A DEVELOPMENT of nine new homes off Gibbs Close in Westbury will be given its own street name – with councillors agreeing on a choice of either Boulton Mews, Finger and Thumb Row or Glovers Row.
Mendip Developments requested three suggestions from the town council’s highways, planning and development committee, with Glovers Row being put forward by the developer.
In correspondence to the committee, the developers wrote, “To support the application [for a street name request to Wiltshire Council] the reason we have requested Glovers Row is because historically the Lotz Abbot Works shown on this location plan was a glove factory owned and operated by VC Boulton.
“We have suggested this as the existing houses in Gibbs Close are somewhat scattered and we felt the name of Glovers Row, Gibbs Close, would be less confusing than merely adding some inbetween numbers. The old glove works adjoins the bottom corner of the site, hence we felt it would refer back to one of Westbury’s main industrial histories.”
Cllr Mike Sutton raised suspicions about the reasoning behind the application, telling members, “I think it’s a selling point for the new development.”
Cllr Brenda Pyne agreed but put forward her suggestion of Boulton Mews, adding, “There were some stables down there in the 1800s.”
Gibbs Close resident, cllr Jane Russ suggested Finger and Thumb Row, telling members that the way the houses were numbered in the lane led to “constant problems with deliveries. The postmen know, but its other delivery drivers,” she said. “I think it will be very important – because of the way we are numbered, it will save drivers coming down the bottom of the lane. It would help to call it something different. We need to make it obvious that it’s a separate grouping.”
Glove work connections
• Do you live locally and have any connections to the old glove works of Boultons or Jefferies?
The White Horse News is interested in running a feature on the glove works as one of Westbury’s main industrial histories, and we would love to know of any related stories or photos.
Please contact Westbury reporter Michelle Hyde by email, news@whitehorsenews.co.uk, via our website www.whitehorsenews.co.uk or our Facebook page facebook.com/whitehorsenews
