The Friary, Southsea - and printers

[clarkerwin]

Killing two topics with one stone here, hopefully.

Records show extended family members being resident at The Friary, Southsea between at least 1861 and 1901.

Happily, this lovely building was listed in 2004 and I think it was built by Thomas Owen as 'social housing'flats which have recently been renovated..  Does anybody have any more information on history of the building and how one became a resident?  Family members seem to have occupied various of the flats over the years, including three deaths and one birth!

My second question: the occupation of one person was 'apprentice printer' and another as 'block maker', which I believe is related to printing.  Presumably there were several printing companies in Portsmouth/Southsea at the time - any particular names?

Many thanks for any help with either point.

[suzanne2812]

Hi

This site may be of interest.

http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/index.asp

You can look at the old directories & search by keyword.

Also this site is brilliant!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stephen.pomeroy/local/local.htm

Regards Suzanne

[clarkerwin]

Many thanks Suzanne. 

I had searched but neither of these sites showed.

Rosemary

[antiquesam]

Hi Clarkerwin
I can't offer much help on The Friary except that it was built in 1851 to a design by Thomas Owen and is a Grade II listed building. I did a tour of Thomas Owen properties a couple of years ago which started with the The Friary and vaguely remember that it was for the housing of poorly paid working men and their families.
Sorry I have so little info. despite living in Southsea and pass it going to the Supermarket next door. It is being refurbished at the moment.
Antiquesam

[clarkerwin]

Many thanks for the information.

I have passed by the building a number of times over the years without realising its significance to my relatives.

What surprises me is that an RMA family was resident at one time and I would not have thought they came within the 'poorly paid' criterion for residency but that may be an incorrect impression.