Portrait of George Borrow

Who lived in Hereford Square, Brompton, 1854–1876

George Borrow moved into 22 Hereford Square, Brompton, London, on 25th September 1860.  He lived there for the next 14 years, until in the second half of 1874 he retired to Oulton, Suffolk.

Below are the residents of Hereford Square over this period (and a bit before and after).  Some, such as Frances Power Cobbe (who lived with Miss Lloyd at No. 26) are covered by Borrow’s biographers whilst others, at this stage, are mere names.  The details have been taken from Kelly’s Post Office London Directory and are given as they appear—hence the variation from one year to the next.

As can be seen, there was a lot of movement in and out of Hereford Square, with few residents staying for more than five years.  The Survey of London says that most of the people in Hereford Square were professionals and that “trade” was discouraged, although schools were allowed (see No. 7).

Also available are a skeletal timeline for Kensington/Brompton (gives a rough idea of the development of the area) and a note of 22 Hereford Square.

Some notes on the layout and abbreviations: The year of the Directory goes from left to right (no copy of the 1868 Directory was available but the column is included, although blank).  Where a person is listed as resident the ® symbol is used.  Where a house number does not appear in a given directory an asterisk (*) is used and would imply the house was empty (or that Kelly’s were unable to find out who lived there).  Some pages are missing from the Directories in the Guildhall Library London, which the microfilms available in London libraries come from.  In the 1869 Directory Esq. was dropped and didn’t reappear in later years.  A question mark means the Directory reading is uncertain.

The house numbers go down the page and for a given house, when the occupant changes a new row is started.  Very minor variants of the same are treated as the same person but changes of title (e.g. Miss/Mrs) result in a new row as it may indicate a change in marital state.

If you want to study this in detail then you’re advised to print it out in landscape orientation.  Alternatively, copy the table to a spreadsheet and lock the column and row headers.

No.

Occupant

1854-59

1860-69

1870-76

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

Chatterley Wm. Maddocks Foote, surgn

®

®

®

*

Lewer, Richard, surgeon and sucoucheur[?]

®

*

Gillman Rev. James

®

®

®

Mathias Robert Henry, esq

®

®

*

Baker Robert, surgeon

®

®

*

®

*

®

®

®

®

Calder Alexander

®

2

Collins William Whitaker, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Lewis George

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

3

Jay Charles, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Carteighe John, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

4

Hulme Frederick William, artist [1]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Levinson Morris, esq

®

®

Maitland Mrs

®

®

®

®

*

Hall Mrs

®

®

®

5

Mullam Charles, esq

®

®

*

*

Griffiths, Mrs [?]

®

Shepherd, Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

*

*

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

6

Matheu Manuel, esq

®

*

Griffiths Major

®

®

Webb George Dillon, esq

®

Griffiths Mrs

®

®

*

Fell Samuel Gregson, esq

®

®

Bush John esq

®

*

*

Buckler Charles Alban, architect

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

7

Cowdell Alfred Burton, esq

®

®

®

®

Cargne, Mrs [?]

®

Corpe Mrs

®

®

®

*

Welsh Rev William

®

®

®

Moore Miss Mary E. C. preparatory school

®

®

*

Gramont Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

8

Müller Severe Iwan, esq

®

®

Hudson Edward Neeves, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Ward Miss

®

®

Grainger William

®

Bruce Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

9

Watson Mrs. Margaret

®

®

®

Rigg John, esq

®

Lewis David, esq & Lewis Hon. Mrs

®

®

®

®

Cope Mrs

®

Corpe George esq

®

*

Rhodes, Christopher, esq

®

®

®

Moore Miss Mary E.C. school

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Photo-Relief Printing Co (lin),
Walter Woodbury [2]

®

Fine Arts Printing Co. Limited,
Alexander Morton Bell, sec

®

®

The Woodbury Permanent Photographic
Printing (lin) Charles Ransom, manager

®

®

®

10

Griffin Nathaniel, esq

®

®

®

®

®

Griffin Mrs

®

®

Williams Major Benjamin Remington

®

Staniforth John esq

®

Kiedman Carl esq & Koch Louis esq &
Poll Moritz esq

®

*

*

*

Leak Abraham

®

Reiley Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

*

Probyn, Misses

®

®

11

Kent Thomas, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Ellis Capt Arthur R.N.

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

12

Pearson Rev. Thomas

®

Rush Thomas Andrew esq

®

®

®

Daller George Thomas, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Daller Mrs [3]

®

®

®

®

®

Homes Mayfield

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

13

Johnston George, esq

®

®

*

*

Hemsley William, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Hyett Francis Adams

®

®

®

®

®

14

Tate James Roddom, esq. [4]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Blythe Robert James esq

®

Thompson Ralph

®

®

®

Broome Frederick Napier

®

®

Mure Mrs

®

®

®

15

Tate William, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Weguelin Henry esq

®

®

Sidney Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

16

Blount Mrs

®

®

*

*

Keighley Thomas Dodd, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Cousins Thomas, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Brookfield Mrs

®

®

17

Middleton Mrs. Georgiana

®

®

®

*

Lyde Thomas esq

®

Thompson David esq

®

®

®

Baker Robert surgeon [5]

®

®

®

®

Cousins William, esq

®

®

*

*

Burn Henry Duval [6]

®

*

Fielding Rev George Hanbury

®

®

®

18

Whitfield James Benning, esq

®

Whitfield William, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Whitfield Mrs William (only)

®

Soame Lady [14]

®

®

®

®

Tate James Reddom, esq [7]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Bourne Mrs

®

®

®

19

Wilson Capt. Henry

®

®

®

®

®

Abud Richard esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Daller George Thomas, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

20

Reddie James, esq

®

®

®

*

Collinson Robert, esq/artist [13]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

21

Groom Charles, esq

®

*

*

*

Blackett Rev. Henry

®

®

®

®

Bull William esq

®

®

Low Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Horne Mrs

®

Horne Horace

®

®

®

22

Du Bois Douglas, esq

®

®

®

®

Carley George, esq

®

®

®

®

Borrow, George, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Rider Miss

®

Gubbins Miss

®

®

23

Bayford James Heseltine, esq

®

*

Poultney William, esq

®

®

®

®

Beams Thomas

®

®

®

®

®

Belgay Mrs

®

®

®

Brooman Mrs

®

®

Kinsey Arthur

®

®

*

Stone Mrs

®

®

®

24

Salter Henry, esq

®

®

®

*

Wells Mrs

®

Miles Miss

®

®

Tolfrey Mrs

®

®

*

Tolfrey Samuel esq

®

Jackson Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

Jackson-Gwilt Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

25

Myers Rev. Alfred

®

®

®

Baseke Miss

®

®

®

®

®

*

*

*

*

Hayter Owen Edward, esq

®

®

 

®

®

*

Parkinson James FCS FGS

®

®

®

®

Grant Ernest Cary

®

26

Ollivier William, esq /
Ollivier William Hart

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Lloyd Mrs

®

Lloyd Miss

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

27

Moyle John Grenfell, esq

®

®

Whitfield George C. esq

®

®

*

Whitfield Mrs

®

®

®

®

*

Liberty Rev. Nathaniel

®

®

®

Kemp Alexander Davidson

®

®

®

®

®

®

Ayrton Rt. Hon. Acton Smee M.P.

®

®

®

28

Perigal Frederick, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Veriker Major Thomas George

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

29

Jones John, esq

®

Macdonald Mrs

®

*

*

Sunshine Miss

®

Roberts Miss

®

®

®

®

*

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

30

Law John,  esq

®

®

®

*

Law George esq

®

Sutton Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

*

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Williams Frank

®

®

®

®

®

31

Barton Edward, esq

®

*

*

Mandeville Mrs

®

®

Massingbird Charles Langton, esq

®

Wilson Thomas Henry, esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

32

Sketchley Mrs [8]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

33

Hewett Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

®

Hewitt William

®

Ward Mrs

®

®

®

*

Hart George MA

®

®

®

®

®

*

34

Ramsay Thomas, esq

®

Smith Richard esq

®

®

®

®

*

Cousins Thomas esq

®

®

®

®

®

Reid Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

35

Halswell Edmund Storr,  esq

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

Arrowsmith John, hydrographer [9]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

Hart George, M.A.

®

36

Harding Thomas, esq

®

*

*

Remington Mr. George

®

®

Green William esq

®

®

Hinde William Purcell esq

®

®

®

*

*

Cobbe Bernard, esq

®

®

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

37

Fagan John Hussey, esq

®

*

Handford George, surveyor [10]

®

®

®

Cobbe Bernard esq [11]

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

38

Taylor John Fitzgerald, esq

®

*

*

*

*

Hereford Tavern, Robert Salmon

®

*

*

*

Mason James, Beer Retailer

®

®

Hereford Arms, John Palmer [12]

®

®

®

®

®

®

Hereford Arms, Richard Howlton Flack

®

®

Hereford Arms, Frederick Thos. Barrow

®

®

*

Gloucester Road

The east part of Hereford Square is actually Gloucester Road but from the point of view of people living in the square that part of Gloucester Road would be neighbours to the square people.  Taking the data for Gloucester Road:

Argyle villa is sometimes listed: it’s on the corner of Gloucester Road and the Old Brompton road.

Pages c-j are missing in the 1868 Kelly’s so I cannot provide that.

*** Need Gloucester Road Old Brompton for 1860, 1861, 1871,

No.

Occupant

1856

1860’s

1870’s

2

3

4

5

6

7

9

2

3

1 / 1a [16]

Bailey Edward

®

®

®

Stirling John

®

®

®

®

Baker Miss

®

*

2 / 2a

Miller Felix, sculptor

®

®

®

McKinlay

®

Pierce Mrs

®

®

Macartney Miss

®

®

®

? [15]

Atwood Henry & Alfred, market gardeners

®

*

*

1

Paskell Samuel Wm. picture dealer

®

Paskell Samuel Wm. picture liner &c.

Paskell Miss Louanna, milliner

®

®

Paskell Samuel Wm. & Co. picture liners &c.

®

®

®

®

®

Paskell Samuel Wm. & Co. picture liners

Paskell Mrs. Sarah Ann, staymakr

®

®

2

Hodgskins Miss

®

*

*

*

Mitchell Mrs

®

®

®

®

Vaughan James

®

3

Moriarty Daniel

®

Elwes Alfred

®

®

®

®

®

®

Stone Edward

®

Hardwick Benjamin

®

4

Saral/Sarah Mrs. Elizabeth

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

5

Llewellyn Richard

®

Morris Miss

®

Elliot John jun.

®

®

Elliot Edward Francis

®

®

*

Dickson Lady

®

Bell Richard

®

*

6

Sharp Martin Richard

®

Shubrick Miss

®

®

®

®

*

*

Baring Col. Francis

®

®

®

7

Gray James

®

®

®

®

*

Goldsmidt Miss

®

Eagar Nicholas Henry

®

*

Bennett Mrs

®

®

8

Dacre Mrs

®

Ashe Lovat

®

®

®

®

*

Pope Mr. Charles

®

®

®

9

Richards Jacob

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

®

10

Mansell Edward

®

Vincent Mrs

®

®

®

®

®

®

Poole Arthur Puscombe

®

Savage Jacob

®

Staples John Charles

®

11

Redgrave Fraser

®

®

®

®

Cutler Edward

®

®

®

®

®

®

12

Kennedy Robert

®

Roscoe Henry

®

Adams Henry

®

Redgrave Fraser

®

*

Chorpe Rev. Richard Robert B.A.

®

®

®

®

®

?

Mason James, beer retailer

®

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

? [15]

Atwood & Williams, market gardeners

®

®

Footnotes:

[1]  Hulme Frederick William (1816-14 November 1884), the artist, who lived at No. 4 Hereford Square, has a biography in the Dictionary of National Biography.

[2]  Walter Woodbury (26 June 1834-5 September 1885) invented the photographic process named after him, but he lived in Birmingham.  See the entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.

[3] Listed as Mrs George Thomas Daller.

[4]  Also printed as Roddam.

[5]  Moved from No. 1?

[6]  Moved from No. 14?

[7]  Moved from number 14?

[8]  Looks to be printed as Sketeldey in the 1867 Directory.

[9]  Arrowsmith John, the hydrographer (1790-1 May 1873) has an entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.

[10]  In the 1856 and 1857 Kelly Directories he is listed as an architect, not surveyor.

[11]  Moved to number 36?

[12]  Shown as just Palmer John, beer retailer in 1865.

[13]  Knapp says that on the death of Mary Borrow, there were letters of “manifest neighbourly solicitude” from the Collinsons to George Borrow, implying that the Collinsons were good friends of the Borrows.  Also, Herbert W. Greene reported that Borrow used to sit drinking beer with Robert Collinson—See George Borrow Bulletin Series 1, No. 32, p. 72.

[14]  Clement Shorter, in The Life of George Borrow p. 145 gives a letter from Mary Borrow (then at Brighton with Henrietta) to George, where she ends “Our love to Lady Soame”, implying Mary was friends with Lady Soame.

[15]  Henry and Alfred Atwood had been listed for many years in Kelly’s as being on the Old Brompton Road.  In the 1872 and 1873 directories they are listed at the end of the directory list (as Atwood & Williams), implying there had moved to the north end, and changed the partnership.

[16]  Upto 1871 1 and 2 are shown as being Argyll Villas.  In the 1873 directory they are number 1a and 2a.  Argyll villas are on the corner of Gloucester Road and the Old Brompton Road and so perhaps option varied over the years as to where they should be listed or how numbered.