Place: Tring: Census: 1881: Where did your ancestors shop (Hertfordshire Genealogy)

TRING

Where did your Ancestors shop?

The High Street Shops in 1881

Census Returns

The first census transcript to become available was the 1881 Census and this page was originally prepared to show one way in which the CD could be processed.

The following list of "heads of households" was extracted from the 1881 Census CD by locating one household in Tring High Street and using the "Neighbors" facility to move up and down the High Street. It effectively identifies the principle shops in the town, the people who run them, and, if your ancestors came from the area, where they would have shopped.

The numbering runs from 1 to 26 running from East to West on the South side of the street. When the Rothschild family moved to Tring they rebuilt the Rose and Crown, and all properties from 1 to 12 were demolished, with new buildings either side of the drive to the Mansion. Most of the other properties retain the same numbering, although one or two have been rebuilt.

1: James LIDDINGTON (49, Tring) Brewer

2: Miss Elizabeth FINCH (44, Tring) Straw Plaiter

3: Edward POPE (69, Chippenham, Wiltshire) General Practitioner M.R.C.S. L.S.C.

4: Mrs Hannah FOUNTAIN (Widow, 59, Little Gadsden) Pastry Cook

5: John WOODMAN (43, Wilstone) Brewer & Publican

6&7: Ebenezer C. BIRD (54, Henley On Thames) Printer Bookseller & Stamp Distributer

8: [Owner not in residence] Miss Annie E. GRAY (20, Aylesbury) Housemaid

9: Alexr.Thos. PARKES (61, Southwark, Surrey) Land Agent

Avenue Lodge: Mrs Lydia GREEN (widow, 63, Tring) Gatekeeper & Laundress

10: Mrs Mary PROUSE (widow, 73, Tring) Saddler & Harness Maker

11: Alfred A. MARSH (39, Thaxted, Essex) Chemist

12: James G. JONES (52, British Subject, N York, America) Grocer

13: Jabez THORN (61, Eaton Bray) Hotel Proprietor [Rose & Crown]

14: Jesse WRIGHT (41, Tring) Butcher

15: Henry STEVENS (43, Aylesbury) Shoe Manufacturer Employing 5 Females 3 Boys & 20 Men [See Boot & Shoe Workers]

16: Edward C. KNIGHT (36, Tring) Plumber Stationer & Blacksmith 3 Men & 2 Boys

17: John BARTHOLOMEW (45, Alton, Hampshire) Corn Dealer

18: James BALDWIN (58, Tring) Tailor & Outfitter

19: Thomas GLOVER (58, Tring) Grocer

20: George BUTCHER (46, Tring) Banker

21: William JOHNSON (40, Tring) Butcher

22: Henry HINKS (34, London) Baker

23: Charles P.G. TOWNSEND (27, Birmingham) Surgeon

24: John BROWN (85, Okeford Fitzpain, Dorset) Brewer Maltster Wine Merchant employing 9 Men & Farmer of 222 acres employing 12 Men & 5 Boys

25: Joseph E. LAWSON (30, Shoreditch, Middlesex) Grocer employs 2 Men 1 Boy

26: George JEFFEREY (43, Hemel Hempstead) Chemist [This continued as a chemist's shop until 2008 when the business (now part of a chain) moved to a larger property in the High Street]

At this point there is the junction with Akeman and Frogmore Street, while the road continued as Western Road, all of which contain further shops. At a later date the first section of Western Road was renamed as part of the High Street.

[When the first part of Western Road was renamed as a continuation of the High Street it was given continuing numbers on a completely different basis - with odd and even numbers on either side of the street.]

The North side of the High Street is numbered in the reverse order. The original numbering and many of the buildings have survived, although a few were demolished by the Rothschilds to improve the view from the Mansion, the old market house was removed in about 1900, and some shops were demolished about 30 years ago when the Dolphin Square shops were built. The census does not, of course, record the temporary market that took place in the High Street.

27: Daniel BEDFORD (29, Tring) Hairdresser

28: John REEVE (35, Aston Clinton) Stationer

29: Mrs Elizabeth EDWIN (widow, 73, Hertford) Confectioner

30: Charles PILKIN (35, Hawridge) Harness Maker (Employing 1 Man)

31 & 32: Richard GREENING (37, Tring) Draper

33: John T. CLEMENT (52, Tring) Watch & Clock Maker

34: Philip BRITTAIN (57, Tring) Cabinet Maker Employing 1 Man

35: William RODWELL (28, Tring) Postmaster CSC

36: Joseph SHARMAN (66, Markyate) Tailor & Draper

37: Joseph NORRIS (55, Tring) Publican [The Bell pub is still there]

38: John GOWER (28, Tring) Dealer In China Ware

38: Samuel E. GOWER (22, Tring) Boot Maker

39: Mrs Mary Ann NICHOLSON (widow 61, Dunstable) Draper &c.

40: [Owner not in residence] Mrs Sarah GREEN (44, Belfast) Housekeeper For Solr Office

41: [Owner not in residence] Household includes Mrs Mary Ann BACHELOR (58, Waterperry, Oxon) Office Keeper (Land Agents) and George H. MOULTING (22, St Albans) Auctioneers Clerk

42: George THORP (41, Aylesbury) Grocer

45: William KINGHAM (35, Haddenham) Grocer

46: John N. BUTCHER (34, Tring) Fishmonger

49: Thos.Griffin ELLIMAN (54, Tring) Draper (Employing 3 Assistants)

50: John PENN (52, Dinton, Bucks) Licensed Victualler (Plough Inn)

51 & 53 [sic]: Thomas TOMPKINS (67, Tring) Ironmonger

53: John PUTNAM (37, Tring) Grocer (Employing 4 Assistants)

54: Thomas GOODSON (70, Tring) Shoeing Smith (Blk)

55: John EVANS (25, Leighton, Shropshire) Ironmonger

56: William OSBORN (58, Tring) Baker

56: George BISHOP (33, Bethnall Green), Boot Factory Manager

The next building was being built, and an examination of the current building shows that it carries the date 1880. Beyond that there was the Robin Hood Pub (still operating) in Brook Street.

Page updated July 2008