38 and 39 Church Street

A pair of early Victorian, semi-detached houses built at the end of the Church Street around the time that the Quay was remodelled with the coming of the railway to Harwich. Although technically Victorian the houses look very Georgian in style with impressive, regular brick facades with parapet.

The building floor plans are almost a mirror pair, except that 39 once abutted commercial premises on the quay and the connecting end, complete with passageway, has been retained.

The houses have a typical Georgian facade of gault brick in Flemish bond with the rear facade and wings in local red brick. The quay end of 39 that once joined to the commercial building has been closed with weatherboard.

Both houses have a hallway leading to a parlour at the front and living room to the rear of the house with a scullery on the back. Stairs in the hall lead to the bedrooms above and the chimney stacks go up the centre of the front range in each house.

The houses are fine examples of their time and have many original features.

It is believed that the pair of houses were built in conjunction with the remodelling of the quay about 1850. The builder is thought to be John Walter Watts, a mariner who clearly saw the opportunity offered by the improvement works going on in Harwich and by 1851 is living with his wife, young son and a servant in his smart new house in Church Street and is listed as a “stone merchant”.

In 1861 John Watts is still at 39 with his wife, Mary Ann, four children and two servants. He is now listed as a “Magistrate Stone Merchant”. At 38 in the same census we find Thomas Bonett, his wife Ann Elizabeth, and their three young children. Thomas is a painter.

In 1871 we find Hannah Jolly, listed as a “mariner’s wife” living alone at 39. Thomas Bonett and his wife and four children are at 38 and Thomas is now listed as a “painter plumber &c”. Interestingly what we now call Little Church Street to the rear of 38 and 39 is recorded by the census enumerator as “Watts Court” suggesting that John Watts owns those houses too and is renting them out. Watts himself has moved to Rookery Farm in Dovercourt where he has set himself up as a farmer of 130 acres and in 1872 and 1873 he is the Mayor of Harwich.

In 1876 we find John Watts’ son, Walter, living at 39 Church Street and advertising property to rent in Dovercourt in the East Anglian Daily times: HOUSE TO LET. Nos. 2 and 3, Clarendon Villas, Cliff Road, Dovercourt; Splendid Sea and land views; rent £60 per annum; immediate possession. - Apply to W. J. Watts. 39, Church Street, Harwich.

Then in March 1877 we find out more about the arrangements at 39 Church Street and the commercial premises next door when Walter is examined for bankruptcy at Colchester Bankruptcy Court. Walter is described as a “Ship, Tug and Smack Owner, Ship Chandler, Sailmaker, Blacksmith, Coal Merchant and Ship Broker” and is being pursued for total debts of over £11,000. We find that he has taken over his father John’s business, in which John is still involved, and is also renting 39 and the adjacent warehouse from him. We also discover that the warehouse, where the chandlery and sailmaking business operates from, is owned by the Great Eastern Railway – supporting the idea that John Watts built his empire on contracts from the railway company.

In 1881 everything has changed and we find Charles and Sarah Vowles and Sarah’s niece Martha King living at 38 and Isaac Cartlidge, his wife Mary and their five children at 39. Charles Vowles is a Foreman Boiler Maker from Bristol and Isaac Cartlidge is a Marine Engineer from Gateshead. The enumerator does not recognise the houses in what was Watts Court ten years earlier and simply records “No no.”.

In 1891 Charles and Sarah Vowles are still at 38 but with nobody living with them. Mary Cartlidge and four of her children are also still at 39 but head of household Isaac is not present when the census is taken. The former Watts Court is now named as Little Church Street, the name we know it by today.

It is all change again in 1901 when we find 38 divided up with 3 families living there. In three rooms we have Emily Green and her two children. In two rooms we have Adam and Hilda Garrett and their two daughters. In one room we have Daniell and Minnie Thomson and Minnie’s young nephew. In 39 Edward and Maria Paine live in greater comfort with their three children and a servant.

In 1911 38 is whole again with Alexander and Thirza Horne, their daughter and a boarder living there. Living at 39 are William and Mary Ramsey, their son William and a domestic servant. Alexander Horne works for the Great Eastern Railway and a quay labourer and William Ramsey is a seaman with Trinity House.

The buildings at 38 and 39 Church Street were surveyed and interpreted as part of the Harwich Architectural Survey Project which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

An interpretation of 38 and 39 Church Street by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for download here.