Henry R. COWAN - Wheelwright, Eastwood, Essex - Seeking Photos please??

[rbell35]

My grandfather, Henry Richardson COWAN was a wheelwright, blacksmith and motor repairer at No. 2 Pleasant Place'', Eastwood in Essex. I know he and his family were there in 1897 & Henry died in 1920. I have a postcard (from about 1915) with a photo of Henry and it shows this address on the back. It was situated approximately on the corner of Southbourne Grove and the main arterial road to London. I believe the house was originally known as the 'Eastwood Pest House', perhaps once used as a centre for diseased persons? Today the area is covered by modern townhouses and naturally has changed vastly since those days. I would dearly love to locate any photographs which may show this business, house or even Henry and family! I imagine there must have been some photos taken of this locality during these years. Any help in this quest is dearly much appreciated. I would love to be able to show my present day family the house my grandparents live in and the environment. Many thanks for any help. Cheers, Rob

[hanes teulu]

Southend Standard, 19 Mar 1914
A cart had been stolen from HRC and this is the opening para to the court case

[hanes teulu]

Bottom left corner
https://maps.nls.uk/view/104194719#zoom=4.7&lat=1287&lon=1871&layers=BT

Top left corner
https://maps.nls.uk/view/104195130#zoom=4.7&lat=10244&lon=2978&layers=BT

[hanes teulu]

Old photos can be surprisingly hard to unearth.

Spotted this property in Eastwood Lane - no date
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/87/5f/08/875f085efb2dbaa0da008c88fe6730c9.jpg

[hanes teulu]

Realised did not complete snip from newspaper. It goes on to say
"The prosecutor (ie. HRC) lives in Eastwood Road ...."

[hanes teulu]

On the 1911 Census Henry gives his address a Pleasant Place, Eastwood

The 1911 Census addresses, as completed by householders run -
" ..., Juniper's Farm, 2  households at Pleasant Place Eastwood, Pest Cottage ...."

The Enumerator's List for these households reads -
Prittlewell Road, Juniper Farm House,
Prittlewell Road, Juniper Farm Buildings
Prittlewell Rd No 1 Pest House (Mr Cowan)
Prittlewell Rd, No 2 Pest House (Mr Bowles)
Prittlewell Rd, Pest Cottage

Junipers and Pest Houses on Eastwood Rd
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102342293#zoom=5.8&lat=3082&lon=2476&layers=BT
 

[hanes teulu]

Henry's advertises his address as "Pleasant Place, Eastwood" in the newspapers. His "next door" neighbour on the 1911 Census, Alfred Bowles, advertises as "Pleasant Place, Eastwood Road".

Checking Essex Archives catalogue the only reference is -
https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk/result_details.aspx?ThisRecordsOffSet=1&id=400997

[rbell35]

Thanks Hanes, much appreciated. Are you able to obtain a full transcipt of the court case in 1914? I live in Australia so cannot easily obtain these things! The address of my grandfather's house and business appars to be a slight mystery. My mother always said the house was next to the work shed/forge and was situated at No. 2 Pleasant Place & called Pest House. I knew they were next to the Junipers property, possible separated by a field? Furthermore that Henry's residence was on or near the corner of Southbourne Road & the main arterial road to London, also referred to once as Prince's Avenue. Is Eastwood Road another name for this main road? One of the references you cited shows both a No. 1 & No. 2 Pleasant Place. Does this suggest the Cowans' had both properties? I am unsure! Also, I notice the newspaper reference (1914) refers to the address as 'Eastwood Lane'. I am not whether this is a typing error or simply a mistake? Perhaps Eastwood Lane is close to the property? Curious but determined to confirm the precise site location. Cheers, Rob

[rbell35]

I also notice that 1911 Census refers to No. 2 Pleasant Place as being occupied by a Mr. Bowles & that the site is described as yet another road, being 'Prittewell Road'. This certainly adds to the confusion. I can understand though the main road to London did pass through Prittlewell, Southend and Eastwood, so may have been losely referred to by that title! Rob