How to date when a building was erected?

[Lincoln1955]

Hi

I have an address of 15 Brooke Place, Ber Street, Norwich where my mother was brought up by her maternal grandparents. I have never know the reason why and sadly it’s too late to find out. I suspect it’s because my mother’s parents lived in one of the yards which had rather squalid conditions.

My question is I would love to know when my great grandparents 1st moved in to this address. I have contacted Norwich City Council but they were unable to give me a definite date. They are and still mostly council housing.

My mother was born in 1930 and got married from this address in 1951. Her birth certificate states a year in Norwich.

Thank you for your help.

[John915]

Good evening,

I am assuming you have seen the building, if not I have attached a picture. It is a 3 story block of flats and 15 is behind the bush or just above it. Depends on whether there is a no 13 or not.

Looking at them they could be pre or post war, difficult to tell with this style. They were still built into the 60s.

John915

Added, Had to look at several estate agents before I found one that gave a date, but built in the 30s. 192.com lists a no13 so 15 is the one on the first floor above the bush.

[Lincoln1955]

Thanks John.

Yes I visited the building 2 years ago.
Just interested to know if that address is where my mum lived from birth or if they moved in afterwards. Think some of the flats may have been bought now but to me I think the majority are still council owned. All the council could say was that it would have been a prestigious address when they were 1st built.

[Mike in Cumbria]

The 1928 Ordnance Survey map shows dense housing on that site, so there must have been some major clearance and rebuilding after that date.

[Mike in Cumbria]

It was built some time in the 1930s.

[Chris Doran]

Have you tried Norfolk Heritage Centre, based in Norwich Library? I would expect them to have volumes of one or more:-

• Electoral Rolls, ordered by ward and street. There's usually an index telling you which ward to look in. They are published annually, compiled in the year preceding the one they come into force, which is often the one on the cover.
• Street directories. Hopefully there were street-by-street ones for the city which are easier to use than the county-wide ones which may only be ordered by surnames. They were generally published annually, but can be a year or two out of date.
• Council Minutes -- such a major development would have been discussed -- but not all have indexes.
• Local newspapers, which may report the development and/or carry for sale/to let adverts unless all were filled from the housing list.
• Contemporary photographs of the development.

Not all of the above will be online, digitised or electronically searchable, but as you have a narrow range of dates it shouldn't take too long to do it manually. Many libraries will do quick searches for free if you can't get there.

[Lincoln1955]

Hi Chris Dorian

I will try the suggestions you have offered. Thank you so much. Very much appreciated.

[hepburn]

Is this your Ber street?

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01skk/

[hepburn]

An index to all the streets...I can't see Brooke Place though.

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01skl/