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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Wiltshire => Topic started by: HughC on Saturday 21 February 26 07:28 GMT (UK)
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My relative Richard Cecil Brown, a retired army captain, was living in a house overlooking Marlborough common from at least late 1947. There appear to be no houses on Free's Avenue or Pott Hill, so I think the most likely place to look is the short street named The Common.
Does anyone have access to a street directory and would be prepared to search for him?
By 1955, perhaps earlier, he was at 'Four Winds' on Granham Hill, which I'm almost certain was on the site of the present Merlin's View. It's the earlier house I'm trying to find the address of.
Oh, and in the 1939 Register he's somewhere quite different, so that won't help.
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Here is a map view of The Common in 1969:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/188714979#zoom=5.9&lat=5585&lon=5862&layers=BT
There are four named houses:
Brown Sherry
Thorn Hanger
Lukes
Highfield
Brown Sherry is tempting because of the "Brown", but I haven't found anything else about this one.
"Thornhanger" was advertised for sale, freehold in June 1947, with nine bed and dressing rooms — was the house that you are seeking that large?
I've not yet found anything relevant on the other two.
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Thank you, Alan. Lukes was the name of the house. From its position I think I can get a friend who lives in Marlborough to go there and tell us the present house number (Google Maps doesn't help there).
I wonder how I missed that map on the NLS web site. Good that you were able to find it!
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I see that the house has a nameplate: Lukes. Will it necessarily also have a number?
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Never mind whether it has a number, Alan: thanks to you and that map we now have the grid coordinates.
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If you don't have it already, here is Google Street View of The Common. Some substantial houses!
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01u8k/
Kit
Edit: in case you're not familiar with Street Map, you just drag and drop the 'yellow person' bottom right onto the road you want to see.
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Thanks, Kit. I'm used to the 'street view' option with Google Earth, but didn't know Google Maps has it as well. I think Lukes is the white house.
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Yes, Lukes is the white house
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Thanks, Alan. I didn't realize one can zoom in to see that.
The Browns gave that name to the house because they'd been married on St Luke's day, 18 October. I doubt the present occupants know that, and am a bit surprised the name has remained for all these years.
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Write to them!
I'm sure they'd be delighted to know!
Rebel
PS My inlaws wedding anniversary was also Oct 18th, but no one ever mentioned St Luke!