Newtown Road Newbury - No address.

[Daffodilly]

B17

There is a place called Newtown just outside Newbury on the A339.  If you look at Multimap the A339 runs straight out of Newbury to Newtown before bending off to the east.  Could this have been a road to Newtown that was called Newtown Road or even the road was really callled something else but known as 'the Newtown Road' years ago and has disappeared under the dual carriage way.

Just a thought.

Daff

[berkslass]

According to the 1929 Kelly's Directory for Newbury

1929 Kelly's?   Didn't realise they were doing Newbury directories that far back.

[berkslass]

Hello Newburychap,

My Husband bought it from the Secondhand Bookshop in Newbury a while ago.  When new it cost 2/6 net. 

Would you like any lookups?

Berkslass

[B17_Fan]

There is a place called Newtown just outside Newbury on the A339.  If you look at Multimap the A339 runs straight out of Newbury to Newtown before bending off to the east.  Could this have been a road to Newtown that was called Newtown Road or even the road was really callled something else but known as 'the Newtown Road' years ago and has disappeared under the dual carriage way.

Hmm Maybe.

Am I right in thinking that there is an "Old Newtown Road" in Newbury?

I tried to look up when Newtown road was opened. It opened in 1852 or sumthing like that.
So I wondered, if it was open then, why isn't 99 newtown road in existence in 1924??

Strange.

[berkslass]

Here are the listings for Newtown Road - west side
Here is Pound St & Argyle St
Harley Theodore Rutherford M.A.
(The Litten)
Raymond's Almshouses
1 Seward Chas. Edwd
Harding Wm
3 Gibbs Chas
4  Leach Jas
5 Hughes Saml
6 Norris Mrs
7 Blackford Mrs
9 Wright Mrs
10 Watts Mrs Annie
    --------
25 Arnold Miss
27 Hicks Mrs A
29 Veale Mrs C
3 Yeo Mrs L
33 Richardson Fredk
35 Wakefield Jsph
37 Collins Albt
39 & 41 Grimes Mrs. L. M. grocer
Old London Apprentice (The)
P.H. Sidney Chas. Lewis
here is Derby Rd., Andover Rd., & Old Newtown Rd..
St John's Churc h of England Infants' School
Thorn Thos sen. (Ashcroft)
61 Thorn Bros. monumental masons
     Newbury Cemetery (J. A. Johnson, sec.; Alfd. Walt. Cray sexton)
69 Liddle Mrs
71 Parfitt Edmnd. J. P.
here is Old Newtown Road
back to Newtown Road
105 Giddings Mrs
143 Rokeby Arms (The) P. H. Geo. Kinch
here is Camp close
here is Monk's La

There are quite a few gaps and I am not sure whether this is due to people not wishing their names put in the Directory or to other reasons.  West Berks Library might have a map of the area for that time.

As you see, there are two entrances to Old Newtown Road.  I cannot find the names you are looking for in Old Newtown Road.

Do you know where your Grandfather was Baptised as the Baptism Register might have the address of where his parents were living. 

Newbury Library has the Parish Records for St Nicholas Church but not for St John's Church.  Berkshire Records Office have both St Nicholas and St John's.

Berkslass

[B17_Fan]

I have just sent an email to newbury library, requesting someone to look up the church records for me.

That is so strange why there is a big gap in the directory for Newtown Road. It's almost like hardly anyone lived there!

My grandfathers Mother lived in Speen at the time of his birth.

I don't know how long she stayed in speen, because all her family came from welford and boxford in newbury.

I'll let you know if and when I get a reply from newbury library.

[newburychap]

That is so strange why there is a big gap in the directory for Newtown Road. It's almost like hardly anyone lived there!

The gaps indicate empty plots - the southern end (south of St John's Road & Andover Road) was sparsely populated. The directories list ALL the houses, there was no suggestion of paying to be in it and hence people being missed. No 99 did not exist in 1924. 

Looking at No 99 (http://maps.live.com) it looks like a 1950s build (I would need to go through the directories to be sure). Its the one to the north of Grove Court (built on the site of the Rokeby Arms) with the new bungalow built in its back garden. The plots obviously didn't turn out the way they envisioned - I suspect that bigger, higher prestige houses were built than anticipated. So the Rokeby, originally 143, ended up as 101. Nowadays the plots are being split and houses built in gardens, perhaps we will eventually end up with the number of plots they orginally contemplated.

[newburychap]

Would you like any lookups?

Very kind of you to offer. I am currently compiling a database of Newbury pubs - and hence am interested in all their directory entries, However, it is a bit much to ask you to look them all up. If it is okay I will put together the list from 1928 (Blacket's directory) for you to modify (there will be a few changes of landlord, perhaps a pub name change).

[berkslass]

Hello Newburychap,

Look forward to hearing from you.