Southampton Place Help

[littlebrownduck01]

Hi there

I'm tying to track down a rather shady character who's annoyingly called William Brown and keeps moving around. In Jan 1853 he had a daughter, and the birth certificate lists his address at the time as Harp Cottage, Shirley, Milbrook, Southampton. I know where Shirley is but I'd like to know the road that Harp Cottage was on. Can anyone help at all? I've checked the available old OS maps but without luck.

The reason I ask is that in Nov 1853 the London Gazette lists the bankruptcy of a William Brown of Totton and formerly of Church Road, Shirley. I'm wondering if this is the man I'm after - but there are a lot of William Browns. For the Totton William Brown to be the one I'm looking for, Harp Cottage would need to be on Church Road (I assume that's Church Street now).

Does anyone know the history of that area of Southampton or can point me to how to unpick this one? The William Brown involved is extremely hard to trace and this could be a key lead.

Thanks
SJ

[PaulineJ]

WElcome.

The only thing I can suggest , given that old-maps has failed to yield a harp cottage is to "walk/read" the 1851 census looking for the address.


Pauline


RD.    South Stoneham   Parish = Millbrook

[littlebrownduck01]

Yes, good idea. thanks Pauline.
Next time I have access to the 1851 census I might do that (I don't currently have paid access) although I'm not sure there's a way to search the indexes by road is there?

SJ

[PaulineJ]

findmypast seems to be searchable by street.
1881 is free(!)

[littlebrownduck01]

Awesome. Thanks. Will look into that tomorrow

SJ