House Numbers

[MaecW]

Hi everybody,

I've recently been using Google Street View to find houses that were occupied by members of my UK family over the years. It has been harder than expected as many houses, in cities especially, no longer seem to have their street numbers visible. Which leads me to wonder how the residents get their mail delivered and how their friends and other visitors can find them.
Have you all stopped visiting or is there something I am missing ? 

Maec

[Mart 'n' Al]

Doing exactly the same thing, I've noticed that too. I think it has become less common, but I think postal staff and couriers get used to it.  Also GPS systems make coordinates more accurate.  Also, be aware that stretches of street do sometimes get renumbered.  My house did. Early legal documents show it was originally 40 lower.  I use street view by counting along from the first visible number each way. 

[Kiltpin]

Hi Maec,

I don't know how relevant it is, but UPVC / plastic / fibreglas Self Coloured exterior doors have suddenly become very popular. They are cheaper than hardwood, do not warp, do not require painting and come in 16 colours off the shelf (over 10,000 colours if you have one made).

Added to that, front fences / walls are falling out of fashion. Of course, no wall, or fence means no gate, or no place to put a number.

Added to that ceramic / brass / bronze / earthenware or wooden number plaques, which are fitted beside the door have become very fashionable.

Or maybe we just don't visit any more ...

Regards

Chas

[stanmapstone]

The Towns Improvement Clauses Act, 1847 provides in Section 64 that the Commissioners under that Act (the local authority)  shall (Shall - indicates compulsion in official documents) from time to time cause the houses and buildings in all or any of the streets to be marked with numbers as they think fit. Section 65 of the same Act provides that the occupiers shall mark their houses with such numbers as the local authority approve of, and shall renew such numbers as often as they become obliterated or defaced. These sections were incorporated in the Public Health Act, 1875, and the Public Health Act 1925.

Stan

[rayard]

I found a house number the other day on Street View by looking at the numbered wheelie bins!!
rayard.

[ThrelfallYorky]

I'd actually got the idea that house numbers were blurred on streetview, in any case? Nice touch, finding it via wheelie bin.

[Mart 'n' Al]

Yes, I've done numbers on bins too. In the US I've seen house/block numbers on the kerb edge and free-standing mail boxes. I've just checked my very large house number on Street View and it isn't blurred out.  I think I've read that the emergency services recommend clear house numbers as it speeds up urgent attention if needed.  Another way to clarify numbers on SV, if the house is near a shop, check the address of the shop on the net, and count from there.

Martin

[stanmapstone]

Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847. 64 Houses to be numbered and streets named.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/34/crossheading/naming-streets

Stan

[John915]

Good afternoon,

I used to have the same problem when driving. In nov dec we used to deliver christmas hampers for the two biggest hamper companys (now both defunct). Houses close to the road are OK but those further back can be a problem. Particularly at the end of the day when it was getting dark. I used to carry a pair of bino's and a huge torch.

Worse are houses with a name and no no. Often on the house with hedges 10ft or more high, or on the gate which is then always left open so you can't see it.

For the normal day to day job of delivering ice cream to shops etc, very few shops have a no displayed at all. OK if there are prominent ice cream signs and not too many shops selling it next to one another.

John915