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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Buckinghamshire => Topic started by: pnoenix on Tuesday 18 October 05 16:11 BST (UK)
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Hi,
Is there anyone with local knowledge of New Bradwell?
Firstly my Clamp ancestors were living at 154 and 153 Top Street in New Bradwell in 1871 to 1891. On the 1901 census they were living at 14 and 16 Bridge Street. Are these streets one and the same, they just changed name?
Also, my dad was born at Wharf House, New Bradwell, which I believe was at his Clamp grandmothers. Does anyone know whereabouts in New Bradwell that would be?
I visited a few years ago, but my dad was no longer about, and although my mum went with me, she was becoming senile and couldn't help much, although she was better with Wolverton, her place of birth.
Thanks,
Diane
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The old railway line from Wolverton to Newport Pagnell used to follow the Grand Union Canal as far as Great Linford and there was a station on that line that was originally called the Bradwell Wharf Station. This was on the road to Old Bradwell which is now called Bradwell Road and I would expect to find Wharf House there. I don't remember a Bridge Street but there was a Bridge Way which ran parallel to the canal at the end of Thompson Street where my ancestors lived and which was next right off the Newport Pagnell Road after Bradwell Road.
New Bradwell didn't exist until 1854 when the first 174 houses were built as an extension to the original railway town of Wolverton and between then and 1900 both towns expanded rapidly. If your ancestors were any thing like mine they moved a number of times into the newer better houses which were often allocated according to position in the works. If you look at the original terraced housing in Wolverton (if it still exists) you will even see the larger supervisor's houses at the end of the rows.
I find modern Milton Keynes totally confusing because they have reused old names like Stantonbury which was originally taken over by New Bradwell to mean totally different areas.
I hope the above helps a bit
David
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Hi Diane
Yes there is a Bridge Street in New Bradwell it runs off of Church ST to the Canal not sure whats down there now but if you want me to have a scout its not far .
Yes I live in the dreaded Milton Keynes,but its not all roundabouts !!!. I do live in one of the few old parts Shenley Brook End .
Lots of the old parts of Bradwell and Wolverton still stand so the houses could still be there.
Tazzie
p.s to David -still trying to get to Library will see tomorrow.
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Thank you both so much.
I used to visit Wolverton and New Bradwell as a child and hated it - all old terraced houses! I wish I'd paid more attention now!
My grandad (maternal side) lived in Windsor Street, Wolverton, and the family lived there from when it was built. We have the old deeds from when the land was purchased from the railway company.
My grandma (paternal side) lived in Caledonian Road, New Bradwell.
The Clamps must have moved to New Bradwell from Suffolk at about the time those first 174 houses were built because on the 61 census the oldest child that was born there was 5.
All the menfolk on all branches of these families worked at the railway works.
Does anyone have any idea where Top Street was?
I think I will have to find an old map from somewhere, and then go on another nostalgia visit.
Thanks again,
Diane
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Hi Diane,
This is getting too close. My paternal grandparents also lived in Windsor Street at 139 and their youngest daughter now in her 80s still lives there. She was personal secretary to the manager of Wolverton Works until she retired. Both of my grandfathers, one great grandfather and my father for a short time worked in the Carriage Works.
David
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Hi,
Yes, some of the menfolk in my families were brass finishers in the railway carriage works, or they were coach makers or labourers.
My grandparents ( and my mum was brought up at) number 40 Windsor Street, a bit lower down the hill I suppose!
Diane
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Hi Diane,
Did you find Top Street? If not I can go and see if they have any maps at CMK library. My paternal grandparents lived in Wallace St until the early 1970's, my granddad was the Co Op milkman for a number of years.
Regards
IanC
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Hi Ian,
No, I still don't know where Top Street was, although I have a suspicion it may have changed to Bridge Street. So if you are ever at the local library it would be great if you could look it up! :D
Thanks,
Diane
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Hi Diane
Been up the library, in the 1880's there were three streets that ran parallel to, and between, the Newport Road and the Grand Union canal. These were High St, Middle St & Top St, by the mid 1930's Middle St had been renamed Spencer St and Top St had indeed become Bridge St. Since then of course there has been further redevelopment and it would appear that all of the original Middle & Top St's have been demolished, although Bridge St & Spencer St are still there the bits that are left seem to be parts that were built sometime between the 1880's & 1930's. Where the original parts once stood has now been replaced by house's and flats that are known as Permayne.
The local history section of the library in CMK has for sale a map of New Bradwell (C) 1880, which clearly shows Top Street, I think it is about £2.00.
Regards
IanC
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Wow thank you for that Ian.
It was kind of you to look that up for me.
Looks like I need another nostalgia trip over there.
Thanks,
Diane :D
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Tazzie
You're not far away from me, I live at Two Mile Ash. Was brought up in Newport Pagnell so don't consider myself as from MK though.
My grandparents moved from Yardley Gobion to North Street, New Bradwell in the late 1930's, and my uncle stayed in New Bradwell, firstly in Thompson Street and then in Leaberry, where he still is.
A few months ago I went to pick my partner up from one of the local pubs in Bradwell and got talking to en elderly gent who was celebrating his birthday. I happened to mention my mum and her family had lived there many years' ago and, it turns out, this gent not only knew my mum but used to play in the streets with her.
Nadine
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Hi Nadine.
Something like that happened to me a couple of months ago. My grt grandad Albert Walker was missing in the 1901- finally found him as Albert Walter living "nr Prince Albert Inn " Old Bradwell.
So went out on the Sunday afternoon -kids in tow - and drove to the old part.
Found the pub but lots of old cottages so we went for a walk and met an old man gardening.We got into conversation and he said he'd lived in the street all his life so I asked if he knew any Walkers who used to live round here.Oh yes he said I remember old Henry.That was grt grandads newphew and he took us to where they used to live- some days you just get lucky.
Tracy
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Is this the family of Mr CLAMP who taught at the Radcliffe School in Wolverton during the 1960s?
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in the 1880's there were three streets that ran parallel to, and between, the Newport Road and the Grand Union canal. These were High St, Middle St & Top St, by the mid 1930's Middle St had been renamed Spencer St and Top St had indeed become Bridge St. Since then of course there has been further redevelopment and it would appear that all of the original Middle & Top St's have been demolished, although Bridge St & Spencer St are still there the bits that are left seem to be parts that were built sometime between the 1880's & 1930's. Where the original parts once stood has now been replaced by house's and flats that are known as Permayne.
I believe the original railway houses built in the 1850s were named Top Street - this was the row closest to the canal and the highest up the hill - Middle Street and Bottom Street.
They were built in 7 blocks between what is now called Bradwell Road, which comes down over the railway and canal bridges from Bradville, to the east and what is now St James Street to the west. Where St James Street is was the western boundary of the land the railway company had acquired.
There were two north-south streets running from Newport Road up to the canal - Chucrh Street which ran along the eastern side of St James' and Glyn Street (named after a railway company personage, cf Glynn Sqaure in Wolverton).
Looking at a plan of Stantonbury/New Bradwell (the buses still had Stantonbury on their destination boards as late as the early 1960s) that says it dates from 1860 at the northern end coming south, between Church Street and the boundary there is firstly St James and then the Church Schools - now the Community Centre buildings. Then two terraces with a narrow alley between them, then two more terraces again with a narrow alley between them and finally a single terrace with a back alley.
Between Church Steet and Glyn Street there are again three blocks with alleys but these blocks have more houses and are wider.
Then between Glyn Street and Bradwell Road we only have two blocks, the single row by the canal isn't built because the canal curves and there isn't enough space.
The road between the topmost rows and the southern side of the middle blocks is marked a Bridge Street - this was originally Top Street.
The road between the middle and northernmost blocks is marked Spencer Street and it is one of these blocks that still exists today and are Listed. This was Middle Street.
The northern side of the norhern blocks is marked High Street, which was Bottom Street. The railway houses were only built on this side of the High Street - if you look at the High Street today you will see a different style of Victorian buildings.
All the railway terraces have gone now apart from the Listed block at Spencer Street, which is pedestrian only. Modern housing including the terrace called Permayne built on the land. There is still a road called Bridge Street which is modern housing.
New Bradwell Heritage Group's website http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/nbhg/ has a virtual tour and lots of information about New Bradwell.
Hope this is of use.
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Thanks for all that info Darnity. As far as I know, none of this family became teachers.
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My Grandparents lived in Wharf House My Mums Maiden name is Clamp
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Hi Jillovah
I have sent you a personal message.
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On the subject of New Bradwell - does anyone happen to know if the Primitive Methodist Church in Thompson Street is still in use? It is listed in the 1911 Kellys Directory.
The mighty g00gle leads to various websites which suggest it could now be a Methodist Church or a Tabernacle. I hope to establish what it is so I can contact them - I am trying to find out if the church has a memorial plaque or Roll of Honour for WW1 WW2.
Many thanks
Philip
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Hi Philip... I've walked the Google map at street view and there is a large sign outside saying Milton Keynes Tabernacle. They have a website with contact details.
www.mktab.org.uk
Worth a try.
Tazzie
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Hi Philip... I've walked the Google map at street view and there is a large sign outside saying Milton Keynes Tabernacle. They have a website with contact details.
www.mktab.org.uk
Worth a try.
Tazzie
tazzie - you star!" I looked at the website and it has a "contact us" option.
It didn't occur to me to try viewing on street maps - I wish I were a lateral thinker. :) :)
Many thanks
Philip
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No problem...another little war memorial project on the cards? We haven't gone over that side with ours.
Tazzie
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No problem...another little war memorial project on the cards? We haven't gone over that side with ours.
Tazzie
Not exactly little! I am helping out with the "Buckinghamshire Remembers" project
http://buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk/bropen.htm - the aim of which is to provide details for every name recorded on every Great War memorial (whether indoor or outdoor; stone, metal, glass, wood, or paper) in Buckinghamshire - including places which were in Bucks but have been "re-organised" into other counties. Over 400 memorials found so far, and many more to check!
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Hi Philip....
We sent some info over in 2014 when we first started our projects. We have indexed and created the family background stories for several local ones. We've missed the last couple of Bucks family history days in Aylesbury. Whilst there we were lucky enough to meet Ingram Murray who was able to help my son with his project on the Shenley Church End memorial. I will miss it again this year as off on a cruise that day.
Tazzie
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I've asked a friend who lives locally and she says that she doesn't think there is a memorial plaque or Roll of Honour as the one in St James lists all the people of any denomination.
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I've asked a friend who lives locally and she says that she doesn't think there is a memorial plaque or Roll of Honour as the one in St James lists all the people of any denomination.
Many thanks, Darnity.
I will contact the church directly just to be on the safe side as I have found that names can appear on more than one memorial (school, church, town and so on). Given the information from your friend about the St James memorial I expect the response to be "no", but for the sake of completeness I need to include 'nil returns' in my list.
All the best
Philip
Philip