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

Showing posts with label Hornchurch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hornchurch. Show all posts

Friday 5 January 2024

Job Sweeney and Eliza Louisa Tompson

Globe Road, Bethnal Green
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen McKay - geograph.org.uk/p/4697355
Very much a part of the traditional East End, Globe Road runs north from Stepney Green station to Roman Road, and then on to this northern stretch up to Old Ford Road. 

Job Sweeney (b. 6 Feb 1870), son of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey, married Eliza Louisa Tompson (b. 24 Aug 1868), daughter of Dan Tompson and Mary Ann Green, on 5 Jan 1893, at the Parish Church of St Anthony, Globe Road, Stepney. (The church of Saint Anthony stood in the borough of Bethnal Green, but was part of the rural deanery of Stepney. It closed in 1936 and the building was demolished in 1937.) Both claimed to be 24 and both gave their address as 3 Monteagle Street, Stepney. 

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 and 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. It's 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.) 

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.)

Job Sweeney died, on 6 December 1924, aged 54, of Tuberculosis. 

Eliza Louisa Sweeney (née Tompson)
with her granddaughter, Ivy. On a A Day
Out in Clacton-on-Sea in the 1930s
Eliza Louisa was still living at 102 Fore Street with her son Job and his wife, Elizabeth (Bet) and granddaughter, Ivy, in 1939 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, in Hornchurch, Essex, from coronary thrombosis, influenza, chronic bronchitis and old age. She was 84.

Monday 25 December 2023

James Hockley and Elizabeth Wilton

St Mary, Great Dunmow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3988759

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. We know from at least three sources (1841 census, his own marriage in 1843, as well as from his death certificate) that Richard Wilton was a harness maker. However, as Richard had died in 1858, when Elizabeth was only around 11, she either didn't know or had forgotten (and probably couldn't read what was written anyway), so I can see how this error became perpetuated.

James and Elizabeth Hockley set about repopulating Essex:

  1. Alice Catherine Wilton b. 12 Feb 1869 in Great Dunmow
  2. George James Hockley b. 21 May 1871 in Great Dunmow,
    bap. 30 Mar 1884 at St Andrew's Church, Hornchurch
  3. Charles Stephen Hockley b. 1874 in Bromley, Poplar,
    bap. 30 Mar 1884 at St Andrew's Church, Hornchurch
  4. Eliza Ellen Hockley b. 15 Apr 1876 in Romford,
    bap. 28 Aug 1881 at St Andrew's Church, Hornchurch.
  5. William Hockley b. 1878 (died 1880, aged 1)
  6. John Harry Hockley b. 25 Jul 1881,
    bap. 28 Aug 1881 at St Andrew's Church, Hornchurch
  7. Emily Hockley b. 1884,
    bap. 30 Mar 1884 at St Andrew's Church, Hornchurch
  8. Frederick Hockley b. 1886 (mother's maiden name as Wilson)
  9. Alfred Albert Hockley b. 15 Apr 1888
  10. Joseph Hockley b. 1892 (died 1892, aged 0)
  11. Florence Hockley b. 1894
(The 1911 census confirmed 11 children born, with 9 surviving.)

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.

In 1874 they were in Poplar where Charles Stephen Hockley was born. Elizabeth's mother, Catherine Eldred, was also living in Poplar, as was James' eldest brother William, which explains them being in the area.

By 1881, James (29) and Elizabeth (28) were living in South End Road, Hornchurch, with Alice Hockley (14) - now using James' surname - George Hockley (11), Charles Hockley (9) birthplace given as 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).

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 died in 1924. She was 77.

James Hockley died in 1936. He was 87.

Thursday 28 April 2022

Cecil Arthur Day and Winifred Fanny Kingston

Wandsworth Common West Side
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/4348207

Cecil Alfred Day (b. 20 Nov 1886), son of Arthur Stephen Day and Mary Ann Ray, married Winifred Fanny Kingston (b. 28 Feb 1886). Winifred, who was baptised, 24 Mar 1886 at St Anne's Church, Wandsworth, was the  daughter of James Kingston, Master bricklayer and Fanny Clarke (both from Micheldever, Hampshire), in 1915, in Wandsworth. 

In 1921, Cecil Day (34) Clerk for May & Baker Ltd, Chemical Manufacturers was at 98, Earlsfield, Wandsworth, London with wife Winifred Day (35).

Cecil A Day of 25 Grosvenor Drive, Hornchurch, Essex died, aged 50, on 30 Jul 1937, leaving his effects to his widow, Winifred Fanny Day.

In 1939, widow, Winifred F Day, still at 25 Grosvenor Drive, Hornchurch, was listed as Clerk To Manufacturing Chemist, however, she returned to Wandsworth, as Winifred Fanny Day of 24 West Side, Wandsworth, widow, died on 5 Jun 1954 and left her effects to Daisy Blanche McMillan, widow.