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

Showing posts with label Woolwich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Woolwich. Show all posts

Wednesday 4 October 2023

William Joseph Buzzacott and Martha Wykes

St. Paul's Church, Deptford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Quinn - geograph.org.uk/p/1498616

William Joseph Buzzacott (b. 1853 in Greenwich), son of William Phillips Buzzacott and Elizabeth Edwards, married Martha Wykes (b. 1853) daughter of William Wykes and Elizabeth Thompson, in Woolwich, London, in 1872.

In 1861, William (8) was living with his grandparents in Broomfield Place, Deptford, while his parents William Buzzacott (31) Blacksmith and Elizabeth (30) from Ireland, were living at 4, Wellington Street, Greenwich East.

In 1871, William Buzzacott (18) Boiler Smith, along with his father William Buzzacott, Engine Smith and mother Elizabeth Buzzacott, were living in the household of Alexander Buzzacott (82) - William Jnr's grandfather - from Devon, in Hamilton Street, St Paul, Greenwich [Deptford]. 

William Phillips Buzzacott and Elizabeth Edwards had married, in Lewisham, in 1849. William Phillips Buzzacott b. 10 Aug 1829, had been baptised, in Deptford, on 30 Aug 1829, the son of Alexander Buzzacott and Sarah Stanley, who, in turn had married on 4 Sep 1817 in Lee, Kent. Alexander Buzzacott had been baptised in Honiton on Otter (Honiton, Devon) on 25 Dec 1789, and was the son of Julius Buzzacott and Agnes Phillips, who, in turn, had married on 20 Nov 1785 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton, Devon.

In 1881, Martha Buzzacott was staying with her mother, Elizabeth Wykes, at 249, Evelyn Street, St Paul Deptford. Her husband was not listed.

William and Martha's daughter, Maud Elizabeth Buzzacott was b. 23 Jun 1885 in South Africa and bap. on 8 May 1892 at St Paul's, Deptford

In 1891, Martha Buzzacott (38) and Maude Buzzacott (4), were visitors in the household of Ernest J Burch (32) at 20, Evelyn Street, St Paul Deptford, whose wife Elizabeth Burch (30) was Martha's younger sister. Again, William Joseph Buzzacott is not listed, even though Martha is listed as married.

I've found no further records for William Joseph Buzzacott and can only surmise from the birthplace of their daughter, that he remained, and died, in South Africa. There is a declaration by Martha O'Toole dated 17 Jun 1895, which I think is regarding this, but it's written in Afrikaans.

Martha Buzzacott, widow, married John O'Toole, bachelor, born in Ireland, on 15 Jan 1895, in Boksburg, Heidelberg, Transvaal, South Africa.

In 1901, Martha was once again a visitor in her sister Elizabeth Burch's household in Deptford, listed as Martha O'Toole (48). 

John O'Toole, Carpenter, died at 54, on 12 Aug 1904, at 13 Station Street, Woodstock, Cape Town and was buried at Maitland Cemetery on 14 Aug 1904. The informant, present at his death, was John Wardrop. 

Martha O'Toole married John Wardrop on 20 Jul 1909 in Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa. John Wardrop, Harness Maker, of 33 Warwick Street, Woodstock, South Africa, born in Scotland, died on 16 Dec 1918, aged 62.

Martha Wykes Wardrop died at 91 on 7 Aug 1944 at Pinelandsa South African Garden City. She is buried in Maitland Cemetery. The record of her death lists her as a Widow and that John Wardrop was her 'last husband'.

(Maud Elizabeth Buzzacott married Woldemar Ludig in Pancras, London in 1912. However, tragically, she died at 28 in 1913 D Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1044, having given birth to twin girls on 13 Oct 1913: Florence Julia Ludig and Lilian Martha Ludig (1913 D Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 1841). In 1921, Woldemar Ludwig (sic) from Pernau (Pärnu), Estonia was living in the household of Gordon Wycliffe Noakes and his wife, born Florence Emma Burch, daughter of Ernest James Burch and Elizabeth Wykes. Elizabeth being his mother-in-law, Martha's sister, Florence Emma was his late wife's cousin. Woldemar Ludig remarried to Florence Noakes, who was Gordon's sister, in 1922. They had a son, Valedemar Ludig in 1923. Florence Julia Ludig married Norman C Lovell in 1936.)

Friday 12 August 2022

Charles Hockley, 10th Hussars

Royal Arsenal Gatehouse
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/6020048

Charles Hockley (23) Groom from Great Dunmow, Essex, son of George Hockley and Eliza Crow, enlisted in the 20th Hussars at London, on 2 Jul 1877. At that time being 5ft 6in, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He transferred to the 10th Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) on 31 Oct 1879, which ultimately meant he saw action at the Battle of El Teb, 29 Feb 1884 (First and Second Battles of El Teb) during the Mahdist War in what was then Mahdist Sudan. This action earned him the Sudan Medal 1884 (Egypt Medal) with clasp El Teb, as well as a Khedive Star 1884.

From 11 Dec 1879 to 18 Feb 1884, Charles had been in the East Indies, first in Rawalpindi and then Mian Mir: "The four-week march was arduous and hampered by lack of healthy camels. They had to cross the rivers Jhelum and Chenab, and camped several days at Shaddera near Lahore." In November, they were ordered to re-locate again, to Lucknow, where the 10th were located near the ruined Dilkusha Palace. "There was a large European population at Lucknow during the cooler months so that a good social life was enjoyed." [Source] And in Nov 1881, in Lucknow, Charles was treated for a dose of that well-known soldiers' "recreational hazard", Gonorrhea.

The 10th travelled to Sudan aboard HMS Jumna 1884 and disembarked on 19 Feb 1884, where Charles' record locates him until 21 Apr 1884.

Amongst sprains and dislocations, Charles also suffered Jaundice in 1879, ague (malaria or another illness involving fever and shivering) on no less than four occasions in 1880 and 1881 and Dysentery while in Suakin in 1884.

Charles' next of kin is listed as his mother, Eliza Bloomfield at Glengall Road, Poplar - the address of her eldest son, William Hockley (born Crow).

After leaving the army in 1885, in 1891, Charles Hockley (35) from Great Dunmow, was working as a Valet and residing in Arlington Road, St Pancras, London, an area where several of his sisters had also lived and worked.

In 1901, Charles Hockley (46) from Great Dunmow, Essex was a Boarder in the household of Robert Bailey a Cadet servant (military academy) at 10, James Street, Woolwich, London. Charles was working as an Arsenal labourer (Royal Arsenal, Woolwich). Robert Bailey, from Huddersfiled, Yorkshire had served, from 1867 to 1888, in the 109th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Infantry). They may have met in India, or at least had that in common.

Charles Hockley died, at 50, in 1904 in the London Borough of Southwark.