Job Thomas Sweeney and Elizabeth Fuller

St Helen & St Giles, Rainham - Sanctuary
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4530086

Job Thomas Sweeney (b. 27 Aug 1897 in Mile End, London), son of Job Sweeney and Eliza Louisa Tompson, married Elizabeth Fuller (b. 22 Mar 1901 in Rainham, Essex), daughter of George Fuller and Eliza Ellen Hockley, at the church of St Helen and St Giles, Rainham, Essex on 9 Dec 1923.

There were no wedding photos, I was told, because of the rather obvious expected arrival of their only child, Ivy Elizabeth Sweeney b. 5 Mar 1924 (1924 J Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 31), my mother. She didn't have her birth certificate, as the original was lost when their home was bombed in WWII and had been adamant she was born in one of the Peabody Buildings, but, in fact, was born at 35 Gladstone Buildings, Willow Street, Shoreditch. (She therefore missed out on an historical 'claim to fame' too, because Police Sergeant James George Byfield, witness in one of the Jack the Ripper murders, had lived in Gladstone Buildings, Shoreditch in 1881.)

Built in 1868, the Gladstone Buildings, were demolished in 1977. The site today is, ironically, the location of the Luxury Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch. The previous building on that site certainly wasn't luxury, however, as the Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch in 1879 details:

GLADSTONE BUILDINGS, WILLOW STREET.—"In these model dwellings there are 168 suites of apartments, each suite having a separate water supply, and closet accommodation, situate in the scullery. None of the closets were properly supplied with water, so as to flush the pans effectually. The cisterns in which drinking water was stored were all uncovered, placed over the closets close to the ceilings, and immediately under the closet of the apartments above. Several of the tenants complained that their drinking water was polluted with foul liquids dripping from the ceilings, by reason of defective closet arrangements, and many of the ceilings bore evidence as to the fact."

This Charabanc excursion must presumably date to 1925.
Joe and Bet, with baby Ivy on her lap, are in the rear seats of the vehicle.

It must have been after the death of Job's father on 6 Dec 1924, that they moved back to 102, Fore Street, City of London, where Eliza Louisa Sweeney, continued as Housekeeper for Hoffnung & Co Shipping Merchants. 

My mother frequently claimed she was Confirmed at St Paul's Cathedral, but I've been unable to confirm (pun intended) if this is true. And even if it were, it should have been unlikely, as there's no record of her ever being baptised - a not-at-all uncommon omission with a baby's such 'premature' arrival. 

They were still in Fore Street in 1939, with Eliza L Sweeney, Housekeeper; Job Thomas Sweeney, Supervisor Tobacco Packing (employed by W.D. & H.O. Wills); Elizabeth Sweeney; Ivy E Sweeney, Shop Assistant and James Edward Bird, Police Constable (who I can only assume was lodging with them) and remained until their home was destroyed in WWII, thought to have been on or around the night of 29–30 Dec 1940, during the so-called Second Great Fire of London. They were away from home that day, so suffered no physical injury, but lost their home and every material possession they'd owned. 

They then moved out to Hornchurch and in the 1960's, Bet & Joe 'retired' to Pitstone, in the countryside of Bedfordshire. There, granddad carried on his hobby of fishing and was a bailiff on the nearby Grand Union Canal; he did detailed woodwork, inlay and marquetry; embroidered hassocks that were (maybe still are) in the church of St Mary the Virgin in Ivinghoe and grew very tidy rows of vegetables in his garden.

(Right: Bet and Joe on the seafront at Weymouth in the early 1960's.)

Bet Sweeney died on 22 Dec 1980. 

It was absolutely no surprise that, without his lifelong love, Job Thomas Sweeney died eight months later to the day, on 22 Aug 1981.

James William Fuller and Maria Phillips

St Mary, High Road, South Woodford - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2975185

James William Fuller (bap. 16 Mar 1834 in Chigwell, Essex), son of Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Ann Bradley, married Maria Phillips (b. 19 Aug 1837, bap. 17 Sep 1837 at St Helen and St Giles, Rainham), daughter of Isaac Phillips and Caroline Elizabeth Taylor on 9 Oct 1859 at St Mary's Church, Woodford. James' grandparents, Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Bass, had married in the previous, medieval, incarnation of this church, but this marriage will have taken place in the building, dating from 1816, which stands today.

James and Maria had 9 children, baptised in Rainham, St Helen and St Giles:

1. William James Fuller b. 1860 S Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION Volume 04A Page 97, bap. 6 Sep 1860
2. Emily Elizabeth Fuller b. 1862 D Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION Volume 04A Page 113, bap. 30 Nov 1862
3. James Fuller b. 1864 D Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 04A Page 119, bap. 27 Nov 1864
4. George Fuller b. 19 Oct 1866 (1866 D Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION Volume 04A Page), bap. 18 Nov 1866
5. John Fuller b. 1869 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 140, bap. 31 Jan 1869
6. Frederick Fuller b. 1871 J Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 140, bap. 4 Jun 1871
7. Elizabeth Fuller b. 1873 S Quarter in ROMFORD ESSEX Volume 04A Page 167, bap. 7 Sep 1873
8. Annie Fuller b. 1876 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 210, bap. 5 Mar 1876 (died at 9m in 1876 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 101 and buried, on 12 Nov 1876, at St Helen and St Giles)
9. Alfred Robert Fuller b. 1880 S Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 253, bap. 8 Aug 1880

All of the GRO registrations give the mother's maiden name PHILLIPS.

(There had been a 10th child, Ellen Fuller, born 1867, attributed to this family, but this can be discounted. Checking the GRO entry for her birth, that child's mother's maiden name is listed as WHITTAM. Her baptism, on 8 Dec 1867, in Upminster, lists the mother's first name as Eliza. Ellen died, aged 1, in 1868 and was buried on 11 Oct 1868 at St Helen and St Giles, Rainham. There was a marriage of a James Fuller to an Eliza Witham, in South Weald, in 1855, who were most likely the unfortunate Ellen's actual parents.)

In 1861, James Fuller (25) Agricultural Labourer, Maria (23) and their 3 month old son, William, were listed at 'Cottage, Rainham, Essex'. 

In 1871, in Back Street, Rainham, were James Fuller (36) Ag Lab, Maria (34), William (11), Emily (9), James (7), George (5), John (2) and Frederick (0). 

In 1881, address upgraded to Village Back Street, Rainham, were James Fuller (46) Ag Lab, Maria (43), sons James (17), George (15), John (13) all Ag Labs, Frederick (10) and Elizabeth (8) were at school and, Alfred (0).

And in the same place in 1891, James Fuller (57) Ag Lab, Maria (53) and just George (24) and Alfred (11) still at home. They'd taken in two lodgers instead: Charles Valentine (24) and David Joslin (46), both Ag Labs.

In 1901, James Fuller (66) Farm Labourer, Maria (64) and just Alfred (20) Ag Lab still at home with one boarder, Albert Hardcastle (26) Farm Labourer.

In 1911, at Mitchells Cottages, Rainham, there were James William Fuller (77) no longer working, wife Maria (74). Albert Hardcastle (36), Boarder, had become a Platelayer on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. On this census, they confirm that they'd had nine children, with six then living and three had died: Annie in 1876; John in 1894 and James in 1899.

James Fuller died, at 76, in 1911 D Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 543.

Maria Fuller died, aged 81, in 1919 J Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 04A Page 434.

Isaac Phillips and Caroline Elizabeth Taylor

St Margaret, The Broadway, Barking - Chancel
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2974985

Isaac Phillips (bap. 26 Dec 1813 in Orsett, Essex), son of Joseph Phillips and Ann Clarke, married Caroline Elizabeth Taylor (purportedly b. ~1813 in Woolwich, Kent) on 16 Sep 1832 at St Margaret's Church, Barking.

Isaac and Caroline had 12 children:

1. Henry Phillips bap. 29 Sep 1833
2. Isaac Phillips bap. 16 Apr 1835
3. Maria Phillips b. 19 Aug 1837 (unnamed on reg 1837 S Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 153), bap. 17 Sep 1837
4. James Davis Phillips, b. 1841 M Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 223, bap. 26 Jan 1841 (Died in 1841 M Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page and was buried on 31 Jan 1841)
5. Alfred Davis Phillips b. 1842 S Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 12 Page 203, bap. 14 Aug 1842 (Died in 1842 S Qtr in ROMFORD Vol 12 Page 147)
6. Jacob Phillips b. 1844 J Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 226, bap. 26 Mar 1844
7. Rebecca Phillips b. 1846 S Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 224, bap. 13 Aug 1846
8. Abraham Phillips b. 1849 M Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 243, bap. 23 Feb 1849
9. Anne Phillips b. 1851 S Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 12 Page 229
10. Thomas Phillips b. 1854 M Qtr in ROMFORD UNION Vol 04A Page 88, bap. 26 Mar 1854
11. Hester Phillips b. 1857 M Qtr in ROMFORD UNION Vol 04A Page 97
12. Alfred Phillips b. 1861 M Qtr in ROMFORD UNION Vol 04A Page 103

Baptisms all took place at St Helen and St Giles, Rainham.

The mother's maiden name on all of the GRO birth registrations is TAYLOR. The use of Davis as a middle name for both James and then Alfred leads me to believe that this may have been Caroline's mother's maiden name - it's a convention I've seen used frequently in this period - however, I've been unable to find Caroline's baptism, nor a marriage between a Taylor and a Davis. Rebecca's baptism in 1846 lists her father's occupation as Shepherd.

In 1841, the family, living in Rainham, consisted of Isaac Phillips (25) Ag Lab, Caroline (25), Henry (8), Isaac (6) and Maria (4). Also living with them were Elizabeth Parker (75) and Mary Taylor (60). The 1841 census doesn't give us relationships, but could this latter have been Caroline's mother?

In 1851, in the Upminster Road, Rainham, we find Isaac Phillips (38) Shepherd, Caroline Phillips (38) birthplace Woolwich, Kent; with children: Henry (17) Ag Lab, Isaac (15) Ag lab, Maria (13), Jacob (7), Rebecca (5) and Abraham (2). They also had a lodger, Henry Neville (18), also an Ag Lab.

In 1861, with their address listed as Fran House, Cottage, Rainham, there are Isaac Phillips (48) Ag Lab, Caroline (48), Jacob (17) Ag Lab, Rebecca (14), Abraham (12) Ag Lab, Thomas (7) Ag Lab, Esther (sic) (4) and Alfred (0).

In 1871, at Back Street Cottage, Rainham (Back Lane/Street becoming part of Upminster Road, these different addresses are probably all the same place), this time are Isaac Phillips (58) Ag Lab, Caroline (58), Thomas (17) Ag Lab, Hester (14) Domestic Servant and Alfred (10) Ag Lab.

Caroline Phillips died, aged 67 in 1880 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 129, and was buried on 31 Oct 1880 in Rainham.

In 1881, still in the Village Back Street, Rainham, Isaac Phillips (68), widower, Ag Lab, is living with his daughter, Esther (sic) (24) as his housekeeper.

In 1891, Isaac Phillips (76), widower, Field Labourer, was an Inmate at the Workhouse in Romford. And he was still at the Romford Union House (later Oldchurch Hospital) at the time of his death in 1892 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 182, aged 78. He was buried, on 5 Nov 1892, in Rainham.

Oldchurch Hospital, Romford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Winfield - geograph.org.uk/p/282543

Charles Stephen Hockley and Esther Clark

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

St Helen & St Giles, Rainham

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

Charles Richard Hockley (b. 1874 in Bromley-by-Bow, Poplar), born and baptised Charles Stephen Hockley, from marriage onwards Charles Richard Hockley, son of James Hockley and Elizabeth Wilton, married Esther Clark (bap. 23 Jun 1878 in Rainham, Essex), daughter of Abraham Henry Clark and Esther Shellito, at St Helen And St Giles, Rainham, on 20 Mar 1897.

Charles and Esther Hockley had six children:

1. Rose Ellen Hockley b. 19 Jan 1898 (1898 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 525), bap. 20 Feb 1898 at St Helen & St Giles
2. May Hockley b. 27 Sep 1901 (1901 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 613), bap. 4 Nov 1901 at St Helen & St Giles
3. William Stephen Hockley b. 12 Jan 1907 (1907 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 626), bap. 17 Mar 1907 at St Helen & St Giles
4. Richard Charles Hockley b. 12 Jan 1907 (1907 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 626), bap. 17 Mar 1907 at St Helen & St Giles
5. Edith Florence Hockley b. 4 Jun 1911 (1911 S Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 1185), bap. 2 Jul 1911 at St Helen & St Giles
6. Dorothy Mabel Hockley b. 29 Jul 1914 (1914 S Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 1226), bap. 13 Sep 1914 at St Helen & St Giles. Dorothy Mabel Hockley, of 1 Rosedale Terrace, Rainham, Essex, daughter of Charles Hockley, a Farm Labourer died on 7 Mar 1915 (1915 M Quarter in WHITECHAPEL Volume 01C Page 393), at the London Hospital, Whitechapel from (1) Intussusception (2) Operation. She was buried on 13 Mar 1915 in Havering, London.

All of the birth registrations show the mother's maiden name of CLARK. All of the baptisms list them as the children of Charles Richard and Esther Hockley. Richard Charles and William Stephen, were identical twins. 

In 1901, Charles Hockley (27) Agricultural Labourer was living at 1, Rosedale Terrace, Rainham, Essex with Esther Hockley (22) and Rose Hockley (3).

In 1911, and still living at 1, Rosedale Terrace, Rainham, Essex, were Charles Hockley (37) Farm Labourer; Esther Hockley (34), Rose Ellen Hockley (13), May Hockley (9), William Stephen Hockley (4) and Richard Charles Hockley (4). On the 1911 census return the couple state that they'd been married 14 years and, by that time, had 4 children, with all four then still alive.

Charles Hockley (no middle name listed) died, aged 41 in 1916 D Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 620 and was buried on 17 Oct 1916.

In 1921, Esther Hockley (43) Widow, doing Agricultural Work at Brick House, Rainham, still at 1, Rosedale Terrace, Rainham with Rose E Hockley (23) Carburettor Tester; May Hockley (19) Machine Minder Out Of Work; Richard C and William S Hockley (14) Farm Work; and Edith F Hockley (10).

In 1939, Esther Hockley (b. 28 May 1878), Widowed, School Cleaner, address was 100 Upminster Road, Rainham, and living with her were William S Hockley, Farm Worker; and Edith F Hockley, Machine Operator.

Esther Hockley died, aged 71, in  1950 J Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 05A Page 455 and was buried on 8 May 1950 in the district of Havering.

• Rose Ellen Hockley married Edward Herbert Parker at St Helen And St Giles, Rainham on 12 Nov 1921. Rose Ellen Parker, of 136 Upminster Road South, Rainham, died on 7 Dec 1983 and was buried on 14 Dec 1983 in the district of Havering.
• May Hockley married Archie Harold Patch (b. 6 Jun 1898 in Grays, Essex) at St Helen And St Giles, Rainham on 5 Jun 1926. May Patch died in 1930 M Quarter in ORSETT Volume 04A Page 645, aged 29, and was buried on 13 Mar 1930 in Havering, London.
• William Stephen Hockley, does not appear to have married. He died aged 70 and was buried on 8 Jul 1977 in Havering, London.
• Richard Charles Hockley married Beatrice Maud Deeks at St Helen And St Giles, Rainham on 18 Nov 1933. Richard Charles Hockley died at 84 in DOR Q2/1991 in BRENTWOOD (4662) Volume 9 Page 1679 and was buried on 11 Apr 1991 in Havering, London.
• Edith Florence Hockley married John Cyril Peel (b. 7 Dec 1911 in Blackburn, Lancashire), in the district of Romford, Essex on 3 Sep 1945. John Cyril Peel died in Norfolk in 1983; Edith Florence Peel of 78 Clark Road, Ditchingham, Norfolk died on 7 Dec 1984.

Thomas Phillips and Mary Ann Wright

St Margaret’s Church, Barking
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Richard Rogerson - geograph.org.uk/p/1562917

Thomas Phillips, son of Joseph Phillips and Ann Clarke, brother of Isaac Phillips, married Mary Ann Wright on 23 Apr 1826 at St Margaret's Church, Barking, where his brother married six years later. Census records from 1841 to 1881, show these brothers living next door to one another. 

Thomas and Mary Ann had six children, all of whom were also baptised at the church of St Helen and St Giles, Rainham:

1. Hester Maria Phillips bap. 8 Mar 1829
2. William Thomas Phillips bap. 21 Aug 1831
3. Richard Wilkinson Phillips bap. 16 Mar 1834
4. Angelina Caroline Phillips b. 1837 S Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 153, bap. 1 Sep 1837
5. Ellen Jane Eliza Phillips b. 1841 M Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 224, bap. 31 Jan 1841
6. Joseph Phillips b.  1844 M Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION Volume 12 Page 231, bap. 3 Mar 1844

The mother's maiden name on the three GRO registrations is WRIGHT. Wilkinson as a second name may indicate Mary Ann's mother's maiden name.

In 1841, in Rainham, were Thomas Phillips (35) Ag Lab, Mary (35), Hester (12), William (10), Richard (8), Angelina (4) and Ellen (0). Living with them were an Esther Wilkinson (40) who I'd guess was a relative of Mary Ann's; Martha Ward (50) and William Marlow (35) Ag Lab.

In 1851, address listed as Upminster Road, Rainham, were Thomas Phillips (46) Ag Lab, Mary Ann (45), William Thomas (19) Ag Lab, Richard (17) Ag Lab, Angelina (13), Ellen (10) and Joseph (7). They had two lodgers: Edmund Earnel (38) and Hezekiah Dowset (26), both Ag Labs.

In 1861, Thomas Phillips (56) Ag Lab, at Fran House, Cottage, Rainham, with Mary Ann (55) and just Joseph (17) Ag Lab still at home. With three lodgers: James Wood (32), George Whitbread (22) and John Simpson (18), Ag Labs.

In 1871 at Back Street Cottage, Rainham, Thomas Phillips (66) Ag Lab, Mary (65), with Mary Ann Searles (12) and William Searles (10), granddaughter and grandson, staying with them. (Angelina had married a George Searls in 1858.)

Then in 1881, at the infamous Village Back Street, Rainham, Thomas Phillips (75) General Labourer and Mary (74), had their grandson Edward Turben (22) Labourer in Manure Factory (Edward Turben was the son of Ellen Jane Eliza Phillips, who had married Henry Turben in 1858), living with them, as well as James Whiting (22) and Alfred Whiting (19), lodgers. 

Mary Ann Phillips died, aged 77 in 1884 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 04A Page 143 and was buried on 30 Mar 1884 in Rainham.

Thomas Phillips died, aged 81, and was buried on 21 Jul 1887.