Sarah Allen 1851 Census 62 Commercial Road , Waterloo, Lambeth Surrey England

Here is Sarah listed in 1851 census at 62 Commercial Road , Waterloo, Lambeth Surrey England She is listed as being a dressmaker, age 50 and born in Watford in Hertfordshire along with her son Thomas, 17, a sawyer born in Marleybone, Middlesex

Here is the letter we have from that address in 1856 sent to her son Benjamin in Canada
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  Sawyer- Wood, still no more than roughly hewn tree-trunks, came from all over the world, being in heavy demand for every kind of building as well as furniture.

  The nearest sawmill was directly behind the houses on the east side of Cornwall Road with an exit onto Commercial Road. There two sawyers would maneuver a huge log into place over a large pit using levers.
  The 'top sawyer', the more senior of the two would stand on the log itself, holding one end of the heavy double-handled saw while the 'bottom sawyer' stood in the pit below, wearing a hat with a brim to keep the sawdust out of his eyes. It was exhausting work and the pay was poor.


                                                          1860 Upper Fore Street

 

Upper Ground Street 1839

 

Commercial Rd 1868

Modern Map