Please note Caldwell Street was called Holland Street in 1881 – see here.
Kelly’s Directory 1881 tells us that at 60 Holland street lived Mr David Gracie, Coffee House Proprietor.
Click here to see where this property would have stood on a modern day map.
Expanding on the info taken from Kelly’s Directory and looking at the Census we find out a little more…
Mr Gracie, a Scot can be seen living at this property along with his family on the Census of 1881, the same year that the Kelly’s Directory I took my original information from was published. Mr Gracie and his coffee house are not listed on the census of 1871. The property is no longer standing.
1881
Name Relation to head of household Age Year born Town of birth City of birth Country of birth Profession
David Gracie Head 54 abt 1827 / Midlothian Scotland Coffee House Keeper
Ann Gracie Wife 54 abt 1827 / Midlothian Scotland /
George Gracie Son 31 abt 1850 / Midlothian Scotland Mackintosh Maker
Henry Gracie Son 22 abt 1859 Shoreditch London / Labourer
Elizabeth Gracie Daughter 17 abt 1864 Shoreditch London / /
William Day Grandson 6 abt 1875 Shoreditch London / /
Charles Best Lodger 37 abt 1844 / / Barbados Warehouseman
Looking at the 1881 Census the Gracie family appears to contain a William Day, listed as Grandson. He is the son of Elizabeth’s older sister, Helen and her husband William Day who live nearby.
Looking forward in time to 1891 Mr Gracie is still running the coffee house. We can see that all of his children except him grandson William have left. His lodger, Charles Best from Barbados have left too.
1891
Name Relation to head of household Age Year born Town of birth City of birth Country of birth Profession
David Gracie Head 54 abt 1827 / Midlothian Scotland Coffee House Keeper
Ann Gracie Wife 54 abt 1827 / Midlothian Scotland /
George Gracie Son 31 abt 1850 / Midlothian Scotland Mackintosh Maker
Henry Gracie Son 22 abt 1859 Shoreditch London / Labourer
Elizabeth Gracie Daughter 17 abt 1864 Shoreditch London / /
William Day Grandson 6 abt 1875 Shoreditch London / /
Charles Best Lodger 37 abt 1844 / / Barbados Warehouseman
Looking closer at the census of 1891 the property next door, number 62 has Charles Best listed as living there. The same Mr Best that lived with the Gracie’s ten years earlier. Looking even closer it appears that he has married young Elizabeth Gracie.
Number 62
Name Relation to head of household Age Year born Town of birth City of birth Country of birth Profession
Charles G Best Head 47 abt 1844 British Colony / Barbados Tramway Inspector
Elizabeth A Best Wife 27 abt 1864 Shoreditch London England /
Charles H C Best Son 2 abt 1889 Brixton London England /
Hi, I was facinated to find your site with so much very useful information!
Just thought I’d drop you a line to let you know that Elizabeth Gracie and Charles Best were my great grandparents. They did indeed marry and live next door to Elizabeth’s parents. However, William Day was the daughter of Elizabeth’s older sister Helen and her husband William Day who were living near by. So she didn’t have a baby at age 11!
Best wishes
Susan