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| All Saints, Newby Place, Poplar - East end cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2636648 |
John Hartley (b. 1846), son of John Hartley and Mary Blundell, married Anna Rookley, youngest daughter of John Rookley and Mary Ayres, in Poplar, London in Q2 of 1869, the most likely venue being All Saints Church, Poplar.
Records suggest that John and Anna had four children:
- Arthur John Hartley b. 1869, died aged 0. Death registered 1869 D Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 595. The birth didn't show up until the next quarter, 1870 M Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 839.
- Walter James Hartley b. 1872 J Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 435. Died in 1891, aged 18, in West Ham.
- Elias John Hartley b. 1873 D Quarter in SOUTH SHIELDS Volume 10A Page 795
- Alice Anna Hartley b. 1878 M Quarter in PEMBROKE Volume 11A Page 870
In 1871, John Hartley (25) from Middlesex, England and Anna Hartley (25) from Devon, England, were lodging at Charlton Place, St Mary, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
In 1881, John Hartley (35) Engine Fitter from Bow, London, wife Anna (36) from Devon and daughter Alice A (4) born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, were living at 4, Edward Street, West Ham, London. Meanwhile, we find Walter Hartley (8) from Portsmouth and John Hartley (7) from Wales (clearly confused the children's birthplaces) visiting their aunt and uncle, James and Thomasin Ridgeway (Anna's sister), in Devon. This census is the only clue we have to John Hartley's occupation, which could explain the nomadic lifestyle and the assorted locations for the children's births. Each of those locations have ports, so he could be fitting engines to boats (or equally the railway, or in industry.)
Walter James Hartley died 1891 M Quarter in WEST HAM Vol 04A Pg 34.
None of the family appear to be listed anywhere on the 1891 census.
John Hartley died, aged just 48, in 1895 M Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 87. And in the same quarter of the same year, their 16-17 year old daughter, Alice Anna Hartley married John Watson Bell, in Poplar.
In 1901, Anna Hartley (55) from Kentisbeare, Devon, listed as married rather than widowed, was living in the household of her now married daughter and son-in-law in Terrace Road, Plaistow (West Ham): John W Bell (32) Shipping Clerk, Alice Bell (23), Alice (5), Grace (4), John (2) and Beatrice (0).
In 1911, John Watson Bruce Bell (40), who was born in Canada, had become a Wharfinger, the keeper or owner of a wharf - today a wharfinger is usually called a "harbourmaster" - living with wife Alice Anna Bell (34), daughter Alice Anna Bell (15) who has become a Shorthand Typist; Grace Bell (14), Beatrice May Bell (10) and Effie Bell (5). Meanwhile, Jack Hartley (38) - Elias John - born in Newcastle, Durham a Shop Worker, was a boarder in Plaistow. There is no sign of Anna Hartley, who may have died or could have remarried.
