As with Logandene and Orchard Lea, “The Dells” was built on land which had been previously dug for brickearth. It did not appear on the 1897 Ordnance survey maps, but did show up on the 1924 map. Kelly’s directory first mentioned The Dells in 1910 when it was occupied by a Miss Jackson. by the entry in Kelly’s Directory for 1910, but had not mentioned the property in 1908. However Mr Ivo Jackson was mentioned in both as being in residence at Woodside. Mr Jackson had at least been in the village since 1906 as he took part in various concert parties. Perhaps Miss Jackson was a sister who had come to live nearby.
By 1912 Kelly’s directory informs us that the house is in the posession of Herbert Secretan, and it was to remain in the posession of the Secretan family at least until 1937 and possibly until 1952 and the death of Fleur Secretan whom I presume to have been the daughter of Capt. H.B. Secretan M.C. who owned the property in 1937.
No known clear photographs of the house have come to my attention, but it can be seen on the photo below taken of the gravel pits next to the house in the 1920’s. These pits were used by the Queen’s Westminster Rifles for target practice when billeted in the village during 1914; this fact being recorded by Bernard Joseph Brookes ih his ware diaries.
Herbert Edward, the patriach of the family was said by The Gazette when reporting his death in 1928 to have played a major role in village society being a highly esteemed figure in the district and his disposition to help in every good cause endeared him to everyone who knew him. For some years Mr Secretan was Churchwarden at the Parish Church.”
The Secretan’s sadly, were to loose one of their sons, Lieut. Reginald Albert Secretan at St. Julien in 1917. (See photo left) Their other son, Humphrey Bernard was to be decorated with the Military Cross during WW1, and took over the family home in 1928 when his parents moved out to Tile Kiln Cottage. Mrs Mary Secretan of Tile Kiln Cottage, Leverstock Green died on May 5th 1936 after a month’s illness. She was very well respected in the Leverstock Green area. She had, together with Mrs Durrant, founded the Nursing Association, and following Mrs Durrant’s death, carried on, on her own, being Secretary of the Association until her death. Together with others since the war she had been fighting to get more & better housing built in Leverstock Green. During the war \she had been a member of the Military Service Tribunal, and had herself become a nurse at West Herts Hospital. She was also a member of the Women’s Agricultural Committee for Hertfordshire.
The Ordnance Survey map for 1968 show and The Dells to still be there at that time, (as was Logandene) but I believe the property to have been demolished in the early 1970’s when new housing off Tile Kiln Lane, & Peascroft Road in the area was developed, including a small cul-de-sac named The Dells after the original house.
