Building History of Ancestors Dwellings.

[benny1982]

Hi

There isnt a specific board for Buildings History or study so I will post on here for anyone interested in researching an ancestors cottage, house, tenement block or mansion etc.

I have shown a huge interest in a Central London tenement block which is still standing today, after two World Wars, right in the middle of a bomb damage area. It is Evelyn Buildings, Dorrington Street, Holborn EC1. The buildings stands right next door to St Alban's Church.

The building was built in 1881, my ancestor started appearing on the August 1882 ratebooks until he died in 1889. The building was converted into offices in 1892, refurbished in 1909 and become a hostel and through much research, I have confirmed the building that stands there now is the very same on that my ancestors lived in all those years ago.

Ratebooks are a good start. Some were done annually, but in a parish full of people, they may have been done half yearly to aid the parish upkeep of the poor, ie workhouses, out relief etc. They list the owner of the property, annual rent, sometimes number of rooms, description, and value figures. Bear in mind that it was often the landlord or owner who paid the rates, but if needed, sometimes the head of the household of each tenement paid the rates, as in my ancestor at Evelyn Buildings.

Electoral registers are good, although they came into being in 1832 and it was only mainly landowners that got to vote. The franchise was widened in 1867 and 1884 when any man over 21 could vote if they rened or ownder property £10 or more a year, providing they had a years residence in the property. If someone appears on the electoral register for 1885 in a tenement etc, the date that years register came into force was usually 1st January, so the information was collected in about October 1884, but the tenant had to establish his right to vote in around July or August. This can be good at tracing the history of a building and how long your ancestors live there.

Tithe records, sewerage records, drainage plans and even local newspaper articles and even parish vestry minutes can help in assuming the approximate date of completion of a dwelling and to research it further. Evelyn Buildings did'nt appear on the Feb 1882 ratebooks but did for the first time in August 1882 and I checked the St Pancras Gazette which has a lot of Holborn news and Evelyn Buildings was mentioned on 24 June 1882 as "new dwellings for the poor, and that 262 souls had found residence there". St Alban's Church had obtained the land to build the dwellings when planning began in late 1880.

These are just a few hints and tips on how to trace the history of a dwelling that was once inhabited by an ancestor.

Ben

[Geoffers]

and to add to Ben's excellent list..........

Just into the 20th century, the Valuation Office Records created as a result of the Finance Act 1909-1910 are useful

Tithes were mentioned - read about the Tithe Act 1836 in paragraphs 6 onwards

Where there are valuations to go with wills, these can provide a good description of the contents of properties.

This guide deals with various matters concerned with Land Conveyance

Street and trade Directories as sold via The Parish Chest can be informative.

Manor Court records for admission to copyhold, record applications for transfer of property and often mention relationships

[Mutley]

And as a completely daft idea that sometimes works.

If the street does still exist or one very nearby, local estate agents often list details and pictures on line of properties for sale that would give you a clue about similar buildings to those your ancestors lived in and what they look like now.

[Victoria]

"And as a completely daft idea that sometimes works"

Not such a daft idea, Mutley. It worked for me, once. Granted, it was a manor house, so not so hard to find, but by searching in Google, I found that it was currently for sale. The estate agent's online ad even included a lovely picture that I was able to copy.

Victoria

[Angelaj]

Hi,
Another site that you might not immediately think of www.imagesofengland.org.uk
Has photos of most listed properties in England which cover a huge range of building types. Free to register and use and a good way of getting an idea of how an area may have looked when your ancestors were there and what it looks like now. Viewfinder is also useful and can be accessed through the above site.
Angelaj

[benny1982]

Hi

Trade Directories are a must as they name the locations of streets and buildings and what side the numbers were down. They are second to the census in finding an ancestors dwelling although mainly tradesmen, courts and other pillars of the communities were listed but also some private residents. Try a more local directory for example "1864 Directory of Norwich" etc.

As mainly poor artisans and labourers lived in tenement buildings, they are not listed as much so you will have to use census, electoral rolls or ratebooks to find out more on the locations of model dwellings. You may get one or two residents who were tradesmen enough to appear in a directory if they lived in a large model dwelling tenemt block eg "Frederick Bloggs, Shoemaker, 133 Peabody Buildings".

Surveys of areas may also list certain ancestors dwellings like a Survey Of Liverpool.

Ben