Vauxhall Road and the Elixir of Life ( was The Diary (just where did V get

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 86939

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" <drednort at a...> 
wrote:
> On 10 Dec 2003 at 15:27, Geoff Bannister wrote:
>
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.

Shaun: 
> 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.
> 

Geoff:
The Vauxhall Society website states quite categorically that Harry 
Dobkin was firewatching at the solicitors next to the Church at 302 
Vauxhall Road (I'm not sure whether that is the church number or the 
firm). The Westminster Council website (www.westminster.gov.uk) lists 
the Baptist Church in its archive as Cottington Street. Cottington 
Street is on the east end of the present Kennington Lane. I think the 
implication from this is that the church was on the corner.

Local history societies are usually very accurate, certainly in 
London, because they have access to central and local archive records 
and anecdotal evidence in addition. I think I'm prepared to run with 
this one, bearing in mind that it also fits the travel pattern. If we 
go back to a Vauxhall Bridge Road scenario, as I said earlier, what 
the heck was Tom Riddle doing up there? He's way off track.

I don't suppose Tom Riddle went under the name of Harry Dobkin? It's 
the sort of sneaky thing he'd do..... 

Geoff