A pair of one-up-one-down timber-framed houses probably built in the 18th century as opposed to the 17th century stated in the 1972 Grade II listing description.

The visible timber frame is built in pine and no. 3 is a little wider than no. 2 with two front entrances and the original build for both houses was two storeys with attics. Stacks towards the back of the rooms sit in front of the stairs which wind up around them to the floors above.

Both houses probably stayed in the same hands into the 19th century when identical rear brick extensions were added along with a roof raise to give three storeys. The rear extensions had their own stacks to heat both floors and the ground floor stack would have originally contained a cooking range.

A shop front was added to no. 3 at some point in the 19th century and a boarded partition constructed to give access from the street through to the house at the rear.

In 1861 we find two families living at 2 Church Street. Head of the Bennet household is Samuel who is described as a “mariner (stone dredger)”, he is married to Phoebe and they have three young children. In another part of the house Joseph and Jemima Gladwell are living. Joseph is a sawyer and on the day of the census they have a young visitor, Robert Smith, aged 10 from Walton-on-the-Naze. At no. 3 William and Eliza Sadler are living with Eliza’s father, Edward Adams. William Sadler is a master mariner and Edward is described as a “fundholder” who has been blind for 28 years.

In 1871 we still have two families at 2 Church Street but only one at no. 3. At no. 2 we find William and Maria Button and their two young children. William is a mariner from Harwich but Maria is originally from Abingdon in Berkshire. Lodging with the Buttons is Agnes Miller, a mariner’s wife, her three day old son, John William Miller, and her widowed mother Elizabeth Neale. Meanwhile, next door at no. 3, we have John Durrant, a cabinet maker, and his wife Agnes.

In 1881 William and Maria Button are still living at 2 Church Street. They now have seven children ranging in age from 6 months to 14 years and a lodger, Eliza Fryatt, who is 48 and a dressmaker from Ireland. At the time the census is taken no. 3 is unoccupied.

In July 1887 no. 3 is being advertised for rent in the East Anglian Daily Times thus: TO Let, House and Shop, or Shop separate, No. 3, Church Street, Harwich; rent moderate.—Apply, Jackson, Bookseller, Harwich.

In 1891 we find that no. 2 is occupied by Susan King and her three young children and her husband is away at sea with Trinity House. No. 3 is now occupied by John Ward, his wife Mary and lodger Joseph Ellis. John Ward is a hairdresser from Honiton in Devon and Joseph Ellis is also a hairdresser but from Rochdale in Lancashire. We can speculate that John Ward answered Jackson’s advert and set up shop at no. 3.

An advert in the East Anglian Daily Times in February 1894 tells us a little bit more about John Ward’s business: HARWICH. J.T. WARD, Hair-dresser and Perfumer, Wholesale and Retail Cigar and Tobacco Merchant, 3, Church Street; and Station Road, Dovercourt. Gentlemen and Families waited upon their own residences by J.T.W.

In 1901 everything has changed and we have Ada Armstrong, her five young children and her sister, Leta Page, resident at no. 2. Ada and Leta are from Poplar in the East End of London and Ada’s husband, George Armstrong who was not present when the census is taken, is from Hull. Resident at no. 3 are Charles Fairweather, his wife Annie, daughter Alice and brother in law Thomas Baker. Charles is a stoker on the Great Eastern Railway steamers and Thomas is a general labourer.

In 1911 we have the Wright family living at no. 2 but the head of household, Mr. W. C. Wright, is not at home when the census is taken and the only residents are his wife Sarah and three children. Eldest son Benjamin is a is gents hairdresser. At no. 3 we find William Collins, his wife Alice and their three young children. William is an Assurance Agent working for Pearl Life and comes from Reculver in Kent.

The buildings at 2 and 3 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 2 and 3 Church Street by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for download here.