Oxford Address Help

[dcwilkes]

I have a wedding certificate dated 1881 wherein the bride states her pre-marital address as:

24 Charles Street. This is followed by 'Jeppley Road or Jeffrey Road or Jerrley Road' Oxford.

I have found Charles Street on a street guide but the other bit is baffling.

Is there anyone who might have historical knowledge of Charles Street during the 1880's or could throw any light on the second part of the address.

The bride is my Great Grandmother Sarah Elizabeth Gardner (aged 24).

What was this address: Was it an accomodation for young ladies (of ill repute or otherwise) - perhaps a simple town house - perhaps a shop with living quarters above?

This is the only clue I have to discover her history.

[arthurk]

Charles Street is off Iffley Road. Could it be saying that?

I've no idea what kind of house or establishment it might have been, but if you look at the 1881 census you might find who was living there and be able to work out what kind of place it was.

Arthur

[v.wells]

Try old-maps.co.uk. I have used this several times to locate streets in London area. Google earth is free to download so try that too!
good luck!

Vanessa

[dcwilkes]

Ok, I've looked at the certificat again and it could well ready as Iffley. The certificate is not the original but a copy dated 1993 - so the transcription could have suffered.

I will also follow up the old maps. Cheers.

[Geoffers]

I have a wedding certificate dated 1881 wherein the bride states her pre-marital address as: 24 Charles Street. This is followed by 'Jeppley Road or Jeffrey Road or Jerrley Road' Oxford.

Definitely Charles Street, Iffley Road

Is there anyone who might have historical knowledge of Charles Street during the 1880's or could throw any light on the second part of the address.

A lot of the housing along Iffley Road still stands from this period, generally comfortable town houses - the area was still being developed. Possibly she was a servant to one of the middle class houses in Charles Street, checking census returns for this address and others nearby may confirm or refute this. What (if any) is her occupation at the time of marriage - who else lives at the address? If the other residents were not her employers, perhaps they were relatives?

Geoffers

[christopher_n_lewis]

I agree, it's probably 'Iffley Road'. If you know where the marriage took place, you could try telephoning the Oxford Register Office and ask them to confirm that is the address.

I've just been to look at the house - unless the street has been renumbered, it is a typical late Victorian terrace house, like most in that road, not one of the bigger houses in Iffley Road. The local roads were still being developed at that time, so it may have been newly-built in 1881.

Probably irrelevant, but the words "May Cottage" are carved above the front door. Only a few individual houses have that sort of name.

I think a look at the 1881 census may suggest useful ideas for further research.

HTH
Christopher

[dcwilkes]

Brilliant info. Could I impose on you further please? I would like a photograph of the house. I can open an email address for the purpose. Would you mind?

I have an extensive family tree but Sarah was the first ancestor I tried to trace and has been a mystery ever since.

Her Father was named James Gardner (a cabinet maker)
Her D of B was 1887
Her pre marital address was 24 Charles Street Oxford
Her marriage was 1881 (Birmingham
Her son's D of B was 1883 (I remember him)
Her husband died 1886 (aged 29)
My Mother described her as 'NICE'.

This is all I have but at least your description of the house has given me an insight as to her social standing. I can now say she could have been a Lodger, a relative of the owner, a Tennant, the daughter of the owner. It is unlikely she was a servant of the house.

Now I need to know who else lived there.

I have sent the URL of my tree to you in a private message.

Cheers

Don

[christopher_n_lewis]

Photo will not be a problem. Give me a few days...

Sounds like you are making progress, glad to help

Christopher

[dcwilkes]

That's super. On another note I have just received Sarah's son (my Grandfather)'s war pension book courtesy of a member in Victoria Australia. Made me blub a bit when I read it.