FORT ROAD,

Yesterday & Today
How we lived then & How we live now
iwilson
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:02 pm

Fort Buildings

Postby iwilson » Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:40 pm

Hallo everyone, my name is Ian and I'm a retired special needs art teacher in Enfield North London. One thing I decided to do with my spare time was to find out more about my mothers family, because I was Fostered in 1945 when she died. It has been a series of revelations as I've put the story together bit by bit. I found out for example, that my Grandad Henry Richard Goozee, lived at 78 Alscot Road and was killed on August 21st 1918 near Arras. He's buried at Douchy Les Ayette.

He was a Cooper by trade and so was his father, who worked for Sarson's in the Vinegar Trade. I'm trying to follow their footsteps and visit those places that they might have known and lived. 78 Alscot Road has been knocked down but it would be nice to know which bit of the road was nearest to the house. My great grandfather was called Joseph Henry Goozee and when he came to Bermondsey from Osterley he settled into Fort Buildings with his wife, Jane Rebecca nee' McGuiness. He followed the trade, and there would have been an enormous demand for barrels in the district. Tanners, Brewers, Dyers, Vinegar trades all needed Coopers.

So the first question is: in what bit of Alscot Road did my mum live and the second question is where was Fort Buildings. I've found Fort Road which used to be Fort Street, but Fort Buildings are usually said to be at a Southwark Park Road address, on the other hand they might have been in Leroy Street. So I'm puzzled.

Finally, my search has been easier than most because of the odd surname of my ancestors, so if anyone knows of a Goozee, probably a Nee' Goozee as most of the blokes seem to have been killed off in the wars, I'd be pleased to hear from them. By the way Goozee means 'the people who took care of the Geese' in the same way that there are lots of Miller's, Baker's, Smith's and indeed Coopers in the towns and villages of England.

With Thanks, Ian Wilson
P1110310.JPG

kiwi
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: Fort Buildings

Postby kiwi » Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:13 am

HI Ian, welcome to the site. Not sure if this is of any help regarding 78 Alscot Road or what part of the road it was in, only Alscot Road was in two parts separated by Grange Road so there could be two number 78s. So, this is just a stab in the dark at the location so here goes.
If you go to the Alscot Road Topic there is a picture there looking towards Grange Road from Setchell Road. There was a No.78 down on the left nearer to Grange Road in the 1950s, roughly opposite the beginning of the Solarium.
I do know that in 1891 a Reverend Thorn lived at No 76 and roughly where the Solarium is in c1900 was a Methodist Chapel.
Now as you go across Grange Road to the other part of Alscot Road, there on the left in 1950 is a ruin which may have been bomb damage, the house at the end of the ruin and coming towards Grange Road is No.62, so it is possibly there was another No.78, where the ruin is. My best guess is it is the first one, so, I think the nearest road is Grange Road.
I

iwilson
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:02 pm

Re: Fort Buildings

Postby iwilson » Fri Sep 04, 2020 5:54 pm

Many thanks for your suggestions, I'll investigate them soon. The photo is we think grandad in his uniform. We can't be sure but it's based on family resemblances. I don't think he looks like a soldier although he lasted four years, what a terrible, terrible war that was.

kiwi
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: FORT ROAD,

Postby kiwi » Sun Sep 06, 2020 11:06 pm

Fort Road,Bermondsey Labour & Socialist Club & Institute.   X.jpg
Fort Road,Bermondsey Labour & Socialist Club & Institute.
Fort Road, c1910. 1  X..png
c1910.
Last edited by kiwi on Thu Jun 17, 2021 2:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

Fogbrain
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 8:09 pm

Re: Fort Buildings

Postby Fogbrain » Sat Oct 24, 2020 8:30 pm

Hello, Ian.
iwilson wrote:So the first question is: in what bit of Alscot Road did my mum live?
kiwi's right - № 78 was in the bit of Alscot Road that was south of Southwark Park Road. Including the rear garden or yard it occupied the area now occupied by the rear gardens of №s 79-91 Hazel Way; the front door was at ///editor.bells.frost. All of the houses in that terrace were two storey - except for № 78 which was three storey including a basement; unlike the other houses it had stairs from the pavement up to the front door and stairs down a small airy to the basement. There was an arch to the right of the front door leading to a structure at the rear - perhaps a horse was stabled there with a cart.

... and the second question is where was Fort Buildings. I've found Fort Road which used to be Fort Street, but Fort Buildings are usually said to be at a Southwark Park Road address ...
Fort Buildings was a row of four shops in Southwark Park Road with flats above the shops and an archway in the centre leading to a yard at the rear. I infer from the numbering that there were two or perhaps three storeys above the shops. A beer shop, which later became the Turk's Head pub was next door but one, and Ord's jam factory was at the rear. On a good day Henry may have enjoyed from the fumes from Ord's but I suspect those from Young's glue works just beyond usually dominated. The centre of the block - where the arch was - was more or less at ///adopt.badge.turkey.

smiffy97
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 11:43 am

Re: FORT ROAD,

Postby smiffy97 » Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:01 pm

Oh my goodness. I've just found this web site while searching for an address I have found in my late father's files. My father's records show he was born at 63 Cranham Road which I cannot find on any current maps.

This picture reminds me of the shop, diagonally across from where I lived in my early years which I was occasionally sent across to. I lived at 231 Fort Road from 1959 - 1963. I lived with my parents, brother and sister upstairs and my grandparents lived downstairs. It was a council house with an outside toilet, coal bunker and scullery.

Fort Road became Simms Road and has now been re-developed. I went down there a few years ago to take a look when I took my kids to a Millwall game - thought I'd introduce them early!

I often think of this shop when I reminisce of my early childhood. Thank you so much for posting the photo.

kiwi
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: FORT ROAD,

Postby kiwi » Mon Apr 26, 2021 3:49 am

Hi smiffy97, welcome to the site. Glad you are enjoying the site and thank you for the feedback. Not sure if you have found it or not, so just in case, there is a Cranham Road Topic on site.
Cranham Road (no longer there) Rotherhithe New Road.  1 X.jpg
Cranham Road (no longer there) c1950. Not good but I hope this helps.

kiwi
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: FORT ROAD,

Postby kiwi » Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:04 pm

Fort Road, Bermondsey, c1947, picture of Emily Vaux. X..jpg
Fort Road, Bermondsey, c1947, picture of Emily Vaux.

kiwi
Posts: 4833
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: FORT ROAD,

Postby kiwi » Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:51 pm

Fort Road, Bermondsey, c1914.   X..png
Fort Road, Bermondsey, c1914.


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