Edward Green and Eliza Goodman

St. Matthew's Church, Bethnal Green
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Dr Neil Clifton - geograph.org.uk/p/688069

Edward Green (50) Licenced Victualler, Batchelor, son of William Green, Blacksmith, eventually married Eliza Goodman (49) Spinster, by Licence at Christ Church, St George in the East (Christ Church Watney Street), on 12 Jun 1870. They'd already been living together for around 30 years. Neither could read and write and each made their mark with an X. Witnesses were Charles John Osborne and Ann Bellett, Eliza's eldest sister.

Edward and Eliza had already had five lovely daughters: 

1. Eliza Green b. 1841 J Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Volume 02 Page 63, mother's maiden surname Goodman. (This looks like the child on the 1841 census. Eliza born 1841, does not appear on the census again.) There is a death of an Eliza Green, aged 8 in 1850 M Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Volume 02 Page 3 that would correspond.
2. Emma Green b. 1847 S Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Volume 02 Page 16, with mother's maiden surname listed as Goodwin (Close LOL).
3. Mary Ann Green b. 3 Jul 1849, bap. 29 Jul 1849 at St Matthew's, Bethnal Green. This baptism lists their address in Scott Street, Bethnal Green. Found no civil birth registration for Mary Ann. 
4. Sarah Green b. 15 May 1854, bap. 11 Jun at Christ Church, Stepney.
5. Eliza Louisa Green b. 21 Mar 1858 in St George in the East (1858 J Quarter in SAINT GEORGE IN THE EAST Volume 01C Page 413. Mother's maiden surname Goodman), bap. 18 Apr 1858 at Christ Church, Watney Street, Shadwell. (The transcript of the London, Docklands And East End Baptisms says Christ Church, Jamaica Street, Stepney, but that church didn't open until 1877.) Died, aged 13, in 1871 S Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 361 and was buried on 29 Jul 1871 at the City of London and Tower Hamlets Cemetery.

From his baptism, we discover that Edward Green was born on 28 May 1821 and baptised on 7 Oct 1821 at the church of St George in the East, Cannon Street Road, son of William Green, Brazier and his wife Matilda. 

The records of the 1st and 5th births had already confirmed Eliza's surname as Goodman. The 1851 census, said she was from Braintree, Essex. On her marriage certificate, Eliza lists her father as Thomas Goodman, Carpenter, making her the daughter of Thomas Goodman and Mary Ann Pluck.

There is a record of an Edward Green (18) occupation Cabinet Maker, being indicted for stealing, on the 28th of January 1837, "1 horse-cloth, value 4s., the goods of Robert Campion". He was tried at the Old Bailey on 2 Feb 1837, found guilty and sentenced to one month in Newgate Prison.

In 1841, in Anglesea Street, St Matthew, Bethnal Green, there's a weird census entry of an Edward Green (20), Cabinet Maker, not born in the county and, with him are an Elizabeth (2) and Elizabeth (1 month). This might make sense if the first Elizabeth was 20, but it doesn't look like a mis-transcription. And Elizabeth isn't Eliza. Nevertheless, I'm still pretty sure this is them.

In 1851, living in Scott Street, Bethnal Green, we find Edward Green (32), Cabinet Maker, born in Shoreditch, with Eliza Green (28), born in Braintree, Essex, and daughter Emma Green (3). Where was Mary Ann? 

On Eliza Louisa's baptism in 1858, the family's address was given as Chapel Street, St George in the East, which was later renamed Tait Street. And we know they were already at the The King and Queen public house in 1856.

Chapel Street, St. George in the East was later renamed Tait Street (although the street doesn't exist at all now - current Tait Street is a completely different location). The King and Queen Public House, long since demolished, stood on the corner of Tait Street and Mary Street (marked P.H.) You can clearly see the area referred to as 'a yard in the rear'.

Anyway, it would seem from the newspaper report I've discovered (see below) that Edward Green was the subject of a sting operation, authorised right from the top in Scotland Yard. (If you're going to do something, aim high, eh?)

Fascinating to read dialogue that came straight out of the mouths of these ancestors, even if they do sound, shall we say, a bit on the rough side. :)

Sunday opening isn't even a crime now, but trying to blame Eliza, nooooo ....

From The Morning Chronicle of Monday, November 8, 1858.

SUNDAY IN A PUBLIC HOUSE – ARTS OF THE POLICE

Edward Green, the landlord of the King and Queen public-house, in Chapel Street, St. George’s-in-the-East, appeared at the Thames Police-court, on Saturday, on a police information charged with unlawfully opening his house for the sale of ale, beer and spirituous liquors on Sunday morning last, during the hours prohibited by law.

Richard Blanks, a police-constable, 81 K, stated that he was directed by Mr. Superintendent Howie, of the K division, to detect the defendant, who was in the practice of supplying people with beer and spirits on Sunday, during the whole of the day, while other houses were closed. He went to the house in plain clothes, dressed as a waterman, and was accompanied by Mrs. Randall, the female searcher at the station-house adjoining the Thames Police-court, who was the wife of a police-constable. On reaching the defendant’s house Mrs. Randall knocked at the front door, and waited some time without its being answered, and he said, “Come old lady, we shall not be served with anything here.” The door was then opened by the defendant, who narrowly scrutinised them both, and after looking at the trousers of witness, which were not blue [a laugh], said, “You will do; have what you like,” and directed them to a side door, which was opened, and they were admitted into the house and directed to a yard in the rear, in which was a private bar fitted up. There were 20 men and women in front of the small bar, and they were served with rum, gin, ale, beer, and tobacco. He saw others admitted at the side door, and let out after they were served at the back door. Mrs. Randall asked for two pennyworth of gin and cold water, which was supplied to her. He then called the landlady on one side, and told her she was doing wrong. She said, “What of it?” He then asked for the landlord, and told him what he had seen and he said it was a bad job.

The defendant, in reply to the charge, said that he could not contradict what was said. He was not aware what was done in the house. His wife did it all, and admitted people into the house without his knowledge.

Mr. Yardley: Where was the landlord – the defendant, I mean?

Blanks: He was at the front door. He directed me to the side door.

Mr Yardley: To be sure; you said so before. Don’t tell me, Mr. Green, you were not aware of it. It is a most flagrant case.

Sir Richard Mayne KCB (27 November 1796 – 26 December 1868) was a barrister and the joint first Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, the head of the London Metropolitan Police (1829–1868).

Inspector Hayes, of the K division, said repeated complaints had been made by licenced victuallers and beer shop keepers, who complied with the law, of the practice adopted by the defendant, who stood at the front door to reconnoitre, while persons were admitted at the side door. Mr. Howie, the superintendent, had made a special complaint to Sir Richard Mayne, the Chief Commissioner of Police, and had received his permission to adopt the means of detection used on Sunday morning last. Mr. Howie intended to be present to explain to the magistrate why he adopted the unusual step of allowing a woman to accompany the constable, but was obliged to leave the court to meet the commissioners.

Mr. Yardley: There is no harm in the means adopted to detect the defendant. No trap was laid. Mr. Howie was perfectly justified in doing what he has done. There is nothing illegitimate in the mode of finding out what was going on. I would not convict if a trap had been laid, but it appears there were 20 persons in the house. I shall deviate from the ordinary practice where a first offence has been proved. I generally treat a first offence lightly, but I fine the defendant £3 and costs, because he has broken the law systematically.

The fine was instantly paid.

[£3 in 1858 is equivalent to about £375 in 2020. Source.]

In 1861, at 25, Mary Street (same place: on the corner with Tait Street), St George in the East, were Edward Green (40), Publican, Eliza (38), Emma (13), Mary (12), Sarah (6) and Eliza (3), and Harriet Blundell (12), visitor.

Edward Green died on 22 Jun 1870, aged 50, from liver and kidney disease, just 10 days after he and Eliza married. From this, we can probably deduce that he knew how sick he was and at least cared enough to leave Eliza the means, through marriage, to take over the pub licence and a livelihood.

In 1871, at Tait Street, St George in the East (still the King and Queen pub), were Eliza Green (48), Widow, Licenced Victualler, married daughter, Emma Horn (22), Barmaid, John Horn (23), Plumber, Sarah Green (17), Eliza Green (13), Eliza Thompson (2), granddaughter, Emma Horn (2), granddaughter, Edward J Horn (0), grandson, and Emily R Slade (14), General Servant.

The East London Observer in August 1875 lists Eliza Green as the outgoing licensee at the King and Queen, ending the Green's tenure at this pub. 

In 1881, Eliza was living with her daughter Sarah and her husband, Alfred James Lynch, at the Duke of Norfolk public house in Mile End Old Town. 

Eliza Green, widow of Edward Green, Licenced Victualler, died on 12 Feb 1882 (1882 M Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 462) at the Duke of Norfolk public house in Mile End Old Town from Chronic Bronchitis. Her death was registered by Alf J Lynch, son-in-law.

John Sweeney and Anne Elizabeth Gabbaday

St Leonard, Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2624832

John Sweeney married Anne Elizabeth Gabbaday (b. 23 Feb 1811), daughter of John Benbow Gabbedy and Isabella Cleghorn, on 11 Jun 1832, at St Leonard, Shoreditch (often known simply as Shoreditch Church - this is the church mentioned in the line "When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch" from the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons). Witnesses to the marriage were Anne's brother, Henry Gabbedy (sic), Ann Goose and Geo. Garrow.

Census listings consistently show John as having been born ~1809, in St George in the East, but I've not been able to find a baptism for him.

John and Anne had at least these five children: 

1. Maria Eliza Isabella Sweney, bap. 11 Jan 1835 at St Dunstan's, Stepney
2. Unnamed Male Sweeney b. 1838 M Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 02 Page 390, mother GABBEDEY. Died 1838 M Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 02 Page 493.
3. John Henry Charles Sweeney, b. 11 May 1839, at 1 George Place, White Horse Street, Ratcliff (1839 J Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 02 Page 466)
4. Mary Ann Sweeney, b. 10 Dec 1848, bap. 19 Jan 1860 at St John the Evangelist, Limehouse
5. Matilda Sweeney b. 8 Sep 1851, bap. 19 Jan 1860 at St John the Evangelist, Limehouse (Died, aged 16, in 1866 S Quarter in WHITECHAPEL Volume 01C Page 415)

On John Henry Charles' birth certificate, his father's occupation is Ship's Joiner. His mother is clearly listed as "Ann Sweeney, formerly Gabbedy". 

The dates of birth for the two youngest are as listed on the baptism records, as there appear to be no GRO birth registrations for the girls. 

In 1841 living in Pleasant Row, Brewers Place, Stepney were John Swaney (sic) (32) Carpenter; son John (2), wife, Ann (29) and daughter Maria (7). (Throughout her life, my mother had been most pedantic that her maiden name was spelled Sweeney “with three Es.” It should have occurred to me to ignore that and, indeed, most of the records before 1901 are listed with the spelling of Sweney, sometimes Sweeny and, as here, even Swaney.)

In 1851, in Ocean Street, Mile End Old Town, were John Sweeny (42), Carpenter, Ann (39), Maria (17), John (9), Mary Ann (5) and Matilda (0).

A death of an Ann Sweeny, in Whitechapel, in the Jan-Feb-Mar Quarter of 1855, had been widely accepted as that of Anne Elizabeth, however, upon double-checking this at the GRO, it lists that this record relates to a baby girl aged 1. Another death in 1855 in Stepney that had been attributed was for a woman of 32 (would compute to birth year of 1823). Closer, but still not acceptable. Both youngest daughters were baptised in 1860, so I feel that may have been motivated by their mother's illness or death. As yet, I've been unable to confirm exactly when Anne died and I think there's a very good chance that her death wasn't registered, but it was clearly by 1861 ...

In 1861 at 107, North Street, Limehouse was John Sweney (52), Carpenter and Joiner, Widower, with Mary Ann (13) and Matilda (10), as well as son-in-law Richard Ford (27) Labourer Blacksmith, Maria Ford (24) and grandson, Richard Ford (6 months). There are records of a John Sweeney (22), lodging nearby, but none conclusively identified as John Henry Charles Sweeney.

In 1871, John Sweney (63), Widower, Carpenter, was head of the household at Stephen Cottages, James Street, St Anne Limehouse, Stepney, and living with him was his son John [Henry Charles] Sweney (31) Labourer; Susan Sweney (26), Susan Sweney (9), John Sweney (3) and Job Sweney (1).

John Sweeney died, at 71, in 1878 M Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 351. 

John Gabbedy and Elizabeth Travally

St Dunstan & All Saints, Stepney - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3477017

John Gabbedy (b. 20 July 1745, bap. 11 Aug 1745 at St Anne's Limehouse), son of Henry Gabbedy and Ann Causton, married Elizabeth Travally (b. 3 Oct 1742, bap. 14 Nov 1742 at St Anne's Limehouse), daughter of Winnall Travally and Elizabeth Benbow at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, on 11 Jun 1769. This pair of my 5th great-grandparents married, by licence, and, witnesses were the bride's father, Winnall Travally and James Bryant.

Information suggests that John and Elizabeth had four children:

1. William Travally Gabbedy b. 1770 in Limehouse, London.
   (Buried on 17 Nov 1770 at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney.)
2. John Benbow Gabbedy b. 17 Nov 1771 in Risby's Rope Walk, Limehouse, bap. 8 Dec 1771 at St Anne's Limehouse
3. Thomas Gabbady b. 15 Jan 1773 in Risby's Rope Walk, Limehouse, bap. 7 Feb 1773 at St Anne's Limehouse. It looks as if Thomas was buried on 10 Jan 1781 at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney.
4. Esther Gabbady b. 16 Feb 1775 in Limekiln Hill, Limehouse, bap. 18 Mar 1775 at St Anne's Limehouse

On the baptisms, John Gabbdey's occupation is listed as Shipwright.

John Gabbedy must have died before 1781, because Elizabeth Gabbedy remarried, at St George in the East, to Edward Penfold on 7 Aug 1781. Witnesses were R Soper and, again, the bride's father, Winnall Travally.

Elizabeth Penfold (74) was reported to have been discharged from St George in the East Workhouse on 27 Sep 1811, but readmitted on 1 Jun 1812.

Elizabeth Penfold (~85) was buried on 20 Mar 1825 at St Anne, Limehouse.

James Clark and Alice Flint

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

All Hallows, Devons Road, Bromley by Bow, London E3

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

James Clark (22) (b. ~1879 in Poplar, London) Batchelor, Labourer of 9 Eastward Street, who listed his father as James Clark, Hair Dresser, married Alice Flint (19) (b. 24 Jul 1883 in Poplar, London) Spinster, of 17 Hawgood Street, Bromley-by-Bow, listing her father as Harry Flint, Coal Porter (deceased) - she will have thought so - (Francis Henry Flint and Ellen Wilton), at All Hallows Church, Devons Road, Bromley-by-Bow, on 31 Mar 1902 (in the previous church built 1873-1874 that was damaged by bombing in WWII). Witnesses were John Smith and Hannah Elizabeth Smith.

James and Alice Clark had 12 children in all:

1. James Clark b. 1902 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 558. Did not find registration of death, however, must have died as an infant.
2. Alice Clarke (sic) b. 1904 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 595
3. William Clark b. 8 Oct 1905 (1905 D Qtr in POPLAR  Vol 01C P 554)
4. Charles Clark b. 23 Jun 1907 (1907 S Qtr in POPLAR Vol 01C P 528)
5. Ellen Elizabeth Clark b. 1909 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 484. Did not find registration of death, but must have died by 1911.
6. Arthur Clark b. 1911 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 531
7. John Joseph Clark b. 26 Feb 1913 (1913 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 894)
8. Florence Elizabeth Clark b. 1916 M Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 828. Died, aged 1, in 1917 S Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 349
9. James Victor Clark b. 1 Mar 1920 (1920 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 868)
10. George Clark b. 1922 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 756. Died 1922 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 419
11. Leonard Leslie Clark b. 3 Jun 1923 (1923 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 619)
12. Joan Amelia Clark b. 1927 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 555

Four of the birth registrations for James, Alice, William and Ellen Elizabeth quote the mother's maiden name as FINCH. While those for Charles, Arthur, John Joseph, Florence Elizabeth, James Victor, George, Leonard Leslie and Joan Amelia were all registered with the mother's maiden name FLINT. Initially, I'd thought that Finch was a miss-hearing or misspelling of Flint, however, further research showed that after Alice's father had disappeared, her mother Ellen had lived with a John Finch (with whom she had two further daughters), listing all of her children under the name Finch. So Alice had possibly grown up using that name rather than her birth name. 

In 1911, James Clark (31) General Labourer was living at 70 Barchester Street, Poplar, with Alice Clark (28), Alice Clark (7), William Clark (6), Charley Clark (4) and Arthur Clark (1). On this census Alice is listed as having had 6 children, of whom 4 were then living and 2 had died. 

In 1921, James Clark (40) Seaman Now Home, was living at 10, Blackthorn Street, Poplar (immediately opposite the church in which they married), with Alice Clark (37), Alice Clark (17), William Clark (15), Charles Clark (13), Arthur Clark (11), John Clark (7) and James Victor Clark (1). 

James Clark, it seems, was deceased by the time of William's marriage in Apr 1927, however, I haven't been able to find a record of his death in the relevant period. As he had become a Seaman, could he have died at sea?

In 1939, Alice Clark (b. 24 Jul 1883) Widowed, was living at 446 Old Ford Road, Victoria Park, Hackney with John Clark (b. 26 Feb 1913) Painter; James Clark (b. 1 Mar 1920) Labourer Van Boy; Leonard Clark (b. 3 Jun 1923) Van Boy Labourer; and a closed record which presumably relates to Joan.

Alice Clark died, aged 61, on 13 Jan 1945 (1945 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 241).

Ernest James Burch and Elizabeth Wykes

Amersham Road, New Cross
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Chris Whippet - geograph.org.uk/p/4358069

Ernest James Burch (b. 1858), son of Henry Burch and Rebecca Martin, married Elizabeth Wykes (b. 10 Jun 1861), daughter of William Wykes and Elizabeth Thompson, at All Saints, Rotherhithe, on 6 Jun 1881. (Ernest James' brother, Henry Charles Burch married Elizabeth's sister, Mary Ann Wykes.)

Ernest and Elizabeth had six children, all born in Greenwich:

1. Ernest William Burch b. 1882 S Quarter in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 1015. Died, 1884 J Quarter in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 569
2. Rose Mary Burch b. 25 Apr 1884 J Qtr Vol 01D Page 1029
3. Henry Charles Burch b. 6 Jun 1886 S Qtr Vol 01D Page 1030
4. Maria Elizabeth Burch b. 25 Apr 1888 J Qtr Vol 01D Page 1027
5. Florence Emma Burch b. 24 Jun 1891 S Qtr Vol 01D Page 1032
6. Ada Burch b. 18 Dec 1893, reg. 1894 M Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 1043, bap. 22 May 1895 at St Paul's, Deptford

In 1891, Ernest J Burch (32) Stone Mason and wife Elizabeth Burch (30) were living at 20, Evelyn Street, St Paul Deptford with Rose Mary Burch (6), Henry Charles Burch (4), Maria Burch (2), Martha Buzzacott (38) Visitor [Elizabeth's sister], Maude Buzzacott (4) Visitor [Martha's daughter], James Green (17) Shoe Maker, Boarder and Hariett Armstead (30) Boarder.

By 1901, however, it's clear that the couple had separated, because Ernest J Burch (42) Stone Mason, was living in the household of his brother, Henry Charles Burch, at 2, Octavius Street, St Paul, Deptford, while Elizabeth Burch (39) Midwife nurse was living at 20, Albury Street, St Paul Deptford. In Elizabeth's household were Rose Mary Burch (16), Henry C Burch (14) Apprentice Stone Mason; Maria E Burch (12), Florence E Burch (9), Ada Burch (7), Elizabeth Doe (21) Tin Solderer, Boarder; Julia Taylor (43) Widow, Boarder [widow of Elizabeth's cousin, George Taylor]; Martha O'Toole (48) Visitor [Elizabeth's sister] and Lily Wykes (11), Willie Wykes (8) and Jessie Wykes (3) - all three were listed as visitors, born in South Africa [they were the children of Elizabeth's brother, John Thomas Wykes].

In 1911, it gets even more interesting, as Elizabeth Burch (49) Midwife, was living at 13 Amersham Road, New Cross, St Paul Deptford with Marie Burch (22), Florence Burch (19) Book keeper; Mary Weston (26) [Rose Mary Burch, as was]; Lily Weston (3) Granddaughter; William Barber (50) Lodger, Norah Barber (30) and Dora Barber (1). The 1911 Census confirms that Elizabeth had six children with five living. However, Ernest James Burch (52) Married, Stonemason was living at 20 South Crescent, Cold Bath Street, Greenwich with a whole new family: Alice Newman Burch (35) Single, 'Housekeeper' (a euphemism, clearly) born in Peckham; Dorothy Burch (12) born in Hackney; Ellen Burch (10) born in Lewisham and William Burch (5) born in Greenwich. The original 1911 Census lists that Ernest had been married 29 years (yes, but to Elizabeth Wykes, not Alice) and lists 4 children, of whom 3 were still living at that point, clearly referring to the children of this relationship.

Alice Newman it seems gave birth to five children:

1. Dorothy Alice Newman b. 14 Jan 1899 M Quarter in HACKNEY Volume 01B Page 558, with no mother's maiden name listed, i.e. illegitimate.
2. Ellen Newman b. 1900 S Quarter in LEWISHAM Volume 01D Page 1206, curiously, with BURCH listed as a mother's maiden name.
3. Edward William Burch b. 1902 D Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 1075. Died, aged 1, in 1904 J Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 541
4. William Burch b. 20 Jan 1906 M Qtr Vol 01D Page 1117
5. Ernest George Burch b. 16 May 1912 J Qtr Vol 01D 1884

On the records for the 3 boys, the mother's maiden name is NEWMAN.

In 1921, Elizabeth Burch (60) mother-in-law, Midwife, was listed in the household of Richard Charles Weston (38) - married to Rose Mary Burch - at 62, Florence Road, St Paul Deptford. One imagines she was there to assist with the birth of the couple's son, Charles Albert, then under one month old, as her usual place of work (and presumably residence) was in Tring, Herts. Ernest James Burch (62) Stonemason, was living at 58, Vanguard Street, Deptford with his 2nd family: Alice 'Burch' (44), William Burch (15), Dorothy Alice Burch (25), Ellen Burch (20) and Ernest George Burch (9).

Ernest James Burch died, at 73, in 1932 M Quarter in LEWISHAM Volume 01D Page 1379.

Elizabeth Burch of 23 Western Road, Tring, Hertfordshire (daughter, Ada and her husband also lived in Tring) died, also aged 73, at 4 Whitehouse Terrace, Western Road, Tring, on 9 Jan 1935 (1935 M Quarter in BERKHAMPSTEAD Volume 03A Page 1240). Probate was granted to her surviving son, Henry Charles Burch, Stonemason, leaving effects of £459.

In 1939, Alice Burch [really Alice Newman] b. 13 Mar 1877, 'Widowed' was living at 3 Summerfield Street, Hither Green, Lewisham with youngest son, Ernest G Burch, of 'No Occupation Owing To Bad Health'. 

Listed again as Alice Burch - really she was still Alice Newman because I found no marriage between her and Ernest James Burch, not even a bigamous one - died at 74 in 1952 D Quarter in LEWISHAM Volume 05D Page 16.

Of Ernest and Alice's children:

• Dorothy Alice Burch married Arthur Henry Bown, in Lewisham, in 1925. In 1939, they were living at 47 Scylla Road, Peckham, Camberwell. Arthur H Bown died, at 56, in Camberwell, in 1951. Dorothy Alice Bown of Templeton Nursing Home, Streatham Common died on 15 Sep 1987.
• Ellen Burch married James Joy, in Lewisham, in 1924. Ellen Joy b. 12 Aug 1900 (same quarter as birth registration) died in Bexley, Kent, in 1997.
• William Burch married Elizabeth Gardiner, in Lewisham, in 1933. In 1939, William Burch, General Labourer, Elizabeth and their son, William Edward Burch b. 31 Dec 1933 (reg. 1934 M Qtr in LEWISHAM Vol 01D  Page 1102), were living at 45 Battersby Road, Catford. William Burch died, in 1970, in Lewisham. 
• Ernest George Burch died, at 30, on 12 February 1943 (1943 M Quarter in LEWISHAM Volume 01D Page 923) and was buried at Hither Green Cemetery.

Alfred James Lynch and Sarah Green

Duke of Norfolk, Stepney, E1. Image: Ewan Munro Some rights reserved

Alfred James Lynch, son of John Lynch and Ann Wiltshire, married Sarah Green, daughter of Edward Green and Eliza Goodman, at the church of St Thomas that had stood in Arbour Square, Stepney, on 5 Jun 1871. 

Alfred and Sarah Lynch had five children:

1. Alfred Arthur Lynch b. 1873 J Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 513, bap. 15 Jun 1873 at St Thomas, Arbour Square, Stepney
2. Albert William Lynch b. 29 May 1874 S Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 473, bap 5 Jul 1874  at St Thomas, Arbour Square, Stepney
3. George Edward Lynch b. 1876 D Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 588
4. Sarah Eliza Lynch b. 1879 S Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 569
5. Ada Lynch b. 1881 J Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 547

On the baptisms for Alfred Arthur and Albert William, Alfred James' occupation is listed as a Packer.

In 1881, at the Duke of Norfolk, 14 Norfolk Street, Mile End Old Town, we find A J Lynch (29) Licenced Victualler; S Lynch (27) Wife; sons A A Lynch (8), A W Lynch (7), G E Lynch (5), daughter S Lynch (2), E Turner (18) Female General Servant and the widowed mother-in-law, Eliza Green (59).

In 1891, Alfred Lynch (39), Beer & Wine Retailer, Sarah (36) and son Albert (16), a Commercial Clerk, were living in Camberwell, Southwark, London. 

By 1901, they were back at 291, Oxford Street, Mile End Old Town (which, I believe, later became Stepney Way), with Alfred Lynch (49) Laundry Man, Sarah (47), Albert (22), Railway Porter, Ada Lynch (19), Ironer, Emily Lynch (5), Granddaughter, and a Eliza Ellis (20), General Domestic Servant.

Alfred James Lynch died, aged 55, in 1907 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 252.

In 1911, still at 291, Oxford Street, Mile End Old Town, Sarah Lynch (56), Widow, Laundress, with her married daughter, Sarah Pope (32) and grandchildren, Joseph Pope (8), Rosa (2) and May (0).

In 1921, Sarah Lynch (67) Widowed, was living at 12, Oley Place, Stepney, Mile End Old Town, London. At the same address was Sarah E Pope (42) Attendant Ladies Underground Convenience, for Stepney Borough Council; Joseph A Pope (18), Rosa V Pope (12) and May A Pope (11).

There are several death records that may relate to Sarah Lynch.

John Byatt and Elizabeth Leaper

St. Mary's Church and churchyard, Churchgate, EN8
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Quinn - geograph.org.uk/p/4220309

John Byatt (bap. 3 Oct 1819 in Little Canfield, Essex) son of John Byatt and Jane Stokes, married Elizabeth Leaper (b. 10 Sep 1825, bap. 9 Oct 1825 in Aldenham, Hertfordshire) daughter of John Leaper and Mary Hayes at St. Mary's Church, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire on 25 May 1845.

John and Elizabeth had ten children:

1. John Edward Byatt b. 23 Mar 1846 J Quarter in EDMONTON Volume 03 Page 141, bap. 12 Apr 1846 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
2. George Byatt b. 3 Jan 1848 M Quarter in EDMONTON Volume 03 Page 132, bap. 13 Feb 1848 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire
3. William Byatt b. 20 Jan 1850 M Qtr in EDMONTON Vol 03 Page 144
4. Charles Byart b. 1 Aug 1852 S Qtr in SHOREDITCH Vol 01C Page 149
5. Elizabeth Byart b. 1854 D Quarter in SHOREDITCH Vol 01C Page 125
6. Jane Byart b. 3 Nov 1856 D Quarter in SHOREDITCH Vol 01C Page 140
7. Emma Byart b. 1859 S Quarter in WHITECHAPEL Vol 01C Page 338
8. Thomas Byart b. 1861 J Quarter in ISLINGTON Vol 01B Page 290
9. Louisa Byart b. 1863 D Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Vol 01C Page 323
10. Ellen Byart b. 1866 J Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Vol 01C Page 329

The first three children were registered correctly under the surname Byatt, then thereafter they changed the spelling to Byart. Their mother's maiden name is consistently LEAPER (misspelled on William's as LEARPER). 

In 1861, John Byart (42) Carman from Dunmow, Essex, was in City Gardens, Islington with Elizabeth Byart (36) from Watford, Hertfordshire; John E Byart (15) Lucifer Match Maker (the production of Lucifer matches later caused the Bryant & May Match Workers Strike); George Byart (13), William Byart (11), Charles Byart (9), Elizabeth Byart (6), Jane Byart (4) & Emma Byart (2).

In 1871, John Byart (51) Carman was living in Mile End Old Town with Elizabeth Byart (48), John Byart (25) Engine Driver; Charles Byart (19) Horse Keeper; Thomas Byart (17) Scholar; Elizabeth Byart (16), Jane Byart (14), Louisa Byart (8) and Helen (sic) Byart (4).

In 1881, at 16, Alma Road, Mile End Old Town, London misspelled again as John Byard (sic) (63) Carman from Essex; Elizabeth (58) from Hertfordshire; Jane (24), Thomas (20), Julia [Louisa] (18), Ellen (15), John (35) and Jane (39) (John [Edward] Byart had married Jane Dove, in Poplar, in 1876.)

In 1891, John Byart (72) birthplace wrongly listed as Brentwood, Essex, was living in the household of Josiah Ayris (32) Carman in St Ann's Road, Mile End Old Town. Josiah was his son-in-law, second husband of daughter Emma. This took some deciphering, because John Byart's wife is inexplicably listed as Sarah and Emma was listed as Ann. Were they or the enumerator drunk? 

John Byatt died at 72 in 1892 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 344 and Elizabeth Byart died at 73, in 1898 D Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 306.

William Dalton and Sarah Travally

St Mary & Holy Trinity, Bow Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3616000

William Dalton (b. 26 Dec 1742, bap. 16 Jan 1743 at St Paul's Church, Shadwell), son of Thomas and Mary Dalton, married Sarah Travally (b. 5 Aug 1739), daughter of Winnall Travally and Elizabeth Benbow. Entries in the Parish Register of St. Mary, Stratford, Bow in East London (Bow Church), obtained from the Greater London Record office (later London Metropolitan Archives and now The London Archives) and reported in The Journal of the Dalton Genealogical Society Volume 12 No. 2 page 8) [Source], state that Dalton, William, Batchelor and Sarah Travaly (sic), Spinster, both of this parish, were married in this church by banns on 15 May 1763. 

This couple had seven children: 

1. Elizabeth Dalton b. Friday, 13 July 1764, bap. 5 Aug 1764 (at 23 days old) at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney
2. Winnall Travally Dalton b. Monday, 28 July 1766, bap. 24 Aug 1766 (the record says he was 27 days old) at St Anne's, Limehouse
3. William Benbow Dalton b. Sunday, 22 Nov 1767, bap. 20 Dec 1767 (at 28 days old) at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney. He was buried on 14 Jan 1768, also at St Dunstan and All Saints
4. Thomas Benbow Dalton b. 6 May 1770
5. Sarah Dalton b. 22 May 1778
6. Martha Dalton b. 2 Oct 1780
7. Ebenezer Dalton b. 16 Aug 1782

The baptism records list their father's occupation as Caulker, a person who caulks the seams of boats; to make (a vessel) watertight by filling the seams between the planks with oakum or other material driven snug. In the Hebrew Bible, the prophet Ezekiel refers to the caulking of ships as a specialist skill.

The records for the last four children are unusual. Those in 'England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975' mention Saint Dunstan and All Saints Church, Stepney (as in parish), but they do not follow the usual format of Christian baptisms and specify the dates as birth dates, not of christenings. They each also include the information: "Maternal Grandfather's Name, Winnal Travaly and Maternal Grandmother's Name, Elizabeth", so we can have no doubt that these are the children of this couple and their pedigree. There were witnesses to all these birth records too, which in all four cases were Elizabeth Gabbedey and Esther Travally, both of whom were Sarah's sisters. Repeated in the record set, 'England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977', which specified each child's birthplace as "White Horse Street, St Dunstans Stepney, Middlesex." "White Horse Street was the main street of the medieval village of Stepney, centred around St Dunstan’s Church. Until the nineteenth century, although there were buildings along White Horse Street itself, the surrounding area was mainly open fields." [Source] These records are from Dr Williams' Library Registry; Registers of certificates, an early birth register of Protestant dissenters. 

William Dalton from Poplar died in his 57th year and was buried, on 9 Jul 1799, at St Anne's Limehouse. Probate was granted on 15 Jul 1799. The Will of William Dalton of Naval Row [1] Hamlet [of] Poplar Stepney, Middlesex tells us that he was leaving "to my loving wife Sarah Dalton all my household furniture, plate, silver, china and whatsoever else shall be in my house at my [unreadable] for her sole use and for her disposal as she may think fit, likewise all the interest arising from my property in the Funds at the Bank of England." He also mentions his children by name, viz: Elizabeth, Winnall Travally Dalton, Thomas Benbow Dalton, Sarah, Martha and Ebeneezer. 

[1] The Naval Row Conservation Area was designated in January 1987 by the London Docklands Development Corporation. It is defined to the north by the listed perimeter wall of the former East India Docks. Laid out in the early 19th century, Naval Row takes its name from a small terrace constructed c. 1782 by John Perry (1743-1810), owner of Blackwall Yard, where he built ships largely for the East India Company. To live at that address, one assumes that William Dalton must have worked for John Perry. Caulking was certainly a skill he will have needed in building and maintaining ships. It's clear Dalton was not just an ordinary labouring caulker and it looks to have been a close association - not just from William Dalton's address and financial position - but also as William and Sarah Dalton were witnesses at the marriage of John Perry's sister, Elizabeth, to Sarah's (and my) cousin, Elnathan Ayres.

NB: Many family trees at Ancestry wrongly claim that Sarah Dalton died in 1792 in Lambeth. Wrong area. More importantly, William Dalton wouldn't be leaving his property to "his loving wife", if she'd died several years before him.

The Will of Sarah Dalton of the Hamlet of Poplar in the Parish of St Dunstans, Stepney, Middlesex, Widow - so we absolutely know William died first - also confirms this. Her Will is dated 15 Mar 1813 and the Probate date is 19 Feb 1818, so we can be pretty sure she died between Mar 1813 and Feb 1818, although, in her case, I haven't [yet] been able to find a corresponding burial. Sarah requests "to be directly buried as near to the remains of my late husband as possible and my funeral to be in the same manner" [one hopes therefore that she's also buried at St Anne's Limehouse); directs her goods and chattels to be sold; the property of her late husband William Dalton as it stands in the Bank of England viz one thousand four hundred pounds in the five per cents ... and one hundred pounds in the three per cents .... [2]  to be equally divided between my five children [3], namely Winnall Travally Dalton, Thomas Benbow Dalton, Ebenezer Dalton and my daughters Sarah Dent and Martha Butterfield also give and bequeath my watch and rings to the said Martha Butterfield and five pieces of [unreadable] work to the said Sarah Dent also my wearing apparel and household linen to be equally divided between my said daughters Sarah Dent and Martha Butterfield. Lastly also nominate and appoint my said sons Winnall Travally Dalton, Thomas Benbow Dalton and my son-in-law William Butterfield to be joint Executors.

[2] These funds in the five percents and three percents, may be reasonably assumed to have been Consols (originally short for consolidated annuities, but subsequently taken to mean consolidated stock) were government debt issues in the form of perpetual bonds, redeemable at the option of the government. The first British consols were issued by the Bank of England in 1751. 

[3] Sarah names five children, which suggests Elizabeth pre-deceased her.

Augustine Wynnall and Elizabeth Knighte

Great St Helen's Street, London, EC3
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Hallam-Jones - geograph.org.uk/p/3406231
The Grade II-listed 12th century Church of "St Helen's, Bishopsgate" occupies the centre space. This was William Shakespeare's parish church when he lived in the area in the 1590s.

Augustine Wynnoll (sic) and Elizabeth Knighte (I suspect the final 'e' is superfluous) - a pair of my 9th great-grandparents - married at St Helen's, Bishopsgate (one of only a few churches in the City of London to survive both the Great Fire of 1666 and The Blitz), on 12 May 1634. (Which, for context was during the reign of Charles I of England. Interesting times.)

Augustine and Elizabeth appear to have had five children:

1. Mary Winnall b. Monday, 17 Feb 1634, Mary daughter of Augustine Winnall of Blackwall, Waterman bap. 20 Feb 1634 at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney (at 3 days old).
2. Elizabeth Winnall b. Tuesday, 29 Aug 1637, Elizabeth daughter of Augustine Winnall of Blackwall, Waterman bap. 6 Sep 1637 at St Dunstan's (at 8 days old). Elizabeth daughter of Augustine Winnall of Blackwall, Waterman, was buried at St Dunstan's on 24 Feb 1640.
3. Amy Winnall b. Friday, 1 Nov 1639, Amy daughter of Augustine Winnall of Blackwall, Waterman & Elizabeth bap. 6 Nov 1639 (at 5 days old)
4. John Winnall b. Wednesday, 23 Mar 1642, John son of Augustine Winnall of Blackwall, Waterman and Eliz., bap. 31 Mar 1642 at St Dunstan's (at 8 days old).
5. Rachell Winnall bap. 19 Oct 1643. Rachel daughter of Augustine Winnall of Blackwall, Waterman & Elizabeth, buried 20 Nov 1643.

Their seemingly only son, John Winnall, who was my 8th great-grandfather, therefore, was born in the same year as the start of the English Civil War.

Sadly, almost all the records of the Company of Watermen prior to 1666 were destroyed in the Great Fire of London so finding these records of a waterman from before that time, is gold. That it's my direct ancestor, breath-taking.

Buried on page 408 of the Calendar of the Quarter Sessions Papers: pt. 1. 1591-1621, is the following item: 

If this is the same Augustine Wynnall (and, with the same fairly unusual name, just seven years before the above marriage, I imagine it must be), then several conclusions may be drawn: he appears to have been wanted to appear before the Quarter Sessions for some reason that I have yet to discover; he probably originally hails from Buckland, Gloucestershire and he had been a Labourer. Lending more circumstantial evidence for accepting that this is the right man, is that among the notable burials at St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate is the tomb of Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-1579), royal agent to King Edward VI (1547–1553) and Queens Mary I (1553–1558) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603) and founder of the Royal Exchange, whose father, Sir Richard Gresham (1485-1549), Lord Mayor of London, and Member of Parliament, who served as a commissioner under Henry VIII - both of whom had held the manor of Buckland. One imagines, therefore, that Augustine Wynnall had probably come to London in the service of their descendants.

Augustine Wynnall of Blackwall, Waterman was buried, on 2 Feb 1642, at St Dunstan's, Stepney. (Which either means Rachel was a posthumous child, baptised very late, or (more likely) the date of her baptism, which only appears on the transcript of her burial, is incorrect. Perhaps it was 1641/2?)

Blackwall and the Watermen

Samuel Pepys, who commuted by water from his home to his job at the Admiralty, refers to the death of his waterman in his diaries of 1665 revealing the particular vulnerability of Thames watermen to infection. 

On Sunday 20 August 1665, he writes, "And I could not get my waterman to go elsewhere for fear of the plague."

Thames watermen and ferries: "Wherries could be hired at many stairs that led down to the Thames. Watermen gathered at each, jostling for custom, crying “oars oars sculls”. Working a passenger wherry, ferry, or barge on the Thames in all weathers and tides required knowledge and skill, with tides used to achieve remarkably quick journeys up and down river. The men who operated such craft, as well as those who transported goods by barge or lighter, were a special breed, whose families undertook the same work for generations."

Blackwall had a proud maritime tradition and both Raleigh and Nelson are said to have had homes here. The first colonists of Virginia sailed from Blackwall in 1606 and later the East India Docks - a group of docks in Blackwall, east London - brought thriving inter­na­tional trade.

Blackwall Yard was famous for building East Indiamen, which vessels were often called Blackwallers. Built in 1614, it was the first wet dock in the port of London and was the East India Company's principal shipyard, "... residential development at Blackwall commenced in earnest during the 1620s and 1630s, and it continued throughout the century as both the shipyard and overseas trade prospered and the demand for labour in the area increased." 

• Anthony Tompson of Blackwall, Sawyer, aged 26 years married Mary Winnall aged 20 years, at St Dunstan, Stepney, on 13 Feb 1654.

James Luxton and Hannah Maria Hawkins

St John the Evangelist, Lambeth Tom Morris, CC BY-SA 3.0 (interior)

James Luxton (b. 1841 in Taunton, Somerset), son of Charles Luxton and Charlotte Townsend, married Hannah Maria Hawkins (b. 20 Aug 1839 in Tiverton, Devon), daughter of James Hawkins and Susannah Babb, at St John the Evangelist, Lambeth, on 11 May 1874. The couple undoubtedly met in Tiverton, perhaps were even childhood sweethearts, as James' parents had moved to Tiverton by 1853, where his younger sister was born that year.

This couple had five children, all baptised at at St Peter’s Church Tiverton.

1. Charles Frank Luxton, b. 28 Jan 1876 (GRO Reference: 1876 M Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 451), bap. 12 Feb 1876
2. Alice Luxton, b. 11 May 1878 (GRO Reference: 1878 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 452), bap. 26 May 1878
3. Alfred James Massey Luxton, b. 1 Apr 1880 (GRO Reference: 1880 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 470), bap. 18 Apr 1880
4. Emily Luxton b. 22 Jun 1882, (GRO Reference: 1882 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 433), bap. 9 Jul 1882
5. Jessie Luxton, b. 27 Jun 1886 (GRO Reference: 1886 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 423), bap. 25 Jul 1886

On 29 Mar 1860, at the age of 19, James Luxton had enlisted in the British Army and served for 13 years, 320 days, in the 10th Reg Of Foot, until 16 Jul 1874, being promoted to Corporal in 1869 and attaining the rank of Sergeant in 1871. During that time, he spent over nine years serving abroad in the Cape of Good Hope, St Helena, Japan, China and the Straits Settlements.

James was discharged from the army in 1874, found unfit for further service, because of a valve disease of the heart. "Due to a constitutional cause, aggravated by service in hot climates", says the medical report on his service record. It went on to say that it was first noticed at Singapore in Nov 1872, when the patient was under treatment for another complaint. "He suffers from a most serious heart disease which he can never recover from. He can contribute to his maintenance by light work only", it concludes. 

In 1881, James Luxton (40), Grocer (Chelsea Pensioner) in Bampton Street, Tiverton, was living with wife Hannah M Luxton (40), Charles F (5), Alice (2), Alfred J M (1) and Bessie Hewett (14) Nurse domestic servant.

Sadly, but unsurprisingly given his medical history, James Luxton died, aged 45, on 2 Sep 1886 (1886 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 272). 

In 1891, Maria Luxton, widow, lived in Sewards Court, Leat Street, Tiverton, where she worked as a silk lace mender; Charles F Luxton (15) was a machine boy at the lace factory (Heathcoat Lace Factory, Tiverton, Devon), Alice (12) was employed as a silk winder at the lace factory and Alfred J M (10) was also a machine boy at the lace factory. Emily (8) and Jessie (5) were at school.

By 1901, Hannah M Luxton (59), widow, was still a silk lace mender; Alice Luxton (22) had moved up to silk lace finisher; Alfred Jas M (20) was employed as a cellar man at a wine & spirit merchants; whilst Emily (18) and her younger sister, Jessie (14), were silk winders at the lace factory.

In 1911, Anne Maria Luxton (71) was still in Tiverton, living with her son, Alfred (31) still employed as a cellar man for a wine and spirit merchant.

Hannah Maria Luxton died, in Tiverton, in 1912 S Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 05B Page 418), aged 72.

Workers' housing and mill, Tiverton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Chris Allen - geograph.org.uk/p/2458956

William Palmer Wilton and Dorothy Agnes Dickins

Fitzjohn's Avenue, Hampstead
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/1916588

William Palmer Wilton (b. 19 Sep 1869), son of Henry Staines Wilton and Amelia Palmer, married at 40 (in quite some style), to Dorothy Agnes Dickins (b. 21 Jul 1884 in Hampstead), daughter of Henry Percy Tavener Dickins and Charlotte Rebecca Fase, a St Paul, Hampstead, on Saturday, 30 Apr 1910.

Major Henry Percy Tavener Dickins VD Victoria Rifles was a wine and spirit merchant in Philpot Lane, in partnership with his brother Wyndham. This family was the Dickins known for the department store Dickins & Jones.

The Hampsted News of Thursday, 5 May 1910 reported on the Marriage of Miss D. A. Dickins and Mr W. P. Wilton: A very large congregation assembled at St Paul's Church, Avenue Road, on Saturday, on the occasion of the marriage of Miss Dorothy Agnes Dickins, daughter of Mr H. P. T. Dickins, of "Atherstone", Eton Avenue, and Mr William Palmer Wilton, elder son of Mr  H. S. Wilton of "Cotswold House", St John's Wood Park.

        The chancel of the church was handsomely decorated with giant palms and white flowers, and during the assembling of the guests an organ recital was given by Mr E. G. Croager.

        The Service was conducted by the Rt. Rev. Bishop of British Honduras, assisted by the Ven. G. A. Ford (Vicar), and the Rev. A. Congreve-Pridgeon, who with the choir awaited the bridal party at the west door.

        The bride, who was given away by her father, wore an elegant gown of ivory white satin draped with ninon and trimmed with silver and silk embroidery, while the boddice was decorated with Brussels applique. Her veil of the same lace was arranged over a spray of orange blossoms, and she carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and white heather. Eight bridesmaids - the Misses O & M Wilton [Olive and Margaret - bridegroom's sisters]; B. Beozley, V. Hall, B. Thompson, Esther Rosamond, Molly Bartley [bridegroom's niece] and Eileen Norris - were in attendance. The four elder maids were attired in gowns of white satin, draped with ninon with silver trimming and large silver roses, and large mauve hats veiled with stretched chiffon, trimmed with pale pink roses, and finished with long mauve velvet ribbon tied in a knot at the left side. They carried mauve silk sun-shades, with bouquets of pink roses attached to the handles. The four children wore white muslin dresses, and silver and white lace caps finished with pink chiffon rosette. They carried mauve sticks mounted with pink roses. 

        Mrs H. F. Dickins [1] was attired in a handsome gown of Irish lace mounted with white satin draped with moule ninon and wore a toque of Irish lace trimmed with moule and gold embroidery, and a plume and white feather. She carried a bouquet of roses.

        The bridegroom was accompanied by his brother, Mr J. S. Wilton, who performed the duties of best man.

        The service was fully choral, and included the hymns "The Voice that breathed o'er Eden" (sung in procession), and "Now thank we all our God". An anthem was sung during the signing of the registers.

        Subsequently a reception was held at "Atherstone", and later the bride and bridegroom left Hampstead en route for the South of England, where the honeymoon is being spent."

[1] Mrs H. F. Dickins was the bride's father's step-mother, second wife of Henry Francis Dickens, the former Agnes Haines Fase, the bride's mother's sister. She was the bride's aunt AND her step-grandmother and, as the bride's mother had died in 1902, we can assume she was standing in for her.

William and Dorothy had three daughters, all born in Hampstead: 

1. Frances Mary Wilton b. 31 Aug 1911 D Quarter Vol 01A Page 984 
2. Agnes Joan Wilton b. 1916 M Quarter Volume 01A Page 963 
3. Helen Margaret Wilton b. 1919 J Quarter Volume 01A Page 724 

In 1911, living at 117 Fellows Road, Hampstead, London, were William Palmer Wilton (41) Saddler & Harness maker, and Dorothy Agnes Wilton (26), employing two servants to look after them: Elizabeth Anne Crouch (35), Cook General Domestic and Ellen Friend (29), House Parlourmaid.

William P Wilton inherited Champion & Wilton on his father's death in 1915.

In 1921, at 18 Fitzjohn's Avenue, Belsize Park were William Palmer Wilton (52) Sadler & Harness Maker, Employer, with his place of work listed as 457, 459 Oxford St, London; Dorothy Agnes Wilton (36), Frances Mary Wilton (9), Agnes Joan Wilton (5), Helen Margaret Wilton (2) and five servants: Lucy Esther Same (40) Nurse; Elizabeth Ann Crouch (46), Agnes Roe Jack (18), Florence May Bass (21) and Alice Rowsell (20). Other than the nurse, William hasn't bothered to list what jobs each of them performed, but I would guess that Elizabeth Ann Crouch was still Cook and the rest were housemaids.

In 1939, still at 18 Fitzjohn's Avenue, Belsize Park, William P and Dorothy A Wilton were reduced to three staff: Florence M Kemcock, Domestic Cook; Leticia M Labrook, Housemaid and Eilan M Brown, Housemaid.

William Palmer Wilton died at the end of 1957 D Quarter in HAMMERSMITH Volume 05C Page 955, at the age of 88. He was buried, on 3 Jan 1958, in the family plot at Hampstead Cemetery, along with his parents, his brother John and sister Margaret. On his death, Major William Palmer Wilton left the company, Champion & Wilton, to his shop manager Reginald Arkell.

Amusing comment here: "In the early 1950s I met William Wilton who was pretty old then and died soon after. He told me his shop was on Oxford Street and that he lived in Hampstead. From the top floor of his shop he told me that he could see his home “until that man Selfridge built in the way”."

Dorothy Agnes Wilton died on 25 Oct 1965, aged 81.

William and Dorothy's Daughters

Records show that Frances Mary Wilton (42) and Agnes Joan Wilton (37), embarked in Southampton at the end of July 1953 and arrived in Quebec on 4 Aug 1953, aboard the T.S.S. Columbia and then crossed the border into the United States. They gave the address - presumably of where they were going to be staying - as 1725 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL.

Frances Mary Wilton died in August 1986, aged 75 and Agnes Joan Wilton died, in 2014 at the grand old age of 98, both in London. Neither married.

Helen Margaret Wilton, married in Hampstead, in 1954 to Kenneth Graeme Todd (b. 1909). Records suggest they had two children (in 1957 and 1960). Kenneth Graeme Todd died, in Surrey in 1994. Helen Margaret Todd died in 2017, in Exeter, Devon. Like her sister, she will have been 98.

John Benbow Gabbedy and Isabella Cleghorn

St Bride, Fleet Street, London EC4 - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1213706

John Benbow Gabbedy (b. 17 Nov 1771 in Limehouse, London) son of John Gabbdey and Elizabeth Travally, married Isabella Cleghorn (b. 7 Jul 1771 in Shadwell), daughter of Anthony Cleghorn and Margaret Jane Murray on 28 Apr 1795 at St Bride's, Fleet Street - the church with the famous "wedding cake" spire, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The record states they were married by banns and were both of the parish. Witnesses were John Brown and Martha Masters. What were these "Eastenders" doing up west?

John and Isabella Gabbedy had these seven children:

1. William Anthony Gabbedey b. 5 Feb 1796, bap. 8 May 1796 at St Dunstan's, Stepney at 93 days old.
2. John Cleghorn Gabbedey b. 25 Feb 1798, bap. 8 Apr 1798 at St Mary Magdalene Woolwich
3. Margaret Elizabeth Gabbady (sic) b. 30 May 1800, bap. 6 Jul 1800 at St Mary Magdalene Woolwich 
4. Charles Gabbedey b. 23 Dec 1803, bap. 5 Apr 1812 at St Dunstan's
5. Mary Gabbady (sic) b. 19 Aug 1805, bap. 11 Sep 1805 at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich
6. Henry Ralph Gabady (sic) b. 18 Dec 1807, bap. 17 Jan 1808 at St Dunstan's, Stepney
7. Anne Elizabeth Gabbaday, b. 23 Feb 1811, bap. 14 Apr 1811 at St Anne's Limehouse 

In the Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures, on Friday, 30 Dec 1785, when he'll have just turned 14, John B Gabbedey was apprenticed to Owen Temple of Poplar in the County of Middlesex, Shipwright.

On William Anthony's baptism, the family's address was given just as 'Rat' (Ratcliff, between Limehouse and Shadwell), son of John, a Shipwright and Isabella. In 1808, John Benbow Gabbedy's occupation was again listed as Shipwright and on Henry Ralph's baptism, their address was Poplar. In 1811, John's occupation was listed as a Mariner, living in Gill Street, Limehouse. At the time of Charles' baptism in 1812, their address was listed as M.E.O.T. (Mile End Old Town) and John was again described as a Shipwright.

It seemed a strange career change for John to suddenly become a Mariner, when he already had a skill as a Shipwright, especially as he was 40. However, there's a record in British Royal Navy Allotment Declarations in 1811, where he's listed as John Gabidy (sic), with rank Co Mate, allotting part of his pay to his wife, Isabella. This record shows that he was with HMS Tortoise, an ex-East Indiaman, Sir Edward Hughes (1784 EIC ship). "Between March and July 1808 Tortoise was at Woolwich being fitted as a storeship for the Royal Navy." It would make total sense if he was involved in that conversion.

Under the columns for "When Allotment Ceases", is "D 27 Sept 1811 Invalid". The single D, I think means Discharged (it's DD for Discharged Dead), but, particularly as they don't have any more children after 1811, I wonder if he died then, or maybe shortly afterwards. Maybe that prompted Charles' baptism in 1812? John Benbow Gabbedy had certainly died by 1841.

In 1841, Isabella Gaberdey (sic) (70) was living in Wade's Place, Poplar in the household of William Newton (60) Mariner and his wife Margaret (40).

In 1851, Isabella Gabedy (84) Widow, from Shadwell, was a Pauper Inmate of Poplar Union Workhouse, then her only option for health or elder care.

Isabella Gabadey (sic) died in 1852 M Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 01C Page 419, with her age over-estimated to 86 (she was 'only' 80), and was buried at All Saints Church, Poplar on 20 Feb 1852.