ancestral search for a house

The History of Sydenham from Cippenham to present day. Links to photos especially welcome!
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ronycoca
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Apr 2012 21:11
Location: Santiago, Colima Mexico

ancestral search for a house

Post by ronycoca »

I have a photo of my Great Grandfather Wright's home on High Street Sydenham taken about 1905. Posted below. I have been trying to locate it using Google Earth Streetview with no success. I am not in England, living in Mexico. Any suggestions? Thanks

Image
ALIB
Posts: 1553
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 21:34
Location: East Sussex

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by ALIB »

i don't recall seeing a house like that on Sydenham Road. When you say 'The High Street', i think Kirkdale used to be The High Street in 1905, and it would seem there are similar houses (now flats) on Kirkdale
MartinH
Posts: 149
Joined: 10 Sep 2007 10:17
Location: Sydenham SE26

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by MartinH »

Looks very similar to houses in Trewsbury road. I will investigate further tomorrow.
marymck
Posts: 1579
Joined: 9 Feb 2008 16:30
Location: Upper Kirkdale

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by marymck »

The 1901 census shows 39 High Street, Sydenham occupied by ...

William Wright - Head - Married - Age 32 - Cheesemonger "living on own account" - working "at home" - born London

He appears to be living with his wife Mary - age 31 - born Surrey
Daughter - Olive - age 6
Son - Willie - age 4

Could these be your ancestors ronycoa?

The neighbours also appear to be working "at home". They are a photographer and a builder and his son who is a carpenter.

But I'm not convinced that the 39 High Street, Sydenham of 1901 looked like the house in your photograph, so I may well have found the wrong family. The old High Street was renamed "Kirkdale" in about 1936. This action merged three roads (Kirkdale, The High Street and Sydenham Hill Road) together under the one name of Kirkdale. This meant of course that Kirkdale became a very long road and therefore the house numbers were changed.

I live on the part of Kirkdale that used to be Sydenham Hill Road and I shop in the old High Street, but I'm afraid I don't recognize the picture. Most of the buildings that still stand on this "old High Street" part of Kirkdale are terraces with shops below and flats above. Originally the shop owner and his family would have probably lived above the shop.

Can you see a house number or name in your photograph? Sadly, when I zoom in on the picture you posted it loses definition.
Annie
Posts: 1187
Joined: 13 May 2006 11:08
Location: Sydenham

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by Annie »

I cant see the house very well but do you think it looks like the ones in westwood hill? just past St Barts.
ronycoca
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Apr 2012 21:11
Location: Santiago, Colima Mexico

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by ronycoca »

THANK YOU all the the information posted here.

The only information I have on the house is printed on the photograph which states High Street, Sydenham. H.Hallier, Photographer. I cannot see a number on the house. Posted a larger photo in this posting.

Grandfather's Name is Albert Edward Wright. Born Poplar London England.

His father Francis Balls Wright Born 1847. Died June 16, 1892 Poplar. He was a ships' purveyor.
My information is that the house on High Street was originally his home. My dating of 1905 is based on the date my Grandfather A.E. Wright came to Canada. I am not sure who owned the house at that time.

I cannot find a William Wright in any of the family history that I have inherited from my Mother Eleanor Mary Bella Wright (born in Canada to A.E. Wright). There is an Olive May Wright but my information is that she was born 21 May 1911

Thanks for the information on the 1901 Census. Is this on line? Perhaps that is where I should begin anew my searches. Hope to make it to England in another year to do some more family searches.

My name is Ronald Gordon Russell. I am now retired and searching my family history.

Image
Annie
Posts: 1187
Joined: 13 May 2006 11:08
Location: Sydenham

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by Annie »

One of the sites i find good for family research is ----FreeBMD--- it might help you
marymck
Posts: 1579
Joined: 9 Feb 2008 16:30
Location: Upper Kirkdale

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by marymck »

ronycoca wrote:
The only information I have on the house is printed on the photograph which states High Street, Sydenham. H.Hallier, Photographer. I cannot see a number on the house. Posted a larger photo in this posting.
Ah - I think that explains it.

I believe the information on the card gives the address of the photographer, rather than your ancestor's house.

The 1901 census shows Harry Hallier - age 47 - photographer - living and working at 41 High Street, Sydenham. Harry's son Frank - age 21 - is also a photographer, living and working at the same address.

Harry was born in (what looks like) Gloucestershire, whilst Harry's wife Sarah (21) and Frank were both born in Walsall, Staffordshire.

I'll see what I can turn up on the other Wright names you posted. I agree with Annie and Martin, your photograph looks much more like the houses in Trewsbury Road or Westwood Hill than the old Sydenham High Street.

You might like to have a browse through Steve Grindlay's flickr pages. Steve is our local historian and has kindly posted a real treasure trove of images of old Sydenham on flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegrindlay/sets/
marymck
Posts: 1579
Joined: 9 Feb 2008 16:30
Location: Upper Kirkdale

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by marymck »

I just checked out 34 Kilmorie Road on Google Street View ...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&pq= ... CEAQ8gEwAA

I think that's it!

The 1901 Census has a Wright family living at 34 Kilmorie Road.

They are ...

Anne [or Annie?] E Wright - Head - Widow - age 41 - "living on own means" - born [what looks like] Somers.Tatton [could be Somerset?]

She is living with five children, all of whom were born in Cubitt Town, Poplar. [Which makes sense given Francis Wright's occupation - Cubitt Town was near the London Docks]

The children are listed as ...

Edith [F?] Wright - age 22 [no occupation given]
Amy E Wright - age 21 - Dressmaker
Minnie Wright - age 20 - [can't read the occupation, but may be Milliner]
Albert E Wright - age 18 - Draper's Apprentice
Henry Wright - age 16 - Articled pupil, Auctioneer

Also in the household is Reginald [what looks like Burdge] - nephew - age 4 - born Somers.Tatton.
ronycoca
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Apr 2012 21:11
Location: Santiago, Colima Mexico

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by ronycoca »

Thanks to you all and especially marymck who found the house at 34 Kilmorie Road. The address I had was for the photographer. Now to follow up with the Census information. I may be back on this site for more assistance.

Saludos,
Ron
alfabet
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Dec 2011 12:15
Location: UK

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by alfabet »

In 1905 my great-great-grandparents were living at 56 Kilmorie Road!

My great-great-grandfather died there in 1907 and his widow remained in the house until her death in 1922.

Do you have any more information/photos of the road?
ronycoca
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Apr 2012 21:11
Location: Santiago, Colima Mexico

Re: ancestral search for a house

Post by ronycoca »

alfabet wrote:In 1905 my great-great-grandparents were living at 56 Kilmorie Road!

My great-great-grandfather died there in 1907 and his widow remained in the house until her death in 1922.

Do you have any more information/photos of the road?

PM sent.
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