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Topic: Watts Yard. Oxford (Read 2139 times)
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Julieharris
RootsChat Member
 Offline
Posts: 147
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Hi DJ
Yes it is a bit of a mystery!
My gr3 grandmother Susannah Ewers lived at 10 Watts Yard, Woodstock Road according to 1881 Census. Next door at no 11 was her sisters Charlotte Hutt and Sarah Harris.
The reason I am trying to trace Watts Yard is that a few days ago i was contacted by someone who had in their pocession a family bible dating back to 1834 with a family of Harris's recorded in it. He has no connection with the bible having been given it by his father some 10 years ago.
It has turned out that the bible was that of my gr3 Grandfather Robert Harris b.1824. Charlton on Otmoor. He said his father had acquired the bible some 20 odd years back when he undertook a house clearance in Woodstock Road, Oxford. He can not remember exactly where only that it was by St Edwards School, Woodstock Road.
When I did a trace on Robert Harris, I found that 3 of his daughters (as above) lived in Watts Yard, Woodstock Road (1881)!
So I am now trying to track down Watts Yard to see if the bible was indeed found in the family home or to find out how it got their.
The man with the bible turned out to only live some 12 miles away from me and kindly offered to 'hand it over'. This evening I collected in, it is 174 years old and full of my family history. How wonderful is that I am over the moon 
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SOFFE, Hampshire & USA. MARTIN, Hampshire & Quebec. HARRIS, Pill Somerset. HARRIS, Oxfordshire. EWERS, Oxfordshire. Cobb, Oxfordhsire. MORRIS, Oxford.
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Ruskie
RootsChat Aristocrat
 Online
Posts: 2866
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Julie,
As you have the family in the 1881 census in Watts Yard, Woodstock Road, it may help to trace where the Yard is or was, by checking the neighbours up and down the street.
It can be time consuming if you have a long road but you may come across a landmark or recognizable street corner which still exists today which will help you narrow down where Watts Yard is/was.
It may still be there today under a different name.
I've done this (it's fun) with reasonable success and followed the enumerator's path on a modern day map.
Good luck.
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Ruskie
RootsChat Aristocrat
Online
Posts: 2866
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I'm afraid to say I've spent many hours traipsing the streets  and making notes, but you just need that one little clue ... and it may be just around the corner. I hope your persistence pays off. Good luck.
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Ruskie
RootsChat Aristocrat
Online
Posts: 2866
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi again,
I got a bee in my bonnet about this and trawled the streets in 1881 and wrote down street names and house names. I think I've narrowed Watts Yard down a bit for you though I couldn't find it's exact location.
Go to www.old-maps.co.uk and type "st edwards school" into the search bar. This will take you to a map.
Zoom in till you can see the location of the school.
If you click on the bottom tab on the right side of the map you can enlarge it, though it's still not very clear, it helps a bit.
Just above the school you'll see Woodview Cottages, and above this Red Lion Inn. These are all on Woodstock Road.
A bit further up the Woodstock Road is Beaumont House, and above this again is Henley House. On the right, on the road between Beaumont House to the north and the Red Lion to the south there are some houses/streets/lanes. The words St John the Baptist are written over the area. Anyhow, I think that your Watts Yard is in that area.
Following the enumerator, south of Beaumont House is a Crappers Row, then Watts Yard, then Sitman's Row, then Black Horse Lane, Black Horse Inn, William's Yard, The Woodstock Arms pub, Brooks Zone, then down to the Red Lion Inn.
I've had a bit of a look some modern maps, but couldn't find a decent one. Will have another look later.
Hope this helps a bit.
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WATTS_YARD.jpg
