Halesworth - info required please

[LizzieW]

Hi Stewart

It is probably better to re-post your enquiry about the Petre family on the Norfolk board.

I'm not sure anyone will be able to find out any more info than you have given in your grandmother's history story - which I found by googling the Petre name as you didn't give us a link.

You only have to read novels of the period to see how easily the head of the family could cast out members of the family he thought undesirable. 

Lizzie

ps.  Back to the original topic of the school, I have written to the curate of the Halesworth museum so, hopefully, should get a response within a couple of weeks (UK Bank holidays notwithstanding).

[The Yokel]

Hi Lizzie

Have you looked at the enumerators discription page on the 1871 census, to see if it describes the route he took. I have looked at the 1861, but the route doesn't mention Bungay Road.

As you say the schedule nos. are close together between the Station and Belverdere Cottage, looking at the old map there were not many houses between the Station and Belvedere House.

Did you also notice on Google map for Belvedere House that the property on the other side of the road is Belle View Barns and on their web site they say that there has been a farm there for over a hundred years.

yokel

[LizzieW]

This is a reply I've now received from the Chair of the Trustees of Halesworth Museum.

Belvedere Cottage/House
1840 Tithe Map & Apportionment:
On the corner of Bungay Road and Harrison's Lane, north of the built up area of Victorian Halesworth, a 2.5 acre field known as "South Longshanks" (Apportionment number 783) was owned and occupied by James Bloomfield.  He also owned and occupied a 3.0 acre field "North Longshanks" next to it.  Close to this spot the parieshes of Halesworth, Wissett, Spexhall and Holton met. 

1823-1839 Trade Directories.
James Bloomfield was landlord of the "Hart White" in the Thoroughfare, Halesworth.

1840/61
In the census of 1841 James Bloomfield age 60 was described as a publican. He was still at the "White Hart" in 1851.  In a trade directory of 1846 he is also described as a farmer, although he is not listed in any trade directory as a farmer in Halesworth, Wissett, Spexhall or Holton.  By 1855 he appears to have retired from the pub business and was living in Pound Street.

Therefore the house that was built on a small part of 783 next to Harrisonn's Lane can be no earlier than 1852.  A house was also built on a plot of land across the Bungay Road in the parish of Wissett.  This house was later called "Wissett Place".

In the census of 1861, the house on 783 was called Belvedere Cottage.  It was occupied by George Yallop a schoolmaster and was a school with more than 12 students.  The house was brick built (white bricks) and symmetrical with a centre door and chimneys at each gable end.  Apart from the 1861 census it has always been called "Belvedere House".

1868-1878.  In a trade directory of 1868 the occupier of Belvedere House, Bungay Road was John Bayes a farmer.  In the census of 1871 the occupier of "Belvedere Cottage" was William Bayes a farmer of 200 acres employing 5 men & a boy.   In another trade directory of 1873, William Bayes was still occupying Belvedere House.

1879-1905.  In  trade directory of 1879 the occupier of Belvedere House, Bungay Road was William Curtis Chilvers.  William continued to live there until 1905.  The land for the Patrick Stead Hospital was purchased in 1880 for £200 from the Crabtree sisters who owned the Manor of Halesworth.  The hospital land was never farmed by the Bayes family or owned by the Chilvers.  The 1882-4 OS map of Halesworth (which can be viewed on line) shows that at the time the hospital was built, there were no other dwellings between the railway station and Belvedere House.

1906-1912.  In 1905/6 F J Hilling an auctioneer's clerk, moved from Pound Street to Belvedere House.

Lots of things to check out now, but it seems that Belvedere Cottage and Belvedere House on Bungay Road, near to the station were one and the same place. 

Lizzie

[Suffolk Mawther]

Excellent result Lizzie, just more for you to research no doubt 

Pat ...

[LizzieW]

I did a quick search for the 1882-4 OS map but I couldn't see enough of it.  So I decided (as the details I received said that a Mr.Hilling moved to Belvedere House in 1905/6 that I would look at the enumerators book of the 1911 census.  That clearly shows the station, then a few houses, then the hospital and then Belvedere House.  So at least I know where it ought to be.  The info I received states

at the time the hospital was built, there were no other dwellings between the railway station and Belvedere House.

which must mean no other buildings apart from the hospital between the station and Belvedere House.

A house was also built on a plot of land across the Bungay Road in the parish of Wissett.  This house was later called "Wissett Place".

On Google street view there are bungalows where I think Belvedere might have been and also a field.  Opposite the field, and suspiciously near to the parish of Wissett is a white double fronted house, not calle Wissett Place, but I would guess it might have been where Wissett Place was.  I'll have another look on the 1911 census.

Lizzie

[The Yokel]

Hi Lizzie

If you go to google map for Halesworth and go to the junction of Norwich Rd (A144) and Harrisons Lane you will find a white house with three windowes upstairs and one window either side of the porch down stairs and a conservatory on the righthand side, this is Belvedere House.


yokel

[The Yokel]

Hi Lizzie

I have driven past the house I mentioned in my reply and it does have Belvedere House written on the porch

yokel

[StewartA]

I have been following the message and just to make sure I have the correct house.. Is this picture Belvedere House (Cottage) correct


Stewart

[LizzieW]

Yokel

If the house Stewart has shown is Belvedere House, does that mean that Bungay Road is now Harrison's Lane?  I had assumed it was what is now Old Station Road, so had been looking at the house on the opposite corner to the one in the photograph, as I assumed Old Station Road, would be where Bungay Road used to be.  Nice house whichever one it is.  I guess one of them is Wissett Place.  However,  looking at a google map of the station, the hospital etc. it's more obvious that Norwich Road  (A144) cut across Bungay road and perhaps even incorported part of it. 

Another mistake, as I'm used to searching for my ancestors in built up areas, (or at least addresses in the centre of villages),  was that because Belvedere Cottage was next to the station on the census, I thought it must be fairly close to the station, whereas it is quite a way from the station.

Lizzie