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

Showing posts with label Clerkenwell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clerkenwell. Show all posts

Tuesday 31 October 2023

Abraham Shelford and Caroline Kitty Collin

St James, Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell, London EC1
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2157513

Abraham Shelford (b. 28 May 1823, in Great Easton, Essex), son of William Shelford and Ann Stanes, married Caroline Kitty Collin in the Essex village of Tilty, on 31 Oct 1846, with whom he had a daughter, Mary Ann Shelford, b. 1846 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 88, bap. 17 Jan 1847 at St Mary the Virgin, Tilty. However, Caroline Shelford died, aged 27, in 1854 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 219 and was buried, on 11 May 1854, at St John & St Giles, Great Easton. Their daughter, Mary Ann Shelford died, at 15, in 1862 M Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 424 and was buried, on 5 May 1862, in Hackney, Middlesex.

Abraham Shelford then married Sophia Mason, daughter of Samuel Mason and Amelia Baker, in the 4th quarter of 1859, in Kensington, London.

Abraham and Sophia added three children:
  1. William Shelford b. 1862 J Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 550, bap. 6 May 1862 at St James, Clerkenwell
  2. Alice Shelford b. 1863 D Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 579, bap. 11 Dec 1863 at St James, Clerkenwell (Nothing after 1881)
  3. Emily Shelford b. 1869 J Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 155, died in 1870 M Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 149
In 1861, Abraham Shelford (35) Deputy turncock n r co and Sophia Shelford (34) Deputy turncock's wife - such was the importance of the office - were living at 27, Rodney Street, Clerkenwell, London. Abraham's daughter Mary, listed as 16, was a Domestic servant in the household of William Paton, Upholsterer at 88, Pentonville Road, St James, Clerkenwell.

Turncocks were an official employed to turn on the water for the mains supply. This was done on a schedule: in those times, the water supply was not running all of the time. 

Abraham Shelford's employer, 'n r co' was undoubtedly the New River Company. The History of the London Water Industry (PDF)

In 1871, Abraham Shelford (44) was living at 43 Gifford Street, St Leonard, Shoreditch. On this census, his occupation is listed as Labourer, but I'm not sure I trust its veracity. His place of birth has been written as Great Eastern instead of Great Easton, which they've obviously confused with the SS Great Eastern, because, then someone has added 'At Sea' on the end of it, which is all that got transcribed. :) With him were wife 'Sarah' Shelford (44) from Broxted, Essex and William Shelford (9) and Alice Shelford (7), both born in Pentonville, Middlesex. (Pentonville, a sub-district in Clerkenwell, has a fascinating history.)

In 1881, living at 23, Mary Street, Shoreditch, London, were Abraham Shelford (56) this time his occupation is listed as Waterman, but I'm certain, given his history, that this is as in someone who works for the water company, not the ancient waterways taxi driver. With him were 'Sarah ' Shelford (54), William Shelford (19) Carpenter and Alice Shelford (17) Laundress.

Then Sophia Shelford died, aged 56, in 1882 M Quarter in Shoreditch.

In 1891, Abraham Shelford (69) Water turncock, Widower, was living at 69 Tottenham Road, Hackney, London with son, William Shelford (29) Water inspector; Alice Shelford (27) Daughter-in-law and grandchildren: Edith (7), William J (5) and Ernest Shelford (3). (William Shelford married his 1st cousin, Alice Mason, daughter of John Mason and Mary Ann Turner in 1883.)

In 1892, Abraham Shelford married Sarah Maria Wilcox in Hackney. 

Abraham Shelford died, aged 73, in 1897, in Islington, London.

Sarah Maria Shelford remarried, in Bethnal Green, in 1898. 

These pages are my notes on work in progress. Follow That Page can monitor changes, as further research is done. Where something is unconfirmed, I've tried to make this clear, but include the information as it may provide further clues.

General Register Office (GRO) references for births and deaths, where appropriate, are quoted, so that you can more easily locate certificates. I do not routinely purchase certificates for any, other than my direct ancestors, which I'm willing to share.

If you have information, certificates, etc., you can offer, please get in touch.