Lucy Cowper and Quinn Square Buildings, Southwark 1882 to 1926

[Bob Cowper]

My Great grandmother, Lucy Cowper, was widowed in 1882 and moved soon afterwards into 61 Quinn Square Buildings, Southwark with four children under the age of 11. Later, in about 1906, she moved into 64 QSB and lived alone there until she died in 1926. I believe QSB was a privately developed tenement block(s), built in the 1870s and demolished in 1971; Does anyone know anything about Quinn Square Buildings, I wonder - anyone who lived there, what the Landlord was like, the quality of the accommodation, how well the buildings were maintained, any anecdotes? My great grandfather had a butchers business at 97 Lower Marsh until he died in 1882. I believe Lower Marsh was much the same then as it is now; a bustling commercial street full of all manner of traders, and some good pubs! Again, if anyone knows what it was like then, I'd welcome hearing from you. Many thanks.

[stanmapstone]

You can see Quinn Buildings on the map at https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=19&lat=51.5002&lon=-0.1080&layers=163&right=BingHyb
Lower Marsh https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=51.5015&lon=-0.1123&layers=163&right=BingHyb
Google Street View https://goo.gl/maps/w7NNUjmUge82
Stan

[avm228]

From a 1923 newspaper inquest report:

“Dwellings reeking with disease”

A divisional police surgeon described Quinn Square, Waterloo Rd, S.E. as follows:

They are a disgrace to a civilised town; the passages and staircases are indescribable; and police officers always put on a “smoke” before they go up there.

The deceased was a printer, William Phillips, 46, who occupied one room.  He died from heart disease and chronic pulmonary phthisis (tuberculosis).

The doctor added that it was impossible to describe the filthy condition which the whole place was in, and so far as he could see no-one was responsible.

The Coroner (Dr Waldo) said it was one of the buildings he left in despair when he was Medical Officer for Southwark.

The report was syndicated in the Birmingham Gazette and the Sheffield Independent, 8 March 1923.

[Bob Cowper]

Thanks stanmapstone and avm28, that's brilliant!

[avm228]

I don’t know what a “smoke” was, that a police officer would have donned for protection - perhaps a mask?

[stanmapstone]

From the OED Smoke; A spell of smoking tobacco, etc. to have (or take) a smoke, to smoke a pipe, cigarette, or cigar.
Stan

[avm228]

Ah.  So "put on a smoke" meant "smoke a cigarette "?

[markheal]

Bob.
"Great grandmother, Lucy Cowper, was widowed in 1882 and moved soon afterwards into 61 Quinn Square Buildings, Southwark "
 
My Great grandmother, Mary ANSTRUTHER [assumed surname] was a contemporary living at #82 Quinn Square, Waterloo Road on the 1891 census [only 3 pages apart from yours].

 She wrote: 'unable to buy a stamp [for a letter to her eldest son newly joined RMLI] or to borrow from the other families on the same landing because of their similar poverty'.

What are the names of her children?  Have you found their schooling records?   They may well have played together with my family!

I look forward to hearing your research stories.
Mark