House History

HOUSE

HISTORY

ALBURY

3 VICTORIA ROAD WEST,

CROSBY, LIVERPOOL

THE HOUSE, CALLED ALBURY, IS CURRENTLY IN USE AS THE “BLUNDELL B&B” www.blundellbandb.co.uk

The B&B,with a 5 star Trip Advisor rating, is owned and operated by DEBI JONES, a well-known local TV presenter and broadcaster. www.debijones.co.uk

Debi had been informed at the time of purchasing the house that it had been built around 1905, making it Edwardian. On one of the several occasions staying at Blundell B&B with my Wife, whilst visiting her relatives in Crosby, I took up the challenge to research the origins of the property, and try to ascertain the original building date and the early occupants. Below are the results of that research with an insight into the lives of the previous occupants since the building of the house.

Peter Cousins

The first step was to look at the 1911 Census, which showed the following family living there:

Henry Selden Young, aged 52, publisher and bookseller, born Knotty Ash, Liverpool

Lizzie Wallace Young, aged 49, Born Forfarshire, Brechin

Geoffrey Plint Young, aged 14, Born Waterloo, Liverpool

Mary Susan Osborne, Servant, aged 29, born St. John’s Worcester

Mary Rothwell, Servant, aged 29, born Sefton, Lancs.

At this point the house was called Dunnotar.

Henry Selden Young was the son of Henry Young, a Bookseller with business premises at 12 South Castle Street and 23 Parker Street in Liverpool. In 1899 Henry Selden Young was listed in the trade directories as a Bookseller at Henry Young & Sons, Booksellers. At the time he was living at 7 Lorne Road, Waterloo.

IS THIS HOUSE VICTORIAN OR EDWARDIAN ?

The next step was to look 10 years further back at the 1901 Census to see if the house was built by then. The house was there, and the occupants were:

Henry Selden Young, aged 42, publisher and bookseller, born Liverpool

Lizzie Wallace Young, aged 39, Born Scotland

Geoffrey P. Young, aged 3, Born Waterloo, Liverpool

The house name was again shown as Dunnotar, Victoria Road, Great Crosby, therefore the house was built by 1901. Henry and his family must have moved in between 1899 and 1901. The 1906 Ordnace Survey map shows just 3 houses built by that date.

The Ordnance Survey map of 1891 shows no houses on the site. Therefore the house was built somewhere between 1891 and 1901. The 1894 Ordnance Survey map also shows no buildings on the site

1896 Trade Directories Victoria Road, Crosby show: David Thomson, Provision Merchant, living at “Annandale”, Stefano Gianncupolo, Gentleman, living at “Bella Vista”

1899 Trade Directories Victoria Road, Crosby also show: David Thomson, Provision Merchant, living at “Annandale”, Stefano Gianncupolo, Gentleman, living at “Bella Vista”

Annandale is in fact Number 1 Victoria Road, therefore in 1896 & 1899 Dunnotar was known as “Bella Vista”

Stefano Gianncupolo was the son of Demetrius Gianncupola, a Greek born Cotton Merchant, who had lived in 1881 at Radstock Road, West Derby and in 1891 at Huntingdon Street, Toxteth Park.

FACTS ABOUT THE RESEARCH FINDINGS:

● 1891 Map shows no houses on the site

● 1894 Map shows no houses on the site

● 1896 & 1899 Trade Directories show “Bella Vista” occupied by Stefano Gianncupolo

THEREFORE THE HOUSE WAS BUILT BETWEEN 1894 AND 1896 MAKING IT “VICTORIAN"

1938 STREET DIRECTORY OF VICTORIA ROAD, CROSBY

● “ANNANDALE” JAMES MARTIN REID MD

● “DUNNOTAR” H.S. YOUNG

● “RAMORNIE” MRS. M.G.J. WILSON

● “SANDYNOOK” THOMAS ARTHUR PRITCHARD, BUILDING CONTRACTOR

● “CANTYNEUK” MRS. FLORENCE MARION CHADWICK

STREET DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA ROAD, CROSBY 1955, 1958 AND 1970