'Selwood' No. 22 Gloucester Road

Spite Wall

The wall between number 22 and number 24, the house built by the Pitcher family is an interesting example of a "spite wall".  The unusual height and shape was designed for no other purpose than to prevent the people in number 22 from looking at the Pitcher's property.  There are different versions of the story behind the building of this wall, but we can only tell the tale as we recall it being told by Mr Elwyn Pitcher and from facts we have found in censuses.

The censuses from 1871 and 1881 suggest that the Pitcher family originally lived in number 12 and show that Mrs Pitcher (Anna Maria) was a dressmaker.  

We  were told that Anna Maria Pitcher, Elwyn's mother,  did a little cleaning for the people at number 22 but one day she failed to turn up.  Somebody (presumably the owner of 22 or his wife) went past the Pitcher's house and saw a lady who was obviously a customer trying on a hat or dress before the mirror in the front room.   Annoyed that Mrs Pitcher was not "indisposed" as she had claimed, but working at her other job as a dressmaker, this person reported to the landlord that Mrs Pitcher was using her house for business purposes.  Apparently this was a problem because it was against the terms of the lease.

Later the Pitcher family had their own house built at number 24 and could carry on whatever businesses they chose.  They were determined that the neighbours would never pry into their property again - hence the wall.

We have never been able to determine who was the 'guilty party' who incurred the Pitchers wrath. 

This page was last updated: 25/06/2008