Streets through time - Church Street
No 8 Maytree House
Other Church Street properties:
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No 9 Old Post Office aka The Ramblers
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Nos 10 & 12 aka Swiss or Yew Tree, or Old World Cottage
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Nos 15, 17 & 19 The Village Farmhouse
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No 20 Oak Farmhouse aka Chimo Cottage
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Maytree House is a brick estate cottage, now a house, with slate roof and adjoining steps and boundary wall, built c. 1800 and remodeled c. 1820-1840 with mid 20th century additions and alterations.
This building is probably one of those built or altered by Gregory de Ligne Gregory in the late 18th century and remodelled in a picturesque style by Gregory Gregory in the 19th century.
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At the time of 1937 estate sale, Maytree House was being used as the local shop and post office and being run by James Dimmock.
Above: James Dimmock serving a young customer in 1952
The censuses show that there have been some long term shop keeping families in this property. The 1891 census shows William Challands (65) along with his wife Lucy (55) and 18 year old son Harry resided here. William was a carpenter and grocer while Harry was training to be a whitesmith. William passed away before 1901 as a now widowed Lucy is the shopkeeper and grocer. Harry is still at home and is now a whitesmith and bellhanger. Ten years later in 1911, 75 year old Lucy is still managing the shop and Harry, who never married, is now a coal carter possibly working for Mr Chipps. In 1921, Lucy, at the age of 85, is still going strong and running the shop and Harry stayed single and is a coal carter employed by Mr Chipps.
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In the 1921 census, 25 year old James Dimmock, who will take over the shop in the future, is living in another property in Chapel St (Oak Farm maybe?) with his wife Evelyn (29) and daughters Nina (3), Nancy (1) and newly born Dorothy. At this time James is employed as a farm labourer by John W F Burton at Oak Farm.
Above: Maytree House in the late 1960's
These photographs date from the 1920/30s when it was the village post office run by Mr James Dimmock and his wife Evelyn. The local children referred to James as Daddy Dimmock.
James (known as Jim) kept cows and pigs in the garden and also at Peashill Lane and in the field that is now Dimmock Close, which was named after him.
James was born in 1885 in Yoxall, Staffs and his wife Evelyn Palmer was born in Harlaxton but lived in Denton until she married James in 1916. Evelyn's brother had Oak Farm who James came to Harlaxton to work for. James and Evelyn had three daughters - Nina, Nancy and Dorothy.
James passed away in 1958 aged 73.
Evelyn died in 1985 aged 93. They are buried in the local churchyard. Their granddaughter - Fran - still lives in the village.
Above: Maytree House in the late 1920-30's. At the time, the local post office.
