address 1841 in Lancaster

[Maui OHaole]

Hello, do either of you still have this scan available?  I've just found an ancestor who lived in Crooked Billet as of 1841 census, and was a coachman for a Lancaster alderman.  In the 1851 census, his widow lived with relatives on Damside.  I haven't been able to find anything else regarding a street or area named Crooked Billet in Lancaster, only pubs in other cities by that name. 

[Barbara.H]

welcome to Rootschat Maui OHaole 

I think I do have the scan somewhere in my picture files, have to go out now but will look when I get back.

Crooked Billet Yard was still around in 1881. For that census the enumerator lists it between North Road and Little John St, which may place it to the right hand side of Calkeld Lane, not the left as I said in the earlier post. Possibly inside the triangle formed by Lower Church St, North Road and Rosemary Lane.

There are quite a few old maps of Lancaster online, but they don't name all the little streets and courtyards, just the bigger roads
http://lancaster.libguides.com/content.php?pid=160817&sid=1359970
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/oldmap/

  Barbara

[andrewalston]

www.old-maps.co.uk has a couple of 19th century street plans, from 1849 and 1892. The overall arrangement doesn't seem to have changed in that period, though some rebuilding has obviously gone on.
No "Crooked Billet" shown in either that I can see.

[Maui OHaole]

Thanks for the replies and links.  I tried a newspaper search of Crooked Billet and the most recent result was 1904, attached (Mr. Park was not a relation to my knowledge  ).  Both results also had the word "Yard" at the end.  Not being familiar with Lancaster urban planning, were these like mini-squares off the main thoroughfares?

[Barbara.H]

Found Crooked Billet Yard on the Old Maps website 

http://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html
Search for Rosemary Lane, Lancaster, then select map '1892 town plan 1:500' from the menu on the right hand side. A very detailed map on a large scale.
Within the triangle formed by Rosemary Lane, Lower Church St and North Road, you can see Crooked Billet Yard. It is a bit crooked as well, but Lancaster names are like that, very literal!

[Maui OHaole]

Great find, thanks Barbara!  I'm guessing the X-ed blocks indicate covered alleys.  And I won't ask about the literal origin of the name of nearby Little John Street  (just that it's far away from Sherwood Forest).

[Barbara.H]

And I won't ask about the literal origin of the name of nearby Little John Street  (just that it's far away from Sherwood Forest).

Not that Little John sadly - there is also a Great John St and they both refer to the nearby St John's church 

Here is the article about the Under Gardens on Damside St. Hope it comes out at a readble size!
This whole area is being excavated at the moment for sewer replacement, and various archaeological bits & pieces such as old pottery are surfacing.

[Maui OHaole]

Thanks again Barbara for an interesting read!  I did a Google map "drive-by" and it looks like a Domino's pizza is wedged into the old entrance of Crooked Billet now .