Swarcliffe Road Late Lown Street S9

[thestars]

Hi

I used to live on Swarcliffe Rd S9 and noticed the street sign that said late Lown St. I think it was changed in the early 1900's.

Would love to know who John Lown was?, why he built houses there? and finally why the name change?

Look forward to learning new things!

Many Thanks

thestars

[RichardB]

Hi and Welcome to the Site TheStars; only John Lown I can find (so far) is :

John Lown, Shopkeeper, 97 Brompton Road, Attercliffe (1893)

Hope others can add more.

[thestars]

Hi and Welcome to the Site TheStars; only John Lown I can find (so far) is :

John Lown, Shopkeeper, 97 Brompton Road, Attercliffe (1893)

Hope others can add more.

Hi

Thank you.

Would a shop keeper be in a position to build houses? I had some info from another source that says he built some or all of the houses in Swarcliffe. Rd.

[RichardB]

Would a shop keeper be in a position to build houses? I had some info from another source that says he built some or all of the houses in Swarcliffe. Rd.

Initial thoughts are it would be unlikely, could have been named after him, maybe a major player. local dignitory ? maybe invested in property ... ? We await other input, maybe Census information or do you have that already ?

Good Luck, keep us posted please.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Baretta Street in Page Hall was named after a shopkeeper!

[thestars]

Hi

Some info i have from another website about John Lown.

He was born at Holbeach in Lincolnshire in 1850, the son of Samuel Lown, a farm worker, and his wife Judith. At the time of the 1871 census he was an apprentice wheelwright in Holbeach, but by 1876 he had moved to Sheffield, where he married Annie Godley in that year. The Lowns had a daughter Amy, born early in 1877, and a son John William who was born two years later but who, sadly, died while still a baby. The 1881 census shows John, Annie and Amy living in Clay Street, Attercliffe, where John was described as a "joiner and master wheelwright". By 1891 the Lowns had moved around the corner to 97 Brompton Road and John is now a "joiner and builder" - here is a scan from the 1891 census return. By the time of the 1901 census the Lowns had moved to 93 School Road, Crookes. They had moved from there by 1905, and Annie (though not John) is listed in the 1911 census return in "Ecclesall Bierlow". John may have died by then; if so his death does not seem to have been registered.

Just to add. It was apparently renamed in 1902 whilst John Lown was still alive. I wonder why?

Thestars

[Bayleaf]

Not much to add, but Lown Street was named after John Lown, who built some of the houses. The name was changed to Swarcliffe Rd in 1902, and named after a place in North Yorkshire called Swarcliffe. The Staniforth family who owned land in Darnall had a house at Swarcliffe.

(From Peter Harvey's book)

Maybe the Staniforth's bought up the land and changed the name? The Lowns had moved by 1901, so perhaps they sold up to the Staniforths and moved out?

[thestars]

Hi

Thanks for that info. I was wondering how a shopkeeper could afford to buy houses? He does not seem that well off.

What do you think?

[Bayleaf]

Hi

Thanks for that info. I was wondering how a shopkeeper could afford to buy houses? He does not seem that well off.

What do you think?

He's listed eventually as a joiner and builder, so presumably he built the houses himself. The road where I live was mostly built by a local builder. When business was slack he would keep things going by building some more houses to sell. If you go along the road there are rarely two blocks of semis to the same design!