Local History: Rushey Green, Lewisham, London, SE6

[Potter]

My Uncle (who is computer illiterate) is writing a local history book on the area that he & his wife were brought up in... The Rushey Green area of Catford.
At the moment he is researching the eest side of Rushey Green (which is a high street type of road in the District of Catford, Borough of Lewisham, London SE6).
Rushy Green is situated in the Parish of St. Mary's Church, Church Grove and he wants the details of the shops, residents and generally what was going on, on that side of the Highstreet around 1900's - he says the info. he seeks should start or end with 'The George Inn' depending on which way the records have been written; another pub, about half way up Rushey Green, was 'The Black Horse' formally 'The Horse & Harrow'..
Any information on the east side of Rushey Green would be greatly appreciated.

[Boongie Pam]

Hiya Potter, and welcome to Rootschat.

A good place to start would be to find the area on the 1901 census and get the neighbourhood images - it is currently free on Ancestry.  This would show you who was were and what they did.

I'd start by doing an address search here (for free)

http://www.1901census.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Then taking one of the names that comes up and putting it into the free Ancestry 1901, this thread shows you how to get access.

http://www.rootschat.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=9689.0

Another thing they have on Ancestry is directories which may list info on trades in the area.

Just a note that this free trial for Ancestry runs out in a week or 2.

Hope this helps,
Pam
 

[Potter]

Firstly let me wish you a happy healthy & prosperous 2005!
I've only today seen your reply... I thought I would have been notified about it, but instead got an email today saying that I should look & see if I had received any replies - so I'm very sorry I did not reply to you sooner.
I have in fact spent several hours after joining  ancestry.com and gathered lots of information regarding the trades of people who lived there in the 18/1900's - it is a great site isn't it!
I have managed to trace my grandmother's family back to 1500's on her fathers side - the Hoskins; but I am at a dead end with my grandfather - all I have found is his WW1 Medal Card which gives no leading information at all - I wonder if you have any ideas as to where I could find him, his parents/siblings/ancestors or his wife (who was not my grandmother - his wife turned up after he died to claim our family house!).
He had the unusual name of:

Thomas Ptolemy Frederick LEIGHTON

born 04/08/1894(place probably England-details unknown)
Army Rank: RGA Bombardier Thomas P T  Leighton
Lived from about 1927  or later until his death at 46 Wellington Gardens, Charlton, London SE7 (Borough of Greenwich) with partner Dorothy May Sargent nee. Hoskins (who had 3 Sargent children). He did continue to support a wife and children (all unknown) who I was told lived in Charlton Village.
Had 2 boys: Thomas Sargent Leighton b1927- c1990 and my father Anthony Leighton 25/01/1933-06/06/1975
Died 06/10/1958, buried in Charlton Cemetery, Cemetery Lane, Charlton, London, SE7
I do hope you can help me find out more about him... I cannot find any birth or marriage details at all.
Thank you
Linda May Rumble nee. Leighton

[casalguidi]

Hi Linda

Whether this is significant or not but being such an unusual name .................

HUTCHINS Thomas Ptolemy F birth registered Sep quarter 1894 Winchester (Hampshire) RD 2c 116

The timing is right, the Christian names are right ............. BUT .............

Casalguidi

[forester]

Hello Linda,

I've just seen your post, as you've jumped to the top of the listing. How is your uncle getting on with his book? Presumably he is not stilll living in the Catford area. The main library in Lewisham has a pretty good local history room (I went there yesterday while the wife was shopping) and they are very helpful. If you want any contact numbers, I'm sure I can dig them out.

Best wishes and Happy New Year,

Phil

[Potter]

Hi Linda

Whether this is significant or not but being such an unusual name .................

HUTCHINS Thomas Ptolemy F birth registered Sep quarter 1894 Winchester (Hampshire) RD 2c 116

The timing is right, the Christian names are right ............. BUT .............

Casalguidi

You were definitely correct... my grandfather's name at birth was definitely HUTCHINS - quite a shock!

I have done extensive research on his parents lines, but I am still trying to find out why his name and his sister's and his mother's became LEIGHTON... especially as it was my maiden name.

None of them are on the 1901 Census, but they are on the 1911 as Leighton, but Frederick James Hutchins is not on either the 1901 or 1911.

I can find  no divorce or second marriage for my Great Grandmother, Frances Gertrude Leighton formerly Hutchins nee.Colmer, but she was definitely involved with a Fred Leighton who was Entertainments Manager & License Holder of the Sheerness Hippodrome.

After 2 years of searching I cannot establish whether this man was actually Fred Hutchins with the stage name of Leighton or whether this was an entirely different character altogether... not knowing his date or birth or death does not help and this Fred Leighton is not on the 1901 Census either, but I have possibly found him on the 1911 lodging with another woman.

Does anyone know anything about FRED LEIGHTON, Entertainment Manager of several Hippodromes & London Theaters?
All I know about him is his occupation - Entertainment Manager, which is on my grandfather's Marriage Certificate, but on his daughter's Marriage Certificate in 1916 his occupation was Army Officer... however after extensive searching I have not been able to find an Army Officer of that name (other than Frederick Leighton the founder of The Gentleman's Club in London - too early I think - plus that Fred Leighton was an artist and gay - my Fred was a womanizer!).

Any guidance as to how I can establish the identity of Fred Leighton would be greatly appreciated.

Thanking You!

[casalguidi]

That's great news even if it is a bit of a shock

Perhaps it's just me but I'm getting a bit confused here

but Frederick James Hutchins is not on either the 1901 or 1911

Who is Frederick James HUTCHINS ie. age/birthplace/where does he fit into the grand scheme of things?

None of them are on the 1901 Census, but they are on the 1911 as Leighton

Who are we  talking about here - names/ages/birthplaces?

Does anyone know anything about FRED LEIGHTON, Entertainment Manager of several Hippodromes & London Theaters?
All I know about him is his occupation - Entertainment Manager, which is on my grandfather's Marriage Certificate

Who is he supposed to have been married to and father of?

Where do all these fit into the grand scheme of things regarding Thomas Ptolemy Frederick LEIGHTON/HUTCHINS

Casalguidi

[Valda]

Hi


As a starting point and perhsps we can go on from there - from FreeBMD this is Mr Hutchins

Marriages Sep 1893   
COLMAN  Frances Gertrude    Yeovil  5c 706   
COLMER  Frances Gertrude     Yeovil  5c 706   
Hutchins  Frederick James     Yeovil  5c 706

age? father's name? occupation?


and Frances

Births Sep 1868   (>99%)
Colmer  Frances Gertrude    Yeovil  5c 487


and the missing Hutchins/Leighton children from the 1901 census.

Births Sep 1894 
Hutchins  Thomas Ptolemy F    Winchester  2c 116

Births Sep 1895 
Hutchins  Gertrude May E    Bridport  5a 351


Regards

Valda

[Potter]

Thank You both so much for helping!
Valda - Yes you have the correct family... here's a bit about their parents... but I already have their ancestry... what I am needing to know is the source of my maiden name: LEIGHTON...

Was Fred one man who changed his name for a 20 years from Hutchins to Leighton & then back to Hutchins
Fred Hutchins, Watch Maker & Jeweller was the father at both Births, but Fred Leighton was the Father at both Marriages.

Was Fred Leighton, Entertainments Manager a different man from Fred Hutchins Master Watchmaker & Jeweller?
I cannot find both men anywhere simultaneously.   

Frances Gertrude Colmer married Frederick James Hutchins
July qtr. 1893.  Yeovil, Somerset.  Volume 5C.  Page 706.

Fred's Parents - My Great Grandfather... Frederick James HUTCHINS
BIRTHS : Hutchins, Frederick James
Quarter: June
Year: 1873
District: Shepton Mallet
County: Somerset
Vol: 5c Page: 564
On Frederick`s Birth Certificate he was born on 14th May 1873 in High Street, Shepton Mallet
 
My GREAT GRANDMOTHER Known as `Gertie`LEIGHTON.
BIRTHS - Name: COLMER, Frances Gertrude
Born at Princes Street, Yeovil
Date: 25th May 1868
Father: Ptolemy Samuel Henry COLMER
Mother: Susan Colmer formerly JACOB
Year: 1868 Quarter: July District: Yeovil
Vol: 5c Page: 487
Ptolemy Samuel Henry Colmer and his deceased 1st wife Susan Jacob was Frances Gertrude Colmer's mother.
Ptolemy Samuel Henry, L.R.C.P.Ed,L.P.F.&S.G.&L.S.A. had three wives.


Children

My grandfather was born at his father`s Jewellery shop on 8th August 1894.

Births Sep 1894, Hutchins,  Thomas Ptolemy Frederick    Winchester  2c 116 - my Grandfather we all knew as Tom Leighton.

Fred J Hutchins Jewellers, 35 Jewry Street, Winchester, Hampshire.
Soon after Tom was born, the family moved from Hampshire to Dorset - we know this, because his sister Gertrude, who was always called `May` was born at home in Bridport on 3rd August 1895.

Births Sep 1895, Hutchins,  Gertrude May Eugenie    Bridport  5a 351 - My Great Aunt I never knew who married as Leighton.

Gertrude May Eugenie HUTCHINS was born at 23 East Street, Bridport, Dorset.

At some time before 1905 Fred & Gertie the whole family changed their surname from HUTCHINS to LEIGHTON !!!

There were two other children born...
 
to Frances Gertrude (Hutchins or Leighton?)
- one I have not found other than on the 1911 Census 'born alive but now dead' - Name & Sex & Birth & Death unknown atm.

to Frederick James Hutchins
- Reginald Frederick HUTCHINS was the son of Frederick James & LOUISA FRANCES HUTCHINS nee.GREEN;
Born at Rossmore Nursing Home, Chislehurst, Bromley, Kent.
Father: Frederick James HUTCHINS, Watchmaker & Jeweller, 27 Lincoln Road, Sidcup, Kent
Informant 19/10/1920: L.F.HUTCHINS, mother, 27 Lincoln Road, Sidcup, Kent.
Births Oct 1920 Bromley  2a 1064

My question is where did the Leighton name come from? 
If there was another man Fred Leighton... who was he, when was he born & when did he die?