"Does anyone know precisely where the Wood Houses, or Wood Row, Folly Road were located? They were made of mahogany and provided a very poor quality of home, eventually being declared unfit for habitation by the medical officer for Blyth, and condemned in 1891"
Not an easy question to answer.
I followed the Enumerator on his travels through the 1891 census in this area of Blyth. He visited Folly Terrace 1-19, Folly Cottage Hospital, Folly Cottages 1-5, Folly Wood Houses 1-4. He then made his way to Church Street now lost under the 1896 Police Station. He then went along Northumberland Street north to south, King's Head, Star & Garter, Odd Fellows, Vicarage, Ridley Arms, Ridley Street and then Tate Street.
Various maps of the time have slightly differetn details, but the Cottage Hospital shows on both versions giving us at least one acurately identifiable location. It seems on the basis of that, that the Wood Houses were located at the end of the northern most Ropewalk. The cottages do not show on the 1896 map, but do show on the 1859 edition, and on one edition that I cannot share on here, that small row is marked as having 4 individual properties in it.
The attached map will show you what I mean. Also follow this link to the area covered in broader detail;
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101027304P
