The White Lodge

 White Lodge was built in the 1840’s. It was part of Asserton Farm, then owned by Harry Biggs. It was two cottages for farm workers built in the “Picturesque style”, both to look attractive and also as improved accommodation for the workers. 

In the 1840’s and early 1850’s Thomas Smith aged 47, and his son George 25, both farm labourers, lived in one of the cottages, and John and Ann Blake and their children Henry 18, Jonah 14, George 9 (all farm labourers – including George) Liddia 6 and Stephen 4. 

The people living there worked on Asserton Farm, as carters or shepherds (in 1871 John Howells and his sons Charles and Thomas were all shepherds), farm workers, cowman, dairyman, stockman and in 1939 Gilbert Sanger was a tractor driver.

No women were recorded as having paid employment, and no women were head of household – only the men working on the farm, up until the house was sold after the 2nd World War.

Each house had five rooms being 3 bedrooms, Kitchen and Parlour.  The number of people in each house varied from two - James and Lucy Pearce, to ten with John and Lydia Howells and their 8 children in the 1870’s, and Amos and Fanny Warren in the 1880’s and their 8 children. 

In 1939 Gilbert Sanger and his wife Margaret looked after Ruth Brooks aged 7 and Doris Brooks aged 5. The two little girls were evacuees from Portsmouth, brought by Hillside School and went to Berwick School. Mrs Sanger also cared for the evacuee Margaret Lewis slightly later on.

Most people moved regularly, unusually James Pearce and his wife Lucy stayed for at least 20 years, and possibly nearer 30. Between 1850 and 1921 I have found 14 different families that made the two cottages home, (there may be more of course).

The cottages were bought by Sir James and Lady Margary Reid-Young and they converted them in 1953 into one house called Huka Lodge, their family had bought Asserton House in 1952.

In 1988, the now White Lodge was bought by Mary and Tony Gatling, who lived there for the rest of their lives until 2024.

Written and researched by Nicky Street