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Monday 15 February 2010

1 Albert Road

This is the largest house in Saltaire, situated at the upper end of the village at the junction of Albert Road with the main road to Leeds. It is in a very prominent position and would have been an elegant introduction to Titus Salt's village for travellers along the road. As you can see, it is no longer a private house but is now a branch of a bank. That's probably just as well, because these days the building overlooks a huge and extremely busy roundabout (just to the left but out of my picture).

The 1871 census records that it was then occupied - appropriately in view of its present use - by the family of Frederick Wood, aged 30, who was the chief cashier at Salts Mill. The annual rental was £18 (7 shillings a week). As I have said before, workers at the mill were housed according to their status, and clearly Mr Wood was one of the most important members of staff, carrying out a very responsible role and in a position of trust. So he got the grandest house. He was married to Ann and they had a baby son, also called Frederick, at that time just 8 months old. They also had a 23 year old domestic servant, Eliza Charles, living in the household. Considering how crowded some of the dwellings in Saltaire were, the Woods must have lived a very gracious life in their well-appointed house.

2 comments:

  1. I've just stumbled on this post in the process of researching my family history. My research (although I need to confirm it) shows that the servant Eliza Charles was the sister of my Great Great Grandmother. When I looked to see where she was living I never expected it to be somewhere so grand and in an interesting village that I have of course heard of.

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