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Showing posts with label Cobh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cobh. Show all posts

Tuesday, 7 January 2025

Thomas Jones and Mary Harty

St John the Baptist Church, Cobh (Queenstown) Via: Cobh Heritage Centre

Cobh Parish Office, were able to tell me that my 2x great-grandparents, Thomas Jones and Mary Harty had married, on 7 Jan 1844, at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cobh (Queenstown). St John the Baptist was the Catholic Church for Cobh from 1810 to 1868, when it was demolished to make way for the bigger St Colman's Cathedral. Witnesses appear to be a John Jamison and Cath[erine] Bowley. Nobody in the family had even considered the possibility of an Irish Catholic ancestor. 

Thomas and Mary Jones had six children that I know of: 

  1. Mary [Ann] Jones, bap. 15 Nov 1844 in Cobh, Cork, Ireland
  2. Rees Jones, b. 25 May 1849 in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire (1849 J Quarter in HOLBEACH Volume 14 Page 461), bap. 1 May 1851 at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Kings Lynn, Norfolk
  3. David Jones, b. 10 Jul 1850 in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire (1850 S Quarter in HOLBEACH Volume 14 Page 448), bap. 1 May 1851 at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Kings Lynn, Norfolk
  4. Anna Jones, bap. 4 Oct 1851 at Sacred Heart Church, Rath
  5. Nicholas Jones, b. 10 May, bap 17 May 1853 at Sacred Heart, Rath
  6. Thomas Jones, bap. 17 Sep 1854 at Sacred Heart, Rath
On the GRO birth registration for Rees, the mother's maiden name is correctly listed as HARTY; on David's it was HARDY (presumably misheard).

Thomas Jones, according to his merchant seaman's register ticket that was issued on 5 Mar 1847, while he was serving on HMS America (1810), states that he was born on 9 Apr 1817, in Swansea, Glamorganshire. On the 1851 census in England, he's also listed as having been born in Swansea. The merchant ticket also tells us that Thomas Jones, then a Ship's Corporal, was 5 ft 9½ in, with dark brown hair and, it looks like hazel eyes and had a ship [tattoo] on his left arm and a man & woman on his right; that he went to sea as a boy (of 10) in 1827 and, 'when unemployed', resided at Cove of Cork.

We know that David listed himself as being born in Wales, when he must have known he'd been born in England and it's easy to imagine reasons why being Welsh in Ireland might have been more acceptable than being English in the era. Is it possible that Thomas, marrying an Irish girl in 1844, had had the foresight to do the same? Jones would make that claim entirely believable, because, there exists an alternative theory: Thomas Jones pension record, naturally, starts when he reaches pensionable age at 18, in 1835. In 1841 and 1843 thereon, he is listed with HMS Caledonia (1808). On 9 Jan 1831, a Thomas Jones, aged 12, Supy. Boy 2nd Cl., but born in Devonport, was discharged at Cove, Cork from HMS Windsor Castle (1790), which he'd joined on 6 May 1830 (and probably took him to the Mediterranean) to HMS Caledonia (1808). Both ships were fitted for Channel service

This Thomas Jones was baptised at St George's church, East Stonehouse, Plymouth on 1 Nov 1817, the son of John Jones, Private Royal Marines Artillery (RMA) and his wife, Elizabeth. The Royal Marines copy of this baptism (under ADM 193: Admiralty: Royal Marines: Miscellanea), lists the child's father as a Gunner, 2nd Class. These latter records are listed, not in date or alphabetical order, but appear to group family offspring together, from which we can deduce that Thomas Jones was an only child. His parents, John Jones and Elizabeth Williams had married, again in East Stonehouse, on 6 Apr 1816. Then John Jones died, aged 36, and was buried in East Stonehouse on 12 Dec 1817. That would be a pretty good excuse for him not fathering further children and a reason for a boy of ten to go to sea. If this is the right family, it also explains why DNA matches only come up via those I already know I'm related to. It would also be easy to accept to that John Jones and Elizabeth with the surname of Williams were Welsh with his occupation bringing him to Plymouth. And as Thomas names his first son Rees, I do think 'someone' had to be actually Welsh and that much is confirmed by DNA. 

There could, of course, be thousands of boys called Thomas Jones, but how many are going to be exactly the right age, in exactly the right place, even transferring to a ship he is known to serve on? This is no proof at all, but circumstantially, I think there's a fair chance this is 'our' Thomas Jones, although I accept this is speculation and may be impossible to prove. 

Either way, Thomas Jones was born in the reign of George III, during the The Regency, lived through the reigns of George IV, William IV and much of Queen Victoria and four Cholera pandemics; served in the First Opium War and the Crimean War; and moved TO Ireland during the Great Famine.

Mary Harty, must have been born around 1821. Although she married in Cobh, I see no reason to assume that she was from there originally. My late cousin in Ireland had said that Mary later went "up country" to where her people were from, but we don't know where her exact place of birth nor original parish was. What we do know from that 1851 English census is that Mary was born in Ireland and, later from the 1901 Irish census, that she spoke both Irish and English. The only other clue is that Mary had a younger sister, Ellen Harty (b. 1825), who was visiting them in Sutton Bridge, England in 1851 and who was sponsor on both David's and Nicholas' baptisms.

HMS Sparrowhawk by William Smyth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Built by Matthew Warren, Brightlingsea, Essex, launched 20 August 1807 (Sold 1841)

Voyage to South America 1834-1837

When Thomas Jones' naval pension record begins on 11 Feb 1835, he's listed as being on HMS Sparrowhawk (1807) - an 18-gun Cruizer-class brig-sloop - as a Boy 2nd Class. Still on this ship, he is made an Ordinary Seaman on 1 Mar 1835 and an Able Seaman on 1 Aug 1835

After spending the second half of 1833 being fitted out as a brig, on 1 Feb 1834Sparrowhawk was reported at Portsmouth, expected to sail for the South America Station shortly and departed Spithead for the South American station on 13 Feb 1834. As I don't imagine Thomas was flown out later, I think it safe to assume he left with the ship on this voyage.

Commanding the Sparrowhawk, between 9 Nov 1833 and 4 Feb 1837, was Commander Charles Pearson, veteran of the Peninsular War (father of Lieutenant General Sir Charles Knight Pearson KCMG CB), who was employed, 1830 to 1833, in the Coast Guard at North Yarmouth.

Around 24 Mar 1834, Sparrowhawk touched at Madeira en route for South America. Then on 17 Aug 1834, she rescued the crew of the Mars (en route from Launceston to London, foundered on the Falkland Islands 3 July). 

10 May 1835 was at Valparaíso (Chile); 30 Oct 1835 reported to be off the coast between Callao (Peru) and Mexico17 Apr 1836 is reported to be calling at Guayaquil (Ecuador) and Coquimbo (Chile), prior to returning to Valparaiso to meet HMS Blonde (1819)20 Aug 1836 is reported to be due at Valparaiso shortly to relieve HMS Rover (1832), and to sail for Rio de Janeiro and England in Oct. Thomas Jones remained with this ship until the end of this voyage, on 4 Feb 1837, when he was paid off. 

An 1850 map showing the Akan Kingdom of Ashanti within the Guinea region in West Africa
Rev. Thomas MilnerCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cruise off West Africa 1841

The next ship listed on his pension record that Thomas joined, as an Able Seaman, on 29 Apr 1841, was HMS Forester (1832). Whilst there is no image available online of Forester, she was a Royal Navy 10-gun Cherokee-class brig-sloop of the same era and ilk as HMS Beagle. "Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1841 [Forester] was involved in combatting the Slave Trade". And, indeed, just two days prior to Thomas Jones joining this ship, the following entry appears, which would certainly explain why they will have suddenly needed men to replace those lost: 
27 Apr 1841 [Forester] proceeded up the River Pongos with the ship's boats to ascertain the state of the slave trade in the river. Early next morning the boats of the Termagant joined the party, and as soon as the flood tide commenced at 7.00 am, they boarded several boats while proceeding up the river to Mrs Lightbourne's slave barracoons, which were burnt. However following an explosion, as they were departing a number of men were killed and wounded, and several went missing, in particular one man who would appear to have found alcohol in the barracoon, which he consumed to excess, and was awaiting punishment.
Forester had arrived at Accra (Kingdom of Ashanti - Ghana), from Whydah (Kingdom of Whydah - now Benin) on 28 Apr 1841, and departed on the 29th on a cruise. (A guess, but I doubt they mean pleasure cruise.) 

Thomas had presumably arrived in Accra on some other vessel, however, there's a gap of some 4 years, from when he was paid off from HMS Sparrowhawk on 4 Feb 1837, until joining Forester in 1841, where no ship assignments are listed and, thus I've not discovered how. At that time they signed on each voyage rather than permanent navy, so he could well have been on a merchant vessel in the intervening time, which would explain both the gap and provide a means to reach Africa, but as the requirement for merchant register tickets wasn't introduced until 1844, it seems unlikely that I'll ever find details. However, while his son David followed him into the Royal Navy, Nicholas had a long career in the Merchant service. It hadn't occurred to me that both sons could have been following in their father's footsteps. 

Being on this cruise does explain why Thomas was not on the Census of 1841, as he was at sea. Seamen on shore on census night were enumerated in the same way as the general public, in the place where they spent that night. There was no provision made for recording seamen at sea on census night. 

There are no more details of what this cruise aimed to achieve - besides bringing the ship back to England - or where it went, merely the notice that, on 17 Sep 1841, it arrived Plymouth Sound from the coast of Africa. On 29 Sep 1841, the date Thomas left this ship, in Plymouth and was paid off.

HMS Belleisle later as a Hospital Ship in the Crimean War Edwin WeedonCC BY 4.0
HMS Belleisle, a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 26 April 1819 at Pembroke Dockyard, was converted to serve as a troopship in 1841.

Expedition to China 1841-1843

On 30 Dec 1841, three troop ships, the BelleisleApollo and Sapphireof this British naval expeditionary force, put into the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They'd left Plymouth Sound on 20 Dec 1841, bound for China, during the First Opium War (or First China War). The Canary Islands, whose strategic position in the Atlantic, between Europe, Africa and America, made it a mandatory refuelling stop for ships from Columbus' time onwards.

With HMS Caledonia (1808) - a 120-gun first-rate ship of the line - from 14 Oct 1841 to 21 Nov 1841, Thomas Jones, joined the 74-gun third-rate ship HMS Belleisle (1819), in Plymouth, on 22 Nov 1841, as an Able Seaman, but was assigned as Captain's Guard, on 4 Sep 1842, presumably somewhere up the Yangtze, as this was ten days before the force began to withdraw from the area. The captain of the Belleisle, who they will have been guarding, was John Kingcome (Admiral Sir John Kingcombe - 1794-1871).

On 18 Nov 1841, the Belleisle had been in Plymouth, being fitted out for sea, and as a troop ship. Two days later, Lieutenants George Winsor. D. Ferguson, J. Risk, and Philip De Saumarez, were appointed. On 28 Nov 1841, they went out to Plymouth Sound. A company of artillery brought to Plymouth by the steamer Alban, embarked on 5 Dec 1841, and the 98th was reported to be embarking shortly. On 7 Dec 1841, the ship's company was paid advance of wages, which will have been useful on their first stop off en route.

1 Jan 1842 [Belleisle] is reported to have been at Santa Cruz for the last 2 days, with the troop ships Apollo and Sapphire, and schooner Wanderer. The Belleisle arrived Teneriffe (sic) [...] where the officer commanding of the troops, at the request of the locals, allowed the band of the 98th Regt to go on shore and play on the Mole, where comparison was made to Nelson's welcome some 40 years previously, and his unsuccessful attack. The ships took the opportunity to top up with water and fresh provisions, with prices reflecting the demand for 2,500 men on board the ships.

The ships left Tenerife on New Year's Day and continued their voyage. On 2 Feb 1842 the Belleisle, Apollo and Sapphire arrived Rio de Janeiro en route for China with reinforcements. They were there until 28 Feb 1842, when she departed Rio de Janeiro in company with her consorts, for China. On 14 Mar 1842 she arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, in company with the troop ships Sapphire and Apollo and departed for China on 22 Mar 1842. It took them until 2 Jun 1842 before they arrived in Hong Kong, from England, with part of the 98th Regt. On 5 Jul 1842 they were stationed at Chusan (Zhoushan). And from 16 Jun - 29 Aug 1842, made their expedition up the Yang-tse-Keang, to the end of hostilities and signing of the Treaty of Nanking. Following the signing of the Treaty, the force began its withdrawal on 14 Sep 1842; by 6 Oct 1842, the expeditionary force had completely withdrawn from the Yangtze River
"Shanghai was evacuated on June 23rd, and the troops and vessels fell back to Woosung. The expedition into the Yangtsekiang proper was then promptly organised. The European  troops which took part in it were the 18th, 26th, 49th, 55th, and 98th Regiments, with some Royal Artillery and Engineers, the whole being under Sir Hugh Gough, Major-Generals Lord Saltoun, Schoedde, and Bartley, Colonel Montgomerie, R.A., and Captain  Pears, R.E. Besides about forty transports, the following vessels of the Royal Navy and H.E.I. Co.'s marine participated :— H.M.S. Cornwallis, Blonde, Calliope, North Star, Dido, Modextc, Endymion, Clio, Columbine, Ahjerinc, Bellisle (sic), Apollo, Sapphire, Jupiter, Rattlesnake, Plover, Starling, and Vixen, paddle. H.E.I. Co.'s Sesostris, Auckland, Queen, Tenasserim, Nemesis, Phlegethon, Pluto, Proserpine, and Medusa — all paddle steamers. North Star, Modeste, Clio, and Columbine."
The Captain’s Guard

"In addition to their combat role, Marines also acted as a vaccine of sorts against the infection most feared by ship’s captains: mutiny. Armed with muskets and bayonets, they served as the captain’s personal guard and moved quickly to quell any hint of insurrection on the lower decks. It certainly was not lost on sailors that Marines were billeted between the sailors and the captain’s quarters. Fully armed sentries were posted at key points around ships, including captains’ cabins, powder magazines and spirit lockers. In battle, Marine sentries stood guard at the entrance to the companionways to prevent any less-than-stalwart sailors fleeing to the relative safety of the lower decks." 

It's interesting that Thomas was in a role that was more normally carried out by Marines. We did wonder if this was because there were no Marines on this troop ship, however, Thomas was also part of the captain's guard on his next two ships. If his father had been a Marine, I think this was likely of less influence than Thomas being 5ft 9in. Thomas Jones remained as Captain's Guard on HMS Belleisle until 28 Sep 1843. He went back to HMS Caledonia, then under the command of Captain Alexander Milne (Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alexander Milne, 1st Baronet), again as Captain’s Guard, on 29 Sep 1843, in which capacity he was still serving at the time of his marriage in 1844.

[A] view of Maitavie Bay, [in the island of] Otaheite [Tahiti], William Hodges 1776

In the Pacific Northwest 1844-1846

There's a note under entry for the marriage of Thomas Jones and Mary Harty, on 7 Jan 1844, which looks like it relates to this marriage. It's not clear, but seems to say something about a ship sailing. Thomas was, at that time, assigned to HMS Caledonia (1808), as Captain's Guard, however, on 1 Mar 1844, he joined HMS America (1810), again as [part of the] Captain's Guard.

HMS America, a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line, since 22 Feb 1844had been under the command of Captain John Gordon and, it appears, personal influence - with brothers in the cabinet and the Admiralty - got Gordon this command on the Pacific Station, and "could expect his appointment to prove lucrative". Initially, I found scant details of this voyage, other than that "during the rising tensions with the United States over the Oregon boundary dispute, HMS America was dispatched to the Pacific Northwest in 1845"; that circa to Jun 1845, she was reported to be on the California coast and in 1846: was at the Pacific and Otaheite [TahitiStation, until I found Gordon's biography

Also on that voyage was Lieutenant William Peel (later Captain Sir William Peel VC KCB), son of then British prime minister, Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet. Peel had "ship-hopped" to the Pacific, eventually to the frigate America, in which he voyaged to Puget Sound. [Source: Lieutenant William Peel, British Naval Intelligence, and the Oregon Crisis by Barry Gough PDF] The ship was to give naval support to the Hudson's Bay Company and Peel became involved in a secret mission: to investigate the state of affairs of the besieged British interests at the Columbia River. Record tells us that HMS America arrived off Cape Flattery on 28 Aug 1845. They left Port Discovery on 26 Sep 1845, bound for Honolulu and reached England on 19 Aug 1846.

"As for Captain Gordon and the further voyages of America, it may be observed briefly that after reaching Honolulu and sailing for Mexican harbours he dallied taking on board a lucrative shipment of silver for the Bank of England, from which he stood to gain personally. His superior, Admiral Seymour (Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Francis Seymour GCB, GCH, PC), charged him with dereliction of duty and he was court-martialled on his return to Portsmouth."

These events, I feel, were not without consequences for Thomas Jones' career: Thomas stayed on HMS America, but on 1 Oct 1846, obtained a "sideways promotion" to Boatswain’s mate and, quite soon after, on 30 Nov 1846, was made Ship’s Corporal. These coincide with the appointment, on 10 Nov 1846, of Captain Thomas Maitland (Admiral of the Fleet Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale, GCB) and it makes sense that there would be a clean sweep and changing of the Captain's Guard. It's reported that Maitland commanded HMS America off the coast of Portugal in November 1846, but I've not found any further reference to explain in what capacity. Thomas Jones remained Ship's Corporal on HMS America until 20 Oct 1847, after which, he was appointed Coast Guard Boatman on 28 Dec 1847.

Houses at the junction of Lime Street and Custom House Street, Sutton Bridge

Coast Guard Service

My late cousin in Ireland had told me that her great-grandfather (my 2nd great-grandfather), Thomas Jones, had been a coastguard - this was confirmed on his sons, David and Nicholas' marriage certificates - and that she had been down to Baltimore, West Cork in an attempt to find any trace of the family. She'd had no luck at the Church of Ireland churches there - never occurred to try the Catholic ones. But from that information, eventually, I traced Thomas' posting - on 2 Jun 1851 - via the Coastguard Establishment Books for Ireland (ADM 175/19) at The National Archives at Kew

That record also told me that his previous posting had been at Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, where on Sunday 30 March 1851 on the England and Wales Census, 1851, we find the family resident in Lime Street, with Thomas Jones (33), Boatman Coastguard, wife Mary Jones (30), daughter Mary Ann (7), son Reece (1), son David (0) and sister-in-law Ellen Harty (26) visiting.

On Thu 1 May 1851, sons, Rees and David, were baptised at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Kings Lynn, Norfolk. My Latin isn't great (ok, non-existent), but on these baptisms, the mother's name is written, as you would expect, as Marie Jones and her maiden name is clearly listed as Harty. On David's baptism, the sponsor is Helena Harty, presumably Mary's sister, Ellen.

Coastguard station and coastguard cottages: Mariner’s Row, the terrace of
coastguard houses on the edge of the Cove in Baltimore, Cork

The Coastguard Establishment Books for Ireland (ADM 175/19) at The National Archives show that Thomas Jones was posted to Baltimore, West Cork on 2 Jun 1851Baltimore is the main village in Rath and The Islands Parish and three of Thomas and Mary's children were baptised there in the Catholic Sacred Heart Church, Rath. Ellen Harty was, again, one of the sponsors at Nicholas Jones' baptism, in Rath, in 1853.

Griffith's Valuation of 1853 shows that Thomas rented a house and office in Tullagh civil parish from John Goodchild. On the map it's in Baltimore.


Crimean War in the Baltic 1854-1856

Thomas Jones, I imagine, must have been happy to get the equivalent of a desk job - or at least become captain of his own rowing boat - for the Coast Guard Service, which allowed him to have some family life. It cannot have been easy to marry in 1844, then go off to sea for three years. He won't have seen his daughter, Mary Ann, until she was around 2 years old. At Sutton Bridge, Thomas and Mary added two sons and, at Baltimore, West Cork, they added another daughter and two more sons. Then along came the Crimean War. Thomas' 4th son and namesake was born, in 1854, after he'd sailed, so he won't have met this child either until he was around 2 years old either. 

Whether he volunteered or was required to do so, Thomas Jones joined the crew of HMS Duke of Wellington (1852) on 14 Feb 1854, as a Petty Officer First Class - sufficient to distinguish him from ordinary ratings. (The timing of which means that Thomas could well be 'in the photo' (somewhere inside the ship) at the time the above photo was taken on 5 Mar 1854.)

On 11 Mar 1854 Duke of Wellington, it's reported, departed Spithead (which infers that she had sailed from Plymouth to Portsmouth during the intervening six days), with the fleet, for the Baltic, where, on 15 Apr 1854 she captured Russian brig Patrioten [Prize Money per London Gazette of 21 Jul 1857].

On 13 Jun 1854 the French fleet joined the British in the Baltic at Baro Sound. On 10 Aug 1854 guns were landed and sent up to the British battery, under officers from the EdinburghDuke of Wellington, and Euryalus.

The Bombardment of Sveaborg, 9 August 1855 by John Wilson Carmichael
Duke of Wellington is 2nd from left, with Thomas' previous ship, from his expedition to China during the First Opium WarHMS Belleisle (1819), alongside on the far left.

On 9-11 Aug 1855Duke of Wellington was involved in the Bombardment of Sveaborg, a.k.a. Battle of Suomenlinna, during the Åland War:

"British and French naval forces consisting of 77 ships arrayed for the long-expected battle on 6 August 1855. They formed into a battle line more than 3 km off shore beyond the range of the defenders' obsolete artillery. Three days later the bombardment commenced. It continued for 47–48 hours. All the while, the attacker sat beyond the range of the defenders' guns. The British and French bombarded only the fortress of Viapori and avoided firing at the town of Helsinki directly. While the bombardment caused damage to the structures above ground, including to several gunpowder magazines which exploded, the bulk of the defending forces survived unscathed with their weaponry intact, leading to a draw stalemate." 

After the bombardment, the Anglo-French fleet sent no troops ashore and instead set sail for Kronstadt. Then, with little more fanfare, Duke of Wellington is listed, on 4 Feb 1856, "At Spithead".

Review of the Fleet at Spithead by the Queen, April 23, 1856

On 23 Apr 1856 Present at Fleet Review, Spithead; under Captain Caldwell CB. From February until April, one imagines, were several weeks of scrubbing, polishing and painting every component of the vessel until it was 'shipshape'. 

In April 1856 the first recorded evening illumination of the fleet took place.

The Illustrated London News, 26 April 1856 reported the event:

"On Saturday, after some days spent in evolutions of a preparatory nature, the fleet anchored in a stately line, with the Duke of Wellington at its head, bearing the Admiral's (Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Saunders Dundas, KCB) ensign." [...] "At the head of this imposing squadron was the Duke of Wellington, her 131 ports shining in the sun, which showed her chequered sides, bright with paint." [...] "The Queen's yacht, emerging from the surrounding smoke, proceeded rapidly past Fort Monckton, meeting everywhere the same enthusiastic reception, and, having rounded into a position to return down the centre line, entered the squadron of gun-boats, disposed in double rows on each side of her course, and majestically proceeded on her way. She glided past the small vessels of the flotilla, passed steam-frigates of various strength and speed, passed the giant screw line-of-battle ships, till she reached the Duke of Wellington, greeted in all directions by the most enthusiastic cheers." 

What a finale for such a fascinating career. It will have been a proud moment.

After Thomas returned from his last voyage to the Baltic during the Crimean War, o6 May 1856, Thomas went back the Coast Guard Service as a Boatman, at Baltimore, West Cork, until Fri 31 Jan 1868, when he retired from the service, early, aged just 51, due to heart disease.

Nobody ever spoke of Mary Ann, Rees, nor Thomas Jr. Mary Ann only ever appears on that English 1851 census; David did things one would associate with the role of eldest son, so I'm sure Rees perished as an infant; Anna still lived with her mother in 1901 and later became David's housekeeper. She never married and died on 8 Mar 1934; Nicholas was my cousin's grandfather. His baptism is the first I'd even heard of youngest son Thomas. 

The only other record I've found [so far] for Thomas Jones Jnr is when he was enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 14 Apr 1871. On it, there's a reference provided by a John Lombard, which states, "Thomas Jones is a Protestant Parishioner of Queenstown, and son of a Naval Pensioner. He is a steady, well conducted lad." Emphasising Protestant for what purpose? Also attached to the record is a Declaration Before a Magistrate in Thomas Jones (the father's) own handwriting - I recognise his signature - stating that, "I hereby certify that my son Thomas Jones was born in Baltimore, Cork on May 25th, 1855." Not when he was baptised in 1854, he wasn't! Clearly the date wasn't a mistake and can only have been a deliberate falsification, because later on the form, it states that, "Boys for the Navy must be over 15 and not above 16½ years of age ..."  He was 17. Thomas Snr having retired in ill health, one can perhaps understand him doing this in an attempt to ensure that his son was taken care of. The most curious part of this record, however, is that the service record is blank. Thomas Jnr was not even assigned to a training ship: it's like he didn't even turn up. He then just disappears. 

Thomas Jones died, aged 56, on 8 Jan 1873, at Castle Oliver, from Morbus Cordis (unspecified heart disease) 4 years certified (which ties in with his date of retirement) - presumably in the surrounding village, rather than Kim and Kanye's honeymoon castle itself. Could that be the "up country" area Mary had originally come from? Can't think of another reason to be in Limerick.

Thomas Jones was buried, on 10 Jan 1873, in the Clonmel Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), Cork in section S, row 9, position 76

The inscription on his grave reads, 
Erected by David Jones In memory of his beloved father Thos. Jones Who died Jan. 8th 1873 aged 56 years”.
In 1901, Mary Jones, widow, was living with her daughter, Annie (who claimed to be 30, but was 50) at The Glen, Passage West (Monkstown, Cork). Mary Jones (81), Widow of Thomas Jones a Coastguard Pensioner, died of senile decay on 14 Aug 1903 at The Rock, Queenstown, Cork. 

Section S of the Clonmel Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), Cork

Thursday, 12 December 2024

Edward John Bicknell and Marcella Jones

Portsmouth Cathedral
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/6829155

Edward John Bicknell married Marcella Jones (b. 10 May 1883 in Rushbrooke, Cobh (Queenstown, as it was then), Ireland), daughter of David Jones and Johannah Anne O'Callaghan, at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 12 Dec 1906. Among the witnesses was Marcella's younger sister, Helena Jones. At the time of this marriage, Edward John Bicknell was a Corporal RGA (Royal Garrison Artillery) and was then stationed at Southsea Castle. On the marriage certificate, Bicknell's father is listed as Edward Bicknell, a farmer.

Their only child:

  1. David Nicholas Bicknell b. 20 Jan 1909 at 15 Gold Street, Southsea (1909 M Quarter in PORTSMOUTH Volume 02B Page 491), bap. 10 Feb 1909, at St Thomas of Canterbury (now Portsmouth Cathedral).

There is no birth, nor baptism for an Edward John Bicknell. The only likely record is an illegitimate birth of an Edward Bicknell, in 1879 D Quarter in SAINT THOMAS Volume 05B Page 46. The birth certificate lists that the child, born on 19 Nov 1879, in the Village, Withycombe Raleigh (which certainly falls within St Thomas Registration District), was the son of Rose Creasley Bicknell, Domestic Servant, Cook. His birth was registered by his mother, on 9 Dec 1879 and the name of the deputy registrar on the certificate was Edward John Carter. Is that where the Edward John came from? That and naming their son after Marcella's father and uncle and not after his ancestors, leads me to think Bicknell had no idea who his father was and, as is so often done, just made one up for appearances on the marriage certificate.

There was a Rose Cressly Bicknell b. 1859 M Quarter in TOTNES Volume 05B Page 173 and baptised on 2 Jan 1859 at St Saviour's Church, Dartmouth, Devon, clearly listed as the base child of Elizabeth Bicknell (and a bloke named Cressly, I wouldn't be surprised). Edward John was described as Elizabeth's nephew, but it's obvious she was actually his grandmother.

Records show that Henry Palmer had married Elizabeth Fanny Bicknell, at St Margaret's, Westminster, London, in 1873. In 1881, they had been living at Church End, Tempsford, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, where Henry was Under butler. Elizabeth Bicknell (bap. 5 Jan 1834), listed in Withycombe Rawleigh in 1841 and 1851, certainly had a brother named Edward, born in 1830. However, he had died in 1870, so could not have been the boy's father. In fact, there were very many people named Edward Bicknell, in Withycombe, going right back to the 17th Century. Not one of them were farmers.

In 1891, Edward Jno Bricknell (sic) (10), 'nephew', had been living with Henry Palmer (42) Butler domestic and Elizabeth F Palmer (54) from Withycombe, Devon, at Hencroft Street, Upton with Chalvey, Eton, Buckinghamshire.

On 17 Dec 1895, Edward John Bicknell, listed originally as aged 14 years, 11 months (although the 14 appears to have been over-written as 15 on the 2nd page), from Withycombe [Withycombe Raleigh], Exmouth, Devon, formerly a Telegraph Messenger, had enlisted for Long Service in the Royal Artillery, at Slough, Bucks. The name and address of his next of kin was given as Mrs F E Palmer, 18 Hencroft Street, Sough, Bucks. (In 1901, Elizabeth F Palmer (60) Tailoress, from Withycombe, Devon, was still listed at that address.)

Fort Rowner-Gosport
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Colin Babb - geograph.org.uk/p/704877

When he enlisted in 1895, Edward John was 5' 1⅝' tall, weighed 98lbs, had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. He was then sent to Fort Rowner, Gosport on 21 Dec 1895. Initially passed as fit, he spent 29 days in hospital from 5 Feb 1896 to 4 Mar 1896, suffering from an illness referred to only by the initials V.D.H. (valvular disease of the heart and implies some organic disease or heart malfunction), of unknown cause and was discharged on 7 Mar 1896, as "Not being likely to become an efficient soldier."

On 19 Sep 1900, in London, at 18 years and 9 months, Edward John Bicknell, once again enlisted in the Royal Artillery. The record, again, says he was from Withycombe, Exmouth, Devon. Was he cured of his previous condition, or hopeful nobody would tie the two together (which they don't seem to do)?

In 1901, Edward John Bicknell (19) Gunner Royal Artillery, was listed on the census at Leith Fort, North Fort Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Part of Tigné Barracks, now incorporated in The Point Shopping MallSliemaMalta.

In 1911, Sergeant Edward John Bicknell (29), from Exmouth, Devon, was listed on the census of Overseas Establishments with 96th Company RGA (Royal Garrison Artillery) at Fort Tigné, Malta. Also listed there at that time were wife, Marcella Bicknell (26) and son, David Nicholas Bicknell (2) (96th Company, I believe, remained in Malta for the duration of World War I.)

But on 27 Oct 1919, Edward John Bicknell, then a Battery Sergeant Major at Sandown Barracks, Sandown, Isle of Wight, filed for divorce from Marcella, citing her adultery with co-respondent, Harry Babb, a Fitter in His Majesty's Dockyard at Portsmouth, with whom she was allegedly residing at 34, Castle Road, Southsea. The final decree was granted on 29 Sep 1920 and Harry Babb was ordered to pay costs of £63 18s 4d (around £2,900 in 2021).

In 1920 and 1921, records show that Sergeant Major Edward John Bicknell was a member of Sandown Masonic Lodge on the Isle of Wight

Edward John Bicknell remarried, to Ida Gertrude Pressley, on 25 Mar 1921, on the Isle of Wight. Ida Gertrude Pressley (b. 31 Dec 1890 (1891 M Quarter in ISLE OF WIGHT Volume 02B Page 615)), was the daughter of Thomas Frederick Pressley (a Yacht steward) and Sophia Caroline Lobb (from Jersey, Channel Islands). In 1901, the family address was Grocer's Shop, 62, West Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight (now a branch of The Co-operative Food). In 1911, Ida Gertrude Priestley (20), had been employed as a Lady's Maid to a Mrs Winifred Walker at 10 Marmion Road, Battersea, London.

In 1921, Ida Gertrude Bicknell (29) Dressmaker & Costumer from the Isle of Wight was a boarder and Edward John Bicknell (38) Soldier, 9th Bde RGA (Attached 34th Bde RFA North Camp Aldershot) a visitor in the household of Ada Smith (55) at 177, Filbert Street, Leicester, Leicestershire.

Edward John Bicknell was discharged from the Army on 18 Sep 1921, at Dover, under Paragraph 392 (xxi) of the King's Regulations - the end of a period of engagement - and awarded a pension of 51½d per day for life. His address on discharge matches, as 177, Filbert Street, Leicester

However, Edward John Bicknell of 4 Burton Street, Leicester, Bank Messenger, died on 21 Apr 1922 (1922 J Quarter in LEICESTER Volume 07A Page 300), at Leicester Royal Infirmary from shock following an operation (stomach cancer, diagnosed 5-6 months previously). He was ~40. His death was registered by P H Priestley, Brother-in-law (Ida's younger brother).

34, Castle Road, Southsea, alleged address of these shocking adulterers.

Marcella Bicknell had remarried to Henry Babb in the 4th quarter of 1920.

Babb was no easier to pin down than her first husband. The only relevant birth of a Harry Babb, in the 4th quarter of 1894, is in Barnstaple, Devon, with his mother's maiden name given as Ware. There was a marriage of an Eli Francis Babb and Annie Ware on 21 Feb 1880, at St Martin-in-the-Fields, in The Strand, London. Harry was baptised on 25 Jan 1895 at Holy Trinity Church, Barnstaple and the baptism record gives his parents as Levi Frank and Annie Babb, with his father's occupation listed as 'Boots' at the Fortescue Hotel. (The word 'Boots' came from, ‘boot boys’, an occupation in the 1830s and 40s requiring young men to clean the boots of hotel guests. Later, the occupation had become simply known as ‘boots’, and duties included odd-jobs.)

In 1921, Henry Babb (30) - making himself 4 years older - from Barnstaple, Devon, working for the Department (Engineering) H M Dockyard Portsmouth was indeed living at 34, Castle Road, Portsmouth with Marcella Babb (~36), step-son David Bicknell (12), four Boarders and one Domestic servant.

In 1939, Harry Babb (b. 17 Nov 1894), Marine Engineer, Marcella Babb, David N Bicknell and a lodger were living at 10 Wilberforce Road.

Marcella Babb of 1 Festing Grove, Southsea, died on 9 Oct 1963, at 80.

Henry Babb, also of 1 Festing Grove, Southsea, died on 19 Nov 1967.

David Nicholas Bicknell never married. He died of a cardiac arrest on 22 Jan 1987 (Q1/1987 in PORTSMOUTH (4971E) Volume 20 Page 1011), two days after his 78th birthday. The retired production controller still lived at 1 Festing Grove, Southsea. His place of birth listed on his death certificate was India. The records show that he was, in fact, born in Southsea, so I wonder if his father spent time in India while he was growing up, or did David only think it was India, being just a small child in the Mediterranean heat of Malta?

Festing Grove, Southsea
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Kate Jewell - geograph.org.uk/p/3319369

Sunday, 1 December 2024

David Jones and Catherine Rice

The door from Kitty's solid fuel stove. Photo: Jerome Mc Cormick

David Jones, son of David Jones and Laura Elizabeth White, married Catherine Rice, daughter of Richard Rice and Mary Hagerty, at the Registrar's Office, Cork on 1 Dec 1942. David Jones, Labourer, of The Bungalow, Rushbrooke, Cork, known as 'Young Dave', was 44 and Catherine, a Domestic Servant, residing at 14 Middleton Park, Rushbrooke, known as Kitty, was 36. Witnesses were Dave's sisters, Laura Mary Jones and Alice Jones.

Young Dave 'inherited' the job of Sexton of Christ Church, Church of Ireland, Rushbrooke from his father - and Christ Church has only ever had these two Sextons, both called David Jones - and he seems to have kept the job even after his marriage to Catherine, who was a Roman Catholic. Allegedly, he also worked for the Rushbrooke Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, cutting grass, etc.

Richard Rice, from Fermoy, County Cork, Harness Maker, son of John Rice, Farmer, married Mary Hagerty, farmer's daughter, from Lismore, Waterford, at the Roman Catholic Chapel at Ballyduff, Waterford, on 27 Sep 1900. In 1901, they were in Princes Street, Fermoy. By 1911, they were in Bank Street (apparently now renamed Kent Street), with Richard Rice (42), Mary Rice (43), John Rice (9), Mary Rice (8) and Catherine Rice (5).

Dave Jones died on 21 Nov 1966 (aged 68). Under his name on the record of his burial, on 23 Nov 1966, kept in Christ Church, is marked (Sexton) in brackets, hence knowing he had kept the job. He is buried in the family plot at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), along with his mother, brother and father.

Hendrick Verwey (Visit Cobh), once told me, "I grew up just up the road from Christ Church Rushbrooke and a very small lady called Mrs Jones lived in a tiny corrugated iron house across the road. I think that her husband looked after the church, but he died many years before her."

Kitty Jones, Widow, died on 13 Aug 1987 (aged 80–81) and was buried on 15 Aug 1987, also at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh)

Monday, 5 August 2024

Nicholas Jones and Ellen Brennan (otherwise White)

Glenbrook from the R624 near Carrigalore
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Ian S - geograph.org.uk/p/5837006

Nicholas Jones, son of Thomas Jones and Mary Harty, married Ellen Brennan otherwise White, widow, on 5 Aug 1886, at Christ Church, Church of Ireland, Rushbrooke, Cobh - the church where his brother, David Jones, was Sexton. Nicholas' address was Rushbrooke and Ellen's Glenbrook. Witnesses to the marriage were a George Owens and Annie Jones - David and Nicholas' sister. Nicholas' rank or profession at that time was Able Seaman. 

Nicholas had been baptised on 17 May 1853 at the Catholic church of the Sacred Heart, Rath, near Baltimore (Rath And The Islands Parish), Cork. Sponsors were a James Hayes and Ellen Hart (sic) - his mother's sister. 

Ellen White, said to be born in 1854 D Quarter in EPSOM Volume 02A Page 4, civil record gives her mother's maiden name as Smith. On the record of her marriage to Nicholas, she gives her father's name as William Henry White, a farmer, but it hasn't been possible to find a marriage of a William White and someone whose surname is Smith in the right timeframe and area. I'd be quite well off if I had a quid for every illegitimate-born person who claimed that their father was a farmer, so this makes me suspicious. Nor has it been possible to locate Ellen's previous marriage to Mr Brennan.

Nicholas and Ellen had one daughter, Annie Jones, purportedly b. 30 Sep 1890 in London. On both the 1901 and 1911 Irish census returns Annie, 12 and 22, respectively, calculate to a year of birth of 1889/90 and state she was born in England. Annie's own daughter could never find a birth record for her, so I'm sure I can't and we're forced to conclude that Ellen probably didn't register the birth before leaving England, nor once she got back to Ireland.

What will we do with a drunken sailor? You honestly couldn't make this up, and fulfilling every stereotype in the book: Irish. Sailor. Drunk. On 1 Sep 1875, Nicholas Jones, Seaman appeared in court as a Defendant in Queenstown (Cobh). The Cork Constitution (newspaper) of 2 Sep 1875, reported on the previous day's Queenstown Petty Sessions: "Nicholas Jones for breaking a window in the house of Mrs Cotter, publican, Harbour Row, was fined 7s 6d., compensation, and 5s. additional for being drunk." The summons details that Nicholas was "Found drunk on the highway, town of Queenstown on the 3rd August 1875." And that he "Wilfully committed damage to a pane of glass the property of Complainant [Catherine Cotter, Widow] value seven shillings and six pence." "Defendant to pay a fine of five shillings + costs one shilling, or in default to be imprisoned for seven days in the County Jail. Said defendant to pay Catherine Cotter the sum of seven shillings compensation for breaking said pane of glass + costs 6d." 

However, on, 17 Jan 1888, the same newspaper reported:

MERITORIOUS CONDUCT OF A CORK SAILOR

At two o'clock yesterday, Nicholas Jones, of 11 Harbour View, Queenstown, was made the recipient of a silver medal, presented by the French Government for his meritorious services performed under the following circumstances:- 

In March 1886, he was serving on board the steamship Sarah Ann of West Hartlepool, bound from Baltimore to Galway. When in the neighbourhood of the Grand Bank of Newfoundland they fell in with a French brig Dix Freres (Ten Brothers) of Martinique, in distress, with masts gone and decks swept, a very heavy sea running at the time. The steamer hove to, launched a boat, of which Nicholas Jones was one of the crew, and they, after great difficulty and risk, brought four of the French crew on board the Sarah Ann the remainder being subsequently rescued by another steamer. 

The medal, which was accompanied by a certificate of merit, bore the following inscription:- "A Nicholas Jones, matelot a bord du naviere Anglais Sarah Ann; services a la marine Française, 1886." (To Nicholas Jones, sailor aboard the English ship Sarah Ann; services to the French navy, 1886.)

Mr W Harvey, President of the Board of Trade, presided; and Alderman Scott and Capt. M Dermott were also present.

Mr Harvey, in presenting the medal said that [the] board had very frequently been applied to to perform duties of the present pleasing nature, and that, he thought, spoke very well for the bravery of Cork seamen. He had very great pleasure indeed in presenting Jones with the medal and certificate which was so justly awarded to him for his share in the meritorious rescue, and he heartily wished him a long and successful career.

Alderman Scott said he had only to endorse what had been said by Mr Harvey, and he thought he was expressing the opinions of the community when he said he was proud of the recipient, not alone for the favourable record he bore, but for his instrumentality in saving human life, which was a most commendable quality. Mr Jones, having returned thanks, the proceedings terminated.

It may be mentioned that the delay caused in presenting the medal was due to the fact of Mr Jones being at sea almost constantly since the occurrence.

This further report of the incident, from the Northern Daily Mail, March 27th, 1886, tells us more, "The lifeboat by which the rescue was affected was in the command of Mr Andrews, the mate & it was so severely damaged by the heavy sea running at the time that it was little short of a miracle that she ever got back to the steamer. The entire crew of the brigantine were Negroes & the master & mate were quite drunk & not only resisted all persuasion to leave the sinking vessel, with which they declared they would go down, but they most inhumanely prevented a small boy from being rescued with the other four."

Records of Shipping agreements and crew lists at the National Archives of Ireland suggest that Nicholas served on various vessels, including the following ships: SS Xema departing from Cork in Jun 1891, Dec 1891, Jun 1893, Dec 1893, Jun 1894 and Dec 1894; SS Rotterdam from Dublin in Dec 1896, Lee from Cork in 1898 and Blamey from Cork in Dec 1900.

In 1901, Ellen Jones (47), wife, and Annie Jones (12), scholar, were living in the Lower Glanmire Road, Cork City. Nicholas will have been at sea. 

In 1911, still in Lower Glanmire Road, were Nicholas Jones (57) Ship's Steward, Ellen Jones (57) and Annie Jones (22) Bookkeeper. The household also included three Boarders: Samuel Donald Dare (42), James Raynane (22), John Foley (25) and Hannah Healy (40), Domestic Servant, Visitor. 

Nicholas Jones, Sailor, died on 22 Jan 1930, ultimately from cardiac failure. His death was registered in the district of Carrigaline, KinsaleCounty Cork. The record said he was 72, but he will have been 76. 

Ellen Jones, Sailor's Widow, died on 23 Dec 1931, also in Carrigaline. She was 76. Her daughter, Annie King, was present at her death.

Sunday, 3 March 2024

George Charles Mew and Sarah Jane Fudge

Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Basher Eyre - geograph.org.uk/p/2655103

George Charles Mew (24), son of George Mew and Mary Collins, married Sarah Jane Fudge (b. 25 Dec 1850 in East Stonehouse, Devon), daughter of Thomas Fudge and Ann Beedle, at St Mary's Church, Portsea on 3 Mar 1870. Witnesses were Ann Fudge (bride's mother) and W Hatch.

The bridegroom, a Steward on HMS Asia, lists his father as George Charles Mew, Petty Officer RN. George Charles Mew was born on 31 Mar 1845 at Cove of Cork, now Cobh, Ireland. It's claimed he was baptised at St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh on 3 Apr 1845, but this cannot be true as construction of the cathedral was not begun until 1868. The baptism record will be held by the Cathedral's Cobh Parish Office, but undoubtedly took place in St John the Baptist Catholic Church, which stood on that site from 1810 to 1868.

George and Sarah had eleven children in total:
  1. Lucy Elizabeth Ann Mew b. 4 May 1870 (1870 J Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 478), bap. Lucia Elizabetha, St John's RC Cathedral on 12 Jun 1872. Died, aged 6, in 1876 J Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 324.
  2. Mary Ann Mew b. 2 April 1872 (1872 J Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 452), bap. Maria Anna at St John's RC Cathedral on 12 June 1872.
  3. George Charles Mew b. 9 Dec 1874, reg. M Qtr 1875 in PORTSEA ISLAND Vol 02B Page 463, bap. 15 Aug 1877 at St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Portsmouth. Died, aged 37 in 1912 M Qtr in PORTSMOUTH Vol 02B Page 663.
  4. Annie Louisa Mew b. 18 May 1877 J Qtr in PORTSEA ISLAND Vol 02B Page 504, bap. 15 Aug 1877, at St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral
  5. Henrietta Mew b. 18 Oct 1879 D Qtr in PORTSEA ISLAND Vol 02B Page 493, bap. 16 Nov 1879 at St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral
  6. Henry Michael Mew b. 10 Oct 1881 D Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B 522, bap. Henricus Michael on 20 Nov 1881, at St John's R C Cathedral
  7. Mabel Mary Mew b. 26 May 1884  (1884 S Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 480), bap. Mabilla Maria on 11 June 1884 at St John the Evangelist's Church, Portsmouth.
  8. Lucy Maria Mew b. 10 Sep 1885 (1885 D Qtr in PORTSEA ISLAND Vol 02B Page 498), bap. Maria Lucia on 20 Sep 1885 at St John's RC Cathedral. Died age 1, in 1886 S Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 350.
  9. Lucy Mary Mew b. 19 Sep 1887 (1887 D Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 511), bap. 9 Oct 1887 at St John the Evangelist's Church, Portsmouth
  10. Margaret Marshall Mew b. 29 Nov 1889 (1890 M Qtr in PORTSEA ISLAND Vol 02B Page 423), bap. Margarita Marshall on 15 Dec 1889 at St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Portsmouth
  11. Andrew Samuel Mew b. 25 Dec 1892 (1893 M Qtr in PORTSEA ISLAND Vol 02B Page 458), bap. Andreas Samuel on 15 Jan 1893 at St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral. Died, aged 2, in 1894 D Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 301, buried on 31 Dec 1894 at Kingston Cemetery.
George Charles Mew had enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1863. From 29 Apr 1863 until 31 Dec 1866, he was assigned to HMS Asia (1824), which, by that time was flagship of the Admiral-Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard. For much of that time George Charles Mew was a Warrant Officer's Servant or Cook. With HMS Rodney (1833) from 1 Jan 1867 to 4 May 1868, George was back with HMS Asia from 28 May 1868 to 31 Dec 1872 and engaged again from 1 Jan 1873 to 20 Feb 1874. His record in 1873 lists him as being 5ft 3in with brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion.

In 1871, Sarah Mew (20) was lodging in Hertford Street, Portsea with her daughter Losie [Lucy] (0) and Anne Bailey (11) Visitor. This will have been her niece, Louisa Anne [Annie] Bailey, who was actually 13. She was also listed in her grandparents' household, so being counted twice on this census.

From 21 Feb 1874 to 21 Mar 1874, George became the 4th of my relatives to serve, albeit briefly, on HMS Duke of Wellington (1852). From 6 May to 24 Aug 1874, he was with HMS Newcastle (1860) and his final posting was with HMS Endymion (1865) - which may have taken him to as exotic a location as Hull - from 25 Aug 1874 to 9 Aug 1875, when he was Invalided.

In 1881, George Charles Mew (36) then a Tailor's porter, was a Lodger in the household of his in-laws, Thomas Fudge (72) Navy Pensioner and Ann Fudge (68) at 33, Bridport Street, Portsea, along with wife Sarah Jane (29), Mary Ann (9), George Charles (7), Annie Louisa (4) and Henrietta (1).

Sarah Jane, was baptised as Sara Joanna Mew - listed as a convert - at St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Portsmouth, on 3 Jul 1882.

In 1891, in Clarence Street, Portsea, were George Mew (47) Tailor's trimmer, Sarah Mew (40), Mary A (19) Tailoress; George Mew (16) Shoemakers apprentice; Annie Mew (13) Dressmakers apprentice; Henrietta Mew (11), Mabel Mew (7), Henry Mew (9), Lucy Mew (4) and Maggie Mew (1).

George Charles Mew of Clarence Street, Landport died, aged 48, on 8 Apr 1893 and was buried, on 13 April 1893, at Kingston Cemetery, "in a Catholic Slot, 4th Row, 12th Grave, in Unconsecrated Ground."

In 1901, Sarah Mew (50) Widowed, at 46, Clarence Street, Portsmouth with Harry Mew (19) Stableman; Mabel Mew (16) Corset Maker; Lucy Mew (13); Maggie Mew (11), daughter Henrietta Hazzard (21), George Hazzard (22) Son-in-law, Journeyman Bricklayer and James Eyers (23) Blacksmith, Visitor. Son George Charles Mew (26) was a Stable Lad in the employ of Alfred Willson (50) Trainer of Race Horses in East Garston, Berkshire.

In Q3 of 1905, in Portsmouth, Sarah Mew married James William Holdaway. This gentleman, I believe, was the son of William James Holdaway and Eliza Gardener, bap. 6 Nov 1864 at St Luke's, Southsea, who, at 19, on 24 Feb 1885, had joined the Hampshire Regiment. He served in India from 1886 to 1888; Burma from 1888 to 1891 and in India again from 1891 to 1892 and was discharged on 23 Feb 1897. On 11 May 1897, he had enlisted in the 3rd Battalion Hampshire Regiment and was in Malta from 1901 to 1903. On 23 Mar 1904, he enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery and served in South Africa from 1904 to 1905, being finally discharged on 4 Aug 1905. What happened to him after 1905, however, is [as yet] a mystery.

In 1911, Sarah Jane Mew (61) Widow, employed as a Stay Lacer was living at 40 Fyning Street, Fratton, Portsmouth with her daughter Margaret Marshall Mew (21) Assistant Stock Keeper and Alec John Mew (1) (1910 M Quarter in PORTSMOUTH Volume 02B Page 439), who appears to have been Margaret's illegitimate child. Why Sarah Jane was listed with the surname Mew again when she'd already remarried (and presumably been widowed again), is not at all clear from the records available. On this census too, she lists (although these details have been crossed through) that she was married 40 years - her marriage to George Charles Mew was only 23 years until his death in 1893 - had eleven children of whom seven were living and four had died.

In 1921, Sarah Jane Holdaway (70) Widow, Wife's Mother, was living with her daughter Henrietta Hazzard (41) at 77, Middlesex Road, Eastney.

Sarah Jane Holdaway died in 1936 D Quarter in PORTSMOUTH Volume 02B Page 647. The Portsmouth Evening News on 8 Oct 1936, had the following notice: "HOLDAWAY (Mew) Sarah Jane. In loving memory of our dear Mother, who passed peacefully away on October the 7th, at 77, Middlesex Road, age 85 years. - From her sorrowing daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and great grandchildren. - Will be sadly missed. Peacefully sleeping." 

These pages are a 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.