Beatrice Margaret Hockley

Former police station, Great Dunmow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Robin Webster - geograph.org.uk/p/4309467
The police station was erected in 1842 and was claimed to be the oldest police station in Essex.

The following report appeared in the Essex Newsman, of 31 Oct 1903:

A Policeman Summoned At Dunmow

Case Dismissed Through Lack of Corroboration

At Dunmow Petty Session on Monday, Sydney Robert Page, a police constable, stationed at Great Stambridge, and formerly at Dunmow, was summoned by Beatrice Margaret Hockley, a domestic servant of High Roding, to show cause, etc. Mr J. W. Nutt appeared for the complainant and Mr B L Ackland for the defendant.

Mr Nutt said that before this fall the applicant had an unblemished character. The child, which was born on Sept 28, 1902, was now out to nurse at 5s a week.

The applicant, who had a baby in her arms, said she had known defendant since the summer of 1901. During the time she was in Mrs Byatt's service, the defendant used to come round after her. On one occasion when she was standing at the shop door Page came across the road, in the evening time, and said, "I am going to kiss my girl," and did so in the presence of Mrs Byatt. He was often round there. In November, 1901, she left Mrs Byatt's and went into the service of Miss Gibbons, at Down House, Dunmow. The defendant also followed her there. On January 3, 1902, Miss May Gibbons told her not to talk so much to the policeman. On December 23, 1901, Page came between ten and eleven o'clock at night and took advantage of her. On January 3, 1902, he repeated his conduct. In April, the night before she left Dunmow, she told Page of her condition. He replied that he had a little money, but not much, and that he was going up to London to join the Metropolitan Police. She went to live with her aunt at Bromley, and from there, on August 7, 1903, she wrote:

Dear Mr Page, I now write these few lines to you to ask if you intend to pay for your child without being made to do so? I think it cruel and shameful, the way you have treated me. I am shortly coming down to Dunmow to take out a summons against you for the maintenance of your child. Why I have not done so before is, as I have told you, because I do not wish to expose you, but why should I shield you while you treat me as you do? It is now time for me to begin to think what is to become of my poor child and of her future prospects. If you had been an ordinary man, instead of a policeman, I should have taken proceedings against you long ago, but you being a policeman I was afraid it might go against you, but I wish you no ill. You have never helped me and I think it time to help myself. I am very sorry that such a thing should ever have occurred, but everyone is apt to do wrong at times, but the least you could do now is to help keep your child, without it having to be made public. I remain, yours etc. B Hockley

A large number of other letters from the girl to the defendant were read. In one she said, "I have begun to like you rather". Again, so as to stop "the talk" she told someone in Dunmow "the talk about you and me is not true". On the day before she went into Bromley Infirmary she wrote, "I know I am not perfect, but you might have done worse than marry me." After the child was born, she wrote, "She is a sweet, pretty baby", and later, "It is no use for you to say the child does not belong to you, because it is exactly like you, and that is the proof." Letters from Page in reply were read, in one of which he wrote: "I am not in the habit of writing to anyone except my friends, and if I receive any more letters from you I shall return them unopened." Page afterwards wrote that he was surprised at the charge, which he described as unfounded.

The defendant, who had been subpoenaed by the complainant, totally denied the charge, or that he had been intimate with her.

Mr Nutt stated that Miss Gibbons, whom he intended to call to give evidence, was unwell, and he could not call her.

Mr Acland said that never in his life had he been called upon to take part in a case where the evidence was so absolutely uncorroborated as in this. If an order were made against Page no single man in the country would be safe.

After the Bench had retired, the Chairman (the Rev. G M Wilson) said The Justices fail to find any corroborative evidence in the case, and the charge against Page is dismissed.

We'll never know for sure, but while I agree there isn't the level of evidence required by the court, Beatrice's tone is mature and reasonable and I cannot see any reason to disbelieve her story, while Page will inevitably have known or been advised to deny everything, because it was up to her to provide proof. 

1. Sydney Robert Page, b. 1875 in Hoxne, Suffolk, was the son of Arthur Page and Mary Ann Flaxman. Arthur Page, in 1881, was an Inspector of Police, living at Pighete, Haverhill, Risbridge, Suffolk.
2. In 1901, Sydney Robert Page (25) Police Constable, was a boarder in the household of Hannah Doe (62) Laundress in Church End, Great Dunmow.
3. Beatrice Margaret Hockley, daughter of Daniel Hockley and Sarah Skinner.
4. The lowest level of criminal courts were the Petty Sessions also known as County Magistrates Courts. In Great Dunmow, these were held in a small inconvenient room at the police station, by leave of the chief constable. 
5. Mrs Byatt was Annie Byatt. In 1901, Beatrice Margaret, listed as Margaret, had been a Domestic servant in the household of Joseph Byatt (32) Baker and Annie Byatt (39) Bookkeeper, in the High Street, Great Dunmow.
6. Miss Gibbons was Alice May Gibbons, who at 26 in 1901, was living on her own means, the eldest of three sisters and a brother, living in North Street, Great Dunmow. (Down House, 43, North Street, Dunmow.)

Sydney Robert Page, by the way, had married Ethel Annie Purser, on 7 Oct 1903, in Stifford and in 1911, they were living at 1 The Limes, Great Stambridge, with two sons: Arthur Sydney (6) and Edward (4), as well as Sydney's sister, Millicent E Page (33) Certificated teacher.

Sadly, I can find no further records anywhere for Beatrice Margaret Hockley.

The child she named Millicent Beatrice Hockley, b. 28 Sep 1902, reg. D Quarter in BROMLEY Volume 02A Page 495. In 1911, there was a Millicent Hockley (8) listed as an Orphan at a school in Stone Road, Broadstairs, Kent. 

Interestingly, both Millicent Beatrice Hockley, born 1902 in Dunmow, Essex and Sydney Robert Page, born 1875 in Suffolk, England, were living in the Braintree area in 1921, where Page was still living in 1939. Sydney Robert Page died, at 67, on 20 Jun 1942 and was buried at Braintree Cemetery.

Millicent Beatrice Hockley married Frederick Thomas Mace (b. 10 Jul 1907) in Hendon, Middlesex in 1937.

In 1939, Frederick T Mace, Baker, and Millicent B Mace (Sewing machinist) were living at 10 Algernon Road, Hendon. Millicent's year of birth is listed as 1907, presumably to match her husband's, but her day and month were still given as 28 Sep. At 32 in 1939, Frederick will have been inside the age group to be conscripted during the war, but as someone in a job such as baking, may have been exempted. The couple don't appear to have had any children.

Frederick Thomas Mace died, in Hendon, in 1975.

Millicent Beatrice Mace died, in Hendon, in 1987. Her supposed birth year had slipped forward a further five years to 1912. She will actually have been 85.

George Arthur Hockley and Evangeline Dowell

Long Grove Asylum

On 9 Jun 1897 George Arthur Hockley, Footman, b. 1879 in Great Canfield, Essex, enlisted in the Royal Artillery at Woolwich. At that time he was 18 years and 6 months old, 5ft 7½in, weighed 127lbs, with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. The record lists his father as Daniel Hockley and siblings as Frederick, Beatrice and Rose, in Great Canfield, so there can be no mistake.

However, only 35 days later, on 13 July 1897, he was discharged, having been found to have given a false answer at attestation. Among the questions to which her answered NO on his application form, was "9. Have you ever been sentenced to Imprisonment by the Civil Power?" But George Arthur Hockley had been convicted of a felony before enlistment, tried and imprisoned by Civil Power. 

A report of the Aylesbury Petty Sessions of Saturday, October 24th, in the Bucks Herald of 31 October 1896 provides some details:

THE ROBBERY AT THE LILLIES, WEEDON

George Arthur Hockley, footman, was brought up in custody charged with stealing £7 17s in money, the property of Mr G A Brittain, of The Lillies, Weedon. Supt. Pitson said that up to the present time the defendant had been a footman in the employ of Mr Brittain at The Lillies. On Friday morning, when the defendant got up at seven o'clock, he reported to his master that the house had been broken into. In consequence of this, Inspector Bunker and he (the Superintendent) went there and found that apparently someone had entered the house by the drawing-room window, opened the door into the hall, and then gone into the library, which had been completely ransacked, the drawers of a writing table having been forced open, and money amounting to £7 17s stolen. In consequence of the circumstances of the case, Inspector Bunker and P S Shore went there that morning to complete the inquiries, which resulted in the arrest of the defendant now charged with the offence. He asked for a remand until such time as he could go into the case. The Chairman: Can you name a time? Supt. Pitson said that he had to send to London over the case. He would ask for a remand until Wednesday. Defendant offered no objection to the remand, and the Bench adjourned the case until Wednesday, when Mr G Butcher further remanded the defendant until today (Saturday).

As yet, I haven't had access to a record of what happened next in the case.

The next event, in the 3rd quarter of 1904, George Hockley, son of Daniel Hockley and Sarah Skinner, married Evangeline Dowell (b. 17 Sep 1884), daughter of Edwin Dowell and Ellen Jane Jones, in Epsom, Surrey.

Evangeline was born in Dartmouth, Devon and brought up in Southsea, Hampshire, her father having been a Chief Band Master, Royal Navy.

In 1911, George A Hockley (33) was an Attendant at Long Grove Asylum, while Evangeline Hockley (26) was a Nurse at the same institution. 

Long Grove Hospital, formerly Long Grove Asylum, later Long Grove Mental Hospital, was a mental hospital in Epsom, Surrey. The Asylum was regarded as a showpiece and attracted excellent medical staff.  By 1911, four years after it had opened, there were 2127 patients - 1121 males and 1006 females.

In 1939, George A Hockley, Mental nurse (retired) and Evangeline Hockley, Nurse (retired) were living at 2 Marlow Road, Brighton, Sussex, with an Alfred G Russell, Professional Musician, and his wife Nellie, who was Evangeline's sister.

George A Hockley died, age estimated as 86, in Brighton in 1966.

Evangeline Hockley died, at 87, in 1971, also in Brighton.

William Cloughton and Alice Hockley

Holy Cross, Felsted, Essex - Porch
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1303810

William Cloughton (b. 1855), son of Thomas Clowton (the surname, as it sounds) [1] and Lydia Byatt, married Alice Hockley, daughter of George Hockley and Eliza Crow on 6 Jul 1879 at the church of the Holy Cross, Felsted.

[1] This surname has more variations than any other I've encountered: When William's parents married it was Clowton; on the 1841 census they were listed as Clouten; William was registered and baptised - on 6 Jan 1856 in Felsted - as Clowton; by the time he married Alice it was Cloughton, which it was thereafter or sometimes Claughton, Clawghton and even Claighton.

William and Alice had two daughters:

1. Lizzie Cloughton b. 1879 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 469, bap. 26 Oct 1879 at Holy Cross, Felsted
2. Ellen Cloughton b. 28 Jan 1882 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 536, bap. 26 Mar 1882 at Holy Cross, Felsted

In 1881, William Cloughton (25) Farm labourer from Felsted, Essex, Alice Cloughton (24) and Lizzie Cloughton (1) were at Banaster Green, Felstead.

Alice Cloughton died, aged 27, and was buried on 30 Jun 1883, at Felsted.

Unsurprisingly, William Cloughton then remarried, in the 3rd quarter of 1884, to widow, Hannah Lewis, at the church of St Michael the Archangel, Braintree. 

Born Rose Hannah Gowers on 12 Dec 1850, bap. 5 Feb 1851, she was the daughter of Thomas Gowers and Hannah Gowers (Cousins?) Hannah had previously married George Lewis in 1868, with whom she had two daughters. George died, aged 35, in 1883. William and Hannah didn't have any further children together, but they did bring up William and Alice's daughters.

In 1891, William Claughton (sic) (35) Agricultural Labourer, Hannah Claughton (40), Elizabeth Claughton (12) and Ellen Claughton (9) were living at Church End Farm, Brockley Road, Runwell, Chelmsford. 

In 1901, William Claughton (49) Farm labourer and Hannah Claughton (55) were living in Billet Road, Little Heath, Hainault, Romford. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Clawghton (sic) (21) Domestic Cook from Felsted, Essex, was listed as a Visitor in the household of Alfred Pottinger, Stocker at nursery, at 256, High Street, Cheshunt (Herts). Younger daughter, Ellen Claighton (strangest version yet) (19) from Felsted, Essex, was working as a General domestic servant to John Cull, Nurseryman and florist, at 36, College Road, Cheshunt (Herts).

So far, I've found no further records for Lizzie (Elizabeth) after 1901.

Nellie Claughton married Herbert Holton Hearn (b. 11 Aug 1880), son of Thomas Hearn and Elizabeth Holton, on 13 Jun 1908, in Cheshunt.

In 1911, William Claughton (55) Carman and nursery worker was living in the household of his son-in-law, Herbert Hearn (30) Nursery hand, and Nellie Hearn (29) at 13 Lordship Road, Cheshunt. Also living with them was Herbert's widowed mother, Elizabeth Hearn (60). Hannah Cloughton (62), meanwhile, was, seemingly alone, at 112 Birkbeck Road, Leytonstone.

Hannah Claughton (65) died, at 65, in 1914, in Colchester.

There is a death of a William Clowton in Ware, Hertfordshire in 1935, which is within 5 years from his correct age. This would seem to be him.

In 1939, still at 13 Lordship Road, Cheshunt, were Herbert H Hearn, Nurseryman glasshouse food producer and Nellie Hearn. 

Herbert Holton Hearn of 37 Lordship Road, Cheshunt, died, on 20 Oct 1962, at Western House, Ware, Hertfordshire (Western House Hospital, the former Ware Union Workhouse). Probate was granted to Ellen Hearn, Widow.

Ellen Hearn died, aged 82, in Edmonton registration district.

Charles Hockley, 10th Hussars

Royal Arsenal Gatehouse
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/6020048

Charles Hockley, 23, Groom from Great Dunmow, Essex, son of George Hockley and Eliza Crow, enlisted in the 20th Hussars at London, on 2 Jul 1877. At that time he was described as being 5ft 6in, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He transferred to the 10th Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) as a volunteer on 31 Oct 1879, which ultimately meant he saw action at the Battle of El Teb, 29 Feb 1884 (First and Second Battles of El Teb) during the Mahdist War in what was then Mahdist Sudan. This action earned him the Sudan Medal 1884 (Egypt Medal) with clasp El Teb, as well as a Khedive Star 1884.

From 11 Dec 1879 to 18 Feb 1884, Charles had been in the East Indies, first in Rawalpindi and then Mian Mir: "The four-week march was arduous and hampered by lack of healthy camels. They had to cross the rivers Jhelum and Chenab, and camped several days at Shaddera near Lahore." In November, they were ordered to re-locate again, to Lucknow, where 10th were located near the ruined Dilkusha Palace. "There was a large European population at Lucknow during the cooler months so that a good social life was enjoyed." [Source] The clear evidence for this is that in Nov 1881, in Lucknow, Charles was treated for a dose of that well-known soldiers' "recreational hazard", Gonorrhea.

The 10th travelled to Sudan aboard HMS Jumna 1884, where they disembarked on 19 Feb 1884 and where Charles' record locates him until 21 Apr 1884.

Amongst sprains and dislocations, Charles also suffered Jaundice in 1879, ague (malaria or another illness involving fever and shivering) on no less than four occasions in 1880 and 1881 and Dysentery while in Suakin in 1884.

Charles' next of kin is listed as his mother, Eliza Bloomfield of Glengall Road, Poplar - the address of her eldest son, William Hockley (born Crow).

After leaving the army in 1885, in 1891, Charles Hockley (35) from Great Dunmow, was working as a Valet and residing in Arlington Road, St Pancras, London, an area where several of his sisters had also lived and worked.

In 1901, Charles Hockley (46) from Great Dunmow, Essex was a Boarder in the household of Robert Bailey a Cadet servant (military academy) at 10, James Street, Woolwich, London. Charles was working as an Arsenal labourer (Royal Arsenal, Woolwich). Robert Bailey, from Huddersfiled, Yorkshire had served, from 1867 to 1888, in the 109th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Infantry).

Charles Hockley died, at 50, in 1904 in the London Borough of Southwark.

Thomas Chapman and Lucy Hockley

Felsted: Holy Cross Church: The nave from the west
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Michael Garlick - geograph.org.uk/p/4540484

Thomas Chapman, the marriage record says he was the son of John Chapman, Farm Bailiff, married Lucy Hockley, daughter of George Hockley and Eliza Crow, at Holy Cross Church, Felsted on 29 Feb 1876. The record says Thomas was then resident in Camlin Town (I'm sure they mean Camden Town). 

In 1871, Lucy Hockley (19) had been a Housemaid in nearby Belsize Park.

Thomas and Lucy had one daughter:

1. Ellen Eliza Hockley Chapman b. 1877 M Quarter in PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 201. Died in 1877 S Quarter in PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 80

There were no further children to this couple, anywhere in Britain in the subsequent 20 years; I was also unable to find them on any census and, without any clues to Thomas' date or place of birth, no idea where next to look.