William Hall and family Woodborough Road London
William, Kate and Elsa Hall, 28 Woodborough Road, Putney, London
The house that you can see below was within a series of old photographs c.1908 that were within an old album that I own - you can read more about this album and see all of the photographs HERE.
The album contained several old photographs of Cambridge, along with family, holiday and football photographs. It took a good deal of detective work but slowly the stories of who this album belonged to started to be revealed.
The house below was featured frequently in the album along with the family shown.
By tracing the family tree of one brother in one of the pictures who used to live at Devonshire House in London, it eventually led to the second brother William Hall, who lived at 28 Woodborough Road, London. By checking every address of people on the family tree that I made for the brothers, and by cross referencing the address with google satellite images and street view, I was eventually able to find that the house in the photographs below was 28 Woodborough Road, London and that then was the key to confirming who the old photograph album must have belonged to once upon a time.
Above you can see the modern satellite Google map image for the back of 28 Woodborough Road - showing the house from the old photographs.
William Hall was born in 1958 Peckham London and died 4th June 1932 Putney, London.
He was a Director of both Fulham and [Woolwich] Arsenal Football Clubs. He ran a successful metal work [lead] business in Battersea, London. He married Kate Elizabeth Davis who was the daughter of a servant at one of the Cambridge University Colleges. They get married in 1899 in Cambridge. They have one daughter, Elsa Kate Hall.
William’s wife Kate dies in 1951 and daughter Elsa never marries or has children and she dies in 1965, where on her probate it is noted that she was living at 26 Woodbridge Road Putney, London - the house next door to her parents.
William’s brother is Augustus Francis Hall who is well known in his own right and lives at Devonshire House in Battersea, London and who is also featured in the old photograph album.
Elsa Kate Hall and the family dog
If you look closely you can just make out William Hall sitting in his chair reading a newspaper.
Kate Elizabeth Hall (nee Davis), the family dog, daughter Elsa Kate Hall and William Hall.
William Hall sitting in the back garden of 28 Woodborough Road, London.
Interior of 28 Woodborough Road, London.
Elsa Hall inside 28 Woodborough Road, London.
Notice that the Ivy is gone in this photograph.
The photograph above is of Sir Henry George Norris (1865-1934) English businessman, politician and Chairman for both Fulham and Arsenal Football Clubs - he lived at 128 Woodborough Road before William Hall.
These 2 photographs of Elsa with the car are taken on Woodborough Road, Putney, London.
Elsa Hall in top two photographs, William Hall in bottom left and then Kate Hall, the family dog, Elsa Hall and William Hall - bottom right. All at 28 Woodborough Road, London.
William and Elsa Hall - garden of 28 Woodborough Road, London.
Later in her life, Elsa was painted by the President of the Royal Academy:
"Lady Elsa", daughter of William Hall, Esq, was painted by a President of the Royal Academy, Sir Frank Dicksee, being the penultimate painting he completed. The painting is now in the Royal Academy, London.