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Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Roger Gould on 13/10/2025, 10:23 am

Richard and Stephen SAUNDERS, sons of Stephen SAUNDERS & Rachel SAUNDERS, baptised Great Torrington 17 May and 3 Jun 1855 respectively, abode just 'Rosemary Lane'. Was/is there a Rosemary Lane in Great Torrington? Or could it possibly be (would seem unlikely) the Rosemary Lane c4 miles south of Wellington?
Richard SAUNDERS Stephen SAUNDERS

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Judith on 13/10/2025, 1:36 pm, in reply to "Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Have you found them on the census in Gt Torrington,?
If you look at original census that they are on and follow the pages back to the page which describes the area covered by the enumerator, it will give names of roads nearby, and you might be able to work out whereabouts Rosemary Lane is.
I noticed that the son Stephen born 1855 died and buried in 1866 In Gt Torrington, so am guessing they were there in 1861.

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Roger Gould on 13/10/2025, 1:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Thanks Judith. I didn't want to overload my query post but here's what I'd found:
Q4 1851 Torrington, Stephen SAUNDERS married Rachel SAUNDERS
1855 Sons' baptisms, abode Rosemary Lane, Great Torrington(?)
1861 Census, residing Calf Street, Great Torrington
1866 Burial of son Stephen, abode Calf Street, Great Torrington
1871 Census, residing Goose Green, Great Torrington (appears to be a terrace of houses on Calf Street at the junction with East Street)

Can find no trace of a Rosemary Lane in Great Torrington but would seem odd for it to be elsewhere

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Roger Gould on 13/10/2025, 2:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Just seen there was a Rosemary Lane in Okehampton recorded in the 1861 Census, entered by the enumerator as Rose Mary Lane. At least it's a tad closer to Great Torrington!

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Peter Selley on 19/10/2025, 1:38 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

I think it was a narrow lane in the town centre.

There are several references to it in https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

Nos. 38 and 40 Well Street also had frontage onto Rosemary Lane.

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Roger Gould on 19/10/2025, 11:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Thank you Peter. I'll look up the BNA references

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Roger Gould on 20/10/2025, 1:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Thank you once again Peter.
The 25 Apr 1912 issue of the North Devon Journal reported an attempted murder that took place on Well St, close to the turning at Rosemary Lane.
Elsewhere there are other (less gruesome) references to the widening of the Lane.
Query resolved!

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Judith on 21/10/2025, 2:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Looking at the old maps of Torrington on line, there is an unmarked road running between Calf Lane and Well Street, looking at the modern map I think it is now called New Road. Nos 38/40 Well Road near the junction with it.. You would need to look at old maps in record office to establish when it was altered. New Road now in that area, if you look on Google is very modern, so lots must have been demolished when road put through.

Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?

Posted by Roger Gould on 24/10/2025, 9:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Where was Rosemary Lane?"

Thank you Judith, I'm sure that must be it.

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