19 Miall Road Sydenham

[oz1963]

Please could someone tell me where the location of 19 Miall Road, Sydenham is?
I have discovered this was the birth place of my late father Spencer Osborn who passed away in 1978. I have been trying to find the address with no such luck. He was born there on the 16/8/1919.
Kind regards Graeme Osborn

[mosy]

Could it be Miall Walk? (Perhaps it was a road at some time in its past.) It is shown here, though not quite: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/oldmap.srf?x ... oldmap.srf If you look at the wrong end of the arrow, it is to the right of that. In my 2001Geographer's London atlas book, it is shown as coming off Champion Road (which runs North/South almost) and position-wise, if you look at Champion Crescent, it looks like a letter "C" and Miall Walk is shown as being directly eastwards of the bottom of the "C".

I'm afraid this is just from a map book. Hopefully someone with local knowledge might know more.

I'm curious as 1978 is a long time ago - are you heir hunting? I don't mind if you are and happy to help if I have helped. I got a letter from a Spanish company this week looking for people with my surname. I'm fine with that actually as I know they're wanting commission but if the majority of any inheritance goes to rightful heirs rather than the treasury then fine by me. Good luck.

[mosy]

PS: My dad managed to trace his ancestry back at least some way via local library records (this was years ago mind). When I lived in Bromley, they had maps of the area dating back for ages (I only asked for those starting from 1930) so I guess Lewisham's main library might have similar archive maps in their reference section. I'm not up on library services like phone enquiries and viewings in reference sections currently, though it is an avenue to consider methinks for street maps of yore.

[michael]

Miall Road shown on a map from around 1940
http://www.maps-of-london.com/map-sydenham-5.jpg

[stuart]

Miall Road was the first home of Bill Wyman - the original Rolling Stone bass player. He was born in Lewisham hospital and lived his first 6 months in the road before moving in with a relative in Penge. That was in 1936 (same year Crystal Palace burned down).

I have Bill Wyman's autobiography. In there is a picture of the road before it was demolished with some other info on it - sorry to say it was best described as a slum.

Problem is I think I filed the book in a box somewhere and can't find it. You may be able to get a secondhand copy, like me, from Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Alone-Sto ... 456&sr=1-1

So you see Miall Street (and Sydenham) Rock!

Stuart

[oz1963]

Sorry for the late reply(almost a year to be exact ). My sister has been researching our family tree. I intended to visit the area, however it looks like it has been demolished and an industrial estate built on the site. Thank you all for your assistance.

[davetheeagle]

If you check out Google maps, Miall Road was where the footpath now runs between Dillwyn Close and Holmshaw Close. Dillwyn Road, Miall Road and Holmshaw Road were built to house the workers in Bell Green Gas Works. The houses were knocked down in the 1970s and replaced with a new housing development, not an industrial estate.

As to slums well Bell Green and Lower Sydenham was always the poor relation compared to further up the High Street. The problem is yesterdays slums are now some of the more desirable properties. Check out similar streets in Greenwich which were saved from development and are now very popular and expensive.

Having said that my impression at the time, 1960s, was that some of the housing in Miall and Holmshaw Roads was a bit more run down that those in Dillwyn Road.

I'm not sure whether the houses were strictly '2 up 2 down' but if you check out the following picture you will see what the houses in Dillwyn Road looked like. From memory the ones in Miall Road would have been the same.

http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1426

I do know there was a sweet shop on the corner at the top end with Champion Road and a greengrocers / coal merchants (Bretts) at the bottom end next to Bell Green.

According to another thread Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones) lived at 18 Miall Road.

[georges]

I lived on Miall Road. Moved in about 1945 and my parents moved out when the houses were being demolished. Upstairs, one flat, and downstairs, one flat. Small garden for each. Originally intended as living room, bedroom, kitchen, scullery and flushing toilet reached by going out the scullery door (freezing prospect in winter). A fire range when we first moved in for heat, cooking and oven then gas oven installed (paid for by us obviously). Tin bath in scullery but as I got older I used the Public Baths in Bell Green. Damp a continual problem in downstairs flat but definitely not a 'slum' in the way I've seen the word used to describe other housing of its time. In the 1950s I painted a water colour of the backs of the houses opposite which shows the Anderson shelter next door still in use. We managed to feed ourselves on runner beans, tomatoes and lettuce all summer. My dad buried an old flock mattress in the garden. Everyone knew everyone on the street. A few of us put our heads together and could name just about all the families top to bottom including B. Wyman's grandparents.

[geofft]

I have a National identity card for Elizabeth R Harding of 2 Miall Road stamped 1943 it had the attached photo inside. A Sergeant in the RAF - does anyone have any clues about his i.d. ?

many thanks

Geoff

[Dolly Gray]

Hi I lived at number 16 Miall road but born in number 18. Year1928 opposite was smiths back house & spinks yardleys colliers stringers my grandmother moved from deptford to sydenham 1902 Bill wyman was born number 38 miall 1938 I have been writing donanwn all the names who lived there from a when I was a child Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me

[Highfield]

This photograph was taken from the breakfast room at 19 Miall Road where I lived for part of my childhood around 1971. I'm straddling a part of the neighbours portlandia albiflora covered fence at 17, to the left. The houses in the background would therefore be those in Holmshaw Rd and where the same design as those in Miall Road. As far as I can remember, a family lived directly opposite us who's surname was Mooney, I think.

[davetheeagle]

Just been looking at the 1939 Register which provides an insight as to who was living in the road on the outbreak of war. Besides the date of birth and occupation it provides the married name of any female who subsequently married. The only records redacted are anyone who is still living and anyone who died after 1991 (100 year rule).

[peter1959]

Hi Dave
Just read your post about Miall Road
We lived at number 20 and the people at no 18 were called Eileen Thorn and the Perks family lived at number 18
We were the Collyer family and there was a number of us living there wonder if you remember the name and knew any of my brothers or sister
Peter

[Tranbe64]

Hiya Peter. Remember you and your family from miall road and Longton avenue.we lived at 41 miall road and opposite you in.Longton avenue.hope you are keeping well x

[Osborn]

My dad Arthur Osborn was born at 19 miall road on 13 Sept 1926
His dad's name was Sydney Charles Leonard Osborn and his mum was Charlotte Eliza Osborn formerly Yardley.

[Osborn]

Please could someone tell me where the location of 19 Miall Road, Sydenham is?
I have discovered this was the birth place of my late father Spencer Osborn who passed away in 1978. I have been trying to find the address with no such luck. He was born there on the 16/8/1919.
Kind regards Graeme Osborn

Hi I lived at number 16 Miall road but born in number 18. Year1928 opposite was smiths back house & spinks yardleys colliers stringers my grandmother moved from deptford to sydenham 1902 Bill wyman was born number 38 miall 1938 I have been writing donanwn all the names who lived there from a when I was a child Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me

My dad Arthur Osborn was born at number 19 in 1926 his dad was Charles Sydney Leonard Osborn.

[Cranstoun]

Was also searching for Miall Rd My family (named Cranstoun) lived at No 27 from late 19th century to first half of 20th Was wondering if Miall Walk was part of the road

[setab]

Re Cranstoun family, Miall Rd.
Sarah Ann Cranstoun b. Bangalore was a witness at the wedding of my great aunt Ellen (aka Helen) Bates
to William G. Sawyer in 1912. The other witness is Rose Newbold,Ellen's cousin.Sadly, Ellen dies in 1913 aged 26 form longstanding TB and epilepsy.
The Cranston family are on Miall Rd. in 1911 as is Ellen (no.30) and more of my relatives, the Payne family (no.25)
My great grandmother, Rosina Bates, is on Dillwyn Rd. in 1911 with a niece and her family (named Tidy.)
I'd be grateful for any information on my family.
Regards
Chris Bates