Numbering of Courts, Houses

[Snowball]

I guess it's pretty obvious that houses given even numbers are on one side of the street and those with odd numbers are on the opposite side. But, when looking at a map, how can you tell which side has the odd numbers and which the even numbers ?, is there a common convention such as even numbers are on the North or East side while odd numbers are the opposite - or does some town planner just toss a coin ?

Secondly, given that the first house in the street is No.1 do you always start to number the houses according to another convention, or is this another toss of the coin for the town planner ?

Since I got this genealogy bug I lie awake at night worrying about this sort of thing.

Snowball, (sleepless in Sydney).

 

[mikejee]

"Sleepless in Sydney" - sounds like the title of a film !
But , back to the point. I'm afraid your assumption is not necessarily correct. Although many streets are numbered even down one side, odd the other, this is not necessarily so. Indeed, back in the early 19th century I would hazard a guess that more often than not it was 1,2,3... up one side and then down the other. This was particularly with streets that had only one end connected to another road. however, mainly around 1880-1895 many of the streets numbered in this way were renumbered (often when another street connected to the other end or the street was extended) in what manner odd one side, even the other. Therefore you have to be very careful , when assigning buildings, to determine whether this has happened (and possibly when).
sorry if I've turned you into "Nightmares in Newcastle"
mike

 

[Icarus]

I believe that, generally, houses are numbered with reference to the council house - odd numbers to the right-hand side of roads.

 

[col h]

Yeah, I always thought numbers start at the end nearest to to town hall, with the odd numbers on the right, but anyone who's had a job where they make house calls will tell you that its often not the case.

If you think about it, a lot of areas we think of as brum now, would not have been classed as Birmingham when the streets were built.

Numbers up one side and down the other seem to be more common round the black country than in Brum.

 

[Alberta]

If there were any rules as to how houses were numbered they obviously didn't apply them in Chelmsley.
Anyone who has had to deliver letters or parcels will tell you that it a nightmare to find numbers.
We have a lost of walkways where the numbers are anyones guess.
I took a walk amongst some new local houses recently and they were numbered in order ,1.2,3 etc.
My son had a house in Redditch which was the same he lived No 26, and 27 was one side 25 the other.

 

[Astonian]

HI GUYS
does anybody recall a man coming around and knocking on doors of there house ,and asking do you want your house number on the door to be painted white in the forts and fiftys
he had a paint pot and a little paint brush
at the ready he only charged 6 d
we had ours done on lichfield rd aston
best wishes astonian ;;;;

 

[Snowball]

Now then folks, I thought all you people in England were sensible enough to at least get the house numbering correct, you surprise me. Here in the rural outskirts of Sydney we are somewhat prone to number our houses according to a lunar cycle, tarot card readings or possibly visions in a crystal ball. I live at No.50, my next door neighbour is No.48 but the other neighbour on the same side of the street is No. 93B. We don't speak to the 93B's since they aren't proper people. Incidentally, we three are the only houses in this street - work that out if you can !!!!

Snowball.

 

[printmeister]

I have recently sent an email to North Somerset Council asking if houses in George Street, Weston-Super-Mare had been renumbered.
There is a blue plaque commemorating the birthplace of A.V. Alexander, but it's not at the house number that is on his birth certificate.

 

[Gugelmin]

I am based near Brighton, Sussex and am researching families that tend to be around the home counties of London as well as London itself. One of my Subjects has escaped to Walsall and Birmingham area.

My enquiry is about an address format that I have not seen before and would like to broaden my knowledge. The address concerned is 1 Court 9 House, High Street. What form would the building take? This was in the 1911 Census.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[RobT]

Do we know what area the High Street was in? I think there was 10 or 11 High Streets in Birmingham in 1911.

 

[pjmburns]

This map shows a number of such courts (not the one you asked about as Rob says in the previous post we would need an area) but will perhaps explain the address. The first number refers to the court or courtyard - within that are several houses each with a number. So your query refers to court number 1 and in that yard house number 9. Such houses are the back to backs because of how they were built.

 

[Gugelmin]

This map shows a number of such courts (not the one you asked about as Rob says in the previous post we would need an area) but will perhaps explain the address. The first number refers to the court or courtyard - within that are several houses each with a number. So your query refers to court number 1 and in that yard house number 9. Such houses are the back to backs because of how they were built.
View attachment 146578

Thank you Janice for your response and map. My knowledge is now added to. The exact location wasn't relevant to my enquiry but I believe it was Ashton. Thanks again.

 

[Astoness]

think that could be aston rather than ashton

lyn

 

[mikejee]

I do not think it could be Aston high st as Court 1 in Aston highs t only had 4 houses (court shown in pink on map)

 

[Eric Gibson]

Maybe Ashted ?

 

[Gugelmin]

Hello again all,
Further to my last post and just to clarify the location to which I referred. The location was Deritend, Birmingham.
Maurice.

 

[mikejee]

Here is a map showing court 1 High st Deritend in red

 

[Gugelmin]

Here is a map showing court 1 High st Deritend in red

View attachment 146585

Thanks for that. Very interesting. I am also very impressed with the responses.

 

[devonjim]

Mikejee, some advice please. Just come across this old (approx 1925) family photo. NB the address, where would this have been? Walter Baker, 220, Deritend Bridge.

 

[mikejee]

Jim
Not come across this method of naming before, but presumably would be no 220 Deritend High St, which is just by the bridge. This is confirmed by the Kellys entry for 1921 , which is L & W.E.Baker, photographers

 

[devonjim]

Thank You kind sir.