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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Wiltshire => Topic started by: WexDor on Sunday 28 September 08 20:43 BST (UK)
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I have an ancestor in Swindon with an address called 'Cetus' ?? Please could someone tell me whereabouts Cetus was in 1871?
Many thanks!
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Was this at census?
What was the ref?
Pauline
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Hi
I tried Googling and came up with this:
http://www.bluesaphire.co.uk/swindon%20Structures.htm
Second to last paragraph refers to Cetus Buildings, built c.1842, a bargees' tenement on the north side of the Wilts & Berks Canal.
Kind regards
Gaie
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More info here:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66543
Gaie
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Many thanks indeed for your help :) The 'bluesaphire' site looks extremely interesting and I have picked up some other details as well!
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WexDor,
Do you know which number Cetus Blds. was the one of interest to you? They may have been 1 - 12 when built but later merged with numbers in Medgbury Road.
I went inside some of the houses, just before they were demolished sometime about 1960, and might be able to describe one to you.
At that time there was some discussion about what came first - Whale or Cetus, the pub., bridge or the Buildings. I never heard of any certain conclusion being reached.
The building was quite imposing with a classical pediment. I was sorry to see it disappear but it cannot have been so nice to live in it. Falcoln Terrace in Westcott Place, which was also tied to the canal is, I believe, still standing.
If I can help more, I will try. Toby.
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WexDor,
Do you know which number Cetus Blds. was the one of interest to you? They may have been 1 - 12 when built but later merged with numbers in Medgbury Road.
I went inside some of the houses, just before they were demolished sometime about 1960, and might be able to describe one to you.
At that time there was some discussion about what came first - Whale or Cetus, the pub., bridge or the Buildings. I never heard of any certain conclusion being reached.
The building was quite imposing with a classical pediment. I was sorry to see it disappear but it cannot have been so nice to live in it. Falcoln Terrace in Westcott Place, which was also tied to the canal is, I believe, still standing.
If I can help more, I will try. Toby.
Thanks Toby for your help........unfortunately I do not have a number for the family at Cetus Buildings ???
However, do you know where I could find a photograph of the place??
Thanks again!
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I ought to be able to find a photograph, but cannot think at this moment where it might be.
I have the names of tenants in 1886. What family name is of interest?
Toby.
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Thanks Toby, I have been able to view the on-line census for 1871 and have discovered that the family lived at 1 Cetus Building - their name is Hooper........John, Angelina, Alice Kate and Adelaide together with two lodgers. Living accommodation must have been extremely cramped for them. I would be interested to know the situation in 1886 - I know that Angelina appears to have married a Thomas Garland at some stage, presumably John Hooper had moved on, perhaps he had died...
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I have a bit more for you. In 1886 a F.Williams is living in No 1, but the landlord of the Whale Inn was Thomas Garland. The 1881 census may make interesting reading.
I think it is likely that No.1 became 80, Medgbury Road based on the way places tend to get numbered. If not, it became 91.
Down stairs the house was divided into 2 rooms both 11' 5'' wide. The front room was 11' deep and the kitchen at the rear was 8'.It had a sink under the window and in one corner was what was referred to as a copper - a built in boiling unit. One entered the front room directly from the street. In the front room was something between a ladder and stairs to the upper floor where there were 2 bedrooms.
There were 6 privies at the each end of the block.
These details came from no.81. Houses 6 & 7 were a little larger than the rest which were identical in size.
Hope this gives you some idea. Toby.
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Between 1871 and 1886 2 John Hoopers died in the Highworth district. One aged 86 is recorded in March Quarter 1874 and the other , which seems the more likely and which your census would confirm, was 44 in Sept Q. 1874. I have also found a marriage to a Thomas Garland in June Q 1876 but her name is given as Angelina Hooper Thorne. Does that make sense to you?
Toby.
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Hi Wexdor & Toby
How wonderful to have such a description of a dwelling from that time!
Unfortunately the census images do not show the Hoopers at No.1 Cetus Buildings. I think you've mistaken Do (for ditto) in the address column, or the downward stroke in the next column which shows an inhabited house. But they are shown somewhere amongst Cetus Buildings.
RG10 piece 1883 folio 114 page 29-32
Page 29 starts with Cow Lane, and then has two households in Cetus Buildings, the first one being The Whale Inn.
Page 30 has five households.
Page 31 has four households, with the Hoopers in the fourth household.
Page 32 has two households. Then it becomes East**** Farm.
So the Hoopers were possibly at Number 3 or 11, depending on which way the numbering went.
Do you reckon it was two households per privy?!!
Kind regards
Gaie
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That's very helpful, Gaie. I don't remember The Whale pub very well but by deduction from the 1952 Swindon Directory , the Whale Inn was number 92 so that fits in well . I suppose that means the Hoopers lived in No.3.That was the same size as No.1
There were 2 x 6 privies but whether each was exclusively for one house, I couldn't say.
Toby.
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Toby........thank you SO very much for this information :) I have been puzzling how Thomas Garland came onto the scene and I had wondered about John Hooper. The description of Cetus Building is extremely interesting........thanks also to Gaia for the numbering information. I did find the census detail rather difficult to read (my eyes were beginning to play tricks I think!). I know where I am going with this now - I would love to see a picture of this building if one were available. Thanks again!
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I'm afraid I haven't been able to find a photograph and since I found one of Falcon Terrace it is possible that I have confused the two but only as far as a photograph is concerned. The dimensions certainly apply to Cetus houses.
I would be very surprised if the Swindon Record Office had not got a photograph. They have a considerable collection.
Toby.
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This is a sketch done in 1962 and is the best I can do for now.
Toby.
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Sorry not to have added this when the photo was found. Better late than never, I suppose. T