Richard Wilton and Catherine Byatt

Quaker Meeting House (Grade II Listed), New Street, Great Dunmow

Richard Wilton (bap. 20 Mar 1811 in Royston, Hertfordshire), middle son of Stephen Wilton and Elizabeth Hankin, married Catherine Byatt (bap. 4 Apr 1824 in Little Canfield, Essex), daughter of John Byatt and Jane Stokes, at the Independent Meeting House (Quaker Meeting House), New Street, Great Dunmow, on 25 Mar 1843, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Protestant Dissenters. Richard Wilton, who had been listed on the 1841 census, living in the High Street, Great Dunmow, as a harness maker (as he is on the marriage certificate), was 32 at the time of the wedding and Catherine Byatt, then 19, was listed as a minor. Witnesses were Richard's younger brother Joseph Wilton and Maria Staines (then 17) sister of Richard's brother, Henry's wives (both), daughters of Thomas Staines and Sally Hockley.

Richard and Catherine had seven children:

1. Ann Wilton b. 1844 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 76, mother's maiden name BYATE. (Died 27 Apr 1850 (1850 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 56), aged 6, buried 2 May 1850)
2. Elizabeth Wilton b. 9 Aug 1847 (1847 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 69). Many places, online and off, have listed Elizabeth's date of birth as 6 August, however, I've now obtained a copy of her birth certificate from the GRO and it clearly reads Ninth August 1847.
3. Richard Wilton b. 1848 (No GRO birth registration, under any name) (Died, aged 41, in 1889 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 322)
4. Walter Wilton b. 1850 D Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 12 Page 79 (Died, aged 1, in 1852 M Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 219)
5. Martha Wilton b. 1853 M Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 317 (Died, aged 1, in 1854 J Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 209)
6. William Wilton b. 1855 J Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 311 (Died, aged 3, in 1858 J Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 223)
7. Ellen Wilton b. 21 Apr 1857 J Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 335

On the birth registrations for Elizabeth, Walter, Martha, William and Ellen, the mother's maiden name is correctly listed as BYATT. On Elizabeth's birth certificate, her father is listed as Richard Wilton, Harness Maker and her mother, Catherine Wilton, formerly Byatt, Informant, made her mark.

Richard Wilton, Harness maker (journeyman), died on 3 Mar 1858 (1858 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 262), from Phthisis (pulmonary tuberculosis). He was 46. The informant, present at his death, at Dunmow Down, was Ann Whybrow. (Formerly Ann Chandler, she had married Thomas Whybrow, a Currier (specialist in the leather trade) in 1823.) Richard's burial on 8 Mar 1858, is in Non-Conformist Church Records, so may have been in the burial ground attached to the Quaker Meeting House in Great Dunmow (PDF), and listed his cause of death as Consumption. 

Photo © PAUL FARMER (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Doctor's Pond in Great Dunmow, Saturday, 4 July, 2009

It is thought that the doctors used to keep their supply of leeches in the Doctor's Pond.

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Ellen's birthplace, listed on her birth certificate and also the place of death listed on Richard's death certificate was Dunmow Down. The Downs is a street in the town of Great Dunmow (see map), close to Doctors Pond.

George Wilton, born in the Dunmow Union (Workhouse) on 3 Feb 1860 (1860 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 361), birth certificate says his mother's name was Caroline Wilton, with no father listed (illegitimate), but I cannot find a Caroline Wilton in the area at any time (and this is about the third time I've seen Catherine and Caroline used as if interchangeably in wildly different parts of my tree). On later census returns George was listed as Catherine's new husband - John Eldred's - step-son, so George Wilton was certainly Catherine's 'mystery' illegitimate son.

(George can't have been Richard's son - unless sperm freezing was invented MUCH earlier than we've been led to believe - and an attempt to 'legitimise' this birth by suggesting a death of a Richard Wilton, in Whitechapel, in 1862, I can categorically refute, as now that the GRO provide a search facility, a quick look showed that this record was the death of a child, aged 1.)

In 1861, the widowed Catherine (surname transcribed as Wilson), was living with her brother, William Byatt, in Little Canfield. George Wilton, aged 1, was listed there as nephew to the head of the household. There was a Stephen Wilton (13) Baker, lodging in the household of Elizabeth Edwards (73) at Dunmow Down, Great Dunmow, however, I believe this was a pseudonym used by Catherine's son Richard Wilton (see 1884 below). While, the 13 year old Elizabeth and her 4 year old sister, Ellen (listed as being 6), were that year, listed as inmates in the Great Dunmow Union Workhouse.

Catherine then remarried to John Eldred, widower, on 27 Sep 1862 in Great Dunmow. (Various records list her previous surname as Walton or Wilson.)

John Eldred (bap. 10 Mar 1822 in Great Dunmow) son of William Eldred and Eleanor Fewell, had married for the first time to Harriett Page, on 20 Aug 1848, in Great Dunmow. John and Harriett Eldred had three sons:

1. John Eldred b. 1849 D Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 12 Page 73, bap. 10 Jul 1853 in Great Dunmow. (Died aged 10, in 1860 J Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 224)
2. Walter Eldred b. 1852 D Quarter in WHITECHAPEL Volume 01C Page 355, bap. 10 Jul 1853 in Great Dunmow. On the baptism, his father's occupation is listed as Brewer's Servant and address given as No 12 Smith Place High Street Wapping London. (Died, aged 18, in 1871 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 256)
3. Alfred Eldred b. 1855 M Quarter in SAINT GEORGE (IN THE EAST) Volume 01C Page 468 (for reasons unknown the mother's maiden name is listed as PORTER, but there does not appear to be another Alfred Eldred it could relate to) bap. 12 Aug 1855 in Great Dunmow

But Harriet Eldred died aged 28, in 1855 D Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 312.

John Eldred remarried to Elizabeth Tennisse, Widow, daughter of John Pitts, Mariner, on 2 Nov 1856 at Christ Church, St George in the East. Elizabeth Pitts had previously married James Tennisse (born Jacobus Teunisse on 8 Feb 1823 in Amsterdam, Netherlands) on 5 Jun 1854, in Bethnal Green. The pair had three children, all of whom died as infants: Maria Sophia Tennisse (1849-1853); James John Tennisse (1851-1856) and Sarah Tennisse (1853-1855). James Tennisse also died, aged just 32, in 1855, in Stepney.

John and Elizabeth Eldred had one daughter:

1. Thomazine Maria Eldred b. 24 Jul 1857 S Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 413, bap. 4 Apr 1858 in the parish of St George in the East, Stepney. Her father's occupation was listed as Drayman and their address again as 12 Smith's Place.

Then Elizabeth Pitts Eldred died, aged 30, on 1 Apr 1859 (1859 J Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 271).

So when Catherine Wilton married John Eldred, she became his third wife.

In 1871, living in Braintree Road, Great Dunmow, were John Eldred (44) Ag Lab, Catherine Eldred (42) both had lost 5 years; Walter Eldred (18) Son, Alfred Eldred (16) Son, Maria Eldred (13) Daughter, Ellen Wilton (14) Step-Daughter; George Wilton (11) Step-Son; and Alice Wilton (2) Granddaughter (Alice Catherine Wilton born 12 Feb 1869, to Elizabeth Wilton.)

Then John Eldred died, aged 49, in 1876 D Quarter in WEST HAM UNION Volume 04A Page 54.

In 1881, Catherine Eldridge (sic) (56) Widow, Dressmaker from Canfield, Essex, was living at 23, Powis Road, Bromley, Poplar, with Richard Wilton (31) Labourer; George Wilton (21) Labourer; Ellen Wilton (24) Match Maker (although listed as married); Susan Robinson (21) Match Maker (Boarder) and four Lodgers: William Wardley (20) Labourer from Sudbury, Suffolk; Arthur Seatch (36) Labourer from Bromley; Frank Poulter (24) Carman from Cambridge and James Howard (18) Match Maker (Fusee) from Bromley.

Matchgirl strikers, several showing early symptoms of phosphorus necrosis. Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

White Slavery in London

Living little more than half a mile from the Bryant & May's factory in Bow, it's probably reasonable to assume this was where they were all employed, where conditions were especially bad. 

"The match girls worked from 6.30am (or 8am in winter) until 6pm, with just two breaks, standing all the time. “A typical case”, wrote Besant, “is that of a girl of 16, a piece worker; she earns 4s a week ..." (Worth around £26 in 2020).

"Conditions were appalling for the 1,400 women and girls who worked at Bryant and May's match factory in Bow, East London. Low pay for a 14-hour day was cut even more if you talked or went to the toilet, and 'phossy jaw' - a horrible bone cancer caused by the cheap type of phosphorus in the matches - was common."

"If you handled white phosphorus or came into contact with it too much, then it caused serious damage to your health and you ended up with a terrible condition known as ‘Phossy Jaw’ – where you would get severe toothache followed by swelling of the gums. Abscesses would then form on the jaw-bone, and the facial bones would glow a greeny white in the dark. If untreated then ‘Phossy Jaw’ would develop into brain damage and ultimately multiple organ failure." As a result of these appalling conditions, the London Matchgirls Strike of 1888 started in the factory, which led to the establishment of the first British trade union for women. Match Girls Strike at Bryant and May Factory: The 1888 Uprising for Workers’ Rights in London

The Essex Herald of 20 Oct 1884 reported on "WHOLESALE SHOP LIFTING. - Richard Wilton, a navvy, of Bromley-by-Bow, was brought up in custody charged with stealing a black rep cloth overcoat and 12 pairs of tanned leggings, value £1, from the shop of Edwin Joseph Wilton, in High Street, Dunmow on Saturday night last. Prisoner was further charged with stealing six twill jackets, value 24s, the property of Mr John Beard, of North Street, Great Dunmow, on Saturday night. Superintendent Ackers stated that the greater part of the property had been recovered and identified, and, it being believed that others were implicated in the robbery, he asked that the prisoner, who was only arrested on Sunday night, might be remanded. The prisoner was accordingly remanded for a week. Later reports, which (named the perp as Stephen Wilton (36) Baker) noted that Mr [Edwin] Wilton stated the prisoner was his cousin. The prisoner was acquitted. (There were two cousins, to both Richard and Edwin, named Stephen Wilton [1] [2] - neither were angels - but I'm sure this was Richard and not either of them.

Of Catherine's surviving children and two step-children: her daughter Elizabeth Wilton; her son George Wilton; Alfred Eldred and Thomazine Maria Eldred ... all four gave the name Catherine as the first or middle name to their first child. In the case of her step-son, Alfred's wife's mother was also named Catherine to account for this, but for all of them to use the name, I think tells us far more about Catherine as a person than records usually can.

So far, I've not found a death for Catherine, but with so many incorrect names given throughout her life, it's not easy to guess what it might be listed under. 

William Nunn and Susanna Byatt

All Saints' Little Canfield
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Bikeboy - geograph.org.uk/p/4765064

William Nunn (bap. 8 Apr 1798 in High Roding) son of William and Mary Nunn, married Susanna Byatt (bap. 11 Jun 1803 in Little Canfield), daughter of John Byatt and Jane Stokes, at All Saints, Little Canfield on 22 Mar 1819. William was 21, Susanna was possibly not quite, or maybe just, 16. 

William and Susanna, it appears, had seven children:

1. William Nunn bap. 16 Jun 1822 at All Saints, High Roding
2. Elizabeth Nunn bap. 13 Jun 1824 at All Saints, High Roding
3. Sarah Nunn bap. 14 May 1826 at All Saints, High Roding. Died, aged 6, in 1832 and was buried in High Roding
4. George Nunn bap. 27 Jun 1830 at All Saints, High Roding
5. James Nunn bap. 25 Nov 1832 at All Saints, High Roding
6. Sophia Nunn b. 7 Jun 1835, bap. 5 Jul 1835 at Thaxted Parish Church. Died, aged 18, in 1853 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 194 and was buried in Thaxted
7. John Nunn b. 24 Jan 1837, bap. 2 Apr 1837 in Thaxted

But then Susan Nunn died aged 35 in 1839 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 73 and was buried on 4 Feb 1839 in Thaxted.

In 1841, William Nunn (listed as 40) was living in Cutlers Green, Thaxted with William Nunn (20), Eliza Nunn (20) - son William Nunn had married Eliza Thompson, in Dunmow registration district, in the 1st quarter of 1841 - George Nunn (11), James Nunn (9), Sophia Nunn (5) and John Nunn (3).

The 1851 census is missing and I didn't find the family in 1861.

In 1871, William Nunn (71) Agricultural Labourer, Widower, was seemingly living alone at 38 Park St, Thaxted. There are, of course, a lot of gaps in the records, but William appears to be unusual for his time, in that he does not seem to ever remarry and nor does he have any help at home, appearing therefore to have worked and brought up his children single-handedly.

In 1881, however, we find William Nunn (84) Pauper, Widower among inmates at the Union Workhouse, Great Dunmow, at that time the only place to get elderly or medical care. Unsurprisingly, William Nunn died, aged 84, in 1882 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 329.

James Crozier and Jane Byatt

All Saints, Little Canfield
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3988788

James Crozier (bap. 9 Aug 1807 in Great Canfield, Essex) son of William Crozier and Sarah Watts, married Jane Byatt (bap. 9 Jun 1811 in Little Canfield), daughter of John Byatt and Jane Stokes, on 3 Mar 1827 at All Saints, Little Canfield. By my calculations, James was 19 and Jane 15.

James and Jane had 10 children, all baptised in Little Canfield:

1. Sarah Crozier bap. 10 Feb 1828. (Baptism record says Sally.) 
2. Rachel Crozier b. 1830 (No baptism record, but listed on 1841 census and lists James Crozier as her father on her marriage in 1855.)
3. Susanna Crozier bap. 9 Sep 1831 
4. Emma Crozier bap. 9 Aug 1835. Died Sep 1835, buried at Little Canfield
5. Ann Crozier b. 1838 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 67, bap. 9 Jul 1838. Died 1839 and is buried at Little Canfield
6. William Crozier bap. 21 Jun 1840
7. Kezia Crozier b. 1846 S Quarter Volume 12 Page 71, bap. 2 Aug 1846
8. Ellen Crozier b. 1849 J Quarter Volume 12 Page 83, bap. 4 Mar 1849
9. Jane Crozier b. 1851 J Quarter Volume 12 Page 91, bap. 15 Jun 1851
10. Louisa Crozier bap. 27 Feb 1859. Died at 37, in 1896 D Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 392.

All of the birth registrations, where they exist, show the mother's maiden name as BYATT. All of the baptisms give James' occupation as Labourer.

In 1841, living at Whip Warrens, Little Canfield (there is a Warren Farm at Little Canfield), were James Crozier (34), Jane Crozier (32), Sarah Crozier (14), Rachel Crozier (11), Susan Crozier (8) and William Crozier (1).

In 1861, living in The Village, Little Canfield, were James Crozier (52) [lost 2 years] Agricultural Labourer, Jane Crozier (51), William Crozier (20), Ellen Crozier (12), Jane Crozier (10) and Louisa Crozier (2). Sarah, Rachel and Susana had all married; and Kezia Crozier (13) was a House Servant in the employ of William Bailey (53) Farmer at Strood Hill, Great Dunmow. 

In 1871, James Crozier (61) Agricultural Labourer, was still living in Little Canfield with Jane Crozier (63) - their ages have more or less been transposed - with just Louisa Crozier (12) still at home. Jane Crozier (19) was House Servant to Henry Sewell Franklin (34) Farmer, in Lower Canfield.

In 1881, James Crozier (76) Agricultural Labourer and Jane Crozier  (71) were living in High Cross Lane, Little Canfield. Louisa Crozier (23) from Essex, was a Domestic Maid at Grove House, St Peter, Thanet, Kent.

James Crozier died on 15 Sep 1888 (1888 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 268) and was buried in Little Canfield.

In 1891, Jane Crozier (84) Widow, was living alone, while Louisa Crozier (33) was General Domestic Servant to Henry S Franklin (54) Farmer, in High Cross Lane, Lower Canfield, for whom her sister Jane had worked 20 yrs earlier.

Jane Crozier died, at 88, on 2 Mar 1899 (1899 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 444) and was also buried in Little Canfield.

William Hockley and Jane Pye and Sarah Stokes

The Chequers Public House - formerly The Chequers Inn,
a coaching inn, 27 Stortford Rd, Great Dunmow, Essex

William Hockley (bap. 16 Feb 1766), Bachelor, son of Robert Hockley and Mary Watts, married Jane Pye (bap. 12 Jul 1772), Spinster, daughter of Joseph Pye and Mary Guyver, on 24 Feb 1795 at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow, by Banns, in the Presence of George Nye and John Gunn.

William Hockley was described as Hostler at the Chequers Inn. The Hostler may have been the innkeeper, but certainly will have been responsible for the horses. The building is Grade II Listed, parts of which may date back to the 14th Century or even earlier, so one can probably presume that much of what one sees today is still fundamentally as it was in William Hockley's time.

William and Jane Hockley had two children:

1. William Hockley b. 7 Jun 1795, bap. 3 Jul 1795, Age: 3 Weeks & 5 Days
2. Jane Pye Hockley bap. 30 Jul 1797. Died aged 9 months, and was buried on 14 Mar 1798.

It would appear likely Jane Hockley died as a result of giving birth to their daughter, as she was buried at St Mary's on 6 July 1797, aged 25. 

William then remarried to Sarah Stokes (bap. 27 Dec 1778 in Little Canfield) daughter of William Stokes and Mary Judd, on 7 Sep 1800, also at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow, not before they'd had their first child however. William and Sarah went on to have at least eight children:

1. Jane Hockley b. Feb 1800 "Bastard Child of William Hockley and Sarah Stokes", it states, was baptised, aged 9 weeks, on 13 Apr 1800
2. Robert Hockley bap. 2 Oct 1802 (Died aged 3 weeks, 3 days and was buried 15 Oct 1802)
3. Robert Hockley bap. 11 Mar 1804
4. Sarah Hockley bap. 29 Dec 1805
5. Mary Ann Hockley bap. 26 Feb 1809
6. Elizabeth Hockley bap. 25 Aug 1811
7. Anne Hockley bap. 8 Dec 1816 (where William is still listed as Hostler). (Died 1819, aged 2 and buried 16 Sep 1819)
8. Henry Hockley bap. 25 Apr 1819. [Sources]

In 1841, William Hockley (74), wife Sarah (65) and youngest son, Henry (20), were living in Star Lane, Great Dunmow. 

William Hockley died, aged 76, in 1844 D Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 12  Page 55 and was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow on 20 Oct 1844. 

In 1861, Sarah Hockley (83) Widow, was still living in Star Lane.

Sarah Hockley died, aged 90, in 1867 S Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 215. 

Star Lane in Great Dunmow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Robert Edwards - geograph.org.uk/p/1503881

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 (b. ~1779) at All Saints Church, Little Canfield on 11 Dec 1799. Either there were a lot of parish foundlings given the surname Doe, or we have to consider the possibility that these two were cousins.

This Henry and Elizabeth Doe had 11 children, baptised at Little Canfield: 

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

The last child was a posthumous birth, Henry Doe (40ish) 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, in 1862 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 217, and was buried at Little Canfield on 3 Jun 1862.

John Byatt and Jane Stokes

All Saints, Little Canfield - Chancel
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3988791

John Byatt (bap. 3 May 1778 in Elsenham), son of John Byatt and Sarah Poulter, married Jane Stokes (bap. 29 Aug 1784 in Great Canfield), daughter of Robert Stokes and Susanna Judd, on 24 Nov 1800 at All Saints Church, Little Canfield, Essex. John Byatt will have been 22 and Jane just 16.

John and Jane Byatt's children, baptised in Little Canfield, were:

1. Susanna Byatt bap. 11 Jun 1803
2. Jane Byatt bap. 9 Jun 1811
3. William Byatt bap. 6 Mar 1814
4. Elizabeth Byatt bap. 6 Oct 1816, died aged 31, in 1847 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 77, buried 8 Jun 1847
5. John Byatt bap. 3 Oct 1819
6. Catherine Byatt bap. 4 Apr 1824
7. George Byatt bap. 30 Sep 1827

With significant gaps between births, there could have been others.

In 1841, John Byatt (65) Labourer, Jane Byatt (56), George Byatt (13) and Jane's widowed mother, Susan Stokes (78) were living in Hickeys Lane, Little Canfield. Living next door to them was son William Byatt. Son John Byatt was living in the household of John Rickett (40) at Goldings, Netteswell, Essex.

The Essex Standard reported on the Dunmow Petty Sessions on 5 Mar 1855: George Byatt, labourer, of Little Canfield, was summoned for trespassing in search of game on lands of Mr W Barnard, on the 13th of February, and was fined £2, and costs 9s 6d., or to be committed for 2 months' hard labour.

The Essex Standard, of 8 Oct 1857, reported that George Byatt, 30, Labourer, for violently assaulting his father, John Byatt, at Little Canfield, on 24th September, was sentenced to 12 months hard labour.

John Byatt died, aged 80, on 10 Jan 1858 (1858 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Vol 04A Page 263) and buried on 14 Jan 1858 in Little Canfield.

The Chelmsford Chronicle of 15 Jan 1858 reported on the SUPPOSED DEATH FROM VIOLENCE, AT LITTLE CANFIELD. - On Wednesday, an inquest was held at the parochial schoolroom before C C Lewis Esq. on the body of John Byatt, who in September last was brutally assaulted by his son, George Byatt, who was prosecuted for it, and sentenced to twelve months hard labour. As the father died on Sunday last, and the surgeon, Mr Freeman Smith [1], objected to give a certificate for burial otherwise than that death was caused by injuries received from the son, it became necessary to hold an inquest. The widow proved that her husband was a labourer, 81 years old, and that on the night of the assault the son came home as if tipsy, when he pushed his father over the groundsill into the bedroom; her son helped to pick him up, and he was put into bed; he was tolerably well all night, but in the morning he was ill and could take nothing, and she went to Mr. Freeman Smith, the doctor, who attended him (or his assistant) from that time till last Sunday, when he died; before this her husband was quite well for an old man, but could do no work. Mr James Freeman Smith, surgeon of Dunmow, was called to the deceased, about a fortnight before Michaelmass, and considered him in dying state of collapse. Pulseless and almost insensible; there was a slight wound over the temple and paralysis of the left arm which he never raised again. He had made a post mortem examination of the head and body - he found the brain remarkably healthy - having described the state of the body, he added he should say that the cause of death was the general concussion, and the shock to the system likely to have been occasioned by the fall; the deceased had been previously in remarkably good health, he could not conscientiously attribute the death to anything else, having found no organ diseased. Supt. Rogerson, of Dunmow, proved that when before the magistrates the deceased said that his son had knocked him over the sill of the door. The widow being recalled, she said her husband was sensible the first two months but for the last month he was not so. The surgeon said he would just put out his tongue when asked. The Coroner said, there was no doubt the old man was considerably injured by the fall occasioned by the son, but there was no direct proof from the medical evidence that it caused his death. The evidence of the old woman was most unsatisfactory, and, it was thought, biased to shield her son, in consequence of his present punishment. The Jury hesitated in the decision, and it came out that two days before the alleged assault, the deceased and this son were found by a gentleman, who nearly drove over the old man, lying on the road in the night, both drunk. Ultimately it was agreed to record this special verdict, "That the cause of death does not appear from positive evidence." (The same is on the death certificate.)

[1] James Freeman Smith MRCS, General Practitioner of High Street, Great Dunmow, was listed in directories as the Union Medical Officer.

The Essex Standard, once again, on 6 Apr 1860, reported on an ASSAULT: George Byatt, 32, labourer, was indicted for assaulting Charlotte Byatt [2], his niece, by kicking her in the body, at Little Canfield, on the 19th of March. Prosecutrix said she kept her father's house, her mother being dead; and the prisoner lived next door. On the day named the prisoner came in for some tobacco he had asked her to get for him. She told him she had not been to the shop, upon which he called her a liar, and became so angry that he slapped her face. She asked him what he meant, and said she would hit him with the shovel, upon which he kicked her in the groin. She was going towards the shovel, but had not got it in her hand at the time. Emma Byatt, sister of the prosecutrix, corroborated her evidence. Mr Freeman Smith, surgeon, of Great Dunmow, said he attended the girl, who was kept to her bed some days. The contusion was a dangerous one, and might have been fatal. The prisoner's defence was that he tried to kick the shovel away, and that his kicking the girl was accidental. The Jury immediately returned a verdict of Guilty; and the CHAIRMAN severely commented upon the brutal conduct of the prisoner, following (as the Court were sorry to learn it did) an assault upon his own father. The Court did not believe that he seriously intended to injure the girl, but thought he was rather carried away by feelings of anger at the moment; and therefore he would receive the comparatively light sentence of three months' hard labour. (Happily, I can find no further trace of George Byatt.)

[2] Charlotte Byatt and Emma Byatt were the daughters of William Byatt.

In 1861, Jane Byatt (79) was living at 6, High Canfield Lane, Little Canfield. 

Jane Byatt died on 8 Aug 1866 (1866 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 258) listed as 86 - she was 82, unsurprisingly from Senile Decay. Jane was buried on 10 Aug 1866, at All Saints, Little Canfield.

James Waterman and Tamar Hockley

All Saints, High Roding
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/5059359

James Waterman (bap. 5 Aug 1821 at Hatfield Broad Oak), son of Isaac Waterman and Jane Hasler, married Tamar Hockley (bap. 8 Oct 1826 at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow), daughter of Daniel Hockley and Sophia Mason, on 22 Nov 1850 at All Saints, High Roding.

James and Tamar had two sons:

1. James Waterman b. 1852 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 303, bap. 30 Jan 1853 at All Saints Church, High Roding.
2. John Waterman b. 1857 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 319, bap. 25 Apr 1858 at All Saints Church, High Roding.

In 1861, James Waterman (40) Agricultural Labourer, Tamar Waterman (33), James Waterman (8) Scholar and John Waterman (3) were living in High Roden Street, High Roden (sic) (High Roding, obvs), Dunmow, Essex.

In 1871, living "In the Street, High Roothing, Dunmow, Essex" (hopefully, not too literally) were James Waterman (50) Groom, Tamar Waterman (45), James Waterman (18) Carpenter and John Waterman (13) Ag Lab.

In 1881, they had moved to Cannons Road (presumably Cannons Lane), Hatfield Broad Oak Aka Hatfield Regis, Dunmow, Essex. James Waterman (60) Groom; Fanny Waterman (55) from Great Dunmow (same age, I have no doubt this is Tamar) and John Waterman (23) Carpenter.

In 1891, on the Stortford Road, Little Canfield, Dunmow, Essex were James Waterman (69) General Labourer and Tamar Waterman (65).

Tamar Waterman died, aged 71, in 1898 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 445 and was buried on 14 Mar 1898  in Great Dunmow.

In 1901, James Waterman (79) Widower, Retired Groom from Hatfield Broad Oak, was living alone, still on the Stortford Road.

James Waterman died, aged 84, in 1905 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 475.

John King and Dinah Doe

St Martin's Church, Little Waltham, Essex
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Wayland Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/7173888

John King married Dinah Doe, daughter of Henry Doe and Elizabeth Stones, at St Martin's Church, Little Waltham, Essex on 20 Nov 1810.

John and Dinah had four children: 

1. John King bap. 7 Apr 1811 in Little Waltham, Essex
2. Elizabeth King bap. 21 Mar 1813 in Little Waltham, Essex
3. James King bap. 14 Jan 1816, died aged 1 and was buried on 20 May 1818, both events at St Mary & St Lawrence, Great Waltham, Essex
4. George King bap. 5 Jul 1818 in Great Waltham, Essex

Elizabeth's baptism record lists her father's occupation as Labourer.

There is a record of the burial of John King, aged 47 (b. 1790), in Great Waltham, Essex, on 22 Feb 1837, at the end of the reign of William IV.

In 1841, Diana (sic) King (50) Servant and her youngest son, George King (20) Servant - ages rounded - were employed in the household of Robert French (60), Farmer, in Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex.

In 1851, Diana King (64) widow, was still a General Servant in the household of Robert French (71) Farmer of 310 Acres, employing 12 Labourers, at Bulls Lodge, Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex (Grade II Listed Building).

In 1861, Diana King (73) widow, born in Great Canfield, Essex, was living at Wakerings Farm, Great Leighs, Essex with her daughter, Elizabeth King (46) and son George King (43) Agricultural Labourer.

Dinah King died, aged 83, in 1869 J Quarter in CHELMSFORD Volume 04A Page 111 and was buried in Great Leighs, Essex.

It is worth noting that in 1881, George King (65) Agricultural Labourer and his sister, Elizabeth King (68) were living together, both still single, in Little Waltham. Elizabeth King died, aged 88, in 1900 M Quarter in CHELMSFORD Volume 04A Page 383. George King died, aged 94, in 1915 M Quarter in CHELMSFORD Volume 04A Page 884. Neither ever married.

Henry Doe and Elizabeth Stones

St Mary's, Great Canfield, Essex

Henry Doe (bap. 19 May 1754 in Great Canfield, Essex), son of John Doe and Jane Brand, married Elizabeth Stones (most likely bap. 14 Apr 1754 in Leaden Roding, Essex), which, if correct, would make her the daughter of John and Mary Stones, at St Mary's, Great Canfield on 20 Oct 1773.

Henry and Elizabeth appear to have had 7 children:

1. Elizabeth Doe bap. 16 Jan 1774
2. Eleanor Doe bap. 25 Dec 1774
3. Henry Doe bap. 20 Sep 1778
4. Sarah Doe bap. 9 Sep 1781
5. Jane Doe bap. 12 Apr 1795 (Said to have been born 1790)
6. Dinah Doe bap. 12 Apr 1795 (Born between 1784 and 1791)
7. Jude Doe bap. 12 Apr 1795 (Judith, born ~1792)

The first four children were baptised at Great Canfield and the last three, all baptised together at All Saints Church in Little Canfield on 11 Dec 1799, were also listed as being the children of Henry and Elizabeth Doe (and were born too early to be the children of son Henry Doe and his wife, also Elizabeth).

There are too many burials of an Elizabeth Doe to be certain which relates, however, instinct suggests considering one in Aythorpe Roding in 1797.

Henry Doe was buried at St Mary's, Great Canfield on 25 Jun 1825.

William Byatt and Ann Poole

All Saints, Little Canfield

William Byatt (bap. 6 Mar 1814) son of John Byatt and Jane Stokes, married Ann Poole (b. 1817) on 18 Oct 1834, in Great Dunmow, Essex. 

William Byatt and Ann Poole had ten children, all baptised in Little Canfield:

1. George Byatt bap. 3 Apr 1836 
2. Walter Byatt bap. 11 Mar 1838
3. Charlotte Byatt bap. 31 May 1840
4. Alfred Byatt bap. 25 Sep 1842
5. Henry Byatt b. 1845 M Quarter Volume 12 Page 81, bap. 2 Mar 1845
6. Emma Byatt b. 1847 J Quarter Volume 12 Page 78, bap. 18 Apr 1847
7. Charles Byatt b. 1849 J Quarter Volume 12 Page 22, bap. 10 Jun 1849
8. Mary Byatt b. 1852 M Quarter Volume 04A Page 318, bap. 21 Mar 1852
9. John Byatt b. 1854 J Quarter Volume 04A Page 321, bap. 2 Apr 1854
10. Rebecca Byatt b. 1856 M Quarter Vol 04A Page 343, bap. 27 Apr 1856

All of the baptisms list William's occupation as Labourer and the registrations, in DUNMOW UNION, list the mother's maiden name as POOLE or POOL.

In 1841, William Byatt (26) was living in Hickey's Lane, Little Canfield with Ann Byatt (24), George (5), Walter (3) and Charlotte (1).

The 1851 Census returns for both Great and Little Dunmow are missing.

Ann Byatt died, aged 42, in 1859 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 224 and was buried in Little Canfield on 6 Jan 1860.

In 1861, living in High Canfield Lane, Little Canfield were William Byatt (48) Agricultural Labourer, Widowed; George Byatt (25), Alfred Byatt (18), Charles Byatt (11), Mary (9), John (7) and Rebecca (5). George, Alfred and Charles were all working as Agricultural Labourers too, while Mary, John and Rebecca were at school. Living with them was William's sister, Catherine Wilton (35) Widow and George Wilton (1) Nephew. Henry Byatt (16) was a Carter on the farm of Thomas Bernard (59) at Little Hoddens, Little Canfield. Emma Byatt (14) Visitors Nurse Maid, was among a large number of staff at Gardeners Cottage, Little Easton (on the Easton Lodge estate).

William Byatt then remarried to Ann Vail (sic) on 18 Oct 1862. 

William shouldn't have been able to forget his wedding anniversary. 

Baptised Mary Ann Vale on 3 Nov 1833 in Little Canfield, daughter of Robert Vale and Mary Dubry, she was listed as Ann Vale when living with her parents at Frogs Hall, Takeley, Essex (presumably, her father was working there on the farm), in 1841. In 1861, she had been listed as Mary Vale (28) House Servant to Joseph Sweeting (64) at Beelfords, Great Dunmow.

William Byatt and Ann Vale had two sons, but neither survived:

1. William Byatt bap. 20 Apr 1864 in Little Canfield. Died in 1864 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 236
2. David Byatt b. 1865 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 349, mother's maiden name VALE, bap. 17 Aug 1865, in Little Canfield. Died in 1865 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 226.

In 1871, William Byatt (58) Ag Lab and Ann Byatt (40) were living in High Cross Lane, Little Canfield.

In 1881, William Byatt (68) and Ann Byatt (50) were still living in High Cross Lane, Little Canfield.

In 1891, William Byatt (81) Agricultural Labourer Retired, had accelerated time, while Ann Byatt (50) had succeeded in making time stand still.

William Byatt, with age 81 (actually 77), died in 1891 S Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 296 and was buried in Little Canfield on 19 Aug 1891.

Ann Byatt died, at 68, in 1897 M Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 385.

Henry Stock and Charlotte Byatt

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

All Saints, Little Canfield - Chancel, Wednesday, 30 April, 2014

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Henry Stock (bap. 30 Dec 1838 at All Saints, Little Canfield), son of James Stock and Elizabeth Gunn, married Charlotte Byatt (bap. 31 May 1840 also at All Saints, Little Canfield), daughter of William Byatt and Ann Poole, at All Saints, Little Canfield on 13 Oct 1860. (Having read about the brutal assault on Charlotte earlier that year by her Uncle George Byatt - for which he was sentenced to what seems like a very lenient 3 months' hard labour - I was keen to see that she had survived - hopefully relatively intact.)

Charlotte came to this marriage with an illegitimate son, registered as William Moreton Byatt in 1859 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 350 and bap. 5 Jun 1859, as the son of Charlotte Byatt. With this customary naming pattern used, it's probably pretty safe to assume that a Mr Moreton had something to do with it. And while I could be casting aspersions, there was indeed a John Moreton, who was born in Little Canfield in 1840, who looks like the prime suspect. This John Moreton married an Emma Stock in 1862. After Charlotte married, this child was known as William Stock.

Henry and Charlotte Stock went on to have a further eight children:

1. Walter Stock b. 8 Sep 1861 (1861 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 341), bap. 10 Oct 1861 in Little Canfield. On the 1939 Census, Walter listed his DOB as 8 Sep 1862, but the birth registration proves that it had to have been the previous year.
2. Sarah Ann Stock b. 1864 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 367, bap. 28 Aug 1864 in Little Canfield
3. Alice Stock b. 1866 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 340, bap. 7 Aug 1866. Died at 3 wks and was buried on 19 Aug 1866
4. Jane Stock b. 1867 D Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 70, bap. 3 Nov 1867 at St Leonard's, Shoreditch. Died, aged 2, in 1870 M Quarter in HOLBORN Volume 01B Page 552, and was buried on 17 Jan 1870 at Hackney, Victoria Park Cemetery ('The Resort of Thieves and Harlots'; Victoria Park Cemetery, Bethnal Green), later Meath Gardens.
5. Rose Stock b. 7 Jul 1872 (1872 S Quarter in HOLBORN Volume 01B Page 712), bap. 24 Feb 1874 at St Matthew's Church on City Road, Islington. The baptism record alleges she was born on 7 Jul 1873, but the birth registration proves that she was born a year earlier.
6. Henry James Stock b. 1874 D Quarter in HOLBORN Vol 01B Page 787
7. Alfred John Stock b. 1876 J Quarter in HOLBORN Vol 01B Page 809
8. Unnamed female Stock b. 1879 S Quarter in LAMBETH Volume 01D Page 345. Died 1879 S Quarter in LAMBETH Volume 01D Page 191.

All of these birth registrations have the mother's maiden name BYATT.

On 7 Apr 1861, at 4, High Cross Lane, Little Canfield, Dunmow, Essex, were Henry Stock (22) Ag Lab; Charlotte Stock (20), and William Stock (2) - obviously, the child registered as William Moreton Byatt in 1859.

In 1871, living at Wharf, Macclesfield St, Holborn, Middlesex, were Henry Stock (~29) Horse Keeper; Charlotte Stock (~28), William Stock (~9), Walter Stock (~8) and Sarah A Stock (~5). At least they were fairly consistent in making everyone's ages around 2 to 4 years younger than they were.

In 1881, at 80, Commercial Road, Lambeth, London, were Harry Stock (41) Horse Keeper from Dunmow, Essex; Charlotte Stock (40), William Stock (21) Book gilder (binder); Walter Stock (19) Boot finisher; Rose Stock (8), Henry Stock (6) and Alfred J Stock (4). 

In 1891, at 80, Commercial Road, Lambeth, were Henry Stock (51) Horse Keeper; Charlotte Stock (50), Henry Stock (16) Coachman; Alfred Stock (14), and Edward Davies (3) Grandson (son of Sarah Ann).

In 1901, still at 80, Commercial Road, Lambeth, were Henry Stock (63) Horse Keeper; Charlotte Stock (61) and Alfred Stock (23) Carman at dust wharf.

Henry Stock died, at 66, in 1904 J Qtr in LAMBETH Vol 01D Page 158.

Charlotte Stock died, at 65, in 1905 S Qtr in LAMBETH Vol 01D Page 151.

John Doe and Jane Brand

All Saints Church, Little Canfield, Essex

John Doe (b. ~1730 in Great Canfield) and Jane Brand (b. ~1732 in Little Canfield), a pair of my 6th Great-Grandparents, married at All Saints Church, Little Canfield on 1 Oct 1750 to become John and Jane Doe. 

After the requisite pause for giggling at this unlikely combination of names, I wondered when and where the custom had began to call people who you couldn't identify, either John or Jane Doe, depending on gender. We mostly tend to hear the term when an unidentified corpse turns up in a US crime drama, but in fact, the origins are in medieval English law, beginning perhaps as early as the reign of King Edward III (1327–1377): "Originally, John Doe was a sham name used to indicate any plaintiff in an action of ejectment (a legal action to regain property) in civil court. Richard Roe was the counterpart, to indicate the defendant. These fake names were used in delicate legal matters, a practice that was abolished in English law in 1852. Since then, John Doe has been used to indicate any man of unknown name, with Jane Doe used for females." - The Old Farmer's Almanac. Quite why these particular names were picked, however, is lost in time. It may have been simply because they were among the most common names in use at the time.

It would appear that John and Jane Doe had four children (or at least there are records for four), all baptised at St Mary's Church, Great Canfield:

1. Henry Doe bap. 19 May 1754
2. Elizabeth Doe bap. 23 Apr 1758 
3. John Doe bap. 20 Sep 1760 (Presume buried 14 Nov 1761)
4. John Doe bap. 20 Dec 1761

There had also been a burial of a John Doe in Great Canfield on 7 Mar 1756. This doesn't mention the age of the deceased and there is no corresponding baptism, but this could have been a further child of this family. The burial, at St Mary's, Great Canfield, on 14 Nov 1761, is clearly stated to be for that of a John Doe 'Infant'. One must, sadly, assume therefore that the subsequent child was named John, immediately after his brother had died.

There was a burial of a Jane Doe in Great Canfield on 18 May 1768 and another in 1803. Either could relate, but there are no ages listed on the transcriptions to give any clues. There was another burial of a John Doe in Great Canfield on 10 Mar 1805. Again it does not mention an age at death, so we cannot be certain, but this could relate to John Doe Snr of this family.

Back in 1731, at this same church, there was a burial of a 4 year old John Doe, listed as 'son of John Doe'. These could simply be just very common names - all the more spectacular to be able to trace them back so far - or, I suppose one must entertain the idea that, once upon a time, there was a parish foundling, who the overseers named John Doe, whose descendants thereafter followed the common tradition of naming son after father ...