11. Annabel & Patrick Dott: Epilogue: sale of the Goathland Homes

A couple of years after Annabel put the Grey Wood estate at East Hoathly on the market, the Trustees of the Goathland Homes for Officers put the The Orchard up for sale.

By the summer of 1931, the Trustees had found that the cottage colony had run its course.  According to Percy Ward, "most people found Goathland too quiet" and it was decided to invest instead in houses in London.

Percy Ward, in his article in the Goathland News, recorded the names of the original tenants – men such as Captain Tollemarche, who was badly shellshocked and who played cricket for Goathland, and who was succeeded at No 1 by Capt Brown; Brigadier Smith at No 4, a fine tenor who sang in the church choir; Capt Harry West at No 5, who was very lame, and became Chief Surveyor to the County Council; and blind Mr Irish at No 6, who sang bass in the church choir.  This was the sort of involvement in village life that Annabel and Patrick must have envisaged for the occupants of the Orchard.  The announcement of the auction in the Yorkshire Post gave the names of the tenants in 1931:

Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer, 1 August 1931

GOATHLAND, YORKS.,

SALE OF THE ORCHARD ESTATE.

By Order of the Trustees of the Goathland Homes for Officers.

Messrs ROBERT GRAY and SONS will offer for Sale by Auction, on the Premises, Goathland, on THURSDAY, AUGUST 20th, 1931, at 2 p.m. (subject to Conditions),

The VALUABLE FREEHOLD ESTATE

known as

"THE ORCHARD," GOATHLAND, comprising Eight Stone-built DWELLING-HOUSES, including contents, gardens, orchard, gardener's cottage, recreation ground, and 15¾ acres of grass land, which will first be offered in one lot, and, if unsold, will be divided into eleven lots.

Each house is furnished, and the contents are included in the purchase.

Plans may be seen and particulars and conditions of sale obtained from the Auctioneers, Whitby; or of

Messrs GRAY and DODSWORTH, Solicitors,

Duncombe Place, York

Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer, 8 August 1931

LOT 1 - Semi-detached RESIDENCE, No. 1 The Orchard. Tenant – Captain Stanley Brown.  9 Rooms, old railway carriage, garden and orchard

LOT 2 - Semi-detached RESIDENCE, No. 2 The Orchard.  Tenant – Dr Slater.  Same size as lot 1, garden and orchard

LOT 3 - Stone-built RESIDENCE No 3 The Orchard.  Tenant – Mrs Almgill.  8 Rooms, garden and orchard.

LOT 4 - Stone-built RESIDENCE No 4 The Orchard. Tenant – Dr Smith.  7 Rooms, Garden and orchard

LOT 5 - Stone-built RESIDENCE No 5 The Orchard.  Tenant – Dr Aspinall, 8 Rooms, Garden and orchard

LOT 6 - Semi-detached RESIDENCE, No 6 The Orchard.  Tenant – Mrs Burt.  8 Rooms, Garden and orchard

LOT 7 - Semi-detached RESIDENCE, No 7 The Orchard.  Tenant – Mrs Todd.  9 Rooms, Garden and orchard

LOT 8 - Detached Stone-built RESIDENCE, No 8 The Orchard.  Now vacant.  8 Rooms, garden and orchard

LOT 9 - The Gardener's COTTAGE, adjoining Lot 7.  5 Rooms.

Each home is furnished, and the Contents are included in the purchase.

LOT 10 - FIVE CLOSES OF GRASS LAND and GARDEN adjoining above lots.  Tenant – Mr J Wilson.  Area 15,758 acres.  Annual Rent £21.  Fee Farm Rent 7s 6d per annum.  Tithe £1 3s 10d per annum.  Frontage to river Murk Esk.  Three hen houses and pigsty are included.

The Houses may be inspected on application to Captain Brown, No 1 The Orchard, Goathland, on Friday afternoons

So the Goathland cottages were sold to private owners.  Many alterations have been made to them since 1931, but the generous gift made by Annabel and Patrick is still remembered on the stone tablet recording the donation:

Very many thanks to Elsie Smith, a Trustee of Goathland Village Hall, for providing me with the Percy Ward article from the Goathland News

Lastly:  Mrs Annabel Dott: additions and corrections