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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: xs on Friday 17 October 25 15:59 BST (UK)
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I'm trying to find information about a certain property - St Faith's Cottage, Brigadier Hill, Enfield. The house is also listed as No.30 Brigadier Hill and more recently No.30A Brigadier Hill. I have worked backwards from 1972 to 1894 using Census and Electoral Rolls and have the names of the residents for those years. My problem is that I can find no records of the house ever existing pre this date. It is described as a 17th century cottage, so has been around for a long time! It may have been a coach house before with a stable nearby which is now a garage, I believe. I've looked at tithe maps but haven't had much luck and as this is the first time I've tried to research a property I really do need some help and guidance. Thank you
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1891 James Bird & family "Faiths Cott"
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBC%2F1891%2F1087%2F0108&parentid=GBC%2F1891%2F0008256485
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Thank you. That ties in with James Bird that I have in 1894
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I'm wondering whether it was James Bird who named it Faith Cottage. He seems to have been a religious man: here he is looking for a venue for gospel meetings: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-share/a4d650c8-dda8-41ae-a165-c422057c2774
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I followed James Hollingworth ( a neighbour) through earlier censuses and Faith Cottage is not named 1881 to 1861.
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That's interesting. I have him in 1901 as a retired bookmaker living with his wife and daughter living there. Next door to the cottage is a religious meeting place. I wonder if it's connected?
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Thank you. Although I'm not certain, I have an entry for a Henry W Hicks in 1861 with his brother Jonathon - a baker and cow keeper. George John Hicks 1852- 1931 lived in the cottage in 1911 and 1913. I haven't yet found the connection
!851 - Ann Bird - a widow is living with Emma - a servant. I'm still trying to find out if she is a relative of James Bird.
1881 it looks as though it's uninhabited?
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Not exactly what you are after but it may be of interest: details of the property from the Lloyd George Valuation records:
The inspection was carried out 9/9/13
Description:
Frontage 36' 4"
Brick + Tiled, 2 floors main
Accommodation:– 1st floor:– 5 bedrooms, Boxroom
Gd. floor:– 2 Parlours, Kitchen-Scullery (Cd.) W.C.
Conservatory – Small portion of premises shut off from house, let to a bootmaker.
Occupier and Owner (freehold) George John Hicks
Former Sales: April 11th 1902
Consideration: £380
The valuation is £335
There is a sketch map which I cannot post due to copyright. If you picture the property as a T shape as it appears on OS maps with the head of the T at the north end, then at the south end it adjoins Rose Cottage. At the north end the street-facing half of the head of the T is the part that is let, it is marked in red on the sketch map (11'6'' frontage and 12'9'' deep) and annotated as:
Shop, let off to A.M.Nicholas, Bootmaker @ 4/- weekly, tenant pays poor rate and general rate.
There is an extra annotation above this which I believe says 'since 1909'
Looking at OS maps the entire head of the T would be 30a on the 1976 large scale OS map, and Rose Cottage was no longer there by then.
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Middlesex Gazette: 9 November 1901
Faith Cottage. Brigadier Hill, Enfield.
The HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and Effects. comprising iron and brass French bedsteads and washstands, mahogany and other chests drawers, night commode, swing glasses, oak dining room suite, oak sideboard, dining and other tables, fenders, chimney glasses, ornaments, pictures, china and glass, mangling machines, soft-water tank, old iron, firewood, sundry building materials, and other items, for Sale by Auction upon the Premises as above, by
Mr. ALFRED BOWYER.
ON THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21st, 1901 at 12 o'clock sharp, by order of Mr. Bird.
View Morning of Sale. Catalogues of the
Auctioneer, Enfield Town.
Middlesex Gazette 21 September 1912
For Sale
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ENFIELD.—Old-fashioned freehold house, 10 rooms; attached shop let off; very large fruit and vegetable garden; conservatory; near Gordon Hill Station.—Hicks, St. Faith's Cottage, Brigadier Hill, Enfield.
Enfield Gazette: 1 January 1915
TO LET
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ST. Faith's Cottage. Brigadier Hill. 10 rooms, very convenient; large well-stocked fruit and vegetable garden. Rent 12/, with attached shop. –Apply, 2 Cedar-gardens, Brodie Road, Enfield.
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This certainly is of interest Alan. Thanks for the research. It fits in with what I know about James Bird and George John Hicks regarding when they were living in the cottage. Old fashioned house? It's now Grade 2 listed!
The Thomas's family lived in Rose Cottage in about 1913 and Faith Cottage was supposedly a coachman's house with stables and there was a greengrocer's nearby who still used it. I'm still not sure if Rose Cottage is the existing building directly next door or was demolished years ago.
Love the inventory of the contents of the house. They would be highly valued in an antique shop nowadays. :)
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Yes I saw detail of the listing somewhere with a photo that was credited from a book ‘Treasures of Enfield’ p96. There is a copy of the book on eBay at the moment for £13:50 — perhaps it will have interesting details?
I think Rose Cottage was demolished at some point. Here is a large-scale map view from 1967 clearly showing a gap to the south of number 30, where Rose Cottage was.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/144883075#zoom=5.1&lat=7618&lon=5407&layers=BT
From street view it is impossible to see what the building is that is there now since it is obscured by a tall hedge — do you know what it is?
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Enfield Archives Catalogue
http://185.121.204.33/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog
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Thanks for these. The map is very clear. I've found the details for what was included in the sale in 1977 and 1908 (when the attached property was included as a 'capital shop' ). Not sure when it was decided to be sold separately. Enfield Council shows the house having a few cosmetic alterations.
It's all very interesting but the information is sorely lacking pre 1891. I'm not sure if I'll ever get back to the original date of when it was built and who occupied it, but I'll keep on trying.