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

Showing posts with label West Haddon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label West Haddon. Show all posts

Monday 26 February 2024

Thomas Smith and Lucy Thompson

Northampton: St Giles
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Sutton - geograph.org.uk/p/4127502

Thomas Smith and Lucy Thompson (bap. 18 Dec 1815), daughter of Solomon Thompson Jnr and Maria Willis, married, on 26 Feb 1838, at St Giles Church, Northampton. Thomas Smith, Brickmaker, listed his father as Thomas Smith, Labourer. Both gave their address as "Butcher's Yard". One of the witnesses was Catherine Willis, who may have been related to Lucy's mother.

There is only one confirmed record of a child of this couple:
  1. Ann Smith b. 1841 D Quarter in DAVENTRY UNION Volume 15 Page 230, with mother's maiden name listed as TOMPSON
In 1841, Thomas (29) and Lucy (25), lived in West Haddon. Staying with them was Elizabeth Tompson (10) - actually 12 - who was Lucy's sister.

The Northampton Mercury of Saturday 13 April 1844, reported on the Northampton Borough Sessions of Tuesday 9 Apr 1844:

LUCY SMITH, wife of Thomas Smith, was indicted for stealing a quantity of ribbon, the property of Mr. T. S. Wright. Mr. Scriven appeared for the prosecution. Charles Goosey, one of Mr. Wright's assistants, saw the prisoner come in and out of the shop quite as many as twelve times on Saturday last. Some persons were looking at some ribbons, when the prisoner put her hand over the shoulders of the parties, took a piece of ribbon up, concealed it under her shawl, and ultimately put it in her basket. She had previously asked to be shown some net. Witness was engaged with a customer when she took the ribbon, and upon observing what had occurred, he went to the prisoner, and served her with some net, for which she tendered a shilling. Witness went under pretence of getting change and sent for a policeman, and she was given into custody. The ribbon was found in her basket.

Sessions House, Northampton
StJaBe, CC BY 3.0,
via Wikimedia Commons
Prisoner comes from West Haddon, and a Mrs. Hoole of that place, said she had an excellent character. Her sister, Mrs. Bottrill, a respectably dressed person, who cried bitterly, also said she had always borne a good character. The distress of her sister affected the prisoner who had hitherto exhibited no signs of emotion.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty.

There were two other indictments against her, one for stealing a pair of shoes, the property of Henry Freeman, and the other for stealing 14 yards of cotton print, the property of J. Phipps, both on the same day. At the suggestion, however, of the Recorder, no evidence was offered in either of these cases. After a feeling address, the Recorder sentenced the prisoner to Six Months' Imprisonment.

The Cast of Characters:
  1. Thomas Wright (35) was a Draper at Waterloo House, 21 Market Square, Northampton in 1841 and had a Charles Goosey (15), Draper's Apprentice, listed in his considerable household (employ) of 27 people.
  2. Mr. Thos. Scriven, of the Town of Northampton, Solicitor, according to the 1841 census, when he was aged 40, lived in St Giles Square.
  3. Mrs. Hoole: Ann Hoole, wife of Thomas Hoole, Brazier, in 1841 lived next door to Stephen and Mary Bottrill, of The Bell Inn, West Haddon.
  4. Henry Freeman (35), Shoemaker, in 1841, resided at Great Russell Street, Northampton. (Great Russell Street, Northampton, in 1974 waiting to be demolished.) Perhaps he sold his wares in the market?
  5. In 1841 there was a John Phipps (40), Draper, in Albion Place, Northampton and a John Phipps (15), Draper, in Gold Street, Northampton. We can assume it was one of these.
  6. The Recorder was N. R. Clarke, Esq., Sergeant-at-Law.
Presumably, Lucy will have served her sentence at the Northampton Borough Gaol and House of Correction, at that time located at Fish Lane (now Fish Street), Northampton. Built in 1792–4 this gaol and bridewell were erected to the south of the County Hall and held 120 prisoners. She was lucky that her punishment wasn't transportation, still very much in use at that time.

In 1851, we find them in Matildia Place, Foleshill, Warwickshire - literally 'Sent to Coventry', it would seem after Lucy's stint behind bars. Well, Thomas Smith was listed as James Smith (40) - this could be an error or it might be deliberate - Brickmaker and it's clearly Lucy Smith (36), birthplace Cransley, Northamptonshire. Listed with them was Lucy's older brother, Thomas Thompson (40), Carpenter and Ann Smith (9), born in West Haddon.

So far, I've found no further evidence of this family.

Thursday 2 November 2023

Stephen Botterill and Mary Thompson

The Graziers Arms in the early 20th century when the public house was run by Phipps Brewery. Image reproduced from the Phipps Archive by permission of Northamptonshire Archives.

Stephen Botterill (b. 1804) married Mary Thompson, daughter of Solomon Thompson Jnr and Maria Willis (and sister of my 3rd great grandfather, Daniel Thompson) on 2 Nov 1830 in her parish of Cransley, Northamptonshire. 

The only children of the marriage that I can find records for are: 

  1. Daniel Botterill, bap. 20 Dec 1831 in Cransley, Northamptonshire
  2. Alice Botterill, bap. 4 Mar 1838 at ScaldwellSt Peter and St Paul (Died, aged 18 and was buried on 7 Jun 1856 at West Haddon.)
  3. Stephen Bottrell (sic) b. Oct 1840, bap. 3 Apr 1844 in West Haddon
  4. Mary Ann Bottrell b. 1844 
Wesleyan Chapel in West Haddon. Image provided by West Haddon Local History Group
Being located by both Baptist and Methodist Chapels in the 1840s probably wasn't ideal and conducive to business, which might account for the move to The Graziers Arms. 

In 1841 Stephen Bottrill was a Publican in West Haddon. This will have been at The Bell Inn. A later article says, "The Bell Inn no longer exists at West Haddon, although the old thatched house, with its picturesque gables, which bore the title, still stands opposite the Wesleyan Chapel."

At that time, Solomon Thompson (b. 1802), brewer, was staying with the Botterills, while his own wife, Elizabeth (née York) and family are at their home in Cransley. Solomon Thompson (b. 1802), must be related to Mary Botterill. Quite handy having a brewer in the family when you run a pub!

Mary Bottrel (sic) (née Thompson) died in 1845. The death notice, which appeared in The Banbury Guardian of Thursday, February 27, 1845, read, "February 12, at West Haddon, Warwickshire, Mary, the wife of Mr. Stephen Bottrell, of the Bell Inn, aged 38; deeply lamented by all her friends." And in The Northampton Mercury, it adds that, "Her illness was short, but she bore it with great firmness and contentment." Whatever that means. 

Mary was buried at All Saints, West Haddon, on 18 Feb 1845. 

Graveyard, All Saints Church, West Haddon
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Tim Heaton - geograph.org.uk/p/2106752

On 24 July 1845, Stephen Botterell remarried, to Elizabeth Newton and the marriage appears to have taken place at Christ ChurchSt George in the East, London. In 1851, Stephen Botterill was listed as Victualler Farm of 140 Acres, with new wife Elizabeth (b. 1804), daughter Alice (13), son Stephen (10) and niece, Eliza Newton (9). Alice Botterill died, aged 18 and was buried on 7 Jun 1856 at All Saints, West Haddon. Elizabeth Botterill died, aged 55, and was buried on 26 Aug 1858, also at All Saints, West Haddon. 

The Banbury Guardian of 13 Sept 1849, reported that at the Daventry Petty Sessions, Stephen Botterell was charged with keeping his house open after 10pm and allowing gaming. On this occasion the case was dismissed.

In 1861, Stephen Bottard (sic), Widowed, was a Farmer Of 147 acres Employing 3 men & 3 boys.... Eliza Newton was still living in his household.

The Northampton Mercury of 5 Apr 1862 reported that William Blunsom, veterinary surgeon, was claiming the sum of £13. 17s. (£1,764.89 in 2021) from Stephen Botterill in the County Court. Then the London Gazette of 30 Nov 1867, reported that Stephen Botterill was declared bankrupt. 

There are several reports in the Northampton Mercury of Stephen Botterill being fined for 'Unjust measures': 15 Oct 1864 (2s + 18s costs), on 15 Feb 1868 (£4), 12 Sep 1868 (fined £5 for 4 quart jugs deficient in measure), and again on 13 Feb 1869 (£5), so it looks habitual. He blamed his bankruptcy on the 'badness of trade', but one has to wonder if poor judgement was as much, or perhaps more, to blame. Did it not occur to him these things might be linked? (Rhetorical question.) Nevertheless, Stephen Boterill was discharged from bankruptcy on 7 Feb 1868 (Northampton Mercury 28 March 1868). 

By 1871, however, Stephen Boterill (66), Widowed, was a farm labourer and lodger in the household of Thomas Bull, in West Haddon. Stephen Botterill died, aged 73, in 1878. He was buried on 8 Sep 1878 in West Haddon.

TRADE DIRECTORIES (Northampton Public Library)
  • 1847 Stephen Bottrel - The Bell Inn, farmer and victualler
  • 1849 Stephen Bottrel  - The Bell Inn, victualler
  • 1854 Stephen Bottrel - The Graziers Arms, victualler
  • 1861 Stephen Botterill - Beer retailer and farmer

The Graziers Arms from above. Image provided by West Haddon Local History Group

With gracious thanks to Wendy Raybould, Archivist at the West Haddon Local History Group for many of the photos; for identifying the names of the pubs that Stephen Botterill was associated with and pointers towards many other records of his life. See also her: A brief history of West Haddon (PDF)

Saturday 8 May 2021

William Naseby and Eliza Thompson

St. Andrew's Church, Cransley
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jonathan Thacker - geograph.org.uk/p/6663331

Eliza Naseby (née Thompson)
Reproduced from the
“Our Warwickshire” website

© Rugby Library
Reference: T, B NAS, img: 7688
My 3x great-grand aunt, Eliza Thompson, daughter of Solomon Thompson Jnr and Maria Willis, married William Naseby between April and June 1841 at her parish church of St Andrew's, Cransley, Northamptonshire. William Naseby, born in West Haddon, bap. 16 Apr 1815, was the son of William and Ann Naseby. 

They had a baker's dozen of children with Emma, William and Clara born in West Haddon and the rest born in Rugby: 

  1. Emma Naseby born 1842
  2. William Naseby born 1844
  3. Clara Ann Naseby born 1846
  4. James Naseby born 1848
    (died 1849, aged 1)
  5. Martha Naseby born 1850, bap. 2 Sep 1853 at Saint Andrew, Rugby
  6. Eliza Naseby born 1851, bap. 5 Dec 1851 at St Matthew's Church, Rugby
  7. Kate Ruth Naseby born 1853, bap 2 Sep 1853 at Saint Andrew, Rugby
  8. Maria Naseby born 1855 (died aged 2 days, buried 19 Oct 1855)
  9. Edith Naseby born 1857, bap. 9 Jun 1857 at Saint Andrew, Rugby (died 1859, aged 1)
  10. Owen William Thompson Naseby born 1859, bap. 3 May 1859 at Saint Andrew, Rugby, (died 1859 aged 0 and buried on 14 May 1859)
  11. Naomi Naseby born 1860
  12. Amy Maria Naseby born 1862
  13. Rebecca Naseby born 1865, bap. 9 Jan 1865 at Saint Andrew, Rugby

In 1841, newlyweds, William (20) and Eliza (17) were living in West Haddon. At least two of Eliza's sisters already lived in West Haddon, including Mary, wife of Stephen Botterill, then of The Bell Inn and the infamous Lucy Smith.

By 1851, William and Eliza had moved to Rugby, Warwickshire, with William (31) Ag Lab; Eliza (25); Emma (9), Clara A (5) and Martha (1).

In 1861, we find William Naseby (46) Fruiterer; with Eliza (37); Emma (18) and Martha (11), Eliza (9) and Kate (9) Scholars and Naomi (1). Clara A Naseby (15) was a pupil, boarding at an industrial school in Rugby under the care of matron, Mary Potton (50) widow. It says a lot about their thinking, as well as their standard of living, I think, that they felt the girls were worth educating.

In 1871, William Naseby (55) Gardener; Eliza (49); Eliza (19); Naomi (10); Amy M (8) and Rebecca (6). Visiting was Eliza's brother, William Thompson (47). 

In 1881, in Hillmorton Road, Rugby, there are just William Naseby (65) Market Gardener; Eliza (60) and John Brand (16) Garden Labourer.

In 1891, William Naseby (75) Market Gardener; Eliza (67) and her brother, William Thompson (64) listed as a Gardener Domestic Servant.

In 1901, William Naseby (85) Market Gardener and Eliza (77).

William Naseby
Reproduced from the
“Our Warwickshire” website

© Rugby Library
Reference: T, B NAS, img: 7687
From Our Warwickshire:

"William Naseby, green-grocer and market gardener, born in West Haddon in 1818 (sic), lived with his wife at Naseby Cottage, Hillmorton Road 1854-1905. Worked a large market garden on land developed by the Land Society, which became known as the "Naseby Estate". Lived for three years in a Lawrence Sheriff Almshouse prior to his death at 91 in 1907."

William Naseby died in Rugby in 1907, he was indeed 91. Eliza Naseby (née Thompson) died the following year, in 1908, aged 84.   

Post card of Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses in Church St Rugby ca. 1900s
Reproduced from the “Our Warwickshire” website under Creative Commons Licence CC BY NC
© Warwickshire County Record office: PH352/152/128

Sunday 4 April 2021

Benjamin Thompson and Mary Ann Bottrell

The Spotted Cow (closed)
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen Craven - geograph.org.uk/p/2331664

Benjamin Thompson, son of Daniel Thompson and Mary Adcock, married Mary Ann Bottrell, daughter of Stephen Bottrell and Mary Thompson, in 1866, at Christ Church, Watney StreetSt George in the East. Benjamin's sister, Sarah Elizabeth Thompson, had already married Mary Ann's brother, Daniel Botterill. Both sibling pairs, therefore, married their first cousins.

In 1861, Benjamin (19), bricklayer, had been living with his aunt and uncle, John and Maria Blackett, in St George in the East

By 1871, Benjamin Tompson (29) Master Builder and wife Mary were living at 299 Cable Street. (Benjamin's brother Dan and his wife Mary Ann Green were living at that same address two years later, when their first child, Eliza Louisa was born there.) One wonders if 299 was a boarding house?

Then in 1879, Benjamin Thompson was listed as the incoming licensee at the Victoria, 46 Three Colt street, Limehouse E14. He should be there at the time of the 1881 census. He was still there in 1882 and 1884. 


Records suggest that Benjamin and Mary had five children:
  1. Daniel Tompson born 1872
  2. Benjamin Adcock Tompson born 1874
  3. Sarah Tompson born 1879
  4. Thomas Tompson born 1883
  5. Mary Tompson born 1887
Benjamin Tompson died in 1890, aged 48. The probate record states, 5 February: The Will of Benjamin Tompson of the "Victoria" Tavern, Three Colt Street, Limehouse in the County of Middlesex, but late of the "Spotted Cow", Hither Green Lane, Lewisham in the County of Kent, Licenced Victualler, who died 6 February 1890 at the "Spotted Cow", was proved at the Principal Registry by Mary Tompson of the "Spotted Cow" Widow of the Relict and John Soppit of the "Railway" Tavern, Shortlands in the County of the Kent, Licensed Victualler the Executors. He left £1,140 17s 10d.

In 1891, Mary Tompson (46), widow, had become the Licenced Victualler of the Spotted Cow, Hither Green Lane, Lewisham. Living with her were her son, Daniel (19) Manager Public House; Benjamin (17), Cabinet Maker's Apprentice; daughter Mary (3); her niece Sarah Tompson (Dan Tompson's daughter), as well as a Sarah A Bunting (24), General Servant.

By 1901, Mary Tompson (55) was living at 44, Ringstead Road, Lewisham. With her were Benjamin Tompson (27), who had become an upholsterer; Thomas Tompson (17), Warehouseman; Mary Tompson (13), Sybil Thompson (2), granddaughter, and Ellen Guymer (20), General Domestic Servant.

Mary Tompson died, aged 58, in Lewisham, in 1903.

Sunday 6 December 2020

Daniel Botterill and Sarah Elizabeth Thompson

The "skull & crossbones" entrance to St. Nicholas' Church, Deptford Green Photo © Mike Quinn (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Daniel Botterill (bap. 20 Dec 1831), son of Stephen Botterill and Mary Thompson, married Sarah Elizabeth Thompson (bap. 15 Dec 1833), daughter of Daniel Thompson and Mary Adcock, at Christ Church Watney Street, St George in the East in 1856. Mary Botterill (née Thompson) - Daniel Botterill's mother - was the elder sister of Daniel Thompson - Sarah Elizabeth Thompson's father. Daniel and Sarah were, therefore, 1st Cousins.

Daniel and Sarah had five children: 
  1. Dan Stephen Thompson Botterill, born 1857, baptised at West Haddon, Northamptonshire on 13 Sep 1857. Birth registered in Greenwich. 
  2. Benjamin Adcock Botterill was also baptised at West Haddon, on 6 May 1861. (Died in the 2nd quarter of 1862, aged 1.)
  3. John Benjamin Botterill (b. 25 Aug 1864) was baptised on 27 Jan 1867 at Saint Nicholas, Deptford.
  4. Elizabeth Cox Botterill (b. 1867) was also baptised on 27 Jan 1867 at Saint Nicholas, Deptford. (She died in 1871, aged 4 years.)
  5. Mary Louisa Adcock Botterill (b. 19 Apr 1870) was baptised at Saint Nicholas, Deptford on 8 May 1870. (Died 1947, see below.)
In 1841, Daniel Botterill (10) was living with his parents in West Haddon, Northamptonshire, with his father, Stephen, then listed as a Publican.

Flagon Row 1880
In 1861, Daniel was living at 3, Wellington Street (formerly Flagon Row), St Nicholas, Deptford, listed as a "Boiler Maker Tobaconist" - between a Butcher and a Shoe Shop on one side and a Baker, a Greengrocer, a Chemist and a Clothes Dealer on the other. Emma Thompson (16) was listed as a Servant in his household, while his wife, Sarah, was visiting her brother George and their widowed mother, in Northamptonshire, along with sons Daniel (4) and Benjamin (0).

A report in The Era of 17 Nov 1867 lists the transfer of the licence for The White Hart, Deptford Green to Daniel Botterill. Situated at 33 Deptford Green, the pub closed c.1896 and has now been demolished. We find Daniel and Sarah Botterill there in 1869 and again on the 1871 census, where Daniel Botterill (39) is listed as a Licensed Victualler and living with him are his wife, Sarah E (37), sons; Daniel Stephen (14) and John (6), daughters; Elizabeth (4) and Mary (0), as well as Sarah's sister, Louisa Thompson (26), listed as "Barmaid" and Sarah's widowed mother, Mary Thompson (61). 

(1) Houses In Old Flagon Row, North Side (2) Corner of Flagon Row (3) Deptford Green c.1897

In 1874, D Botterill was listed as the licencee of The Old Centurion Pub on Deptford Broadway. Given the two following reports in the newspapers of the time, it would seem that this was probably a pretty rough establishment. 
Kentish Mercury 9 May 1874
STEALING A DRINKING GLASS
Jane Bartlett, about 70 years of age, a hawker, residing in Hales Street, Deptford, was charged with stealing a drinking glass, value 6½d., the property of Daniel Botterill, landlord of The Centurion, public house, Deptford Broadway. It appeared from the evidence of the barman that the prisoner came into the house on the previous evening, and remained there some time drinking with a navvy. After he had gone witness saw the prisoner place the glass under her arm, and upon speaking to her about it she dropped it. The prisoner, who denied any intention of stealing the glass, was sent to Maidstone gaol for seven days.

Kentish Mercury 6 Mar 1875
KICKING A LICENSED VICTUALLER
James Chapman, of Wood's lodging-house, Mill Lane, Deptford, was charged with being drunk, and assaulting the landlord of the Centurion public house, Deptford Broadway. Daniel Botterill, the landlord, said the prisoner came into his house on Saturday night and annoyed the customers. He was ejected, but got in again, and commenced another row. Witness put him outside, when the prisoner ran at him, and kicked him several times. Mr. Patterson sentenced the prisoner to 14 days' hard labour, refusing his application for the imposition of a fine. 

The Old Centurion Pub closed in 2004 and was converted into flats. 

(Top left) The White Hart, Deptford Green, (Top right) The Old Centurion Pub on Deptford Boadway, (Bottom left) Clock House, Leather Lane, (Bottom right) Holly Tree Arms, Lewisham

On the 1881 census and in 1882, Daniel Botterill was listed as landlord of the Clock House (formerly Coach & Horses), in Leather Lane, Holborn. Sarah's sister, Louisa, who married John Soppit in 1875, was living there, but Sarah was not on census day. Instead, she was lodging in the household of John Snell, a Lodging House Keeper, in Torquay in Devon. The transcription of that record describes her as "Sister to wife". That doesn't make sense and I believe the original actually says "Licensed Victualler's Wife" which is what she was. Was this a relative, a business contact, a holiday or perhaps a health break?

By 1891, the Botterills were back south of the river at the Holly Tree Arms, then in Holly Tree Terrace, between Hither Green and Lewisham. Staying there at that time were Daniel (59), Licensed Victualler, wife Sarah E (57), daughter Mary L (20), grandson John (11), granddaughter Alice (6), Alice J Pretty (28) Domestic Servant General, niece Catherine S Soppett (15), Edmund Allen (16) Pot Boy and Catherine Hancock (59) Laundress. 

A report in the Woolwich Gazette on 16 Feb 1894, showed Daniel Botterill as the outgoing licensee in the transfer of the licence of the Holly Tree.

Given they only seem to stay in one place for a couple of years at a time, there may well be even more pubs in the years between these various records. 

In 1901, Sarah, 'Wife of occupier (away)', is living at 49, Wisteria Road, Lewisham along with daughter Mary L A (30) a Teacher of Dressmaking and grandson John (21) a Sign Writer, while Daniel Botterill (69), "Living on own means", was away in the household of his son, John Benjamin Botterill, in Croydon, where Daniel was listed as a 'Widower'. Clearly he wasn't. 

Daniel Botterill died, aged 76, on 12 Feb 1908. 

Sarah died just a month later, on 11 Mar 1908, aged 74. The probate record shows that she left £2449 1s 3d (almost £300,000 today) to her three children. 

In 1911, Mary L A Botterill (40) was living at 49 Wisteria Road, Lewisham. Living with her was her nephew, John Botterill (31) Sign Writer.

In 1921, Mary L A Botterill was living at 69 Old Road, Lee, Lewisham. Her nephew, John Botterill (41) Sign Writer was still living with her, as well as an Evelyn L R Wadsworth (54) Working Companion, Boarder.

In 1939, and still living at 69 Old Road, Lee, Lewisham, were Mary L A Botterill and with her this time, Lucy E N Wadsworth (b. 1 Apr 1917). 

If you were looking for a happy ending to this story, sadly you aren't going to find it here. The Probate record for Mary Louisa Adcock Botterill, who had obviously never married, shows that at the time of her death on 4 Feb 1947, she was a resident at Leavesden Hospital (The Imbeciles Asylum). Leavesden Hospital was a mental health facility, which was called Leavesden Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles when it opened. Mary Louisa Adcock Botterill was buried, on 11 Feb 1947, along with her parents and bother.