Dave How, and the history of 28 Church St. Crawley

[Nevis]

Nearly everybody in Crawley knows Dave How.
http://www.piercing-tattoos.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/Dave.How#!/page ... 3137669880





What they don't know, is that he is very interested in the history of his shop, at 28 Church Street, West Green, Crawley, West Sussex, and the other buildings in his street. Loving a challenge, we decided to find out.

The picture above is the 1901 census for West Green, Crawley. As you will see, schedule 180 is West Green Post Office, later known as 28 Church Street.
Living there are:
Thomas Gardner, Head, age 53, Farmer, Own account, born in Ifield.
Margaret Gardner, Wife, age 54, Shopkeeper General, working at home, born in Ifield.
Herbert Thomas Gardner, Son, Single, age 19, Assistant Shopkeeper, born in Charlwood.
Jessie Margaret Gardner, Daughter, age 14, School, born in Ifield.
Gertrude Eliza Noble, Assistant, Single, age 33, Assistant Shopkeeper, born in Ipswich, Suffolk.

1911



Thomas Gardner, Head, 64, married for 34 years, 2 children, Farmer and Grocer, born in Crawley.
Margaret Gardner, Wife, 65, born in Ifield.
Herbert Thomas Gardner, Son, 30, Single, Grocers Assistant, born in Charlwood.
Jessie Margaret Gardner, Daughter, 24, Single, Grocers Assistant, born in Ifield.
Gertrude Eliza Noble, Assistant, 42, Single, born in Ipswich, Suffolk.

In 1912, Herbert Thomas Gardner moves next door into no. 26 Church Street. Thomas, his father, is still at no. 28.

1915- 1916 Residents of Church Street.
2 Church Street. George Brackpool.
4 Church Street. William Staplehurst.
6 Church Street. Harry Izzard.
8 Church Street. Jesse Cannon.
10 Church Street. James Albert Messer.
12 Church Street. George Edward Covey.
14 Church Street. William Philip Watts.
16 Church Street. George Langridge.
18 Church Street. Mrs Lanaway.
20 Church Street. Mrs Simmonds.
22 Church Street. Mrs Dench.
24 Church Street. Mrs King.
26 Church Street. Herbert T. Gardner.
West Green Post Office. Thomas Gardner. Grocer.

1920
"Wilbury" Misses Ockenden.
2 Church Street. Uninhabited
4 Church Street. Uninhabited
6 Church Street. Harry Izzard.
8 Church Street. Jesse Cannon.
10 Church Street. James Albert Messer.
12 Church Street. Frederick Merritt.
14 Church Street. William Philip Watts.
16 Church Street. C. H. Covey.
18 Church Street. W. Bingham.
20 Church Street. A.J.C. Packham.
22 Church Street. William Gates.
24 Church Street. Mrs Henry.
26 Church Street. Herbert Thomas Gardner.
28 Church Street. Thomas Gardner.

1923-1924
"Wilbury". Misses Ockenden.
2 Church Street. Uninhabited.
4 Church Street. Uninhabited.
6 Church Street. Mrs Izzard.
8 Church Street. Mrs Cannon.
10 Church Street. James Albert Messer.
12 Church Street. Frederick Merritt.
14 Church Street. William Philip Watts.
16 Church Street. Joseph Stevens.
18 Church Street. W. Bingham.
20 Church Street. A.J.C. Packham.
22 Church Street. William Gates.
24 Church Street. Frederick May.
26 Church Street. Herbert T. Gardner.
28 Church Street. Thomas Gardner.

1925-1926
"Wilbury" Misses Ockenden(one of the Ockendens ran the George Hotel if I remember right, I'll investigate them later)
2 & 4 Church Street still uninhabited.
6 Church Street. Mrs Izzard.
8 Church Street. Mrs Cannon.
10 Church Street. James Albert Messer.
12 Church Street. Frederick Merritt.
14 Church Street. William Philip Watts.
16 Church Street. Joseph Stevens. (in 1927 William David Bush)
18 Church Street. W. Bingham.
20 Church Street. A.J.C. Packham.
22 Church Street. William Gates. (In 1927 William Talmey)
24 Church Street. Frederick May. (In 1927 William Stevens)
26 Church Street. A. Saunders.
28 Church Street. Thomas Gardner % Herbert T Gardner.

1932

The picture above shows no. 28 Church Street as the large building in the middle of the map (with the arrow). Taken in 1932.




(A work in progress .....)