Charles Provart Keeble and Ann Prior

High Street, Haverhill
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Robin Webster - geograph.org.uk/p/5816659
 This part has been called Market Hill, but the premises are numbered in the High Street sequence and there is no apparent name plate. Beyond Peacocks, the continuation is called Queen Street.

Charles Provart Keeble (bap. 20 Oct 1844 at St Edmund, Bromeswell, Suffolk), son of John Keeble and Emma Cockle Provart, married Ann Prior (b. 1842), daughter of Charles Prior and Mary Wilton, on 21 Aug 1865. Scanning back through the record images leads me to believe that the marriage took place in the Congregational Church in New Street, Great Dunmow.

Charles and Ann had seven children:

1. Charles Prior Keeble b. 1866 Q4 Vol 4A Page 401 in Risbridge
2. Robert Hankin Keeble b. 1868 J Qtr in RISBRIDGE Vol 04A Page 410
3. Edith Mary Keeble b. 1870 J Qtr in RISBRIDGE Vol 04A Page 430
4. Alfred Keeble b. 1874 J Qtr in RISBRIDGE Vol 04A Page 468
5. Kate Keeble b. 1876 J Qtr in RISBRIDGE Volume 04A Page 483
6. Gertrude Wilton Keeble b. 1879 D Qtr in RISBRIDGE Vol 04A 508
7. Henry Keeble b. 1881 D Qtr in RISBRIDGE Vol 04A Page 543

In 1871, Charles Keeble (26) Grocer and Draper was living in Haverhill, Suffolk, with wife Ann Keeble (29), Charles P Keeble (4), Robert H Keeble (2) and Edith M Keeble (0). In the household also were three Boarders: Edward Hewes (19) Grocer & Draper's Shopman; William J Devine (16) Grocer's Shopman and Esther Gray (16) Domestic Servant.

In 1881, in Queen Street, Haverhill, were Charles Provart Keeble (36) Grocer and Draper employing 2 men and 1 boy; Ann Keeble (40) Draper; Edith Mary Keeble (10), Alfred Keeble (6), Kate Keeble (5), Gertrude Wilton Keeble (1) and Emma Taylor (16) General Servant. Charles Keeble (14) Draper's Apprentice was a boarder at 33, Milton Street, St Marylebone, London, while Robert Keeble (12) was a boarder at New St School, Great Dunmow. 

By 1891, Charles Keeble (46) had become a Farmer at Burton End, Haverhill with Ann Keeble (49), Edith M Keeble (20), Gertrude W Keeble (11) and Henry Keeble (9) in the household. Robert H Keeble (22) Draper's Assistant was a Boarder in St John's Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk; Alfred Keeble (16) was a Grocer and Draper in The Street, Tolleshunt D'arcy, Essex. Kate Keeble (16) was a Draper's Assistant in the Chiswick High Road.

Ann Keeble died, at 53, on 12 Apr 1895 J Qtr in RISBRIDGE Vol 04A 387.

In 1901, Charles P Keeble (56) Widowed Farmer was still in living in Haverhill with two of the children, Henry Keeble (19), Gertrude W Keeble (21) and Elizabeth Holden (15) General Domestic Servant.

In 1911, Charles Provart Keeble (68) Retired Farmer, was staying with son Alfred Keeble (42) Farmer and Coal Merchant in Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

Charles Provart Keeble died, at 68, on 20 Jun 1913 (1913 J Quarter in CHELTENHAM Volume 06A Page 477).

Charles Prior and Mary Wilton

Shops in Great Dunmow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen McKay - geograph.org.uk/p/6483373

Charles Prior (b. 1812 in Great Dunmow), son of John Prior and Elizabeth Suckling, married Mary Wilton, daughter of Stephen Wilton and Elizabeth Hankin, at an unknown venue, in Great Dunmow on Christmas Eve, 24 Dec 1833. 

Charles and Mary Prior had four children: 

1. Henry Prior b. 1835
2. Mary Prior b. 1838 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 71 (Mother's maiden name listed as WILSON.)
3. Elizabeth Prior b. 1840 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION  Volume 12 Page 73 (Mother's maiden name listed as HILTON.)
4. Ann Prior b. 1842 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 77 (Mother's maiden name, finally, listed correctly as WILTON.)

In 1841, Charles Prior (29) Basket Maker, Mary Prior (33), Henry Prior (6), Mary Prior (3) and Elizabeth Prior (1) were in the High Street, Great Dunmow. The census record reveals that the family monopolised this part of the High Street with Charles and Mary Prior being next door to John and Elizabeth Prior, Charles' parents, who in turn, were next door to Mary's brother, Henry Wilton (who had Henry Wilton Pryor in his household, apprentice tailor). The other side of them was their uncle Henry Wilton. The other side of Charles and Mary Prior was another of Mary's brothers, Richard Wilton. (It wasn't until years later when comparing all the records, order, location, that I was able to work out that Charles and Mary Prior were living in the exact property in the image above that I'd already chosen to represent them.)

Charles Prior (and his father, John Prior) were listed as Basket Makers and Mary Prior as a Straw Hat Maker in White's Directory of Essex 1848.

In 1861, still in High Street, Great Dunmow, were Charles Prior (49) Basket Maker from Great Dunmow; Mary Prior (58) Bonnet Maker; Mary Prior (23) Bonnet Maker and Elizabeth Prior (21) Dressmaker.

In 1871, in New Street, Great Dunmow were Charles Prior (59) Basket Maker, Mary Prior (66) and Elizabeth Prior (30) Straw Bonnet Maker. 

In 1881, with address as High Street New Street, Great Dunmow (were they on the corner?), were Charles Prior (69) Basket Maker; Mary Prior (75) Basket Maker's Wife and Elizabeth Prior (40) Straw Bonnet Maker.

Mary Prior (née Wilton) died, aged 83, in 1887 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 319.

In 1891, in the High Street, Great Dunmow, were Charles Prior (79) Widower, Basket Maker and daughter, Elizabeth Prior (50) Bonnet Maker.

Charles Prior died, aged 79, in 1891 D Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 343.

(Elizabeth Prior died, aged 59, in 1899 D Quarter in RISBRIDGE Volume 04A Page 483. Ann Prior had married Charles Probart Keeble in 1865 and they had been living in Queen Street, Haverhill, Risbridge, Suffolk.)

Now, I realise they're hardly the Bennet Sisters (also from Hertfordshire), but the Wilton girls - who were born between 1804 and 1819 - will have come of age between 1825 and 1840 and it helps to look at the styles of their age.

Getting Dressed in the 1830s