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

Showing posts with label Woodford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Woodford. Show all posts

Saturday 6 January 2024

Thomas Bradley and Sarah Garton

St Mary, Chigwell
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4177347

Thomas Bradley married Sarah Garton on 6 Jan 1789 in Woodford, presumably at the ancient parish church of St Mary's, Woodford (since rebuilt). The earliest ancestors in this branch, records suggest Thomas was born in 1766 and Sarah in 1767. There's a Sarah Garton, bap. 18 Feb 1770, daughter of John and Elizabeth Garton, in Woodford who could relate. 

Thomas and Sarah had at least eight children:
  1. Henry Bradley bap. 1 Nov 1789 in Woodford
  2. Sarah Bradley bap. 22 Apr 1792 at St Mary, Chigwell
  3. Elizabeth Bradley bap. 19 Oct 1794 in Chigwell
  4. Catherine Bradley bap. 31 Jul 1796 in Chigwell
  5. Elizabeth Bradley bap. 8 Mar 1799 in Chigwell
  6. UNNAMED Bradley bap. 27 Jun 1802 in Chigwell
  7. Mary Bradley bap. 5 Feb 1804 in Chigwell
  8. John Bradley b. 15 May 1809, bap. 30 Jul 1809 in Chigwell
The first Elizabeth, b. 1794, likely died, hence naming another child Elizabeth in 1799. The 1802 child was presumably baptised posthumously.

Thomas Bradley died, aged 48, and was buried on 20 Feb 1814 in Chigwell.

Sarah Bradley died, aged 79, and was buried there on 15 Nov 1846.

Tuesday 28 November 2023

Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Bass

St Mary, High Road, South Woodford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2975293

Robert Fuller married Elizabeth Bass on 28 Nov 1807 at St Mary's Church, Woodford. It should be noted however that, as the current church was built in 1816, their marriage will have taken place in the previous medieval church that had stood in this location. They may have seen this building going up. 

Seven children of this couple were baptised in Woodford, Essex:

  1. Elizabeth Fuller bap. 30 Apr 1809
  2. Robert Fuller bap. 23 Jun 1811
  3. Mary Fuller born 25 Feb 1814, bap. 20 Mar 1814
  4. Sarah Fuller bap. 1 Sep 1816
  5. John Fuller bap. 17 Oct 1819
  6. Eliza Ann bap. 21 Jul 1822
  7. Ann Fuller bap. 31 Oct 1824
In 1841, Robert Fuller (50) Ag Lab, Elizabeth Fuller (50) and their two youngest daughters, Eliza (15) and Ann (15) - as with all 1841 entries, ages very rounded - were listed as living at Winn BridgeWoodford, West Ham.
Winn Bridge. This is where a stream – the Wynn Brook – joins the Roding. The bridge was passed to the Middlesex and Essex turnpike trust, and then the county in 1872.

Robert Fuller died, aged 60, and was buried in Woodford on 22 Feb 1846.

Elizabeth Fuller died, aged 65, and was buried on 12 Jan 1851. 

These are the earliest ancestors [so far] in this branch. Both Robert and Elizabeth were born around 1786, but I've not been able to identify baptisms for either of them. There are also potentially two further children, but I'm not convinced enough that they belong to this family to include them. Being younger (only 10 and 12), they would have been on that census too - unless they had died as infants and I've not found deaths or burials to confirm that - and, in any case, the naming pattern does not seem right for the family.

Monday 9 October 2023

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, son of Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Ann Bradley, married Maria Phillips, the daughter of Isaac Phillips and Caroline Elizabeth Taylor on 9 Oct 1859 in Woodford. James' grandparents, Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Bass, married in the previous, medieval, incarnation of this church, but this time will have taken place in the building, from 1816, that stands today.

James and Maria had 9 children, baptised in RainhamSt 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 was a 10th child, Ellen Fuller, born 1867, attributed to this family. However, checking the GRO entry, the mother's maiden name is listed as WHITTAM. That child's baptism, on 8 Dec 1867, in Upminster, lists the mother's first name - Eliza. There was a marriage of a James Fuller to an Eliza Witham, in South Weald, in 1855. Most likely, these were the unfortunate Ellen's parents. This child died, aged 1, in 1868 and was buried on 11 Oct 1868 at St Helen and St Giles, Rainham. So she isn't one of ours.]

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.

James Fuller died, aged 76, in 1911.

Maria Fuller died in 1919, aged 81.

Tuesday 12 September 2023

Henry Bradley, Mary Chapman and Mary Thompson

Ye Olde King's Head, Chigwell
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen McKay - geograph.org.uk/p/7349355
The main part of this set of buildings is the Olde Kings Head, a former coaching inn on Chigwell's High Road opposite the church. It is grade II* listed and probably dates from the 17th century, although some sources give a very specific date of 1547. Closer to the camera are the grade II listed King's Head Cottages built in the 18th century. The inn is said to have been the model for the Maypole in Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge.

Henry Bradley, son of  Thomas Bradley and Sarah Garton, had married Mary Chapman, in Chigwell, on 19 May 1810, but that Mary Bradley, aged 22, was buried, also in Chigwell, on 2 Aug 1812. Henry Bradley, widowed, then remarried, again at St Mary's Church, Chigwell, on 12 Sep 1813 to Mary Thompson. At least he wasn't going to get their names confused!

Henry Bradley and Mary Thompson had at least eight children:
  1. Elizabeth Ann Bradley born 29 Oct 1814, bap. 20 Nov 1814 at St Mary the Virgin, Woodford
  2. Sarah Anne Bradley bap. 29 Apr 1816 at St Mary the Virgin, Woodford
  3. Thomas Bradley bap. 22 Jun 1817. A note on this baptism record says, "Whilst St Mary Woodford Was Being Repaired, The Ceremony Of Baptism Was Performed At St Mary Wanstead."
  4. Ann Bradley bap. 20 Sep 1818 (presumably didn't survive)
  5. Ann Bradley bap. 30 Jan 1820
  6. James Bradley bap. 2 May 1824
  7. Henry Bradley bap. 8 Jan 1826
  8. Eliza Bradley bap. 13 Apr 1828
The baptism records all list Henry's occupation and Labourer and several of them also list the family's residence as Grange Hill, Chigwell, Woodford.

In 1841, address listed as Grange Hill, Chigwell, Epping, were Henry Bradley (50) Ag Lab, Mary (45), James (15), Henry (15) and Elizabeth (14) - Eliza?

In 1851, Henry Bradley (63) Ag Lab, birthplace Woodford Bridge and Mary Bradley (54) born in Takeley, Essex, were living at King William, Chigwell Horse Lane, Epping. I'm sure Chigwell Horse Lane became Chigwell Road / High Road and wonder if the previous name was to distinguish it from other lanes that weren't even fit for horses? All joking aside, meaning the main thoroughfare that passes coaching inns, such as the King's Head.

Mary Bradley died, aged 65, and was buried on 29 Jan 1860 in Chigwell.

Henry Bradley died, aged 74, and was buried on 30 Mar 1862.

Thursday 10 August 2023

Joshua Barton, 1886 & 1888, Uncle and Nephew

The India Gate War Memorial, New Delhi, India
Photo: Vikram Siingh Via Pixabay

While unpicking the two families of these two brothers who married two sisters: Thomas Barton and Elizabeth Ann Fuller and Peter Barton and Annie Fuller, inevitably, I encountered Thomas and Elizabeth Ann's youngest son, Joshua Barton, who was born in 1886, to whose record at FamilySearch, someone had attached records of a birth in 1888, merely stating the reason for doing so was "Correct Information", but offering no justification for why they believed this to be so. This is the genealogical equivalent of a red rag to a bull, because that cannot be right, so I sought to solve the puzzle ...

These records belong to two different people, as the evidence will show.

Joshua Barton, son of Thomas Barton and Elizabeth Ann Fuller, was born in 1886 S Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 262, mother's maiden name FULLER and was baptised on 3 Jul 1886 at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge, clearly naming his parents as Thomas and Elizabeth Ann Barton.

As we can see, therefore, this child was already registered in 1886, so there'd be no need to register him in 1888. There's also a limit on the time allowed to register births, currently 42 days, which is a legal requirement. If someone had 'forgotten', they'd be far more likely to just not bother at all than to turn up two years later. The person who attached the 1888 record obviously missed the correct 1886 registration and, of course, if they ordered the birth certificate on the basis of the later one, they've got the wrong one.

Joshua Barton (b. 1886) was in the household of his parents in Lower Road, Woodford, aged 4, in 1891; in Oxford Terrace, Chigwell Road, Woodford at 14 in 1901 and, at 24, with his widowed father, in Woodford, in 1911.

By 16 Jun 1915, Joshua Barton had emigrated to Australia, because that's the date given for his marriage to Mary Birch in Queensland. Interesting in itself, because they were 2nd Cousins. Joshua Barton's paternal grandmother was Ann Birch (1812-1885) while Mary Birch was the granddaughter of Ann's brother, James Birch (1815-1879). One imagines an opportunity was offered by family in Australia and he then met and fell in love with his cousin. 

Joshua Barton died on 16 May 1968 and was buried at Caboolture Cemetery, Caboolture, Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia. His widow, Mary Barton, d. 26 Jun 1989, is buried with him.

So, that just leaves us with the 1888 birth registration ... 

If it doesn't belong to this Joshua Barton, who does it belong to? The short answer is, his nephew.

Joshua Barton's older sister, Ann Jane Barton (b. 1864), had an illegitimate son in 1886 and then gave birth to a second illegitimate son, you guessed it, registered as Joshua Barton in 1888 S Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 268. There's no mother's maiden name on this registration, indicating an illegitimate birth (which should have been clue alone that it did not relate to the legitimate 1886 birth.) And this child was baptised, as Joshua Barton, on 13 Dec 1888 at Holy Trinity, Hermon Hill, South Woodford. The record clearly notes that he was the child of Annie Barton, Single Woman.

Charles Edward Puffett and Ann Jane Barton married on 9 Jun 1890 in Woodford and from then, Joshua (b. 1888) used his father's surname.

Didn't find the family in 1891, but in in 1901, Joshua Puffett (13) was living with his parents at 33 Oxford Terrace, Chigwell Road, Woodford. Yes, in the same row, at the same time, as his 14 year old uncle, Joshua Barton

The Eastern Mercury of 29 Dec 1903 carried a story which began, "At Stratford [Petty Sessions] on Saturday, Joshua Puffett, 15, of 17, Oxford-terrace, and William Bass, 16, a private of the 2nd Essex Regiment, was charged with being disorderly and assaulting the police." Subsequent reports specify that it was Bass who was charged with assaulting PC Sharp, but before you sigh with relief, my 4x great-grandmother, Joshua Puffett's 2x great-grandmother, was Elizabeth Bass. Undoubtedly cousins too.

The Woodford Times of 25 Sep 1908 then informs us that, "At the Stratford Petty Sessions on Thursday, 17th, Joshua Puffett, 20, hawker of Oxford Terrace, Chigwell Road, Woodford, was charged with having in his possession a dog, a leather collar ..." It seems, quelle surprise, the items were stolen.

Coincidentally - or maybe not: could he have been "encouraged" to join up as an alternative to a custodial sentence - it was in 1908 that Joshua Puffett (20) of Woodford, Essex, joined the 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.

In 1911, Joshua Puffett (22) was with his regiment in Neemuch, India. 

By Aug 1914 the 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry were in Nowshera, India (which is now in Pakistan.) Research carried out by Adrian Lee and Redbridge Museum reveals that "On 16th September 1916 he [Puffett] was admitted to hospital suffering from Malaria, but on 23rd September 1916 he underwent an operation for an appendicitis. Unfortunately he died from the effects of this condition on 26th September 1916." Joshua was buried on 27 Sep 1916, with his cause of death listed as Apendicitis and Malaria. 

His grave, with the others in Nowshera Military Cemetery is one which the Commonwealth War Graves Commission can no longer maintain, so he's formally remembered on the Delhi Memorial (India Gate).

J Puffett is also listed on the WW1 Board at Holy Trinity Church, South Woodford, the church where he was baptised (as Joshua Barton).

NB: If you think I'm being unfair by making an example of this, consider: the person who attached the wrong birth record, quite likely, has the wrong birth certificate. They may have looked at the 'wrong' information on it, then in their mind made it fit the circumstances and, lo and behold, another family myth will be born. They'll have seen that the mother was Annie and accepted this as Elizabeth's second name was Ann; as to the father's name being absent from the certificate, goodness knows whether they'll have 'separated' the couple, put the poor man in prison ... This isn't helpful and is particularly unfair to the memory of the human beings whose lives have been 'altered' (confused) in the error. Also, sadly, I find examples of this every day where people have grasped the first result found, then justified to themselves why it's the right one, clearly without looking for corroborative evidence. My experience is people then tend to resist accepting the facts over the myths they've so carefully crafted and can be hostile. Better then just to present the evidence. 

Sunday 9 April 2023

Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Ann Bradley

St Mary the Virgin, Chigwell
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Bikeboy - geograph.org.uk/p/4190925

Robert Fuller (bap. 23 Jun 1811 in Woodford, Essex), son of Robert Fuller and Elizabeth Bass, married Elizabeth Ann Bradley (b. 29 Oct 1814 in Woodford), daughter of Henry Bradley and Mary Thompson, on 9 Apr 1832, at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Chigwell, Essex. 

Robert and Elizabeth Ann had a dozen children: 
  1. Eliza Fuller b. 1832 (only mentioned on 1841 census)
  2. James William Fuller bap. 16 Mar 1834 in Chigwell
  3. Ann Fuller b. 1837 (died, aged 10 and buried on 14 Feb 1847)
  4. Emily Fuller bap. 7 Apr 1839 at St Mary the Virgin, Woodford
  5. Samuel Thomas Fuller b. 1841, bap. 25 Jul 1841, in Woodford
  6. Elizabeth Ann Fuller b. 1843, bap. 8 Oct 1843, in Woodford
  7. William Robert Fuller b. 1845, bap. 21 Dec 1845, in Woodford
  8. Robert Fuller bap. 19 Mar 1848 in Chigwell
  9. George Fuller bap. 19 Jan 1851 at St Mary the Virgin, Woodford
  10. Anne Fuller b. 1853, bap. (as Annie) on 23 Jan 1853, in Woodford
  11. Jane Ann Fuller b. 1855, bap. 1 Apr 1855 at Woodford Bridge
     (died, aged 5, and buried on 11 May 1860)
  12. Mary Ann Fuller bap. 12 Sep 1858 (as Maryann) in Woodford
In 1841, living at Woodford Bridge Flant, were Robert Fuller (25) Ag Lab, Elizabeth (25), Eliza (9), James (7), Ann (4) and Emily (2).

In 1851, at Winn Bridge, Woodford, West Ham, we find Robert Fuller (39) Ag Lab, Elizabeth (36), James Fuller (17) Ag Lab, Emma (Emily?) (12), Samuel (9), Elizabeth (7), William (5), Robert (3) and George (0).

In 1871, in Woodford Bridge, West Ham, were Robert Fuller (59), Elizabeth Ann (56), George (20), Ann (18), Mary Ann (12) and Emily Eliza (2). Emily Eliza was listed on that census as a "Daughter" of the head of the household, but her birth certificate clearly shows that her mother was Annie Fuller, then of Nightingale Place, Wanstead. No father's name is listed, so it's obvious she was an illegitimate child, being brought up by the grandparents. 

By 1881, they had moved to 1 Essex Cottages, Maynard RoadWalthamstow. Robert Fuller (70) still an Agricultural Labourer, Elizabeth Fuller (66) Laundress, Mary Ann (22), Ada Fuller (9) Granddaughter (this will be Annie's second illegitimate daughter) and Charles Berwick (23) Boarder. 

Robert Fuller died in 1882, aged 72.

In 1891, widow, Elizabeth Ann Fuller (78) Retired Laundress, was living alone at 13 Brunswick Street, Walthamstow. (Although, separately, there appear to be two other households also living at the same address.)

Elizabeth Ann Fuller died in West Ham in 1898, aged 84.