Do you recognise this house? The Limes Porthill

[Jool]

I copied this from Linmey's post no 103 in the original "church" thread
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=333031.100

"According to the 1881 her father was William Adams born in Liverpool and a JP and Earthenware Manufacturer. Ceclily had 3 younger brothers (all like Cecily born in Wolstanton) and there are 4 servants listed. Their house though is listed in 1881 as The Oaks so guess they moved between then and 190I wonder if any of those servants are in the photos?? Intriguing!"

Cecily's father was a JP and earthenware manufacturer, as were residents of The Limes

Jool

[RichardK]

Excellent bit of work. Rootschat working at its best - even if it takes five years!
Well done Staffsuk.
Richard.

[ChrissieL]

What lovely pictures of a beautiful old house.  Such a shame these lovely buildings have been demolished.
Chris

[Ruskie]

StaffsUK - brilliant work, great links, easy to follow explanation/directions!

I am so happy that the house has been identified, but more sad than I can say that such a beautiful building has gone. Somehow it is even sadder to see it marked on the old maps and to know what it used to be.

Do we know the reason for the demolition?

[staffsuk]

Thank you all for the kind comments 

I am currently compiling what I know about the demise of the house. I will likely post a follow-up with my findings. I have a friend who remembers the house as a child - and he used to play around / inside it when it was derelict. We never even dared to venture up the drive as kids - it was reputed to be haunted - and as such we were scared stupid of it! A planning application was placed to convert it into apartments - and subsequently a hotel in 1969. Both were accepted. Alas the economics probably didn't add up as was often the case with these grand urban houses. The large grounds in which they stood were far more valuable as development potential. This has happened to most - but not all of the large residences which stood on First & Second Avenue. One example still stands that has been converted into flats - and another is now inhabited by an insurance company. It should also be noted that mining works have caused a lot of subsidence in this area - and a number of large houses have succumbed over the years.

So the house may well have been found - but might we have a struggle now to find Ebba

[Ruskie]

Ah the 60s - era of poor taste and extensive demolition.
I will be interested to know what you find out about this grand house. If subsidence was the reason for it's demoliton then, though still sad after seeing those photographs of it in it's heyday, I suppose that is, in a way, more 'acceptable'/understandable. 

[linmey]

Its very sad, having seen all the pictures of it in its hey day, full of life, and not that long ago for it to have fallen into decay so quickly. Its an amazing to be finding all this out after 5 years.

Thank you for all your hard work Staffsuk.

[fmni]

Like Ebba, I haven't been frequenting these boards in a long time but was fascinated by the original postings re the church and house and even worked on a family tree on the Adams of Wolstanton at the time - should have it backed up and will cross reference any of the names of residents of 'The Limes' mentioned here.

Hopefully Ebba will re-appear, the email notifications brought me back so I'm sure if being received at her end, it will prompt her into a wee return also

Off to try and find the family tree of the 'Wolstanton Adams'....

[staffsuk]

OK - this will be an embarrassing post!!! 

Whilst researching the houses fate - I came across a reference to the house in an old picture postcard book. Well - I'm embarrassed to say it's a book I've had sitting on my shelf since 1987!!

I had just not thought to even look in it - oh well 

So as final confirmation if any were needed - the mystery house is indeed 'The Limes'!