Location in Retford (COMPLETED)

[Xenoid]

I recently received this image of my mother in a maids uniform aged 18, taken in Retford in 1937.

Can anyone identify the location of the distinctive turreted house in the background, she appears to be on the adjacent property. The photo is also marked "Mrs Haighs" - presumably who she was working for.

Many thanks.

[charlotteCH]

Hi
That's a lovely photo. 

 In which county is Retford please?  I looked at our atlas but it's not listed.

There is an air of informality about your mother with her rolled up sleeves.

charlotte

[Xenoid]

That's a lovely photo. 

Yes, it's one of only two of my mother at about that age. Although quite small, it is in very good condition, I love it too.

Retford is in the north of Nottinghamshire, it may be listed as East Retford in your atlas.

[charlotteCH]

Maybe if you posted this on the Nottinghampshire Borad you'd get a better respose from those familiar with the county.

charlotte

[Phodgetts]

I doubt there will be many houses in Retford with a hexagonal roof tower like that. I wonder if it is the building opposite Mount Vernon on London Rd? Just north of Goosemoor Lane and east of Marquis Gardens. It looks to be a much bigger property now, much extended over the years given the difference in roof tile colour from the original part of the building. Need some local input on this one.

[seth2]

If you get no joy on this you may get help at the nice Bassetlaw Museum in Retford - they are on line.

[apwright]

Phone books up to 1931 show an S.Haigh living at Lyndhurst, Ordsall Park Road, Retford.
In 1936 this changes to Mary A. Haigh at the same address - recently widowed perhaps?

On Google Earth it looks like the house on the west side of the junction of Ordsall Park Rd and Ordsall Park Close. On Streetview you can just get a glimpse of the turret and a chimney if you stand in the middle of the junction. The photo looks to have been taken from the garden west of the house.
Unfortunately it appears that the Streetview photo that would look straight up the drive has been removed!

Adrian

EDIT: There's the death of a Samuel Haigh, age 83, in East Retford in 1935 - and Mary A, age 79, in 1939.

[Geoff-E]

Good find!

Aerial view http://tinyurl.com/2bwr7mp

[Xenoid]

Thanks everyone, and great detective work Adrian! That's definitely the place.

After spending hours zooming over Retford in Google Earth, I realised an old telephone book would be the way to go, however I could not figure out how to find or access the appropriate one!

I went to the Bassetlaw Museum site, and had a look at the Welchman photograph collection (what a fantastic resource, all indexed and described). I found several addresses for Haighs but none of them had a turreted house nearby!

The "shrubs" have certainly grown in the intervening years, but when I visit the UK, I'll call in and see if I can get a photo of myself in the same location. 

Thanks, again.