kedleston rd/ Sherwin Street

[frances1966]

Hi
I wondered if anyone knows this small area of Derby,  just off the Kedleston rd? I'm thinking about the row of houses between Sherwin Sreet and Longford Street. In his 1896 will My relative William Sherwin mentions his dwelling  house in "Alpha Terrace" and I have one of his sons  living at "Alpha Villa" on the 1891 census. I wondered if "Alpha" Terrace or Villa is written on any of the houses, as I can't find it on a current postal address.  Also  does any one have any idea what sort of period these houses are?
My Sherwin relatives seem to have lived in this small area since about 1789, hence I think the name of "Sherwin Street". I've  found reference to 'Sherwin Cottage' in the same area,  but it seems to have disappeared after 1871.
Frances

[Alvaston Lad]

on my 1899 revised copy of the ordnance survey map it shows Sherwin Street/ Bradley Street/Longford Street as only having a handfull of houses on them, with most yet to be built on, their was a row of ten terraced houses opposite Bradley Street on Sherwin Street, 4 houses on the corner of Bradley Street and Sherwin Street and only 2 houses on Longford Street, i will try and have a look if any of these carry a name plate, i noticed Alpha Villa on the 1891 is listed after 92 Kedlaston Road and your Sherwins were Maltsters, the only other Building on Sherwin Street was a Malthouse.
regards Gary

[littleclaire]

Hello.

These two streets are right next to Derby University and are now full of terraced houses. They look to be of the kind of late Victorian age - a lot of houses were built in Derby around this time. A lot of them are now student houses and they are in the DE22 postcode.
If you want to know anything else let me know - I don't live far away.
Claire

[frances1966]

Hi Claire
Thanks for getting back to me. It is actually the houses on  Broadway  between Sherwin and Longford that I'm interested in. From Google maps it looks like there are 5 houses: a terrace of 4, and one standing on its own on the corner of Sherwin Street. I just wondered if any of these have Alpha Terrace or Alpha Villa written on them.
Thanks again for your help
Frances

[littleclaire]

Hello

I went to have a look today but there is no Alpha Terrace or Alpha Villas on the houses. I did take a photo for you though! I'll send it to you in a message if I can. Let me know if you want to know anything else in the area.

Claire

[littleclaire]

I'm new to this - I'll try again!

[frances1966]

Thanks so much! What kindness, thats really appreciated. I guess at some point the houses were known as Alpha Terrace.
At this point the Sherwins were Malsters, though I'm yet to find out if they had anything to do with the Brewery on the corner of Sherwin St

[richard winter]

Hi I hope this helps as I've just moved into one of the houses in the picture.  Alpha Villa is now 2 The Broadway, on Google its the house by itself with the four others being 4 - 10 Broadway.  These house used to be 90, 92, 94, 96 and 98 Kedleston Road till Kedleston Road was renumbered then moved.

Alpha Villa is on the corner of Sherwin Street and Broadway, but this would have been the corner or Sherwin Street and Kedleston Road.

In the 1891 Census William Sherwin lives at number 88 Kedleston Road he is the Master Brewer, 90 Kedleston Road (Alpha Villa) is occupied by other Sherwin's.  I don't know where 88 Kedleston Road is but I think it is now where the old peoples home is, it used to be a vinegar factory / brewery in the past.  He could have lived in there when it was a brewery.

[frances1966]

Hi
Thanks for your reply, I've done a little bit more work on it since I wrote that post (2008). I believe that where the vinegar/brewery/old peoples home stands is roughly where Sherwin's Cottage was. In one of the census' (I think 1851) Samuel Sherwin is living there and listed as a farmer of 12 acres. I'd imagine this 12 acres is where Sherwin Street and the surrounding area is now.  I have a letter from a Great Aunt saying that the cottage was build in 1778 by a relative though I think at certain points it was rented out. By the 1890s I think it was probably used by my Great Great Uncle Henry Sherwin as a Brewery, and I believe he built Alpha House next to it. (Attached is a photo of a beer keg that came up on ebay) Around 1910 Henry Sherwin was declared bankrupt and another company bought the Brewery and built the building that is the old people home today.

I worked this out by looking at census returns and old maps on line, I don't know if any old deeds exist. I wrote a graphic short story about about my Great Great Grandfather who I believe was born there http://www.francescastle.com/Sherwins-Cottage

I'm not exactly sure when your house would have been built, I guess the 12 acres was sold off to developers around the turn of the century who built Sherwin Street etc.