RootsChat.Com

England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 09:08 GMT (UK)

Title: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 09:08 GMT (UK)
My mother claims to recall being told that the property (73 College Road, Willesden) she lived in as a child in the late 1940s was owned by her grandmother - although this seems unlikely since her grandmother was a cleaning lady that struggled to make ends meet.
Is there any way of ordering the title to the property so that we can find out for sure one way or the other, my mother has a real bee in her bonnet about this    ;D
We are in Australia so it would have to be online or by snail mail.
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: carol8353 on Monday 16 January 17 10:44 GMT (UK)
https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-property-and-land/copies-of-deeds
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 16 January 17 10:49 GMT (UK)
I was just about to post the same link as Carol.  Although land registration was not compulsory throughout England & Wales until 1990, London (1899-1902) and Middlesex (1937) were early adopters.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Registry_(United_Kingdom)



Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 11:59 GMT (UK)
Thanks for your replies, using that it link it was no problem getting a copy of the current title. Do you think that they will look for a historical title for me though?
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 16 January 17 12:05 GMT (UK)
It looks like your best bet would be to fill in a Deeds Request Form and see what there is.

https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-property-and-land/copies-of-deeds

"4. Get a copy of the deeds
You may be able to find out current and past information about a registered property, eg previous owners."
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 13:18 GMT (UK)
Yeah I will give that a try, although I am not feeling overly optimistic :)
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: rosie99 on Monday 16 January 17 13:34 GMT (UK)
Looking at electoral registers after the war and the register before this property is possibly two dwellings  :-\
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: ReadyDale on Monday 16 January 17 13:42 GMT (UK)
Thanks for your replies, using that it link it was no problem getting a copy of the current title. Do you think that they will look for a historical title for me though?
On the few times I have had need to obtain info from Land Registry, they show owners since it was first registered until present day.
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 13:59 GMT (UK)
Rosie, my mum said that when she was a child her family lived upstairs and there was another family that lived downstairs, so yes you are right.
But my uncle bought the place in the 1960s and as far as I know he bought the whole thing. 

Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 14:18 GMT (UK)
Readydale, I just thought since it has all gone electronic they might not have loaded all the old details onto the system.
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: rosie99 on Monday 16 January 17 14:26 GMT (UK)
It looks as though it may now be 2 flats   :-\
Local planning search gives 73a as ground floor

Googling brings up property sale web site with some pictures
Title: Re: Can I find out who was the owner of a property in London in the 1940s?
Post by: Jonquill on Monday 16 January 17 14:36 GMT (UK)
This is what the title for 73 says. I didn't buy the plan as well, so I can't see which bits are red and blue.

 (28.03.2008) The Leasehold land shown edged with red on the plan of the above title filed at the Registry and being 73 College Road, London (NW10 5EL).
NOTE: As to the part tinted blue on the title plan only the ground floor maisonette is included in the title.