The Elusive Lees House

[duckweed]

I am trying to piece together the history of Lees House which was a stone throw from Bishops House. In the mid 19th century there was a william Cockayne living there. It was a substantial house and grounds. Yet all that remains is a bit of outside wall and 2 substantial gate posts. It was demolished in the late 1970s I think or possibly even later than that. Plenty of people remember the ruins which resulted from a fire. However we can find no photograph of it. Only the Estate agents description when it was sold after the death of William Cockayne in 1916. Then apparently it became the home of Joseph Higginbottom in 1917 and he can be found in residence there in 1919 in the trade directory. At Sometime strangely enough it became the residence of Mr Lees. I imagine he had a telephone. Can anyone look up for me to see when Mr. Higginbottom left or died and when Mr Lees took over? The address I think would be Norton Lees Road or Norton Lees Lane Norton Lees Sheffield or Derbyshire.

 

[leefer]

http://www.nickrobinson.info/peas/leeshall/history/ericcox.htm

Hi Duckweed,enjoyed reading this link because it gave me an image in my head of what the house looked like.
Why pull it down.....did ok for 500 years

Saw a clip about Mr Lees but that may be a mistake as i saw a line saying a Doctor called Mr Lee lived there........so maybe the s was added just because of the name of the house.

All the best.

 

[benny1982]

Almost called Leefers House.

 

[duckweed]

This is not Lees Hall which was a very old house. Lees House was about 1850s. It was a substantial building with 20 rooms including a billiard room and even had a passenger lift from the Breakfast room to the bedrooms. The strange thing is we can find no photographs of it. All I have is an estate agents leaflet which lists its dimensions and outhouses.

It wasn't knocked down for any other reason that a fire had made it impossible to repair.

 

[leefer]

http://www.nickrobinson.info/peas/leeshall/images.htm

Seen these Duckweed...on the same site.

 

[duckweed]

Yes that was Lees Hall.

I'm looking for Lees House.

One was built in about 16th century.

One was built in 19th century

 

[duckweed]

September 1916
Sale including a Freehold Property
Property of William Cockayne Esquire Deceased
Sold by Auction
Messrs Nicholson Barber and Hastings.
Sheffield Estate Auction Mart
2 High Street Sheffield
Lucas and Lucas Solicitors, Church Street Chambers Sheffield

Lot 2 Lees House, Norton Lees

Substantially built and well arranged Freehold Family Residence with Extensive grounds, Tennis Lawn and Carriage Drive, together with the Stabling and Loose Boxes, Coach and Motor Houses, Harness Room (with harness cupboard and sliding glass doors) Fowl Pens, Manure Pit, Coal and Coke places, Wash House, Greenhouses, Stoves, Vineries, Peach Houses, Garden Frames, Potting Shed, revolving Summer House, and all the usual outbuildings.

The House contains on the Ground floor; Entrance Poorch, Spacious Tiled Entrance Hall, Front and Back staircases, Drawing Room with Large Bay and Side Windows (26ft 6in x20ft 6in) Dining Room (21ft x14ft 6in) Breakfast Room with Passenger lift, Smoke Room, large kitchen (with Longden Cooking Range), Pantries WC., with provision meat, and wine cellars in the Basement.

On first floor; Full-sized Billiard Room with staging, 5 Principal Bed Rooms, Bath Room with double Lavatory and separate WC

On the second floor: Large Nursery with 4 Maids' Bedrooms

The Site contains 1a. 2r. 1p. or thereabouts, and has extensive frontages to Norton Lees Road and Norton Lees Lane forming a valuable Building site.

 

[leefer]

Of Course i know that Duckweed,just wondered if you had seen them anyway.

There is a sketch of Lees House Farm....but no photographs to be found alas.

 

[duckweed]

I don't think Lees House had a farm. There is Cottage Farm which was next door to it and is still there, (well all the buildings are but are converted into housing)

 

[juliejtp]

Hi Duckweed,

I couldnt find anything for Joseph higginbottom in the telelphone directories.

Incoming passenger list.

6 June 1924
Port of departure Quebec Canada

Joseph Higginbottom age 62 - Lees House, Norton Lees Sheffied occ insurance manager.

 

[juliejtp]

The last listing (as far as I could see) for Joseph on the incoming passenger list (edited ) 25 Feb 1930, he is now retired. Port of embarkation La Palice.

 

[duckweed]

He worked for Canada Life Assurance in Sheffield so that makes sense.

 

[duckweed]

A relative of Joseph's reckoned he lived at Lees House till 1945 when he died at the age of 83. Full name Joseph Walter Higginbottom. I will have to see if I can find burial records.

 

[leefer]

For such a nice building it is suprising that there are no nice old photographs floating about in the museums or libraries.

 

[duckweed]

Yes It is the only large house that was in the area that doesn't seem to have a photo of it.

 

[leefer]

As you say Duckweed,there will be one somewhere,probably in some dusty archive or in a cellar somewhere.

 

[juliejtp]

Hi Duckweed,

The only Joseph Higginbottom that matches with year of birth and county is this one.

Death 1945 - District Middlesbrough

Joseph W Higginbottom - born abt 1862

 

[p.risboy]

Hi DW.

Just poking around in here, and found this....... http://www.nickrobinson.info/peas/leeshall/index.htm

Not much info, and not sure if it is the same place, or an earlier building.

Steve.

 

[leefer]

Hi Steve,i pointed that out last night and it is a different building,now also gone...good little site though.
It is Lees Hall that was built in early Victorian times and not the Lees House that was a medieval house and the one Duckweed is interested in.

 

[p.risboy]

Hi Steve,i pointed that out last night and it is a different building,now also gone...good little site though.
It is Lees Hall that was built in early Victorian times and not the Lees House that was a medieval house and the one Duckweed is interested in.

I should have read the thread. Sorry.redf)....Top man, Lee.