There are suggestions of surviving parts of an earlier structure but what we see at 43 West Street points to a build date in the 18th century.

The impressive facade is typically Georgian, being built with local red brick in Flemish bond with Gault brick used for quoins and key stones. The entrance is to the left of the frontage and leads to a hallway along the side of the house giving access to front and rear rooms and staircase. The cellar is accessed via a door under the stairs and has a reused beam. Back-to-back fireplaces are behind the stairs with the stack rising through the centre of the house.

Beams are boxed in but all the visible structural woodwork is pine with lathes and lime plaster used on partition walls.

Features throughout the house show high quality workmanship, with the staircase having stick balustrades at the bottom and Chinoiserie style to first floor and attic, with handrails in mahogany.

We have no candidates for the 18th century build or residents in the 18th or early 19th century. The pace of development in West Street was frenetic in this period and the street wasn’t numbered until the 1860s.

In 1851 we can make a guess that 43 West Street was occupied by mariner Charles Thomas and his wife Harriett. This is based on the enumerator’s route, street layout of the time and fitting some known residents to their houses.

In the 1861 census the enumerator still doesn’t provide numbers for West Street but we can place G. H. L. Wise at 43 West Street and confirm his family are there on the census. George Wise was a purser and paymaster in the Royal Navy and had already had a distinguished career at sea by the time he moved with his family to Harwich. On the night the census was taken George was in the harbour aboard HMS Pembroke, his posting at the time, whilst his family were at no. 43.

In August 1861 George Wise receives a new posting and the family up-sticks and leave Harwich for London. We get a fascinating run-down of the contents of 43 West Street thanks to an auction advertised in the Essex Standard on Friday 16 August 1861: WEST STREET, HARWICH. TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, BY Messrs. Dore and Gibbs, On Thursday, the 22nd August, 1861, at the late Residence of G. H. L. WISE, Esq., No. 43, West Street, who has re-moved to a distance, The entire good and modern HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and Effects comprising; walnut, loo, occasional, and fancy tables; walnut lounge, walnut chairs, and easy ditto, covered in damask; gilt chimney glass, Tapestry carpet hearth-rug, fenders and fire-irons, damask window curtains mahogany leather-seated chairs, an excellent 6-feet mahogany sideboard, mahogany sliding-frame dining table, 8 ft. by 4 ft. writing table, carpets, 2 easy chairs; mahogany, iron, and wood Arabian and French bedsteads; mattresses, feather-beds, bolsters, blankets, pillows and counterpanes; mahogany and painted drawers, washing-stands, dressing tables and glasses, cane-seated chairs, druggets, plated articles, cut glass, break-fast, dinner, and dessert services, cooking utensils, &c, &c. Sale to commence at Eleven o'clock a.m. The Goods will be on view the day previous to the Sale. Catalogues to be had of the Auctioneers, Church Street and Market Street, Harwich.

In 1871 Emma Raven was head of household at 43 West Street, living with her daughter, Sarah Ann, and servant Julia Double. Emma is a widow but her occupation is given as “independent” indicating that she is living on her own means following the death of her master mariner husband Joseph Raven in 1867.

In 1881 we find 43 West Street divided into two. The main part of the house is occupied by Parlett Patrick, his wife Margaret, two children, niece, mother-in-law, and two brothers-in-law. In another part of the house is Johann Jansen, his wife Maria and young son. Johann is a yeast agent from Ellenfeld in Bavaria but Maria is from London and young Johann was also born there.

In 1891 no. 43 is divided into three with two rooms occupied by mariner Fred Coppin, his wife Ann Maria and their three daughters. In another three rooms we have Ann Baggott with her daughter, son in law and granddaughter. Ann is a laundress and her son in law William Goldsmith is a wood cutter. Also in three rooms we find James Kevard, wife Helen and their three children. James is a stoker on steamships.

In 1901 we find two families living at 43 West Street, occupying four rooms each. In one part Samuel and Elizabeth Waters are living, they are 57 and 56 years old respectively and Samuel is a dock labourer. The other part is occupied by Alfred and Alice Whitehead and their two young children and Alfred is also a dock labourer.

In 1911 no. 43 is occupied by three families but as each is listed as occupying four rooms it is difficult to fathom how the building might be internally configured. Listed first are Alfred and Alice Whitehead. Alfred is still a dock labourer and we find out that he works for the Great Eastern Railway and the Whiteheads now have five children. Next we find the Jennings family with head Herbert, wife Edith and their three young children. Herbert is listed as a “boatman”. Finally we have William and Polly Alexander and their four children. William is a coal porter and youngest son Tom is a quay labourer, both working for the Great Eastern Railway. Eldest child, Nellie, is an invalid receiving “parish relief”.

The building at 43 West 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 43 West Street by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for download here.