goddard family, ashton road, newbury

[nursey1]

I am researching the Goddard Family, living at Ashton Road, Newbury. in 1901 and 1911 census, they are living at no. 2 Ashton Road. does anyone know if the present houses in Ashton Road, are the same ones, or a more recent re-development?

[newburychap]

Ashton Road - probably more realistically Asthon path - is a block of 4 terraced houses off Kings Road.  I should think that the current houses would have been there in 1901/1911.

[nursey1]

thanks for your reply, that would seem to fit with my dates, so were there ever only four houses, or has the road been 're-developed' ? We are planning a visit later in the year, my husband remembers as a child, he did visit a couple of times, and said that they allways entered through the back of the house, which is where they parked.

[newburychap]

There were indeed only ever 4 houses - reached by a path from Kings Road to the front (behind the car in the picture from google maps - the car is parked in Ashton Road).

The map from 1911/12 shows Ashton 'Road' - the Goddard house is numbered 2958.  All four were owned by Mrs S Botsford.  Passages to the side and rear give alternative access to Kings Road and Orts Road (another 4 house 'road'). 

According to the Field Books from the Valuation Office survey (1911-13) there was water to the house, but not to the WC - makes one wonder what WC stood for!

[newburychap]

One more picture - a bird's-eye from Bing maps.

Ashton Road is the block of four houses left of centre. The modern flats in front were built on former industrial land about ten years ago.  The rest of the picture shows the typical terraced housing built in this area for the working classes in the late C19th, early C20th. Around this time there was a lot of development in Newbury, partly with the aim of removing town centre slums.

[nursey1]

Thankyou once again for this information, it is really helpful. I have shown this to my husband, who says that it makes a sense to him, re. entering via the back way!