In this blog we’ll study part of my mother’s ancestry that lived in London, England. Historicaly, 3 branches, the Kerr, Gillett and Hampsheir’s lived at Anchor & Hope Alley in the 1800’s. The red arrows note houses these aforementioned families lived at. Then nearby with the blue arrow lived James Chew, yet another ancestor. His son Robert Ford Chew lived at Broad street, so for a family reunion nobody had to travel too far LOL. Sadly in the early 1900’s Anchor & Hope Alley was demolished. Historically, Anchor & Hope Alley derived its name from the Lightermen. They would ‘anchor’ their lighter (cargo boat) and ‘hope’ for a load.
