LONDON TRIP 2019_20 DAY TRIP TO WHITSTABLE Pt 2 The Humphrey connection

We went to Whitstable to have a look at the town that Barb's Great grandfather Fred Humphrey had left from in 1905 to travel to Canada and a new life. In preparation for our visit our host Sarah Long had done some online research which showed the family name Humphrey was prominent in the town around the late 18th and early 19th century.

We got back to outside No 37 and there was someone inside, so we tapped on the door which the woman opened on our explaining we were exploring early history, and she invited us in. This was Wendy Croft doing her taxation returns and I guess was pleased for the distraction. Wendy Croft, is a descendant of the family that used these premises as a printing shop, using an early Caxton press, and is owner of the art gallery that we were in. Wendy explained how she found a whole lot of packs of post cards when she was cleaning out the premises after her Uncle had died. There were so many packs that Wendy was able to package them up for sale and that helped with the finances of the Art Gallery she was running. Wendy was happy for me to quickly take some grab shots of the postcards on my iPhone but did mention I should acknowledge the copyright. Hence the watermark in bottom right corner.

The angle used in holding this postcard and taking a photo was beyond the iPhone being able to square up the corners

And a more realistic hint of how life was back in the day

Going to Fred Humphrey Family Search page there was a reference to Fred as not yet a one year old, hence zero age on the census form as per; Name: Fred Humphrey Event Type: Census Event Date: 1881 Event Place: Whitstable, Kent, England Registration District: Blean Residence Note: High Street Gender: Male Age: 0
Wendy said the printing press used to be upstairs but above that there were rooms rented out that another family might well have rented.

First floor where the Printing Press level was

and the next level, that may have been rented. We would need to search for a later census that might give an address for where they lived - or were on Census day.
Barb had done a google search on her smart phone, of census data I guess and came up with this ... 1901 George is M, visiting his son 45334 142 Ernest. 1901 61 High St, Whitstable, Whitstable Urban, Kent:
So summing up; George is visiting his son Ernest at 61 High Street

For a link to Google Maps