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The
Bakers - the
family who 'built' Fenton:
William Baker III's tombstone in
the grounds of Christchurch, Fenton
"In memory of
William Baker
of Fenton and Hasfiled Court, Gloucestershire Esq.
who died on the eighth day of August 1865
aged 65 years"
"Looking for that
blessed hope and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our saviour
Jesus Christ"
Charlotte Baker
The wife of William Baker
The development of Church Street
(now Christchurch Street)
Below Christ Church
on Church Street, William Meath Baker built a row of 12 houses
called "Ashleworth Terrace" decorated
with
his monogram and the
date of construction, 1891, on the front.
The houses were built in an ornamental style with small gardens in
fronl and were let to middle class tenants including several pottery
manufacturers, schoolmasters and commercial travellers.
"Ashleworth Terrace"
in Christchurch Street
decorated with the
monogram WMB
The
end of
William Meath Baker's interest in Fenton
In the early 1930s William Meath Baker began to wind down his
interests in Fenton. In 1931 Fenton House was sold to the parish and
is now the site of Fenton Health Centre.
The factory ceased trading during the great depression in 1932.
The premises is now occupied by Kames Kent (Ceramic Materials) Ltd.
though most of the buildings on the site date from after 1932.
3 bottle kilns at Kames Kent
William Meath Baker died in 1935 but his descendants still (1999)
own some property in the area including the houses in Hitchman
Street and Victoria Place.
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