Each year over 460,000 people move into a new home – however how much do you know about its history? Annually there are thousands of people that will move into a new home but only a fraction of these people are educated on the history of their house. The town of Maryport has a rich backstory, as the town was established around as early as 122 (during the time of the Roman Empire). 

Taking one property for example – a Victorian townhouse – the owner discovered deeds of the past resident including a women owner in the 1900s. At this time, it was illegal for women to gain a mortgage which fascinated the homeowner. She had this to say, “this is one house in Maryport, it just makes you think the history of every other property”. Sites such as Ancestry DNA and FindMyPast have recently spiked in popularity due to the interest new and old homeowners are taking in their search for historical answers. After looking through deeds it was uncovered that a woman by the name of Isabella Ritson, who has ties to the Maryport shipbuilding magnate, received a mortgage in 1912.

The homeowner was “stunned by this” as it was very uncommon for a woman to be able to have a mortgage in the early 1900s, in fact women weren't legally able to gain mortgages until the early 1970s when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed. The owner revealed she was “excited” by the fact a woman before her fought for the ownership of the property. With the cost living crisis rapidly growing she wonders how the history of her home and many others will change due to the dilemma the UK is currently facing. In recent years, the level of homeownership has fallen as a consequence of the population growth and lack of houses that accommodate those who desperately need them – these factors will drastically change the history of every home locally and nationally.

Factors such as the cost of living crisis will drastically change how people live and what type of houses they resign in. As a result of the rights women have gained, people such like Isabella Ritson will no longer have to defy to law to maintain the place they love. Although people may not be aware of the history that is preserved in their house, it lives on and they too will equate to a piece in the story of a home.