Rufford Row Islington

[clare]

CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF RUFFORDS ROW IS STILL THERE IN ISLINGTON,  OR IF THE NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED.
I HAD FAMILY   LIVING IN NUMBER 11  AND 12   IN 1852
AND   IN 1871   
                        JENNY      NZ

 

[trystan]

Hello Jenny,

I'm not from Islington, but I thought I'd do a bit of a search around:

I searched for Rufford Row in Google ("Ruffords Row" in quotes returned nothing), Anyway, amongst other useful bits I found this page:

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=9063

If you scroll down to the bit called St Mary, Islington, CE Primary - then it mentions that Ruffords Row "In 1810 schs., in Rufford's Row, corner of Cross and Upper streets, had..."

Now I'm *guessing* that Ruffords Row was a bank of terraces, or group of buildings, so instead it may be easier to search for "Cross Street" Islington and "Upper Street" Islington on Google (click them to see the searches  ).

I tried telephoning two estate agents which were located in Upper Street from the result in Google, but got an answering machine from one, and the other one just made funny noises.

So, I then went onto www.yell.co.uk (the British Yellow Pages) and searched for "Estate Agents, Islingon" and spoke to three estate agents, Carlton Estate Agents, KINLEIGH FOLKARD & HAYWARD, Hamptons International (all on Upper Street). They were all very helpful, but were not familiar with "Ruffords Row". The chap at Carlton Estate Agents suggested I contact Islington Council. I then rand Friar (an estate agents on Cross Street islington), but they hadn't heard of it. I was then running out of hope - but I thought I'd ring just one more estate agent just in case, so I rang:
Thomson Currie
313, Upper St, Islington, London, N1 2XQ
Tel: 020 7354 5224

And spoke to a very helpful lady called Zoe. She's heard of Ruffords Street, but not Ruffords Row. I then suggested that it could be a name given to a block of terraces perhaps on Upper Street or Cross Street (but I couldn't be sure). She then said they had an old history book there of the area that she would check for us. (they obviously have it just incase a nutter like me rings up)

HEY PRESTO:
Ruffords Row is 289-302 Upper Street, Islington
Click here to see the map. (there is an arrow in the middle of the map pointing to it).

She faxed me that bit - and attached is a copy of that part of the fax.

I then thought that if it's a name given to a block of Terraces, then I though they would be a plaque on the middle terrace (gain I'm guessing) so that would make it... hold on... 289 to 302 ?? That's an odd number (289) ending in an even number (302) - generally house numbers are all even down one side, and odd numbers on the opposite side...

Anyhow, I finally phoned up the estate agents Jeffrey Nicholas
293, Upper St, London, N1 2TU Tel: 020 7354 0707 and they confirmed that they were in what appeared to be a Victorian building. (the trouble is now - is that opposite our Ruffords Row?)

Right... so I thought one way to sort it out is to find the end terraces... searching for 289 Upper Street gives us this:
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/info_pubbar_5048.html

and http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub152.htm
(interestingly the address given for the old Parr's Head is 66 Cross Street - which tallies in with Ruffords row being at the corner of Upper Street and Cross Street.
(Hotlinked Image copyright www.fancyapint.com)
Does the building look Victorian? Looking at the height of it and attic room above, it does look like it - but I'm no expert.

Then at 302 Upper Street we have a seafood restauraunt called the Harbour:
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/info_restaurant_2549.html
(Their website: http://www.theharbour-islington.co.uk )

Finally, you can try contacing the planning department at www.islington.gov.uk - they may be able to shed more light on it for you.

Hope that's helped - so the short answer seems to be, yes, Ruffords Row is still there.

Trystan

[clare]

Hello  Trystan,
                        I don't know where to begin to thank you for all the ringing around and lookups  you have done  for me,   it was so good of you, and the picture of
the  fancyapint  is so good,   I showed my old mum and she says it's  victorian.   maybe I will get there myself some-day and be able to visit some of these places myself
  Thank you so much
                  Jenny

[trystan]

Jenny,

You are very welcome - I'm glad it's been of help to you. It's the estate agents we have to thank really. 

Where better to stop for a drink next time you're over in the UK - they might even give you a free drink.

Trystan

[Tralena]

Hi Jenny

What an interesting reply you got from Trystan.   I would just like to add:  I have a newspaper clipping regarding a Great Grand Uncle Henry Smith that was murdered in 1896 Islington.

Copied from the Newspaper:
Most of the inhabitants of Upper Street Islington, remember when the strip of ground lying between the Unitarian Church and Cross Street was known as Rufford's Row and was numbered 1-15 counting from the end towards the 'Angel'.  This row of shops had then a raised pavement some four feet above the road way running in front of them and it was about were 296 Upper Street Islington now that about forty years ago Mr. Smith was in business as a Gas Engineer at No.11 or 12 Rufford's Row. This is clearly established by Mrs. Bland who remembers being taken there as a little girl by her mother.

I hope this is some help to you.  Oh and Mrs. Bland is Henry Smith's niece.  The newspaper was dated Feb 1896