Spon Street

They are on the 1955 directory (shown here) plus the Court Positively Pottering - also on the 1960 but that's the last one I have -

Court 40 was really behind 156. There were buildings directly behind 157-8-9 but they don't seem to be homes after the war.

Thanks NY, Fennells, along with other neighbouring premises were demolished to make way for the ring road sometime in the early 60s. The Ford in the image could well have been my father's but am unable to see the registration.

They opened in the Lower Precinct on 1st November 1961 according to the CET.

In 1891 Samuel Vale, a builder was living at 157, 158, and 159 Spon Street. In the book "Spon Street a family history viewpoint" it describes the property as a builder's house and yard, which would suggest that the yard was what was behind the house. Are you looking for someone in particular positively as this book is full of names of people living in Spon Street houses and the courts?

Sorry this not a very good print, it is like this in the book but it shows the layout of the buildings. Court number 40 is said to be between 156 and 157, the Dyers Arms is no 152. What looks like a layout of a garden at the rear if one of the buildings could be the one

Yes Annewiggy, my grandparents, Joseph & Elsie Whitehouse who lived there pre and during the war years.

Hi Positively. Unfortunately the book records are prior to that, mostly based around 1891. Do you know which court they lived in. I had distant cousins living in court 42 in 1891.

Unfortunately not Aw, all I know is they lived in a house in a courtyard behind Fennells' shop. My mother worked in a pom pom factory that she told me was located near the entrance to the court.

British Pompom Co - manufacturers of silk trimmings - was listed at 159 in 1937 but there were no Whitehouses listed in Spon Street or a court for the same year. There is a John Joseph Whitehouse at 3 Sherbourne Street. Note the directory has it as Pompon, not Pompom. I'm not sure if that was a spelling mistake or not.

There are Whitehouses listed at the back of 158 in 1939. There is a John Joseph and 2 Elsies but you should be able to sort them out by the birth dates. Looking on the little maps above there seems to be some buildings on the back of the house. Perhaps Fennell's turned them into rental accommodation. I 1939 in the book I have it says 157 was Averns Cycle factors 138 was Fennell, Piano dealer and 159 British Pompom Silk Trimmings. Until 1905 all 3 houses are listed as

Wow, thank you Aw.

© Historic England The exterior of 54 Spon Street, premises of William Thomas Embling, off-licence - 1941 Another shot of Embling's but not seen this angle/date before.