The Bellamy House Abandoned After Bakery Chain Collapse

The Bellamy family established Rosecroft House on Willow Lane in the town of Fairmont in 1909 after Thomas Bellamy purchased the property while expanding his regional bakery company. Thomas, his wife Clara, their four children, and Clara’s mother lived in the three-story Folk Victorian residence. The family income came from bread production, neighborhood bakeries, and wholesale food contracts.

Local newspapers described Rosecroft House as a distinctive residential landmark, maintained through the success of the Bellamy bakery business before economic changes weakened the company.

The first warning sign appeared in 1929 when rising ingredient costs and declining sales reduced bakery profits. By 1931, Thomas received overdue notices from flour suppliers and lenders connected to bakery expansion loans. The family dismissed household help, closed the upper tower rooms, and delayed repairs to the gingerbread balconies, shutters, and slate roof. The bakery chain collapse of 1933 caused unpaid business debts, property tax arrears, and foreclosure proceedings. In 1934, Thomas and Clara left Rosecroft House with their youngest children and moved to a smaller rented property after losing control of the business.

Rosecroft House was abandoned in 1935 after the bakery chain collapse, foreclosure process, and accumulated debts ended the Bellamy family’s ownership. No restoration occurred, and no Bellamy descendants returned to occupy the residence. County records later noted unsuccessful auctions and increasing repair costs that prevented preservation. Furniture, business documents, and household belongings remained inside while weather damaged the wooden exterior, balconies, and copper details. Over decades, lilac bushes covered the pathway and the stone fountain deteriorated beneath the porch. The Folk Victorian mansion remains empty on Willow Lane, continuing to decay without restoration or a confirmed future owner.