No.33 is a brick house built with the gable end facing the High Street. It has a large bay window on the ground floor with a front door beside it although the main door is now at the side in Latchford Mews. It also has a cellar.
This house was once the Bricklayers Arms. The census for 1871(i) shows Rebecca Ward, born in Ranskill, Nottingham, as Beer House Keeper and then in 1881 she seems to be in the same place, ie next door to Chennells, but the pub is now called The Boot. By 1891(i) it is again the Bricklayers Arms with Laura Nutting in charge. In 1901(i) the publican was Thomas Yardley aged 64, born in Woolwich, Kent, but by 1907 Kelly's Directory (ii) shows it is in the hands of Amos Smart, beer retailer. The Bricklayers Arms was closed in 1908 as being surplus to requirements in the village and Amos Smart moved to the Rose and Crown at The Folly, Wheathampstead.
Around 1910(iii) the property belonged to George Simons, local butcher, and it was occupied by David W Simmons, a fishmonger who was living here with his wife and five children at the time of the 1911 census (i). Three of his children were born in Wheathampstead, twins Beatrice and Bertram in 1904 and George in 1910 (iv). Kelly's directory (ii) for 1911 records Mr Simmons as being a greengrocer while the 1910 Inland Revenue survey of the village shows a David Simmons living here but with his name crossed out and replaced by a G Brown. This is probably George Brown, a builder's clerk, and his wife Agnes (nee McCullock) who were living at The Swan in 1911(i): his wife was the victualler (licensee) but by 1913/14 they had moved out and an Alfred Gates(ii) was at The Swan. George Brown was born in Cambridgeshire and Agnes, whose middle name was Keturah, was from Wheathampstead. They had two sons, Algernon and George. George senior was still living in the High Street when he died on 29th January 1950, his son George having pre-deceased him in 1934.
In 1952/54 a Mr Charles F Chapple and family were living at No.33.(v)
This building was a doctor's surgery from 1957 to 2000. In 1957 Doctors Akeroyd and Williams held their practice here. Dr George Akeroyd was listed here in the telephone directories (v) continuously until 1975 when his partners continued the practice. By 1978 there were six doctors in the practice including Doctors Garwood, de Kretser, Williams and Stephens as well as Dr Finch and Dr Collins. The telephone books (v) include in 1981 Doctor Gibb and in 1986 Doctors O'Hare and Gilham. The main practice was in Harpenden and they may not have all held surgeries in Wheathampstead. Alterations were made to the building that included the removal of a brick fireplace from the front room. Medical records were kept in the cellar and when the water table was high the cellar used to flood . There used to be a small bar area in the corner of the cellar. The medical practice is now called Village Surgery and moved in 2000 from No.33 High Street to new premises in Marford Road, beside the Memorial Hall. Doctors Gibb, Gilham and O'Hare are still members of the practice there.
From about 1961 to 1967 there was also a dental surgery upstairs. The waiting room was shared by the doctors' and the dentists' patients. This was a branch of a practice at 2 Douglas Road, Harpenden where the principal dentist was Mr Lole. The Wheathampstead practice was part-time, five mornings a week. Mr Lole worked there with Mr MacEwan, Mr Cameron and Mr Ross.
The 1972/3 Electoral Register shows Dennis, Elizabeth and Richard Parker at this address.
No 33 has been a private house from about 2000 to the present day. The present occupant (i.e. in 2013 ) is Frank Clark.
Researcher: Gillian Roe (nee Potter)
April 2020 update
Since this research was completed in 2013, members of the History Society have researched the pubs and beerhouses of Wheathampstead from 1830 to 1914. For a history of The Bricklayers Arms (The Boot), click here.
References:
(i) Census 1871, 1891, 1901, 1911
(ii) Kelly's Directory 1907,1911, 1913/14,
(iii) Inland Revenue Survey 1910
(iv) Ancestry.co.uk
(v) Telephone Directories
Dr D Gilham, Mr Ross
