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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Hertfordshire => England => Hertfordshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: cordley on Wednesday 30 October 24 08:59 GMT (UK)
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There is a photograph (postcard) in "Rickmansworth - A Glimpse of the Past" of the Fotherley Almshouses. I am trying to identify the date and the lady - Mrs Coleman - shown.
Any ideas?? Electoral Roll, Almshouse records?
"In this view the five almshouses are shown with their last occupant, Mrs Coleman, before demolition in the early 30's. They were built in 1682 by John Fotherley for "five poor widows" and consisted of one room. The building that replaced them was occupied by Woolworths for some 30 years, and still bears the stone plaque seen above two doorways in the picture."
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Have you tried the 1921 census on the off chance she is there?
FindMyPast is having some sort of issue, can’t log in, so I can’t tell you.
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Yes I've tried the census for 1921, can't find electoral rolls for the area online (and I am not local) those would be possibly useful.
Almshouse records would also be good but don't know if they exist?
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You can ask the Hertfordshire Archives to search the electoral rolls for you:
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/libraries-and-archives/hertfordshire-archives-and-local-studies/whats-in-the-archives/electoral-registers-and-poll-books.aspx
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/libraries-and-archives/hertfordshire-archives-and-local-studies/order-a-document-or-search/order-a-document-or-search.aspx
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Thanks, I wonder if they hold Almshouse records - will ask.
They were very useful a while back when tracing another sad relation who had been placed in psychiatric care for most of her life. Obviously respecting the 100 year rule.
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The item linked here
https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/towns-and-villages/rickmansworth/rickmansworth-john-fotherley-or-manor (https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/towns-and-villages/rickmansworth/rickmansworth-john-fotherley-or-manor)
states that the Fotherley Almshouses were at 94-102 High Street. Since there were five I assume this means they were the even numbers in that range.
An address search at FindMyPast finds most of these: 94, 98 and 102 are in the main set of hits but 100 is in a small subset.
Occupants are as follows:
92: a family [not expected to be almshouse]
94: a widow, mentions almshouses
96: not found
98: a widow, mentions almshouses
100: a widow, no mention of almshouses
102: a widow, mentions almshouses
104, 106,108 not found
110: a family
None of the occupants of the four almshouses that I found is named Coleman that I can see, but please don't take my word for it.
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Thanks for that. Interesting article about the Almshouses located 94-102 High Street.
I have tried FindMyPast but can only see Electoral Rolls up to 1908. Since the photo of Mrs Coleman says she was the last occupant, and that they were demolished in the early 30's, they are probably not relevant.
I wonder when the Almshouses became unoccupied.
The 1921 census has returns for 94*, 98*, 100, 102, * say Almshouse; 96 no return. So four occupied at that time. No 92 is the Fox family, and the sign in the photo shows F & C Fox as a shop next door, so I think Mrs Coleman was living at 100 High Street in the photo.
I am trying to see if Mrs Coleman was an ancestor of mine.
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I wonder when the Almshouses became unoccupied.
They were still there May 1933 (newspaper item Uxbridge & W Drayton Gazette)
Des Res
https://www.hertfordshirearchives.org.uk/collections/getrecord/GB46_CDEX1025_1_41_1
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So demolished after 1933. But were they unoccupied for a time before they were demolished??
Say a year - or maybe 10? Just trying to work out when Mrs Coleman lived there.
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Another photo on this page:
https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/towns-and-villages/rickmansworth/rickmansworth (https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/towns-and-villages/rickmansworth/rickmansworth)
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This doesn’t help with Mrs Coleman but for background: I found the almshouses on the Valuation Survey of ~1910.
The site is described as "5 Almshouses, garden & prems."
Occupiers: Various
Owner: The Lord of the Manor, Capt J. B. Gilliat, Chorleywood Cedars
Interest of the Owner: Manorial Right to appoint the tenants.
"no rent is paid by the tenants"
The description states:
"5 old Cottages in High St in gd position
Accom,
Gd. Fl. no passage. Sitting rm f [fair?] & small bedrm f.
Outside Cor[rugated?] Iron shelter & 2 w.c's.
Very old built 1682 & now in on f. sound condition."
Valuation
"The whole value is in the site, the bdgs are only fit to be pulled down."
The site was valued at £357, then overall was rounded up to £460 to include a notional £103 for the structures [salvageable material?]
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I wonder when the Almshouses became unoccupied.
1929...
According to an article in the Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette dated 29 April 1932, the almshouses had been closed for 3 years. I cannot post the original article as they are not allowed on "lookup" boards. Transcription below.
RICKMANSWORTH.
DEMOLITION.
A proposal has been made that the old almshouses in High Street, which have been closed for three years, shall be demolished.
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I have now been through the Electoral Rolls for the period after 1921 until the Almshouses become vacant.
I have not found any Mrs Coleman registered at this address.
From the photo it appears that the lady is standing at the doorway of No 100, which seems to have been the last one occupied, but on the ER by Mrs Agnes Gilbert who had been there at the 1921 census until her last reference in the ER of 1929, although she actually died on 2nd Oct 1928.
I guess I'll never find out who captioned the photo shown in "Rickmansworth: A Glimpse of the Past" and how Mrs Coleman was named.
http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/books/books-2/book-0296-rickmansworth-glimpse.htm
I am intrigued by your reference to the "Valuation Survey of ~1910", is that generally available online??
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I access the Valuation Survey (the “1910 Lloyd George Domesday Book”) at thegenealogist.co.uk (subscription). I’m not aware of it being available online anywhere else.