Edge lane, droylsden

[ageasleyyates]

Hi, just wondering if anyone can help.
i have been wondering who lived in my house before i bought it.
i have lived here for 2 years now and have been trying to find out anything about its previous owners.
I know it was built around 1865 and there was a lease drawn up by a mr Hoare in 1878 for 999 years for the land my house sits on, but i cant seem to find out anything else.
Does anyone know what i can do to find out? ;D

[Woody]

If you know the address, it's worth a visit to the Tameside Archives in Old Street library to view the Electoral Rolls or the Rates Books. That's free.

One of the other ways is to consult www.findmypast.com yourself, but it's a paysite and if you don't know any members who can help, it might easily run away with cash.

A further way is to provide the street name for us in the hope that someone can find it in one of the census returns. I've done that for friends before and it's not too difficult

Other people might have better ideas ?

[Woody]

Sorry. I should have said street number

[ageasleyyates]

Hi, thanks for all the tips. i will try and get to the archieves library when im next off work.
My house number is 389. i have managed to find that a john dronsfield lived here with his wife and 2 children in 1901. but they didnt stay to long i dont think. He used to work at a local mill. i have been trying to find a picture of him or even the mill. but had no luck so far.
Any help is great,
thank you
allan

[Woody]

Hi Allan

I had a quick look for the occupants at your address in 1881 and 1891. The 1891 census has Alfred Rayson as head of the household:

Alfred Rayson (40); Commercial Clerk - born at Failsworth
Catherine A Rayson (39), wife (Catherine Annie nee Marshall); no occupation – born at Blackburn
William Rayson (17); Commercial Clerk – born Newton Heath, Manchester
Joseph M Rayson (16); Commercial Clerk – born Newton Heath, Manchester
Frank Rayson (12); Commercial Clerk – born Newton Heath, Manchester
Annie M Rayson (8); School – born Bradford, Manchester
Victor Rayson (3); School – b Droyslden

In the 1881 census, this family was living at 144 Ashton New Road, Bradford, Manchester, but I can’t find a listing for your own address that year. The closest 1881 address seems to be Royles Farm which, in the 1891 census, lies between numbers 385 & 379 Edge Lane.

If you search the address list at www.findmypast.com , you’ll also be able to see the names and details of all the Edge Lane occupants, but only if you register there. It’s free to register and apart from the odd bit of spam, you won’t get any hassle afterwards.

Once in there, go to the ‘Census’ menu, select ‘1881 Census’, select ‘Search Address’, then enter ‘Edge Lane’; ‘Droylsden’; ‘Lancashire’ in the appropriate search boxes.

Looking at the age of the youngest Rayson child, Victor, the only child to be born in Droylsden, it might be fair to assume that your house was built in the mid-1880s, and that the Rayson family were the first occupants.

Good luck in the library

[brian]

As a general comment, I found Nick Barratt's book "Tracing the history of your house", 2006 edition, in a discount book shop, and maybe it's in your library. Perhaps not relevant to 1880's Edge Lane, but an interesting read.