[HPforGrownups] Re: Vauxhall Road and the Elixir of Life ( was The Diary (just where did V get

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 86905

On 10 Dec 2003 at 15:27, Geoff Bannister wrote:

> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" <drednort at a...> 
> wrote:
> 
> Shaun: 
> > I *believe* the Vauxhall Baptist Chapel (scene of the Dobkin 
> murder) was located 
> > on or near the corner of what is now Kennington Lane and Cottington 
> Street. I 
> > believe this area was redeveloped in 1948 and I surmise that the 
> ruined chapel 
> > was demolished at that point.
> > 
> > This is the area therefore that would seem to have possibly been 
> also known as 
> > Vauxhall Road in 1942 - Kennington Lane.
> 
> Geoff:
> I think we may have cracked it!! Shaun's bit of info above looks like 
> the last piece of the jigsaw. We have dogged Tom Riddle's footsteps 
> to the right area.

I'm personally still not entirely convinced myself. I think at most what I've found 
indicates this is a *possible* answer to the Vauxhall Road inconsistency. I'd feel a 
lot more confident if I could find a contemperaneous reference to Vauxhall Road.  

At the moment, this theory works if we assume Kennington Lane (or part thereof) 
was also known as Vauxhall Road. It's not unprecedented for roads in older cities 
to have names like that - but I can't find any proof this applied to Kennington Lane 
- just indications.

Ideally - I'd love to find the name of the firm Harry Dobkin worked for, then find out 
its address in contemporary London directories - see if it really was 302 Vauxhall 
Road.

Actually I *have* found one more *possible* indication.

Random House, UK, Limited - the publishing company - has a London address of 
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London.

However, I have also seen this address given as 20 Vauxhall Road, London, in 
numerous places.

Now that could just indicate a simple error that's been duplicated.

Or it could indicate that the name Vauxhall Road is also legitimate for Vauxhall 
Bridge Road.

Looking at a map, I think this is *possible*

I believe all of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Kennington Lane may also be (or have 
been) legimately named as Vauxhall Road.

Evidence for this:

(1) Random House address - could be an error, but I have seen the address as 
both 20 Vauxhall Road and 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road.
(2) Reference to the Baptist Chapel being in Vauxhall Road when it is known to 
have been in Kennington Lane.

Both of those are very circumstantial.

However:

(3) The Victoria Park Plaza - a major London Hotel - is located at 239 Vauxhall 
Bridge Road. There's been a conference on school transport there this week - 
and information for that conference has given the address as 239 Vauxhall Road.

(4) CVS Consultancy Service, 27-29 Vauxhall Road, London.

(5) I've also found reference to the 'Napier Hall, off Vauxhall Road, London" - it's 
actuall near Vincent Square which is off the Vauxhall Bridge Road.

This seems to be an awfully common error - which makes we wonder if it isn't an 
error at all - just a case of the same street being known by more than one name.

I can't be certain here - but this does look at least possible.



Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia