A guide for our guests

Welcome to
Brodrick Road

Contents

Who lived here?

The house was built in the Victorian era. We can learn about the people who have lived here over the years from the census.

1891 census page for 78 Brodrick Road
1891Census The National Archives · RG12/451
1901 census page for 78 Brodrick Road
1901Census The National Archives · RG13/486
1911 census schedule for 78 Brodrick Road
1911Census The National Archives · RG14
1921 census schedule for 78 Brodrick Road
1921Census The National Archives · RG15
1939 Register page for 78 Brodrick Road
19391939 Register The National Archives · R39

Questions

  1. What do you think a “common keeper” is? (Hint: what are the big green spaces nearby called?)
  2. What year were there the most people living in the house? Were they all from the same family?
  3. What is a “nurse child”? What year was there a nurse child living in the house?
  4. What does “boarder” mean?
  5. What does “head of family” mean? Can you find any women listed as “head”?

Match the job to the person

Can you match these people to their jobs?

People

  • Charles Withall
  • Frederick S Hutton
  • Sidney J Sharp
  • Thomas Burtenshaw
  • William Harvey

Jobs

  • Plumber
  • Asylum cook
  • Common keeper
  • Hotel bill clerk
  • Upholsterer
Show answers

Withall — keeper of the common (1891) · Hutton — upholsterer (1901) · Sharp — cook at an asylum (1901) · Burtenshaw — plumber, at Arding & Hobbs in Clapham Junction (1921) · Harvey — hotel bill clerk (1939).

Census images © Crown Copyright, reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, for personal and family use.

Contents

Historic maps

We can learn about the history of the house and local area using old maps.

Ordnance Survey map, 1869 to 1874
1869–74Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map, 1896
1896Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map, 1916 to 1919
1916–19Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map, 1930s
1930sOrdnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map, 1947 to 1952
1947–52Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map, 1950s to 1970s
1950s–70sOrdnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map, 1976 to 1995
1976–95Ordnance Survey

Questions

  1. When do you think our house was built?
  2. Find the County Lunatic Asylum on the oldest map. What do you think that name meant? Is it a word we’d use today? What is this place called now?
  3. Find the nearest railway station to the house. What is it called? Where can you get to from this station?
  4. When was the school at the end of our road built?

Maps © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduced from the Wandsworth Borough Council mapping service under Licence No. LA 1000019270 (2025), for personal and family use.

Contents

Treasure hunt

Can you find the things below?

The servants’ bells

See if you can find which pull rings which bell!

The folly

A folly is a decorative, non-practical building in a garden. Ours is looked after by our two garden gnomes.

The snail faucet

Musical side-table

Animal skulls

How many can you find? What animals do you think they come from?

Ostrich egg

Fruit trees

We have fig, apple and quince. If you find any ripe fruit, help yourself!

Fireplace trivet

How many can you find? What do you think the tools around the fireplace are for?

Contents

Enjoy your stay!

Tap anywhere to close