JOSEPH TAYLOR, HAVERING

[Clippingdale]

Joseph was my great-great-grandfather, and in his last years (he died in 1899), he had built and lived at The Lawns, Havering, with his wife Ellen.  I have a photo taken in the garden, showing them with their children, eleven at least, though there are eighteen people in the photo, so maybe some partners too.  One of these is my great-grandfather, and what I would like is to be able to identify the various individuals.  A photo of the house, now demolished, would be good too.

[t mo]

hi there
i,ve just had a look at the cen for 1891 and cant see either of them not in havering also checked the 1901 for ellen just in case she was still living there and nothing either , the only thing i can suggest is that if you know any off the children's names or dates of birth start from there and work for ward looking for marriages and so forth using either free bmd or library s for ancestry but if you want to post up some more data if you have it we can try as well , also regarding a photo of the house if it was quite imposing ,and the lawns sounds it ! a local library may have a photo archive with the house in it worth a phone call at least
hopefully this will kick start your post to get some answers
best wishes
Trevor

[JacobeaM]

You could try having a look on the Seax website below for Havering-atte-Bower. It's still only a WIP but it might throw up some photographs, as there are a number of demolished great houses in the village:

http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/

Otherwise, like t mo suggested, you could contact the Local History Centre based at Romford Central library:

http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3427

~ Jacobea

[Clippingdale]

Thank you to both for the suggestions.  I shall follow them up.  The Lawns was a large house, now demolished and replaced by bungalows, as far I can tell from the Google map, but before then it was a sports club. 

For anyone who's interested my  tree is on www.geno.hiarchive.co.uk, and the photo is listed as Joseph Taylor and family.

[F.H.]

Hi.
Not too sure if this helps, but I lived in Havering for some time and on the way towards Collier Row (a couple of mile from Havering Atte Bower) there was and still is, a recreation park.
The name of it is "Lawns Park". You can get to this park from Chase Cross Road, via "Lawns Way"
I also remember the Club House near the top end of Lawns Way.
This area would have been considered as Collier Row although it now comes under the Havering Council
Good luck,
F H

[Clippingdale]

Thanks for that.  Lawns Way is the road The Lawns was in, and it latterly became a social club so that probably is the one you remember.
I've been in touch with the local history librarian at Romford and he sent me an old photo from a postcard, showing Lawns Way, possibly from the Chase Cross Road end, in which case it may be possible to just make out the chimneys of the house.
Sadly the only information he has about Joseph Taylor is what I've just sent him.

[F.H.]

I do seem to remember seeing photographs of the building we are speaking about in a book, "a history of Essex" or something like that.

I'm not too sure where you are, but if you are local to the area I would be inclined to either visit the Romford library or to look in a good book shop for books on the history of Romford or Collier Row.

I too looked on google. The club was where "Virginia Close" now is.

Hope this has helped a little,
F H

[Clippingdale]

Unfortunately I live in Leeds and books on Romford are not too thick on the ground round here, but I do keep my eyes open.  Should I find myself back in Romford at any time I shall certainly have a good look.

[gtscriv]

Lawn House, Lawnsway, Collier Row now Lawn social club, was built c. 1850, apparently by the owner of the adjoining windmill, and was soon enlarged into a gentleman's residence, in a small park.

Ceased trading as a social club 1995, now Virginia Close.