History of the House
Nearly 150 years of history of our house and the land on which it sits. All the pdf documents will download when you click on the links.
Before 1877
1877
Frederick Eggar sells a chunk of land to James Cholmeley Russell. This may have been to pay off gambling debts.
Download Abstract of the Title for details of all 19th Century activities.
1905
Part of the land brought by Susan Sumpster plus a little bit of Manor Farm.
Download PDF of the Conveyance
February 1907
Mortgage taken out by Susan and Bertha Sumpster to build Bridge House.
Download PDF of the Mortgage Document
1911 Census
On the day of the census Arthur Urban Sumpster, Edgar William Sumpster and Rose Ellis (a maid) were living here. There is no mention of Susan because she was staying at a boarding house with Bertha in Southsea that day.
March 1914
Indenture between Edward Bull and Richard William Mason (the Trustees) and Susan Sumpster (the Purchaser) and James Chomley Russell and Amelia Gully to buy a strip of land to the north.
1921
Miss Bertha Sumpster sells the house to Richard Alexander Garrett.
Download PDF of the Conveyance | Download PDF of the Mortgage
1921 Census
6 people in the house on 24 April: Richard Garrett and his wife and son, a boarder and two visitors.
1926
Arthur Sumpster dies. He had moved up the hill to 29 Grosvenor Road after Bridge House was sold in 1921.
1956
Brought by Dennis William Saunders
Download PDF of the Conveyance
1972
Dennis sells Bridge House to Kenneth and Colleen Ginsburg.
1975
Proposal for a Granny Flat conversion.
Download PDF of Planned Conversion
We don’t know if this conversion ever happened as detailed in the plan.
1984/1985
Mr RK Freer and Miss CA Hillery buy the freehold.
1986
Request to convert into 5 flats rejected
1989
Request to convert the house into 6 flats rejected. Note that the house was already being used as a HMO with a house, flat and 3 besdits.
Later on a request to convert the house into 4 flats was accepted.
1990/1991
Bridge House Management Company formed and leases issued.
2002
Freehold transferred?
2003
Paul and Maureen Beves buy Bridge House
2012
We buy the freehold
2023
The ground floor flat converted from two to one bed. 8A footprint extended.
Michele & Graham,
fascinating stuff, putting flesh on the bones of the house. Scary how much of the history of the house is part of our lifetime! (Well Louise’s, anyway. Thanks for this. L & T
Just found your website and see that James Cholmeley Russell owned the land from 1877 to 1905. I’m doing research on JCR and would be interested to hear whether you have any further information please. See the link to my biographical blog on JCR
Hi Nick,
We have a copy of the extract giving some details of the land before the house was built. I’ll scan it and send it to you. The indenture for the sale of the land to Susan Sumpster doesn’t have a lot about JCR but you can have that as well if you like.
Yes please to both – many thanks. I will link back to you on the JCR site
Nick Booker
Thank you so much for setting up this page & for all your research. My name is Rachael Smith but my maiden name is Rachael Sumpster & I am researching my family tree. You don’t know how helpful this is & i thank you.
Hi Rachael,
We are slowly piecing together the history of the house and its occupants. Anything you can tell us about Susan would be great. What does intrigue us is why she built the house – was there ever a Mr Sumpster?
Hi Graham,
I can tell you lots about Susan & her family. So she was born Susan Froud in 1841 in Hartley Wintney & on 28 June 1866 she married Urban Sumpster at St Michael the Archangel, Aldershot. Urban was a grocer with a shop in Union Street, they had seven children, 2 girls & 5 boys. Urban died in 1899 at which time they were living at 45 Grosvenor Road. His estate which was split between Susan, his son Walter & another was valued at just over £26k which in today’s money would equate to £3.3m – so he was a very successful business man! At least 2 of their children had shops in Aldershot, Walter had a gents outfitters at 8 Union St & Arthur had a News agents & stationers at 16 Union St. Urban & Susan are both buried along with other family members, at the cemetery in Redan Road. They have a rather fancy memorial reflecting their wealth. Bertha was one of their daughters & Isobel May was their daughter in law, married to Walter Sumpster mentioned already. In the 1911 census the residents of Bridge House are listed as Arthur Sumpster Head of the household, plus his brother Edgar William Sumpster & a servant. There is no mention of Susan because she was staying at a boarding house with Bertha in Southsea that day. I am like you, building on this imformation all the time & I am happy to share or answer any questions. Feel free to email me direct. Regards Rachael
Hello Rachel,
We live at number 7 Eggars Hill beside Graham and Michelle, our house was also built by the Sumpster family and we have the original architect drawing from 1911. I find this history fascinating, how are you related to the Sumpster’s ?