Samuel Benbow and Mary Breeden

© Marathon (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/6294630
St Dunstan's Church, Stepney

Samuel Benbow (b. ~ 1699), son of Richard Benbow and Grace Beer, married Mary Breeden at St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's, on 10 Jan 1723.

Samuel and Mary Benbow had eight children:

1. Sarah Benbow b. 18 Jan 1724, daughter of Samuel Benbow, Bricklayer and Mary, bap. 7 Feb 1724 (at 20 days old), at St Dunstan's, Stepney
2. Grace Benbow, daughter of Samuel Benbow, Bricklayer was buried on 1 Apr 1726, at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney. Assuming she had been born that same year and died at birth, or shortly thereafter.
3. Joseph Benbow, son of Samuel Benbow and Mary, bap. 21 May 1727 and buried on 28 May 1727, in Stepney, Middlesex
4. John Benbow son of Samuel Benbow and Mary, bap. 19 May 1728
5. Elizabeth Benbow, daughter of Samuel Benbow and Mary, bap. 18 Jan 1729; died aged 13 and was buried on 20 Nov 1742 in Stepney
6. Ann Benbow b. Friday, 12 May 1732, daughter of Samuel Benbow, Bricklayer of Rat (Ratcliff) and Mary, bap. 4 Jun 1732 (at 23 days)
7. Joseph Benbow b. Monday, 14 Oct 1734, son of Samuel Benbow, Bricklayer of Rat (Ratcliff) and Mary, bap. 10 Nov 1734 (at 27 days). Died just before his first birthday, on 2 Oct 1735.
8. Mary Benbow b. Sunday, 5 Oct 1735, daughter of Samuel Benbow, Bricklayer of Rat (Ratcliff) and Mary, bap. 2 Nov 1735 (at 28 days old), at St Dunstan, Stepney. Mary, daughter of Samuel Benbow was buried at St Dunstan, on 30 Sep 1737, just short of her 2nd birthday.

Mary Benbow, wife of Sam Benbow, Bricklayer, was buried at St Dunstan, Stepney on 26 Feb 1735. This was 1735 by the Julian calendar, then used, but 1736 on the Gregorian calendar. Before 1752, the year began on March 25th, not January 1st. Thus entries between January 1st and March 24th of a given year would be, confusingly, one year behind our calendar. 

Samuel Benbow, Widower, then married Mary Hudson, Widow, both of the Parish of St Dunstan, Stepney at St Botolph's Aldgate (the previous Medieval church), on 24 Feb 1738. It hasn't been possible to narrow down a possible previous marriage to determine this Mary's maiden name and parentage.

In 1739, tax records place Samuel Benbow in Brooke Street, Ratcliff.

Samuel Benbow and his second wife had one daughter:

1. Mary Benbow b. Friday, 13 Jun 1740, daughter of Samuel Benbow, Bricklayer of Ratcliff and Mary, bap. 29 Jun 1740 (at 16 days old).

In 1746, tax records place Samuel Benbow on Cock Hill (The Highway).

Samuel Benbow of Ratcliff, Bricklayer, aged about 51 years, died on the 14 Nov 1750. (Actually, the original record says 1751, however, the deaths either side of his were in 1750 and Probate was granted on 20 Dec 1750, so I believe the record keeper saw his age of 51 and made a slip up in the year.) Samuel reportedly died of convulsions and was buried on 18 Nov 1750, at the Friends Burying Ground near Schoolhouse Lane. He left everything to his 'affectionate wife Mary Benbow' and appointed her sole Executrix.

John Walter Harris and Alice Catherine Wilton

Kingsley Hall, Powis Road, Bromley-by-Bow

John Harris (21) Batchelor, Engineer, who listed his father as Charles Harris, Blacksmith, married Alice Wilton (20) Spinster, daughter of Elizabeth Wilton, at the Parish Church of Bromley St Leonard (St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's, more on this lost church here) on 25 Dec 1889. Witnesses at the wedding were W Wardley (there was a William Wardley lodging in her grandmother's household in 1881) and Hannah Smith. Alice had listed her father as "James Wilton, Carman", an invention, presumably "for appearances sake", which seems to be a portmanteau of James for James Hockley, her putative father; Wilton her mother's maiden name and her own birth surname; and Carman, which was the occupation of her half-uncle, George Wilton.

Because Alice was born on 12 Feb 1869 and her mother married James Hockley in 1870, it's generally assumed that James was Alice's biological father. In 1871, while James and Elizabeth Hockley were living on the Braintree Road, Great Dunmow, Alice (2) was next-door-but-one with her grandmother, Catherine Eldred, which made sense as Elizabeth was then about to have another baby. In 1881, Alice was on the census with James and Elizabeth Hockley, in Hornchurch, listed as Alice Hockley (14), leading many to assume she lived with them and used that surname thereafter, but I wonder if this was just a case of not challenging the use of dittos, nor wanting to explain why your kid had a different surname. Alice didn't use that surname to marry and the fact that she married in the area where her grandmother, rather than her mother, lived, I feel, is also significant. As it seems she was raised by her grandmother, this suggests she was not James Hockley's child.

John and Alice Harris had ten children:

1. Elizabeth Harris b. 7 Mar 1890 (1890 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 578), mother's maiden name listed as WILTON. (No baptism found, which is not really surprising given her 'premature' arrival.)
2. Ellen Harris b. 28 Dec 1891 (1892 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 633) with her mother's maiden name listed as ALDRIDGE. Feeling that Aldridge could be a mis-hearing of ELDRIDGE and Ellen being the name of Alice's Aunt, this looked likely, so I obtained the birth record which confirms that she was the child of "John Harris, Boiler Maker and Alice Harris, formerly Aldridge, of 39 Egleton Road, Bromley", bap. 31 Dec 1891 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's. She did not survive and it looks likely she died 1896 J Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 364.
3. John Harris b. 25 Oct 1893 (1893 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 605) with his mother's maiden name listed as ELDRIDGE, bap. 30 Nov 1893 at St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's
4. Mary Catherine Harris b. 7 Dec 1895 (1896 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 597) with her mother's maiden name listed as WILTON, bap. 22 Dec 1895 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's
5. Charles Harris b. 1898 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 581, with his mother's maiden name listed as HOCKLEY. (No baptism record found.) Died 1898 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 394
6. Charles Harris b. 15 Oct 1899 (1899 D Qtr POPLAR Vol 01C Page 569) mother's maiden name WILTON. bap. 26 Oct 1899 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's. Died 1899 D Qtr in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 425
7. Albert George Harris b. 29 Sep 1901 (1901 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 578), mother's maiden name listed as WILTON, bap. 23 Oct 1901 at St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's
8. Charles Douglas Harris b. 13 Jun 1903 (1903 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 575) with his mother's maiden name listed as WILTON, bap. 5 Jul 1903 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's
9. Percy Harris b. 1905 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 579 with his mother's maiden name listed as ELDRIDGE. (No baptism record found.) Died 1905 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 349
10. Florence Hannah Harris b. 8 Apr 1912 (1912 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 972), mother's maiden name WILTON, bap. 28 Apr 1912 as Florence Anna Harris at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's. Died 1912 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 605

On the baptism for the 6th child, Charles Harris in 1899, John is listed as John Walter. It appears this is correct. It did seem that Charles was important and probably a family name, having used this for three sons, and this did also suggest this was indeed John's father's name. Hannah, used as the second name of the last child also seemed significant. Born John Walter Harris on 27 Apr 1868 (1868 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 499), bap. 25 Feb 1869 at St Anne's Limehouse, he was the son of Charles John Harris and Hannah Harriet Camp. There's no record of a Charles Harris, Blacksmith in the area, ever, but Charles John Harris, Mariner and Rigger, later became a Labourer and, if that was at an Iron Foundry (as were his son and grandson later), then this is just the sort of 'upgrade' that would be given him to make a marriage certificate appear more posh. There are also many similarities between the naming of John and Alice's children and of his siblings.

If we needed clues that this is indeed Alice Catherine Wilton, Elizabeth Wilton's daughter and Catherine Byatt's granddaughter, there are the names given to the first two girls. Using HOCKLEY on one of the birth registrations adds another, but the use of ELDRIDGE on some of the birth registrations is strange, but extremely useful in providing evidence of her connections. Alice's grandmother, Catherine Wilton (née Byatt), married a second time to John Eldred. However, in 1881, Catherine (living at 23, Powis Road, Bromley, Poplar), had listed herself as Catherine Eldridge, and her two step-children, John Eldred's son and daughter from his previous marriages, also later used this 'usefully wrong' surname. There is no logical reason that I can think of for Alice to use this surname, unless, as the clues seem to be pointing, she was actually brought up by her grandmother. It's almost as if Alice is leaving us a trail of clues, although I can't possibly imagine she did so consciously.

Haven't been able to find them in 1891 and think they eluded the census.

In 1901, John Harris (30) General Labourer from Limehouse, Middlesex was living at 14, Powis Road, Bromley, Poplar with Alice Harris (29ish), Elizabeth Harris (11), John Harris (7) and Mary Harris (5). On this census, Alice's birthplace is listed - curiously and wrongly - as Bromley, London.

In 1911, John Harriss (sic) (40) General Labourer at Iron Foundry from Limehouse was living (in 2 rooms) of 24 Norris Road, Bow, London, with Alice Harris (42) whose birthplace this time is listed as Rainham; Jack Harris [John Jnr] (17), Albert Harris (10), Charles Harris (8), Lizzie Harris (21) and Mary Harris (16). On this census they confirm that they had been married for 21 years and had 9 children of whom 5 were then still alive and 4 had died.

On 18 May 1920, Charles Douglas Harris, son of John Harris of 24 Norris Road, Bromley-by-Bow, London E3, enlisted in the Royal Tank Corps, the record saying he had previously served with the 5th Dragoon Guards. He was, however, discharged on 14 Jun 1920, "Having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment." He'd said he was 18, when he was only 17. (So many had done this during WWI and the services weren't so fussy about it then.)

In 1921, weirdly listed as John Alfred Harris (52) Labourer from Limehouse, Middlesex, still living at 24, Norris Road, Bromley, Poplar, with Alice Harris (53) who had finally remembered that she was born in Dunmow, Essex; and Charles Harris (18) Labourer. Also listed on the transcript is Albert Harris (20) Seafarer, although on the original census schedule, there is a line through his name as in the r/h column of the listing, in brackets states (away at sea).

Albert George Harris (right) born 29 Sep 1901 in Bromley-by-Bow, had indeed joined the Merchant Navy in 1918. On 1 Apr 1919, he had joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, described then as being 5ft 5in, with light brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion and a 34½ in chest, from which he was demobbed on 8 Apr 1920. It appears Albert had joined the ship "Woodarra" at Victoria Docks, London on 4 Feb 1921.

Alice Harris died, aged 61, in 1931 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 479.

In 1939, John W Harris (b. 27 Apr 1868) Skilled Labourer (Pensioner), Widower, was living at 774 Old Ford Road, Bow, Tower Hamlets.

John Walter Harris died, aged 80, in 1949 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 05D Page 322. It is reported that he died on 10 Mar 1949 at St Andrew's Hospital (St Andrew's Hospital, Devons Rd, Bow).

William Butterfield and Martha Dalton

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

St Mary & Holy Trinity, Bow Church, Wednesday, 1 May, 2013

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

William Butterfield, Batchelor, married Martha Dalton (b. 2 Oct 1780 in White Horse Street, Stepney), Spinster, daughter of William Dalton and Sarah Travally, on 18 Dec 1800, according to (London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1940 at Ancestry) at All Saints, Poplar. There's just a small problem with that: All Saints wasn't even a parish until 1817 and All Saints Church, Poplar, wasn't built until 1821-3, so it was impossible for them to have married there. Pallot's Marriage Index, 1780-1837, has stamped the venue on their record as "T St My Stfdle Bow", which I interpreted as St. Mary, Stratford, Bow (Bow Church), where Martha's parents married. That they were married by A H Eccles, Rector (Allan Harrison Eccles who is listed as a Rector of Bow Church and died in post in 1801), would confirm it. Both were of the parish at the time, but I've not [yet] been able to confirm anything about William Butterfield's origins. Witnesses to the marriage were Samuel Wardall, Sarah Dalton (Martha's mother or sister) and Ann Wardall.

William and Martha, it appears, had two daughters:

1. Sarah Ann Butterfield b. 6 Jan 1804, bap. 5 Feb 1804. Sarah Ann Butterfield, daughter of William & Martha died on 24 Jan 1808.
2. Eliza Butterfield b. 4 Nov 1805, bap. 24 Nov 1805

Both girls were baptised at Gravel Lane, Old, (Independent) - Old Gravel Lane Independent Chapel, Wapping, Middlesex, a Congregational church. These baptisms list the family's address simply as St George in the East.

Eliza Butterfield b. 4 Nov 1805, was baptised again on 10 Feb 1819 at the Anglican church of St George in the East. This baptism lists her address as Old Gravel Lane and her father's occupation as a Tailor. Eliza will then have been 14. Occasionally, one sees a baptism just prior to marriage and clearly this will not have been the case here. The reasons are not yet clear, but I wonder if Eliza was baptised prior to Confirmation in this church. (Her grandmother's Will was proven in 1818, so this might have been a factor too.)

Old Gravel Lane in Wapping, was a historic street, originally a route for hauling sand and gravel from the river, later becoming Wapping Lane, it ran south from the Ratcliff Highway towards the river (see 1750 map).

William Butterfield was presumably alive and certainly trusted as one of the executors of Sarah Dalton's Will, which was drawn up in 1813, but so far, I've been unable to find any further verifiable records for this family.

Winnall Travally Dalton and Ann Woolfe

© Peter Trimming (cc-by-sa/2.0 geograph.org.uk/p/6195470
Southwark Cathedral

Winnall Travally Dalton (b. 28 July 1766 in Limehouse), son of William Dalton and Sarah Travally, married Ann Woolfe (bap. 21 Jul 1769 in Hitchin, Herts), daughter of Thomas Woolfe and Martha Bray, at Southwark St Saviour (now Southwark Cathedral) on 30 Nov 1794. However, the banns of this marriage state that Winnall Dalton was Widowed. Winnall Travally Dalton then of the parish of St Paul, Shadwell, had first married Elizabeth Crutchfield then of the parish of St. Mary, Stratford le Bow, Spinster, by Licence, in the parish of All Saints, Poplar on 7 Aug 1792. We know that this marriage relates, as the witnesses included William Dalton and Sarah Dalton, the groom's parents. On 9 Oct 1792 an Elizabeth Dalton, described merely as 'Woman (Fever)' was buried at St Giles Without Cripplegate and this sadly appears to relate.

Winnall Travally Dalton and Ann Woolfe had 11 children:

1. Winnall Thomas Dalton b. 14 Nov 1795
2. Ann Dalton b. 24 Jun 1797. She appears to have been christened at the Ratcliff Rose Lane Independent church in July 1797.[1]
3. William Dalton b. 26 Nov 1798
4. John Dalton b. 5 Jun 1800
5. Eliza Dalton b. 28 Jan 1802
6. Martha Dalton b. 15 Aug 1803
7. Henry Dalton b. 8 Oct 1804
8. George Dalton b. 10 Jul 1806
9. James Dalton b. ~ Jan 1808. James, son of Winnall Dalton, Caulker, of Church Lane, was buried on 21 Oct 1808 at St Anne's Limehouse, aged 10 months
10. Mary Emma Dalton b. 6 Aug 1809
11. Phillip James Dalton b. 2 Aug 1813, bap. 24 Oct 1813 at St Anne's Limehouse.

[1] Rose Lane has been renamed at some time to Ratcliffe Lane which leads into Butcher Row (the old White Horse Street) and is about 250 yards from Ratcliffe Cross Street. [Source]

The birth records for the first eight children and for Mary Emma, all born in Church Lane, in the parish of St Anne Limehouse are of Non-Conformists - 'Dissenters'. These records, from Dr Williams' Library Registry; Registers of certificates, an early birth register of Protestant dissenters, list the maternal grandparents. (‘Dissenting’ tradition in Stepney.) Each birth has two witnesses: Sarah Dalton, presume Winnall's mother, was one of the witnesses on most births. Ann Spokes was witness also to the first three; from John onwards, one of them was an Elizabeth Spinks and at Mary Emma Dalton's birth in 1809, one of the witnesses was Winnall's cousin, Esther Evans.

Phillip James' baptism record lists his father's occupation as Caulker.

In 1792, Winnall Dalton, Caulker, of Shadwell, Middlesex, took on James Carrington as an Apprentice; and in 1795 Winnall Dalton, Caulker, of St Paul Shadwell, records show, took on another Apprentice, Edward Barrow.

There is a record of Winnall Dalton being brought into custody and discharged at Marshalsea on 9 Oct 1820 in respect to a suit - presumably for a debt - brought by a William and Sarah Wright. This is the same Debtors' prison where Charles Dickens' father was committed four years later in 1824.

Winnall Travally Dalton died in 1825, aged 59 and was buried on 5 Jun 1825 at St Anne's Limehouse.

In 1841, Ann Dalton (70) Widow of Independent means was living at 16 Holmes Street, St Dunstan Stepney, with daughter Martha Dalton (35) Milliner; son Phillip James Dalton (25) Vellum Binder and a Jane Gray (20) Milliner, presumably a boarder. (All ages rounded down.)

Ann Dalton (80) of 16 Holmes St, Stepney, died in 1850 M Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 02 Page 368 and was buried on 12 Jan 1850 in Tower Hamlets.

Anthony Dent and Sarah Dalton

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

St Mary & Holy Trinity, Bow Church, Wednesday, 1 May, 2013

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Anthony Dent married Sarah Dalton (b. 22 May 1778 in White Horse Street, Stepney), daughter of William Dalton and Sarah Travally, on 13 Aug 1799, at St. Mary, Stratford, Bow (Bow Church). As with the marriages of Sarah's brother and sister, Thomas Benbow Dalton and Martha Dalton, the transcripts of the records suggest they were married at All Saints Church, Poplar, which cannot be true because All Saints Church wasn't built until 1821-23. The writing and Rector are the same on all three of the original marriage records, showing this couple too were married by A H Eccles, Rector (Allan Harrison Eccles, Rector of Bow Church). One of the witnesses to this marriage is written as Jas [James] Ashfeild (sic) and the other E [unreadable].

There was a potential baptism for Anthony Dent on 20 Oct 1765 at St. Mary, Stratford, Bow, son of James and Martha Dent, but cannot confirm this. In 1791, Anthony Dent, when he was around the right age of 15, was apprenticed to David Taylor, Cabinetmaker, of St Paul Shadwell.

Anthony and Sara Dent had at least four children:

1. Elizabeth Dent b. ~1804
2. Alfred Dent b. ~1811. Died, at 34, in 1845 D Qtr in POPLAR UNION Vol 02 Page 249 and buried on 12 Oct 1845 at All Saints, Poplar
3. Sarah Ann Dent b. ~1815
4. Thomas Dent b. ~1819

This family has been non-conformist: Sarah Dalton and her siblings were not baptised but their births registered in the Independent church. Sarah's sister, Martha's children were baptised, but in a non-conformist, Congregational chapel. However, there are no records for any of Anthony and Sarah's children, neither births, nor baptisms. The only information being that picked up from census records, it may well be likely that there were others.

In 1841, living in Regent Street, All Saints Poplar were Anthony Dent (65) Joiner; Alfred Dent (30) Joiner; Thomas Dent (21) Joiner; Sarah Dent (63) and Sarah Jenkins (26). Of course, in 1841, there were no indications as to social status, nor the relationships between household members.

Anthony Dent died, aged 71, in 1847 D Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 379 and was buried on 17 Oct 1847 at All Saints, Poplar.

In 1851, Thomas Dent (32) Joiner, Married was head of the household at 82, Regent Street North, Poplar, London. Living with him were Sarah Dent (76) Widow, Mother; Sarah Jenkins (35) Widow, Sister; Elizabeth Wise (46) Married, Sister; Thomas A Wise (11) Nephew; Fredrick Turner (6) Nephew; Jane Turner (4) Niece; Alfred A Turner (1) and Thomas Dealon (28) Lodger. (Unable to find any records to explain how the Turners are related.)

Sarah Dent died, aged 76, in 1855 M Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 01C Page 526 and was buried on 15 Jan 1855 at All Saints, Poplar.

1. Elizabeth Dent, Spinster, married Thomas Brightwell Wise (b. Friday, 10 May 1799, bap. 23 Jun 1799 at St Anne, Limehouse), Bachelor, son of Robert Wise, Shipwright of Ropemakers Fields, and Johanna Maria Baker, at St. Mary, Stratford, Bow (Bow Church) on 26 Mar 1837. Witnesses were Alfred Dent and Mary Ann Hazelwood. Thomas and Elizabeth Wise had three children, all of whom pre-deceased them: i. Thomas Robert Wise b. 1838 M Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 258. Died 1838 S Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 257; ii. Thomas Anthony Wise b. 1839 D Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 294, bap. 27 Oct 1839 at All Saints, Poplar. Died, aged 15, in 1855 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 322; and iii. Jane Joanna Wise b. 1842 J Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 326. Died 1843 D Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 302. In 1841, Thomas Wise (40) Shipwright; Betsy Wise (35) and Thomas Anthony Wise (2) were living in Regent Street South, Poplar. Seeing that he was a shipwright, it's possible that Thomas Wise was at sea when Elizabeth was living in the household of her brother in 1851. In 1861, Thomas Wise (60) Shipwright and Elizabeth Wise (57) were living at 91, Hare Street, Bethnal Green, London. Elizabeth Wise died, aged 58, in 1862 D Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Volume 01C Page 253. Thomas Wise died in his 66th year and was buried on 26 Mar 1865 at Hackney, Victoria Park Cemetery ('The Resort of Thieves and Harlots'; Victoria Park Cemetery, Bethnal Green), later known as Meath Gardens.
2. Sarah Ann Dent, Spinster, then 20, married Anthony Jenkins, Batchelor, also at St. Mary, Stratford, Bow (Bow Church) on 1 Jun 1835. Witnesses were James Harris, Sarah Dent and E Taylor. They had one daughter, Frances Sarah Jenkins b. 12 Jul 1841 (1841 S Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 02 Page 314), bap. 3 Mar 1844 at St Leonard's, Shoreditch. In 1841, we can't tell whether Sarah Ann is married or widowed (clearly, she was about to give birth to her daughter), but is listed as widowed in 1851, nevertheless, I can find no suitable death of an Anthony Jenkins between 1835 and 1851. As he doesn't appear on any census, there are no clues to his age, origins, nor occupation. Sarah Ann Jenkins may have remarried, or she may have died, but I've been unable to isolate any further relevant records for her or her daughter.
3. Thomas Dent, in 1841, was listed as being married, but his wife is not in the household and I cannot find any suitable marriage. Thomas Dent died, aged 53, in 1873 M Quarter in POPLAR UNION Vol 01C Page 416.

Francis Blazey and Amy Rosa Joslin

Regent's Canal, Bow Common
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Pierre Terre - geograph.org.uk/p/129062

Francis Blazey (bap. 18 Oct 1867), son of Samuel Blazey and Elizabeth Wiggins, married Amy Rosa Joslin (b. 5 Feb 1865 in Kensington), daughter of Robert Hurrell Joslin from Chelmsford, Essex and Anna Graver from Hemsby, Norfolk, on 19 Jun 1892, at Saint John The Evangelist, Golding Street, Saint George in the East, where their marriage service was performed by Daniel Radford, Curate. (The church was closed during the Second World War and demolished in 1964.) Witnesses were Valentine and Caroline Wolf.

Francis and Amy had six children, all born in St George in the East:

1. Hilda Alice Eleanor Blazey b. 1892 S Quarter in ST. GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 370 (Died, aged 1, on 1 Jul 1894 S Quarter in ST GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 205 and was buried at Margravine Cemetery, Hammersmith, Section 8 Letter K No. 7)
2. Rosalie Hilda Blazey b. 7 May 1895 (1895 J Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 390)
3. Alfred Hurrell Blazey b. 28 Jul 1898 (1898 S Quarter in ST GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST Volume 01C Page 366), bap. 14 Aug 1898 at the church of St George in the East, in Cannon Street Road, Stepney.
4. William Francis Blazey b. 27 Jan 1902 (1902 M Quarter in ST GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST Volume 01C Page 345)
5. Dorothy Alice Blazey b. 1904 M Quarter in ST. GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST Volume 01C Page 357. (Died 1904 D Quarter Volume 01C Page 243)
6. Ida Winifred Blazey b. 24 Aug 1907 (1907 S Quarter in ST. GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST Volume 01C Page 325)

Their address at the time of Alfred's baptism was 35 Tarling Street, St George in the East and Francis Blazey's occupation was Dock Labourer. After double-checking through records, it seems he was the only child they baptised.

In 1901, living at 35, Tillman Street, St George in the East, were Francis Blazey (33) Labourer (civil service), Amy (33), Rosalie (5) and Alfred (2).

By 1911, they'd moved to 22 Upper Chapman St, St George in the East with Francis Blazey (44) described as "Leading Man Of Labourers", Amy Blazey (44), Rosalie Blazey (16), Alfred Blazey (13), William Blazey (10) and Ida Blazey (4). The information on this census confirms they had six children during their 20 year marriage, with four still living and two had died.

In 1921, still living at 22, Upper Chapman Street, St George in the East, London, were Francis Blazey (54) Charge Man & Labourer employed by the Admiralty; Amy Blazey (53), Rosalie Blazey (25) Clerk; Alfred Blazey (22) Clerk for the Admiralty; William Blazey (19) General Labourer for the Admiralty; Ida Blazey (13) and Annie Wood (24) Cook, Boarder.

Frances Blazey of 22 Chapman Street, E1, died on 18 Apr 1938 aged 70 (1938 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 267) and was buried at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Tower Hamlets, London. Probate was granted on 22 Jul 1938. Francis left £313 9s 7d to his widow, Amy Rosa Blazey.

In 1939, Amy Blazey was living with her married daughter, Ida Jarvis, at 30 Warren Road, Merton, Surrey. Rosalie Blazey, Coal Merchant's Clerk, was still living at 22 Chapman Street, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, Stepney.

Amy Rosa Blazey died on 1 Apr 1941, aged 75 (1941 J Quarter in SURREY MID-EASTERN Volume 02A Page 246) and was also buried at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Tower Hamlets, London.

• Rosalie Hilda Blazey of 4 Queensbridge Drive, Herne Bay, Kent died, on 2 Jul 1981, aged 86. She had never married.
• 2nd Lieutenant Alfred Hurrell Blazey served in the The Duke Of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) during World War I and on 21 Feb 1922 was appointed to the Civil Service, Admiralty, as a Writer in HM Dockyards and Naval Establishments. In 1925 Alfred Hurrell Blazey married Violet Catherine Petrie, in Poplar. They appear to have two sons, born 1928 and 1930 (in 1939 could be evacuees). In 1939, Alfred and Violet were living at 4 St James's Avenue, Bromley, Kent. Alfred H Blazey died, at 61, in 1959, in Bromley, Kent. Violet Catherine Blazey (b. 1 Nov 1898), of 4 St James's Avenue, Bromley, Kent, died at 93, on 19 Jan 1991.
• William Francis Blazey married Lilian Selina Martin (b. 25 May 1898) at St. George in the East, in 1922. They had one daughter, Lilian Ida Blazey (b. 1923 - d. 20 Dec 2016 in Herne Bay, Kent). In 1939, William F Blazey, Crane Driver, his wife and daughter were living at 36 Boundfield Road, Hither Green, Lewisham. Lilian S Blazey died, at 68, in 1966, in Lewisham; William Francis Blazey died, at 66, on 24 Jan 1969, in Bromley, Kent.
• Ida Winifred Blazey married Herbert James Valentine Jarvis (b. 8 Feb 1910), in 1935, in Stepney. They had a daughter, Doreen Ann Jarvis (b. 22 Dec 1936 - d. 31 Aug 2017) and a son in 1948. In 1939, Herbert J Jarvis, Fishmonger's Shop Assistant, Ida W Jarvis, Doreen A Jarvis and Amy R Blazey, were living at 30 Warren Road, Merton, Surrey. Herbert James V Jarvis died in 1978 and Ida Winifred Jarvis died on 6 Apr 1984, both in Crawley.