Philip Perry and Elizabeth Flemming

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

St Mary, Church Road, Little Ilford - Chancel

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Mr Philip Perry (b. ~1678) married Elizabeth Flemming (purportedly b. ~1685) at St Mary the Virgin, Little Ilford, Essex, on 6 Feb 1706.

Philip and Elizabeth Perry had eight children:

1. Thomas Perry b. 7 Dec 1708, bap. 14 Dec 1708
2. Philip Perry b. 3 Oct 1710, bap. 22 Oct 1710
3. John Perry b. 13 Dec 1712, bap. 1 Jan 1712/13
4. Elizabeth Perry b. 27 Feb, bap. 27 Mar 1714/15
5. Susanna Perry b. 1 Mar, bap. 27 Mar 1714/15
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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 were at the church of St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich. Elizabeth and Susanna, baptised together in 1714/15, were presumably born in different years - well, I hope it wasn't twins born 5 days apart - but the record doesn't say which years. 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 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. Of course this could all just be a completely romanticised family myth. And Green & Wigram's chronology is decidedly suspect.

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.

A view of the Thames and Woolwich Dockyard in 1698, prepared for King William III.
The church of St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich is on the mound to the left.

The church where all of their children were baptised, St Mary Magdalene Woolwich, is right next to Woolwich 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 and Perry generally went where Stacey went. 

"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'. 

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).

Charley Stone and Ellen Jones

St George's Church, Tiverton

Charley Stone (known as 'Char') (b. 6 Jun 1898 in Tiverton, Devon), son of Charles Stone and Emma Middleton, married Ellen Jones (Nell) (b. 23 Apr 1894 in Rushbrooke, Cobh (Queenstown as it was then), County Cork, Ireland), daughter of David Jones and Laura Elizabeth White, on 3 Jul 1922, at St George's Church, Tiverton (generally considered to be the finest Georgian church in Devon, and one of the best examples in England.) Witnesses were Francis Stone, the groom's uncle; William Henry Middleton, the groom's elder half-brother and their mother, Emily Stone (former Emma Middleton). Given that line up, my feeling is that Bill was best man, while Frank gave away the bride as her own father was back in Ireland.

Charley Stone born 6 Jun 1898 at 1 Silver Street, Tiverton, and baptised on 20 Jul 1898 at St Peter’s Church Tiverton, lied about his age when he enlisted in the Royal Marines at Exeter on 18 Jan 1915, which is why this and many subsequent records suggest he was born a year earlier in 1897. The marines can't ever have discovered the one year discrepancy though, because his record notes the 139 days he was underage, from 18 Jan 1915 to 5 Jun 1915, but 6 Jun 1915 will only have been his 17th birthday, not his 18th.

(The photo, right, must have been taken, in Plymouth, very close to the end of his career, because the four medals he was awarded and can be seen wearing were: the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for WWI; he was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 20 Jul 1930; and on 7 May 1935 he received the King's Silver Jubilee Medal.)

Char did his training at the Royal Marine Depot, Deal, until 18 Aug 1915. Then after a brief period at Plymouth Division, was assigned to HMS Revenge (06) on 1 Feb 1916 and stayed with this ship until 24 Jan 1918, being promoted to Corporal on the 1st day of that year, at age 19.

Revenge (left) and the battleship Hercules (right) at the Battle of Jutland

Consequently, on 31 May - 1 Jun 1916, just five days before his 18th birthday, Charley Stone took part in the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the First World War. "In the course of the battle, Revenge had fired 102 rounds from her main battery [...]. She also fired 87 rounds from her secondary guns. She was not hit by any fire during the engagement."

British battleship HMS Glory at Murmansk

From 23 May 1918, until 16 Jul 1919, Char was assigned to HMS Glory (1899), of the British North Russia Squadron, which took him to Archangel and Murmansk during the North Russia intervention. "Glory was based at Archangel to protect supplies that arrived there for the Russian Army. The squadron's mission evolved after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 into preventing the supplies that had been delivered from falling into the hands of the Red Army." He arrived just in time for A Fire, a Riot, a Bombing, and a Mutiny (The Allied Intervention at Archangel and Murmansk in 1918). Like most who went through these events, Char never talked about his experiences, except to a brother who was also a Marine, and what I've been told only intimated that things were really bad (understatement) up there.

HMS Royalist (1883)

Continuing his amazing ability to turn up in all the wrong places at the right times, from 12 Feb 1920 to 15 Mar 1922 Char was sent to HMS Colleen (formerly HMS Royalist (1883)), which was then the depot ship at Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland, at the height of the Irish War of Independence. Being hulked (stuck in one place), allowed more opportunity to fraternise with the locals, obviously. The 1921 Census merely shows Charley Stone (24) [i.e. still maintaining he was a year older than he really was], Corporal R M L I, with the Royal Navy, Armed Forces Overseas.

Nell and Char's only child, Charles Francis Stone (Frank) was born, on 17 July 1923 at The Military Families Hospital, Devonport and christened at The Anglican Church of Saint Paul, Durnford Street, East Stonehouse on Sunday, 5 Aug 1923. This was the day after the wedding of Char's first cousin Frederick Thomas Stone and Kathleen Mullarkey, at which Char was best man and could have been the new baby's first "social engagement" - not that he'd have remembered it - but it feels like a real connection to the past to imagine that maybe Maria Mullarkey, the bride's mother, may have fawned over the new infant (as you do). The family's address then was 36, Admiralty Street, East Stonehouse (flat above presumably). Now The Fig Tree Restaurant, this was once a shop.

Eastern Kings Battery, Plymouth, taken Friday, 30 June, 2023
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Alan Murray-Rust - geograph.org.uk/p/7538232
This was built on the site of a late 18th century battery in 1849 as the Prince of Wales Battery and includes later alterations up to WW2, such as the observation post visible in the view.
Still in military occupation. Designated a Scheduled Monument.

The rest of Char's Royal Marines' career was spent mostly at Plymouth Division - they lived in the Eastern King battery (dad said it was damp and cold), where Frank and his cousins played football on the landings, climbed on the roofs and generally got into trouble - and at HMS Impregnable training establishments in Devonport: the former HMS Black Prince (1861) in late 1922 and the former HMS Ganges (1821) in 1923/24. Char was promoted to Sergeant from 9 Aug 1924, Colour sergeant from 2 Apr 1931, and Quartermaster sergeant (QMS) in Aug 1932, retiring on 5 Jun 1936.

Charley Stone's uniform tunic now in the possession of the Royal Marines Museum

Here's an exhibit you wouldn't see on display, even if the Royal Marines Museum wasn't currently homeless, so I consider myself fortunate that I was able to visit when it was still housed in the former officers’ mess on the Eastney Barracks (reportedly to be turned into a five-star hotel) a few years ago and had made arrangements for a private viewing of the tunic pictured.

Nell and Char's only child, Charles Francis Stone (Frank), aged around three.

Charley Stone and his car (with my dad, Frank, in the vehicle). This must have been taken in Plymouth and therefore is in or before 1936. Grandad still had that car when I was a child too.

Nell and Char on their
25th Wedding Anniversary
in 1947, in the garden of 117,
Corisande Road, Selly Oak.

After he retired from the Royal Marines, Char took a job as a Post Office Van Driver in Birmingham, which is where we find the family in 1939, at 117 Corisande Road, Selly Oak with Charley Stone, Postman Driver (Heavy Work) still listing himself as a year older and Ellen still trying to close the four year age gap and be two years younger. Frank (16) was working as a Stationery clerk at the Screw Works. 

Char had worked as a gardener before he'd joined the marines, having worked in the kitchen garden at Knightshayes Court in Tiverton. In Birmingham, he grew soft fruits - I remember being sent up the garden to pick raspberries and blackcurrants - and he had a greenhouse stuffed full of his favourite fuchsias that, in his Devon accent were always pronounced foosherrs.

Charley Stone died on 10 May 1973 at Selly Oak Hospital. He was 75.

Ellen Stone died on 31 Jan 1993 in Highcliffe, Dorset (DOR Q1/1993 in BOURNEMOUTH (4271A) Reg A2D Entry Number 254), in her 99th year, although the death certificate doesn't reflect that because at that time even my father had no idea exactly when or even where she had been born.

Benjamin Copeland and Tamar Hockley

Church of St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Lord - geograph.org.uk/p/3307085

Benjamin Copeland (b. ~1841 in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland), Corporal Royal Artillery, Artillery Barracks, married Tamar Hockley (b. 1844 in Great Dunmow, Essex) daughter of George Hockley and Eliza Crow, then resident at Woolwich Common, at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich, on 15 Jun 1869. Benjamin Copeland lists his father as Benjamin Copeland, Farmer and it's usually suspicious if a groom a) uses the same name as himself and b) says his father was a farmer, however, I've not found a birth record in Ireland to confirm or deny it. Witnesses were Joseph C Leopard and Ellen Leopard (who appear to be a local couple, but I don't know their connection).

Benjamin and Tamar Copeland had four children:

1. Arthur Edward Copeland b. 19 Aug 1870 (1870 S Quarter in WOOLWICH Volume 01D Page 858), bap. 25 Sep 1870 at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich and also entered into the register at St George's Garrison Church, Woolwich, by which time Benjamin Copeland had been promoted to Sergeant Coast Brigade, Royal Artillery. (Died 1901.)
2. Alice Lucy Copeland b. 15 Nov 1872 (1872 D Qtr in WOOLWICH Vol 01D Page 947), bap. 27 Dec 1872 at St George's Garrison Church, Woolwich. Died, at 14, in 1887 M Qtr in WOOLWICH Vol 01D 728.
3. Edith Tamar Copeland b. 16 Jun 1878 (1878 S Quarter in WOOLWICH Volume 01D Page 1057), bap. 17 Jul 1878 at St George's Garrison Church, Woolwich. Benjamin Copeland was Sergeant Major R A. Died, aged 5, in 1883 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Vol 04A Page 275 and was buried on 22 Jul 1883 at St Mary's Church, Great Canfield.
4. Eleanor Elizabeth Copeland b. 30 Sep 1881 in Gosport, Hampshire (1881 D Qtr in FAREHAM Vol 02B Page 577). (No baptism found.)

In 1871, Benjamin Copeland (30) Sergeant Royal Artillery from Ireland was living at Royal Artillery Cottages, Charlton, Woolwich with Tamar Copeland (25) from Great Dunmow, Essex and Arthur E Copeland (7 months).

In 1881, Benjamin Copeland (40) Master Gunner Royal Artillery (SLDR) from Enniscorthy, Ireland was at Fort Grange, Gosport, with Tamar Copeland (34), Arthur Copeland (10), Alice Copeland (8), Edith Copeland (2) and two soldiers, William Chappell (37) and Frederick Hide (23).

Benjamin Copeland from the parish of St Mary's, Enniscorthy, Ireland, formerly a Clerk, had enlisted in the Royal Artillery at Liverpool at the age of 21, on 17 Jan 1862, at which point, his military record notes, he was 5ft 5⅜in tall, with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. He was awarded a silver medal for long service & good conduct, as well as a Gratuity of £5, and discharged, on 23 Jan 1883, after 21 years service, at Portsmouth, with his intended residence on discharge recorded as Great Canfield, Essex.

In 1891, however, Benjamin Copeland (50) Writer Royal Arsenal, was living at 27, Llanover Road, Plumstead, with Tamar Copeland (45) and Eleanor E Copland (9). Arthur Edward Copeland (22) Acting bombardier, was at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Artillery Place, Woolwich.

In 1901, Benjamin Copeland (59) Pensioner and Writer in Royal Arsenal, was still living at 27, Llanover Road, Plumstead, with Tamar Copeland (57), William E Doyle (63) Army Pensioner from Liverpool; Alice J Copeland (29) Daughter-in-law from Norfolk, England; George A Copeland (4) Grandson born in Plumstead and Edith E Copeland (3) Granddaughter, born in Devon.

In 1911, Benjamin Copeland (72) Army Pensioned Master Gunner Royal Artillery was still living at 27 Llanover Road, Plumstead, with Tamar Copeland (67) and William Sayle Edwards (74) Army Pensioner Warrant Officer, Boarder. The 1911 Census confirms that they had been married for 41 years and had four children, of whom one was living and, sadly, three had died.

Benjamin Copeland died on 15 May 1913 (1913 J Quarter in WOOLWICH Vol 01D Page 1191) and was buried on 20 May 1913 in Greenwich.

Tamar Copeland died in 1925 M Qtr in HAMMERSMITH Vol 01A 301, at 82.

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." 

David Jones and Laura Elizabeth White

Christ Church Rushbrooke Cobh

My great-grandparents, David Jones (b. 10 Jul 1850 at Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire), son of Thomas Jones and Mary Harty, and Laura Elizabeth White (b. 15 Oct 1870 in Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk), daughter of Walter White and Hannah Blazey, married at Christ Church, Church of Ireland, Rushbrooke, Cobh (Queenstown, as it was then), Ireland on 17 Feb 1892. David Jones was then Sexton of this Anglican Christ Church. But this was not David's first marriage, so we have to rewind for the full story: 

David was baptised, on 1 May 1851, at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Kings Lynn, Norfolk and brought up in Baltimore, West Cork. He enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class, on 7 July 1865, just shy of his 15th birthday. His father, Thomas Jones, and mother, Mary, co-signed the papers. David was then 4ft 8½in tall, with a sallow complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Once he reached 18, his period of engagement was to last a further ten years, obviously intending to follow in his father's footsteps. At 14 he was assigned to HMS Implacable, which had become the Royal Navy's first training ship at Devonport in 1855. But instead of continuing his service as planned, David was discharged on 17 Oct 1866, when he will have been just 16. Under the Cause of Discharge, is the abbreviation for Invalided.

Because David always claimed to come from Wales, I almost missed his naval record. In fact, I'd dismissed it twice, because, although many other details seemed close enough, the boy was born in Lincolnshire, which didn't seem relevant. Then I found his father's posting to Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire and David's birth there and the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

You gotta love a family story. There's always a grain of truth in them, but inevitably some embellishment. Family tradition was that David had "lost a hand in battle". We searched high and low for a naval battle in the right era and came up with nothing. "In battle" sounds more heroic, clearly. Maybe it also proved handy (pun intended) in attracting him two wives! My late cousin in Ireland recounted that her older sister had remembered visiting the family in Rushbrooke and seeing David's 'Sunday Best' gloved hand hanging up in the kitchen (such a creepy image) and continued that, apparently, he had a fork attachment for everyday - from which we may deduce that it was his left hand he lost - that attached to a metal pin that was inserted at his wrist. 

There not being more detail, nor medical records we can access, we have to surmise the rest of story. That he lost a hand is not in question. He was still in training, so there was no 'battle'. But, taking into consideration that this was 1866 - general anesthesia was still very much in experimental infancy - my feeling is that the only place that such a procedure as inserting a metal pin into his wrist was likely to be carried out was in a military hospital and at that time there was the the former Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse. That they did this and sent him off with a pension at the tender age of 16, suggests that the Navy was at fault and, my cousin's sister had recalled that this was as a result of an exploding gun, which also seems to confirm this theory.

After being pensioned off from the Navy, David Jones was next recorded at Castle Oliver in Limerick at the time of his father's death in 1873. Records of his Dog Licences then placed David at Castle Oliver in 1874 to 1877 too and, from 1878 onwards, man and dog were at Rushbrooke. Following the Dogs Act of 1865, every dog owner in Ireland had to go to the court and pay 2s 6d - to have the breed and colour of dogs written down in a ledger. It was hardly an exact science, because the same dog was described differently each year. Most of David's dogs were terriers, retrievers and spaniels, so I'm pretty sure he was using them to hunt. Nevertheless, we learned from these listings girl dogs were called 'Slut'. As if bitch wasn't bad enough!

On 5 Oct 1880, David Jones married Johannah Anne O'Callaghan at the Parish Church in Inchigeelagh, Cork, By Licence. Johannah's father, Cornelius O'Callaghan was a Schools Inspector and on a later census return pedantically listed himself as Church of Ireland, and a member of the 'Irish Truth Society - Protestant'. Interesting choice of father-in-law for "a nice Catholic boy".

David and Hannah had five children, all baptised at Christ Church: 

1. Thomas Jones b. 19 Oct 1881, bap. 19 Nov 1881. (Died 8 Jan 1891.)
2. Marcella Jones b. 10 May 1883, bap. 2 Jun 1883
3. Helena Jones b. 4 Mar 1885, bap. 14 Mar 1885 [1]
4. Anna Jones b. 14 Feb 1887, bap. 19 Mar 1887. (Died in 1902.)
5. Marion Jones b. 27 Aug 1889, bap. 21 Sep 1889 (Died 8 Mar 1891.)

By the time of the baptism of David and Hannah's first child in 1881, David was listed as "Sexton of Church". Rushbrooke had docks, a tradition of ship building and the Irish Naval Service nearby, so I don't suppose it hurt that he was a Naval Pensioner, but the timing and the fact that the pedantically detailed school records were held in the church, lead me to believe that his father-in-law's contacts may have secured David this position. 

David appeared before the Petty Sessions Court on 17 Oct 1884 and was fined three shillings, plus one shilling and sixpence costs, for trespass. This time the cause of the complaint reads, "Trespass: Defendant's goat trespassed on complainant's pasture land at Ringmeen, Queenstown on 15 Oct 1884." From this we can probably safely deduce that David kept a goat. 

And so things might have continued, but tragically Johannah Jones (35), wife of David Jones a Naval Pensioner, died of Typhoid fever, on 18 Feb 1891. Johannah was buried, on 20 Feb 1891 in the same plot as David's father, Thomas Jones (Section S, Row 9, Position 76), at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), where her son Thomas (9) had been buried little more than a month earlier, on 10 Jan 1891. Young Thomas' cause of death is listed as Enteric fever (another name for Typhoid fever) 1 month and Pneumonia 1 day. Youngest daughter, Marion (2), also died, on 8 Mar 1891, with her cause of death listed as Typhoid fever 14 days. There was no record in the church of Marion's burial, but I imagine she'll have been buried with her mother.

The kitchen at Fota House

So, on 17 Feb 1892 - 'scandalously' one day less than a year after Johannah's death - David Jones married Laura Elizabeth White. Witnesses were Ellen Jones (David's brother Nicholas' wife) and Annie Jones, David's sister. On the marriage certificate, Laura's address is given just as 'Fota', the island in Cork Harbour, just north of Great Island and Fota House & Gardens was (and is) probably all there was there, so perhaps Laura was employed at Fota House, which makes sense, because my gran had talked about them baking cakes for "the big house". We also know that the family from Fota House attended the Anglican Christ Church, which is obviously where David and Laura met.

David and Laura added yet another six children: 

1. Cornelius Walter Jones (Con) b. 2 Jan 1893, bap. 22 Jan 1893 [2]
2. Ellen Jones (Nell) b. 23 Apr 1894, bap. 13 May 1894
3. Laura Mary Jones (Queenie) b. 2 Aug 1896, bap 28 Aug 1896 [3]
4. David Jones (Young Dave) b. 10 Nov 1898, bap. 9 Dec 1898
5. Alice Jones b. 26 Jul 1903, bap. 14 Aug 1903 [4]
6. Agnes Jones (Daisy) b. 27 Feb 1907, bap. 15 Mar 1907

Here I should mention that prior to going to Cobh in 2014, I'd only known that my grandmother had lived in Ireland growing up: we didn't know when or where she was born. There'd been some mention of her father marrying twice and I'd known of a younger sister. Getting to the church and being let loose with all the original records was a huge surprise: finding record after record until I had various marriages, all eleven children, every relevant baptism, school record and, where appropriate, burial, was quite a shock.

It's interesting that the first son by the 2nd wife is named after the 1st wife's father first and the 2nd wife's father second. (Irish logic?) David appears to be - less strictly with the girls - following the traditional naming pattern that was often used by Irish parents until the later 19th century, but it's clear that this is in the order of the father's 1st, 2nd, etc., child irrespective of which wife produced it. Did wives not matter? Yeah, that's probably rhetorical.

In 1901, David Jones (50), Laura (30), Helena (16), Cornelius (8), Ellen (6), Laura (4) and David (2) were living at Queenstown Urban, Cork. Marcella had already left home and was working as a servant in the household of Edward Gibbings, Rector of Kinsale, at Rampart's Lane (Kinsale Urban, Cork), while Anna (or Annie) (13), was staying with her grandfather O'Callaghan.

At the Cork Petty Sessions on Monday 9th September 1901: "Defendant was found unlawfully on the premises of one Zachariah Fox licenced for the sale of intoxicating liquor by retail during a period during which said premises are required by law to be closed on Sunday the 1st September 1901."

Then on 13 Apr 1902, Annie Jones (14), Daughter of a Naval Pensioner, died from Tuberculous meningitis. Her grandfather was present when she died.

On Monday 13th May 1907: "Defendant was found unlawfully on the premises of one John Luddy licenced for the sale of intoxicating liquors by retail at Newtown during a period during which said premises were required by law to be closed to wit at the hour of 10.20 of PM on Tuesday 7th of May 1907." On this second occasion David was convicted and fined 1/- plus costs of 1/-, with the threat of 7 days imprisonment if he failed to pay up. 

In 1911, the household, still at Rushbrooke, included David (58), Laura (40), Cornelius (18), Ellen (16), Laura (14), David (12), Alice (7) and Agnes (4). 

On both census returns, David listed his birthplace - wrongly - as Wales, but I think we can all imagine reasons why being Welsh in Ireland was far more desirable than being English and with a name like Jones and his father supposedly born in Swansea, this was a perfectly believable fib.

Once more, David Jones was back before the courts, this time for the heinous crime of failing to obtain a dog licence. Friday 12th April 1912: "Defendant had in his possession at Queenstown on the 12th April 1912 one dog for which he omitted to take out a licence on or before the 31 March 1912."

He was ordered to take out a licence forthwith. (Records show he did.)

Laura Jones, wife of David Jones a Naval Pensioner, died, aged 46, on 17 Jan 1917 from Splenic Leucocythemia (or Leukemia) and Influenza. Laura was buried, on 19 Jan 1917 at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), in Section D, Row 6, Position 50. So David was widowed again. Daughter Ellen (Nell), then 23, (resentfully) looked after the house and younger children until she married, after which David's sister, Annie, took over as housekeeper. 

From the The Weekly Freeman on Saturday, January 18, 1919: Raid at Queenstown: "The sexton's lodge at Rushbrooke Church, near Queenstown, has been raided for arms, and a fowling-piece belonging to the sexton, David Jones, was taken away by the three men with their faces muffled, who presented revolvers." This was just days before the start of the Irish War of Independence. My grandmother had also told me this story, because she was there when the raid took place and specified the raiders were Sinn Féin.

On 7 Aug 1935, David Jones, widower, 79 (actually 85), Sexton of Church, died at Church Lodge from Hemiplegia 2 years (I'm reading that he probably had a stroke in 1933) and Cardiac failure. David was buried, on 10 Aug 1935, at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), in Section D, Row 6, Position 50, along with second wife, Laura, and their son Cornelius, who had died in 1926.

The Jones Family Church Lodge Rushbrooke at Rest, Section D, Row 6, Position 50
Old Church Cemetery (Cobh). Resting place of David Jones (1850-1935), Laura Elizabeth Jones (1870-1917), Cornelius Walter Jones (1893-1926) and David Jones (1898-1966).

Researching documents and discovering online records that go towards telling an ancestor's story is fascinating. Visiting the places where they were born, baptised, married, lived or worked really helps put those things into context, but there is something very emotive about finding a grave with a headstone to feel properly connected to family members, knowing a physical part of them is right there beneath your feet. But with cremation being the norm in the most recent generations and the majority being too poor for headstones, such moments are very rare and special. There are no graves for my parents nor grandparents, so the first would be for my great-grandparents. 

Old Church Cemetery, Cobh, Cork, Ireland

In 2014, we went to Cobh (formerly Queenstown), Cork, Ireland where my paternal grandmother had been born and brought up. While there, we were met by the late Jack Gilmartin, who used to provide free guided tours of the Old Church Cemetery, where there are a number of famous burials, particularly many of the victims of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. I don't know what I was expecting, but Jack took me totally by surprise, when he said, "I'll take you to your family's grave." It sent a shiver down my spine and completely took my breath away. And it still does.

With an inscription on the cross-shaped headstone reading, "The Jones Family, Church Lodge, Rushbrooke, At Rest", this is the final resting place of my great-grandfather, David Jones (1850-1935), my great grandmother, his second wife, Laura White (1870-1917) and their two sons, Cornelius Jones (1893-1926) and David Jones (1898-1966) (Young Dave.)

What I didn't fully appreciate until later is there's also an earlier family grave in this cemetery, where the inscription reads, "Erected by David Jones In memory of his beloved father Thos. Jones Who died Jan. 8th 1873 aged 56 years Also his beloved son Thomas Who died Jan. 8th 1891 Aged 9 years and 3 months And his beloved wife Johanna Who died Feb 18th 1891 Aged 35 years."

There also is the grave of Catherine Jones (Kitty), wife of Young Dave. 

And I wouldn't have known about any of those, had it not been for Jack giving me a pair of A4 sheets, listing all the Jones' burials there. It was so sad to read about Jack's death less than a year after we'd met him, but lovely to know that he has been buried in the Old Church Cemetery. You can listen to Jack talking about the cemetery and some of the stories of his co-occupants here.

[1] The last record I have that mentions Helena Jones is where she was witness to the marriage of her sister, Marcella to Edward John Bicknell, in Portsmouth, in 1906, so we know she was in England then. There are also records of voyages to America for a Helena Jones of the right age.

10.11.1917 EGYPT

[2] We've never been able to find a military record for Cornelius Walter Jones, but know he enlisted in the Army and served during World War I. His first cousin's husband, who was in Queenstown with the US Navy, kept a detailed diary and had written that Cornelius (Con) was leaving for Egypt in 1917. 

The image above, which I admit I downloaded some years ago (the page no longer exists), is dated 10.11.1917 EGYPT. The taller man (that makes perfect sense too as his grandfather, Thomas Jones, had been 5' 9½", which was tall for his time), second from right, back row, is so much like my father it's literally like looking straight into his eyes. His stance, his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, brow line and, above all, hair, are utterly identical. It's so close a resemblance that it's eerie and uncanny and, unless someone can prove otherwise, I feel sure this has to be my great-uncle, Cornelius Jones.

Though our cousin had thought that Con didn't return from the war, I now know he did, probably suffering shell-shock (PTSD), for which his sister Agnes had later described him as "daft" - such was the lack of understanding. So not expecting to find him there in Ireland, we were quite shocked when we read the listing of his burial at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh). His death certificate tells us Cornelius Jones, late of Rushbrooke, Cork, died on 21 Apr 1926 at the Cork District Hospital (now St. Finbarr's Hospital, with its origins as the Cork Union Workhouse and Infirmary). He was a bachelor, previously employed as a labourer. The record gave his age as 30, but he was 33 and died from Pneumonic Phthisis (tuberculosis, also known as consumption), after 8 months in hospital. The informant was Helena Lynch, "Inmate" Cork Union. Cornelius Walter Jones was buried on 24 Apr 1926, in the family plot at Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), along with his mother.

The file name of the image above, b4croad3 matches the file name of the now defunct page at the former Royal Munster Fusiliers website at http://royalmunsterfusiliers.net/b4croad3.htm (also mentioned here) appertaining to a Private Frederick R Croad, 2nd R. Munster Fus, who I believe is also in the image. We have no record of what unit Cornelius joined or when, however, two Extra Reserve Battalions of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were mobilised at Queenstown (Cobh). The 6th (Service) Battalion certainly sailed on 9 Sep 1917 from Salonika for Alexandria in Egypt.

[3] Laura Mary (Queenie) Jones was alive and unmarried in 1942, when she and her sister Alice were both witnesses at their brother Dave's wedding.

[4] As with her sister, Laura Mary, I've found no records that I can definitely attribute to Alice Jones beyond 1942. My belief is she stayed in Ireland, as when I was a child, my gran used to have shamrocks sent to her for St. Patrick's Day and I'm sure I remember them coming from an Alice, in Ireland. Family stories - we know how reliable those are - alleged that Laura and Alice had been thrown out of the family home and sent to the workhouse as they both had children out of wedlock. We were unable to find records of them entering the Cork workhouse. My late cousin had said they had lived at the Cork County Hospital for years and visited them there in 1946. Unfortunately, without an admission date, the Health Service in Ireland couldn't (wouldn't) make a search of the records for me to be able to confirm.