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Archiver > DEVON > 1999-06 > 0929372280


From: "Betty E. Clark" <>
Subject: Re[2]: Naming of homes
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 10:58 -0400


I spent my early years in England. During the war (WW2 for those youngsters
amongst our listers) we lived in Billericay, Essex (which is 24 miles outside
London and in direct line between Germany and London) and our house was named
"Springside". There was no house number, and the road was a fairly long (at
least it seemed long to my child legs) country road dead-ending at a farm. I
assume that the postman got to know exactly where each of the houses were
situated, but visitors would have had to view closely each house name to make
sure they didn't miss their destination. However, as the road was not paved,
and as the council filled up street holes / puddles with broken bricks
(presumably obtained from bombed buildings) it was not recommended for vehicles.
Depending on the driver and the mood, sometimes taxis would refuse to risk
their axels etc. to pick up customers and I remember, on one occasion, we had to
lug suitcases up to the end of the road to meet the taxi. Those were the
days........

Betty (now living in sunny, hot, Formula I, Montreal)

____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject: Re: Naming of homes
Author:
Date: 6/12/99 7:58 PM

At 04:32 PM 6/12/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi everyone;
>
>As I pour over old correspondence between my grandmother and her
>siblings, parents, etc., I notice that they all had "names" for their
>residences. For example, my grandmother lived in 'Hazelwell House' ; her
>parents later lived at 'Yangtse' ; and one of her brothers called his
>abode 'The Shanty'. Can someone give me a bit of a history lesson on
>this and I am wondering specifically if a residence keeps its name over
>time? etc.
>
>Curious Mike
>Mission
>B.C.
>Canada
>
>
Mike
I love the naming of houses and am sorry that in the US I do not see it done.
Almost all my relatives in England and Wales have houses which are named
and they are used in and sometimes as the only address for example
My G.mother's house is "Poplyswydden" so when writing to her I would put
Mrs. J. Evans
"Poplyswydden"
Bedwellty.
Nr. Blackwood.
Mon.(or Gwent whichever it happens to be at the moment)

My cousin's house always has the word "house" after it, so it's
Mrs. N. Burton
Pant e Cefn House
Markham. etc.

Interesting to note that the house is found by name only with no actual
street address given for the town. Not done in all cases to be sure but
often in country areas.
My own Mother's house was called "Norwich House", Worstead. Nr.Norwich.
Norfolk. Again no other address needed.
When I was a little girl I used to walk a great deal in Norwich and would
write down as many house names as I could find. I think most houses keep
their names when ownership changes for the most part. I certainly love the
custom.
Liz

GENEALOGY RESEARCH
In Cornwall & Devon
Martin, Cowling, Stanaway,
Teague, Harris, How, Lorey and Mallett.
In India and Kimberley, S.Africa - Martin.
|> In Wales |>
/""""\ Davies, Evans, Price and Bevans /""""\
| " |"""""""|""""""|""""""| |"""""""|"""""""|""""" | " |

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