' Dorset Villa'

Number 24 was built in the late part of 1869 by Andrew Short who already owned part of the land and the two properties 20 and 22 Victoria Road. The house was assessed as having an estimated maximum annual rental income of £45 and a rateable value of £40. The property also attracted a 'Lighting Rate' of 15 Shillings per annum!

In 1870 the property was purchased by Jacob E Edwin who in 1887 also purchased 20 and 22 Victoria Road from Mr Short.

1869-1872: William Skelton

1872-1876:The house was called 'Dorset Villa'. Amedee Louis E Bardey was living in the house. Born in Paris in 1838, Amedee was a Wine Merchant. He was married in 1871 and again in 1879 to Louisa Bardey a 27 year old from Peterborough . They had a son Louis August Bardey and a daughter called Rosalie Bardey who were born in the house.

1878-1879: J Leaver

1880: Thomas William Leaver

1882-1884: Alexander T Vacheret

1887-1890: Henry Saunders

1891-1905: Horace Henry Cauty(1846-1909) was an historical and genre painter, member and secretary of the Society of British Artists. He was known to regularly breakfast with Whistler but their relationship became strained and he nicknamed him "Naughty Cauty".

This is an example of Horace Henry's work called 'Summer Idyll' which sold at Bonhams in 1999 for £3600.

His father Horace Robert Cauty(1821-1895), described as a Landscape Water Colour Artist was living with him as was a 15 year old female cousin. There was at the time some controversy regarding this 'cousin' as to their true relationship! Mr Horace Cauty died at home on 5th May 1895 .

This is an example of one of Horace Robert Cauty's paintings called Bygata med ridande faraherde painted in 1885.

1891 residents: Horace Henry Cauty age 45, b.1846 Southwark; Horace Robert Cauty age 69 b. Missenden Bucks; J M Gooding age 15, b.London.

1901: House is still called 'Dorset Villa'. Horace was now married (1897) to Laura Anne Etridge. She was born in Badingham, Suffolk daughter of a Carpenter/Grocer and Draper and in 1881 was described as a 'Pupil Teacher'. Ten years later she was living with her sister and brother in law at their home in Guildford and was now a 'Governess'. Horace and Laura now employed a domestic servant, Esther Loveridge from Bridport who had previously been a Servant to Mr and Mrs Henry Field of Mulgrave Road .

1901 residents: Horace Henry Cauty age 55 b.Southwark; Laura Anne Cauty age 38, b. Suffolk; Esther Loveridge age 59, b. Bridport Devon.

1906: The house was empty

1907-1910: George Gosden.

1910-1911: The house was empty.

1912-1913: David Smeaton.

1914-1915: Charles Edward Kelly lived here and the house was still owned by Jacob Edwin. The Rateable value had been reduced to £32 and Mr Kelly had to pay £3 1s 4p in local taxes.

1916-1925: Alfred William Dean

1926-1931: John Davis was now the owner and occupant of the house.

1932-1936: Mr J W W Shorten owned the house but the house seems to have been divided into flats as the register of electors of 1936 shows 5 adults eligable to vote: J W Shorten, Emily Henrietta Shorten, Francis Theodore Coptcoat, Alice Ethel Coptcoat, Louisa Maria Abresy

1936-1938: In 1936 Percy E Brown lived here with Evelyn Maud Brown and the house was listed in the rate books as being owned by Morgan Baines and Clark. In 1938 the register of electors shows the following adults living in the house: Bridget Keating, Jenny Mulholland, Lena O'Reilly, Mary Raddigan.

In 1939 the ownership moved to Daniel Brown who lived in and owned number 20.

1939-1952: Walter James Roberts lived here with Annie Roberts and Thomas J Roberts though the house was also shared with Ann J Croghan, Alice Mason, Edith M Miles and Clara B Pink. The house was still in the ownership of Morgan Baines and Clark.

In 1943 the rateable value of the house was £36 (which it remained at up to 1952 at least) and the actual rate paid was £19 4s 0d

A view of the house in the 1970s