1911 Census Bethnal Green Completed!

[queenswood 1]

My Late Grandfather (1890-1958) is with his parents at St Peters square Bethnal Green in 1911 and his occupation is listed as a clerk with H L & Co.

He then served in the trenches during WW1` and went on to work for the Post Office  after WW1 until he retired.

Does anyone have nay idea at all how I can find out who H L & Co were- i know it is a big ask but I can't imagine that he would have travelled too far from home to work- any ideas at all? My Grandma who he married in 1915 lived with her family in Columbia Road Bethnal Green in 1911 and was listed as a clerk for a firm of Printers.

Ironically they used to write to each other in shorthand so they were both well trained clerks and Grandma always sent us letters on her old typewriter! Old habits die hard!

Any guidance or suggestions as to who H L& Co might have been in 1911 would be great! Thank you- I kniow it is a long shot.

Caroline

[Milliepede]

Very long shot but you could try paging through the census from his entry to see if any other occupants worked there, it might be written in full somewhere you never know!

What occupation was on his marriage certificate - clerk or anything more specific? 

[queenswood 1]

Thank you- he is only listed as a clerk on the marriage certificate in 1915 and his father Joseph Roots is listed as a Brewery Foreman- maybe this would help! He is living in Bethnal Green in 1911 but by 1915 he is lodging in Walthamstow- near to where he and my Grandma bought their first home when they married. the 1911 census says he is employed as a clerk at H L Co.

[jonw65]

Free index to 1911 has him, Charles Roots, 21, Clerk in H L Co:, living in Bethnal Green
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWG5-LS5

I must say, looking at the image, I have some doubts as to whether it is H L
The first letter is perhaps more similar to the capital N than the H in the address, Hackney Rd NE
And the second letter is identical to the capital T in Typist, as per sister Annie.

Which might make it N. T. Co:
Difficult to be sure!

[queenswood 1]

Because Grandad later worked for the Government telephone service within the Civil service- was there such a thing as the National Telephone company at that time? Just a random thought as that would tally with N T as suggested xx

[mckha489]

It looks as though they started to write his occupation on Poor Ernest’s line.  And there it looks like “Nils”.

Added. However there was a National Telephone Co.   

[jonw65]

National Telephone Co. sounds promising, Mckha (and Caroline!)
I would say the first letter is different in "Nils" though
John

[jonw65]

Wiki says the NTC was taken over by the GPO in 1912, under the Telephone Transfer Act 1911.

And a Charles Roots is in the Post Office Appointment Books on ancestry, February 1912,
Asst. Clerk, L. Tp. D.

So perhaps we have the answer!

[queenswood 1]

Oh my goodness- that is fantastic! Thank you so very much! That now makes complete sense!!!!

I wonder what the abbreviations stand for : L  Tp  D

London?  Typist?  D?

Really appreciate this help so very much xx

Caroline