Alfred FOUNTAIN

In 1851 lived with parents at Edlesborough.
In 1861 lived with father at Edlesborough Green, Edlesborough and worked asa Straw Plaiter.
In 1871 Worked as a Bricklayer of Ringshall. His father was a Sawyer in 1871.
In 1878 lived at 5&6 Ringshall with Susan running her husband’s grocery shop there.
Signed the following agreement for 5 Ringshall Cottages:-
The tenant to hold the premises from month to month and pay the rent monthly is required, otherwise half-yearly (Lady day and Michaelmas).
No lodger without written consent of the Landlord or Agent.
The bedroom windows, unless in case of illness, to be opened every morning from 8 o’clock until 12.
Every room to be lime-washed once a year, in May, at the expense of the tenant, the landlord delivering lime on the premises, on application.
All vegetable matter and refuse to be used or dug into the ground and not to accumulate in heaps or pits on any part of the premises.
No buildings to be erected on the premises by the tenant, and no existing buildings to be used for any other purpose than that for which it was built, without permission.
The Agent or inspector to look over the whole premises as often as he may consider it necessary.
If these rules are strictly adhered to an allowance of one shilling in the pound will be returned on payment of the rent.
The tenancy commences on ….. and can be determined by either Landlord or tenant an any time giving one to the other one calendar month’s notice to quit. To be signed by the Agent and Tenant and witnessed.

The shop is mentioned in the 1878 rent agreement with Ashridge. Alfred Fountain had got permission to build the 8ft x 8ft extension between the house and the village pumphouse from Lord Brownlow and did the work himself. The stock came by horse-drawn cart from Tring, bringing bacon, tea, flour, sugar, rice, etc. Other stock came from local sources - dripping and lard from the kitchens at Ashridge and milk and butter from nearby farms. Vinegar came in a barrel and biscuits loose in large tins. Nothing was pre-packed and everything had to be weighed or measured out - blue bags for sugar and paper cones for smaller quantities. Fountain’s Stores was run by Susan and her descendants until it closed in 1980.

In 1881 the same address is recorded as Grocer Shop, The Row, Ringshall and Alfred is recorded as Bricklayer and Grocer. They had 6 children by this time.
In January 1892 he put in a new window in the bedroom of 14 Little Gaddesden, a house formerly belonging to the Ashridge Estate. He also worked on the flooring and plastered the barn.
In July 1894 he fixed a water trough in Church Meadow.
In 1901 still lived at same address, now recorded as no. 5 Ringshall and described as a General Shop Double Cottage. He worked as a Bricklayer.

Responsible for much building work on older property and worked on Ashridge House.
On 14 April 1926 he began to pull down 46, 47 and 48 Little Gaddesden (know as the ‘Bothy’). On 24 April he dug up the foundations. On 3 September he began to build a new cottage for Mr Blake.
About 1931 helped F. G. Whitman with the building of the house Bury Orchard and found the foundations of old cottage property and of a small lane during the work.
For many years was a chorister at Little Gaddesden church.

Alfred married Susan Ann GARRETT, daughter of William GARRETT and Ann HORN, on 20 Mar 1871 in Ivinghoe, BKM. (Susan Ann GARRETT was born Q3 1850 in Ringshall, BKM, christened on 25 Aug 1850 in Little Gaddesden, HRT and died after 1901.)