The entrance to Park Passage was between the present 14 and 15 Holywell Street
(It should not be confused with Park Place, which was immediately to the left of 21 Holywell Street
and on part of the site of the present Mansfield Road.)
The entrance to Park Passage, was on the west of side of 14 Holywell Street (see gate above left). The accommodation above the entrance to the passage was numbered 14A Holywell Street (see under No. 14). There were six cottages in this passage, owned by Merton College, and up to forty people lived here until about 1940.
The extract from the 1876 street plan (above right) shows the entrance to Park Passage marked with a large diagonal cross. This entrance is now a coachway to the left of No. 14.
On 17 March 1849 the auction of the leasehold property at No. 16 [?15] by direction of the executrix of the late William Carter included the tenements here in Carter's Yard (as Park Passage was then known):
... also SIX TENEMENTS adjoining, with wash-houses and small gardens attached, situate in Carter's-yard, Holywell-street, with a right of way to the Parks; in the occupation of Messrs. Kitchen, Poole, Prior, Quarterman, Vickers, and others, all respectable and punctual tenants.
This Property is held by one lease under Merton College, Oxford, for a term of 40 years, from Lady Day, 1838, subject to the following out-goings:—Land tax, 1l. 13s. 7d.; quit rent, 16s.; total, 2l 9s. 7d.
The passage is described as Pool Passage in the 1851 census, presumably named after the painter William Poole who had been living at No. 2 in 1841. He died at the age of 47 in October 1842 and by 1851 his widow Susannah Pool was living at 5 Park Place further to the west by 1851.
By 1861 it was known as Park Passage.
On 28 November 1868 another auction of 16 Holywell Street together with the six cottages behind was advertised thus Jackson's Oxford Journal:
The FRONT HOUSE, with Shop, No. 16, and SIX COTTAGES in the rear, with Garden to each, and two detached wash-houses, water closets, and privies, with the city water laid on, adjoining Park Passage, in the several occupations of Messrs. Hounslow, Smith, Drury, Hughes, Stapleton, Miss Mallam, and Mrs. Robins, old and punctual tenants, paying a rental of £72. 14s. per annum.
This Property is held by lease from Merton College, for a term of 40 years, from Michaelmas, 1852, subject to a reserved rent of 15s 9d., and Land Tax £1 14s. 3d.
Park Passage disappeared in about 1938. The photograph below gives a glimpse of what remains of the passage today. The yard behind is now used for parking by the Bath Place Hotel.
Park Passage (between 14 & 15 Holywell Street) in the censuses
Known as Carter's Passage in 1841, and as Pool[e]'s Passage in 1851
1841
The 1841 census for Holywell does not give house numbers, but it is possible to deduce where people listed that year lived by examining directory entries between 1839 and 1842 and later censuses
Carter's Passage [1]
James Brownlow (45), a college servant, lived here with his wife Maria (40) and James (11), Ann (9), and Elizabeth (4).Carter's Passage:
An unoccupied dwellingCarter's Passage [2]
William Pool[e] (45), a painter, lived here with Susannah (43) and Charles (11), Jane (7), and Susan (4).Carter's Passage [3]
Henry Quarterman (70), a gardener, lived here with Harriet (50).Carter's Passage [4]
Lydia Vickers (55), a college servant, lived here with Mary (25), Sophia (25), and Robert (20), and Mary Ballinger (6).Carter's Passage [5]
Martha Osborne (50), a seampstress, lived here with Thomas Osborne (20), George Janes (30), a college servant, Ursula Janes (30), and George Janes (four months), plus Eliza Sheldon (20)Carter's Passage [6 again]
James Simms (25), a shoemaker, lived here with Mary (25) and John (21 months).
1851
1 Pool's Passage
Richard Drury (41), a tailor, lived here with his wife Selina (38) and his children Alfred (19), Richard (17), William (15), Selina (13), Edwin (9), Frederick (7), and George (3).
2 Pool's Passage
John Pryor (52), a groom, lived here with his wife Amy (59), who was a college kitchen woman, and his children Emma (23) and George (21).3 Pool's Passage
Caleb Robbins (42), a shoemaker, lived here with his wife Elizabeth (42) and their children Caleb (13), Eliza (11), and George (8).4 Pool's Passage
Lidia Vickers (67), a widowed college servant, lived here with her daughter Mary (35) and her grandchildren Mary Bellenger (16) and Charles Bradley (4). She is listed in 1852 as a servant of Lincoln College5 Pool's Passage
Amelia Gardner (41), an unmarried coat maker, lived here with her nephews John and James Lines, errand boys of 16 and 11 respectively. Lodging separately in the same house was Harriet Quarterman (62), a widowed laundress who back in 1841 was living with her husband at No. 3No listing for 6 Pool's Passage
1861
Park Passage
Henry J. Hughes (39), a college servant, lived with his wife Emma (37) who was a dressmaker, and his children Henry (5), Samuel (3), and Emily (1). His infant son Frank Gillett Hughes died here in Park Passage on 21 November 1870.
Lived at 3 Park Passage in 1871wPark Passage
William Bunce (41), a bootmaker, lived here with his wife Charlotte (43) and his daughters Keziah (2) and Sarah (15), who were both seamstresses, his son William (13), who was a reader with the University Press, and his younger children Charlotte (12), John (10), Arthur (8), Alice (5), and Susan (3).Park Passage
Caleb Robbins (52), a boot & shoemaker, livedhere with his wife Elizabeth (52) who was a laundress, and his children Eliza (21), George (18, a printer’s warehouseman), and his London-born grandson William Gardener (2).Park Passage
Richard R. Drury (57), a tailor, lived here with his wife Selina (48) and his sons Edwin (19) and Frederick (17) who were both tailors, and his younger son George.Park Passage
Margaret Mallam (52), an unmarried laundress, lived here with three lodgers (a bookbinder forwarder, a needlewoman, and a groom).
Lived at 2 Park Passage in 1871Park Passage
William Smith (36), a gardener, lived here with his wife Sarah (29) and his children Sarah (12), Hannah (10), George (6), and John (3 months), as well as his grandmother, Susannah Smith (63)
Lived at 1 Park Passage in 1871
1871
No. 1 Park Passage
William Smith (42), a gardener, lived here with his wife Sarah (32) and their children Sarah (21) and George (16), who were servants, and John (10), Henry (8), and Emily (nine months). Jackson's Oxford Journal of 8 August 1874 reported that the Medical Officer had sent a certificate to the Nuisance Removal Committee that Smith's house here required whitewashing, and that the committee would serve a notice to that effect on the owner, Mrs Green of Queen Street.No. 2 Park Passage
Miss Margaret Mallam (62), a laundress, lived here with her lodger, the tailor Matthew Stuart. By 1 July 1871 the shoemaker John Bull (28) was living here: see under 1881No. 3 Park Passage
Harry Hughes (49), a college servant, lived here with his wife Mary Ann (29), who was a laundress, and their four children: Henry (15), who was a college messenger, and Samuel (13), Louisa (9), and William (2).No. 4 Park Passage
Charles Stapleton (27), a shoemaker, lived here with his wife Ann (33) and their children Charles (10), William (8), Sarah (6), Eleanor (4), George (2), and Kate (two months).No listing for 5 & 6 Park Passage
1881
No. 1 Park Passage
Thomas D. B. Jones (44), a general labourer, lived here with his wife Lucy (29) and his children Harry (9), Joseph (8), William (7), Alice (5), George (3), and Kate (1).No. 2 Park Passage
John Bull (38), a shoemaker, lived here with his wife Emma (48) and his children Mary Jane (12), Robert (9), William (8), and Emma (5). There was another family lodging with them: Richer Tagg (54), a general labourer with his wife Emma (40) and their son Charles (7). John Bull and his wife Emma of 2 Park Passage lived here from at least 1871 to 1901 and appeared regularly in court, and by 1899 their son William started to appearNo. 3 Park Passage
Alfred Halfacre (26), a coachsmith, lived here with his wife Catharine (26) and his sons Ernest (2) and Roland (3 weeks).No. 4 Park Passage
Elizabeth Robbins (80), a widowed charwoman, lived here alone.No. 5 Park Passage
Mary Ann Taylor (42), a plumber’s wife, was living here with her children Frank (14), who was a baker’s errand boy, Gertrude (9) Ruth (8), Sidney (7), Annie (5), and Rosamond (3). Her husband Robert was also with the family in 1891.No. 6 Park Passage
James Edwards (40), a gardener, lived here with his wife Hannah (41) and his children James (16, a gas fitter), Ruth (15, a domestic servant), Alice (14), John (12), Frank (9), Douglas (6), Ben (40). A 68-year-old hawker, Thomas Linders, was lodging with them.
1891
No. 1 Park Passage
Listed as unoccupiedNo. 2 Park Passage
John Bull (48), a bootmaker, still lived here with his wife Emma (56) and his children Robert (20), who was also a bootmaker, William (19), who was a groom, and Emma (14), who was a domestic servant.No. 3 Park Passage
Samuel Barrett (77), described as a widower and stonemason, lived here with his lodger. He died here in January 1892.No. 4 Park Passage
Elizabeth Robbins (90) was still here, and her granddaughter Emily Taylor (21) was living with her.No. 5 Park Passage
Robert M. Taylor (48), a painter, lived here with his wife Mary (47) and their children Frank (24), who was a draper's porter, Ruth (19) who was a domestic servant, Sidney (17), who was a Private in the King's Royal Rifles, Annie (15), who was a domestic servant, and Rosamund (13), and their grandson William Gardiner (six months). He was described as a plumber & glazier in Jackson's Oxford Journal of 2 May 1891.No. 6 Park Passage
James P. Moss (34), a coachman, lived here with his wife Emma (39) and their children Elsie (6), Edith (3), and Emma (three weeks).
1901
No. 1 Park Passage
Samuel Hounslow (37), a cabinet maker, lived here with his wife Eva (35) and his daughter Eva (10).No. 2 Park Passage
John Bull (58), a boot & shoe mender who worked for himself at home, lived here with his wife Emma (71) and his son William (25), who was a groom.No. 3 Park Passage
Arthur Carter (28), a cab driver, lived here with his wife Elizabeth (26), his daughter May (8), his father-in-law James Allen (50, who was a wheelwright, and his mother-in-law Louisa Allen (42), who was a carriage finisher.No. 4 Park Passage
Frank Taylor (34), a cabinet maker’s porter, lived here with his wife Deborah (35) and his children Emily (6), Ethel (4), Sidney (3), and Gertrude (1).No. 5 Park Passage
Robert Taylor (60), a house painter, lived here with his wife Mary (61) and his daughter Rosamond (22), who worked as a general servant, and his grandson Lewis Cartwright (3).No. 6 Park Passage
Elizabeth Fortescue (52), a widowed charwoman, lived here with her daughter Fanny (27) who worked as her general servant. She had a boarder who was a domestic coachman.
1911
No. 1 Park Passage
Not listed.No. 2 Park Passage
Thomas Haydon (64), a carman, lived here with his wife Ann (63).No. 3 Park Passage
Not listed.No. 4 Park Passage
Frank Taylor (44), a widowed furniture porter, lived here with his children Emily (16), Ethel (14), Sidney (15), and Frank (4).No. 5 Park Passage
Mrs M. A. Taylor (73), a widowed housekeeper, lived here with her son Sidney (37), her daughter Rose Coombs (31) and her daughter’s husband Arthur Coombs (31), and her grandson Lewis Cartwright (13).No. 6 Park Passage
Elizabeth Fortescue (64) a widowed municipal office cleaner, lived here with her unmarried daughter Fanny (38), who was the cleaner at Holywell Church.
1921
No. 1 Park Passage
Not listed.No. 2 Park Passage
Samuel Roberts (89), a retired French polisher, lived here with his wife Ada (49), who worked at home as a tailoress.No. 3 Park Passage
Not listed.No. 4 Park Passage
Frank Robert Taylor (54), a widowed furniture porter for the cabinet maker Brazier's at 57 High Street, still lived here with his 14-year-old son Frank, who was a porter for Mr Carter, the tailor a 105 High Street. His daughter Ethel (24) and her husband George Parker (24) who was a clerk at Ashurst Hospital in Littlemore and their two children were also living with him.No. 5 Park Passage
Arthur Coombes (43), a porter at Marychurch & Blackler clothiers & outfitters at 6 Queen Street, lived here with his wife Rosamond (43), who was a charwoman at All Souls College.No. 6 Park Passage
Furby Frederick Herbert (39), who made coats at home for the tailor John Pike of St Aldate's, lived here with his wife Martha (5) and their son Furby (11).
Some occupants of Park Passage listed in directories etc. |
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|
No. 1 |
No. 2 |
No. 3 |
1872 |
Mrs Smith |
J. Bull |
Miss Mallam |
1875–1876 |
Robert Taylor |
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1899 |
No listing |
Thomas Hayden |
No listing |
1915 |
Samuel Hounslow |
John Bull |
Richard Bond |
1921–1927 |
No listing |
Samuel Roberts |
No listing |
1930 |
Mrs Roberts |
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1933 |
William Simpson |
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1935 |
No listing |
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1938 |
Park Passage unoccupied, and listed for the last time |
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No. 4 |
No. 5 |
No. 6 |
|
1872 |
Mrs Robbins |
Charles Stapleton |
Mrs Brown |
1875–1876 |
Mrs Highdon |
Mrs Brown |
|
1899 |
Frank Taylor |
No listing |
John Webber |
1915 |
Robert Taylor |
Mrs Fortescue |
|
1921 |
Arthur Coombs |
Frederick H. Furby |
|
1927 |
No listing |
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1930 |
George Parker |
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1933 |
Sidney Taylor |
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1935, 1936 |
No listing |
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1938 |
Park Passage unoccupied, and listed for the last time |
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