Job Sweeney and Eliza Louisa Tompson

Globe Road, Bethnal Green
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen McKay - geograph.org.uk/p/4697355
Very much a part of the traditional East End, Globe Road runs north from Stepney Green station to Roman Road, and then on to this northern stretch up to Old Ford Road. 

Job Sweeney (b. 6 Feb 1870), son of John Henry Charles Sweeney and Susannah Harvey, married Eliza Louisa Tompson (b. 24 Aug 1868), daughter of Dan Tompson and Mary Ann Green, on 5 Jan 1893, at the Parish Church of St Anthony, Globe Road, Stepney. (The church of Saint Anthony stood in the borough of Bethnal Green, but was part of the rural deanery of Stepney. It closed in 1936 and the building was demolished in 1937.) Both claimed to be 24 and both gave their address as 3 Monteagle Street, Stepney. 

Their only son, Job Thomas Sweeney (right), was born at 25 Monteagle Street, Stepney (which further research suggests was a boarding house) on 27 Aug 1897 (registered Job Thomas Sweney 1897 D Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 499, with mother's maiden name TOMPSON) and baptised at St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney, on 19 Sep 1897.

In 1901, Job Sweney (sic) (33) Warehouseman, Eliza Sweney (sic) (32) and Job Sweney (sic) (3), were living at 8, Repton Street, Limehouse. 

My mother always claimed that her father and grandmother, Eliza Louisa, had been living in Sidney Street at the time of the Siege of Sidney Street, or Battle of Stepney that took place in January 1911. Improbable, though not impossible, but I can find no records to support this. Eliza Louisa was well away from the area when Cable Street (where she was born) had it's own battle in 1936.

By the time of the census on 2 April 1911, the family were living at 102 Fore Street, in the City of London. They lived in a flat above the warehouse that came with the job, where Job Sweeney (41) was employed as Packer and Caretaker; Eliza Louisa Sweeney (41), Job Thomas Sweeney (13) and Amy Dobson (19) Domestic Servant, Friend (Amy Dobson b. 1892, was the sister of Ruth Christmas Dobson, wife of Job's brother Charles Sweeney.) 

In 1921, Job Sweeney (51) Packer, was still living and working at 102, Fore Street, City of London, for Hoffnung & Co Shipping Merchants; with wife, Eliza L Sweeney (52) and son, Job T Sweeney (23) Warehouseman, working for Wills & Co (W.D. & H.O. Wills) at their Holborn Viaduct factory (for whom he eventually worked for around 36 years.) (Calling herself Amy Margaret Dobson (29) Charwoman, in 1921 - no idea where the Margaret came from - living at 102, Hind Street, Poplar, this census tells us she was working for Messrs Hoffnung & Co Ltd at 102 Fore Street, City, E C.)

Press Gangs and the King’s Shilling: Job Sweney (sic) died, on 6 December 1924, aged 54 (1924 D Quarter in HENDON Volume 03A Page 374), and as family stories go, this has to be one of the best (as in the myth is about as far away from the truth as it's possible to get), but also one of the saddest. 

My mother won't have known her grandfather, as he had died when she was only a few months old, but throughout her life, she recounted this story so many times it would be impossible to count: The story went that Job Sweeney had been "press ganged" into the navy no less than three times. Once would be unlucky, you'd have thought. Anyway, this account, undoubtedly passed down to her by her grandmother, Eliza Louisa Sweeney, was further embellished with the assertion that Job liked his drink rather too much, hence was always in the pub and the worse for wear and, therefore, had been tricked, in serial fashion, into taking the King's Shilling. 

All absolute poppycock, of course, like most family stories are.

As I say, I'd heard and nodded along to the retelling of this story umpteen times, but never really considered or questioned it. It wasn't until I met the current 'him indoors' who knows his military history, who immediately said "wrong century", that it became obvious the whole thing was invention.

With hindsight, I can see where it will have come from. Job's father was a dock labourer (sometimes listed as a stevedore); his great-grandfather a mariner and many of their ancestors were sailors, ship's carpenters and shipwrights. Eliza Louisa's family ran pubs around the London docks. They'll have grown up with 'press gang' stories and other seafaring folklore.

Having spent his entire life in the East End, it was finding that his death had been registered in Hendon that made me dig further in order to solve the mystery. It even crossed my mind that holidays 'At His Majesty's Pleasure' might well have explained these absences that we were all led to believe were when he was 'at sea', but it was not so. Having ordered his death certificate, this confirmed that the actual place of death was Colindale Hospital.

Built originally as the The Central London District Sick Asylum in 1898-1900 - to provide care for the sick poor in London, separate from the workhouse - in 1919, it was taken over by The Metropolitan Asylums Board and used as male TB sanatorium. The cause of Job Sweeney's death was given as 'Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Certified by Marcus Patterson MD.' 

Dr. Marcus Sinclair Paterson (1870–1932) was the medical superintendent of the Colindale Hospital for Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Hendon. "Here Paterson made valuable innovations in the symptomatic treatment of advanced cases", says his obituary in the BMJ. He developed a system of treatment called 'graduated labour'. "He has described how his observations on out-patients led him to the idea of introducing manual work, as well as walking, into the sanatorium regime, with the hope of fitting his patients for immediate return to their work, and of successfully meeting the charge that sanatoriums turned out work-shy loafers." (Not unlike attitudes today, because victim blaming is a whole lot cheaper than doing research and actually treating the sick. Looks like we can see who was originally responsible for ideas that led to the much maligned, ineffective and harmful Graded exercise therapy (GET) too.)

So, we can deduce that the "press gang" story was made up to explain a series of absences, which were probably stays for 'treatment' - forced work when you're already too ill to do your normal work - at the sanatorium. And the saddest part is this tells us that, so strong was the social stigma attached to TB that families preferred to paint their nearest and dearest as 'feckless, drunken, work-shy', etc., rather than admit they had an infectious, then incurable, disease undoubtedly contracted through no fault of their own. 

Eliza Louisa Sweeney with her granddaughter, Ivy. Edited with ImageColorizer

The internet isn't just useful for looking up dry-and-dusty old genealogy records, there is so much more to discover. Take this for example. Among lots of family photos I inherited from my mother and hers before her was one of my mother and her grandmother, Eliza Louisa Sweeney (née Tompson), taken in the 1930s (my mother was 15 in 1939, so I estimate this is close to then). Only because there was a distinctive looking window on a building that looked like a church in the background behind them, it peaked my interest and I thought I would try to find out where the photo had been taken.

At that time, my mother, her parents and grandmother, still lived in the City of London, in Fore Street. It didn't look like anywhere I knew around there, but then it got a bit altered in the interim. I'd also tried the facility to Search with an image on Google, but it just told me it was a snapshot. Duh! 

Eventually, I asked the The East of London Family History Society Group for help, but whilst they weren't able to answer, members made many useful suggestions that led to more searches ... that finally turned up images of the Trinity Methodist Church, Clacton-on-Sea, which perfectly fit the round window, as well as other elements of the architecture. As confirmation, they sent me a link to this map of Clacton (Revision of 1939), which shows the position of the post box (marked L.B.) that you can see behind them. 

Trinity Methodist Church, Clacton-on-Sea
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © JThomas - geograph.org.uk/p/2944160

Then and now: Clacton's Trinity Church in Rosemary Road in 1881 and 2015

So, from this, we can deduce that, since this church is in the background, then they must be walking down Pier Avenue (shown here in c. 1925), in the direction of the sea front and pier and, as they lived in the East End, they can only have been on a day trip (no, I don't suppose they were flush enough for a whole holiday!) to Clacton-on-Sea. I'd wondered what they were up to that was special enough - in those pre-selfie days - for a photo. Now I know.

Mind you, "... if you stood where they were walking now you'd get mown down by the traffic, those trees, hedges and post box long gone too."

In 1939, Eliza Louisa was still living at 102 Fore Street with her son Job and his wife, Elizabeth (Bet) and granddaughter, Ivy, and remained there until their home was destroyed in WWII, thought to have been on or around the night of 29–30 Dec 1940, the so-called Second Great Fire of London.

Eliza Louisa Sweeney, otherwise Sweney (as it says on her death certificate), died on 13 Feb 1953 (1953 M Quarter in ROMFORD Volume 05A Page 846) from coronary thrombosis, influenza, chronic bronchitis and old age, at 84.

Samuel Mason and Amelia Baker

St Mary, Broxted
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/3374354

Samuel Mason (b. 2 Aug 1793, bap. 29 Sep 1793 in Great Easton, Essex), son of Richard Mason and Millicent Butcher, married Amelia Baker (bap. 12 Sep 1791), believed to be daughter of William and Elizabeth Baker, at the church of St Mary, Broxted on 3 Jan 1816. The year before, they had been witnesses to the marriage of Daniel Hockley and Sophia Mason, Samuel's sister. Witnesses at this wedding were Rebecca Baker and Thomas Baker. 

Records suggest Samuel and Amelia Mason had six children:

1. Charles Mason b. around 1817
2. George Mason b. 1818-20 (calculated from age at death)
3. Richard Mason bap. 2 May 1824 at St Mary, Broxted
4. Sophia Mason bap. 30 Jul 1826 at St Mary, Broxted
5. John Mason bap. 27 Oct 1829 at St Mary, Broxted
6. Thomas Mason bap. 23 May 1833 at St Mary, Broxted

The baptism record for Richard, shows Samuel's occupation as Labourer.

In 1841, Samuel Mason (45) Agricultural Labourer was living at Browns End, Broxted, Dunmow, Essex with Amelia Mason (45), Charles Mason (20), George Mason (20), Richard Mason (17), Sophia Mason (15), John Mason (11) and Thomas Mason (8). The adults' ages being rounded down to the nearest five on this census, I'm assuming that they were listed in descending order of age and that Charles was older than George. 

Samuel Mason died, aged 62, in 1853 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 238 and was buried, on 21 May 1853, at St Mary, Broxted.

So far, I've not been able to find a record of Amelia's death.

Joseph James Hockley and Nellie Radley

Holy Cross Church, Felsted, Essex
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Peter Stack - geograph.org.uk/p/2031193

Joseph James Hockley (b. 7 Mar 1881), illegitimate son of Elizabeth Hockley, married Nellie Radley (b. 19 Apr 1880 in Felsted), daughter of Jonah Radley and Jane Digby, on 2 Jan 1904 at Holy Cross Church, Felsted.

Joseph James and Nellie had six children, but tragically, only two survived:

1. Eleanor Lottie Hockley b. 1904 D Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 416
2. Doris Rose Hockley b. 1907 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 434
3. Austen Hubert Hockley b. 1909 M Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 407. Died in 1909 J Quarter in MILE END OLD TOWN Volume 01C Page 223
4. Annie May Hockley b. 1910 S Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 301. Died 1910 D Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 136
5. Neville Frederick Hockley b. 1910 S Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 301. Died 1910 D Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 129
6. Kathleen Nellie Hockley b. 1916 S Quarter in STEYNING Volume 02B Page 403. Died 1917 D Quarter in STEYNING Volume 02B Page 365

Annie May and Neville Frederick, clearly, were twins.

Joseph James Hockley from Felsted, had enlisted in the Coldstream Guards on 20 Jun 1898. He said he was 18 years and 3 months old, so he'd added a year. He was a tall lad at 5ft 9in, weighing 133 lbs with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. The workhouse school had just about taught him to sign his name. In 1901, J Hockley (20) from Felsted, Essex, Pte foot guards, was at Pirbright Camp in Pirbright, Surrey. 

As James Hockley he served in Gibraltar in 1899 and twice in South Africa, once in 1900 and again in 1902, during the Second Boer War, for which he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal and 5 clasps including Diamond Hill, JOHANNESBURG (Doornkop), CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE and SOUTH AFRICA 1902. James Hockley was transferred to the Army Reserve on 5 Aug 1902 and discharged from the reserve on 18 Feb 1910 on promotion to the rank of Sergeant of Police. 

In 1911, Joseph Hockley (30) Metropolitan police sergeant, Nellie Hockley (30), Eleanor Hockley (6) and Doris Hockley (4) were living at 5 Weymouth Terrace, Acton Lane, Willesden. This census confirmed that, by that time, they'd had 5 children, of whom 3 had died, during their 7 year marriage.

Joseph James Hockley died, aged 38, in 1919 M Quarter in STEYNING.

In 1921, Nellie Hockley (41) Stationer & Confectioner was at 94, Portland Road, Hove, Aldrington, Sussex with Eleanor Lottie Hockley (16) Assisting Mother in Shop; Doris Rose Hockley (14) Clerk. There were two boarders, both Policemen for Hove Borough Police and two visitors, William Henry and Eleanor Theresa Sheppard (from London. Family maybe?).

In 1939, Nellie Hockley, widow, lived at 46 Marmion Road, Hove.

Nellie Hockley of 46 Marmion Road, Hove, died on 3 Aug 1958 at 26 Tugela Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, leaving her effects to Doris Rose Slade (wife of Samuel James Slade) and Leslie William Terry Judd chartered secretary. 

(Eleanor Lottie Hockley had married Leslie William Terry Judd in 1929, in Steyning, Sussex, while Doris Rose Hockley married Samuel James Slade in 1948, in Chippenham, Wiltshire. Uncertain if either couple had children).

William Francis and Mary Gunn

St Peter’s Church, Mattishall Burgh

William Francis and Mary Gunn, a pair of my 5th great-grandparents, were married, on 1 Jan 1771, at St Peter’s Church, Mattishall Burgh.

Records exist for the baptisms, also in Mattishall Burgh, of three children: 

1. John Francis bap. 19 Apr 1772
2. William Francis bap. 14 Nov 1773
3. Mary Francis bap. 28 Mar 1779

William and Mary were buried at All Saints' Church, Mattishall. Mary was buried on 14 Apr 1816. The record states that she was 73 and born in 1743. William was buried little more than a year later, on 18 May 1817. His burial record says he was 76, born in 1741, but I haven't located their baptisms.

Churchyard at All Saints' Church, Mattishall

Archibald Robertson and Mary Ann Thomas Butters

Devonport Dockyard - Figureheads
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Chris Allen - geograph.org.uk/p/3856679

Archibald Robertson married Mary Ann Thomas Butters on 1 Jan 1861, in the parish of St James, Devonport. On the marriage certificate, Archibald Robertson, Stoker RN, age is given as 20 and his residence as HMS Indus, said to be son of Archibald Robertson, Iron Moulder. Mary Ann, who was 19 and lived at 8 Moon Street, Devonport, had no father listed. Archibald made his mark to sign the register, but Mary Ann was able to scrawl a signature. One of the witnesses to the marriage was a Daniel Pellew.

Archibald and Mary Ann had three children:

1. Mary Ann Robertson b. 17 Mar 1862 J Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 344, bap. as Mary Ann Pellew Robertson on 18 Feb 1875 at Devonport, St James the Great
2. Archibald John Robertson b. 18 Jun 1863 S Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 298, bap. as Archibald John Pellew Robertson on 18 Feb 1875 at Devonport, St James the Great
3. Margaret Robertson b. 6 Jul 1865 S Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 298, bap. 22 Sep 1870 at Devonport, St Stephen.

In 1861, Mary Ann Roberson (sic) (19) Seaman's Wife, was living at 6, Joll's Cottages, Devonport.

Mary Ann Robertson died, aged 23, on 16 July 1865 S Quarter in STOKE DAMEREL Volume 05B Page 199. Given the date, I think we can guess what the cause of death was. Mary Ann Robertson of 47 Monument St, Devonport was buried on 20 July 1865, in the Parish of Stoke Damerel.

When he enlisted in the Royal Navy, on 26 Jan 1860, as a Stoker, Archibald Robertson said that he was born on 9 Jul 1837, in Glasgow. He was 5 ft 3 in tall, with a fresh complexion, red hair and hazel eyes. From 26 Jul 1860 to 6 Jul 1861, he was indeed assigned to HMS Indus. He then spent four years, until 1 Jun 1865, with HMS Geyser, Storeship at Devonport, a few months back with HMS Indus in 1865, and HMS Greyhound until 2 Nov 1866, when, at the end of the last line of his record in the cause of discharge column, it says "Ran at St Helena", which indicates that he deserted at St Helena. Where he went after that is anybody's guess, but it's unlikely he will have stayed long on the small island and far more reasonable to assume he jumped ship there and then lived somewhere far off, under a different name.

On their baptisms, all were listed as children of Archibald and Mary Ann, but were clearly baptised later by their respective foster families. On Mary Ann and Archibald's baptism, their address was listed as 9 Moon Street - Daniel Pellew's address. Margaret was living at 7 Mount Street and one of the Street family, baptised at the same time, was also listed at that address.

In 1871, Mary A Robertson (9) and Archibald J Robertson (8) were described as Orphans, living in the household of Daniel Pellew (63) Naval Pensioner and his wife, Charity, in Morice Town, Devonport. Meanwhile, Margaret Robertson (5) was a Boarder in the household of Sarah Organ (64) at 7 Mount Street, Stoke Damerel, along with her daughters, one of whom was Margaret Street.

In 1881, Mary A Robinson (19) Laundress and Archibald J Robinson (17) General Porter, were again living in the household of Daniel Pellew (70) Naval Pensioner and his wife, Charity, at 9, Moon Street, Devonport Stoke-Damerel. This time they were described as his granddaughter and grandson. That year Margaret Robertson (15) General Domestic Servant, was living in the household of Margaret Street (41) Widow, Charwoman at 21, Cross Street, Devonport Stoke-Damerel, described as her Foster Daughter.

Archibald John Pellew Robinson enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 17 Aug 1881, giving his date of birth as 2 March 1866. Making himself three years younger, 15 instead of 18, probably meant he was accepted for training. He rose to the rank of Petty Officer, before being Discharged Dead at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia on 4 Nov 1898, from a Tumour of the Brain. He is buried at Rookwood General Cemetery.

Who was Daniel Pellew? He claims to have been from Gillingham, Kent, although the only baptism record of a Daniel Pellew is in 1812, at St Mary's Church, Portsea, son of William Pellew and Elizabeth Keeler. 

Daniel Pellew, Able Seaman, married Elizabeth Pike, in Northfleet, Kent on 26 Dec 1844. Daniel Pellew, Widower, Mariner HMS Bellerophon, then married Ann Leach, Widow, who lists her father as James Butters, Fisherman, in Stoke Damerel, in September 1851. Daniel Pellew, Widower, Mariner HMS Impregnable, married for the third and final time to Charity Horn on 16 Dec 1855, in Stoke Damerel. Mary Ann Thomas Butters, bap. 27 Mar 1842 in Torpoint, Cornwall, was the illegitimate daughter of Daniel's second wife, Ann Leach (née Butters) and therefore, he was step-grandfather to Mary Ann and Archibald John, who he brought up and who added Pellew to their names at baptism. Without blood ties (and many times even with), others would have sent those children to the workhouse. Despite three wives, Daniel Pellew, seems to have no biological children, which might explain why.

Daniel Pellew (73) of 9 Mount Street, died on 17 Mar 1882 and was buried on 25 Mar 1882, in Stoke Damerel. In 1891, Charity Pellew (68) Widow, Laundress, was still living in Moon Street. Charity Pellew (70), of 11 Moon Street, died on 1 Dec 1894 and was buried on 4 Dec 1894.