White Street Topsham

[AsH62]

Hi. I am trying to find out that age of the houses in White Street in Topsham. I have looked at old maps but they just tell me that the house was there in the 1890s which I had assumed to be the case.
I have heard stories of it being the red light district of the harbour but not of any dates.
Amy advice on where to look for records would be great.
Thanks
Alison

[terryleaman]

Try Topsham Museum, they have a wealth of information and images of many household deeds.

[AsH62]

Great, thank you I will
Alison

[stanmapstone]

If it is of any interest the Exeter Flying Post - Thursday 12 March 1818 has a death notice for a Mrs. Bell wife of Doctor Bell of White Street Topsham.

St

[AsH62]

Thank you, that’s starting to give me an idea of the age
Alison

[StintonLomas]

Hi
If you use Google Maps streetview function, travel up it from the Fore St end.
There are 2 buildings which have architectual features which may give pointers.
Near 33 there is a house on the right, set back with a courtyard in front of it (Stone construction with brick facings and lintels to the windows), a bit further up on the left hand side there is a row of brick built cottages with red brick stretchers interspersed with blue brick headers.
The rest of the street has all been covered in stucco type rendering which has probably covered up a lot of dating evidence.
It was very common to have dated plaques on some terraced rows but I haven't found one there.

[AsH62]

Thank you, I've just had a look and it's fantastic. I'm not sure if it will answer any of my questions but it is a whole new way of researching!

[IJDisney]

White Street was the rough area of Topsham. My mother was always warned not to play there, and she remembers the stories of fishermen's wives fighting on the doorsteps. We then found out that her own mother (my grandmother) had been born in Walnut Cottage, White Street!

The Street appears in the Topsham Censuses going back to 1841.

[IJDisney]

Walnut Cottage is no.25 White Street (still called Walnut Cottage). Some of the houses will date back to the 17th Century.