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The Old Post Office.
The house was built in 1925 and was used as a post office and
shop right through to 1980. By this time it was the only shop
in the village, though in pre-war days there had been several.
A postcard view, looking towards Market Harborough, taken around
1950. The Post Office is on the right.
 The
house was built after the previous house on the site had been
demolished. Luckily, an excellent photo
survives of this earlier house.
It
was thatched and had also been the village post office for many
years prior to its demolition. It was owned by the combined village
charities, which used the rental income to fund the distribution
of coal to villagers in need of financial help. It seems that
a charity set up through the will of Randolph Middlemore had bought
the cottage in 1701, the year the charity was established. The
cottage cost £44/12s. (£44.60). How long before that the cottage
was built is very difficult to say.
The thatched cottage, owned by the
village charity, stood on the site until 1924. The photograph
dates from about 1910. William Houghton was the tenant, seen
here.
Gladys
and Alan March in 1980
as they prepare to retire and
close
down the shop.
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