Genealogy Chat

Ive googled til Im googled out on this. I have found a reference on A2A to a John and William Dixon of St Mary Rotherhithe being indicted for impeding the Thames traffic at Pitchers Point. I am hoping this John Dixon is the GGFx4 I have been searching for, father to my William Dixon. Now my dad (91) remembers his grandfather, another William Dixon, telling him that his grandad (following this?) owned a little warehouse on/off Rotherhithe Street, St Mary Rotherhithe. BUT before I jump to any conclusion, I would like to find out where Pitchers Point would be on the Thames and whether it would therefore be likely that wood from a warehouse at Rotherhithe Street could have fallen in the Thames to impede the traffic. Anyone with local knowledge please?

Hi Heather I did see you post about this on another thread, then couldn't remember where I'd seen it. The short answer is that I haven't a clue where it was. With a name like that, could it be a wharf or quay or other riverside feature, where Pitcher conducted his business? If that were the case, it might have changed its name over time. I have an A - Z of Georgian London. When I can locate it, I'll look to see if Pitchers Point is mentioned. Like you, I have Googled, found some VERY strange sites, but saw nothing of relevance.

Many thanks Brenda, I thought if anyone would know it would be you. I have just emailed dockland ancestors (where I have bought many a cd and info!) to ask them if they have any ideas. Dad tells me that a Pitchers Point was sometimes where there was a standpipe to get your pitcher filled with water (good old dad, eh, like having a real link to the past) but he doesnt know of a place with such a name. I am hoping I can tie these people into the Dixons of Rotherhithe to present dad with an updated tree (I have redone a lot of it since finding that the tree passed to me by a chap in the US was based on likely IGI entries from 1820 back!) PS Brenda, know what you mean about strange sites - what on earth can that be?? Thank goodness we dont know and dont want to!

Found this: http://www.nmm(.)ac.uk/mag/pages/mnuExplore/PaintingDetail.cfm?ID=BHC1868 see line three of the description. maybe if you google Quallet's??? Sarah

Thanks Sarah, I will have a look (hope its to do with the Thames and not the other things I kept getting up in my googling!) Its a wonderful site and what a beautiful painting? Do you know you can order prints of any of the paintings on there? That would be great for a pressie for dad. Thats brilliant Sarah (I actually looked through that site with a search on Pitchers Point!!). Woo hoo, sounds like it was on Rotherhithe Street then! Ive tried googling Quallets, keep getting wallets! Will check later today, old man getting a bit peeved about time Im spending on here!

lol Heather - don't show dad any of the other stuff!! Sarah

I still dont know what that means Sarah? I thought I had lived a full and broad minded life, but I surely DO NOT want to know what else it could mean!!! Update: No I actually saw the site addresses when I was googling, like Brenda, they were obviously not the sort of thing ladies would look at, but still cant understand the connection to Pitchers Point!

Well, I'm in the same boat as you, Heather!! (At Pitcher Point?? Ha!) We are awaiting Brenda'a explanation of EXACTLY what sites she was looking at???? (Not sure I wish to know!) Sarah

Hi Heather, I've looked in my Booth's notebook that covers Rotherhithe but no mention of Pitchers Point. Does mention Rotherhithe Street though. Have you googled Charles Booth's maps? I will pop off and have a look for you. Also will speak to mum later as she was brought up in Rotherhithe, albeit in the war.

Sorry no luck. Tried googling and got Pitchers Yard which seems to have a connection with Thomas Pitcher or Pitchers of Northfleet who seem to have been ship builders. Might be worth a browse.

Many thanks guys, am awaiting a mail back from docklands ancestors swho reckon they know a man who will know! Meanwhile have phoned 82 year old cousin (my dad was youngest of 14 so my cousins are all called uncle) and he said something about Spillers yard. So Im going to have a further google.

Hi Brenda and everyone - thought you may be interested to know (?) that the lovely Southwark Library Archivist has sent me the following: Pitchers Point was between Princes Dock and King and Queen Dock, downstream of the entrance to the Surrey Canal. Just across Rotherhithe Street from it was the alleyway called Mistaers Buildings, and Globe Pond was the largest feature in the hinterland. King and Queen Stairs were nearby. Stuart Rankin's booklet on the general history of shipbuilding at Rotherhithe, has a map that shows Pitchers Point. He also suggested that the rates books at the library may be able to help me further. Arent they wonderful.

....fantastic....and I suppose, being a library, the info came free and gratis??!! I love librarians!! Sarah

The Southwark Archivist is a lovely chap. I wrote months ago asking any info about my gran. He emailed back immediately saying that he had just written a book about Bermondsey and Rotherhithe and my gran was in two pics in it. When he sent me a copy it also had brill photos of all the streets my mum and dad had lived in and where I was born and one photo had a crowd of people, each of whom my dad could identify and name. It was lovely!

By the the way, Heather, did you check all of the catalogue for the Dixons? They were bad boys twice and had a different address second time around.

Really Brenda, what in A2A? Blimey, how did they manage to be in 2 courts on the same day? Or was it the date of the offence and they got tried in two different areas? Sounds like my lot! Actually, thats interesting, cos William though born in Rotherhithe married in Middx.then lived in Rotherhithe. I do hope it connects up as dad would love to hear all this. And who knows, I could be a multi millionairess if they never sold their yard! The second time they were impeding by Tower Bridge by the looks of it! When we were little, we had never been to the seaside (ah, everyone) and mum used to take us down to Tower Bridge when the tide was out with a pic nic. We would sit on the shingle with our sandwiches and thought for years that was being at the seaside!

Heather I actually have it on a map of 1862

Oh thats great Shelli. The archvist mentioned its in a pamphlet called Shipbuilding in Rotherhithe I think. Perhaps you have that.

Did you see the online booklet - a walk by Stuart Rankin? 62 pages, complete with illustrations? If not, I'll send the address when I get home.

Heather no i don't have any leaflet i ahve a web page. Will try and explain how to see it..... Go to http://www.motco(.)com/map/ Click on London and suburbs 1862 When it's loaded ther should be a seerate menu on the left click on road and street index ( takes a wee while to load) Then scroll down to Rotherhithe street (16, 19) NOT (17,18) as this is a another part of Rotherhithe Street. A portion of the map will then appear on the right part of the screen, you have to scroll left to right and and up and down to view the whole thing. But in your case just scroll left to right slightly and you'll see Pitchers point just where you said it was between Princes Dock and King and Queen dock. let me know if you can follow my instructions? Shelli xx