Bertal Road Wandsworth

[A Lee]

Is anyone familiar with Bertal Road, Tooting?

What were the houses like?

Could they house a lot of people comfortably in the 1920's?

Thanks
Alison

[Copper]

I put Bertal Road in Google and it come up with a few hits. The interesting ones were estate agents.


This one shows the outside of a house in Bertal Road
http://www.propertyfinder.co.uk/property/Houses/buy/L125154

Other estate agents show some of the inside. The house is sold subject to contract so I would not leave it too long to look yourself.

[Peter Goodey]

This one shows the outside of a house in Bertal Road

The written description may be more relevant.

What do we reckon? Two families? More?

[Copper]

The written description may be more relevant.

What do we reckon? Two families? More?Yes the description is good. It has two double bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. Would the bathroom have originally been another bedroom? They could have packed a lot of people into those rooms I am sure.

[A Lee]

Thanks, both of you.

Why didn't I think of doing that?!

There are several on that site all with pictures and, as you say, they are quite large.

My reason for asking is I have been collecting info from electoral registers and within the space of two or three years it went from housing 2 or 3 members of my family to larger numbers of extended family, to it would seem an additional family with an entirely different name who I have not yet identified as being even connected (although this may be the case). Would they have literally all been living together - possibly with up to about six or seven children - or would they have been kept more separate?

Thanks again for the help. It's most interesting in itself as I am not a Londoner!!!!

Alison

[Copper]

I think that a family would rent a place and then rent out a room or two to other families. This is why on a census you will find two or more families with different surnames in one property. This would mean that a family would live in a single room.

I have read that in a room you could find a wife, their children and the husband busy working making shoes (I am sure there must have been other trades too). These were very cramped conditions. These were very unhealthy conditions to live and work in and I am amazed that my ancestors survived.

[A Lee]

Thanks for the advice, Copper.

Alison