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

Showing posts with label Great Easton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Easton. Show all posts

Monday 8 August 2022

Abraham Shelford and Sophia Mason

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

Abraham Shelford (b. 28 May 1823, in Great Easton, Essex), son of William Shelford and Ann Stanes, married Sophia Mason, daughter of Samuel Mason and Amelia Baker, in the 4th quarter of 1859, in Kensington, London.

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

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

Turncocks were an official employed to turn on the water for the mains supply. This was done on a schedule: in those times, the water supply was not running all of the time. Abraham Shelford's employer, 'n r co' was undoubtedly the New River Company. The History of the London Water Industry, 1580–1820 (PDF)

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday 18 May 2021

Henry Doe and Elizabeth Doe

All Saints Church, Little Canfield, Essex

Henry Doe (bap. 20 Sep 1778), son of Henry Doe and Elizabeth Stones, married Elizabeth Doe at All Saints Church, Little Canfield in 1799. Either there were a lot of parish foundlings given the surname Doe in that area, or we have to consider the possibility that these two may have been cousins.

This Henry and Elizabeth Doe had eleven children, baptised at Little Canfield: 

  1. Sarah Doe bap. on 19 Apr 1800
  2. John Doe bap. on 14 Feb 1802
  3. William Doe bap. on 22 Jan 1804
  4. Edward Doe bap. on 17 Nov 1805
  5. James Doe bap. on 24 Jan 1808
  6. Elizabeth Doe bap. on 28 Nov 1809
  7. Jane Doe bap. on 25 Nov 1810
  8. Mary Doe bap. on 11 Apr 1813
  9. Charles Doe bap. on 15 Oct 1815 
  10. George Doe bap. on 21 Sep 1817
  11. Moses Doe bap. on 4 Feb 1821

The last child was a posthumous birth, Henry Doe (40) having been buried at All Saints, Little Canfield on 28 Sep 1820. 

In 1841, Elizabeth Doe (61) was living in Little Canfield with her daughter, Sarah Gunn (41), George Doe (23), Moses Doe (20) and William Gunn (13). 

In 1861, Elizabeth Doe (80) - place of birth Great Easton, Essex - was living with her son, George Doe (43) at 11, The Village, Little Canfield.

Elizabeth Doe, died aged 83, and was buried at Little Canfield on 3 Jun 1862.