Charing Cross Road in 1891 COMPLETED

[Brian]

Hello London experts,

I have lost a family in the 1891 Census and believe their address to be 40, Charing Cross Road.  I have found 39 in St Anne's Soho, obviously (?) 40 is on the other side of the road, before I trawl through the whole St Anne's set, would it be in the same parish or should I be looking elsewhere, like St Giles in the Fields or....??

I don't want a look up, just to know where to look!

TIA

Brian

[Nick29]

Can you say where you got the address ?

There doesn't appear to be a 40 Charing Cross Road in 1891.

40 Charing Cross Road is listed as the Wyndhams Theatre in 1901, and is crossed out.

[Brian]

Hello Nick,

Thank you for that - at least I am not imagining things.  It came from the London Gazette which says that he was formerly carrying out a business there in a bankruptcy proceeding.  It also lists three other addresses (this is in 1896) and I have checked those to no effect.  He has a daughter christened in Westminster in June 1890 so was obviously around less than a year before.

[behindthefrogs]

Wyndhams Theatre was designed in 1898 and opened in November 1899.  It thus seems extremely likely that it was built on the site of 40 Charing Cross Road.

David

[Nick29]

What an interesting character, Brian !   Have you found him on any of the censuses ?

[Brian]

Very interesting fact David, thank you.  One is tempted to think he may have been the death knell for No 40!

Yes Nick I have him 1861-1881 and 1901 but not 1911.  He is an interesting character and obviously had quite differing jobs which he seemed to change at the drop of a hat

[chasbaz]

Just to mention that Charing Cross Road wasn't built until about 1880.

[behindthefrogs]

While that is true for great deal of its length it followed two existing streets, Castle Street and Crown Street which were widened and not all properties were demolished.  The standard of a lot of the new properties was also criticised for being very poor and so demolishing and replacing one twenty years later was not surprising.

David

[Nick29]

Just to mention that Charing Cross Road wasn't built until about 1880.

That's true, but there was a Charing Cross as early as 1291, which was originally called Eleanor Cross, in the hamlet of Charing, which was a monument put there by Edward I, in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile.  It was later known as Charing Cross, and the cross was replaced in 1675 by a statue of King Charles I on a horse.  The area was redeveloped with the building of the railway station, and Charing Cross also gave its name to a hospital, hotel, and a threatre, as well as the new road.

When I was a lad, I thought Charing Cross was named after the station     All they ever taught us at school was the bloomin' Romans