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Numbers 159 - 170 High Street, New Brentford

(This image is reproduced courtesy of Corporation of London, London Metropolitan Archives)

The New Brentford Tithe map (1838) shows a block of 12 terraces with small yards (no yards for the properties at either end).

The 1909/10 Valuation Records include a plan showing numbers 159 - 168 as a series of properties, each with a frontage of 15' to the High Street and same length of yard to the rear – excepting numbers 159 (no yard) and 160 (yard is triangular, fitting into the line of the canal). They are described as 'a terrace of 2 storey, attic and basement stock brick built with parapet walls, slated roofs & square dormers. Plain wood and glazed shop fronts. Old properties'

(2003) a new building development of three blocks of apartments with shops below is planned here (spanning where numbers 159 to 191 were). Nearest to the Bridge (area where no. 159 was) there is a small section that is to be a small nature area & some public open space with a bridge leading over the river to the Toll House at the Gauging Lock. (L)

By 2008 the development was completed: see Dave Stoneleigh's photos of New Brentford.

Properties

Notes prepared for numbers 159 & 160, 161 - 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169 and 170; also a list of photos, ephemera and maps

Numbers 159 & 160

159 is listed in the 1871 census as 'a small shop, no-one sleeps on the premises'. In the 1911 census no. 159 was described as a lock-up shop.

No. 160 was occupied by the Payne family in 1901 headed by John 'Abram' Payne, a 'Waterside Labourer', wife Mary and their 7 children, blessed with many forenames: Ellen Frances, 15; John Thomas Nathaniel, 13; Emily Elizabeth Louise, 10; Albert Edward George, 8; Florrie Annie Gladys, 6; Marian Dorothy Irene, 3 and James George William, 1. The property had 7 rooms and Charles Edwin Emm boarded with the Paynes.By 1908 no. 159 was a fishmongers run by George Clements; in 1928 he occupied both 159 and 160, remaining here in 1933 and 1940, although by 1940 he was just using the shop at 159; no. 160 was a hairdressers: W H Stephenson.

Pauline Chidwick writes 'Mother always bought fresh fish from the tiny shop which was almost on Brentford Bridge and I can remember being sent there to buy live eels and going home on the bus with a wriggling bag at my feet!' and Harry Langley also remembers 'Crossing the Bridge our first shop was a small shop overlooking the Canal at the side. This was a fresh fish shop owned by Dan the fishmonger. As a small child, I used to imagine he got his fish from the canal.'

Fay Twydell adds 'the little lean-to attached to Penningtons was once a Wool Shop and later a Driving School'.

Numbers 161 - 163

Henry Stephens, tailor & clothier is at number 161 in each census from 1861 (when he was 35) until 1891 and presumably was involved with the business in some capacity.

The 1909/10 Valuation Records describe the three properties as occupied by T T Pennington, owned by Henry Wakeford Pennington of Holly Grove House, Little Bushey, Herts, the owner of the property is the occupier's father. Number 163 was a shop and upper rooms occupied as work rooms, whereas numbers 161 and 162 'provide residence other than shops'.

The Valuation Records also refer to a triangular plot of land at the rear of no. 161 owned by J Bovingdon, freehold: A triangular plot of land shut off from anywhere except an approach Right of Way about 16 square yards in extent. At the rear of 161 High Street Brentford and on the side of canal. No value for building on or agricultural purposes but might be added to other gardens. Gross value: £5. (The Field Book is held at the National Archives, Kew, reference IR 58/40147/553)

The 1911 census confirms the Pennington family occupied number 161, 162 and 163, 9 rooms in all. The father, Thomas, was a 'manufacturing clothier', two daughters Lillie Mary and Marion Irene were 'court dressmakers' and a third, Doris, a milliner.

Thomas Turner Pennington is listed in 1913, 1920, 1928 (where the trade directory entry states 'established 1854'), 1933 & 1940.

Iris Lanham notes that the business was well known as a supplier to the canal boatmen.

Number 164

Charles Climpson, a master bootmaker born in Chesham Bucks, is recorded at no, 164 from 1871 until 1901. He married Lydia Harris in 1856. See Pauline Tate's research into the Harris family for more details. In the 1909/10 Valuation Records no. 164 was owned by Joseph James Neville of 'Homeland', Clapham Hill, Whitstable on Sea.

The property was unoccupied at the time of the 1911 census.

After Charles Climpson died in 1912 the property was occupied by Edward Jay, picture frame maker (1913); William Turner, confectioner (1920/21); Mrs L. Bennett, florist (1928 & 1933). There is no reference to no. 164 in the 1940 trade directory.

Number 165

Alister Neville has kindly contributed details of the Neville family tree.

In the 1911 census William Wright, a bootmaker, lived and ran a shop from no. 165. He had a wife Alice and two young daughters. The house had 6 rooms.

Number 166, Junction Arms for over 60 years

See Vic Rosewarne's much fuller account of the history of this establishment, known in the 1860s as the "Notorious Junction Arms" as the landlord was almost ever present at the Magistrates Court.

The property was uninhabited again in 1861.

John Wall Smith had taken over the beer house by early 1863 and remained here for around three tumultuous years before departing. The 1866 Post Office directory includes Thomas Leddin, beer retailer, High Street New Brentford and in the 1871 census Thomas Ledden, labourer in gardens, born Limerick, Ireland, age 29, lived here with his wife Catharine, 26, born Brentford, son John age 4 and two Irish lodgers from Cork, both single and labourers in gardens: William Fox, 35, and William Hannah, 29. The property was described as a beer house but no name was recorded in the census.

George Jennings ran the beerhouse from 1881 – 1901, listed variously as waterman and beer retailer.

The 1909/10 Valuation Records name the owner as Charrington & Co Ltd, Anchor Brewery, Mile End and note the property was last sold on 8 May 1905 for £1300. The gross value of no. 166 was assessed as £1875 (cf £315 for no. 165).

The 1911 census shows George Jennings, widower, retired waterman, aged 69 remained at no. 166, boarding in a household headed by James H Sharratt, publican born Staffordshire. His wife Frances and son Albert Arthur completed the household. This was in the final years of the Junction Arms, Vic Rosewarne has found records of its closure in 1913: see above for a link to his detailed history.

John Compton was recorded at this address in street directories from 1920 to 1940. 1939 Register lists three people at this address:

• John Compton, wharf and canal worker (disabled) born 1876, married
• Mary Green, office cleaner, born 1890, widow
• Michael G Green, wharf and canal labourer heavy work born 1919, single

The 1952 Electoral Register records two people at no. 166: John T Compton and Mary Green.

Around a decade later the film The Marked One includes scenes filmed in this part of Brentford High Street, see below for a link to view.

Number 167

The 1909/10 Valuation Records describe the basement cellar as 'filled with ovens as bakehouse, the ovens running under pathway but of such a nature that it is improbable that local authorities will renew licence if becomes empty.'

The 1911 census shows Mountford Archer was 73. His wife, son (bakers roundsman) and grandson lived in the 6 roomed house. Mountford and his wife Elizabeth had been married 50 years.

By 1928 no. 167 was a fried fish shop run by Wilfrid Arthur Wooley who remained there until 1940.

Number 168

Bernard Wurtzel, hairdresser worked here from 1913 – 1940 and is recorded as the occupier in the 1909/10 Valuation Records. Mrs Alexandra Wall owned numbers 167 and 168 at this time.

The 1911 census shows Bernard Wurtzel was German born, 39 and unmarried. He shared the 7-roomed house with a widowed housekeeper, Rosa Brown and three of her children. Bernard was still at this address in 1952, along with James Healy and Laura Martin (electoral register).

Number 169

1890 directory: 'George William Freeman, sewing machine depot, 169 High Street'. The 1891 census shows Mary Ann Nash, a widowed dressmaker, at 169. A widowed daughter Mary Ann M Gandy, age 31 (her mother was aged 47), also a dressmaker and her three daughters completed the household.

In 1901 Mary Ann Nash and Mary A M Gandy remained at 169 with one granddaughter and John Colsell, lighterman, was boarding with the family.

In the 1909/10 Valuation, no. 169 was described on 4 Nov 1913 as a 'house and yard', an 'old house built of brick and slate' containing, two attics, 2 rooms on the first floor and 2 rooms on the ground floor. There were 2 rooms in the half basement and a WC and timber coal shed in the yard. No. 169 was adjacent to no. 3 Brent Cottages (off Durham Wharf) and had a 16' frontage to the High Street. The occupant was M.A. Nash, the owner G Thompson and John James Clark, who also owned 171/2 High Street and Durham Wharf.

The 1911 census shows no. 169 had 8 rooms, occupied by Mary Ann Nash (67) and her married daughter Lilian Grace Hill, and the Hill family: Henry Albert Hill, father and five children. John Colsell, the boarder living with the family in 1901, was still living with the family. In 1901 he was unmarried, in 1911 he was shown as married 44 years. Perhaps it did not work out.

In a 1920/1 trade directory Henry Albert Hill is recorded at 169, then in 1933 & 1940 Mrs Hill; 1952: Grace and Lilian Hill (electoral register).

Number 170

Photos/Ephemera/Maps

References such as '1899 (X11)' indicate the date of a photo (1899) and where it is published (X11). Details of 'X' are available: see Mainly paper sources page; '11' refers to the page no, or photo no. in the publication.

159 ca 1904 (A72) and (K115); ca 1908 (C1)
160 ca 1904 and (A72) and (K115); 1904-8; ca 1908 (C1)
161 ca 1904 and (A72) and (K115); 1904-8; ca 1908 (C1); advert 'Instructions for self-measurement for trousers' Marylebone Christ Church magazine 1911 'The original working-men's tailor and boatmen's outfitter'
162 ca 1904 and (A72) and (K115); 1904-8;ca 1908 (C1); 1911 advert as above
General views 1904-8 view from Brentford Bridge eastwards; of Bridge Terrace taken from the eastern end around 1966
Two views from around 1963 on the ReelStreets website show this part of High Street, scroll down to shot 12 - numbers 163 to 167 and shot 13 - man entering no. 166, no. 167 also visible.

1838 Tithe map: modern numbers 159 to 170 are tithe property refs 272 to 283
1894 Ordnance Survey Map annotated with house numbers

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Published 2006; last updated November 2018