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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: estiman on Thursday 25 February 21 20:58 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
I have identified a 'street' that appears in 1841 and 1851 censuses called Winks Buildings. I have identified it on a map (1862) where it is shown as a street off Turks Row in Chelsea. There is a cluster of Winks residing in the immediate vicinity. My first thought was that the 'buildings' were owned by a Winks and so I tried cross-referencing the names of residents from the 1841 census on the Land Tax Valuations list pre 1841 but without success. I know it exists in 1834 as I have a burial record with the address, as well as an arrest in 1834, reported in The Examiner.
Any ideas?
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https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=l1g_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA252&dq=%22Mr+Browne%22+Architect+Winks+Buildings&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi1zOGbn4bvAhUFonEKHR-uAtYQ6AEwAHoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Mr%20Browne%22%20Architect%20Winks%20Buildings&f=false
There's a Reference to a Mr Browne, Architect of Winks Buildings, in the above link.
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It seems to have been a very unhealthy place to live: there were typhus deaths reported there in 1850 and 1851 ( the place was " pestilential in the extreme" ) and cholera in 1854. I noticed also a report of a smallpox death in 1852 at "Winks Buildings Battersea".
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Sanitary report from 1852: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/General_Board_of_Health_Report_on_the_sa/8qAG-1cduHAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22turks+row%22+%22winks%22&pg=PA5&printsec=frontcover
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[There's a Reference to a Mr Browne, Architect of Winks Buildings, in the above link.
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Thanks for the link, Sandblown...Winks Buildings certainly get around! Now there's a Canadian connection... but I still feel it's doubtful, as Winks is not an uncommon name. Also the Canadian version is quoted as a 'fine block', while the Chelsea version was apparently "pestilential" - see ShaunJ's post.
Cheers
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Fascinating (and appalling) description of the living conditions, ShaunJ. Thanks. I'd really love to know who the owner was - hope he wasn't one of mine!!!
Do you have the link for the Battersea report?
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Winks Buildings Battersea report: https://tinyurl.com/ju6p95m8
There was a James Winks at that address in the 1851 census
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After much searching, I believe "Winks Buildings" are possibly named after W. Winks, who was an active Builder, in Battersea and Chelsea, during the 1830s,1840s and 1850s.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol12/pp31-40
The above link is just a mention of His work in Chelsea, but I have seen reference to His activities in Battersea.
Refer to Danvers House Estate in the Article.
ADD: The 1851 Census has a William Winks, Builder, living at 6, Queens Road East, Chelsea. Born c.1796, Chelsea, Middlesex, England.
Queens Road East is now Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea.
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Well spotted, Sandblown. Thanks for that.
William Winks was, indeed, a builder but, to my knowledge, only after c1846. Up until then he had been a baker (!) - shown on children's baptisms (up to 1844) and 1841 census. The first confirmed records I have of him as a builder are in 1847 (daughter's marriage) and the surveyors reports for Chelsea (1846). The first work that appears there is a minor one: "pulling down and rebuilding external wall” in Lower Church Street, which is next to Danvers Street. It is in the latter that he undertakes his biggest project - 12 houses that are still there. In fact he will reside and die there. There are other references e.g. a court case for theft from a builder named William Winks in 1841. He does give his address in Royal Hospital Row, which would confirm him as the same but, of course, this conflicts with the records as a baker. Also, the Winks Buildings existed before 1834 and were, by all accounts, of an extremely poor standard, while the Danvers Street houses are of high quality. There is reference to work being done in Battersea, in partnership with a George Bass, but in 1848.
You mention work as a builder in the 1830's. If you have found something to that effect could you give me the reference/link?
Cheers
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http://oro.open.ac.uk/18803/
The above link is to a OU Thesis on the Development of Battersea. It's quite a large pdf document when downloaded.
I found a reference to a 'Winks' in1834, Using the 'Search' function on Adobe. Continuous searching with the forward arrow key > brings up more 'Winks' references.
There is an anomaly, as 'Winks' Trade Occupation, in one reference, He is described as a Carpenter, and born 1788, in Middlesex.
ADD: The 1834 Reference states "Winks" as Builder of 20 Properties, named Crescent Place, Battersea, on 0.25 acres of land. From the above link, it can be seen that a good number of other Traders/Shop Keepers, not necessarily Builders, speculated in Land Purchase, and Property Development.
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I read with great interest the document about the development of Chelsea. My aunt lived in part of a house in the area between Manor Street and Oakley Street in the 1950s, and I have wondered how old they were. Apparently 1850ish. They were rather run-down then, but very smart now!
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Hi Sandblown.
I had seen that OU thesis already but missed the 1834 reference. Well spotted. I am currently struggling with the facts that seem to cross-reference alongside the anomalies that don't.
I'll get back to you with my thoughts.
Thanks again
PS I think the "Other Occupations" referred to in the thesis refer to 'industry' in Battersea streets covered by the study, rather than property speculators. I'll be very happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.
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ShaunJ previously mentioned the 1851 Census for the 'Winks Buildings', Battersea. There are 20 Properties listed as the 'Winks Buildings' addresses. These appear just after the 'High Street', Battersea addresses, and could possibly be the 20 Properties named as 'Crescent Place' in the OU Thesis.
Yes, there are 'Winks' living there, and in particular James Winks, Born 1788, Occupation Carpenter. Could the Author of the Thesis, have mixed up the Names and Occupations of William and James Winks ?
This is a possible theory, and I have no facts to back this up: I believe James Winks had a Criminal Record, as a young man (Reference Ancestry), so to obtain finance or work on Building Projects, could He have been initially sponsored by William Winks, a Relative ?
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Is this the Turks Row you mention? This is an 1894 map of Chelsea.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=51.48962&lon=-0.15716&layers=163&b=1
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Yes, the Winks Buildings in question was at the Lower Sloane Street end.
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Yes, the Winks Buildings in question was at the Lower Sloane Street end.
So in the upper part of that block then.
I did find a Thomas Jackson in a Winks Buildings, near White Lion Street in Chelsea in the 1851 census but that was the only individual household living at a Winks Buildings. Inbetween Mermaid Yard and the Rose And Crown PH. Maybe the same place, and the other houses still being built, or another property of the same name, perhaps built by the same family.
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Hi Sandblown - well done! You spotted that there were 20 houses in the Battersea version of Winks Buildings. So, I had another look at the 1851 census. Before I had just seen the High Street as a neighbouring road. This time I looked further and found 'Square' = Battersea Square, which is still by Battersea High Street on Google Maps. I then checked on the 1862 Stanford map of London...and there, by Battersea Square, just off the High Street is Crescent Place.... AKA Winks Buildings in the 1851 census!
I have more but it's late so I'll get back to you tomorrow....and thanks for your inputs!!
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Hi again Sandblown. Below is the summary of what I conclude and you will see that you and I agree about James the carpenter (and yes he was convicted of larceny in 1811)
So, the possible anomalies/ niggles are:
• The birth date of 1788 in the OU thesis (no source) in the context of building evidence in 1848. William was born in 1795. We know there can be errors with births - however, 1788 corresponds to the birth of William’s brother James.
• Profession as carpenter in OU thesis, 1848. There no evidence at all that he was a carpenter, unlike his brother James, who was a carpenter.
• The 1841 court case showing William to be an established builder and a man of substance; the houses in Denby (Denbeigh?) Street not found on FindMyPast street search; no evidence that partner was George Bass
• Absence of surveyors’ reports before 1846. Explanation is that the first district surveyors for suburban areas were appointed in 1845
• The 1859 probate showing assets of below £200, strange for a successful builder living in one of the houses he built in Danvers Street
Possible explanations:
• William was operating 2 professions side by side, maintaining the bakery side pending take over by his eldest son, age 22 in 1841.
• The OU thesis reference to George Bass’ partner, William Winks, a carpenter born 1788 may, in fact, refer to William’s brother James, born 1788, a carpenter.
• Conclusion to initial query: given the name of the street and given the evidence for Winks Buildings Battersea (see previous post), I suspect (and regret) that William Winks was almost certainly the builder responsible for the insalubrious Winks Buildings.
So, thanks a lot for your productive input, Sandblown - and thanks too ShaunJ for the 'sanitary' references and the pointer to Battersea
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estiman, Thank You, it's been an interesting Research Project and I have now gained some knowledge of the development of two areas of London, which otherwise I would never have expected ! Good Luck with any further trails off the Ancestry Path !
Sandblown
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I found a newspaper report of a death of typhus in December 1851 of a 10 year old lad, son of a labourer at the Chelsea Wink's Buildings.
I cannot seem to find any Land records noting the owners of the buildings 1840s and 1850s. Unless I am missing something, none on Ancestry.
A Henry Neville of the Battersea Wink's Buildings was knocked by a donkey in 1843 and bitten on the lag and arm, and it became ulcerated.
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Hi Coombs,
Thanks for your inputs. I did a 1851 street search on FindMyPast and there are 20 properties listed under Winks Buildings, Turks Row. Still don't know how to confirm ownership, though. However, given the Battersea development conclusions, I'm pretty sure it was the same builder - William Winks.
Do you have the references for the typhus death and the donkey accident?
Cheers
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Hi, the 1843 ref is an old newspaper article on FindMyPast, as is the 1851 ref. I typed "Winks Buildings" into the search engine. The old Exeter and Plymouth gazette articles from 1843. Emmet's Family Salve was given to him.