East Common Houses formerly known as The Dirt Houses
The houses at the bottom end of East Common are built in an irregular pattern. It has been suggested that this is because small shelters put up by Irish refugees from the potato famines of the 1890’s were allowed on the land. They were known as ‘Dirt Houses’ and held by squatter’s title. Any information on these houses would be welcome.
Sharman Brown nee Draper
The second picture is the old cottage where old Bill Sibley used to live. Most of us children were quite scared of him. When I was at the junior school, just over the road, I used to pop in after school to see Auntie Elsie and Uncle Erne for a glass of ‘pop’. Used to run passed Bill’s house as quick as I could!
Sharman Brown nee Draper
The first picture is of the house where my father’s aunt and uncle lived, Ernie and Elsie Draper and their daughter Valerie. The Draper family had lots of business interests in the village going back to the 1800’s. Many of them seem to have been involved with public houses!