Development of Housing

by Ann Sandell

 

The first houses built in on South Road the period after the completion and opening of the new railway in 1861 were the four cottages at the top near the station known initially as 'Mount Pleasant. Table 1 lists the occupants of these houses resident in the 1871 and 1881 Censuses who were employed on the railway. Most were senior employees. The small house in the Station Yard first appears in the 1881 Census when it was occupied by Mark Ellwood 'Rullyman' (carrier) from Mallerstang.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 1: Residents of 'Railway Cottages', South Road employed on the railway in the 1871 and 1881 Censuses
Cottage Number	1871 Census			1881 Census
	Name	Employment	Birthplace	Name	Employment	Birthplace
1	William Hogg	Station Master	West Auckland	William Hogg	Station Master	West Auckland
2	George Lowis	Porter	Middleton-in-Teesdale	William Hornby	Railway Guard	Ovington
3	Thomas Danby	Inspector	Osthmotherley	Thomas Danby	Inspector	Osthmotherley
	Thomas Danby Jnr.	Engine Cleaner	Stockton-on-Tees	Thomas Danby Jnr	Fireman	Stockton-on-Tees
4	Richard Kirk	Railway Police (signalman)	Beverley	Richard Kirk	Inspector	Beverley

 

South Road and High Street (near Town Head) was initially named Station Road and developed from the latter part of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century as a pleasant residential area. Fortunately many of the houses built along the road were dated by the builders.

Many railway staff took advantage of this new superior housing. Table 2 summarises the dwellings constructed and those occupied by railwaymen in the 1881 Census (see also the separate page here on Park Terrace.)

 

Table 2. Housing in South Road showing occupancy by railwaymen in 1881
Property	Date built	Railwaymen resident in 1881
		Number	Name	Employment
1 to 7 Southfield Terrace	before 1881	No.1	William Archer	Engine Driver
East View	before 1881
1 & 2 Station Road	before 1881
1 & 2 Southend View	before 1881
1 to 16 Westbrook Terrace	before 1881	No 7	Robert Hewitson	Engine Driver
		No.9	Richard Dobson	Engine Driver
		No.15	John Moss	Guard
1 & 2 South End Lane	before 1881	No.1	Joseph Chapman	Engine Driver
Rock Villa	before 1891
Fernleigh House	before 1891
New Mount Pleasant
Standards Villa	1898
Park Terrace	1895	see separate web page
Broackbank Terrace	1911
Grey Gables 1916	1916
Thorne Mount	1928