Mr Philip Perry (b. ~1678) married Elizabeth Flemming (purportedly b. ~1685) at St Mary the Virgin, Little Ilford, Essex, on 6 Feb 1706. This couple were paternal grandparents of the 'famous' John Perry, Shipbuilder credited as the founder of the Blackwall Yard, which built ships largely for the East India Company. (Philip and Elizabeth Perry were also the grandparents of John Perry's first wife, Elizabeth Brown, as John married his first cousin.) It was Philip Perry who began the family's connection with Blackwall Yard.
Fleming Perry b. 4 Jan 1717, bap. 12 Jan 1717. Fleming, son of Mr Philip Perry, buried 21 Oct 1720 at St Margaret's, Barking
Sarah Perry b. 27 May 1719, bap. 14 Jun 1719. Sarah, daughter of Mr Philip Perry, buried 26 May 1720 at St Margaret's, Barking
Sarah Perry bap. 12 Mar 1720 (Julian) 1721 (Gregorian). Sadly, the church official had stopped putting in the actual birth dates.
All of the baptisms took place at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich. Elizabeth and Susanna, baptised together in 1715 (Gregorian), were presumably born in different years, but the record doesn't show which. Elizabeth is listed first on the baptism, as well as later in her father's Will, so I'm assuming she was the older of the two. St Margaret's Church, Barking a.k.a. the Church of St Margaret of Antioch is where Captain Jonathan Collett, to whom Philip Perry left a bequest, was baptised and later buried. Susanna Perry would seem to have been named after Collett's wife, Susanna Hill (whom he had married at Saint Helen Bishopsgate, City of London on 6 Jul 1706).
The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard (PDF) by Henry Green and Robert Wigram (published 1881), claim that in 1708: "About this time the manager of Sir Henry Johnson's Yard was a certain Philip Perry, whose history and introduction to Blackwall has been given as follows. In or about the year 1690, Philip Perry was a carpenter on board of one of His Majesty's ships. During a severe storm the vessel was in much danger of foundering from a bad leak, but in consequence of Philip Perry's skill and ingenuity the ship was saved and brought safely back to port. The Commissioners of the Admiralty, to mark their appreciation of his service, gave him an important post at Plymouth Dockyard, whence he was transferred to Deptford, where he greatly increased his reputation. This position he is said to have relinquished to superintend Sir Henry Johnson's business at Blackwall."
Ship's carpenters went on voyages to make running repairs, so I suspect there may be some truth in the story, but it bears all the hallmarks of family making it sound more dramatic than reality. If we were to be really pedantic, the reigning monarchs in 1690 were William III and Mary II, who ascended the throne after the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, so a reference in 1690 should have been to one of 'Their Majesties' Ships'. It seems more likely this event was after the death of Mary II in 1694, and before the accession of Queen Anne in 1702. Besides, if Philip Perry was born in 1678, then he'll have been around 12 in 1690, which is plenty old enough to be at sea, but a later date would be more reasonable given the skill and ingenuity they suggest. Of course this could all just be a completely romanticised family myth.
Green & Wigram's chronology is pretty sketchy with regard to this period, but the earliest reports confirm that Perry's career began in Plymouth and this, I feel, helps make a case for him originally being from that area. Both British History Online and Three Decks think he was born in 1678 (the latter will have got the information from the former). If so, there's a potential baptism of Philip Perry, son of John Perry (and reputedly grandson of Philip Perry) in 1679, in Maker, Cornwall (just across the Tamar from Plymouth), which several people have accepted and I agree that, circumstantially, this looks incredibly reasonable, but may be unlikely to be absolutely proven.
"Perry, a working shipwright, was employed in the Naval Yard at Plymouth during the first years of the eighteenth century.", according to British History Online. He was then posted to Kinsale in 1702, where he was appointed Master Shipwright and there are references to substantiate him being in Kinsale from Mar 1702 until Jun 1705. He'd been sent to Ireland with other shipwrights for the purpose of 'their taking shipping there' at the beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession. Records listed at The National Archives (not downloadable) also confirm these postings: on 18 Mar 1702 "Plymouth Officers on behalf of Philip Perry, Shipwright. A testimonial of the good service of Phillip Perry." Then on 25 Sep 1702 "Philip Perry, Shipwright, Kindsale, Petitioner. He asks to be registered at Kinsale as a skilled man and to receive a higher level of pay." And "Kinsale Officers for Philip Perry, Shipwright, provide a Testimonial on behalf of Phillip Perry, Shipwright."
Then on 6 Aug 1705, "Philip Perry, Sheerness. Regarding his service in Kinsale where he acted as Foreman and assisted in repairs to masts and boats. Requests an allowance to take into consideration his 13 years service, including two spells in Kinsale." And on 17 Aug 1705 "Philip Perry, Sheerness. Further request for acting foreman pay for his time at Kinsale."
The other question that arises is, where and when did he meet Elizabeth? He'd only been in the London area for eight months when they married, but could he have known her longer? Could she have been from Plymouth? It seems that I'm not the first person to suggest this, but no evidence was offered.
The church where all of their children were baptised, St Mary Magdalene Woolwich, is right next toWoolwich Dockyard, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich, "where many ships were built from the early 16th century". It's some distance (~4 miles) from Deptford Dockyard, the nearest church to which is St. Nicholas, on Deptford Green, so surely attending the church in Woolwich suggested Philip Perry was employed at Woolwich? And indeed, confirmation is in a record listed at The National Archives (not digitised so not downloadable), dated 1708, "Folio 396: Philip Perry. Petition for employment as Boatbuilder at Deptford Yard. Places mentioned: Kinsale, Woolwich. People mentioned: Mr. Stacey, Mr. Philips, Commissioner Wright."
Mr. Stacey was Richard Stacey, English shipbuilder and ship designer. In 1695, Stacey was Master Boat Builder at Plymouth Dockyard; "In 1698 he transferred briefly to Kinsale (until Apr 1705). He then worked for a few months at Sheerness Dockyard in 1705 before being appointed Master Shipwright at Woolwich Dockyard in November 1705." From 1709 until 1715, Richard Stacey was Master Shipwright at Portsmouth Dockyard and this is the only time Perry doesn't go with him. Then in 1715, Stacy was Appointed Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard. Stacey, being around 15 years older than Perry could have been his master (with whom Perry served his apprenticeship), or Perry was a highly trusted employee, but they must have known each other, because Perry generally went wherever Stacey went. Did Philip Perry work at Deptford perhaps with Stacey after 1715?
The Master Shipwrights House at Deptford, "... was rebuilt in 1708 for master shipwright Joseph Allin who, dissatisfied with his existing house, persuaded the Navy Board to invest in a remodelling. However, Allin overspent on the house and, amidst rumours of corruption, he was dismissed in 1715." [Source]. That's when Richard Stacey was appointed Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard, a position he held until 1742, so he will have lived and worked in this magnificent house for 27 years. British History Online, also tells us that, "In the mid-1730s, when it was rumoured that Philip Perry was about to desert Blackwall for Deptford, he was described as 'the Great Builder'." You can quite imagine this rumour being taken seriously. Philip Perry must have visited there during that time and may have worked there too. And Philip Perry's son-in-law, Philip Gilbert, certainly must have done so, as he was briefly Assistant Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard in 1740.
"During the 1720s he [Perry] worked as manager for John Kirby and was later employed in a similar capacity by Collett and Boulton." (As an aside, but nevertheless important to note, Philip Perry's granddaughter, Elizabeth Perry and her husband (my cousin) Elnathan Ayres, gave the middle name Boulton to two of their children.) The baptisms in Woolwich suggest the Perrys were still there until around 1720/1, which confirms the statement, "there is no evidence of his being at Blackwall before 1722". By 1722 Perry was living in Blackwall Yard, where he occupied the mansion house 'and garden adjacent with the garden and terrace walk on the east side of the same'. This mansion house was probably the new house erected, between 1677 and 1679, when Johnson (Sir Henry Johnson) paid two builders, John Rogers and Thomas Marchant, for 'the Alterations of the new house and Repairing the ould'. When the new house was built, Richard Gibbs was paid £26 4s 10d for 'painters work' of a highly decorative nature about the property. One room was painted 'olive wood and tortell shell' (sic) and murals depicted battles and ships built at the yard. The new house was probably the detached house to the east of the wet dock which can be seen in Francis Holman's mid-eighteenth-century painting of the yard (below) and which survived into the 1840s. [Source]
In the parish registers of St Dunstan's, Stepney is the record of the burial of Elizabeth Perry on 21 Apr 1734. I'm certain this is Mrs Philip Perry, because it says "Elizabeth Perry of B'Wall to Poplar", indicating that she was buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church) built by the East India Company in 1654, where her husband, sons and grandson were also later buried.
In his Will, drafted on 20 Jun 1741, "Philip Perry the Elder of Blackwall in the Parish of Stepney in the County of Middlesex Shipwright" ... directed, "My body I commit to this earth to be decently buried by walking burial in as frugal a manner as conveniently may be at the discretion and management of my sons Philip Perry and John Perry and my Son-in-Law John Brown (whom I herein make Executors ...)" A walking burial, I assume, is his coffin taken in procession on foot, without hiring expensive carriages. Philip left £120 to Abraham Cropp Esq., "by borrowing securities to him for my late son Thomas Perry deceased". (Thus Thomas must have died before 1741, but I've not found when or where). He made bequests to his said son Philip Perry the Younger; his son John Perry; Son-in-Law John Brown; Captain Jonathan Collett; Captain Richard Gosfreight (Collett and Gosfreight were the principal ship's husbands for whom he'd built many ships); his sister Sarah Price, Widow; Philip Littlepage* (grandson of my said sister Sarah Price ten pounds to put him out apprentice); George Case the Clerk of Blackwall Yard; and his three daughters Elizabeth Brown, Susanna Perry & Sarah Perry. Philip Perry makes no mention of his wife in his Will, suggesting she pre-deceased him, adding circumstantial confirmation to the above. There are various stipulations as to how his estate should be divided among his children, depending upon what the total amounted to and it's obvious he was pretty well off.
*(Philip Littlepage bap. 3 Jul 1734, was the son of Sam Littlepage of Poplar, Gent, and Sarah Price, who married on 7 Feb 1728 at St John At Hackney, but I've been unable to find a marriage of a Sarah Perry to anyone named Price.)
The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard (PDF) claims that John Perry and his brother, Philip Perry, became Yard Managers at Blackwall when their father, "Philip Perry, died on the 26 Sep 1732, at the age of sixty-one years, and was buried near the first Sir Henry Johnson, in the ground adjoining the East India Company's, or Poplar, Chapel, as it was now called. After his death the business was carried on by his son, who, as we learn from local records, had become by this time a person of considerable influence in the neighbourhood." Philip Perry died in 1742, not 1732 (although I suspect he retired in 1732, as John Perry was managing the yard from then), and this is probably just a 'typo', but it's also not the first time details in Wigram & Green's account just don't add up and, at best, have probably been wrongly remembered.
Philip Perry died on 26 Sep 1742 and was buried on 2 Oct 1742. The parish records of St Dunstans, Stepney lists, "Philip Perry of Blackwall at Poplar", indicating he too was buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church).
Thomas Goodman (b. 7 Jan 1791, bap. 13 Feb 1791), son of William Goodman and Elizabeth Turner, married Mary Ann Pluck (bap. 12 Mar 1790 at St Mary the Virgin, Saffron Walden), daughter of John James Pluck and Elizabeth Coe, at St Mary the Virgin, Bocking, on 22 Jan 1813.
Phebe Goodman b. 6 Dec 1823, bap. 9 May 1824 at St Matthew's, Bethnal Green. Died May 1824 at Scott Street, Bethnal Green. Buried 23 May 1824 at Globe Fields Burial Ground, Mile End Old Town.
Thomas Alfred Goodman b. 2 Mar 1825, bap. 25 Dec 1825 at St Matthew's, Bethnal Green. Died July 1826 at Tent Street, Bethnal Green. Buried on 3 Jul 1826 at Globe Fields Burial Ground, Mile End Old Town.
Louisa Goodman b. 26 Feb 1827, bap. 18 Mar 1827 at St Matthew's, Bethnal Green.
All of the baptisms specify the child's parents as Thomas and Mary and most also specify that Thomas Goodman's occupation was a Carpenter. They clearly moved into London some time between Eliza's baptism in Essex, on 16 Dec 1821 and that of George, in Bethnal Green, on Christmas Day 1822.
In 1841, in Carlisle Street, Bethnal Green, were Thomas Goodman (50), Mary Goodman (51), William Goodman (25) and Louisa Goodman (14).
It is my belief that the death of Thomas Goodman, age estimated to 59, who died 1847 D Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Volume 02 Page 25, relates.
Mary Ann Goodman died, in 1849 in BETHNAL GREEN Vol 02 Page 16.
Thomas Staines (bap. 28 Mar 1790 in Mountnessing, Essex), son of Thomas Staines and Sarah Lewin, married Sally Hockley (bap. 23 Dec 1787 at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow), daughter of Daniel Hockley and Sarah Turner, on 20 Jan 1812 at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow. Witnesses were Robert Hockley, Sally's 1st cousin, and Benjamin Cheek (the latter was a Boot and Shoe Maker, according to Pigot's Directory of Essex 1823.)
Thomas and Sally had eleven children in total, who were all baptised at St Giles, Mountnessing, where the family settled for many years:
On the baptisms of Thomas, Sarah, William and John, their father is listed as a Shop Keeper. On those of George onwards, he's listed as a farmer. He's also listed as a farmer on Sarah's marriage to Henry Wilton in 1838.
In 1841, Thomas Staines (50), Farmer, was residing at Woodlands Farm [Thoby Lane], Mountnessing with wife Sally and six of their children; George (20), Robert (18), Maria (15), Mary (13), Ann (11) and Charles (9). Eldest son Thomas Staines married Eliza Lee in 1835 and went to live in High Roding; Sarah Staines had married Henry Wilton in 1838 and they could be found in the High Street, Great Dunmow; a William Staines of the right age, who was born in Mountnessing, is a farmer of 79 acres in Navestock, Essex; John Staines also appeared to have left home and Elizabeth Staines, it would seem, sadly, had just died, aged 17, and was buried on 30 May 1841.
In 1851, Thomas Staines (61), Farmer of 130 Acres, Employing 4 Labourers and 2 Boys, at Woodlands Farm, Mountnessing, with wife Sally. Still at home were George (30), Maria (25) and Ann (22). Mary Ann Wilton (5) was listed as Niece (could be an easy mistake if one of children was completing the census or responding to the enumerator for their parents), but she was Thomas and Sally's granddaughter (daughter of Henry Wilton and Sarah Staines), possibly staying with her grandparents as her mother had another child in 1851.
By 1861, Thomas and Sally Staines had moved to Lord Peters (Sir William Petre) Alms Houses, Stone Field, Ingatestone, Chelmsford. Thomas (71) was then listed as being a Maltster and Corn Dealer. Still living at home were daughters Maria (32) and Anne (29) and visiting them were granddaughter, Elizabeth Staines (14) (daughter of William Staines) and their grandson, Henry Staines Wilton (20) (son of Henry Wilton and Sarah Staines).
Thomas Staines died, at 79, in 1870 (1870 M Quarter in CHELMSFORD Volume 04A Page 134), and was buried, on 8 Feb 1870, in Ingatestone.
In 1871, Sally Staines, widow and annuitant, was living Nr The Maltings, Avenue Cottage with Anne (40), housekeeper and Fanny Hogg, boarder.
Sally Staines (née Hockley) died, aged 87 in 1875 (1875 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 308), and was buried on 18 Mar 1875 at St Edmund and St Mary's Church, Ingatestone.
William Thomas Jarvis married Sarah Ann Wilton (b. 1842), daughter of Joseph Wilton and Ann Thurlbourn, in Great Dunmow, on 17 Jan 1866. On the marriage record, William Thomas Jarvis is listed as the son of John Jarvis, a Grocer, but I've been unable to find a grocer called John Jarvis anywhere. It's a bit suspect that Sarah worked for a grocer and he 'coincidentally' choses this trade, and feels to me like another case of a father invented for the marriage certificate. There are plenty of those. Neither have I found a record of a birth or baptism of William Thomas Jarvis, because he doesn't appear on any census in this period either to get clues to verify when or where he was born.
Whoever he was, nevertheless, the couple had two children:
Kate Jarvis b. 1867 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Vol 04A Page 392
William Thomas Jarvis b. 1868 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 387. Died aged 17, on 4 Oct 1885 (1885 D Quarter in CHELMSFORD Volume 04A Page 209) and was buried on 9 Oct 1885, in Chelmsford, with father listed as Thomas Jarvis.
In 1861, Sarah A Wilton (19), Milliner, had been a boarder in the household of Alfred Sprent, Draper & Grocer, in Watling Street, Thaxted.
By 1871, Sarah Jarvis (28), Dressmaker, was listed as widowed - although I've been unable to find a record of William Thomas Jarvis' death - living with her two children and her sister Clara Jane in High Street, Great Dunmow.
Sarah Ann Jarvis died at 31, in 1874 M Qtr in DUNMOW UNION Vol 04A Page 271, from Consumption (Tuberculosis) and was buried on 8 Jan 1874.
In 1881, [William Thomas] Tom Jarvis (13) Cashier Clerk, Nephew was living with two of his maiden aunts, his mother's sisters, Eleanor Wilton (29) and Clara Wilton (27) at 3, Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex.
Then William Thomas Jarvis died on 4 Oct 1885, aged 17.
There were two girls called Kate Jarvis born 1867 in Dunmow
There were, however, two people called Kate Jarvis, both born in the March quarter of 1867 and both registered in Dunmow. One of the births lists the mother's maiden name as Wilton - thus she was daughter of William Thomas Jarvis and Sarah Ann Wilton - while the other birth lists the mother's maiden name as Patient - she was the daughter of John Jarvis and Ann Patient. Have not yet determined what, if any, relation they were to one another.
In 1881, a Kate Jarvis (14) was a general servant in the household of Susan F Sprent (38), widow, in Town Street, Thaxted, Dunmow, Essex. Therefore, while it would be tempting to think that the Kate Jarvis who is working for Susan Sprent in 1881 would be the daughter of Sarah Ann Jarvis (née Wilton) who had worked for Alfred Sprent 20 years earlier, in reality, and especially if they are related, it's impossible to tell which one this was.
There are, actually, no verifiable records of the Kate Jarvis the daughter of William Thomas Jarvis and Sarah Ann Wilton beyond 1871.
(The Kate Jarvis who married William Hockley, in Dunmow, in 1890 was the daughter of John Jarvis. She definitely wasn't the daughter of Sarah Ann Wilton, as this erroneous listing suggests. Neither can I find how this William Hockley is related - if he is - to the rest of my Dunmow Hockleys. The family were living in Thaxted, in 1901. Then this William Hockley died, aged 36, in 1902. In 1911 the widowed Kate Hockley (44) was in Thaxted with her two children and then on 2 Mar 1912, the widowed Kate Hockley married a John Jarvis (was he her relation?) and, once again, became Kate Jarvis. It is therefore this Kate Jarvis, daughter of John Jarvis and Ann Patient, rebooted, listed in Thaxted in 1921 and in Dunmow Road, Thaxted in 1939, who died, aged 79, in 1947 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 801.)
William Phillips b. 25 Dec 1810, bap. 20 Jan 1811 at St Michael's, Aveley. (There is a burial of a William Phillips, aged 31, on 25 Apr 1841 in Rainham that may relate.)
Thomas Bradley (records suggest that he was born around 1766) married Sarah Garton (bap. 18 Feb 1770 in Woodford, Essex), daughter of John Garton and Elizabeth Shirley, on 6 Jan 1789 in Woodford, presumably at the ancient parish church of St Mary's, Woodford (since rebuilt).
Thomas and Sarah had at least these eight children:
Their only son, Job Thomas Sweeney (right), was born at 25 Monteagle Street, Stepney (which further research suggests was a boarding house) on 27 Aug 1897 (registered Job Thomas Sweney 1897 D Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 499, mother's maiden name TOMPSON) and was baptised at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, on 19 Sep 1897.
In 1901, Job Sweney (sic) (33) Warehouseman, Eliza Sweney (sic) (32) and Job Sweney (sic) (3), were living at 8, Repton Street, Limehouse.
My mother always claimed that her father and grandmother, Eliza Louisa, had been living in Sidney Street at the time of the Siege of Sidney Street, or Battle of Stepney that took place in January 1911. Improbable, though not impossible, but I can find no records to support this. Eliza Louisa was well away from the area when Cable Street (where she was born) had it's own battle in 1936.
By the time of the census on 2 April 1911, the family were living at 102 Fore Street, in the City of London. They lived in a flat above the warehouse that came with the job, where Job Sweeney (41) was employed as Packer and Caretaker; Eliza Louisa Sweeney (41), Job Thomas Sweeney (13) and Amy Dobson (19) Domestic Servant, Friend (Amy Dobson b. 1892, was the sister of Ruth Christmas Dobson, wife of Job's brother Charles Sweeney.)
Their only son, Job Thomas Sweeney, must have served during WWI and these photographs tell us that this was in the British Army. His cap and epaulette badges are for the Royal Engineers, so it would seem that he was a sapper. There is a medal card for a Thomas J Sweeney, a sapper in the Royal Engineers, later in the Middlesex Regiment, The Queen Regiment, Royal Army Service Corps and then back to the Royal Engineers. Never heard him to have been known as Thomas, but it's possible, so I can neither confirm nor refute that this record is his.
His ID discs, visible in both photos, could hold the key, but neither are sufficiently clear to reveal any detail. The major fire and bombing raid on the War Office Record Office in London's Arnside Street during the September 1940 Blitz destroyed about 60% of British Army WWI service records, and his must have been among those completely destroyed.
In 1921, Job Sweeney (51) Packer, was still living and working at 102, Fore Street, City of London, for Hoffnung& Co Shipping Merchants; with wife, Eliza L Sweeney (52) and son, Job T Sweeney (23) Warehouseman, working for Wills & Co (W.D. & H.O. Wills) at their Holborn Viaduct factory (for whom he eventually worked for around 36 years.) (Calling herself Amy Margaret Dobson (29) Charwoman, in 1921 - no idea where the Margaret came from - living at 102, Hind Street, Poplar, this census tells us she was working for Messrs Hoffnung & Co Ltd at 102 Fore Street, City, E C.)
Press Gangs and the King’s Shilling: Job Sweney (sic) died, on 6 December 1924, aged 54 (1924 D Quarter in HENDON Volume 03A Page 374), and as family stories go, this has to be one of the best (as in the myth is about as far away from the truth as it's possible to get), but also one of the saddest.
My mother won't have known her grandfather, as he had died when she was only a few months old, but throughout her life, she recounted this story so many times it would be impossible to count: The story went that Job Sweeney had been "press ganged" into the navy no less than three times. Once would be unlucky, you'd have thought. Anyway, this account, undoubtedly passed down to her by her grandmother, Eliza Louisa Sweeney, was further embellished with the assertion that Job liked his drink rather too much, hence was always in the pub and the worse for wear and, therefore, had been tricked, in serial fashion, into taking the King's Shilling.
All absolute poppycock, of course, like most family stories are.
As I say, I'd heard and nodded along to the retelling of this story umpteen times, but never really considered or questioned it. It wasn't until I met the current 'him indoors' who knows his military history, who immediately said "wrong century", that it became obvious the whole thing was invention.
With hindsight, I can see where it will have come from. Job's father was a dock labourer (sometimes listed as a stevedore); his great-grandfather a mariner and many of their ancestors were sailors, ship's carpenters and shipwrights. Eliza Louisa's family ran pubs around the London docks. They'll have grown up with 'press gang' stories and other seafaring folklore.
Having spent his entire life in the East End, it was finding that his death had been registered in Hendon that made me dig further in order to solve the mystery. It even crossed my mind that holidays 'At His Majesty's Pleasure' might well have explained these absences that we were all led to believe were when he was 'at sea', but it was not so. Having ordered his death certificate, this confirmed that the actual place of death was Colindale Hospital.
Built originally as the The Central London District Sick Asylum in 1898-1900 - to provide care for the sick poor in London, separate from the workhouse - in 1919, it was taken over by The Metropolitan Asylums Board and used as male TB sanatorium. The cause of Job Sweeney's death was given as 'Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Certified by Marcus Patterson MD.'
Dr. Marcus Sinclair Paterson (1870–1932) was the medical superintendent of the Colindale Hospital for Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Hendon. "Here Paterson made valuable innovations in the symptomatic treatment of advanced cases", says his obituary in the BMJ. He developed a system of treatment called 'graduated labour'. "He has described how his observations on out-patients led him to the idea of introducing manual work, as well as walking, into the sanatorium regime, with the hope of fitting his patients for immediate return to their work, and of successfully meeting the charge that sanatoriums turned out work-shy loafers." (Not unlike attitudes today, because victim blaming is a whole lot cheaper than doing research and actually treating the sick. Looks like we can see who was originally responsible for ideas that led to the much maligned, ineffective and harmfulGraded exercise therapy (GET) too.)
So, we can deduce that the "press gang" story was made up to explain a series of absences, which were probably stays for 'treatment' - forced work when you're already too ill to do your normal work - at the sanatorium. And the saddest part is this tells us that, so strong was the social stigma attached to TB that families preferred to paint their nearest and dearest as 'feckless, drunken, work-shy', etc., rather than admit they had an infectious, then incurable, disease undoubtedly contracted through no fault of their own.
Eliza Louisa Sweeney with her granddaughter, Ivy. Edited with ImageColorizer
The internet isn't just useful for looking up dry-and-dusty old genealogy records, there is so much more to discover. Take this for example. Among lots of family photos I inherited from my mother and hers before her was one of my mother and her grandmother, Eliza Louisa Sweeney (née Tompson), taken in the 1930s (my mother was 15 in 1939, so I estimate this is close to then). Only because there was a distinctive looking window on a building that looked like a church in the background behind them, it peaked my interest and I thought I would try to find out where the photo had been taken.
At that time, my mother, her parents and grandmother, still lived in the City of London, in Fore Street. It didn't look like anywhere I knew around there, but then it got a bit altered in the interim. I'd also tried the facility to Search with an image on Google, but it just told me it was a snapshot. Duh!
Eventually, I asked the The East of London Family History Society Group for help, but whilst they weren't able to answer, members made many useful suggestions that led to more searches ... that finally turned up images of the Trinity Methodist Church, Clacton-on-Sea, which perfectly fit the round window, as well as other elements of the architecture. As confirmation, they sent me a link to this map of Clacton (Revision of 1939), which shows the position of the post box (marked L.B.) that you can see behind them.
So, from this, we can deduce that, since this church is in the background, then they must be walking down Pier Avenue (shown here in c. 1925), in the direction of the sea front and pier and, as they lived in the East End, they can only have been on a day trip (no, I don't suppose they were flush enough for a whole holiday!) to Clacton-on-Sea. I'd wondered what they were up to that was special enough - in those pre-selfie days - for a photo. Now I know.
Mind you, "... if you stood where they were walking now you'd get mown down by the traffic, those trees, hedges and post box long gone too."
In 1939, Eliza Louisa was still living at 102 Fore Street with her son Job and his wife, Elizabeth (Bet) and granddaughter, Ivy, and remained there until their home was destroyed in WWII, thought to have been on or around the night of 29–30 Dec 1940, the so-called Second Great Fire of London.
Eliza Louisa Sweeney, otherwise Sweney (as it says on her death certificate), died on 13 Feb 1953 (1953 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 05A Page 846) from coronary thrombosis, influenza, chronic bronchitis and old age, at 84.
Samuel Mason (b. 2 Aug 1793, bap. 29 Sep 1793 in Great Easton, Essex), son of Richard Mason and Millicent Butcher, married Amelia Baker (bap. 12 Sep 1791), believed to be daughter of William and Elizabeth Baker, at the church of St Mary, Broxted on 3 Jan 1816. The year before, they had been witnesses to the marriage of Daniel Hockley and Sophia Mason, Samuel's sister. Witnesses at this wedding were Rebecca Baker and Thomas Baker.
Records suggest Samuel and Amelia Mason had six children:
Charles Mason b. around 1817
George Mason b. 1818-20 (calculated from age at death)
The baptism record for Richard, shows Samuel's occupation as Labourer.
In 1841, Samuel Mason (45) Agricultural Labourer was living at Browns End, Broxted, Dunmow, Essex with Amelia Mason (45), Charles Mason (20), George Mason (20), Richard Mason (17), Sophia Mason (15), John Mason (11) and Thomas Mason (8). The adults' ages being rounded down to the nearest five on this census, I'm assuming that they were listed in descending order of age and that Charles was older than George.
Samuel Mason died, aged 62, in 1853 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 238 and was buried, on 21 May 1853, at St Mary, Broxted.
So far, I've not been able to find a record of Amelia's death.
Joseph James Hockley (b. 7 Mar 1881), illegitimate son of Elizabeth Hockley, married Nellie Radley (b. 19 Apr 1880 in Felsted), daughter of Jonah Radley and Jane Digby, on 2 Jan 1904 at Holy Cross Church, Felsted.
Joseph James and Nellie had six children, but tragically, only two survived:
Eleanor Lottie Hockley b. 1904 D Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 416
Doris Rose Hockley b. 1907 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 434
Austen Hubert Hockley b. 1909 M Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 407. Died in 1909 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 223
Annie May Hockley b. 1910 S Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 301. Died 1910 D Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 136
Neville Frederick Hockley b. 1910 S Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 301. Died 1910 D Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 129
Kathleen Nellie Hockley b. 1916 S Quarter in STEYNING Volume 02B Page 403. Died 1917 D Quarter in STEYNING Volume 02B Page 365
Annie May and Neville Frederick, clearly, were twins.
Joseph James Hockley from Felsted, had enlisted in the Coldstream Guards on 20 Jun 1898. He said he was 18 years and 3 months old, so he'd added a year. He was a tall lad at 5ft 9in, weighing 133 lbs with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. The workhouse school had just about taught him to sign his name. In 1901, J Hockley (20) from Felsted, Essex, Pte foot guards, was at Pirbright Camp in Pirbright, Surrey.
As James Hockley he served in Gibraltar in 1899 and twice in South Africa, once in 1900 and again in 1902, during the Second Boer War, for which he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal and 5 clasps including Diamond Hill, JOHANNESBURG (Doornkop), CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE and SOUTH AFRICA 1902. James Hockley was transferred to the Army Reserve on 5 Aug 1902 and discharged from the reserve on 18 Feb 1910 on promotion to the rank of Sergeant of Police.
In 1911, Joseph Hockley (30) Metropolitan police sergeant, Nellie Hockley (30), Eleanor Hockley (6) and Doris Hockley (4) were living at 5 Weymouth Terrace, Acton Lane, Willesden. This census confirmed that, by that time, they'd had 5 children, of whom 3 had died, during their 7 year marriage.
Joseph James Hockley died, aged 38, in 1919 M Quarter in STEYNING.
In 1921, Nellie Hockley (41) Stationer & Confectioner was at 94, Portland Road, Hove, Aldrington, Sussex with Eleanor Lottie Hockley (16) Assisting Mother in Shop; Doris Rose Hockley (14) Clerk. There were two boarders, both Policemen for Hove Borough Police and two visitors, William Henry and Eleanor Theresa Sheppard (from London. Family maybe?).
Nellie Hockley of 46 Marmion Road, Hove, died on 3 Aug 1958 at 26 Tugela Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, leaving her effects to Doris Rose Slade (wife of Samuel James Slade) and Leslie William Terry Judd chartered secretary.
(Eleanor Lottie Hockley had married Leslie William Terry Judd in 1929, in Steyning, Sussex, while Doris Rose Hockley married Samuel James Slade in 1948, in Chippenham, Wiltshire. Uncertain if either couple had children).
James Hockley, son of George Hockley and Eliza Crow, married Elizabeth Wilton, daughter of Richard Wilton and Catherine Byatt at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow on 25 Dec 1870. The groom was 20, the bride claimed to be 19, but she was 23. :) James' occupation, as well as that of both George and Richard is recorded as Labourer. In Richard Wilton's case, this is incorrect. At least three sources (1841 census, his own marriage in 1843, as well as his death certificate) show Richard Wilton was a harness maker. However, as Richard had died in 1858, I can see how this error became perpetuated.
James and Elizabeth Hockley had eleven children:
Alice Catherine Wilton b. 12 Feb 1869 (1869 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 407), bap. 27 Apr 1869 at St Mary, Great Dunmow as Alice Wilton, daughter of Elizabeth Wilton, Single Woman
Frederick Hockley b. 19 Mar 1886 J Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 349 (mother's maiden name listed incorrectly as Wilson)
Alfred Albert Hockley b. 15 Apr 1888 (1888 J Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 359)
Joseph Hockley b. 1892 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 402 (Died 1892 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 201)
Florence Hockley b. 1894 S Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 413
In 1871, James Hockley (20) Labourer, and Elizabeth Hockley (21 ish) were living on the Braintree Road, Great Dunmow. Two year old Alice, meanwhile, was next-door-but-one with Elizabeth's mother, Catherine Eldred.
By 1881, James (29) and Elizabeth (28 with rebate) were living in South End Road, Hornchurch, with Alice Hockley (14) - listed under James' surname - George Hockley (11), Charles Hockley (9) birthplace Bromley - this was Bromley-by-Bow, Poplar - and Eliza E Hockley (4).
In 1891 at 3, Spring Cottages, High Street, Rainham (these & White Post Cottages were next to South Hall Farm on the Wennington Road), were James Hockley (39) Agricultural Labourer, Elizabeth (37), George (19), Charles (17), Eliza (15), Harry (9), Emily (7), Frederick (5) and Alfred (3).
In 1901, still at 3, Spring Cottages, James Hockley (48) was Foreman on Farm. With him were wife Elizabeth (44) still getting younger - I make her 54 - Harry Hockley (19) Horseman on Farm, Frederick Hockley (15) Horseman on Farm, Alfred Hockley (13) Attending School and Florence Hockley (6).
In 1911, James Hockley (63) had become the Bailiff on Farm (Farm bailiff) with Elizabeth (56), Frederick (25), Alfred Albert (23) and Florence (17). (The 1911 census confirmed 11 children born, with 9 surviving.)
In 1921, James Hockley (72) Farm Labourer was working for Stephen Randall Market Gardener and still living at Spring Cottage with Elizabeth Hockley (73), with Alfred Albert Hockley (33) still at home, working for C J Wills & Sons Ltd Building Contractors on a New Housing Scheme.
Elizabeth Hockley (77), wife of James Hockley a Farm Foreman (present at her death), died on 2 Dec 1924 (1924 D Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 503) at Spring Cottages, Rainham, from Acute Bronchitis & Heart Failure.
James Hockley died, at 87, in 1936 D Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 409.
George James and Emily Jane Hockley had eight children:
Emily Florence Louisa Hockley b. 2 Aug 1896 S Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 476, bap. 30 Aug 1896 at St Helen & St Giles, Rainham
Sarah Elizabeth Hockley b. 1898 M Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 519, bap. 2 Jan 1898 at St Helen And St Giles' Church, Rainham
James George Hockley b. 24 Jan 1899 M Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 551, bap. 1 Mar 1899 at St Helen And St Giles' Church, Rainham
William Hockley b. 7 Apr 1900 J Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 556, bap. 6 May 1900 a St Helen And St Giles' Church, Rainham
Frederick John Hockley b. 16 Aug 1903 D Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 620, bap. 4 Oct 1903 at St Helen And St Giles' Church, Rainham
George Hockley b. 18 Nov 1909, reg. 1910 M Qtr in ROMFORD
Alfred Hockley b. 1913 J Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A P 1245. Died 1913 D Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A P 549, buried 1914 in Wennington
Rose Hockley b. 1913 J Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A P 1245
All of the GRO birth registrations show the mother's maiden name JIGGINS. The last two, clearly were fraternal twins, though only Rose survived.
In 1901, we find George J Hockley (26ish) Agricultural Labourer at 1, Spring Cottages, High Street, Rainham with Emily J Hockley (23), Florence Hockley (4), Elizabeth Hockley (3), James Hockley (2) and William Hockley (0).
In 1911, with their address listed as Sparrow Hall, Wennington, were George Hockley (36) Farm Labourer; Emily Hockley (34), Florrie (14), Lizzie (13), James (12), William (11), Frederick (4) and George (1).
In 1921, George James Hockley (50) Farm Bailiff for Mr J Randall, Market Gardener, was living at Gerfin Cottages, Upminster Road, Rainham, with Emily Jane Hockley (45), James George Hockley (22), William Hockley (21), Fredrick John Hockley (17) - those three sons then also working for Mr J Randall, Market Gardner - George Hockley (11) and Rose Hockley (8).
In 1939, George J Hockley (68) Farm Labourer Retired; Emily Hockley (63) and Emily F L (Florence) Hockley were listed at Rose Cottage, Billericay.
The church was sold in 1985. "Following the sale the church was restored for use as a private residence which it remains to this day. There are still a few gravestones remaining from the former churchyard adjacent to the house." Theirs appears to be one of the surviving gravestones, albeit in a damaged state (pictured left). The inscription reads, "In Loving Memory of A dear mother EMILY JANE HOCKLEY who fell asleep 1st January 1950 aged 78 years. Also a dear father GEORGE JAMES HOCKLEY who fell asleep 19th July 1950 aged 79 years. Gone but not forgotten."
Emily Florence Louisa Hockley married Leonard George Dice (b. 26 March 1901 in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex), son of Frederick John Dice and Fanny Vince, in 1947. Florence Emily Dice died in Haywards Heath, in 1981. Leonard George Dice in 1994.
Sarah Elizabeth Hockley married Percy Albert Peckham (bap. 25 Sep 1892 in Ringmer, Sussex), son of Ernest James Peckham and Rose Alice Buckwell, at Holy Saviour Church, Croydon in 1917. Percy Albert Peckham died in 1952 and Sarah remarried to widower, Harry Sherwin in 1958. Harry Sherwin died in 1971 and Sarah Elizabeth Sherwin died in 1981, both in Brighton, Sussex.
James George Hockley married Ada May Rust (b. 1898) daughter of George William Rust and Rhoda Jane Clark, in Romford, Essex in 1922. Ada May Hockley died in 1975 and James George Hockley in 1977. They had eight children, one girl and seven boys.
William Hockley married Florence May Berryman (bap. 28 Sep 1902), daughter of Herbert William Berryman and Jessie Cornell, in Romford, Essex, on 26 Oct 1935. William Hockley died at 64, on 28 Jan 1965, and was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Dunton on 5 Feb 1965. Florence May Hockley died in Brentwood in 1973.
Frederick John Hockley married Mary Ann Elizabeth Hearn (b. 6 Feb 1905 in Hornchurch), daughter of Horace Edward Hearn and Mary Ann Elizabeth Turner, in Romford, on 2 Apr 1923. They had one daughter, Dorothy Mary Hockley (1929-2012). Frederick John Hockley died, at 41, on 15 Oct 1944 in Waltham Cross. Mary Ann Elizabeth Hockley died on 15 Feb 1963, in Romford.
George Hockley died on 16 Dec 1979 in Dunton Waylett, Essex.
Rose Hockley, daughter of George James Hockley, Poultry Keeper married Edward John Norman Arnold Walker (22), Guardsman, who's residence at the time of marriage was Aldershot, purportedly son of George Walker, Labourer (although I have found no birth or baptism), on 29 Sep 1934 at St Mary the Virgin, Dunton. One of the witnesses to this marriage was F M [Florence May] Berryman, who married William Hockley the following year.