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From 351 to 363 High Street, Old Brentford

In the 1851 and 1861 censuses a number of workers at the distillery lived at numbers 356 to 360. They had moved away by 1871.

In 1865 the area immediately to the east of Bull Lane was open ground with a couple of wells followed by eight properties up to New North Road. Shortly before the New North Road was a close of four houses which may have been counted as part of the High Street.

By 1894 five new properties had been built where the wells lay, followed by the new Distillery Road, then four properties and North Road.

The road numbering took place in 1876, and apparently the five newly built properties after Bull Lane were numbered 351 – 355, then the eight properties extant in 1865 were numbered 356 – 363.

• Numbers 351 – 355 built between 1865 and 1871 (OS Map / census)
• Numbers 357 – 360 demolished between 1881 and 1890 (census / trade directory);in the 1851 and 1861 censuses a number of workers at the distillery lived here; they had moved away by 1871
• Numbers 361 demolished ca 1960 (C)
• Numbers 362 demolished in 1902 (C)

Properties

Notes prepared for numbers 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 360, Barge Aground PH (361), 362 and 363; also a list of photos, ephemera and maps

Number 351

The 1909/10 Valuation Records record the owner as Messr Dorey Bros Ltd, Brentford, who owned numbers 352 – 355 as well. No. 351 is described as a ‘house and shop at corner of Pottery Road with Advertising Station on the flank wall’. It was a larger than average property with a frontage of 17’ 6” and had a dairy shed to the rear and loft over with entrance from Pottery Road.

Number 352

Number 353

Liz Smart writes ‘my mother was born in Brentford. Her name was Daphne Margaret Hood and she was born on March 21st 1919. Her father was William Thomas Hood and he appears on the 1901 census as living with his parents James and Hannah at 353 Brentford High Street. James was a shoemaker, and was born in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.'

‘My grandfather, William Thomas Hood, was a choirmaster at St Lukes Church, Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, where he founded a mason's like society called the Ironians. Comprised of existing and old choirboys, I believe this society endured into the 1980's. He had married Emily Richard in the 2nd quarter of 1908. I have recently acquired some old photographs which refer to 'Chips' Daisley, a past vicar of St Lukes - no idea of the dates.’

The 1909/10 Valuation describes no. 353 as like no. 354, which was a terrace house and shop with two rooms on the top floor and first floor, a shop, parlour, WC on the ground floor plus a basement with store room and wash house. Its High Street frontage was 15’ 3”. Numbers 351 – 355 were sold to Messr Dorey Bros Ltd in 1906. The annual rental was £40 6s, ie 15s 6d a week.

Miss Emily Wheeler, shop keeper, was at no. 353 when the 1913 trade directory was compiled.

Alfred John Dearlove ran a grocers shop here in 1928 and 1933. Yvonne Masson writes ‘Alfred John Dearlove was born 1.1.1893 at 10 Spencer Road, Putney, the son of Thomas and Sophia Dearlove. Thomas was my grandfather's step-brother. Alfred John married 1921 to Ivy Pope, at Pewsey, Wilts. They had two children, Thomas N., 1930-1931, and David J., b.1932. David was living at Sonning Common, Berks in 1989. Alfred John died 1939 at Brentford.’

Donald M Shaw, dairyman, was recorded at no. 353 in 1940.

Number 354

For a description of no. 354 see no. 353. No. 354 was let at 15s 6d a week and the front and back elevations needed pointing. It had a slightly larger yard than no. 355 and its High Street frontage was 14' 7".

By 1913 Mrs F Ballard was running dining rooms at this address.

Number 355

He was succeeded by John Dear, punnet maker, who was ‘removed to Southall’ in the 1881 census but back home for the 1891 census, when he headed a household of 9 including a lady described as a ‘relative’: all except his youngest son Albert were punnet makers. In 1901 he is listed at no. 354, whether he moved or the house was renumbered is not clear. Edward Carter, a butcher, is recorded at no. 355.

Number 356

The 1909/10 Valuation Records describe no. 356 ‘House, warehouse, stables, garage & premises at corner of High Street and Distiller Road’. ‘The property is old and dilapidated’ and had a ‘large yard at rear with exit to Distiller Road’. At the rear were stables with ‘accommodation on the (first?) floor for 33 horses. There is a loose box and farriers shop. On the ground floor there are 38 stalls… at extreme rear is a shed used as a garage for 9 motor lorries’ Unfortunately there is no plan included but the 1894 OS Map shows a large property and outbuildings.

The owner and occupier were Carter Paterson & Co Ltd, 128 Goswell Road, EC.

There is no reference to no. 356 in the 1928 or later directories, presumably it had been demolished between 1913 and 1928.

Number 360

‘Modern brick built and slated building, built in 1902’ owned by Fuller, Smith & Turner, Brewers, Chiswick and occupied by W. Barnes at the time of the 1909/10 Valuation. This new property was numbered ‘361’ at this point but originally was no. 360.

The Barge Aground PH (361)

By the time of Pigots 1839 directory the Barge Aground was run by William Perress. In 1851 William J Barker, lighterman and victualler, headed a household of 12, including Stanislau Albert Ples..Rowski, travelling bookseller born Poland. 1861: John Colsell, lighterman lived here: no indication that it was a PH. In 1871, 1874 and 1881 William Marsh, licensed victualler, ran the Barge Aground. An 1890 trade directory lists Thomas George Dorey here (possibly related to Dorey and Co., builders of the girls school in the early 1890s) TG Dorey had moved to the Six Bells at no. 149 by 1901. Returning to the Barge Aground, in the 1891 census Thomas W Reynolds, licensed victualler lived here; in 1901 William A Best from Huddersfield.

The Barge Aground was rebuilt in 1902 (S21) and may have taken over the site previously used by no. 362 which was demolished in the same year. This would explain why it is recorded at no. 361 in 1881 and 1891 censuses but at no. 362 when the Valuation Record took place in 1909/10.

Unfortunately the 1909/10 Valuation does not give much detail; there is a note ‘Unable to inspect 25/8/1914 although notice previously sent’. The frontage was 35’ 6” and the owners Fuller, Smith & Turner, Brewers, Chiswick.

In a 1913 trade directory the Barge Aground is recorded at number 362 and run by Arthur Thomas Groves; 1928: Henry Longhurst; 1933 & 1940: George Pinchin. The Barge Aground was demolished in the 1960s (S21).

Number 362

By 1901 Charles Bantock, butcher from Lavenham, Suffolk, lived here with two other small households; he previously lived at number 382; number 362 was demolished in 1902 (C).

Number 363

Richard Christie is recorded here in censuses 1881 – 1901 and an 1890 trade directory as school attendance officer, stationer & school attendance officer, newsagent and finally School Board Officer. He was born in Ireland.

In 1909/10 no. 363 is described as a ‘detached house and shop at West corner of North Road’, owned by Fuller, Smith & Turner, Brewers, Chiswick and in ‘very fair repair’.

Trade directories show no. 363 was a stationers: Alfred Rollins (1913); Ernest C Pooley (1928, 1933) then tobacconists run by Arthur P Tristram (1940).

Photos/Ephemera/Maps

Roads Off