Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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Ryde Architecture

Crofton House, George Street, Ryde

CROFTON HOUSE
39 George Street, Ryde

According to a notice in the local press of November 1858, Miss Marianne Broad was listed as having lived at Crofton House, George Street, Ryde, she died at the property on 9 November 1858 aged 41.  Miss Broad was described as a gentlewoman.

An advertisement January 1861 related that Mr. Havell was running a Classical & Commercial School at Crofton 39 George Street.  He instructed young gentlemen in English Grammatically, Writing, Arithmetic, History, Geography, Geology, Minerality, Philosophy &c.  By 1866, Mr. Havell had removed his school to Bank Cottage in High Street, Ryde.  Four years later, 1870, the school was at Beaulah, 17 Nelson Place.  Mr. Havell died there in 1901.

In 1865, Mrs Elizabeth Emily James of Exmouth, died at Crofton House, the residence of her mother.

In 1869, Mrs. C. Gibson and family were at Crofton House.

In 1883, Mr. George Harvey Gibbes, Esq., was the resident of Crofton House, Ryde.  He died in London that year.

By 1898 Miss Frances Sophia Cole-Hamilton was living at Crofton, 39 George Street, Ryde, with a housekeeper and 14-year-old servant.. Miss Hamilton resided at this property for quite a number of years until her death on 22 April 1915.

Between 1915 and 1935 there appeared to be a change of number for Crofton House, and the rest of the street, 39 became 105.

Another inhabitant, Joseph Newman, was born at Mile End London and he was an accountant by trade. He was a member of the Merchant Taylors and had the Freedom of London from November 1904. He retired from business in 1924 and moved to Ryde with his wife Bertha. They ran a boarding establishment at Crofton House, George Street, Ryde.  Bertha died 1941 and Joseph died in 1943. Joseph took great interest in the town’s activities; he was a member of the Ratepayers’ Association; district secretary of the County Hospital Contributory Scheme and he had a keen interest in the Ryde Bowling Club.  He regularly wrote about the bowling matches played at the Pavilion indoor green for the IW Times under the nom de plume “Indoor Scribe”

1935 Joseph S. Newman was listed as the proprietor of Apartments at 105 George Street.

1937 Mr and Mrs V. J. Hardes were proprietors of Crofton House. The local press listed Mr. Victor John Hardes as having died at his residence Crofton House 105 George Street Ryde, on 28 Oct 1951.

Sources: IW Observer, 1939 Register & Census
Image: Postcard courtesy of Brian Young
Article: Ann Barrett