RootsChat.Com

General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Pawsnjaws on Monday 02 August 21 22:22 BST (UK)

Title: Researching an address
Post by: Pawsnjaws on Monday 02 August 21 22:22 BST (UK)
Hi all,

I have recently moved into a property which dates back to 1735, at that time it owned quite a decent patch of land. I would love to trace back all the occupiers of the house since then, I am hoping someone could point me in the direction of where to start. I have tried Census with not much luck, any help would be apprecited.
Thanks
Title: Re: Researching an address
Post by: AllanUK on Tuesday 03 August 21 10:01 BST (UK)
Have you tried your county archives office for maps of that era? I have had similar success in tracing a house / estate back to the mid 1700s
Title: Re: Researching an address
Post by: MonicaL on Tuesday 03 August 21 20:45 BST (UK)
Some further ideas here https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/your-homes-history/

Monica
Title: Re: Researching an address
Post by: Greensleeves on Tuesday 03 August 21 21:23 BST (UK)
Tithe maps are really useful.  I live in Wales and the National Library of Wales website has free access to the tithe maps themselves, as well as to the accompanying information regarding freeholders, tenants and suchlike. I don't know where you are, but might be worth checking to see if these are available online for your area.

When I lived in an old house we traced its history back for several generations via the title deeds, which were really interesting. However, since compulsory registration of land this does mean that you may not get a complete set of title deeds any more.

Best of luck with your search

Regards
GS
Title: Re: Researching an address
Post by: Pawsnjaws on Thursday 12 August 21 06:12 BST (UK)
Thank you all for your suggestions, I have a starting point now
Title: Re: Researching an address
Post by: dublin1850 on Friday 13 August 21 15:51 BST (UK)
Have a search of newspapers too. You may get mentions of family events, sales of property, 'interesting' encounters with the law etc..
Title: Re: Researching an address
Post by: ThrelfallYorky on Friday 13 August 21 16:13 BST (UK)
When my parents moved into a house built early 1800s, they got a huge file of stuff, including covenants (not to boil beetroot on the premises!) and all its history., right from when it was first built, became a public house, and reverted back to a private dwelling. There were even copies of death certificates for several of the owners.
We gloated over them .... sadly, when they sold that house ( they added some of their own memorabilia to the file) they passed it all on. Some years later I enquired of the new owners, who had recdeveloped it as an Old Folks Home .... and apparently it had all been ditched. Drat! wish I'd had the nous to photocopy all the folder's contents.
TY