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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => London & Middlesex Lookup Requests => London and Middlesex => England => London & Middlesex Completed Lookup Requests => Topic started by: paulalou on Thursday 11 November 04 12:05 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
I have a relative who was born in Quinn's Buildings, Popham St, Islington in 1893 and i'm interested in finding out more about the building. I've had a look on at the Charles Booth archive and the street was a very poor area (boardering on being semi-criminal). Does anyone have any information as to who built the buildings (were they built by a trust etc) or any photos of it? Also does anyone have a street index for 1893/94 which i could request a search from as i want to see how long my ancestors lived there.
Thanks
Paula
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Paula,
These buildings were there in 1891 and comprised a whole enumeration district of the census. There seem to have been approximately 250 separate households living there at the time. I have not been able to find it on the enumerator's walk in 1881.
Nell
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It must have been a very large complex/building. My relative was born at number 171. I know they weren't living there in the 1891 or 1901 census so would like to know approximately when they moved there and left.
Paula
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Hope this is a little bit of help. Here is an account of Popham Street and Quinn's Buildings with a small picture
http://www.yourmemories.co.uk/memories/county/greaterlondon/burdett1_islington.asp
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There were several Quinn's Buildings in London at that time. It was not uncommon for one landlord to own several large tenement developments. Some of those like Peabody's Buildings were designed to be a better class of housing for the working class.
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My father lived there in 1901, he was born 1898 so maybe he was born there. British History Online History of the County of Middlesex says they were built in 1876 but the present map shows only modern blocks of flats. There must be a record of the rebuild somewhere.
hargreenman
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I have only just come across this site but was interested in the message from Paula. My grandfather, born 1893 - Frederick Walker - lived in Quinn's Buildings. Wondered if there was a connection.
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An old thread, I know. I have a relative living there in 1939, @ 51, Quinns Buildings.
There may be a clue in that name. ;)
Steve. :)
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You can see Quinn Buildings, Popham Street on the map at http://maps.nls.uk/view/101201472#zoom=4&lat=7691&lon=8558&layers=BT
They were built by Thomas Quinn MP, who had extensive brickworks about twenty miles from London, and was a builder of flats and model dwellings.
"Some of the workingmen's dwellings he has put up in various parts of London are among the best of their kind, and "Quinn's-buildings," in more than one district, will remain as a lasting memorial of an honest builder." Pall Mall Gazette - Thursday 04 November 1897
Stan
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My father lived in Quinn buildings , Popham St from 1923 to 1937, apartment no. 227 on the ground floor by the arch into the central yard.
All apartments were the same two rooms, a living room with coal fire, sink and cupboard and bedroom for his parents. He and over the years his 5 brothers and sisters lived and slept in the living room describing that when he had grown he had a chair which converted to single bed. All this is confirmed by a surviving but elderly brother.
He wrote that his mother had to go up 4 storeys, onto the roof to hang out the washing.
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My gt gt Aunt Emily Walsh lived at 62 Quinn buildings Popham Street. This was her last known whereabouts on the 1939 register. Does anyone know if this street got bombed in the war
Thank you
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You could see if it is marked here:
http://bombsight.org/#15/51.5405/-0.0776
Another thing to try is looking at the location as it is now on Google street view. You can sometimes get an indication of likelyhood of bombing through looking at the buildings, eg a row of Victorian buildings with a 50s or 60s block in the middle of them can sometimes indicate rebuilding after bomb damage. Often times the area has obviously been completely redeveloped, which should be evident through having a look around. :)
Added: after having a quick look, it is obvious the area has been redeveloped so ignore my above suggestions. :)
PS. Welcome to rootschat. ;D
Bombsight shows two bombs dropped in Popham Street, one of which looks like it might have hit Quinn’s Buildings. I am not sure how accurate the locations of the bomb icons are on this site or if it includes all bombs.
http://bombsight.org/#17/51.53756/-0.09719
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Welcome!
Islington electoral registers 1945-50 have no names/numbers for 60-84 Quinns Buildings, Popham Street
The missing numbers, with voters, reappear in 1951.
Which corresponds with the end (southern) block on the OS map of the mid 1950's (with numbers)
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=19&lat=51.53786&lon=-0.09816&layers=170&b=1
So perhaps that block was damaged by the bomb mentioned by Ruskie, reopening later.
Still leaves the missing Emily!
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I have seen a photograph of Quinn bldngs on the net apparently taken in the late 1940's. Try searching for Popham St. The image was confirmed as correct by a surviving member of the family who lived there pre war. I believe the buildings were demolished in the early 1950's.
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I believe the buildings were demolished in the early 1950's.
They were still there in 1965 (electoral registers)