Oxford’s ‘Grandpont’ station and its relationship to James Archer in the 1840s and 1850s:

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James Archer was aged 21 in 1857 when he founded his business Archer & Co, carriers to Abingdon etc.  So, in 1844, 13 years earlier, when the GWR arrived in Oxford, close to where the family was living at the time, James was aged 8. Did he become a steam-engine-fanatic, or enthusiast, or even ‘interested spectator'? The first in the family? In whose steps I later followed-suit in 1948? We shall probably never know. And we do not need to. But it does seem reasonable to conclude that James would, in the years 1844 to 1857 have become increasingly aware of the significance of ‘transport developments’ going on around him, and may well have had his own thoughts about how he might become involved in all that. After all, the 1840s were the decade of ‘railway mania’ when fortunes were made and lost in a fever of speculative investment in new railway lines. (21.8.2016).

Where James Archer lived in relation to the raiway in Oxford:

Here, pasted from John Archer (father of James Archer)’s cv is the data about where the family lived in the censuses of 1841, 1851, 1861 and so on:

Census data, 1841 Census: Victualler, age 35, living in Market Street, on the corner with Ship Street, with his wife and 8 children, a nephew and one servant:

  1. City of Oxford, parish of St. Michaels,  (eventually deciphered as) ‘Market Street’;
  2. John Archer, male, age 35, victualler, born in same county;
  3. Frances Archer, female, age 30, born in same county;
  4. Elizabeth Archer, daughter, age 11, born in same county; 
  5. Ann Archer, daughter, age 9, born in same county; 
  6. John Archer, son, age 8, born in same county;
  7. Thomas Archer, son, age 6, born in same county;
  8. James Archer, son, age 4, born in same county;
  9. Ellen Archer, daughter, age 3, born in same county;
  10. Matilda Archer, daughter, age 1, born in same county;
  11. William Leaver, age 4, (presumably a nephew of John’s), born in same county; and
  12. Jane Jefferies, age 20, (presumably as servant), born in same county;
  13. Note that Ship Street commences immediately after this household, so the  house is on the corner of Market Street, and Ship Street;

So, 3 years before the GWR arrived at Grandaunt, James l(age 4) and his father and the rest of the family were living in Market Street, Oxford, in the Cornmarket area;


1851 Census:

Brewer, age 45, living at No. 63 St. Aldates, with his wife and 10 children:

  1. Parish of St. Aldates, City of Oxford, No. 63, St. Aldates Street; 
  2. Other houses on same sheet in same street: Nos. 61, 62, and 64;
  3. John Archer, head of family; married; age: 45 (definitely 45, not 48), brewer, born Oxford, St. Aldates; 
  4. Fanny Archer; wife; married; age 42; born: London;
  5. Fanny Archer; daughter; unmarried, age: 21, born Oxford, St. Aldates;
  6. Elizabeth Archer, daughter; unmarried, age 20; born: Oxford, St. Michaels; 
  7. Ann Archer; daughter, unmarried; age 19; born: Oxford, St. Michaels;
  8. Matilda Archer; daughter, unmarried, age 5, born: Oxford, St. Giles’;
  9. John Archer, son, age 18; cooper; born: Oxford, St. Michaels;
  10. Thomas Archer, son, age 17, brewer’s labourer; born Oxford, St. Michaels;
  11. James Archer, son, age 14; scholar; born: Oxford, St. Michaels;
  12. Edward Archer, son, age 9; scholar; born: Oxford, St. Michaels;
  13. Charles Archer, son, age 8; scholar; born: Oxford, St. Michaels;
  14. George Archer, son, age 3; scholar, born: Oxford, St. Aldates;
  15. Notes: (i) 4 daughters and 6 sons living at home with John and Fanny Archer, ages 45 and 42,  at No. 63 St. Aldates; (ii) next door, at No. 62 St. Aldates: ‘Thomas Hewes, College Servant’;


And in 1851, then, the family was living in St Aldates, not so far from the river, and in good close proximity to the family brewery in Archer’s Yard;


1861 Census: 

Brewer, age 56, living at Isis House, St. Aldates, Oxford, in a household of 13:

  1. Isis House, St Aldates, Oxford;
  2. John Archer, head, married, age 56, brewer; born Oxford;
  3. Frances Archer, married, age 53, born London;
  4. Frances Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 32, born Oxford;
  5. Elizabeth Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 31, born Oxford;
  6. Thomas Archer, son, unmarried, age 26, born Oxford;
  7. James Archer, son, unmarried, age 25, born Oxford;
  8. Ellen Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 24, born Oxford;
  9. Edward Archer, son, unmarried, age 19, born Oxford;
  10. Matilda Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 15, born Oxford;
  11. William Archer, son, age 8, born Oxford;
  12. Rosa Archer, daughter,  age 6, born Oxford;
  13. Mary Cutch, age 84, born Oxon, Ewelm (?);
  14. Also present: Frank Mappleson, lodger, age 20 (or 26) Railway worker, born London;
  15. Note: next door is apparently ‘Grandpont House’ with Thomas Randle, magistrate and hatter living there;


So, by 1861, and 4 years after James has founded his ‘Archer & Co’ business, he is (age 25) still living with his parents and the family home is ‘Isis House’ St Aldates, Oxford, of which I believe I have an image which I can post on this site (22.8.16). Click here to go to that image.

1871 Census: 

Coal Merchant, age 67, living at Abingdon Road, Berks,  (next door to Lock House and Folly Bridge Boat House) with wife and son and daughter:

  1. John Archer, head, married, age 67, Coal Merchant (so perhaps the brewery has now been sold), born Oxford, St. Aldates;
  2. Fanny Archer, wife, married, age 64, born London, Westminster;
  3. Rosa Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 17, born Oxford, St. Aldates;
  4. William Archer, son, unmarried, age 18, born Oxford, St. Aldates;
  5. Susannah Huckwell, servant, unmarried, age 17, Domestic Servant, born Barton, Oxford;
  6. Next two houses are: Grandpont House, where Thomas Randle (Magistrate/ Alderman) and his wife Elizabeth live, aged 65 and 61, and then ‘Thistle White House, Abingdon Road, where Ann Braithwaite (widow) aged 50 is an ‘Inn Keeper’;
  7. Note: this sheet of the census is No. 36 of 36, and is marked “Transferred to Berkshire” and crossed-out quite boldly;


1871 Census:

Daughters Frances and Matilda and son James, living at Anchor Hotel, New Road, St. Peter le Bailey civil parish, Oxford:

  1. (After ie next-door-to, No. 10 New Road, Oxford): New Road Anchor Hotel;
  2. James Archer, head, unmarried, age 27, Carrier, born Oxford, Oxon;
  3. Frances Archer, sister, unmarried, age 36, Housekeeper, born Oxford, Oxon;
  4. Matilda Archer, sister, unmarried, age 21,  Housekeeper, born Oxford, Oxon;


1881 Census:

Retired Brewer, living at Folly Bridge with daughter Rosa, and a servant:

  1. Folly Bridge, (next door to Grandpont House, Abingdon Road, where Thomas Randle, retired hatter is still living) ie John Archer is apparently living in the same house as in 1871;
  2. John Archer, head, widower, age 77, born Oxford, Oxon;
  3. Rosa Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 27, ‘No occupation’ (crossed-out), born Oxford, Oxon;
  4. Esther Wheeler, servant, unmarried, age 19, General Servant, born Buscot (looks like) Gloucestershire;


Lived: 

1.Presumably lived mainly or entirely in Oxford, if he was in charge of the family brewery (assumption on pba’s part); 
2.FGBA’s manuscript notes say “Lived at Isis House, Grandpont, Oxford”;

3. The Tiff image of what I believe must be his house at Folly Bridge, is taken from the ‘Godfrey Edition’ map of ‘South Oxford 1898’, and clearly shows what corresponds to the two houses mentioned in the censuses of 1861/1871/1881, one of which is Thomas Randle’s ‘Grandpont House’. (PBA): How many times I was within sight of this house when on afternoon school walks from Christ Church Cathedral Choir School (approx 1948 – 54), or was resting on my oar (having rowed up in an eight from Iffley Lock) when at Magdalen College School (1954 – 61), but had no idea that any member of the family had lived there; but my father (FGBA) never mentioned such things in ordinary conversation; see the photos in the ‘Event’ ‘Oxford 2.5.09’ on this Mac, which includes at frames P5020113 to 116, several views of what I believe is John Archer’s residence;

4. FGBA’ s manuscript notes also say, that in 1883 John Archer (junior) lived at 7 Banbury Road;

(The above page-content is derived from the web-site of South Oxford Community Association [http://www.southoxford.org/local-history-in-south-oxford/interesting-aspects-of-grandpont-and-south-oxford-s-history/the-coming-of-the-railway-to-oxford], to whom I offer grateful thanks, and whose page is also to be found in the album-page of this web-site where this present page is located. I would merely have provided a link to the S.O.C.A’s page for this purpose, but experience has taught me that such links inevitably stop working after a time, whenever the slightest change-of-their-address occurs, so, as the present page is part of a permanent record, with grateful acknowledgement of C.O.S.A’s  research and publication, I provide here, access to their wonderful work. pba.21.8.2016)

qaa© Philip B Archer 2014