Park Crescent, Round Hill(s)

[brummy-lad]

I have always had a fascination with this area, it features heavily in my childhood memories but of course to me it was The Retreat, a shortcut to or from Parliament Street to the bomb peck on Wilkinson Street (to us it was the bomb peck in The Retreat).

I found this Tithe map of 1848, it clearly shows 8 properties at the top of Sutton Street. I have compiled censuses of this area from 1841 to 1911 and by cross referencing names and numbers (where available) I am convinced that these 8 properties (or perhaps 9 with the Manor House incuded) made up Park Crescent.

I will post this data later, but what is clear is that even the enumerators struggled in this area, Round Hills, Belgrave Place, The Retreat and Park Crescent seemed to be used at random for addresses.

Passing these houses in the mid 50s I always thought how 'posh' they were. They were certainly high-end houses, about 8 times the size of the house in Parliament Street, they had front and back gardens, double pitched roofs, an abundance of trees, and one house even had a fountain.

The 1758 map shows how secluded they were, a view of the park wall to the north, clear view of Aston Road to the East, and The Retreat (which I now believe to have been Belgrave Place), to the West.

 

[Astoness]

hi john i had not realised that sutton st had large houses...i noticed the one with the fountain and also bottom right of the map another fountain and manor house..maybe we could do a bit of research about who lived there and occupations starting with the manor house....just a thought

lyn

 

[brummy-lad]

hi john i had not realised that sutton st had large houses...i noticed the one with the fountain and also bottom right of the map another fountain and manor house..maybe we could do a bit of research about who lived there and occupations starting with the manor house....just a thought

lyn

I've got all that information Lyn I just need to work out the best way to post it on the thread.

 

[Astoness]

I've got all that information Lyn I just need to work out the best way to post it on the thread.

ok john will leave that to you then as being my neck of the woods would be interested

lyn

 

[brummy-lad]

Assuming the data can be posted I will explain how I used it to arrive at the conclusion these houses were Park Crescent.
1841, 5 entries.
1851, 9.
1861, 9.
1871 to 1901, 12.
1911, 15.
The 1848 tithe map showed 8 houses, this was confusing as the 1851 & 1861 censuses showed 9.
This was resolved when the Manor House (originally No. 44) was recognised as being the 9th house.
When the Manor House was demolished, probably between 1891 and 1901, 13 houses were built on that land.
Between 1891 and 1901 the even house numbers increased by 12 (there is 1 house #46 that does not fit this pattern and changed to #72).
So many interesting facts have come from the censuses, I used AI as a starting point (attached overviews) but soon realised I could not entirely depend on this information.
Philip Webb a maltster lived at #42, it seems highly likely that he had a connection to the Malthouse at the end of his garden.
1861 Census: Enumerator decided to describe all houses as Sutton Street.
1871 Census: Reverted to Park Crescent.
1891 Census: Nos. 44 to 48 were repeated (different occupiers). Probably the time that the Manor House was demolished and 13 houses buit on the land.