liquid courage or even a luncheon before the advertised punctual 3pm commencement of proceedings.

Fir Close,  a large red brick and tile pile in the Victorian Gothic Style. It is likely to have been built around 1870 or slightly later as it first appears on the 1889 Ordnance Survey and in the modern era did not attain Listed Status on the criteria of architectural and local significance.

Who it was built for is not clear but money and social standing will have been factors in its commission.

In that respect it was quite a generic design with hand made facing bricks, slate/tile roof, parapets, fancy chimney pots, gables and bays, arched and hooded detail to doors and multi-paned windows.

The Auctioneers in 1930 did not make a lot of the heritage aspect of the house, rather concentrating on emphasising the conservatory, double garage, gardens, tennis lawn and angling rights from the banks of the River Lud.

Other marketing features included the modern electric plant and a 5 HP Petter Junior Petrol Engine in a Battery House.

These attributes were intended to excite the interest of the monied classes, nouveau riche and upwardly mobile Professionals. The town of Louth was after all just three and a half hours by steam locomotive from Kings Cross Station in London.

As for the location- Westgate was on the verge of the town and promoted as the best residential part of Louth.

The residence itself comprised a spacious entrance hall with oak parquetry surround, cloakroom with WC, a fine dining room with polished floor and Bathstone mantel, a lofty drawing room with a radiator, Billiard Room, a Breakfast Room with a Yorkist Stove, what is described as a convenient kitchen, scullery, pantry and on the upper floor a total of six bedrooms of which two had radiators and served by a modern up to date bathroom.

The extensive grounds in addition to the garaging had a wash-house, wood and coal houses, workshop, tool house, petrol store, the heated conservatory, a summer house, aviary and brick built dog kennel.

All in all a suitable specification for a gentleman or genteel lady.

According to the pencilled notes on a copy of the sales particulars by the Auctioneer or a Clerk the bidding at 3pm started off at £1000.

The incremental increases of £100 per bid suggest reasonable activity but it is not possible to say if this was down to multiple interested parties or just two vying to secure the house.

The whole event will have concluded within a few minutes and with the winning bid being indicated as £1980. In today's money that is the equivalent of just over £90000.

I cannot make out the name of the successful party but it looks like Cresswell or Fresswell. The sale was for the bricks and mortar only but if you wanted to take home any of the antique and modern furniture then there was an opportunity some 2 weeks later when the contents were to be auctioned on the premises.

As for Fir Close today- well it is a well established Care Home for the Elderly and earning its keep where other mansions have fallen into disrepair and obsolescence which drastically affects their survival even today.