Childhood Memories of Victoria Terrace, Stamford Rd, Kettering Anne & Heather Halfpenny’s memories. Author Heather, with notes from Anne Victoria Terrace in Stamford Rd, Kettering was built at the time of Queen Victoria’s visit to Kettering. These houses on the corner of Lawson St were typical of the mid-nineteenth century development in the town, lived in by workers of the rapidly expanding shoe trade. Victoria Terrace was later renamed Stamford Rd, and renumbered. The Terrace is now demolished, not sure of the date of demolition at this time. There were twelve houses in the terrace. These houses consisted of four rooms, two up and two down all with windows. There was no running water inside and just a small fireplace in the front room & one in the front bedroom. A fire would only be lit in the bedroom if one of the family were ill. The water tap was situated outside, and shared by two families. In winter the water would freeze and families could be without water for several days. The toilets were located at the bottom of the yard and again shared by two families. Also at the bottom of the yard behind a shed was a brick built structure, no roof which we as children called the ‘pig sty’ .In the pig sty was a brick built copper where mother used to do the washing. We would go to the local shoe factories for ‘leather bits’. Leather bits were off cuts of leather left over from cutting out shoes, and would burn well and give off plenty of heat to boil the water in the copper. The washing was done like this in all weather’s. 4, Victoria Terrace was the residence given on the marriage certificate of John Henry Owen and Adelaide Wallis my grandparents who were married 28/5/1898, St Mary’s Church, Fuller, Kettering. John & Adelaide had nine children. The first child John Henry Owen junior was born at 59, Fuller St, Kettering. This may have been their home after marriage, or that of a relative, as Adelaide was living in Fuller St with her mother and family at the time of the 1881 census. At this time I am not sure when John and Adelaide took up the tenancy of 33, Stamford Rd, I need to obtain other birth certificates of John & Adelaide’s children certificates to verify this. The 1901 census finds John Adelaide & sons John Henry & Frederick living 11, Lawson St, just round the corner from Victoria Terrace then known as Stamford rd. My mother Dorothy Owen was born at 33, Stamford Rd, 1/5/1920 and was the youngest of John and Adelaide’s children. My mother Dorothy Owen was still quite young when her parents died, and she was looked after by her sisters until she married, in 1939. Emma Owen daughter of John & Adelaide married Bill Clifford and lived 33, Stamford Rd, until she moved to 100, Bath Rd, Kettering. Bill Clifford had his own car repair business. Cissie Adelaide Owen daughter of John and Adelaide then took over the tenancy and lived in this house when she married William Scott, and their daughter Velda was born 33, Stamford Rd, on 5th November 1939 Aunt Cissie and Uncle Bill as we knew him moved to 29, Cherry Rd Kettering in 1940-1. Dorothy Owen my mother married Thomas Halfpenny on 31st August 193 at, St Edwards RC Church, London Rd, Kettering. There eldest child Dorothy Anne was born in Kettering General Hospital, on 7th January 1940. At this time Thomas Halfpenny had enlisted into the R.A.F.due to the outbreak of WW2. Dorothy was living 68, Digby St, with her sister Lily. I was born at St Mary’s Hospital,Kettering,22nd May 1941 and the address on my birth certificate was 33,Stamford Rd,Kettering.,so I would assume our family moved back to this house between 1940-41 Mum’s sister Rose Owen married John McGuire and lived with us during the war with her son John, as her husband was in the army. During the war an Anderson air raid shelter was built I can remember the shelter as we would play in it as children. Number 33, Stamford Rd, our home was on the end of the terrace at the corner of Lawson St and had an extra window at the side. The side wall was used as a billboard advertising all sorts of things. My family lived in this house until 1950 and it held many childhood memories. Our weekly bath was in front of the fire in a tin bath, and we would all use the same water. My brother Thomas Owen and Peter were born in this house as was Margaret Christine my sister. My mother also had a stillborn baby John Halfpenny on 3rd June 1950 born in this house. Our neighbors were Albert Frost and his sister Brenda, who lived with him until she married. Brenda had a life size doll and she would let us play with it. Mr. Blount another neighbour was a chimney sweep, hence his nickname ‘sooty’. Also Joe Wallis my mother’s uncle, brother of Adelaide, lived in the Terrace, his nickname was ‘snaz’, and he played the accordion and also kept canaries. Other neighbours were was the Howard family, the Nye’s family, Emma Barlow. Jacqueline Mc Donald’s grandmother also lived in one of the houses. I don’t know her real name but Jacqueline was a friend of my sister Anne. Emma, (Barlow) being her maiden name, was a widowed twice, her married names being Gore and Bignell. Emma was daughter of Helen or ‘Nell’ (Wallis) Barlow elder sister of my grandmother Adelaide (Wallis) Owen. My g-grandmother Emma Wallis lived at number 37, Stamford Rd, at the time of the 1901 census and died there in 1927. Living in a Victorian house I was interested in the previous occupants. A little research finds the inhabitants of the Terrace, 1871, 1881, 1901, census returns. Occupiers Victoria Terrace, 1871 census, Kettering unnumbered William Tingle, head, 49, shoemaker, b, Kettering, Northants Tingle Jane, wife, 47, shoe binder, b, Kettering, Northants Thomas Turner, head, 42, cattle dealer, b, Warkton, Northants Truner Anne , daur, 5, scholar, b, Kettering, Northants Tomkins Ellen, visitor, u, 17, shoe machinist, b, Old, Northants Tomkins Louisa J, u, cook, 15, b, Hannington, Northants Bollard Henry, head, m, 50, agr lab, b, Weekley, Northants Bollard Mary B w, m, 49, b, Geddington Northants Bollard Emma, daur, u, 18?, servant, unemployed, b Kettering, Northants Bollard Sarah A, daur, u, 16, clothing machinist, b, Kettering, Northants Bollard Johanna, daur, 12, scholar, b, Kettering, Northants Bollard Samuel, son, 12, scholar, b, Kettering, Northants Bollard Ellen, daur, 10, b, Kettering, Northants Keetch Owen, head, m 26, railway guard, b, Pytchley, Northants Keech Elizabeth, wife, 28, b, Elton, Hunts George Keech, son, 5, scholar, b, Pytchley, Northants Keech Mary, daur, 3, b, Leicester Keetch Edith, daur, 2 or12 months, b, Kettering, Northants Panther William, head, 24, shoe finisher, b, Kettering, Northants Panther Annie, wife, 26, tailoress, b, Kettering, Northants Smith John, head, 46, shoe-maker-Chelsea Pensioner, b, Warkton, Northants Smith Hannah, wife, 39, b, Ireland, Smith Mary Ann, daur, 7, scholar, b, Ireland Smith Elizabeth, daur, 5, b, Therinton, Kent Leach Alfred, head, 22, shoemaker, b, Kettering, Northants Leach Emma, wife, 20, b, Kettering, Northants Leach William T , son, 2mths, b, Kettering, Northants Norman Frederick, head, 26, leather worker, b, Kettering, Northants Norman Priscilla, wife, 26, b, Rothwell, Northants Norman Sarah J, daur, 4, Scholar, b, Kettering, Northants Norman Ellen L, daur, 1mth, b, Kettering, Northants Bunning Samuel, head, 53, railway labor, b, Corby, Leicester Bunning Caroline, wife, 57, frame work knitter, b, Corby, Leicester Bunning Emma, daur, 19, tailoress, b, Corby, Leicester Bunning Lucy, daur, 16, clothing tacker, b, Corby, Leicester Bunning Bertha, grand daur, 12, scholar, b, Radford, Notts Lovell Jabey, head, 36, tanner, b, Warkton, Northants Lovell Elizabeth, wife, 39, b, Newton, Northants Lovell Elizabeth, daur, 17, shoe worker, b, Kettering, Northants Lovell Annie, daur, 15? shoe worker, b, Kettering, Northants Lovell Arthur, son, 5, b, Kettering, Northants Lovell Walter, son, 2, b, Kettering, Northants Blackwell Thomas, head, 36, agr lab, b, Pertnell? Beds Blackwell Lucy, wife, b, Naseby, Northants Blackwell Louisa M, daur, 11, scholar, b, Aldwinkle, Northants Blackwell Fanny, daur, 9, scholar, b, Kettering, Northants Blackwell John, son, 7, scholar, b, Kettering, Northants Blackwell Harry, son, 1, Kettering Harding John, head, 55, agr lab, b, Kettering, Northants Harding Sarah, wife, 48, b, Kettering, Northants These were the occupier Victoria Terrace, in the 1881 census I Victoria Terrace Brown John Wm, hd, 31, shoe finisher Kettering, Northampton, England Brown Jane, w, 31, Kettering Brown George, son, 9, scholar, Kettering Brown Florence, dau, 7, scholar, Kettering Brown John, son, 3, Kettering Brown Lily, dau, 11 mths, Kettering 2 Victoria Terrace Kilsby Herbert, hd, 22, iron trade moulder, Broughton, Northants Kilsby Caroline, w, 21, Kettering Kilsby Abraham, 21, u, brother, ag lab, Broughton Elmore William, hd, 29, Kettering Elmore Elizabeth, w, Kettering 3 Victoria Terrace Uninhabited 4 Victoria Terrace Hales George, hd, 45, ag lab, Kettering Hales Elizabeth, w, 37, Desborough, Northants Hales Frank, son, 14, shoe finisher, Kettering Hales Arthur, son, 12, shoe finisher, Kettering Hales Percy, son, 10, scholar, Kettering Hales Auberon, son, 8, scholar, Kettering Hales Paris, 6, son, scholar, Kettering Hales Algernon, son, 4, scholar, Kettering Hales John, son, 2, Kettering Hales Jane, dau, 3 mths, Kettering 5 Victoria Terrace Reed Mary A, hd, m, 41, domestic work, Cottingham, Northants Reed George, son, 17, bricklayer’s lab, Cottingham Reed Charles, son, 16, Lab, un employed, Cottingham Reed Goodwin, son, 15, lab, unemployed, Cottingham Reed Annie, dau, 13, scholar, Wellingboro, Northants Reed John, son, 12, Wellingboro Reed Edwin, son, 10, scholar, Wellingboro Reed Alfred, son, 8, Thrapston, Northants Reed Walter, son, 6, scholar, Woodford, Northants Reed Elizabeth, dau, 4, Woodford Jones Henry E, bord, 37, Eccalshall, Stafford, England 6 Victoria Terrace Uninhabited 7 Victoria Terrace Smith John, hd, 56, ag lab pensioner, Warkton, Northampton, England Smith Hannah, w, 49, Ireland Smith Mary A, dau, 17, Ireland Smith Elizabeth, dau, 15, gen servant, Thorncliff, Kent 8 Victoria Terrace Clifford Henry, hd, 27, iron stone miner, Kettering Clifford Elizabeth, w, 24, Warkton, Northants Clifford George H, son, 8mths, Kettering 9 Victoria Terrace Archer James, hd, 47, shoe trade stitcher, Weekley, Northants Archer Emma, dau, 18, dress maker, Warkton, Northants Harris Henry, son in-law, 22, blacksmith, Warkton, Northants Harris Zillah, dau, 22, Warkton Harris George A, g son, 5 mths, Kettering 10 Victoria Terrace Uninhabited 11 Victoria Terrace Uninhabited 12 Victoria Terrace Tingle William, hd, 59, gardener, Kettering Tingle Jane, w, 57, Kettering Occupiers 1891 census Victoria Terrace, Weekley Rd, Kettering no numbers given, Dixon Susan hd, wd, 53, Benefield, Northants Dixon Sarah, dau, s, 20, dom sev, Benefield Dixon Joseph, son, 22, s, gen lab, Benefield Dixon Hannah, dau, 19, s, dress maker, Benefiled Dixon Charles, son, 12, scholar, Benefield Dixon William ,gr son, 6, Upper Norwood? Shatford Fred hd, 21, s, shoe binder, Kettering Shatford Ellen, sister, 23, charwoman, Kettering Ball Stephen hd, m, 36, cutter, Liverpool Ball Sophia, w, 30, Kettering Ball Alfred, son, 14, shoemaker apprentice, new Brighton, Cheshire Ball Alice, dau, 13, tailoress, New Brighton Ball Stephen ,son, 9, scholar, New Brighton Ball Theodore, son, 6, scholar, Kettering Spriggs William, hd, m, 29, shoe riveter, Northampton Spriggs Eliza, w, 29, tailoress, Rothwell Spriggs Elizabeth J, dau, 4, Kettering Spriggs Rose, dau, 1, Kettering Robert Barlow head furnace man b .Kingscliffe age 55 Mary A Barlow wife Far Cotton age 53 or 58 Edwards William, hd, m, 49, blacksmith, Woodstock Edwards Matilda, w, 38, Nottingham Edwards Cara, dau, 7, Nottingham Edwards William, son, 3, Kettering Edwards Diane, dau, 1, Kettering Smith Hannah, hd, wid, 57, retired laundress, Cork, Ireland Smith Elizabeth, dau, s, 25, tailoress, Stancliffe? Roberts George’s s-in-law, 28, shoe laster, Northampton Roberts Mary A, dau, 27, Cork, Ireland Roberts Elizabeth, g dau, 5, Kettering Roberts Julia, g dau, 3, Kettering Roberts Edith, g dau, 1, Kettering Blundell John H, hd, 34, riveter, Walgrave, Northants Blundell Emily, w, 34, Tring, Herts Blundell Bertie on s, 13, Tring Blundell John, son, 10, Northampton Blundell Annie, dau, 6, Kettering Blundell William, son, 2, Kettering Archer James, hd, wid, 61, shoe worker, Weekley, Northants Newman James, hd, 29, shoe finisher, Kettering Newman Sophia, w, 28, Kettering Newman Florence, dau, 7, Kettering Newman Fred, son, 6, Kettering Newman Arthur, son, 5, Kettering Newman Edith, dau, 3, Kettering Newman George, son, 1, Kettering Sharman Frank , hd, 65, living on own means, Kettering Tingle William, hd, wid, 69, gardener, Kettering 1901 Census for Victoria Terrace now known as Stamford Rd 33, Stamford Rd Moffat Elizabeth, w, m, 32, shoe machinist, at home, Wellingboro, Northants Moffat Lewis, son, 7, Kettering Moffat Alfie, son, 6, Kettering 35, Stamford Rd Ingram James, hd, 43, shoe maker, Irthingboro, Northants Ingram Sarah, w, 38, Kettering Ingram Alfred, son, 23? Irthingboro Ingram William, son, 18, shoe maker, Kettering Ingram Frederick, 15, shoe finisher, Kettering Ingram Annie, dau, 11, Kettering Ingram Bertie, son, 7, Kettering 37, Stamford Rd, Wallis Emma, wid, 57, shoe, worker, b Kettering (my great grandmother) Wallis Frederick, son, 27, shoe finisher, worker, b Kettering Wallis Joseph, son, 20, shoe finisher b Kettering. Sam Neal, boarder, s, 23, shoe maker, worker, Kettering Annie Cattle, Vis, s, 23, Broughton 39, Stamford Rd Ellen Wallis, HD, wid, 34, shoe worker at home, Kettering (daur of Emma & William Beatrice Wallis, daur, 13, Kettering Emma Barlow, daur, 7, Kettering William Barlow, s, 9, Kettering Adelaide Barlow, daur, 4, Kettering 41, Stamford Rd Barlow Robert, hd, 67 parish relief, Kingscliffe Barlow Mary, w, 65, parish relief, Far Cotton, Northampton Hopkins Alice, bord, s, 39, shoe machinist, Kettering 43, Stamford Rd Edwards William, hd, 56, blacksmith, Woodstock, Oxon Edwards Matilda, w, 47, Nottingham Edwards Clara, dau, 17, shoe worker, Nottingham Edwards William, son, 13, shoe hand, Kettering Edwards? son, 11, Kettering Edwards Albert, son, 9, Kettering 45, Stamford Rd Dolby John, hd, 64, gardener, Wilbarston Dolby Jane, w, 53, Pytchley Dolby John H, son, 23, shoe finisher, Woodford 47, Stamford Rd Newman Ernest, hd, 35, shoe finisher, Kettering Newman Mary 32, w, Geddington Newman Ellen, dau, 4, Kettering Newman Evelyn, dau, 5 mths, Kettering 49, Stamford Rd Clarke William, hd, wid, 60, shoe worker, Kettering Chapman Bertha, 32, shoe worker, Kettering Clarke William, son, s, shoe finisher, Kettering Chapman Frederick, gr son, 9, Kettering Chapman Edith, gr dau, 8 Kettering Chapman Hilda, gr dau, 5, Kettering 51, Stamford Rd Foster John, hd, 50, leather machinist, Leicester Foster Sarah, w, 30, Leicester Foster Jane, daur, 6, Leicester Foster Charlie, son, 3mths, Kettering 53, Stamford Rd Askew Thomas, hd, 36, shoe worker, Kettering Askew Annie, w, 36, Geddington Askew Ernest, son, 10, Kettering Askew Tom, son, 5, Kettering 55, Stamford Rd Tingle James, hd, wid, 79, Kettering Register of Electors1918, Kettering Emma Bellamy 37, Stamford Rd, Kettering, age Register of electors 1918 Kettering John Henry Owen, 33, Stamford Rd, Kettering, Adelaide Owen, 33, Stamford Rd, Kettering. Census Abbreviations hd- head, w- wife, dau- daughter, s-son, wid-widow, lod- lodger, vis- visitor Gr-son –grandson, gr-dau- granddaughter, bord-boarder