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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: Moscatella on Friday 23 December 16 10:29 GMT (UK)

Title: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: Moscatella on Friday 23 December 16 10:29 GMT (UK)
A merchant seaman, Thomas Wells aged 62, arrived from Brisbane as a Distressed British Seaman in 1924 and his UK address given as the above, but I'm unable to find any more after his arrival. I'm thinking it may have been a seamen's refuge of some sort. I believe he had joined the navy in Swansea aged 16, but I have very little info on him apart from his birth origins in Portsea.

Does anyone know the history of 16 Kempthorne Street? It seems to be in a shopping centre nowadays, interestingly a Forces Charity Shop?  Is that coincidental or connected with it's history as some sort of refuge?

Any snippets gratefully received. Many thanks and Happy Christmas to you all.
Title: Re: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: ShaunJ on Friday 23 December 16 10:37 GMT (UK)
Looking at the censuses and the 1939 register it looks to have been a private house. Perhaps he was a lodger there.
Title: Re: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: Moscatella on Friday 23 December 16 11:03 GMT (UK)
Thanks very much Shaun for such a swift response :)
Title: Re: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: Telinlethaed on Tuesday 27 December 16 22:01 GMT (UK)
In the newspapers of the day, it was a lodging house.
Title: Re: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: ShaunJ on Wednesday 28 December 16 07:42 GMT (UK)
Quote
In the newspapers of the day, it was a lodging house

Not a lodging house, more a large family home that occasionally took in lodgers.  "Comfortable Lodgings" for 2 single men were advertised in a local paper in 1868 (by a J Ashdown) but  I haven't found any later ads. It is not a lodging house in the censuses.
Title: Re: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: Moscatella on Friday 30 December 16 10:45 GMT (UK)
Thanks to you both - it was just a possibility that if it had been a refuge or seamen's mission or somesuch then there may have been some record of him that would help me to track him after his initial arrival back in UK. :)
Title: Re: 16 Kempthorne Street, Gravesend in 1924
Post by: PippaL on Tuesday 04 March 25 11:41 GMT (UK)
It was the site of Princes Street School for Boys and Girls, probably set up by the British and Foreign Schools Society, as shown on 1862-75 map. The building continued to be used as a school until it was demolished after 1952 to make way for the St Georges Centre.