who was living at 86 High St Battersea in 1901?

[familysleuth]

Hi everyone - I am researching someone who died suddenly away from home in 1897. His place of death is given as 86 High St Battersea. In 1891 this was an unoccupied building. I am having trouble browsing this area of Battersea for 1901 as the enumeration area seems to have changed, with 'West Battersea, district 8' no longer an option. the options are East, Northwest and Southwest and lots of districts.... can anyone help? I can't find it in a trade or post office directory either. cheers, Louise

[Bookbox]

A search of the 1901 census on Ancestry for Pierce L. MERCERON will take you to 86 Battersea High Street.
RG13 piece 450 folio 43 page 23

[familysleuth]

Thanks a lot, Bookbox! Of course, this building or shop could have changed hands a few times from 1891 - 1901. However in 1901 number 86 was a hairdresser. Mr Merceron does not seem to be a relative, but there is a tie-in with his connection with Bristol and the Rodrigues family. I think he could have been a friend or business associate. Jacob Rodrigues, the unfortunate man, died on the spot from an aneurism of the aorta at the age of 47. His wife, Leah, died 4 days later from cancer so in the space of 5 days, their 5 children were orphaned - a very sad occurrence. thanks a lot for your help!

[whiteout7]

I can see that address here to next to a bankrupt man named John Boon, a corn, hay and timber merchant c1891
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26114/page/7028/data.pdf

[familysleuth]

thanks Whiteout, that may tie in with the building being unoccupied.

[ShaunJ]

Per the 1896 Kelly's London Suburban Directory, number 86 was Jas. Marshall, coffee rooms. 

[familysleuth]

thats really interesting, Shaun - those premises seem to have a quick turnover of businesses. For 1901 I am thinking the hairdresser is the best bet at present. Jacob also lived in Bristol, just before he came to London, and the Merceron family were also from Bristol. I am most inclined at present to think Jacob (a cigar maker) was either just getting his hair cut or visiting friends he knew.

[Chris Doran]

If you look beneath the big Xes on the census page, you can see that Harriet Merceron was running the coffee shop. In Kelly's 1902 London Southern Suburbs Directory, it's still coffee rooms, with John Dalwood as proprietor.

The sudden death might well have made the local newspaper, especially if there was an inquest. But the big digitisation project is taking a long while to reach London and the South East. You could e-mail Battersea Local Studies with the date and ask for a lookup.

BTW, the 1902 directory places Louise Ellis's "marine store" (euphamism for "junk shop") at No 82, as the census enumerator originally had it.

[familysleuth]

aha! thats great, Chris! re the coffee shop. I have looked in the newspaper - nothing reported from any newspaper in the British Newspaper Archive, the Times etc although I was looking for variations of the surname 'Rodrigues' and neglected the possibility of 'Rogers' so I must look for that.