Can you research an address?

[TheGander]

I’m trying to find everyone who lived at a particular address through the decades but couldn’t find a way to do that, using the census. I only managed to log in to the census and research particular names. Any tips appreciated!

I’ve managed to research my address on Ancestry by putting the house address in the key word search and seeing what it brought up. It came up with electoral rolls, a death certificate, and some census entries. It was enough that i could then see who else was doing family research on this individuals and then once I had names i could find out more via the usual route of searching on their names.
Good luck, it’s fun

Thanks that’s great. I found I have Welsh female ancestry who somehow came to London and married an Englishman described as a Dairyman. Just finished reading a book on the Welsh dairies of London which mentions someone of same surname from same village living at a given address in London, which is the address I want to research. Sorry that was long winded!

Findmypast allows you to search the census on addresses. I've done it but only using the1921 census so not sure about others.

Latest will be 1939 register but electoral roll should give you interim snapshots

Thanks for all these tips. I had a frustrating time last Saturday when I cycled to Kew (1.5 hours each way) and was stumped when I couldn’t figure out a way of zeroing in on a single address. Ended up researching my mother in law’s family tree!

If it’s a Davies or Jenkins you’re researching I may know a relative of yours!

No, it’s a James, from Ceredigion. The book on welsh dairies is fascinating. I’ve always liked the old shop fronts of which are few remain in London so I’d be chuffed to find I’m related to someone who worked in one, but can’t quite zero in on it. James is a common welsh surname which doesn’t help.

Yes you absolutely can. Have a look at this page: https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-property-and-land/copies-of-deeds which lets you request the deeds for a particular property which should show transfers. Using the census is fairly inaccurate as you are only picking up who happens to be there when the census is taken and if someone has lived there only a few years and didn't happen to be there on a census day they won't be listed. A good book is "House Histories" by Melanie Backe-Hansen.

Oh thank you @TiramisuCheesecake you obviously have a really good grasp of this kind of research. I will have a good look at the attachment.

I would use

trade directories, especially if they were a dairy provider

These are usually kept in the local library or archive - not sure if the British Library have copies? But you could email the local library in Wales and see if they will have a look for you.

This time of year the library will be quite and you're more likely to get a comprehensive answer

PS was it a good cycle ride?

Yes, once you get past Putney you can mostly cycle along the Thames path , car free. If the tide is in though there are parts where you have to backtrack and get onto the road.