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

Showing posts with label Tuberculosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuberculosis. Show all posts

Wednesday 6 March 2024

James Prescott and Mary Ann Stone

Tiverton : Gold Street
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/1658721

James Prescott (b. 1858 in Washfield, Devon), son of John Prescott and Jane Gage, married Mary Ann Stone (b. 1860, in Ashbrittle, Somerset), daughter of Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, at St Peter's, Tiverton, on 6 Mar 1882. Witnesses were Henry Stone and Harriet Stone, Mary Ann's sister.

By 1881, Mary Ann (21) had left home and had been working, as a General Domestic Servant, for Alfred T Gregory, Newspaper Proprietor, in Gold Street, Tiverton, hence marrying in the town. (Alfred Gregory was publishing titles such as the Tiverton Gazette and East Devon Herald, Western Observer and affiliated papers for South Molton and Crediton. (The Tiverton and District Directory for 1894-5 lists them as, Gregory, Son, and Tozer.)

However, this couple were married for little more than a year, when Mary Ann Prescott died, tragically aged just 23, on 14 Apr 1883, in Chapel Street, Tiverton, from Acute Phthisis Pulmonalis (Tuberculosis (TB) 18 days - I'd suspected this when reading that Mary Ann had been present at the death of her brother, John Stone, when he had died from Phthisis, in the August of 1882. Her mother-in-law, Jane Prescott, was present at Mary Ann's death. 

Not unsurprisingly, James Prescott remarried quite quickly, to a Jane Davey in the 1st quarter of 1884, also in Tiverton. Then, in the 3rd quarter of 1884, they had a son Charles, who, it appears was their only child. 

My connection was broken once Mary Ann died, but one can't help being curious: In 1891, James Prescott (32), Labourer, wife Jane and son Charles were living in Eglwysilan, Glamorganshire, Wales; in 1901, we find the trio - with James a Navvy Ganger - in Staines, Middlesex and then, in 1911, with James Prescott (56) Dock Labourer, at 15 Unicorn St, Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire with Jane Prescott (57) and five other dock labourers in the household, presumably boarders. Son Charles, also living in Unicorn Street, Portsmouth and a Railway Labourer, was by then married. You wouldn't expect labourers at that time to have moved around so much or so far.

James' parents, John and Jane Prescott, meanwhile, then aged 78 and 83, respectively, were still alive and still living in Tiverton in 1911.

James Prescott was buried on 22 Oct 1913, in Uplowman.

Thursday 14 December 2023

Alfred Beamer and Emily Luxton

Castle Street, Tiverton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger Cornfoot - geograph.org.uk/p/6587133

Alfred Beamer, Private RMLI of Cecil Street, Plymouth, son of Alfred Beamer and Mary Ann White, married Emily Luxton, daughter of James Luxton and Anna Maria Hawkins, on 14 Dec 1905, at St Paul's Church, Tiverton. Emily's address at the time of the marriage was Heathcoat Square, Tiverton and her younger sister, Jessie Luxton, was a witnesses (bridesmaid perhaps).

Alfred and Emily's son, Alfred James, was born on 15 Mar 1908 and baptised on 29 Mar 1908 at St Peter’s Church, Stonehouse, Plymouth. But the infant died, in the third quarter of 1908, having bearly reached six months of age.

Alfred Beamer, who had enlisted in the Royal Marines on 15 Aug 1896, just shy of his 16th birthday, was discharged, invalided, on 15 Oct 1908. On 7 Mar 1909, Alfred Beamer (29) Labourer of 40 Neswick St, Plymouth, was admitted to the Devon and Cornwall Sanatorium for Consumptives Didworthy. Consumption was another name for Tuberculosis. When he was discharged from the sanitorium on 15 Jun 1909, the record shows Alfred developed the disease 7 months previously, which ties in with the date he was discharged from the Royal Marines. In the notes it says, "light work - dead".

Such a concession! What kind of light work can the dead do, FFS? 

By 1911, Emily Beamer (28), widow, had returned to Tiverton, at 1 Melbourne Street and was again working at the Heathcoat Lace Factory, as a spinner.

In 1912, Emily Beamer remarried to a John Heard, in Tiverton. 

In 1921, John Heard (49) Labourer from Oakford Devon, Emily Heard (39), and John's two children from his previous marriage (to Lily Holmes in 1901, who died in 1911), Beatrice Lily Heard (19) Lace Folder (at Heathcoat) and Sidney John Heard (13) were living at 125, West Exe South, Tiverton.

John Heard died, aged 59, in Exeter.

In 1939, Emily Heard, widow, was living with a single lady, Beatrice E Gollop, at 26 Castle Street, Tiverton

Emily Heard died, in Tiverton, in 1962, aged 79.

Monday 6 November 2023

George Hockley and Eliza Crow and William Bloomfield

St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow, Essex - Chancel
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1304114

George Hockley, son of Daniel Hockley and Sophia Mason, married Eliza Crow, daughter of William Crow and Judith Doe on 6 Nov 1843 at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow. The marriage record shows that George, as well as both fathers' were labourers and witnesses were John and Jane Burton.

George and Eliza's children included: 

  1. William Crow bap. 17 Nov 1842 at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow
  2. Tamer (sic) Hockley b. 1844 (Tamar as a female given name) 
  3. Daniel Hockley b. 1845, bap. 12 May 1850 
  4. Elizabeth Hockley b. 1847, bap. 9 Aug 1857 
  5. James Hockley b. 24 Apr 1849, bap. 10 Jun 1849
  6. Emma Hockley b. 1851, bap 13 Apr 1851
  7. Lucy Hockley b. 1852, bap. 8 Aug 1852
  8. Charles Hockley b. 1854, bap. 9 Jul 1854
  9. Alice Hockley b. 1855, bap. 11 Nov 1855
  10. Sarah Ann Hockley b. 1857, bap. 9 Aug 1857
On the baptism record for William, son of Eliza Crow, Single Woman, her address was listed as "Dunmow Union House", i.e. the workhouse. Listed as William Crow, at 19, he married as and thereafter used William Hockley

Tamer's (sic) birth is listed at the GRO with the mother's maiden name as Crow, but there are no further mentions of her: not on a census, no baptism, nor record of a death, so my hunch is that this child died in infancy. 

The only Daniel Hockley registered in Dunmow in 1845 has the mother's maiden name listed as "Cross". Probably just a transcription error.

George Hockley, Agricultural Labourer, died on 12 Jul 1857, aged just 42, at Halfway House, from the all-too-common cause then, Phthisis (Tuberculosis (TB)) and was buried on 17 Jul 1857, in Great Dunmow.

In 1861, we find widow, Eliza Hockley (40), living at Phreaders Green, Great Dunmow with sons, William Crow (19) and Daniel Hockley (14), both Agricultural Labourers, seemingly supporting their mother and their younger siblings: Elizabeth Hockley (12), James Hockley (10), Emma Hockley (8), Lucy Hockley (7), Charles Hockley (6), Alice Hockley (5) and Sarah (3). 

In 1871, at High Street, Park Corner, Great Dunmow, there were Eliza Hockley (39) - erm, nope, she was 50 - Charwoman, with Charles Hockley (16) Farm Lab and Sarah Hockley (12) Domestic Servant. Daniel Hockley (21) Groom, was living at The Cottage, Great Canfield, Dunmow. Emma Hockley (19) was General servant to Samuel Knight, Architect at Maitland Park Villas, St Pancras, London. Lucy Hockley (19) was a Housemaid at 38 Upper Park Road, Belsize Park. Alice Hockley (14) was a domestic servant to William Stacey, Photographer and Florist, in The Causeway, Great Dunmow.

Eliza Hockley, daughter of William Crow, Labourer, married William Bloomfield, widower, son of Robert Bloomfield, in Felsted, on 20 Apr 1872.

It hasn't been possible to find William Bloomfield's baptism, however, he had previously married Mary Ann Harsant (bap. 1 Apr 1821 in Peasenhall, Suffolk), in 1839, in Blything registration district. In 1841, William Bloomfield (20) Blacksmith, Mary Ann (20) and their daughter Lucy (1) were in the High Street, Moulsham, Chelmsford. In 1851, William Bloomfield (32) Blacksmith, with Mary Ann (30) and Lucy (11) were back in Stoven, Blything, Suffolk. In 1861, William Bloomfield (43) Jobbing smith (with wife listed as Maria and daughter as Lizzie: probably misheard) were living at Bridge End Road, Great Bardfield, Dunmow. And by 1871, William Bloomfield (50) Blacksmith, Mary Ann (49) and Lucy (29) had moved to Church End, Great Dunmow. Then Mary Ann Bloomfield died, aged 49, and was buried, on 26 Aug 1871, at Holy Cross, Felsted. (Lucy Bloomfield just disappears.)

In 1881, William Bloomfield (62) Blacksmith, born in Dunwich, Suffolk, and Eliza Bloomfield (55), were living at Cottage Farm, Banister Green, Felstead.

In 1891, William (73) and Eliza Bloomfield (64) were at Cock Green, Felsted

William Bloomfield died, aged 76, in 1893. 

In 1901, Eliza Bloomfield (it claims 75) widow living on children, Felsted. 

Eliza Bloomfield died in 1906. She will have been 86.

Tuesday 17 October 2023

John Thomas Wykes and Mary Ann Mercury

Classic Trains South Africa
Image by Martin Hatchuel from Pixabay

John Thomas Wykes (b. 1864 in Deptford, London), son of William Wykes and Elizabeth Thompson, married Mary Ann Mercury at Baptist Church, Cape Town, South Africa on 16 Jul 1889. John Thomas' job was listed as Waiter.

The couple had five children:
  1. Elizabeth Lilian Wykes b. 13 Mar 1890, bap. (as Elizabeth Mary) on 28 May 1891 in Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
  2. William Ernest Wykes b. 7 Aug 1892 in Germiston, bap. 9 Oct 1892 in Transvaal, South Africa
  3. Martha Ethel Wykes b. 12 Feb 1894 in Germiston, died aged 20 days and was buried, on 4 Mar 1894 in Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa
  4. John Thomson Wykes b. 16 Sep 1896 in Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa, bap. on 26 Sep 1896 at St Boniface Church, Germiston
  5. Jessie Harriet Wykes b. 18 Mar 1898 in Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa, bap. on 15 Apr 1898 at St Boniface Church, Germiston. Died, aged 3, in Apr-May-Jun 1901, in Greenwich, London.
On the baptisms of the first four children, John Thomas' occupation was listed as Engine Driver, on Jessie's, as a Fitter. John Thomas Wykes' sister, Martha O'Toole, was a sponsor at John Thomson Wykes' baptism in 1896.

Mary Mercury Wykes of 62 Chapel Street, Cape Town, died, aged 34, on 21 Sep 1899 from Phthisis (Tuberculosis). The record of her death lists that she was from Saint Helena and was of mixed race.

In 1901, Lily Wykes (11), Willie Wykes (8) and Jessie Wykes (3) were in the household of John Thomas' sister, Elizabeth Burch, in Deptford, London. Also there was Martha O'Toole, who I imagine took the children to England.

John Wykes, widower, engineer, remarried, on 3 Oct 1901, to Esther Mercury at St Mark's, Cape Town. Born Esther Margaret Mercury on 19 June 1870 in Saint Helena, daughter of Francis Mercury and Rachel Michael, it is highly likely that she was either Mary Ann Mercury's sister, or her cousin.

But Esther Wykes (née Mercury) of 5 Osborne St, Cape Town, died, aged 33, on 21 May 1904, also from Phthisis (Tuberculosis). The record of her death also confirms that she was from Saint Helena and was of mixed race.

In 1911, Elizabeth Wykes (21) Domestic and William Wykes (18) Stationer's Clerk, both born in South Africa, were Boarders in the household of John Trigg (59) Mantle Maker at 388 Evelyn St, Deptford.

John Thomas Wykes, South African Railway Pensioner on 72 Drake Road, Durban, died, aged 87, on 15 Apr 1951 at Addington Hospital Durban.

  • Elizabeth Lilian Wykes married Walter James Fisher on 10 Feb 1916, at St Paul's, Deptford. Walter James Fisher (25) of 388 Evelyn St, Deptford, enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery on 29 Feb 1916. He survived two tours in France in 1917-18 and 1918-19. Their daughter, Peggie Irene Fisher was born on 9 Apr 1921 J Quarter in ST. OLAVE (BERMONDSEY) Volume 01D Page 298. In 1939, Walter J Fisher (b. 9 Apr 1890) Clothier Manager; Lilian E Fisher and Peggy I Fisher lived at 16 Sanderstead Road, Leyton, Essex. Walter James Fisher of 43 Greenhays Drive, South Woodford died on 17 Jan 1958. Lilian Elizabeth Fisher of 43 Greenhays Drive, South Woodford died on 17 Jun 1967.
  • William Ernest Wykes married Martha Irene Griffiths (b. 23 Dec 1890) daughter of Seth Griffiths, Police Sargent and Elizabeth Harries, also in the 1st quarter of 1916, in Greenwich. They had four sons: Leonard William Wykes b. 31 Jan 1923; John Stanley Wykes b. 31 May 1924; Walter Seth Wykes b. 1 Nov 1926 and Alan David Michael Wykes b. 1 Nov 1934. In 1939, the two older boys were at home with their parents at 46 Canmore Gardens, Wandsworth, while the two younger ones were at the Pier Hotel, Cavendish Place, Eastbourne, Sussex, presumably evacuated. Their eldest son, Sergeant Leonard William Wykes, 466 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve was killed in action on 22 Jan 1944 when his aircraft was shot down at De Lutte 2 miles east of Oldenzaal, Netherlands, close to the German border, during a raid on Magdeburg. Martha I Wykes died, at 66, in 1957 in Streatham. William Ernest Wykes died, in 1977, in Thanet, Kent.

Sunday 23 July 2023

Henry William Stone and Sarah Snow and Jane Tarr

Huntsham : All Saints Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/6039979

Henry Stone, second son of my 2x great-grandparents, Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, born in Ashbrittle, Somerset, in 1856, was found at home with his parents - no surprise, aged 4 - at Court Place, Ashbrittle, in 1861. And in 1871, aged 13, I believe it is this Henry Stone, who is employed as an Indoor Agricultural Labourer working for Richard Poole (62) a Farmer of 170 acres, employing 7 labourers and 1 boy, at Bathealton, Somerset.

On 27 Feb 1879 Ellen Stone Snow was born at Putson Cottages, Blundells Road, Tiverton to Sarah Snow, a Domestic Servant and in 1881, this child was living with Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, listed as their granddaughter. 

Only two of Henry and Mary's sons looked likely to be this child's father and I was about to cast more aspersions upon the character of John Stone, until I discovered the marriage of Sarah Snow and William Henry Stone (baptised Henry William) on 23 Jul 1879 at All Saints' Church, Huntsham. Witnesses were John Voisey and the bridegroom's sister, Mary Ann (Marrianne).

But Sarah Stone, wife of Henry Stone a Farm Labourer, died on 22 Jan 1880, from Phthisis acuta (Acute tuberculosis), at Huntsham. Emma Maunder, sister, was present at her death. This explains why, in 1881, Henry Stone, was a widower, aged just 24, living alone at Little Fair Oak, Uplowman. 

At that same time, in Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway's household were two visitors: Mary Ann Tarr (27) and Jane Tarr (22), who were daughters of William Tarr, a Hostler, and his wife, Jane Wood, of Marsh Bridge Road, Dulverton, Somerset. Clearly they were there preparing for a wedding, because in Q2 of 1881, William Henry Stone married Jane Tarr.  

Henry and Jane had two further children: 
  1. Frederick Henry Stone born 1885, bap. 26 Apr 1885, son of Henry and Jane, at St Mary’s churchUffculme (died 1887, see below)
  2. Louisa Jane Stone born 1888, bap. 26 Feb 1888 as Louisa Mary Jane Stone, at St Mary’s churchUffculme.

On 29 July 1887 The Western Times reported on the inquest into the accidental death of Frederick Henry Stone, 2½ yrs old, of Wellington Road, Uffculme, whose clothes caught fire, causing burns over his whole body, as did the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. This report of the inquest, which was held in the cottage where they lived, is hard reading.

THE SHOCKING DEATH OF A CHILD NEAR UFFCULME

The inquest touching the death of the child, Frederick Henry Stone, aged 2½ years, son of a labourer residing at Brickyard Cottage, Wellington Road, near Uffculme, was held by Mr. F. Burrow, district coroner, on Saturday, when the evidence of the mother, Mrs Potter, a neighbour, and Dr. Morgan, of Uffculme, was taken. It appeared that about 8 a.m. on Friday the mother, having lighted the kitchen fire, placed the child, which was wearing its night-dress, in a chair by the side of it. Her back was turned for a few moments, and in the meantime the nightdress, a long one, became ignited by a burning stick which fell out of the grate. On hearing the child scream the mother ran into the kitchen, and finding the nightdress in flames, endeavoured to smother them by throwing some woollen material around the child. Failing, however, in this attempt, she and her little girl called for assistance, Mrs Potter then came in and, according to her statement, found the child in the middle of the floor, getting up into its knees and enveloped in "a mass of flames from head to foot." With the exception of fragments, the nightdress and undergarments were then completely charred. She extinguished the flames upon what remained and then, with the assistance of other neighbours, the burns were treated with linseed oil and lime water. In the meantime Dr. Bryden, of Uffculme, was sent for, as also was Dr. Morgan. The latter arrived first, but not until the child had expired. In his evidence, Mr. Morgan said he entirely approved of the remedies applied and even had he been there more could not have been done. The extent and nature of the burns, involving as they did the whole body were sufficient to cause death. -- The father of the child was present at the earlier part of the enquiry, but as he persisted in interposing remarks he was ordered by the Coroner to withdraw. Subsequently he was recalled and allowed to make a statement, the Coroner holding that he was not in a fit state to be sworn. Stone complained very strongly that Dr. Bryden although called twice and promised to come down did not do so until it suited his convenience in the course of his usual round as parish doctor, which was an hour or more after death. Mentioning incidentally that Dr. Bryden had attended on previous occasions he said he owed him 7s 6d, which he declared he would never pay. -- The Coroner remarked that that was a matter between himself and Dr. Bryden. -- It transpired that the child was insured in the Prudential Insurance Company. -- The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
William Henry Stone, Farm Labourer of Halberton, died, aged 33, on 11 Aug 1889, at the Infirmary Tiverton from Cardiac disease and oedema of the lungs (Pulmonary edema is often caused by congestive heart failure.)

As if things couldn't get any worse, in 1891, both Jane Stone and daughter Louisa Mary Jane are listed as inmates at the Tiverton Union Workhouse

Then Louisa Mary Jane Stone, sadly, simply disappears.

Ellen Snow (12) was still (or again) living with her grandfather in 1891, going by her mother's surname, Snow, even though her parents had subsequently married, which I imagine was so that the records matched up when she was enrolled at school. In 1901, however, she was using her father's surname, listed as Ellen S Stone (22), working as Cook Domestic, at a Private Girls School at 19, St Peter Street, Tiverton, Devon. Ellen married in 1901

Jane Stone remarried to William Staddon in 1899. 

In 1911, in Kitwell Street, Uffculme were William Staddon (52) Basket Maker, from Uplowman, Devon, with wife Jane (52) from Dulverton, Tom Staddon (32) and Henry Wright (45) boarder. (William Staddon previously married Leah Parr (m. 1871) - and the mother's maiden name on Tom's birth registration is Parr to confirm this - who had died, aged 51, in 1897.)

William and Jane Staddon appear to have been living in Halberton, in 1921.

As yet, I've been unable to find the deaths for either William or Jane Staddon.

Thursday 27 October 2022

Harry Martin, Mabel Grace Tompson & Arthur Stedman

St Martin-in-the-Fields church, London
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jeremy Bolwell - geograph.org.uk/p/6130198

Mabel Grace Tompson (b. 6 Aug 1878), daughter of Dan Tompson and Sarah Jane Baker, in 1911, was Lady's Maid in the household of Sir Philip Hickson Waterlow, 2nd Baronet, one of the Waterlow baronets, then Chairman of Waterlow and Sons, at 24 Carlton House Terrace, St Martin in the Fields, London. Listed as 29, she was actually in her 30s and presumably maid to Lady Waterlow, Sir Phillip's second wife, Laura Marie (née Jones).

Harry Martin (b. January 1883 in Westbourne, Emsworth, Hants, son of William Henry Martin and Mercy King, listed as 26 in 1911, was a Motor Car Driver, residing at The Stables, Trosley Towers Near Wrotham, Stansted, Kent. Sir Philip Hickson Waterlow had inherited the Trosley Towers (more images) estate from his father (part is now the Trosley Country Park), which confirms that Mabel and Harry both worked for the Waterlows.

Harry Martin and Mabel Grace Tompson married in the fourth quarter of 1913, in the district of London City. It would need a copy of the marriage certificate to find the actual date and venue. The couple had one daughter:
  1. Laura May Martin b. 27 May 1920, registered in Malling, Kent (J Quarter, Volume 02A Page 1800, with mother's maiden name THOMPSON), was baptised on 22 Jun 1920, at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster.
That Mabel may have named her daughter after Lady Waterlow might indicate that there had been a particular friendship between employer and employee.

Harry Martin served as a Motor Driver & Mechanic during the First World War, having enlisted on 22 May 1916 at Whitehall, aged 31, in the Army Service Corps (M.T.) At that time he was 5 ft 9¼ in, weighed 140 lbs.

In 1921, Harry Martin (37) Motor Car and Electric Light Attendant; Mabel Grace Martin (40) and Laura May Martin (1) were living at Dairy Cottage, Fairseat, Nr Wrotham, Stansted, Kent.

Harry Martin died, at 37, on 20 December 1921 and was buried, on Christmas Eve, at Stansted (Saint Mary the Virgin) Churchyard (Kent). His military record states that he had developed valvular heart disease after suffering pneumonia - for which he was admitted to Stourbridge Military Hospital in 1919 - and gives his cause of death as "Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Mitral Stenosis." 

One cannot help noticing a great similarity in the style of Harry's grave site and that of the later grave of Sir Philip Hickson Waterlow (who died at Trosley Towers, Wrotham in 1931 and is also buried in Stansted Churchyard), which leads me to speculate that the Waterlows may have arranged their employee's burial. There is a note on the burial record, which says, "ex soldier died at Grosvenor Sanatorium, Kennington nr Ashford". It was used to treat Imperial soldiers & sailors suffering from tuberculosis during WW1.

In 1926, Mabel Grace Martin (47) remarried, to Arthur John Stedman (51) in Westminster, at the parish of St James, Piccadilly. Arthur John Stedman, bap. 7 Apr 1872 in Cobham, Surrey, was the son of John Stedman and Mary Ann (Marianne) Elvina Silvester (m. 1867 in Kingston, Surrey). Arthur's first wife, Harriet Jane Judge, who he married in Epsom, Surrey in 1909, had died on 18 Aug 1925 and is buried in Cobham Cemetery. Arthur John Stedman was a bricklayer, as was his father and as was Mabel's father, Dan Tompson.

Arthur John Stedman died on 5 July 1938, leaving his estate to Mabel Grace.

In 1939, Mabel Grace Stedman, widowed, housekeeper, was living at 1 Pemry Villas, Elm Grove Road, Cobham, Surrey, with daughter, Laura May Martin, Ladies Hairdresser; Gerald Owen Weston (mechanic and lorry driver) and Mabel's sister, Sarah Sophia, 'Daisy' S S Kritzer, housekeeper.

Mabel Grace Stedman, formerly Martin, née Tompson, died in the 1st quarter of 1967, in the district of Surrey North Western, in her 89th year.

Sunday 29 August 2021

Cornelius Walter Jones


Cornelius Walter Jones, born 2 Jan 1893 in Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland, eldest son of David Jones and his second wife, Laura Elizabeth White, was my grandmother's elder brother. We've never been able to find his military record, but know he enlisted in the Army and served during World War I. His first cousin's husband, who was in Queenstown with the US Navy, kept a detailed diary and had written that Cornelius (Con) was leaving for Egypt in 1917

The image above, which I admit I downloaded some years ago (the page no longer exists) [1], is dated 10.11.1917 EGYPT. The taller man (that makes perfect sense too as his grandfather, Thomas Jones, had been 5' 9½", which was tall for his time), second from right, back row, is so much like my father it's literally like looking straight into his eyes. His stance, his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, brow line and, above all, hair, are all identical. It's so close a resemblance that it's eerie and uncanny and, unless someone can prove otherwise, I feel sure this has to be my great-uncle, Cornelius Jones.

Though our cousin had thought that Con didn't return from the war, I now know he did, probably suffering shell-shock, for which one of his younger siblings described him as "daft" - such was the lack of understanding. 

Not expecting to find him there in Ireland, we were quite shocked when we read the listing of his burial at the Old Church Cemetery (Cobh)

Cornelius Jones, late of Rushbrooke, Cork, died on 21 Apr 1926 at the Cork District Hospital (now St. Finbarr's Hospital, with its origins in the Cork Union Workhouse and Infirmary). He was a bachelor, previously employed as a labourer. The record says 30, but he was 33 and died from Pneumonic Phthisis (tuberculosis, also known as consumption), after 8 months in hospital. The informant was Helena Lynch, "Inmate" Cork Union. 

Cornelius Walter Jones was buried on 24 Apr 1926, in the family plot at Old Church Cemetery (Cobh), along with his mother, who had died in 1917.

[1] The file name of the image above, b4croad3 matches the file name of the now defunct page at the former Royal Munster Fusiliers website at http://royalmunsterfusiliers.net/b4croad3.htm (also mentioned here) appertaining to a Private Frederick R Croad, 2nd R. Munster Fus, who I believe is also in the image. We have no record of what unit Cornelius joined or when, however, two Extra Reserve Battalions of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were mobilised at Queenstown (Cobh). The 6th (Service) Battalion certainly sailed on 9 Sep 1917 from Salonika for Alexandria in Egypt.

Tuesday 23 March 2021

Tom Stone and Margaret Knapman

Royal Marines' Stonehouse Barracks, Durnford Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth

There's a record of a marriage, in the 1st quarter of 1889, between Tom Stone (b. 11 Dec 1861 in Ashbrittle, Somerset), son of Henry Stone and Mary Ridgeway, and Margaret Knapman. However, the British Royal Marines Marriage Registers, gives the date they married as 5 Apr 1893 and lists the place of marriage as the Register Office, East Stonehouse. As there was no such thing as a Register Office (until after 1929), I assume that this is merely an administrative ratification, once permission was granted, of the ceremony that took place in 1889. There are civil registrations for both dates. 

Peter Calver at Lost Cousins, potentially provides the explanation, as these rules probably apply to Marines too, "... soldiers needed the permission of their commanding officer if they wanted the marriage to be recognised (which is why you will sometimes come across a couple who married each other twice)." Either marriage was a little late and you can imagine, in the haste to legitimise their eldest, may have forgotten to ask permission of the CO.

Margaret Knapman was born on 28 Aug 1863 at Mary Rows Cottage (bet that should be Mary Rose), St Budeaux, daughter of Thomas Knapman and Kitty Horden. There were a Thomas and Catherine Knapman in Tamerton-Foliott in 1881, who I believe to have been her parents, but further research is required to confirm this. That Catherine Knapman was from Waterford, Ireland. In 1881, Margaret Knapman was a General Domestic Servant to Henry Couch (58) Farmer at Hays End, Tamerton-Foliott, Plympton.

In 1871, aged 9, Tom Stone had been living with his parents and siblings in Ashbrittle. Then, aged 18, in 1880, Tom enlisted in the Royal Marines. At 18, Tom was 5' 6¾", fair complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. His record states, "Right little finger amputated through second phalanx." In 1881, aged 19, he was listed on the census as a Private R M L I - Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI) - at what was then called Stoke Damerel.

Tom and Margaret had six children:
  1. Archer Henry Stone (Archie), b. 28 Mar 1889 in Plympton, Devon, bap. 21 May 1889, at the Wesleyan Methodist church, Tamerton Foliot
  2. Frederick Thomas Stone, b. 20 Jan 1892
  3. Beatrice May Stone, b. 14 Mar 1894, in Plympton 
  4. Bertram Charles Stone, b. 24 Feb 1899 (died 2nd quarter of 1899)
  5. Leslie Victor Stone, b. 21 Feb 1901 
  6. Rosina Kathleen Stone, b. 14 Apr 1903
In 1891, Margaret Stone (25) and Archer H Stone (2) had been staying with her sister, Lucy Hoskins (23) in Star Lane, Tamerton Foliott.

In 1901 the family were living at 9, St Paul Street, East Stonehouse, with Tom Stone (39) listed as a Marine Pensioner. (Tom served in the Royal Marines for 21 years (+ 2 days), from 11 Mar 1880 until 13 Mar 1901, transferring to the Royal Fleet Reserve on 3 Jul 1901.) Also listed were Margaret (35), Archie (12), Frederick (9), Beatrice (7) and Leslie (0). 

Archer Henry Stone enlisted in the Royal Marines, aged 14, on 11 Nov 1903.

Tom Stone, General Labourer and Marine Pensioner, died, aged 43, on 2 May 1905, from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, at 3 Ashley Place, Plymouth.

Then just two years later, on 11 Nov 1907, Archie Stone died at the Royal Naval Hospital (Medway Maritime Hospital) in Gillingham, Kent, of a Tubercle of the lung (Tuberculosis again) and cardiac failure. He was just 18.

It seemed incongruous that there could be a commemorative stone to Archer Henry Stone in Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney, Australia, as Arthur H. Stone (his mates may have thought that Archer was a mistake or a nickname, not knowing that it really was the name he was registered and baptised with) and the inscription includes: Bugler, R.M.L.I. This would appear to be one of many memorials to shipmates who died elsewhere. A closer look at Archer's Royal Marines record shows that in Feb/Mar 1907 Archer was with HMS Powerful (1895) and there's a note in brackets next to the ship name that begins with 'Syd' one assumes this infers Sydney. After a 1905 refit, Powerful became the the flagship of the Australia Station. He then transferred to HMS Prometheus (1898) and finally to HMS Pioneer, at that time a drill ship with the Australian Squadron of the Royal Navy (she became HMAS Pioneer when was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in 1912). Archie's last line with Pioneer says he was 'on passage' and wonder if that means he was not working, but ill and being taken home. Initially, it didn't seem to make sense that he would be remembered in Australia, but it's incredibly touching and he must have been well thought of to be remembered so far away.

In 1911, Margaret Stone, widowed and in receipt of Parochial Relief, was living in East Stonehouse, with Leslie V (10) and Rosina K (7). Frederick had enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1907 and Beatrice (17) was working as a Servant for Samuel Reed, Hairdresser and Tobacconist, in Devonport.

On 11 Apr 1919, aged 18, Leslie Victor Stone joined the Royal Tank Corps

In 1921, Margaret Erne Stone (57) Widowed; Frederick Thomas Stone (29) Royal Navy (Leading Signalman) and Rosina Kathleen Stone (18) were still living at 9, St Paul Street, East Stonehouse. Leslie Victor Stone (20) was with the Army Tank Corps at Pinehurst Barracks, Farnborough, Hampshire. 

Margaret Erne Stone died, on 1 Sep 1921, at around 55 years, and probate was granted to her son, Frederick Thomas Stone, on 24 Dec 1921.

Thursday 5 November 2020

Press Gangs and the King’s Shilling

Colindale Hospital around 1920

As family stories go, this has to be one of the best (as in the myth is about as far away from the truth as it's possible to get), but also one of the saddest. 

Throughout her life, my mother recounted this story so many times it would be impossible to count: The story went that her grandfather, Job Sweeney, had been "press ganged" into the navy no less than three times. Once would be unlucky, you'd have thought. Anyway, this account, undoubtedly passed down to her by her grandmother, Eliza Louisa Sweeney (née Tompson), was further embellished with the assertion that Job liked his drink rather too much, hence was always in the pub and the worse for wear and, therefore, had been tricked, in serial fashion, into taking the King's Shilling

All absolute poppycock, of course, like most family stories are.

As I say, I'd heard and nodded along to the retelling of this story umpteen times, but never really considered or questioned it. It wasn't until I met the current 'him indoors' who knows his military history, who immediately said "wrong century", that it became obvious the whole thing was invention.

With hindsight, I can see where it will have come from. Job's father was a dock labourer (sometimes listed as a stevedore); his great-grandfather a mariner and many of their ancestors were sailors, ship's carpenters and shipwrights. Eliza Louisa's family ran pubs around the London docks. They'll have grown up with 'press gang' stories and other seafaring folklore.

My great-grandfather, Job Sweeney (b. 6 Feb 1870 and bap. 11 May 1871, at St John, Limehouse Fields - bombed on 19 Sep 1940 and subsequently demolished), son of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey, married Eliza Louisa Tompson at St Anthony, Stepney on 5 Jan 1893. 

My mother won't have known her grandfather, as he had died on 6 December 1924, aged 54, when she would have been only a few months old.

Having spent his entire life in the East End, it was finding that his death had been registered in Hendon that made me dig further in order to solve the mystery. It even crossed my mind that holidays 'At His Majesty's Pleasure' might well have explained these absences that we were all led to believe were when he was 'at sea', but it was not so. Having ordered his death certificate, this confirmed that the actual place of death was Colindale Hospital.

Built originally as the The Central London District Sick Asylum in 1898-1900 - to provide care for the sick poor in London, separate from the workhouse - in 1919, it was taken over by The Metropolitan Asylums Board and used as male TB sanatorium. The cause of Job Sweeney's death was given as 'Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Certified by Marcus Patterson MD.' 

Dr. Marcus Sinclair Paterson (1870–1932) was the medical superintendent of the Colindale Hospital for Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Hendon. "Here Paterson made valuable innovations in the symptomatic treatment of advanced cases", says his obituary in the BMJ. He developed a system of treatment called 'graduated labour'. "He has described how his observations on out-patients led him to the idea of introducing manual work, as well as walking, into the sanatorium regime, with the hope of fitting his patients for immediate return to their work, and of successfully meeting the charge that sanatoriums turned out work-shy loafers." (Not unlike attitudes today, because victim blaming is a whole lot cheaper than doing research and actually treating the sick. Looks like we can see who was originally responsible for ideas that led to the much maligned, ineffective and harmful Graded exercise therapy (GET) too.)

So, we can deduce that the "press gang" story was made up to explain a series of absences, which were probably stays for 'treatment' - forced work when you're already too ill to do your normal work - at the sanatorium. And the saddest part is this tells us that, so strong was the social stigma attached to TB that families preferred to paint their nearest and dearest as 'feckless, drunken, work-shy', etc., rather than admit they had an infectious, then incurable, disease undoubtedly contracted through no fault of their own. 

Monday 28 September 2020

Discovering Direct Ancestors' Burials

Headstones (left to right): great-grandparents, David and Laura Jones, 2x great-grandparents, Henry and Mary Stone and 3x great-grandparents, William and Ann White.

Researching documents and discovering online records that go towards telling an ancestor's story is fascinating. Visiting the places where they were born, baptised, married, lived or worked really helps put those things into context, but there is something very emotive about finding a grave with a headstone to feel properly connected to family members, knowing a physical part of them is right there beneath your feet. But with cremation being the norm in the most recent generations and the majority being too poor for headstones, such moments are very rare and special. There are no graves for my parents nor grandparents, so the first would be for my great-grandparents. 

Old Church Cemetery, Cobh, Cork, Ireland


In 2014, we went to Cobh (formerly Queenstown), Cork, Ireland where my paternal grandmother had been born and brought up. While there, we were met by the late Jack Gilmartin, who used to provide free guided tours of the Old Church Cemetery, where there are a number of famous burials, particularly many of the victims of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. I don't know what I was expecting, but Jack took me totally by surprise, when he said, "I'll take you to your family's grave." It sent a shiver down my spine and completely took my breath away. And it still does.

With an inscription on the cross-shaped headstone reading, "The Jones Family, Church Lodge, Rushbrooke, At Rest", this is the final resting place of my great-grandfather, David Jones (1850-1935), my great grandmother, his second wife, Laura White (1870-1917) and their two sons, Cornelius Jones (1893-1926) and David Jones (1898-1966) (Young Dave.)

What I didn't fully appreciate until later is there's also an earlier family grave in this cemetery, where the inscription reads, "Erected by David Jones In memory of his beloved father Thos. Jones Who died Jan. 8th 1873 aged 56 years Also his beloved son Thomas Who died Jan. 8th 1891 Aged 9 years and 3 months And his beloved wife Johanna Who died Feb 18th 1891 Aged 35 years."

There is also Catherine Jones (Kitty), who was wife of Young Dave. 

And I wouldn't have known about any of those, had it not been for Jack giving me a pair of A4 sheets, listing all the Jones' burials there. It was so sad to read about Jack's death less than a year after we'd met him, but lovely to read that he has been buried in the Old Church Cemetery. You can listen to Jack talking about the cemetery and some of the stories of his co-occupants here.

St Peter's Churchyard, Uplowman, Devon


The second discovery was equally surprising and was something I came across quite by accident online, thanks to the work of Janice Dennis, contributing at Find A Grave

Henry Stone (1828-1901) and Mary Ridgeway (1833-1885) were my 2x paternal great-grandparents. Henry had been an agricultural labourer and, as such, I wasn't looking for a grave with any marker, because I didn't expect the family to have had the resources. We'd even been to the church at Uplowman and didn't bother to look. We've been back a couple of times since.

That there is a headstone, which is just by the side of the path to the rear of the church - notable itself as a Grade II* Listed Building, having been built originally by Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII - is probably because this was first the grave of their son, John Stone (1858-1882), a Labourer on the Railway, who had died on 25 Aug 1882, aged just 24, from Phthisis (pulmonary tuberculosis or a similar progressive wasting disease).

Another of Henry and Mary's sons, Francis Stone and his wife, Frances Jerred - who my father always referred to as 'Aunt France' - are also buried in this churchyard. I very much suspect there may be others, unmarked.

Headstone for William White and Ann Francis in need of support (left)

The Rosary Cemetery, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, Norfolk


So the third of my direct ancestors graves - that of some paternal 3x great grandparents, William White (1806-1871) and Ann Francis (1802-1889), at the Rosary Cemetery, Norwich - we visited on our recent trip. In these times of COVID-19 we figured this activity a safe bet as we'd probably not meet too many currently infected people in churchyards and cemeteries! 

In the lead up to the trip, I'd done a flurry of research so there'd be specific things to look for: I'd known that this family lived in Thorpe St Andrew and asked a local history group if they might have come across any White graves in the local churchyard. They had not. However, I was then contacted by former Sheriff of Norwich, Nick Williams, whose wife had seen my question and who provided photos and even a plan, which made the plot very easy to find. 

The Rosary Cemetery itself is notable, nay unique, too, as it was the first non-denominational cemetery in England. Laid out in 1819, it celebrated it's 200th Anniversary in 2019. Nick Williams, who is also involved in The Friends of the Rosary Cemetery, has now written several books on the burial site and here talks about The History of Rosary Cemetery.

Interesting to read that the site was a former market garden and is "... also a haven for flora and fauna", as William White (as well as his sons, William and Walter - I'm descended from the latter) were all gardeners by profession.

And here I need to highlight that in none of these cases were there any official records online that would have found any of these plots for me. Finding graves often requires luck and thinking outside the box (or casket).

Prospect Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada


The forth grave of any direct ancestor that I know about is all the way over in Canada. Dan Tompson was a 2x great-grandfather, who had emigrated with his second wife, in 1912. This record, at Billion Graves, I did find recently via a link at Ancestry (the BillionGraves Index is also available via FamilySearch), but relies on volunteers. For obvious reasons, having only found this information this year, I've not visited this one [yet].