"Wallands House" first occupied: 1910
Owners & Occupiers:
1901 Census: no record found
Electoral Roll & Kelly's Directory:
1910: The Misses Shiffner
1911 Census: Elizabeth F[rances] Shiffner (48) single, no occupation; her sister Eleanor I[sabella] Shiffner (42) single, no occupation; three servants: Louisa J Biggs (41) a ladies' maid, from London; Kate G Hopkins (22) a house parlourmaid, from Uckfield & Eliza Middleton (44) a cook, from Cambridge.
1921 Census: Elizabeth F[rances] Shiffner (58); her sister Eleanor I[sabella] Shiffner (52); Jane Cornwall (79) a visitor from Ibbeston in Dorsetshire; Louisa J Biggs (51) a ladies' maid, from London; Phyllis Pinnells (16) a general domestic servant from Bolney.
1939 Register: Elizabeth F[rances] Shiffner (76) & her sister Eleanor I[sabella] Shiffner (71); one servant: Ellen M Morse (29) a cook general.
More about the Shiffner family:
The two Shiffner sisters, Elizabeth and Eleanor, lived in Wallands House for over 30 years. Wallands House, as can be seen from the photo above, was a large Edwardian house, built much in the same style as earlier Victorian houses in the road, with upper elevations clad in decorative Keymer clay tiles. But the sisters had come from the much grander surroundings of Coombe Place, Offham. This was the family seat since the 18th Century, and this was where they grew up.
From the 1871 Census: Their father was the Rector of Hamsey Church, but he was also a Baronet and Landowner - styled as the Reverend Sir George Croxton Shiffner Bt. (1820-1906)
He married Elizabeth Greenall (1834-1897) in 1854, and they had six children. In 1871 the Coombe Place household comprised the two parents, their six children, and Sir George's unmarried sister Frances Mary Shiffner. Then there were eleven staff: the housekeeper, two lady's maids, a nurse, two housemaids, a kitchen maid, a scullery maid, a nursery maid, a governess and last, but not least of all, the Butler.
Will: Elizabeth Frances Shiffner of Wallands House, Lewes, died 14.06.1944 aged 81. Probate to George Bridger Shiffner of no occupation, & Eleanor Isabella Shiffner spinster. Effects £14,076 14s 10d
Sometime after 1944 Eleanor made the decision to move back in the direction of Coombe Place. She spent the last years of her life in the tiny "Toll Cottage" which still stands opposite Offham Church.
Will: Eleanor Isabella Shiffner of Toll Cottage, Offham died 27.07.1953 aged 84. Probate to John Scarlett Shiffner Commander RN & Neville Brace Colt Solicitor. Effects £9,706 19s 5d.
In 1960 a planning application was made to erect garages on a strip of waste land, part of No.34 [outside the flint boundary wall and adjoining Hill Road]. This plan was never put into action.
In 1984 a planning application was made to construct one detached house and garage on land adjacent to Wallands House: the plan was objected to.
In 1989 an outline application was made and refused for the erection of a dwelling, garage and driveway.
Long Cottage was originally the coach house for Wallands House. It has been the subject of much alteration over the years, and is now in use as a three-bedroom dwelling (since 1948?).
[1997-2015 DC.]
The Leaf Yard has also been the subject of a recent conversion, and the present owner has lived there since 2015.
No.34 is now divided into 6 flats, privately owned. At one time it was used by the County Council to provide 'short stay' accomodation for homeless people.