RootsChat.Com

Don't forget, occupants and owners weren't necessarily the same, especially before about 1950.  I doubt if the carters and labourers who lived there in 1800s actually owned the house.  To find out more, and for earlier times, you would have to see what was available at the local record office (eg electoral rolls, poor rate records and hearth tax records) and also probably at the National Archives.

That's a really interesting point. I suspect the farm and the house was owned by one of the more affluent local families, possibly at Rowfant House. If I go to the local record office, will the information be publicly available to me? Or is it limited to descendants...etc (I am sorry that this is probably a sickeningly beginner question!).

And yes, Mazi, from what I can establish that's the Geoffrey Tetley in question. I think the family probably sold up in the 30s and have moved around the country, though their genealogy is fairly well charted. I am going to try and get in touch with one or more of his grandchildren to try and establish whether he inherited the house or bought it, and when. Thanks for all the help everyone!

I've never known the lane to formally have a name, though it's entirely possible that it does. If so, it's not marked on OS maps and the house's address is that of the larger road. I think that, some years ago, the house may have been the old farm house, but, as it currently is, it's a 9 bedroom house that I can't believe has left no impression on historical data!

I can find the house on English Heritage listings, because it's Grade II listed: http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1025570 so I can't quite understand why it wouldn't show up in census data. It says on that listing that the house may have been previously registered as Lay House, but, even so, that doesn't provide me with many clues from the census data.

I'm wondering whether there are paid-for services that I need to join before I'll be able to properly access the census data? Maybe I'm hitting a wall because I haven't entered payment details or anything... Thanks for the help!

Hi guys, merry christmas to you all.

I am starting on a project to trace the owners of my family home back through the centuries, but I am having difficulty knowing where to start with this. I know my own family, of course, as well as the preceding two sets of owners, but that's where the trail stops. On top of that, I cannot find any reference to the house in the 1901 or 1911 online census data. I am wondering A) whether those records are incomplete, or B) whether the house might've been registered under a different name.

I am pretty new to this whole genealogy subject, so would be grateful for any tips. The house is very old (I am not sure of the exact date, but the older parts date back to the 17th Century I believe) and, from what I gather, has a rather eclectic history. I am just not sure where to begin. Would I be advised to go to the land registry or parish records? Or can I do most of my research online?

All the best and many thanks for any help you can give!