Genealogy Chat

I recently discovered that there is a place in London with my surname and I'd love to know how to find out about why it was named as it is. It is "Vanston Place" (SW6) and I've got nowhere with a simple check in the National Archives.

Suggestions please on how I might research the history behind the naming of this place.

Paul Vanston

Samuel Lewis (1837 – 13 January 1901), was an English money-lender and philanthropist.

Lewis was born in Birmingham and died in London. He began work when thirteen years old. He became a salesman of steel pens, then opened a jeweller's shop, and finally entered the business with which his name was most identified, that of money-lending. He became the most fashionable money-lender of his day. Nearly every noble family in Great Britain is said to have been more or less in business connection with Lewis. He left nearly twenty million dollars, of which five millions went to charity on the death of his widow, Ada Davis Lewis, a sister of Hope Temple, the composer.

Upon his death in 1901, Samuel Lewis left an endowment of £670,000 to set up a charitable trust to provide housing for the poor. A huge sum at the time and one that equates to £30 million at today's values.

Samuel Lewis Housing Trust completed its first properties in 1910 at Liverpool Road in Islington, London. This was followed by other large London schemes at:

Ixworth Place, Chelsea (1912)
Warner Road, Camberwell (1913–1919)
>>>Vanston Place, Walham Green (1920–22)<<<
Dalston Lane, Hackney (1923)
Lisgar Terrace, Fulham (1927)
Amhurst Road, Hackney (1931–37)
Amhurst Park, Stamford Hill (1938–39), all of which carry the name Samuel Lewis Housing Trust Estate. Samuel Lewis Housing Trust

Perhaps the trust has archived material that has answers,,,,,,,,I know the Peabody Trust has,

http://tinyurl.com/9we44

(above Hammersmith/Fulham Archives, have mention of below from google search)

William Vanstone, husband of Emmaline. Vanstone.


Looking on google, Vanstone Vanston, a lot from Devon, above pair as below)


1891 (Find My Past)
William Vanstone Head Married Male 36 1855 Builder North Petherwin, Devon, England
Emmeline M A Vanstone Wife Married Female 27 1864 - Cripplegate, Middlesex, England
Street Ilminster Gardens
Parish Battersea
Registration district Wandsworth
Archive reference RG12
Piece number 436
Folio 146
Page 11


1901 (Find My Past)
William Vanstone Head Married Male 46 1855 Builder & C Devon, England
E M A Vanstone Wife Married Female 38 1863 - London, Middlesex, England
Street 24 Beauchamp Road
Parish Battersea
Registration district Wandsworth
Archive reference RG13
Piece number 457
Folio 146
Page 21


1911 (Find my Past)
William Vanstone Head Married Male 55 1856 Cornwall Launceston Builder And House Decorator
Emmeline Mary Ann Vanstone Wife Married Female 47 1864 London Cripplegate
Address 24 Beauchamp Road Sw
Parish Battersea
County London
Registration district Wandsworth
Census reference RG14PN2233 RG78PN76 RD26 SD3 ED13 SN187



13 January 1900 - The Era - London, London, England

Wanted
Slot Picture Machines. State maker. W. T., 20, Vanstone-place, Walham-green.

(snippet above, shows could have previously had 'E')

Chris :)

(may not be any connection at all, just an observation!)

https://fhhs.wordpress.com/contacting-the-fhhs/

Part of the reply to an enquiry made 3 October 2013

"According to LCC directory of Street names held at the LBHF Archive Vanston Place was named 2 Aug 1876 replacing Robert’s Row, Exeter Place, Farm Place and Pond Place."

Chris

Thanks Chris, that's interesting. I guess "LBHF" is London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, but what is LCC?)

I assume there must be a process or register for naming streets - but I've yet to discover what it is. I suppose this archive, although giving a re-naming date, doesn't give any history to where the new name (Vanston Place) came from?

Paul

LCC - London County Council.

"The London County Council (L.C.C.) was London's top tier of local government between 1889 and 1965. The L.C.C. was the first directly elected strategic local government body for London. It replaced the traditional system of managing local affairs through church parishes."
http://www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/london-county-council-l-c-c

From link on the same site this was replaced by
Greater London Council (GLC) 1966-31 Mar 1986
Greater London Authority (GLA) 2000 - present.

It doesn't explain who the overall governing body was, assuming one existed, 1986-2000!

There was no one, it was horrendous at the time for London as it was down to the local authorities to do everything, which they did or were not capable of doing.

Then we got a Mayor, which although comes with its own problems, is at least interested in London as a whole and not just one area.

If Vanston Place was re-named in 1876 but the LCC didn't come in to force until 1889, which organisation would have been responsible for the name change?