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Street numbers

Posted by Judith on 27/5/2018, 7:36 am

I recently ordered a death cert in the hope of getting an address in order to locate the house the family lived in. Unfortunately the cert only gives the street,and Town (which I already knew from Kellys directory), it also only gave the street address, and town, of the informant. This caused me to wonder , in the 1850's did they not use numbering? because everyone knew each other?
Has anyone else encountered this?

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Alick Lavers on 28/5/2018, 5:00 pm, in reply to "Street numbers"

Interesting subject! As a boy I lived in Roborough near Plymouth, which was owned by Sir Massey Lopes, Lord Roborough. When a new house was built late 19th/early 20th Century it was allocated a number and the address was Roborough Village, near Plymouth. On occasions, a new house would be next completed in Bickleigh village, over a mile away and still in the Roborough estate and it was often given the next number. Those were the days!

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Roger Donne on 27/5/2018, 9:27 am, in reply to "Street numbers"

From what I've observed in the 1851 census, Plymouth and the Three Towns were mostly numbered by that date (though renumbering may have taken place subsequently). I suppose it depends where you are, though I would have thought that if a house number existed it would have been quoted in Kelly's directory. If you can find the family in context within the 1851 census, and you have a street map to go with it, you can sometimes guess at a house location by working out the route the enumerator took.

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Judith on 27/5/2018, 11:17 am, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

Thank you Roger, this is in Bovey Tracey, where Mary Street and Fore Street meet. I think part of Mary street was renamed Town Hall place after the Town Hall was built in the 1860's, as the family name is listed there later, so have been there and have been guessing as you suggested!!
Thanks again.

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Roger Donne on 27/5/2018, 6:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

There is quite a nice 25 inch OS map of Bovey Tracey on the National Library of Scotland website but since it is an 1887 survey it probably doesn't go back far enough. Looks like Fore Street changed into East Street before meeting St. Mary's Street at the Town Hall? - but you must know this better than I do!

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Judith on 28/5/2018, 9:15 am, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

Have just noticed on the census, for 1861 that the place is Chudleigh, Parish is Bovey Tracey, so does that mean the census was at Chudleigh rather than Bovey Tracey? In that case I'm on the wrong map!!!!!!

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Chris on 28/5/2018, 11:18 am, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

If the Parish is given as Bovey Tracey then that would be the place the entries are for. I don't understand where you have got the place as Chudleigh from as Bovey Tracey is in Newton Abbot registration district for 1861 census.

Have you looked at the image of this record and what is the exact reference given for it such as Piece, Folio, Page numbers.

If you look at the first image in the enumerators book that contains this entry it will tell you exactly the area covered.

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Chris on 28/5/2018, 11:45 am, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

Sorry should have said above that both Bovey Tracey & Chudleigh are in Newton Abbot registration district for the census but each image should show the Parish on it. I can't see addresses in Chudleigh showing on an image that gives the Parish as Bovey Tracey. On an image for an address in Chudleigh it should show the Parish on the image as Chudleigh and the same for addresses in Bovey Tracey.

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Judith on 28/5/2018, 2:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

Thanks Chris, I think I have it now, and have worked out roughly where they were living. Mary Street is not named on 1841 census, referred to as North west of Main Street, 1851 they are in Mary Street, 1861 sons are in Fore Street, one next to the post office, and another near a school. so will investigate further.
Thanks again.

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Judith on 28/5/2018, 9:08 am, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

Thank you Roger, I can use this as I think the eldest son took over from his father and lived there until his death in 1903. If I can find the blacksmiths and the Bell Inn tenants on census it will help.
Anyone researching Bovey Tracey burials at the church can avoid tramping the churchyard by going in the church and studying the folder inside on the table at the entrance. We found it useful as it gave some ages from inscriptions.
Thank you again.

Re: Street numbers

Posted by Tim Treeby on 27/5/2018, 1:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Street numbers"

It may or may not of been numbered. As I have Death Certificates even as late as 1894, which just gives the Street Name, yet on the 1891 Census it gives a Street Number.

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