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Numbers 159 - 170 High Street, New Brentford
This section on the north side of the High Street runs from Brentford Bridge to Durham Wharf and backs on to the canal. This area was badly affected by the 1841 floods (X). It is possible to identify 8 tradesmen in this stretch who received compensation from the fund raised to support tradesman affected. (X plus 1841 census).The 1909/10 Valuation Records include a plan showing numbers 159 - 168 as a series of properties, each with a frontage of 15’ to the High Street and same length of yard to the rear – excepting numbers 159 (no yard) and 160 (yard is triangular, fitting into the line of the canal). They are described as ‘a terrace of 2 storey, attic and basement stock brick built with parapet walls, slated roofs & square dormers. Plain wood and glazed shop fronts. Old properties’
(2003) a new building development of three blocks of apartments with shops below is planned here (spanning where numbers 159 to 191 were). Nearest to the Bridge (area where no. 159 was) there is a small section that is to be a small nature area & some public open space with a bridge leading over the river to the Toll House at the Gauging Lock. (L)
Properties
Notes prepared for numbers 159 & 160, 161 - 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 and 170; also a list of photos, ephemera and maps
Numbers 159 & 160
159 and 160 were recorded together when the 1909/10 Valuation Records were compiled, 159 being a small shop and 160 an adjoining house, occupied together as one property, ‘no 159 has one storey & basement only’. The owner was S Woodbridge junior of Brent House, Brentford who was the Receiver appointed by the Mortgagee Mrs Mary Andrews, 14 Kings Avenue, Ealing. In the section ‘subordinate interests’ the lessee is named as Thomas T Pennington, 161/3 High Street, Brentford.159 is listed in the 1871 census as ‘a small shop, no-one sleeps on the premises’. By 1928 159/160 was a fishmongers run by George Clements, who remained here in 1933 and 1940, although by 1940 he was just using the shop at 159, no. 160 was a hairdressers: W H Stephenson.
Pauline Chidwick writes ‘Mother always bought fresh fish from the tiny shop which was almost on Brentford Bridge and I can remember being sent there to buy live eels and going home on the bus with a wriggling bag at my feet!’ and Harry Langley also remembers ‘Crossing the Bridge our first shop was a small shop overlooking the Canal at the side. This was a fresh fish shop owned by Dan the fishmonger. As a small child, I used to imagine he got his fish from the canal.’
TopNumbers 161 - 163
Numbers 161 – 163 were occupied by a miscellany of trades people in 1841 and 1851. By 1861 the three properties were occupied by: Henry Stephens, tailor (master), William H Turner, tailor and Henry W Pennington, clothier. The Pennington business operated from 1854 for about 100 years and features in more than one set of ‘memories’ shared as part of this project. See Iris Lanham’s contribution for more details of the Pennington, Turner and Lanham families.Henry Stephens, tailor & clothier is at number 161 in each census from 1861 (when he was 35) until 1891 and presumably was involved with the business in some capacity.
The 1909/10 Valuation Records describe the three properties as occupied by T T Pennington, owned by Henry Wakeford Pennington of Holly Grove House, Little Bushey, Herts, ‘the owner of the property is the occupier’s father’. Number 163 was a shop and upper rooms occupied as work rooms, whereas numbers 161 and 162 ‘provide residence other than shops’.
Thomas Turner Pennington is listed in 1913, 1920, 1928 (where the trade directory entry states ‘established 1854’), 1933 & 1940.
Iris Lanham notes that the business was well known as a supplier to the canal boatmen.
TopNumber 164
Stephen Woodbridge, teacher lived here in 1841; in 1845 he is a ‘stationer & bookseller’; in 1851 a bookseller; in 1861 Mrs Alice Woodbridge, stationer lived here, aged 88. She had moved to no. 184 by the 1871 census, by which time she was 97. A Stephen Woodbridge, solicitor, lived at around no. 309 in 1871, aged 36, perhaps a son?Charles Climpson, a master bootmaker born in Chesham Bucks, is recorded at no, 164 from 1871 until 1901. He married Lydia Harris in 1856. See Pauline Tate's research into the Harris family for more details. In the 1909/10 Valuation Records no. 164 was owned by Joseph James Neville of ‘Homeland’, Clapham Hill, Whitstable on Sea.
After Charles Climpson died in 1912 the property was occupied by Edward Jay, picture frame maker (1913); William Turner, confectioner (1920/21); Mrs L. Bennett, florist (1928 & 1933). There is no reference to no. 164 in the 1940 trade directory.
TopNumber 165
The Neville family lived here from 1851: Joseph ‘cooper at a brewery’ 1851; Joseph O., a cooper from 1861 – 1881; then Mrs Amy Neville, a milliner in 1891 and ‘living on her own means’ in 1901, by which time she was 84. In the 1909/10 Valuation Records no. 165 was owned by Misses Amy & August Neville of ‘Homeland’, Clapham Hill, Whitstable on Sea.Alister Neville has kindly contributed details of the Neville family tree.
Number 166
The Grand Junction Arms beerhouse from 1851 – 1913; George Jennings ran the beerhouse from 1881 – 1901 and is listed variously as waterman and beer retailer. The 1909/10 Valuation Records name the owner as Charrington & Co Ltd, Anchor Brewery, Mile End and note the property was last sold on 8 May 1905 for £1300. The gross value of no. 166 was assessed as £1875 (cf £315 for no. 165).Top
Number 167
A bakery run by Charles Simmons or Simmonds 1839 – 1861 then Mountford Archer (born Kentish Town London) from 1871 – 1920.The 1909/10 Valuation Records describe the basement cellar as ‘filled with ovens as bakehouse, the ovens running under pathway but of such a nature that it is improbable that local authorities will renew licence if becomes empty.’ By 1928 it was a fried fish shop run by Wilfrid Arthur Wooley who remained there until 1940.
Number 168
More tailors: Thomas T Sanders 1861; William H Turner (possibly a relative of the John F Turner at number 163?) is listed as a tailor from 1871 – 1891, succeeded by Mrs Harriet Turner in 1901; Bernard Wurtzel, hairdresser worked here from 1913 – 1940 and is recorded as the occupier in the 1909/10 Valuation Records. Mrs Alexandra Wall owned numbers 167 and 168 at this time.Number 170
At the time of the Valuation Records compilation, no. 170 was described as a ‘cottage – about to be demolished’ owned by Stephen T Trinder (now deceased), his executrix was Mrs Margaret Jane Gordon of Willow House, Ealing Green. It is described as being ‘a corner site, any buildings thereon now being disused, and only fit for carting away. The land is at present used in conjunction with hoarding surrounding’. It had a frontage of 30’ to the High Street. The most recent sale of the property was on 20 Feb 1920, for £150.Top
Photos/Ephemera/Maps
Links are included below to any photos, ephemera or maps accessible on this site.References such as '1899 (X11)' indicate the date of a photo (1899) and where it is published (X11). Details of 'X' are available: see Mainly paper sources page; '11' refers to the page no, or photo no. in the publication.
There are several postcards of this area, looking eastwards from Brentford Bridge.
159 ca 1904 (A72) and (K115); ca 1908 (C1)
160 ca 1904 (A72) and (K115); ca 1908 (C1)
161 ca 1904 (A72) and (K115); ca 1908 (C1)
162 ca 1904 (A72) and (K115); ca 1908 (C1)
Warning - download over 200k! 1838 Tithe map: modern numbers 159 to 170 are tithe property refs 272 to 283
Warning - download over 150k! 1894 Ordnance Survey Map annotated with house numbers