Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Showing posts with label Sweney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sweney. Show all posts

Sunday 28 January 2024

John Sweney and Alice Taylor

Pentonville Prison
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/6643449

No record of a marriage between John Sweney (b. 12 Dec 1867) son of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey and Alice Taylor (or an Alice anything), which reputedly took place around 1885, can be located, however, TAYLOR is the mother's maiden name on the births of all of their children.

John and Alice had seven children:
  1. Frederic Sweney (sic) b. 1887 J Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 435. Died aged 17 in 1904 J Quarter in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 37
  2. John Sweney b. 1889 M Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Vol 01C Page 554. Died age 1 in 1890 D Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page
  3. Alice Sweney b. 1891 J Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 506
  4. Emma Sweney b. 1893 S Qtr in MILE END Vol 01C Page 522
  5. John Sweney b. 1896 S Quarter in FULHAM Vol 01A Page 272
  6. Thomas Sweney b. 1899 S Qtr in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 6
  7. Rose Sweney b. 1903 M Qtr in WEST HAM Vol 04A Page 35
In 1891, at 79, St Ann's Road, Mile End Old Town we find John Sweney (24) Slater; Alice Sweney (24); Frederick Sweney (4) and Alice Sweney (3 mts).

The Globe of 29 Mar 1901 reported:
ALLEGED ATTACK ON A WIFE
At the West Ham Police Court today, John Sweeney, 36, a tiler, of 3 Shaftesbury Avenue, Plaistow, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on his wife Alice. Mr F Stern prosecuted. The wife, who attended for the first time, said her husband came home in the small hours of the morning of March 22 and was the worse for liquor. He threw on the table 3s 6d, saying that that was all the had got left out of half a sovereign, and she would have none of it. He threw a tumbler at her, then a pair of boots and a chair, but these articles missed her. He went on to punch her about the body and hit her across the arm with a chair. He told her to "Sling her hook" and threatened to finish her. She screamed, but though other people were in the house, no one went to her help. She became dazed, and the last thing she remembered was seeing him lifting a mahogany table over his head. When she recovered she found herself half-way through the window (on the ground floor), and when she moved she fell on the pavement. At the station she was seen by the divisional surgeon. He had been convicted before for assaulting her. Prisoner, who alleged that his wife was addicted to drink and neglected the house, was remanded.

The Eastern Counties Times on 30 Mar 1901, also carried the story:
FORGIVEN HIM TOO MANY TIMES
At the West Ham Police Court on Saturday, John Sweeney, 36, a tiler, of 3 Shaftesbury Avenue, Plaistow, was charged with assaulting his wife, Alice, by kicking her, striking her with some blunt instrument, and throwing her through a window. PC Butcher 711K, was on duty in High Street, Plaistow, early on Saturday morning, when he heard screams proceeding from Shaftesbury Avenue. On the way to the house he saw a woman, bleeding, and calling for help. From what she said to him, he went into No. 3, Shaftesbury Avenue, and saw the furniture all broken up, and prisoner sitting in the room. The officer made him put on his things, and go to the station, as his wife accused him of assaulting her. When at the station he said to his wife, "Don't charge me this time, Alice, and I will never chastise you again." The woman replied that she had forgiven him too many times. She was too ill to appear that morning, and a remand was asked.

John Sweeney, who had been received into custody on 23 Mar 1901, appeared again at West Ham Police Court on 19 Apr 1901, charged with Maliciously wounding Alice Sweeney. He pleaded guilty to Common Assault and was handed a 3 Calendar Month sentence in Pentonville Prison.

At the time of the 1901 Census on 31 March 1901, therefore, John Sweeney (36) Prisoner, Married, Slater from Plaistow was clearly on remand and indeed was listed at His Majesty's Prison in Holloway, Islington. 

Nevertheless, at 3 Shaftesbury Avenue, [Plaistow], West Ham there was an entry which appears to say "family removed", but this is crossed through and the following people are said to be present: James [John] Sweney (35) House tiler (Slater); Alice Sweney (35), Fred Sweney (14) Tiler's labourer; Alice Sweney (10), Ethel [Emma] Sweney (8), James [John] Sweney (5) - birthplace Fulham - and Tom Sweney (2). Obviously, John (who was not called James) couldn't be in two places at once - and somehow I trust the prison to know who they had under their roof - and I cannot speculate why Alice may have been trying to show that her husband was still at home, but along with the other errors, one does have to wonder who was 'on the sauce'.

In 1911, John Sweeney (41) Slater from Limehouse was living at 33 Heckfield Place, Fulham, with Alice Sweeney (41), John Sweeney (14), Thomas Sweeney (12) and Rose Sweeney (7). This census confirms that the couple had seven children, of whom five were then still living and two had died. It also says they had been married 26 years, which would put the wedding in around 1885, but there are still no records that appear to relate.

In 1921, John Sweney (54) Slater was at 107, Lawrence Avenue, East Ham with Alice Sweney (54), Rose Sweney (18) and Thomas Sweney (24) Slater.

Alice Sweeney died, aged 65, in 1931 M Qtr in WEST HAM Vol 04A 233.

In 1939, at 107a Lawrence Avenue, Manor Park, Newham, East Ham, listed as Charles J Sweeney, Slater Tiler (Retired) - this is clearly John and even quotes his birthdate of 12 Dec 1867 - with a John J Watson (assume Lodger).

John Sweeney died, aged 77, in 1944 S Quarter in FULHAM Volume 01A Page 248. Interestingly, at FindMyPast this same record, with the same references, has been transcribed twice: once as Charles Sweeney and once more as John Sweeney, so I am convinced this is our man. 

Charles Gardner and Susannah Sweeney

St Anne, Limehouse - Entrance
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4559397

Charles Gardner (b. ~1859) married Susan Sweney (sic) (b. 5 Jun 1862 in Mile End), daughter of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey, at St Matthew, Limehouse - unsure if this was St Matthew, Salmon Lane, Limehouse Fields or St Matthew Pell St Stepney - in Q4 of 1884.

Charles and Susannah had eight children:
  1. John Charles Gardner b. 1885 D Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 420
  2. Henry Gardner b. 1888 J Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 420
  3. Florence Rose Gardner b. 1890 J Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 412
  4. Thomas Albert Gardner b. 1892 J Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 440
  5. James Gardner b. 1894 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 439
  6. Arthur Gardner b. 1896 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 431
  7. Rose Lily Gardner b. 1898 S Qtr in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 411
  8. May Matilda Louisa Gardner b. 1901 J Qtr Vol 01C Page 420
The mother's maiden name on all the birth records is SWENEY.

In 1891, the family living at 13, Maroon Street, Limehouse, Stepney, were Charles Gardner (32) Slater; Susannah Gardner (29), John Charles Gardner (5), Henry Gardner (2) and Florence Rose Gardner (1).

In 1901, at 34, Maroon Street, Limehouse, were Charles Gardner (41) Slater and tiler; Susan Gardner (39), John C Gardner (15) Credit draper's assistant (Tallymen and ‘Perambulating Scotchmen’ to Credit Drapers' Associations, c.1840–1914); Henry Gardner (12), Florence R Gardner (11), Thomas A Gardner (9), James Gardner (7), Arthur Gardner (5) and Rose L Gardner (3).

Charles Gardner died, aged 42, in Q4 1901, in Whitechapel (Vol 1C 192).

In 1911, Susan Gardner (47) Charwoman at the London Hospital, Widow, was living at 37 St Thomas's Road, Mile End Old Town, London with Thomas Gardner (19) Printer's cutter; James Gardner (17) Clerk; Arthur Gardner (15) Errand Boy; Rose Gardner (13) and May Gardner (10). The census confirms that Susannah had eight children, all then living. Also living at 37 St Thomas's Road, Mile End Old Town in 1991 were Archibald Campbell (39) Slater and tiler, Widower, along with his four surviving daughters: Jessie Campbell (16), Lizzie Campbell (14), Millie [Amelia] Campbell (12) and Esther Campbell (10). Seemingly, at least at this time, these were two separate households.

Susan Gardner remarried to Archibald Campbell, at St Anne, Limehouse, in Q2 1911. Campbell had previously married Ellen Keating in Mile End, in 1893, with whom, according to the 1911 Census, he had ten children (found records for nine), of whom six had died. Ellen Campbell died, at 38, in 1909.

Archibald's daughter, Esther Campbell died, aged 10, in 1912.

In 1921, still at 37, St Thomas Road, Mile End Old Town were Archibald Campbell (49) General Labourer for Stepney Borough Council; Susan Campbell (56), Thomas Gardner (29) Step-son, Disabled General Labourer "Under Young Treatment Hospital"; May Gardner (20) Step-daughter; Amelia Campbell (21) daughter; Violet Gardner (11) Adopted Daughter (Violet was purportedly born in Stepney in 1910, but I've no idea if that was her birth name); plus Elizabeth Bryant (20) and Kate Bryant (15) both Visitors.

Susannah Campbell (formerly Gardner, née Sweney), pictured left, clearly lived "to an age". There was a death of a Susannah Campbell (63) who died in 1925, in Lewisham, which may relate, but is not confirmed.

Friday 5 January 2024

Job Sweeney and Eliza Louisa Tompson

Globe Road, Bethnal Green
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen McKay - geograph.org.uk/p/4697355
Very much a part of the traditional East End, Globe Road runs north from Stepney Green station to Roman Road, and then on to this northern stretch up to Old Ford Road. 

Job Sweeney (b. 6 Feb 1870), son of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey, married Eliza Louisa Tompson (b. 24 Aug 1868), daughter of Dan Tompson and Mary Ann Green, on 5 Jan 1893, at the Parish Church of St Anthony, Globe Road, Stepney. (The church of Saint Anthony stood in the borough of Bethnal Green, but was part of the rural deanery of Stepney. It closed in 1936 and the building was demolished in 1937.) Both claimed to be 24 and both gave their address as 3 Monteagle Street, Stepney. 

Their only son, Job Thomas Sweeney (right), was born at 25 Monteagle Street, Stepney (which further research suggests was a boarding house) on 27 Aug 1897 and baptised at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, on 19 Sep 1897.

In 1901, Job Sweney (sic) (33) Warehouseman, Eliza Sweney (sic) (32) and Job Sweney (sic) (3), were living at 8, Repton Street, Limehouse

My mother always claimed that her father and grandmother, Eliza Louisa, had been living in Sidney Street at the time of the Siege of Sidney Street, or Battle of Stepney that took place in January 1911. It's not impossible, but I can find no records to support this. Eliza Louisa was well away from the area when Cable Street (where she was born) had it's own battle in 1936.

By the time of the census on 2 April 1911, the family were living at 102 Fore Street, in the City of London. They lived in a flat above the warehouse that came with the job, where Job Sweeney (41) was employed as Packer and Caretaker; Eliza Louisa Sweeney (41), Job Thomas Sweeney (13) and Amy Dobson (19) Domestic Servant, Friend (Amy Dobson b. 1892, was the sister of Ruth Christmas Dobson, wife of Job's brother Charles Sweeney.) 

In 1921, Job Sweeney (51) Packer, was still living and working at 102, Fore Street, City of London, for Hoffnung & Co Shipping Merchants; with wife, Eliza L Sweeney (52) and son, Job T Sweeney (23) Warehouseman, working for Wills & Co (W.D. & H.O. Wills) at their Holborn Viaduct factory (for whom he eventually worked for around 36 years.) (Calling herself Amy Margaret Dobson (29) Charwoman, in 1921 - no idea where the Margaret came from - living at 102, Hind Street, Poplar, this census tells us she was working for Messrs Hoffnung & Co Ltd at 102 Fore Street, City, E C.)

Job Sweeney died, on 6 December 1924, aged 54, of Tuberculosis. 

Eliza Louisa Sweeney (née Tompson)
with her granddaughter, Ivy. On a A Day
Out in Clacton-on-Sea in the 1930s
Eliza Louisa was still living at 102 Fore Street with her son Job and his wife, Elizabeth (Bet) and granddaughter, Ivy, in 1939 and remained there until their home was destroyed in WWII, thought to have been on or around the night of 29–30 Dec 1940, the so-called Second Great Fire of London.

Eliza Louisa Sweeney, otherwise Sweney (as it says on her death certificate), died on 13 Feb 1953, in Hornchurch, Essex, from coronary thrombosis, influenza, chronic bronchitis and old age. She was 84.

Thursday 6 July 2023

John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey

John Henry Charles Sweeney
and Susannah Harvey
.
Image provided by Jon Gilbert,
descendant of Rosina Sweeney

John Henry Charles Sweeney (b. 11 May 1839 in Ratcliff), son of John Sweeney and Anne Elizabeth Gabbaday, married Susannah Harvey (b. 15 Oct 1845 in Limehouse), daughter of John Harvey and Esther Glede, on 6 Jul 1862 at the church of St John the Evangelist, Limehouse (St John's Church, Halley Street, Limehouse). Susannah was 16 and John, a Seaman, 23. Witnesses were the bridegroom's father, John Sweney (sic) and his sister, Mary Ann Sweeney.

John and Susannah had eleven children:

  1. Susannah Sweeney b. 5 Jun 1862 (1862 S Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 518), bap. 28 May 1863 at St John the Evangelist
  2. John Sweeney b. 6 Apr 1864 (1864 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 552), bap. 5 May 1864 at St John the Evangelist. (Died 1866 S Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 610, aged 2)
  3. Esther Ann Sweeney b. 1866 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 478 (Died 1866 J Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 399, aged 0)
  4. John Sweeney b. 12 Dec 1867 (1868 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 515), bap. 5 Jan 1868 at St John the Evangelist.
  5. Job Sweeney b. 6 Feb 1870 (1870 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 531), bap. 11 May 1871 at St John the Evangelist.
  6. Thomas Sweeney b. 25 Dec 1871 (1872 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 508), bap. 15 Feb 1872 at St John the Evangelist.
  7. Henry Sweeney b. 13 Jan 1874 (1874 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 488), bap. 12 Mar 1874 at St John the Evangelist.
  8. Mary May Sweeney b. 1876 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 483 (Died 1877 D Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 344, age 1)
  9. Mary Matilda Sweeney b. 11 Mar 1878 (1878 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 451) (No further baptism records found.)
  10. Charles Sweeney b. 17 Jul 1880 (1880 S Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C 443)
  11. Rosina Sweeney b. 4 Jun 1883 (1883 S Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C 425)
With three having not survived infancy, this explains the eight listed in the family bible. There are no more civil registrations to support further reputed issue, though, of course, there could have been stillbirths or miscarriages.

Notice that the 3rd child has been named Esther Ann - these are the names of the two grandmothers, maternal first, paternal second - and I believe this is significant: there are suggestions that this is a pattern within the family.

In 1871, John Sweeney (63), carpenter - John Henry Charles' father - was still listed as the head of the household at Stephen Cottages, James Street, St Anne, Limehouse. Then there is John Henry Charles (31), labourer, wife Susan (26), daughter Susan (9), plus sons John (3) and Job (1).

In 1881, at Stephen Cottage, 1, Limehouse, Stepney, were John (41), Dock Labourer, wife Susannah (36), daughter Susannah (18), Tailoress, John (13), Tea Packer, Job (11), Thomas (9), Henry (7), Mary (3) and Charles (0).

In 1891, at Stephensons Cottages, Condor Street, Limehouse, Stepney (still the same place), were John (52), Labourer, Susannah (47), Job (21), Packer, Thomas (19), Labourer, Mary M (13), Charles (10) and Rosina (7).

In 1901, at Stephenson Cottages, 1, Limehouse, Stepney, were John Sweeney (63), Dock Labourer, Susannah (54), Thomas (29), General Labourer, Matilda (23), and Rosina (18), both Confectionery Packers.

And in 1911, the address as 1 Stephensons Cottages, Conder St, Limehouse, with all the kids having flown the nest, there were just John Henry Charles Sweeney (71), Night Watchman for the Borough Council and Susannah Sweeney (65). This census confirms that they had 11 children, of whom 8 were still living, with 3 having died, during their then 48 year marriage.

Susannah  Sweeney died in 1918, aged 72. 

In 1921, John Henry Sweeney (82) Caretaker Retired, widower, was living with his youngest son Charles at 102, Hind Street, Poplar.

John Henry Charles Sweeney died in 1922, aged 83.

(Thomas Sweeney (29), was still single and living at home in 1901. Not located him in 1911, however, at the time of the census on 19 June 1921, Thomas Sweeney (49 years and 6 months) was living, alone - listed as Single  - at 94, Lynvie Road, Bow, Poplar and working as a Deal Porter for Mr W Howard Bros Timbers Merchant of Canning Town at Crown Wharf. I can find no evidence of him marrying and it appears he died, at 58, in 1930.)

Sunday 11 June 2023

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 LeonardShoreditch (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 in 1809, in St George's, Middlesex (St George in the East), but I've not been able to find a baptism there for him. (Some people accept a baptism of a John Sweeney in 1809, in Westminster, but I'm not convinced it's the right one - it's the wrong place entirely - just because it's the only one online.) Likewise, there are no records to definitely connect him to Ireland, that I can identify. Besides, knowing the way families named children in those days and, given that Anne's mother was Isabella, I'd put money on John's mother being an Eliza.

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

In 1841 living in Pleasant Row, Brewers Place, Stepney were John Swaney (sic) (32) Carpenter; son John (2), wife, Ann (29), daughter Maria (7). 

Listing for John and Ann 'Swaney' in Stepney in 1841

(Throughout her life, my mother had been most pedantic that her maiden name was spelled Sweeney “with three Es.” Of course it should have occurred to me to ignore that and, lo and behold, I find that most of the records before 1901 are listed with the spelling of Sweney, sometimes Sweeny and even Swaney. Important lesson: never, ever trust 'family stories'.)

By 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).

Then Ann Sweeny died, in Whitechapel, in 1855, she was 44.

In 1861 at 107, North Street, Limehouse. John Sweney (52), Carpenter and Joiner, still considered himself married (rather than widowed), 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 mts).

John had both girls baptised in 1860, five years after their mother's death, but Matilda Sweeney died, in Whitechapel, aged just 16, in 1866.

In 1871, John (63), still working as a carpenter, had moved in with his son and his family in Stephen Cottages, James Street, St Anne Limehouse, Stepney. 

John Sweeney died, in Stepney, aged 71, in 1878.