SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Ok, my house in Armley was built in 1890, its a fairly big semi, 5 bedrooms large garden etc... Anyway, less bragging, more questions!The first name on the deeds of my house is Thomas Ambler. Now, nice as my house is, I'm not sure its really a property of such grandiose nature as to befit an architect of the stature of mr Ambler, particuarly in 1890, at the height of his career. Is it likely that the first name on the deeds would relate to the "owner" in as much as Mr Ambler owned the company that built the house? Did Thomas Ambler build houses in Armley?

He could have been the owner of the land and may have retained the freehold.

I think that the explanation is that Mr Ambler owned a number of houses which he rented out . In the period 1890-mid 1891 he advertised in t eLeeds Mercury for tenants to rent houses on about 8 occasions. These seem to have been in the Clarendon Road, Belle Vue Road area, but he could well have expanded into Armley

What names and occupations etc do the relevant census records - 1891, 1901 and 1911 - say for your address?    

In the 1891 census Thomas Ambler (Architect) was living on Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton    

Thanks for all your help with this folks, especially the census info (is that available for free online? I found a site but it didn't seem to link to any real info?)The 1890 map of my road (Conference Road) shows the first 4 houses, then a large gap, then my house, with the spaces in-between later filling with through terraced houses of a different design. Also the majority of the Back to backs on streets opposite are yet to be built. This fits with my casual observation that my house (as two semi's) and the houses next door which are the same but reversed are quite different to other houses in the area of similar age. Nothing outstanding, just differences in the details!Thanks again for all your help!Jim

[quotenick="meehaja"]Thanks for all your help with this folks, especially the census info (is that available for free online? I found a site but it didn't seem to link to any real info?)Jim. You can get the 1881 census free on "Find My Past" & on "Family Search". For the rest of them you have to payMichael

uncle m how do you access those trade journals?etc.you got the one on Tenter Lane, do you subscribe to summat ?

Jogon wrote: uncle m how do you access those trade journals?etc.you got the one on Tenter Lane, do you subscribe to summat ? I subscribe to Ancestry

The "type 1" (one up, one down) and "type 2" (two up, two down) back to backs were designed in blocks of 4 with a gap that was originally for outside toilets but which is now used as a bin store. There's a study of housing types in Holbeck at http://www.leedshousingpartnership.co.u ... 115834.pdf with a description of the different types of back to back on page 108. Obviously it's a different area but it gives an idea of the thinking behind housing policy in Leeds.