Researching purchase date of Family home.

David_Aston

My sister and I, both in our seventies would like to find out when Dad purchased the home where I was born, in 1943. The property still stands, and is lived in, I think.
Naturally I assumed it would be a doddle. An application form to The Land Registry with appropriate fee. However, email communication with them appears to reveal, no info prior to 1972, when it appeared on their books, so to speak. From what we absolutely know, it was purchased 1941 ish, and then sold by Dad in 1948/9.
The Deeds of the house my wife and I have lived in since 1983 do show it's history from being built in 1960, two previous owners and then ourselves. So, push come to shove, I will write to the current occupiers of that first home, if all else fails.
I just wondered if any of the forum users can think of any other course of action, please? I also note there is a Land Registry respondent on these forums, and wonder if they can suggest anything?
I tried phoning Wolverhampton Local Authority this morning for suggestions, but after a decent wait, while "Chai", enquired about for me, he redirected my call to The Land Registry, without telling me, and at 22 in the waiting list, and knowing what the emails had told me, I cut my losses and rang off!

JoJo1978

I found some lacking details about the home we've just sold by poking about some local history archives. I may have just got lucky because it was on a post war council housing estate and was the subject of a former review process to determine if it should therefore be made into a conservation area.

I don't know if planning and town development records go back farther than land registry, but that could be another port of call. Comparing OS maps over the years could give you a clue as to when built.

bouicca21

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/1939Register

Thus will give you a start with information about 1939. You could also look at historic electoral registers. Your local library will probably have some books on house history.

Mahsroh

David_Aston wrote: »

So, push come to shove, I will write to the current occupiers of that first home, if all else fails.

I'm not sure this will give you answer unless you Dad bought the property new? Just thinking about the land registry title for my property. It tells me who the original owner was (back in the 1910's!) but doesn't tell me any of the owners in between (apart from one former owner in the 70's when an alteration was made to the deeds).

David_Aston

Thanks guys, am considering all your suggestions.
Interesting mahsroh. I would imagine the property dates back towards the beginning of the twentieth century, possibly older. I had better have another look at my own Deeds. On perusing them, and seeing the first owner,( who to this day lives immediately over the road), and then the family from whom we purchased, I made the assumption that every sale went on each successive set of Deeds. Perhaps not, as you point out.

need_an_answer

I love the whole social history thing and find it fascinating.
Nothing to add above and beyond what has already suggested,but when you look on house selling websites have you managed to pick up any recent pictures of the property?

Do you remember living there or is it just where you were born and perhaps early years?
sorry too many questions,but have you considered revisiting the property to see if you have any memories of how it used to be.

All fascinating,and the best of luck with your search!

Mojisola

David_Aston wrote: »

I had better have another look at my own Deeds. On perusing them, and seeing the first owner,( who to this day lives immediately over the road), and then the family from whom we purchased, I made the assumption that every sale went on each successive set of Deeds. Perhaps not, as you point out.

Our deeds show all the owners since the house was built - and the owners of the land for many years prior to the house being built.

I thought they all did as well.

G_M

The Land Registry will only hold records from when it was 1st registered with them.

In 1943 it would not have been, so they will be unable to provide information that far back.

Before then, all sales, conveyances, and charges etc were recorded on paper, and each owner would hold all the historic paperwork going back in time (to prove that they owned the property after buying from their seller, who had owned it after buying from their seller who had bought from their seller etc).

Where a new owner had a mortgage, the bank would hold all this paperwork till the mortgage was paid off, and then pass it either back to the owner, or if they were selling at the same time, to the new owner (or their bank).

Once the LR had recorded ownership (in the 60s? 70s?), all this paperwork became obsolete, but many owners keep it anyway for histroical interest. I have legal papers for my house going back to the 1880s. If I lost or threw them away, it would now make little difference as my ownership is now recorded electronically by the LR.

So asking the current owners is a good idea - though guarantees no success!

Apart from this, try local newspaper, council, parish or church documents, and don't forget to speak to the neighbours especially the older ones!

David_Aston

"need an answer", I have certainly Google Earthed down Lloyd Street, and my first home looks well maintained. Equally, I may yet drive to Wolverhampton, and dare to knock on the door. What's to lose? Strangely, the attached house, it being a semi, shows on Google Earth as being a Mencap establishment. Odd. I think our house last sold in 1995, 36 grand. I was five/six when we moved to the other side of town. Remembering that first home as being HUGE, is probably just a child thing!

David_Aston

Thanks for your post GM, and your insight into how it used to work.
I would really prefer to hang onto the records of this "New" property. 1960 built, but references back into the 1920's, rather than lose them, so with your property details back into the 1880's I imagine that pertains to you as well.
I have suggested to my Missus that we go to Wolverhampton, perhaps for a mid week break, in order to do some research. She prefers The Cotswolds, or maybe the coast, or abroad, somewhere warm!