1910-1916

First occupiers

The 1911 Census was taken on 2nd April that year and it is therefore highly likely that the occupiers recorded at 141 Upperton Road in the 1911 Census were the first occupiers of the house. The head of the household in 1911, and presumably Isaac Hopkin’s tenant, was Florence Emma Porter, housekeeper. Florence appears to have sublet rooms in the house as there were also two boarders in 1911, Annie Timms (“fancy hosiery shop, now retired”) and Houriska Moriyama (“student textile fabrics in connection with the hosiery trade”).

Florence Emma Porter

Florence Emily Porter was born 7th January 1863 in Medbourne. Her parents, William Porter & Emma E Groves, had married in Leicester in 1854 and evidence suggests that both derived from Wesleyan Methodist families1. William and Emma had at least seven children over the period 1857 to 18732.

The Porter family had a history of employment in Leicester’s hosiery industry3. However by 1851 William Porter was a grocer and draper and was living at the Sondes Arms4, Rockingham. Following his marriage to Emma, William became a travelling ‘stay’ (corset) agent5, and then a ‘stay’ (corset) manufacturer6 in Leicester.

Emma Porter, William’s wife and Florence’s mother, died 18th January 1901 and was interred at Welford Road Cemetery. The 1901 Census finds newly widowed William, now a ‘local preacher and agent’, living with Florence at 12 Norman Street, Leicester. For the first time the Census in 1901 records an occupation for Florence, as a clerk (provident dispensary). C. N. Wright’s Directory of Leicester, 1906, records three provident dispensary charities7 in Leicester of which the largest, with 14 branches including Hinckley Road (now no. 60B) and Fosse Road South (now no. 249), was the Leicester Provident Dispensary.

Former branch of Leicester Provident Dispensary, Fosse Road South

By 1906 however Florence had moved out of 12 Norman Street (where her father still resided) and was living at 25 Ellis Avenue, Leicester; her occupation is recorded as a dress maker. Her brother, George Groves Porter, was secretary of the boot and shoe manufacturing company Walker, Kempson & Stevens Limited in Rutland Street.

William Porter died 13th April 1909 and was interred with his late wife at Welford Road Cemetery8.

The 1921 Census finds Florence residing at a house at Sea Road in Bexhill, Surrey. The property appears to be a boarding house run by Edith Eleanor Hobbs, and Florence is recorded as cook and housemaid employed by Miss Hobbs, boarding house keeper. However, it appears that by 1922 Florence had returned to Ellis Avenue, this time number, 17, her occupation recorded as a dressmaker9.  It is interesting to note that other Porter households were living in Ellis Avenue around the turn of the century10 but I have not established whether this is coincidence or whether they were distantly related.

A number of years later Florence was living at 182 Westcotes Drive11 and by 1939 had retired and could be found in Torquay12. Florence died on 1st March 195313. Probate details reveal that her address was Rockbank, 52 Station Road, Cropston, and that her estate was valued at £826, 4s and 7d. Probate was awarded to Reginald Charles Groves.

Leicester Daily Mercury 03 March 1953

Annie Timms

Annie Pricilla Timms was born 1838 in Thurmaston. Her parents, Jonathan Timms & Rachel Tacey, had married in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire, in 1826. Jonathan was a Minister in the Primitive Methodist movement and evidence indicates that Rachel was also connected to the movement prior to her marriage to Jonathan14. Note that throughout my research I have found great variation in the spelling of Timms (including Tims and Sims).

Jonathan and Rachel had at least seven children over the period 1827 to 184215. Rachel died in 1846, when Annie was just eight years old. The known birthplaces of some of the children reveal the extent to which the young family had moved around central England, presumably in connection with Jonathan’s Ministry, but by 1851 and following the death of his wife Jonathan had moved to Leicester and was living with three of his daughters16, including Annie. By 1861 the household comprised only Jonathan and Annie17, and Jonathan was recorded as being the Primitive Methodist Minister of York Street and Alexander Street chapels.

The whereabouts of both Jonathan and Annie in 1871 is unknown18 but on 18th March 1878 Jonathan died. Probate details reveal that his estate was valued at less than £200 and that probate was awarded to Mary Crofts. Mary was one of Annie’s sisters who had married John Ephraim Crofts in 186019.

C. N. Wright’s 1878 Directory of Leicester20 reveals that Annie had opened a ladies’ outfitter shop at 57 High Street, Leicester (this seems to have been situated at the corner of High Street and Union Street21), and in 1881 she was also resident at this address with two other women22. However, by 1891 Annie was ‘living on her own means’ with John & Mary Crofts at 42 Highfield Street, Leicester23, and in 1901 she and John were living with John’s son, George Harry Crofts, who was a physician and surgeon residing and practicing from 59 Highcross Street, Leicester24.

In 1911, whilst Annie was boarding at 141 Upperton Road, her nephew George Harry Crofts, now married, was residing and presumably practicing from 147 Narborough Road25. Annie died on 5th December 1915 at 7 Sidney Road, Knighton, which was the home of her brother Samuel Timms and his wife Violet. Her will26 left her estate, valued at £202, 11s & 8d at the time of her death, to George Harry Crofts.

Houriska Moriyama

Houriska Moriyama would have been born in 1883, based on the 1911 Census27. The Census form records the fact that she was ‘resident for a few months’ from Japan. Given Florence Emma Porter’s and Annie Timms’ associations in dress making and ‘fancy’ hosiery it is reasonable to speculate that it is in this connection that Houriska came to be staying at 141 Upperton Road whilst in the country as a “student textile fabrics in connection with the hosiery trade”. Under the headline Leicester Municipal Technical School Examination Results the following article appeared in the Leicester Daily Post, 26th August 1911, which lists Hirosuke Moriyama among those with city and guilds awards:

Leicester Daily Post, 26th August 1911

1915 Sale of 141 Upperton Road

Following the death of Isaac Hopkins on 25th May 1914, 141 & 143 Upperton Road were inherited by Isaac’s great nephew, Leslie Montague Haddon. Isaac’s will provided for these and other bequeathed properties to be held in trust until Leslie reached the age of 25.

By the time of his wedding on 2nd December 1915 Leslie Montague Haddon had already turned 25. A decision to sell 141 & 143 Upperton Road had been made in advance of the wedding as the properties went to auction at Midland Auction Mart, Market Street, Leicester, on 1st December 1915. The auction was advertised in the Leicester Daily Post on 22nd November and in the Leicester Journal on 26th November of that year. The latter confirms that the house was still rented in 1915 to Miss Florence Porter, for an annual rent of £23.

The second entry on the Land Registry title for 141 Upperton Road is a conveyance dated 15th January 1916 made between Leslie Montague Haddon (vendor), Johan Brown and Edward Harry Pick, and Susannah Elizabeth Cowling (purchaser). Johan Brown and Edward Harry Pick (Leslie’s uncle) had been executors of Isaac Hopkin’s will28. It was at this time that ownership of 141 & 143 Upperton Road separated, a fact that is reflected by rights written into the title at the time of this conveyance as regards parts common to both dwellings including a soft water cistern. Soft water cisterns were below-ground rainwater storage tanks, installed to supply a of source of soft water suitable for washing as detergents at this time did not perform well with the hard water of the mains supply.

Footnotes

  1. William Porter (12th November 1827) and his siblings Elizabeth Porter (10th March 1830) and Martha Porter (25th October 1833) were all baptised in the Leicester Wesleyan Methodist Circuit, as was at least one of Emma’s siblings, Julia Mercy Groves (22nd May 1850). ↩︎
  2. Wesley Beaumont Porter, b. 1857, Rockingham; William Robert Porter, b. 1859, Rockingham; Samuel Groves Porter, b. 1860, Rockingham; Florence Emma Porter, b. 1863, Medbourne; Alfred Isaac Porter, b. 1865, Great Easton; George Groves Porter, b. 1868, Leicester; and Ernest Abner Porter, b. 1873, Great Easton. Samuel Groves Porter was baptised in the Leicester Wesleyan Methodist Circuit on 12th June 1861. ↩︎
  3. The 1841 Census finds William’s parents, Samuel and Elizabeth Porter, living in Rawson Street, Leicester, and at this time Samuel was a wool comber. Also in 1841, and still only a teenager, William Porter can be found living away from his parents, in Welford Road, with the Greasley family whose head, Linford, was a hosier. ↩︎
  4. Together with his sisters, Elizabeth and Martha. Their younger sibling, Catherine Porter, was a dress maker living at Wigston Magna. ↩︎
  5. The 1861 Census finds the Porters living at Great Easton and by 1871 the expanded family could be found at 35 Willow Street, Leicester. The Census record William’s occupation as ‘travelling stay agent’ and commercial stay traveller’ respectively. ↩︎
  6. The 1881 Census records finds William at 142 Highcross Street and records his occupation as ‘stay manufacturer’. Among the Porters’ children still living in the family home at this time, William R was a clerk in the hosiery trade, Samuel G was an ironmonger’s assistant, and Alfred I was a woolen draper. The 1891 Census finds the family at 30 St. Stephen’s Road, with William’s occupation recorded as a ‘stay corset maker’. William R was a yarn agent, Alfred I was an assistant outfitter and Ernest A was a lithographic artist. By 1891 Samuel G had his own family and was a warehouseman living in Chorlton, Lancashire. ↩︎
  7. They were: the Leicester Provident Dispensary; the Peoples Dispensary; and the Leicester Homeopathic Provident Dispensary and Cottage Hospital. ↩︎
  8. Also interred in the same plot is William Robert Porter. However the monument has substantially sunk into the ground meaning that no further details are decipherable. ↩︎
  9. Kelly’s Directory of Leicestershire and Rutland, 1922. ↩︎
  10. C. N. Wright’s Directory of Leicester, 1906, shows George Porter, clerk, at 11 Ellis Avenue. The 1911 Census shows that 17 Ellis Avenue was headed by Florence M Porter, blouse maker (b. 1873, Sleaford, Lincs) and 20 Ellis Avenue was headed by Ruth Porter (b. 1849, Leicester) with household members employed in blouse production and fancy hosiery. ↩︎
  11. From the 1930 & 1931 Electoral Registers. ↩︎
  12. The 1939 Register finds Florence Porter, retired, living at 100 Grange Villa, Belgrave Road, Torquay. Also resident at that address were Fanny Simmonds, retired, and Beata Doris Vowler, shop assistant (millinery). ↩︎
  13. She died at The Sundial Nursing Home, 380 Aylestone Road, Leicester. ↩︎
  14. See: https://www.myprimitivemethodists.org.uk/content/people-2/primitive_methodist_ministers/t-2/jonathan-tims. ↩︎
  15. William Timms b. 1827; Harriet Timms b. 1828, Leicestershire; William Caleb Timms b. 1830; Mary Timms b. 1835, Ludlow, Shropshire; Anne Priscilla Timms b. 1838, Thurmaston, Leicestershire; Emily Timms b. 1839, Boston, Lincolnshire; and Samuel Timms b. 1842, Belper, Derbyshire (own research and https://www.myprimitivemethodists.org.uk/content/people-2/primitive_methodist_ministers/t-2/jonathan-tims). ↩︎
  16. At Upper Conduit Street, Leicester, with Mary (a dress maker), Annie (a fancy hosiery hand) and Emily (a fancy hosiery hand) (1851 Census). ↩︎
  17. At 132 Northampton Street, Leicester (Annie now a dress maker) (1861 Census). ↩︎
  18. I believe that this is attributable to missing records for the Parish of St. Margaret’s in Leicester from the 1871 Census. ↩︎
  19. John was a manufacturer of pasteboard boxes. John had previously married Sarah Adams, on 24th March 1853. Perry’s Bankrupt and Insolvent Weekly Gazette of 27th February 1858 reports the dissolution on 18th February of the business partnership of John Ephraim and Sarah Crofts, box manufacturers of Leicester. In later years John was part of the Temperance movement in Leicester. ↩︎
  20. And also Wright’s 1880 Directory of Leicester. ↩︎
  21. An advert in the Leicester Guardian, 9th September 1874, contained the following advertisement: “TO SELL BY AUCTION At the Stag and Pheasent Hotel, Leicester, on Thursday, September 17th 1874, as Six for Seven o’ Clock in the Evening precisely, and subject to conditions of Sale to be then produced, ALL those valuable BUSINESS PREMISES, situate and being No. 57, High-street, and No. 1, Union-street, Leicester, comprising a spacious SHOP, 22 feet 3 inches by 26 feet 10 inches, with two large plate-glass windows thereto, 8 store rooms, and good cellar, now, and for many years past in the occupation of the owner, Mr, George Richardson, haberdasher and general dealer”. ↩︎
  22. The 1881 Census recorded Annie’s occupation as ladies’ outfitter. The two women were: Harriet Southeck, b. 1865, Leyton, Essex (ladies’ outfitter apprentice); and Kate E Stafford, b. 1861, Rothwell, Northants (shop woman). ↩︎
  23. From the 1891 Census. John E Croft’s occupation remains as a ‘manufacturer of pasteboard boxes’. ↩︎
  24. From the 1901 Census. John E Crofts occupation remains as a ‘box manufacturer’ although he was by now a widower, his wife Mary having died in 1900. Annie’s occupation was at this time recorded as a housekeeper. By 1906 John E Crofts had moved to 89 St. Peter’s Road, Leicester, and in 1908 he died. He is interred at Welford Road Cemetery. ↩︎
  25. From the 1911 Census. George’s wife was Margaret Mary Crofts b. 1873, Halifax, Yorks. They also had a live-in servant, Annie Porter b. 1890, Barsen Fenns, Lincs, however I have no evidence that Annie Porter was in any way related to Florence Emma Porter. George had married Margaret Mary Henderson in Leicester in 1901. By 1922 his practice was listed at 2 Westfield Road, Leicester (Kelly’s Directory of Leicestershire and Rutland, 1922). ↩︎
  26. The will was made on 25th October 1906. At the time the will was made her residence was 89 St. Peter’s Road, indicating that she continued to live with her father possibly up until his death in 1908. ↩︎
  27. I have found no record of Houriska’s arrival into the UK. However, on 28th November 1911 a student (but recorded as male) from Japan, called Huosuke Moriyama, sailed on Cunard’s Franconia from Liverpool to Boston, America. ↩︎
  28. Johan Brown is recorded in Isaac Hopkin’s will as a brewery agent of 12 & 14 Britton Street. Edward Harry Pick is recorded as a newspaper proprietor’s clerk of 66 Hinckley Road. They each were bequeathed £10. ↩︎