#OnePlaceStudies #SticklepathOne #Sticklepath #House history

Three things have happened in this last week: while preparing for #OnePlacePubs I spotted an auction for the new Ska View cottages in Sticklepath (1890 advert image below); I heard a Zoom talk by Ivan Bunn at The Voice Cloud helpfully going through house deeds in some detail; and yesterday’s @househistoryhour with the amazing Steve Jackson @oneplacestudies – together these have spurred me on to consider the history of at least one house within that row of cottages.

Ska View Cottages (also known as Skaigh View Cottages) could have been built by one of the employers in Sticklepath to house their employees, perhaps Pearse to house some woollen mill workers or Finch for his Foundry workers.  However, this theory does not seem to have any basis in fact. No mention within the traditional stories of either family handed down through the generations as far as I can see. Though more recently, 1960s-early 1970s, at least one was used as a ‘tied cottage’ for a long distance lorry driver working for Bowden’s Haulage. 

Where to start?  The best place is probably to speak to the current owners and work back.  One cottage has been occupied by the same family for 60 years.  If only I lived locally I would have started with an oral history. Sadly I am far away. 

Another option is to study ‘The Deeds’.  Unfortunately in recent times many sets of deeds have been lost.  Since land registry became essential, the deeds and history of who has owned the property is no longer needed. House conveyancing has become slightly easier but so much history lost!  Luckily, when clearing out a deep dark cupboard of Cleave House in 2015 some dusty deeds surfaced. They have sat in a box moving around the country with me ever since. 

Time to blow away the cobwebs and take a step back into history…..