Fudge's Court

fudge's court

Victorian slum housing between Middle Street and Vicarage Street

 

Fudge's Court was a small court of poor dwellings between Middle Street and Vicarage Street. It only appears in the 1851 census and the residents included 58-year old mason John Fudge, after whom the court was named. He lived there with his wife Jane, son Eli a mason’s apprentice, and granddaughter Matilda.

Also living in the court were saddler and harness maker William Parker with his wife and daughter. Next door was widowed pauper Jane Preston who had been a glover. Living with her were her children; labourer Samuel, hawker Frederick, needlewoman Hannah and cordwainer Walter. In the next dwelling lived 66-year old agricultural labourer James Pardy and his charwoman wife Anna Jane.

In the last dwelling lived George Heifer, a labourer on the roads, his needlewoman sister in law Mary Ann and six children. Interestingly the census enumerator felt it necessary to include the following note on the census form “This man cohabits with his brother’s wife and the four children are illegitimate by him.” The other two children were his brother's.