History: 27 Northdown Road 
Click on thumbnail of map for larger view of where we are.Northdown Road is the 'B' road which passes through the pink circle in the centre of the map above. In 1839, the Tithe map and apportionment shows that the area to the East of Northdown Road, where we are, was Field 413, and belonged to Thomas Blackburn of Joss Farm. In Date Order: 1780-1820: According to KCC Centre for Kentish Studies there are no land tax returns for St. Peter’s. These may have provided information concerning Joss Farm and the land owned by the farm for this period. 1839: Tithe Map and apportionment for Field 413 (IR30/17/291 p10), according to KCC Centre for Kentish Studies, 22nd October 2001, shows that the landowner was Thomas Blackburn, the occupier was Thomas Blackburn and the name of the field was ‘Little Four Acres’. 
Pigot’s Directory 1839 showed Thomas Blackburn living at Joss Farm. 1841: According to KCC Centre for Kentish Studies, (HO107/468 fol 44 p 7) The Census showed that Thomas Blackburn, age 75, was living at Joss Farm. 1842: Tithe Map (please click on it for a closer look). We are where the yellow dot is, Field 413, not yet divided by the railway.
 Click on thumbnail of map for larger view 1845: Altered apportionment for field number 413a according to KCC Centre for Kentish Studies, shows the landowner was Thomas Blackburn, the occupier was Alfred Blackburn and the name of the field was still ‘Little Four Acres’. 1847: According to KCC Centre for Kentish Studies, Bagshaw’s Directory showed ‘Thomas Blackburn, Joss farm’ 1859: According to KCC Centre for Kentish Studies, Kelly’s Directory of Kent for 1859 for St. Peter’s showed ‘Alfred Blackburn, farmer, Joss Farm’. 1861: Called "Granville Road" in Census of 1861, not Northdown Road.  Click on thumbnail of picture for larger view 1866: Tithe Map, showing 'our' field as 413a now, having had a corner cut off by the Railway.  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view
When was the Brickfield started? Was it started for the railway’s demand for bricks for the bridges, etc? According to Mr Alan Noble, the bricks from "our" brickfield were used to build the houses in Magdala Road and Speke Road. The imperfect bricks were used in the latter, hence the houses were rendered. 1872: Ordnance survey, County Series, 1st Edition, 1872 Kent Sheet XXVI9. No. 27 Northdown Road is now where it says 'Brickfield 192' and our garden is at '193'. 
1877: Map showing Brickfields (and David Cuffley’s notes from his Brickmaker’s Index;).  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view
1879: From Deeds: Thomas Blackburn (see note 1) of Joss Farm (now Elmwood Farm?) died and left the land to his son, James Taddy Blackburn 1884: From Deeds: 24th March: James Taddy Blackburn sold a piece (?) of this land to William Sampson Barwick (see note 2)  Click on thumbnail of extract from deeds for larger view
"Late in tenure or occupation of Messrs. Leslie & Hewitt as a Brickfield or yard".
1888: From Deeds: 30th June: W.S. Barwick sold a piece (?) to W.H.Hudson.  Click on thumbnail of extract from deeds for larger view
11th October: W.H.Hudson transferred (part of) it to Zachariah Hudson + Thomas Woodman? 1889: From Deeds: 21st February: Zachariah Hudson + Thomas Woodman sold (part of?) it to Mary Sarah Mansell? 1891: From Deeds: 17th February: Thomas Lane (see Note 3) bought part of it.  Click on thumbnail of extract from deeds for larger view
1892: From Deeds: 12th April: Harry Bing (see Note 4) bought it.  Click on thumbnail of extract from deeds for larger view
1895: From Deeds: 25th October: Harry Bing sold (part of?) the land to Fanny Loomes (see Note 5). 1898: From Deeds: 1st September: Fanny Loomes sold part of her land to Joseph Bing the Younger (see Note 4).  Click on thumbnail of extract from deeds for larger view
The following Covenant on this document still exists today on our title as a charge affecting the land. " Joseph Bing the Younger, his heirs and assigns will not at any time hereafter erect any stable or other building that may cause an annoyance to the adjoining owners within one hundred feet of the Northdown Road". The following map shows that this was probably the piece of land where No.s 23 (Elder Cottage), 25 + our No.27 are now. It is the strip shown as having no buildings on it, below the first five cottages (Fern Cottages and Oak Villas). 1898: O/S 2nd Edition, 1898 Kent Sheet XXVI9  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view.
1900: From Deeds: 26th January: Joseph Bing the Younger sold to Henry Percy Padgham (Corn Merchant) (see Note 6). STABLES AND BUILDINGS RECENTLY ERECTED 
1901: From Deeds: 5th August: Henry Percy Padgham (known as Harry), of Buddles Farm, sold (our bit?) to Walter John Simpson, Builder, of Upton Road, St. Peter’s (see Tithe Redemption, 22nd February 1911) Walter John Simpson owned our land from 1901-1923. He was a builder. His name is on the Tithe Redemption shown below. Did he use the "Sheds and plot of land adjoining, between Oak Villas and Elder Cottage", for his own business? 1908: Map on a board in Margate Library. Looks like the end of our garden (showing the outbuildings here) + the ends of 29 + 31 + Elder Cottage were all part of Astoria. Hence shed door opens out that way.  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view
1911: 22nd February: Tithe Redemption No. 18645  Click on thumbnail of picture for larger view
1917:  Click on thumbnail of picture for larger view
1923: From Deeds: 29th May: Walter John Simpson sold to Mr. Edward George Tucker (Haulage Contractor) (see Note 7). 27th September: Edward George Tucker’s Mortgage Indenture states: "And together with the messuage or dwellinghouse and outbuildings now in the course of erection thereon by the Mortgagor", so No.s 25 + 27 must have been built in 1923. Alan Noble (see note 8) told me that Edward Tucker built No.27 and No.29, and his Haulage Business consisted of his horse and cart, which was kept in one of the outbuildings at the end of our garden. Hence our garage had to be big enough for the horse and cart to go through. He used it to collect building materials from the local kilns, chalk pits, clay mill, etc. and sea sand from the beach. He delivered these materials to local building sites. 1928: Kelly’s Commercial Directory shows "No.25 Tucker, Edward George, Haulage Contractor" 1932: O/S map Kent Sheet XXVI9 Revision of 1932  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view
1937: Kelly’s Commercial Directory shows "No.25 Tucker E>G> & Son, Haulage Contractors", also "No.5 Tucker A.T. newsagent" Alan Noble said this was one of the sons. 1940:  Click on thumbnail of picture for larger view
When Edward Tucker died his two sons took over the haulage business and bought a small lorry. They had a petrol tank, and a pump on the wall in the garage. In those days businesses were allowed to keep 300 gallons. Apparently, during the war Tucker was the only one who had any petrol, but wouldn’t let anyone else have any. 1956: O.S. National Grid Plan of Broadstairs TR 3868. In the garden of No.19, 'The Bungalow', an outbuilding is shown as a 'Ruin'. Was this something to do with the brickfield? It was still there, completely covered in Ivy, until the summer of 2004.  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view
1959: From Deeds: 20th January: Executors for the deceased Emmaline Charlotte Tucker received letter regarding "option to purchase No.s 25+27 for £1300 together with garden ground and appurtenances" 13th February: Executors Albert Thomas Tucker and Alan William White accepted option to purchase. 6th April: Mortgage paid off. 1963: From Deeds: 20th May: Albert Thomas Tucker (Newsagent and grocer of 5 Northdown Road) received the deeds from Hastings & Thanet Building Society. There is nothing in our deeds after that, till 1985. 1964: From Planning History: Temporary planning permission granted for the land for the construction and storage of concrete products: light industrial for three years. After three months, use changed to storage of builder’s plant, vehicles and general builders yard. This consent was not renewed, but unauthorised use continued. 1972: O/S National Grid Plans of Broadstairs TR 3868 NW  Click on thumbnail of map for larger view
1977: From Planning History: Enforcement Officer visited. Land still used as builders yard, storage of plant and parking of vehicles. Another application was submitted. There was building material, debris and rubbish on the land, with no screening. Although there had been no complaints from neighbours during the preceding 14 years, further consent was only granted subject to the erection of a 2m high fence and gate along the west boundary. 1980: From Planning History: 31st July: Planning Consent expired. A further application was submitted, but the site was still not screened or enclosed, so the application was refused as deemed obtrusive to neighbours. The site was left to become overgrown until we took it over and began to clear it. 1985: From Deeds: 20th September: William Brazil transferred No. 25 to David Brazil. A plan dated august 1985 shows No.25’s extended garden. From their kitchen window to the end of their garden should be 26600mm (26.6m). 2000: From Deeds: Title No. K75245 transferred to Stephen John Brazil and Juliet Anne Seeley, 27 Northdown Road. Note 1: Thomas Blackburn’s name, according to Alan Noble, appeared on many local deeds. He was not related to the Blackburn’s in Broadstairs (furniture and funerals). He had something to do with the windmill at Clarendon Road at one time. Thomas Blackburn is mentioned in the book written about St. Peter’s, by James E. Bird. It says, "In 1866, a seventh church school for the infants of Reading Street was built, on land given by Thomas Blackburn, by Mrs. Cotton of the Convent, Kingsgate. With it’s turret, clock and bell it was for many years a focal point in the hamlet. In the late 1940’s it was closed and converted to a private dwelling." Note 2: William Sampson Barwick was shown in Hutchings & Crowsley’s Directory of 1883-4 as a House & Estate Agent of 2 Sussex Villas A "Thomas Barwick," was, in 1909/10, Secretary of St. Peter’s Property Protection Association. A "William Barwick" was shown in the 1841 Census as a bricklayer. John E. Barwick, born 1844, of 1 Hopeville Villas, was shown in 1881 to have been a builder, brickmaker, coal merchant and limeburner, employing 22 men and 3 boys, according to David Cuffley’s Brickmaker’s Index. Note 3: Thomas Lane was shown, in Kelly’s Directory 1900-01 as owning/living in No.11, "Sunnyside". Note 4: A "Harry Bing" was shown in Kelly’s 1909-10 Commercial Lists as a boot maker, 15 High Street, Broadstairs. Joseph Bing the Younger was shown to be a boot maker of Albion Road, St. Peter’s, and Joseph Bing Senior was shown to be a boot maker of Sea Breeze Villa, Rectory Road. James E. Bird mentions in his book a Harry Bing. He says, "A happy memory of this period (though the period doesn’t seem to be pinpointed: possibly early-mid 1900’s?) is of sturdy, rubicund Harry Bing careering around the Harbour in his motor boat, Topsy, with some elegant figure trailing behind on her surf-board: four times Chairman of the Council, he repeatedly proclaimed Broadstairs to be ‘The Hub of Thanet’. It was Harry Bing who advocated the erection of the terrace of chalets around the Main Bay." Note 5: Fanny Loomes was shown as living in Astoria Cottage (the big old one divided into two, now No.s 19a and 21) in Kelly’s Directory of 1900-01. Perhaps she bought Astoria and our piece of land was then part of it? Note 6: Harry P. Padgham is shown in Kelly’s Directories of 1900-01 as owning/living in No.19, "The Bungalow". Note 7: Kelly’s Directories, 1925, shows between No.s 23+29, Tucker (Albert Villa). 1926 shows Tucker, Edward G., 25 Northdown Road. Note 8: Referring to my telephone conversation of 24th July 2001 with Mr. Alan Noble of the Undertakers on the corner of Northdown Road and Church Street.
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