Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Monday 25 December 2023

Peter Barton and Annie Fuller

St Paul, Cross Road, Woodford Bridge - Chancel
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3015817

Peter Barton (bap. 4 May 1851), son of Thomas Barton and Ann Birch, married Annie Fuller (bap. 23 Jan 1853 in Woodford), daughter of Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Ann Bradley at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge on 25 Dec 1873. Peter Barton was the younger brother of Thomas Barton who had married Annie's older sister, Elizabeth Ann Fuller. Two brothers marry two sisters creating a nightmare sorting out which couple children belong to.

At least 14 children can be attributed to Peter and Annie:
  1. Emily Eliza Fuller b. 27 Jan 1869 (1869 M Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 68), birth certificate lists her mother as Annie Fuller, with no name of father, bap. as Emily Eliza Barton at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge on 6 Jun 1869, listing her father as Peter Barton and mother Annie, despite the fact that her parents weren't married.
  2. Ada Fuller b. 1871 J Quarter in CHELMSFORD Volume 04A Page 196, bap. as Ada Barton on 2 Nov 1873 at St Paul's, Woodford Bridge
  3. Peter Barton Fuller b. 1873 D Quarter in WEST HAM UNION Volume 04A Page 103, bap. as Peter Barton Barton on 2 Nov 1873 at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge. Died 1874 M Quarter in WEST HAM UNION Volume 04A Page 56 and was buried at Woodford Bridge.
  4. Annie Eliza Barton bap. 17 Feb 1875 at St Paul's, Woodford Bridge
  5. Peter Barton b. 1876 M Quarter in WEST HAM UNION Vol 04A Page 138, bap. 5 Mar 1876 at St Paul's, Woodford Bridge. Died at 15 in 1891 J Quarter in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 162 and buried on 13 May 1891
  6. Florence Barton b. 1878 M Quarter in WEST HAM UNION Volume 04A Page 155, bap. 7 Apr 1878 at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge
  7. Frederick George Barton b. 1879 J Quarter in WEST HAM UNION Volume 04A Page 170, bap. 6 Jul 1879 at St Paul's, Woodford Bridge
  8. Eleanor Barton b. 1880 D Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 171, bap. 2 Jan 1881 at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge
  9. Jane Barton b. 1882 D Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 198. Died 1883 M Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 101. (By elimination as Thomas and Elizabeth had a daughter Jane already and Elizabeth had given birth in the March quarter of 1882.)
  10. Ernest Barton b. 1884 M Quarter in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 243, bap. 11 Mar 1884 at St Paul's, Woodford Bridge. Died 1884 S Quarter in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 135 and buried on 5 Sep 1884.
  11. William John Barton b. 1886 J Quarter in BROMLEY Volume 02A Page 448, bap. 28 Mar 1887 in Woodford
  12. Maud Barton b. 1887 J Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 271. Buried 8 Jun 1887 at Woodford Bridge. (Attributed by elimination because Elizabeth Ann had a child in the previous quarter.)
  13. Charles Barton b. 1889 M Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 281, bap. 12 Aug 1891 at Holy Trinity, Hermon Hill, South Woodford
  14. Lily Barton b. 1893 J Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 331, bap. 7 May 1893 at Holy Trinity, Hermon Hill, South Woodford.
The reason I began to research this family was finding Emily Eliza Fuller (2) listed as 'daughter' in the household of her grandparents, Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Ann Bradley, in 1871. Having a child at 54 was very unlikely, naturally, so I ordered the birth certificate to discover the truth. 

From the Essex Newsman on 1 Sep 1877, we read, "Peter Barton, labourer, of Woodford-bridge, who received the character of notorious poacher, for carrying a gun without a licence on the marshes at Loughton, was fined £2 10s" It seems he was a 'frequent flier' at the Petty Sessions, often being fined for some misdemeanour that was reported on the pages of the local press, and if it wasn't for this, it was for drunk and disorderly. On one such occasion, with several other defendants, it was said that "... all had been previously convicted for poaching, trespassing, drunkenness and assaults."

In 1881, with address listed merely as Woodford Bridge, Woodford, West Ham, were Peter Barton (32) Labourer, Annie Barton (30) Laundress; Emily Barton (12), Ada Barton (9) (Ada Fuller (9) Granddaughter was also listed in the household of her grandparents, Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Ann Bradley, so she was double-counted), Annie Barton (6), Peter Barton (5), Florence Barton (3), Frederic (sic) Barton (1) and Nelly [Eleanor] Barton (0).

In 1891, at 1, Granville Road, Woodford were Peter Barton (40) General Labourer; Annie Barton (38), Emily Barton (22), Ada Barton (19), Peter Barton (15), Frederick Barton (12), Ellen [Eleanor] Barton (11), William Barton (6) born in Kent and Charles Barton (2). Annie Barton (16) was a visitor in the household of Charles Birch (39) Dairyman, as was Peter Barton (14) who looks to have been counted twice. Couldn't locate Florence.

In 1901, Peter Barton (50) General Labourer was living in Cross Road, Woodford Bridge, with Annie Barton (48), Frederick Barton (22), William Barton (15), Charles Barton (11) and Lily Barton (8).

In 1911, I found Annie Barton (59) Married, with Lily Barton (19) Domestic Servant, living at 2 Sherwood Cottages, Victoria Road, South Woodford, but could not locate Peter. Given his record, he could have been in prison.

Annie Barton died, age listed as 66, in 1916 S Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 55 and was buried on 30 Sep 1916, in Woodford Bridge.

In 1921, Peter Barton (70) General Labourer (Retired) was living with Charles Birch (70) Beer House Keeper (Retired) and his wife Emma Birch (74), listed as his Brother-in-law, at 25, High Road, Woodford Bridge, Woodford, Essex.

Peter Barton died, aged 81, in 1933 J Quarter in EPPING Volume 04A Page 342 and was buried on 15 Apr 1933 at Woodford Bridge.