Job Thomas Sweeney and Elizabeth Fuller

St Helen & St Giles, Rainham - Sanctuary
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4530086

Job Thomas Sweeney (b. 27 Aug 1897 in Mile End, London), son of Job Sweeney and Eliza Louisa Tompson, married Elizabeth Fuller (b. 22 Mar 1901 in Rainham, Essex), daughter of George Fuller and Eliza Ellen Hockley, at the church of St Helen and St Giles, Rainham, Essex on 9 Dec 1923.

There were no wedding photos, I was told, because of the obviously expected arrival of their only child, Ivy Elizabeth Sweeney b. 5 Mar 1924 (1924 J Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 31). My mother didn't have her birth certificate, the original having been lost when their home was bombed in WWII (she would not hear that copies could be obtained) and had always been adamant that she was born in one of the Peabody Buildings. Had she ever obtained a copy, then she'd have discovered that she was, in fact, born at 35 Gladstone Buildings, Willow Street, Shoreditch. (And therefore missed out on a historical 'claim to fame' too, because Police Sergeant James George Byfield, witness in one of the Jack the Ripper murders, had lived in Gladstone Buildings, Shoreditch in 1881.)

Built in 1868, the Gladstone Buildings, were demolished in 1977. The site today is, ironically, the location of the Luxury Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch. The previous building on that site certainly wasn't luxury, however, as the Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch in 1879 details:

GLADSTONE BUILDINGS, WILLOW STREET.—"In these model dwellings there are 168 suites of apartments, each suite having a separate water supply, and closet accommodation, situate in the scullery. None of the closets were properly supplied with water, so as to flush the pans effectually. The cisterns in which drinking water was stored were all uncovered, placed over the closets close to the ceilings, and immediately under the closet of the apartments above. Several of the tenants complained that their drinking water was polluted with foul liquids dripping from the ceilings, by reason of defective closet arrangements, and many of the ceilings bore evidence as to the fact."

This Charabanc excursion must presumably date to 1925.
Joe and Bet, with baby Ivy on her lap, are in the rear seats of the vehicle.

It must have been after the death of Job's father on 6 Dec 1924, that they moved back to 102, Fore Street, City of London, where Eliza Louisa Sweeney, continued as Housekeeper for Hoffnung & Co Shipping Merchants. 

My mother frequently claimed she was Confirmed at St Paul's Cathedral, but I've been unable to confirm (pun intended) if this is true. And even if it were, it should have been unlikely, as there's no record of her ever being baptised - a not-at-all uncommon omission with a baby's such 'premature' arrival. 

They were still in Fore Street in 1939, with Eliza L Sweeney, Housekeeper; Job Thomas Sweeney, Supervisor Tobacco Packing (employed by W.D. & H.O. Wills); Elizabeth Sweeney; Ivy E Sweeney, Shop Assistant and James Edward Bird, Police Constable (who I can only assume was lodging with them) and remained until their home was destroyed in WWII, thought to have been on or around the night of 29–30 Dec 1940, during the so-called Second Great Fire of London. They were away from home that day, so suffered no physical injury, but lost their home and every material possession they'd owned. 

They then moved out to Hornchurch and in the 1960's, Bet & Joe 'retired' to Pitstone, in the countryside of Bedfordshire. There, granddad carried on his hobby of fishing and was a bailiff on the nearby Grand Union Canal; he did detailed woodwork, inlay and marquetry; embroidered hassocks that were (maybe still are) in the church of St Mary the Virgin in Ivinghoe and grew very tidy rows of vegetables in his garden.

(Right: Bet and Joe on the seafront at Weymouth in the early 1960's.)

Bet Sweeney died on 22 Dec 1980. 

It was absolutely no surprise that, without his lifelong love, Job Thomas Sweeney died eight months later to the day, on 22 Aug 1981.

William Thomas Shotter and Hannah Jane Bussey

Portsea, Kings Bench Alley
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Faherty - geograph.org.uk/p/5440082
Footpath from Queen Street to Kent Street.

William Thomas Shotter (b. 20 May 1845 in Portsea), Purveyor of Kent Street, son of William Shotter and Elizabeth Taylor, married Hannah Jane Bussey (b. 1847), daughter of James Wilmot Bussey and Ellen Jane Munday, at St Mary's, Portsea on 8 Dec 1867. Witnesses were Sarah Ann Bussey, the bride's sister and James Bussey, either her father or brother. William's father, William Shotter, was a butcher at 31, Kent Street, Portsea in 1851 and at 55, Queen Street, Portsea in 1861. Hannah's father, James Wilmot Bussey, listed as a Cattle Dealer, at 213-215 Commercial Road, in 1861 was listed as a Pork Butcher. All of them are listed in Portsmouth Local History, list of Butchers, Meat Dealers (PDF). A marriage of Portsmouth meat royalty!

William and Hannah had nine children:

1. Elizabeth Alice Shotter b. 1868 D Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 433, died, aged 22, on 3 Sep 1891 and was buried on 7 Sep 1891 at Portsea Cemetery (Kingston Cemetery)
2. Ellen Jane Shotter b. 1870 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 465, died aged 1, buried, on 15 Oct 1871, at Portsmouth, Kingston Cemetery
3. Emma Shotter b. 1871 D Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 414
4. Kate Shotter b. Dec 1874, reg. 1875 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 435, died aged 1, buried, on 17 Dec 1875, at Kingston Cemetery
5. William George Shotter b. 21 May 1876 in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 447
6. Mabel Shotter b. 23 May 1879 in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 459
7. Alfred Shotter b. 1882 S Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 486
8. George Shotter b. 1884 J Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Vol 02B Page 583
9. Ruby Beatrice Shotter b. 10 May 1886 in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 479

In 1871, at 31, Kent Street, were William Shotter (25) Master Butcher, Jane Shotter (24), Elizabeth (2), Ellen (1) and Charlotte Dadd (21) Servant.

In 1881, at 24, Butcher Street, Portsea (aptly named), were William Shotter (36) Master butcher; wife listed as Anna J (34), Elizabeth A (12), Emma (9), Mabel (1) and Alice E Booker (16) Servant. William (5) was staying with his aunt, Susan Baker, Hannah's sister, at at 37, North Street, Portsea.

In 1891, at 334, Fratton Road, Portsea: William T Shotter (46) Butcher, Jane Shotter (44), Lizzie (22), Mabel (11), Alfie (8), George (6), Rose (Ruby Beatrice) (4) and Anne Tolfrey (20) Servant. 

In 1901, William T Shotter (56) was 'Living on own means' (retired) at Laureldene, London Road, Portsmouth, with Anna J Shotter (53), Mabel Shotter (21), Alfred Shotter (18) Engineer Fitter and Ruby B Shotter (14).

Hannah Jane Shotter, wife of William Shotter, of Queen's Road, Buckland, died on 7 Jul 1902 (1902 S Quarter in PORTSMOUTH Volume 02B Page 235) and was buried on 9 Jul 1902 at Portsea Cemetery.

Then William Thomas Shotter (59), Cattle Dealer, widower of 161 Victoria Road North, Southsea, son of William Shotter, Butcher, married Rosina Jane Nash (45), widow, reputedly the daughter of Alfred George Dorman, Builder on 8 Sep 1904 at St Peter's Church, Southsea. (But I can find no record, anywhere, of a marriage between Dorman and Nash; no birth of a Rosina Jane Dorman around 1859 and nobody named Alfred George Dorman of an appropriate age. Nor any records of a Rosina Jane Shotter after this!)

William Thomas Shotter of Queens Road, Portsea, died aged 62, on 15 Mar 1907 (1907 M Quarter in PORTSMOUTH Volume 02B Page 367) and was buried on 19 Mar 1907 at Portsea Cemetery.

William Campling and Thomasine Maria Eldred

Wennington Green, Bow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Paul Gillett - geograph.org.uk/p/4580083

William Campling (b. ~1855), son of John Campling and Elizabeth Brown, married Thomasine Maria Eldred (b. 24 Jul 1857 in St George in the East), daughter of John Eldred and Elizabeth Pitts, at St Thomas's Church, West Ham, the now lost church in Rokeby Street, on 8 Dec 1878. (The transcript lists her as Thomas Ziner M Eldred, but I'm figuring this was not the family's first same-sex marriage!) Witnesses were John James Fairbairn and Flora Fairbairn (née Campling, William's sister, who married in the same quarter of 1878). Thomazine was the half-sister of Alfred Eldred, step-daughter of Catherine Byatt and thus, also step-sister of Elizabeth Wilton.

William and Thomasine Maria Campling had six children:

1. Florence Catherine Campling b. 19 Dec 1879, reg. 1880 M Quarter in BETHNAL GREEN Vol 01C Page 226
2. John William Campling b. 1882 J Qtr in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 575. Died, aged 1 in 1883 J Qtr in BETHNAL GREEN Vol 01C Page 143
3. John William Campling b. 3 May 1884 in BETHNAL GREEN Vol 01C 234
4. Frederick Henry Campling b. 24 Dec 1886, reg 1887 M Quarter in ISLINGTON Volume 01B 377
5. Sidney Edwin Campling b. 1888 S Qtr in ISLINGTON Vol 01B 344. Died 1889 M Qtr in ISLINGTON Vol 01B 241
6. Sidney Edwin Campling b. 1890 M Qtr in ISLINGTON Vol 01B 382

All the birth registrations have the mother's maiden name as ELDRIDGE, but this has been used before by her half-brother, on the registration of his first daughter and it's the surname their step-mother was listed under in 1881.

In 1881, William Campling (26) Pianoforte porter from Bethnal Green, was living at 4, Wennington Road, Bethnal Green. Thomasine Marie was unaccountably listed as Anne (24), with Florence Campling (1).

In 1891, William Camplin (sic) (36) Piano forte maker (??) was living in Carmarthen Street, Islington with Marie Camplin (32), Florence Camplin (11), John Camplin (6), Frederick Camplin (4) and Sydney Camplin (1).

In 1901, the census lists Thomas (sic) Campling (44) Labourer Starch Works born in Bromley, London in Queen's Road, Plaistow, West Ham with Mary (sic) Campling (43) born in Old Ford, London; Florence Campling (21) Box Maker born in Roman Road, London and Frederick Campling (14) Grocer's Boy born in Islington. Even with so many errors, I'm certain this is the correct family. John Campling (16) Cart Porter born in Old Ford, London, was a Boarder in Forest Gate. While Sidney Campling (11) was an Inmate in a school in Horton Kirby - Home for Little Boys, Farningham, Kent.

Thomasine Maria Campling died at 50, in 1908 D Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 91. Well, once more the record has mangled her name to Frances Ziner Maria Campling, but there can be no doubt this is her.

In 1911, Florence Campling (31) Card Board Box Maker, was living in South East Ham, West Ham with her youngest brother, Sidney Campling (21) Apprentice Linotype Operator and Thomas Steggles (54) Boarder. Both John William Campling and Frederick Henry Campling had emigrated to the United States. I haven't located William Campling in 1911, nor his death.

1. Florence Catherine Campling (34) emigrated to the United States, sailing from Liverpool on the RMS Franconia (1910) on 28 April 1914, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts. Florence Campling died on 1 Nov 1918 from Sarcoma of the Liver (Cancer). She was 38. She never married. She was buried, on 3 Nov 1918 in Sutton, Caledonia, Vermont, the permit for her burial having been issued to her brother John.
2. John William Campling married Edith Florence Sobey Milford (b. 1881 in Crediton, Devon), daughter of William Milford and Edith Mary Sobey, but I cannot find where or when their marriage took place. John and Edith had 3 daughters: Florence Maria b. 1910, Edith Frances b. 1912 and Marion Hazel b. 1914. Edith Milford Campling died on 31 Oct 1914 from Valvular Disease of the Heart. She was buried on 2 Nov 1914, in Sutton, Vermont. The 1950 Census shows that John was a Farmer. John W Campling died, on 15 Jun 1970, in West Burke, Vermont.
3. Frederick Henry Campling entered the US via Canada. He married Joan Fraser (b. 1872 in England) on 12 Jan 1914 in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa, Michigan. Joan Campling died in 1924 and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit. Frederick remarried in Delaware, Indiana, on 19 Apr 1925, to Lenora Shuck (b. 21 Feb 1898 in Jennings County, Indiana, USA.) Lenora Campling died on 10 Dec 1926 and is also buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit. Frederick then remarried for a 3rd time to Chesba Lucille Wheatley, on 27 Jul 1927, in Gibson, Indiana, with whom he had at least four daughters. Frederick Henry Campling died, at 70, on 16 Feb 1957 and is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, USA. Chesba Campling died on 16 Feb 1981 and is also buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Vincennes.
4. Sidney Edwin Campling married Beatrice Fell in the 1st quarter of 1915, in West Ham. In 1916, Sidney Edwin Camplin (sic) (26) enlisted for Military Service in the London Yeomanry. The couple don't appear to have any children. Sidney Edwin Campling died on 22 Jul 1941, in Ilford, Essex. Beatrice Campling remarried, in 1950, to Arthur Leonard Hemming. Beatrice Hemming died, in Romford, in 1960.

Robert Flew and Mary Cottrell

© Lewis Clarke (cc-by-sa/2.0 geograph.org.uk/p/7413631
Bampton : St Michael & All Angels Church

As yet I've found no record of a marriage between Robert Flew (bap. 21 Jun 1801 in Rackenford, Devon), son of Richard Flew and Jane Wright and Mary Cottrell (bap. 5 Sep 1805 in Bampton, Devon), daughter of William Cotterell and Mary Wensley, but I've been able to piece together the following.

It appears Robert and Mary had at least these three daughters:

1. Jane Flew b. ~1826
2. Elizabeth Flew bap. 9 Oct 1831 in Bampton, Devon, listed as the daughter of Robert Flew and Mary.
3. Ann Flew b. ~1835

Couldn't find baptisms for either the first or third child.

Robert Flew died, aged 36, in 1838 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 10 Page 178 and was buried on 26 Jun 1838 in Bampton.

In 1841, Mary Flue (sic) (claiming to be 30, actually 36) Lace worker, was living in Frog Lane, Bampton with her daughters: Jane (14), Betsey [Elizabeth] (10) and Ann (6), as well as Emma Doding (13) and Eliza Doding (4). Unfortunately, in 1841, there is no indication of their relationships.

Robert Escott (bap. 1 Nov 1796 in Brompton Regis, Somerset) Widower, son of Richard Cox Escott and Mary Ann Gage, then married Mary Flew, Widow at the Parish Church of St Michael & All Angels, Bampton, Devon on 5 Dec 1847. Witnesses were Henry Cull and Richard Lewis Staddon.

Robert and Mary Escott added three children:

1. Sarah Flew b. 1841 D Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 10 Page 251
2. Caroline Flew b. 1844 J Quarter in TIVERTON Volume 10 Page 279
3. Richard Escott b. 1848  S Quarter in TIVERTON Vol 10  Page 265, bap. Richard Henry Escott on 25 Jun 1848 in Bampton, son of Robert & Mary

However, it looks very likely they had been together for some time before marrying, because in 1851, Sarah and Caroline are listed as Robert Escott's daughters and with his surname, while Jane Flew, living with them, is listed as 'wife's daughter'. Making this distinction for Jane, I feel sure he would have listed all of the girls as his wife's daughters, had they not been his. On the two girls' births, there is no mother's maiden name listed, indicating these were born out of wedlock. Caroline was unnamed at the time of registration. The mother's maiden name on Richard's birth is COTTRELL.

Robert Escott had previously married Grace Pitts (née Thorne), Widow, on 5 Dec 1823 in Brompton Regis. (So Mary Cottrell wasn't going to forget her husband's first name and Robert Escott shouldn't have forgotten his wedding anniversary.) Robert and Grace had two children: Richard Escott bap. 9 Mar 1824 and Mary Escott bap. 29 Jan 1826 in Brompton Regis. Grace Escott had died aged 54 also in 1838 S Quarter in TIVERTON AND DULVERTON Volume 10 Page 150. In 1841, Robert Escott (40ish) and his daughter Mary Escott (15) had been lodging in Gate Street, West, Bampton. Grace Thorne previously married John Pitts on 21 Oct 1807 in Brompton Regis, with whom she'd had four sons: John Pitts b. 14 Jul 1808, bap. 14 Aug 1808; Thomas Pitts b. 7 Feb 1811, bap. 24 Mar 1811, buried 26 May 1811; William Pitts b. 4 May 1812, bap. 7 Jun 1812; and Thomas Pitts b. 29 Mar 1817, bap. 9 Nov 1817. John Pitts presumably died between 1817 & 1823.

In 1851, Robert Escott (50 ish) Agricultural Labourer, claiming to come from Morebath, Devon, was living in West Street, Bampton, Devon with Mary Escott (~44) Charwoman from Bampton, Devon; Sarah Escott (10), Caroline Escott (6), Henry Escott (2) and Jane Flew (24) Lace maker, Wife's daughter. Meanwhile, Robert's widowed father, Richard Escott (~85) was a lodger in the household of John Wensley (44) in Morebath, Tiverton - one assumes this was a relative of Mary Cottrell's mother. (Richard Escott of Furzy Cot in Kings Brompton died at 88 and was buried on 20 Mar 1856 in Brompton Regis.)

In 1861, Robert Escott (claiming to be 70, he was 65) Agricultural Labourer from King Brompton, Brompton Regis (formerly known as Kingsbrompton), Somerset was living in High Street, Bampton with Mary Escott (~60, she was 56), Caroline Escott (16) Servant and Emma Escott (2) Granddaughter. (Emma Escott bap. 14 Aug 1859 in Bampton was the "base" (illegitimate) daughter of Sarah Escott.) Sarah Escott (19) from Bampton, Devon was a Dairymaid in the household of Joseph Manley at Netherope, Halberton.

It appears that Mary Escott formerly Flew (née Cottrell) died in 1861 S Quarter in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 269, her age over estimated to 66.

In 1871, Robert Escott (75) Widower was lodging in High Street, Bampton.

Robert Escott died ~82 in 1878 D Qtr in TIVERTON Vol 05B Page 319.

George Sparrow Masters and Mary Pope

St Peter's Church, Liverpool Grove, Walworth
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Peter Trimming - geograph.org.uk/p/5304270

George Sparrow Masters (bap. 26 May 1811 St Mary's, Rotherhithe), Batchelor, son of Benjamin Searle Sparrow Masters and Sage Boulton Ayres, married Mary Pope, Spinster, at St Peter's Church, Walworth, Surrey on 4 Dec 1833. There appear to have been four witnesses to their marriage: William Williams, Isabella [?], Caroline Sophia Say and Sam Barrow. 

George and Mary Masters had one daughter:

1. Caroline Masters b. 1837 D Quarter in OF SAINT GEORGE THE MARTYR SOUTHWARK Volume 04 Page 107

In 1841, George Masters (25) Coach maker, Mary Masters (25) and Caroline Masters (4) were listed in New Canal Street, Birmingham.

In 1851, George Masters (40) Coach maker from Rotherhithe, Surrey; Mary Masters (45) and Caroline Masters (13) School teacher - both listed as from London - were at 41 New Canal Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire.

George Sparrow Masters died in 1860 S Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 91, though his age was listed as 55.

In 1861, Mary Masters (49) Widow, from Hampshire was a Lodging house keeper at 23, Daniel Street, Bathwick, Bath, Somerset and living with her were Caroline Masters (23) born in Southwark, Surrey; and Eliza Shell (19) House Servant from Bath, Somerset. Lodging at that address were Valentine Brown, a Captain (Unattached - i.e. between ships) from Galway, Ireland and his wife Fanny, from Dublin. (Widow Masters may be long gone, but you can still lodge at 23, Daniel Street, Bathwick, with Sykes Cottages.)

In 1871, Mary Masters (68) [although wrongly listed as Matthews] Lodger, Widow, Annuitant from Southampton, was living with her widowed daughter, Caroline Wright, at 301 Breck Road, Everton, West Derby, Lancashire.

Mary Masters died, her age listed as 72, in 1873 J Quarter in WEST DERBY AND TOXTETH PARK  Volume 08B Page 350.

© Stephen Richards (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/3830761
19-36 Daniel Street, Bath