128a Fowler Street, South Shields

[Patsy Beech]

Hi Everyone,

Could anyone shed some light on why I can't find 128a Fowler Street, on the census returns for 1891 or 1901?

This is pure curiosity as between 1948 & 1963 I lived there (my dad did not move out until 1971) and I wondered who the previous occupants had been. I know there must have been people living above the shops, and in the basement, because there was evidence of fireplaces and old mangles especially down in the basement. It was a very strange feeling down there because you could only see the feet of people walking down the street!

In 1948 one shops was a fireplace shop and the other was a shoe shop, but Hector Grabhams took the shoe shop over as a wallpaper & paint shop, and in 1960 turned the two into one large paint & paper shop. This meant our staircase which was in between the shops had to be moved to the righthand side which also meant we lost access to the basement. The last time I saw inside the basement was from the street looking down a big hole which had been our porch. All those lovely Victorian tiles had been smashed and allowed to fall into the basement - where I expect they are still lying!

Now back to the census search - The buildings are clearly shown on an ordnance survey map of 1895, and I can find houses listed in Charlotte Street & Mount Terrace which along with Fowler Street form a triangle - but nothing listed for those buildings in Fowler Street. Even if they were unoccupied would that not have been recorded on the census return? The shops in Green Street have been recorded even though no one is listed as living there.

Thanks for reading this, and I have my fingers crossed someone has an answer to satisfy my curiosity.

Best Wishes,
Patsy

[Helen K]

Hi Patsy

Not much positive news I'm afraid!

These are references for Fowler Street from an 1891 South Shields street index - I've looked at those pages and not found your 128a.

RG12/4155
Folio 12-13 Fowler Street Numbers 9, 68 & 70, 66, 62 Cumberland House, 56, 46, 36, 32, 28, 24, 6.

Folio 45 Fowler Street Numbers 23-59 (includes St Thomas Church and 33-39 are shops, but unoccupied).

Folio 85-86 Fowler Street Numbers 68 & 65

If you want any further details, such as Streets surrounding these numbers, just let me know.

Regards

Helen K

 
 

[JenB]

Had you considered the possibility that the dwellings in the street might have been renumbered at some time after the 1901 census - possibly as a result of subdivision of the buildings into flats below and above the shops? Consequently the place you are interested in might be there masquerading under another number.
Jennifer

[Patsy Beech]

Hi Helen & Jennifer,

Thank you both for having a search and your suggestions.

I had given some thought as to whether the whole block might have been called 'something buildings' instead of Fowler Street, but I have not found anything that would give a hint.

The shops below our flat were number 126 & 128 which is why we had a small 'a' added to our address, but the numbers seem to run in sequence from the bottom of Fowler Street (down by King Street & Ocean Road).

About two years ago I called into the shop (it was a video shop at that time) and unfortunately I made the young girl assistant feel uncomfortable at the thought the ground beneath her feet was not solid - if she see this I am sorry and hope she is OK now. I found it very strange that there was no access to the flat above as all staircases have been removed. What a waste of a large flat!

When we lived there back in the 50's & 60's on New Years Eve our front door was always open for anyone to drop in, and most people did after gathering around the Christmas Tree outside the Town Hall. We had no idea who most of them were but we all had a great time. How times change!

Thanks again for your help, and I'll keep looking - there must be something somewhere!

Patsy

[JenB]

I just searched for 'Fowler Street' in Kelly's 1890 Directory of Durham at http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/index.asp

The highest street number I could find in there was number 78.

Totally unscientific I know, but possibly a hint that there was some sort of renumbering??

Jennifer

[Patsy Beech]

Dear Jennifer,

I will certainly keep the idea of renumbering as a strong possibility.

I suppose previous occupants must have paid rates - my Mam & Dad did, 14/- (70p) per week rent plus 1 penny rates - those were the days - so would there be any records kept and where could I find them? Anyone got any suggestions?

Thank you for your help and interest.
Patsy

[janmoore]

South #Shields local studies library have poll books for at least the early 20th century containing the names first of males over 21 eligible to vote and then all adults eligible to vote. My brother and I used them to track where our father and his family lived until 1945.

Jan

[janmoore]

Kelly's Durham directory 1914 - the highest house  number was 59 and a half!

There were obviously some buildings that were pretty large - or well used! No. 20 for instance had at least five businesses operating from it. Mills and Co were in Standard Buildings; Wood and Son were in Victoria Buildings, as was Hirschmann's pianoforte warehouse. There are several businesses with no number given: Hanlon's grocers,Brown's fruiterers, and Caxton's Shoe Co as examples. Some obviously important buildings are also not given a number: the YMCA, North Eastern Bank chambers, and the Victoria Assembly Hall.

You might be interested to visit these:

This website has a photo of an old bus on Fowler St.
http://www.southshields-sanddancers.co.uk/old_photos/old_trolley_bus.htm

This has a photo of the Stag's Head
http://www.south-shields-online.info/POSS/stagshead/index.htm

This one for lots of photos of old South Shields http://website.lineone.net/~d.ord/The%20Market.htm

Jan

[JenB]

If renumbering did take place then the Council Highways/Environmental Services  Department should have records relating to it.
Jennifer