vincent place

vincent place

Built for glove-trade workers

 

Vincent Place was built by William Tucker in the 1890s on orchard land lying between Reckleford and Vicarage Street as shown on the maps below. Vincent Place was a spur off Vincent Street at its 90° bend. Originally built with houses on both sides of the road, the terrace of houses on the north side adjoining the remaining terrace in Vincent Street, Landsdowne Terrace, were built in 1889 and still survive.

William Tucker was a glover who ran the Glovers Arms from at least 1871 until his death at the turn of the century. However he was an entrepreneur with wide interests and he expanded into glove manufacturing, having invested in the business of F Blake & Co just a few doors along in Reckleford.

When William began investing in town development and providing housing for glove workers, he named two of the roads he built after members of his family; Earle Street after his son and Vincent Street, as well as Vincent Place, after his wife's maiden name. The rest of the development were Cecil Street and Salisbury Terrace in Reckleford - both named after the Prime Minister of the time, Lord Salisbury, whose family name was Cecil.

Other developments William initiated, which were continued and expanded after his death in 1899 by his son, William Earle Tucker, included Victoria Road, St Michael's Road, and Lyde Road.

The houses on the south side of Vincent Place were demolished in the 1980s for the Quedam development.

 

MAPs


Map based on the 1886 Ordnance Survey showing the undeveloped area between Reckleford, seen running across the top of the map, and Vicarage Street in the lower left corner.

 


Map based on the 1901 Ordnance Survey showing the same area developed with Earle Street, Vincent Street, Vincent Place and Cecil Street.

 

gallery

 

This aerial photograph of 1953 shows part of Vicarage Street at bottom left with Vincent Street running up the centre of the photograph to join Vincent Place at the top. Earle Street runs in from centre right.

 

This 1960's photograph is at the bend in Vincent Street, which continues to the left, with the entrance to Vincent Place at right. Above the street sign on the black and white pole are the street nameplates for Vincent Street and Vincent Place side-by-side - they still survive as seen below....

 

The Vincent Street and Vincent Place street nameplates as referred to above. Photographed in 2013.

 

The Vincent and Earle Street Stores, with Earle Street off to the right. At left is the back of the first house on the south side of Vincent Place. Photographed in the 1960s from Vincent Street.

 


Courtesy of the Western Gazette

The demolition of the south side of Vincent Street begins in this photograph of 1983. Taken from the 90º bend in Vincent Street which runs down to join Vicarage Street to the left. The northern part of Vincent Street and Vincent Place, which remain today, are seen at right.

 

Houses in Vincent Street and Vincent Place escape the obliteration of Vicarage Street in 1983.

 

The last remnants of Vincent Street (to the left) and Vincent Place (at right) - the junction is by the fourth car from the right. Note the large trees and left and then see below.

The deforestation of Yeovil - a light 'pruning' of the trees in front of Vincent Street / Vincent Place in November 2013.

 

.... and there they were - gone! in January 2014.

 

It's now possible to get a better view of the remaining houses in Vincent Street and Vincent Place after the removal of the trees. Photographed in January 2014.