Byron Street

Byron Street was part of North Camden’s Poet’s Row neighborhood. The three blocks of houses that came to be known as Poet’s Row first appear in the Camden City Directory of 1890–1891. Named for famous figures of English literature, the streets ran east and west from North 2nd Street, north of Erie Street. The first street north of Erie was Byron Street, followed by Milton Street and Burns Street. Only a few homes are noted in the 1890–1891 directory on Burns Street, at either end of the block, and only the 200 block is listed. This would indicate that Byron was built first, from the ends in, then Burns, and lastly Milton Street. A 300 block of Byron was built later, and also a 500 block of Byron.

North Camden in the 1890s offered many employment opportunities. Camden’s industries were booming, and entrepreneurs came to Camden to set up shop. The new houses were snapped up mostly by tradesmen and skilled workers, with more than a few taking advantage of the short walks to the Vine Street and Shackamaxon ferries to commute back and forth to Philadelphia. The builder also made provisions for corner stores so the residents could shop conveniently. The sidewalks, like many of that era, were brick, and the streets were paved with cobblestone.

The Poet’s Row neighborhood remained a vibrant place for decades, until, of course, after World War II, when the jobs began to leave North Camden. Perhaps it was poetic, with no pun intended, that the disaster that destroyed Poet’s Row occurred when a recently closed factory building caught fire; the fire spreading to the homes, and in one hellish night destroying Milton Street, Burns Street, and the north side of the 200 block of Byron Street, where only two homes at the east end of the block, 241 and 243 Byron Street, were saved. Milton and Burns Street were no more. When dawn broke on August 24, 1972, both streets were gone.

Four persons, including a former Camden boxer, were among victims of dog bites recorded over the weekend. George Delker, 54, of 29 South Forty-second Street, the former boxer was attacked at Pennsville while romping on the beach with a pet spaniel. Delker was treated by a physician for lacerations of the left foot.

At Cooper Hospital three persons received treatment. They are Jonas Cooper, 24, of 1163 Lawrence Street; bit on left arm; Lawrence Repetto, 2, of 117 Main Street, bit on leg, and a physician John Garrity, 17, of 205 Byron Street, bit on leg.

A bench warrant for Herman Max Schwartz in whose home at 214 Byron Street, a 50-gallon still was seized yesterday afternoon, was issued by Judge Bertman when Schwartz failed to appear at Police Court today. Bertman was informed by a policeman sent to find him that Schwartz was in Philadelphia.

Bertman called Harry Albert, formerly active in Seventh Ward politics, to the front of the courtroom. Pointing to Mrs. Rosie Speller, 39 years old, 241 Burns Street, held as a material witness, Bertman asked Albert if he had told the woman or Schwartz to stay away from the court. Albert denied he had said anything.

“I was told you had,” Bertman declared, as Albert returned to his seat.

Mrs. Speller was detained yesterday afternoon when Police Captains Naylor and Cunningham and Detective Branch seized the still, a quantity of mash, and 24 empty cans in Schwartz’s home.

Joseph Knecht, 20 years old, 328 Byron Street, was sentenced to 60 days in the county jail this morning when he was arraigned in police court charged with stealing milk.

Knecht was arrested at 4 o’clock this morning by Policeman Oliver Morgan at Third and Erie Streets. The officer told Judge Bertman he had received a number of complaints from drivers who said they had lost a great quantity of milk during the past week. He said he caught Knecht in the act of stealing a bottle of milk from a doorstep.

Fire started in the former John R. Evans Co. leather factory, a block-long factory building at North 2nd and Erie Streets in North Camden on a hot summer night, August 23, 1972. Inadequate water pressure, combined with a stiff breeze from the south indicated that there was trouble ahead. The first responding Fire Company, Engine Company 6, sounded the Second Alarm upon arrival.

See Poet’s Row.