62 South Molton St - Not listed :(

[hannah9000]

I am trying to search for the property above, but every other house number on that street is available apart from that one. I know that either it was a shop, or there was a shop below it. But according to my g grandfathers birth certificate he was born there and his mum resided there in 1901. But I can find absolutely no record. Any ideas please?

[Nick29]

62 South Molton Street is listed on the 1901 census but there is no one living there.  The house is listed as 'unoccupied'.

The census reference is RG13/0081 Folio 7 Page 7

[Dave Francis]

Hi there

I've found 62 South Molton Street listed on the 1901 Census, but unfortunately the property was uninhabited on the night the Census was taken.  Reference: RG 13/81 folio 7 page 5.

Going back to the 1891 Census, the property was occupied by a widow, Ellen Warren, with her son William and seven other young women who were variously described as dressmakers, milliners, and saleswomen. Reference: RG 12/67 folio 40 page 30

It looks like 62 South Molton Street - and several adjacent properties - were redeveloped and/or demolished not long after your great-grandfather's birth. An advert in The Times on Tuesday  February 12 1901 (pg. 16; Issue 36376; col D) announced the forthcoming auction of the "building site...now occupied by 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62 South Molton Street...No.57 being the Globe Publichouse." And then there were a number of adverts in The Times in the 1950's for The Triangle Secretarial Training College with the address 59-62 South Molton Street.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[hannah9000]

Hi there

I've found 62 South Molton Street listed on the 1901 Census, but unfortunately the property was uninhabited on the night the Census was taken.  Reference: RG 13/81 folio 7 page 5.

Going back to the 1891 Census, the property was occupied by a widow, Ellen Warren, with her son William and seven other young women who were variously described as dressmakers, milliners, and saleswomen. Reference: RG 12/67 folio 40 page 30

It looks like 62 South Molton Street - and several adjacent properties - were redeveloped and/or demolished not long after your great-grandfather's birth. An advert in The Times on Tuesday  February 12 1901 (pg. 16; Issue 36376; col D) announced the forthcoming auction of the "building site...now occupied by 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62 South Molton Street...No.57 being the Globe Publichouse." And then there were a number of adverts in The Times in the 1950's for The Triangle Secretarial Training College with the address 59-62 South Molton Street.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Wow Dave thank you so much. One other question if I may, was one of the young women living with Ellen Warren called Emily King and does it state her age? I've got my g grandfathers birth certificate here, and it says he was born in 62 south molton st, and his mum Emily, was resident in the property in 1901...but i'm really struggling to find out more!!

[Dave Francis]

Hi Hannah

No, Emily wasn't listed with Ellen Warren.

But I think I may have found her in the 1901 Census anyway!

62 South Molton Street is/was within the parish of St George Hanover Square.

The 1901 Census records that the following patient was in nearby St George's Hospital:

Emily Lena King, age 24, single, housemaid domestic, born in Ford, Wiveliscombe, Somerset
Ref: RG 13/90 folio 160 page 14

[Dave Francis]

Sadly there's a death registration for Emily Lena King in 1903 in Wellington, Somerset. 

[hannah9000]

Hi Dave, it says on Lewis's (my g grandfather) birth certificate that he was born at 62 South Molton Street, if he was born in hospital would it not say that? However, it would all fit in as Lewis was fostered out to a family in Uplyme, Devon (as on the 1911 census) and we wondered why he was sent all that way but if Emily was originally from Somerset (which is where I am now!) that would perhaps explain why he was sent there?

But also, on the birth certificate, it states she is a dressmaker which is why I wondered if she resided with Ellen Warren. Also on the birth certificate the fathers name is put as James Russel Kin which we think is Emily's father as we're not sure Emily married...
Very confusing!! Thank you for all your help

[Dave Francis]

Hi Hannah

Bear in mind that the 1901 Census was taken about four months before Lewis was born, so Emily is very unlikely to have been in the hospital all that time. Possible she was only there because of initial  complications with the pregnancy, or for a completely unrelated reason.

I've already taken the liberty of checking the earlier Census records for Emily Lena King. She was the daughter of a farm labourer called Robert King and, by the age of 14, was already living away from home and working a servant. It is easy to imagine that she then found herself in London, falling pregnant, giving birth to your g-grandfather and then returning home with him to Somerset where sadly she died in 1903. I can't see any evidence to suggest that she ever married, and it remains to be seen whether Lewis's father will ever be positively identified.

Dave

[hannah9000]

Thanks again Dave. I'm still not sure, I can't understand where the James Russell Kin bit on the birth certificate comes from, I'm almost certain that must be her father as Lewis' full name is Lewis Russell King so he's inherited the middle name. Thank you for all your help, I am very very grateful.