20 Kings Quay Street

No. 20 seems to stand alone on the west side of Kings Quay Street today – the survivor of a block of old houses that were demolished between 1958 and 1968.

The house is a rare surviving example of a modest but well-built 17th century dwelling, originally constructed as two storeys with attics on an almost square plan. The house has a pine timber frame of two unequal bays with the smaller bay being used for the stack and stairs. The original front jetty has been underbuilt at a later date but the main ground floor fireplace, which would originally have had a cooking hearth, is largely original. There is a tight winder staircase to one side of the stack which provides access to first floor and attic.

An interesting question is how the original building related to the old town wall and the Angel Gate – a gate through the wall which took its name from an ancient inn and passed it on to an area of town which remains to this day. Trying to compare Elizabethan and 19th century maps it appears that 20 Kings Quay Street would have been just inside the old wall but built at a time when development was starting outside the wall on the town’s eastern seaboard.

In the 19th century the property was extended, more than doubling its space, with a timber frame extension to the rear. The new extension was of two storeys with attic and a cellar. A stack mirrored the arrangement in the original building and new openings at ground, first floor and attic levels connected the new extension to the original house.

In 1861 we find 20 Kings Quay Street somehow divided into three. In one part of the house Hannah Gammon, a 63 year old widow, is living and she is recorded as “mariner’s widow/post office service”. In another part is Eliza Wilson and her three young children and finally William and Elizabeth Stuart and their four young children. William Stuart is another mariner and working in the merchant service.

The 1871 census reveals an even tighter squeeze at no. 20, with eighteen people living within its walls. Firstly we have the Powell family, John, Emma and their five children. John and his eldest son John are both sailmakers. Next we find John and Rachel Lambeth with John being a mariner and originally from Colchester. Then we have another mariner, Robert Fenner, his wife Caroline and their two young children followed by fisherman’s wife Elizabeth Britton and her niece Hannah Hines. Finally we find Elizabeth Fryatt, a 70 year old widow and a “pauper” living with her daughter, Elizabeth who is a dressmaker, and son John who is a shoemaker.

In 1881 we raise the stakes yet again and although there are only three families living at no. 20 the head count has increased to twenty one. John and Emma Powell are listed first and have three children one grandchild and two lodgers living with them. Next we find Edward Shilling, a mariner, his wife Emma and their three young children. Finally we find Robert and Caroline Fenner again with their expanded family of six children – two of them twins.

In 1891 we find a drastic reduction in the number of people at no. 20 with just six people living there. We first find Eliza Davison, an 80 year old widow, who is “living on her own means” and her lodger Margaret Davison who is a housekeeper. We also have George and Ellen Franklin and their two young daughters.

In 1901 no. 20 is divided into three and the census records the number of rooms occupied by each family. In three rooms we find Thomas Summers, a fisherman, his wife, son and widowed mother. In two rooms is Scottish journeyman carpenter, John Jerman, his wife Jane and daughter. In four rooms we have John Avis, a general labourer, his wife Lucy and two young sons.

In 1911 no. 2 is divided into three with fisherman Thomas Summers still head of family but now in four rooms with his wife, relative James Summers, four visitors and one boarder. In three rooms we find Lucy Avis and her two sons again but she is now a widow aged 39 and listed as undertaking “general work”.

In the East Anglian Daily Times of 27th May 1901 we unfortunately find out what happened to John Avis: LABOURER KILLED AT DOVERCOURT. Whitsuntide at Dovercourt has been overshadowed by accident, which occurred midway between Dovercourt and railway stations, 8.45 on Sunday morning, a young labourer, named Arthur John Avis, aged 5O, married man with two children, being knocked down light engine, whilst walking down the line from Parkeston to Dovercourt, and receiving such terrible injuries that, despite the attentions Dr. Gurney, died a quarter to 12. The deceased lived at 20, King's Quay Street. Harwich.

The building at 20 Kings Quay Street was surveyed and interpreted as part of the Harwich Architectural Survey Project which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

An interpretation of 20 Kings Quay Street by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for download here.