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Dear Messenger,
The Burngreave
Historical Society thought you might like some information
on the Osborn House ‘mystery’.
It was
never the home of Samuel Osborn. The first time the property
appears in directories is in 1879. It was home to one John
Watts, a clog clasp, shoe rivet and later skate manufacturer
whose business premises were on West Bar and Bridge Street.
The house was called Lee Wood House and number 138.
Mr Watts
occupied the house until the end of the First World War when
it became home to Foreman’s Mutual Benefit Society.
At present we have no details of this organisation and would
welcome any more information. They were here until 1942 when
they moved to Clarkehouse Road.
After
the Second World War the house became a hostel for boys and
was now called Osborn House. The reason for the name is still
not sure.
136 Burngreave
Road was built about 1895 for Enoch Coupe a local contractor.
In 1942 it was acquired by St Catherine’s Parish for
use as a youth club. Eventually the house was pulled down
and the present Parish Hall erected. The land was owned by
the Duke of Norfolk from whom the freehold was purchased and
now belongs to the Diocese of Hallam which is in possession
of the deeds. 138 and 136 were separate plots, this is clearly
shown on the 1881 and 1905 Ordnance Survey maps.
138 was
obviously the home of a wealthy man and it seems strange it
did not have a carriage drive. If any one does have more information
we would be glad to hear from them. Burngreave Historical
Society can be contacted through Burngreave Library.
Yours
sincerely,
Bernadette Lamb
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