Family Stories
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Sunday, 2 February 2025

Joseph How and Mary How

St Peter's Church, Exton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Lord - geograph.org.uk/p/3608275

Joseph How (b. 1781 in Dulverton, Somerset) married Mary How (b. 1779 in Exton, Somerset) at St Peter's Church, Exton on 2 Feb 1807. Most likely the couple were cousins, but it hasn't been possible to find baptism records to confirm exactly how they were related. And undoubtedly still keeping it in the family, the witnesses to this marriage were John How and Jane How.

There are records for seven children of this marriage, all of whom were baptised at at St Peter's Church, Exton:
  1. Elizabeth How bap. 27 Jul 1807 
  2. Jane How bap. 19 Feb 1810
  3. Thomas How bap. 27 Nov 1812 
  4. Joseph Howe bap. 17 Feb 1815
  5. Mathew Howe bap. 29 Dec 1816
  6. Margaret Blackwell How bap. 9 Jun 1819
  7. Mary How bap. 8 Dec 1821
In 1841, at West Broford, Dulverton were Joseph How (60) Farmer, Mary How (63), Joseph How (25), Matthew How (21), Margaret How (20), Mary How (19), Elizabeth How (20) formerly Elizabeth Stevens wife of Joseph How (m. 22 Apr 1841); Mary How (1 m) daughter of Joseph How and Elizabeth Stevens; Frances Orchard (10) daughter of James Orchard and Elizabeth How; Henry Westcott (40) Ag Lab and Robert Hobbs (12).

In 1851, still at West Broford, Dulverton were Joseph How (70) Farmer Of 180 Acres Employing 2 Labourers; Mary How (72) Farmer's Wife from Exton, Somerset; Joseph How (35) Farmer's Son; Elizabeth How (30) Domestic; Frances A Orchard (19) Granddaughter, House Servant; Thomas Orchard (17) Grandson, Farm Servant, son of James Orchard and Elizabeth How and Joseph How (8) Grandson, son of Joseph How and Elizabeth Stevens.

It hasn't [yet] been possible to identify deaths of Joseph or Mary.

Thursday, 30 January 2025

Thomas Henry Richards Gardner and Mary Ann Watkins

St George Hanover Square
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen Richards - 
geograph.org.uk/p/7728390
Thomas Henry Richards Gardner, bachelor, servant, then of Brook StreetMayfair (bap. 25 Dec 1825 in Dursley, Gloucestershire), who listed his father as Thomas Richards Gardner, Carpenter, but was actually the son of Mary Ann Gardener, Single woman (and very likely a Mr Richards), married Mary Ann Watkins (b. ~1829 in St George, Hanover Square), spinster of Swan Passage, daughter of James William Watkins, Coachman, and Mary Wells, at St George, Hanover Square, on 30 Jan 1854. Witnesses were James William Watkins and Mary Watkins, presumably the bride's parents.

Thomas Henry Richards and Mary Ann Gardner had seven children:
  1. Thomas James Gardner b. 17 Mar 1854 (1854 J Quarter in SAINT GEORGE HANOVER SQUARE Volume 01A Page 171), bap. 28 May 1854 (as Thomas James Charles Augustus Gardner) at St George, Hanover Square. Evidence of a marriage in 1885. Died at 39 in 1892 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 612
  2. Henry James Gardner b. 23 Jan 1856 (1856 M Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Volume 01C Page 320), bap. 11 May 1856 (as Henry James William Gardner) at St George, Hanover Square. Died at 29 in 1885 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 416
  3. Charles Albert Gardner b. 31 Mar 1859 (Registered 1859 J Quarter in SAINT GEORGE HANOVER SQUARE Volume 01A Page 183), bap. 7 May 1859 at St George, Hanover Square. (Died in 1901).
  4. Ann Gardner b. 1862 M Qtr in POPLAR UNION Vol 01C Page 630. (No further records found, so assume died shortly after birth or in infancy.)
  5. Albert Edward Gardner b. 1864 S Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 596. Died aged 3 in 1867 S Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 407
  6. Mary Ann Gardner b. 1867 S Qtr in POPLAR UNION Vol 01C Page 604. Died at 63 in 1931 J Quarter in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 240 
  7. Albert Gardner b. 19 Jul 1870 in POPLAR UNION Vol 01C Page 623
On all of the registrations the mother's maiden name is WATKINS.

In 1861, Thomas Gardner (31) Ship builders labourer, Mary Ann Gardner (32), Henry Gardner (5) and Chares Gardner (3) were living in the household of Thomas' brother, James Gardner (28) Sawyer from Gloucestershire and his wife Barbara Gardner (24) from Norfolk, at 4, Maud Place, Bromley, Poplar. Thomas Gardner (7) was staying with his grandmother, Mary Watkins (67) Widow, at 5, Swan Cottages, St George Hanover Square.

(Didn't find any birth / baptism record for James Gardner, but he was presumably also a 'natural' son of Mary Ann Gardner. In 1871, James Gardner (38) Manager of Sawmills from Dursley, Gloucestershire, was living in Udimore Road, Rye, Sussex with Barbara Gardner (33). Then James Gardner died, aged 43, in 1876 M Quarter in RYE Volume 02B Page 3 and was buried on 6 Mar 1876, in Rye, Sussex. In 1881, Barbara Gardner (44) Widow, Laundress, was living in Cinque Ports Street, Rye, Sussex. Barbara Gardner died at 76 in 1913 M Quarter in HAILSHAM Volume 02B Page 137.)

In 1871, Thomas Gardner (42) Gas Fitter from Dursley, Gloucestershire was living in Guilford Road, Bromley, Poplar with Mary Ann Gardner (40), Thomas Gardner (17), Henry Gardner (14), Charles Gardner (11), Mary Ann Gardner (3) and Albert Gardner (8 months).

In 1881, at 34, Guildford Road, Bromley, Poplar, were Thomas Gardner (50) Gas Fitter; Mary A Gardner (49), Thomas Gardner (27) Gas Fitter; Henry Gardner (25) Slater; Charles Gardner (22) Slater; and Albert Gardner (11). 

In 1891, Thomas Gardner (62) Gas Fitter was at 12, Bloomfield Road, Mile End Old Town, with Mary Ann Gardner (66) and Albert Gardner (20) Printer.

In 1901, Thomas Gardner (75) Gas Fitter was living at 150, Queens Road, West Ham with Mary A Gardner (73) Shirt maker; Mary A Gardner (32) Shirt maker; and Albert Gardner (30) Post Office porter.

Thomas Henry Richard[s] Gardner died, aged 86, in 1907 D Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 51.

In 1911, Mary Ann Gardner (84) was living with son Alfred Gardner (40) Printer porter and his wife Susannah (40) at 268 Devons Road, Bow, Poplar (Alfred Gardner had married Susannah Mary Brown in 1908), with Mary Ann Gardner (42) Shirt machinist; and Albert and Susannah's daughter, Rosetta Mary Gardner (6 months). On this census it lists that Mary Ann Gardner had seven children, of whom five had died and only two were then still living. 

Mary Ann Gardner died at 88 in  1917 M Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 489.