Chapter Seventeen - 121–123 Midland Road, Bedford, Bartle Potter & Son

Summary

In 1948, the partners acquired the business of Messrs Bartle Potter & Son, then practising as auctioneers, valuers and estate agents at 121–123 Midland Road, Bedford. The company occupied the first floor offices above Hebblethwaite's toy and cycle shop, which today forms part of an amusement complex in the area of Midland Road formerly known as Cooper's Corner. Bartle Potter & Son had established a good reputation in the area, though they dealt with many fewer sales than Peacocks. After the acquisition, the company continued to trade under its original name.

Frank Jeffery was appointed manager, Mrs Norah ‘Mack’ Williams, secretary and Richard Hollands, assistant. Richard Hollands was an articled pupil who had recently returned to complete his training after National Service.

In addition to sales and valuation work, Frank Jeffery dealt with many claims on behalf of clients for loss of the development value of their land arising from the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1947. This Act gave the state a monopoly on the right to develop land; its aim, at the time, was to end land speculation, free up land for use and ensure that increased land values accrued to the community. In brief, the Act deprived landowners of the additional value that would accrue on their land if planning permission was granted for some form of development. A sum of £300 million was made available to land owners who could claim hardship because they had been refused this right. The work of the office therefore involved investigation to identify land with development potential, where a claim could be established.

With the lease of the Midland Road office due to expire, the business was relocated in August 1951 to ground floor premises at 104 Bromham Road, Bedford, continuing there until 1953. At this point, the partners decided to close the Bartle Potter & Son business. Frank Jeffery, by then a Fellow of the Chartered Auctioneers’ and Estate Agents’ Institute, returned to the office at 6 Dame Alice Street to become the senior professional assistant under George Robinson, the partner in charge of that office. Norah Williams left to become a secretary at H. G. Langley & Co, solicitors, which later amalgamated with C. C. Bell & Son, for whom she then worked until her retirement.