John Benbow Gabbedy and Isabella Cleghorn

St Bride, Fleet Street, London EC4 - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1213706

John Benbow Gabbedy (b. 17 Nov 1771 in Limehouse, London) son of John Gabbdey and Elizabeth Travally, married Isabella Cleghorn (b. 7 Jul 1771 in Shadwell), daughter of Anthony Cleghorn and Margaret Jane Murray on 28 Apr 1795 at St Bride's, Fleet Street - the church with the famous "wedding cake" spire, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The record states they were married by banns and were both of the parish. Witnesses were John Brown and Martha Masters. What were these "Eastenders" doing up west?

John and Isabella Gabbedy had these seven children:

1. William Anthony Gabbedey b. 5 Feb 1796, bap. 8 May 1796 at St Dunstan's, Stepney at 93 days old.
2. John Cleghorn Gabbedey b. 25 Feb 1798, bap. 8 Apr 1798 at St Mary Magdalene Woolwich
3. Margaret Elizabeth Gabbady (sic) b. 30 May 1800, bap. 6 Jul 1800 at St Mary Magdalene Woolwich 
4. Charles Gabbedey b. 23 Dec 1803, bap. 5 Apr 1812 at St Dunstan's
5. Mary Gabbady (sic) b. 19 Aug 1805, bap. 11 Sep 1805 at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich
6. Henry Ralph Gabady (sic) b. 18 Dec 1807, bap. 17 Jan 1808 at St Dunstan's, Stepney
7. Anne Elizabeth Gabbaday, b. 23 Feb 1811, bap. 14 Apr 1811 at St Anne's Limehouse 

In the Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures, on Friday, 30 Dec 1785, when he'll have just turned 14, John B Gabbedey was apprenticed to Owen Temple of Poplar in the County of Middlesex, Shipwright.

On William Anthony's baptism, the family's address was given just as 'Rat' (Ratcliff, between Limehouse and Shadwell), son of John, a Shipwright and Isabella. In 1808, John Benbow Gabbedy's occupation was again listed as Shipwright and on Henry Ralph's baptism, their address was Poplar. In 1811, John's occupation was listed as a Mariner, living in Gill Street, Limehouse. At the time of Charles' baptism in 1812, their address was listed as M.E.O.T. (Mile End Old Town) and John was again described as a Shipwright.

It seemed a strange career change for John to suddenly become a Mariner, when he already had a skill as a Shipwright, especially as he was 40. However, there's a record in British Royal Navy Allotment Declarations in 1811, where he's listed as John Gabidy (sic), with rank Co Mate, allotting part of his pay to his wife, Isabella. This record shows that he was with HMS Tortoise, an ex-East Indiaman, Sir Edward Hughes (1784 EIC ship). "Between March and July 1808 Tortoise was at Woolwich being fitted as a storeship for the Royal Navy." It would make total sense if he was involved in that conversion.

Under the columns for "When Allotment Ceases", is "D 27 Sept 1811 Invalid". The single D, I think means Discharged (it's DD for Discharged Dead), but, particularly as they don't have any more children after 1811, I wonder if he died then, or maybe shortly afterwards. Maybe that prompted Charles' baptism in 1812? John Benbow Gabbedy had certainly died by 1841.

In 1841, Isabella Gaberdey (sic) (70) was living in Wade's Place, Poplar in the household of William Newton (60) Mariner and his wife Margaret (40).

In 1851, Isabella Gabedy (84) Widow, from Shadwell, was a Pauper Inmate of Poplar Union Workhouse, then her only option for health or elder care.

Isabella Gabadey (sic) died in 1852 M Quarter in POPLAR UNION Volume 01C Page 419, with her age over-estimated to 86 (she was 'only' 80), and was buried at All Saints Church, Poplar on 20 Feb 1852.

Richard Gollop and Hester Litten

Honiton : St Michael's Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/5740951

Richard Gollop (bap. 25 Dec 1746 in Kilmington, Devon), son of William Gollop and Mary Sellwood, married Hester Litten (bap. 7 Sep 1741 in Offwell), the 'Bast' (Bastard, obvs) child of Dinah Litten, on 27 Apr 1770, in Honiton on Otter, which today is just called Honiton and, well, it's close to the River Otter. Not at St Paul's Church, High Street, as that wasn't built until 1835, so probably at the former parish church of St Michael's (now closed), but not as we see it now, as it was rebuilt in 1911/12 after a fire.

Richard and Hester had six children, all baptised in Offwell:

1. William Gollop bap. 26 Aug 1770 (Presume died in infancy)
2. Robert Gollop bap. 17 May 1772
3. John Gollop bap. 8 Apr 1774 (Buried 6 Nov 1776)
4. Elizabeth Gollop b. 3 Apr 1776, bap. 12 May 1776
5. Dinah Gollop b. 12 Jul 1780, bap. 22 Oct 1780
6. William Gollop b. 24 Apr 1783, 18 May 1783

Richard Gollop was buried on 15 Jun 1800 and Esther Gollop, Widow, was buried on 11 Dec 1808, both in the parish of Widworthy.

James Alfred Garnett and Mabel Shotter

Pizza Hut on corner of Kingston Crescent and Gamble Road
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Basher Eyre - geograph.org.uk/p/770407

James Alfred Garnett (b. 1881), son of John William Garnett and Margaret Mary Coleborn, married Mabel Shotter (b. 1879), daughter of William Thomas Shotter and Hannah Jane Bussey, at St Mark's church, North End, Portsmouth (demolished in the 1970s) on 27 Apr 1908. The groom was Licence Holder at The Fairy Queen, Grosvenor Street, Southsea at the time of his marriage.

James and Mabel had one daughter:

1. Marjorie Mabel Garnett, b. 28 Feb 1915 (1915 M Qtr in PORTSMOUTH Vol 02B Page 767), bap 1 Apr 1915 at St Mary's Church, Portsea

In 1891, the ten year old James Alfred Garnett had lived at Public House, Stamshaw Road, Portsea (Derby Tavern, 47 Stamshaw Road, Landport), where his father, John William Garnett, was described as a Beer retailer.

In 1901, James Alfred Garnett (19) had been Assistant manager of the Fountain Hotel, London Road, Portsmouth (Fountain, 133 London Road, North End), held by Edward Gardner, Licensed victualler, his uncle.

In 1911, James Alfred Garnett (29) Licensed victualler and Mabel Garnett (31) Assisting in business, were at 90 Kingston Crescent, North End, Portsmouth (The Admirals Head, 90 Kingston Crescent, Landport), now a Pizza Hut. In 1916, James Alfred Garnett of The Admiral's Head, Kingston, Publican, appears on an Exemption Register of Portsmouth Military Tribunals, presumably exempting him from military service in World War I.

James Alfred Garnett of The Queens Hotel, 143 Queen's Road, Gosport, died, aged 55, on 22 Nov 1936 (1936 D Quarter in GOSPORT Volume 02B Page 796), leaving his effects to Mabel Garnett, Widow.

In the 3rd quarter of 1938, Mabel Garnett remarried to Walter John Morgan, widower, of 131 Queen's Road, Gosport, in Portsmouth and, in the same quarter, Marjorie Mabel Garnett married Bernard Connorton, in Gosport.

In 1939, Mabel Morgan and her daughter, Marjorie M Connorton were both living at 26 Lower Farlington Road, Portsmouth, while Walter J Morgan was listed in the household of his son-in-law and daughter, Ina G M Palmer, at 44 Bishop's Way, Andover. (I've been unable to locate Bernard.)

Marjorie M Connorton died, at 25, in 1940 M Quarter in PORTSMOUTH Volume 02B Page 1770. While a death in 1940 might be related to the Second World War, this was too early to be related to The Portsmouth Blitz, during which: "The three major raids took place on August 24th 1940 during the Portsmouth Blitz, January 10th 1941 and March 10th 1941."

Mabel Morgan died, at 68, in 1948 M Qtr in PORTSMOUTH Vol 06B 496.

William Wykes and Elizabeth Thompson

Deptford Green, SE8
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Quinn - geograph.org.uk/p/1499434

Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of Solomon Thompson Jnr and Maria Willis, married William Wykes at St Andrew's, Cransley, Northamptonshire, on 26 Apr 1852. William, son of Edward Wykes and Mary Davies, was born on 29 Aug 1829 in Spratton, Northamptonshire and baptised at Great Creaton on 7 Jun 1830. Witnesses were Elizabeth's niece, Sarah Elizabeth Thompson (daughter of Elizabeth's brother, Daniel) and nephew, Daniel Botterill (son of Elizabeth's sister, Mary), first cousins who married four years later.

William and Elizabeth's family consisted:

1. Anne Thompson b. 1846 in Spratton, Northamptonshire
2. Martha Wykes b. 1853 M Quarter in BRIXWORTH Volume 03B Page 106, bap. 22 May 1853 in Spratton, Northampton
3. Mary Ann Wykes b. 27 Mar 1855 J Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 520, bap. 27 May 1855 at St Paul, Deptford, Kent
4. Eliza Wykes b. 22 Mar 1857 J Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 533
5. Edward William Wykes b. 30 Jun 1859, reg. S Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 550, bap. 19 Oct 1862 in Deptford, Kent
6. Elizabeth Wykes b. 10 Jun 1861 in Cransley, reg. S Qtr in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 569, bap. 19 Oct 1862 in Deptford, Kent
7. John Thomas Wykes b. 24 Oct 1864 D Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 648, bap. 23 Feb 1868 at St Nicholas, Deptford
8. Maria Sarah Elizabeth Wykes b. 1868, bap. 23 Feb 1868 at Deptford. Died, aged 1, in 1869 S Quarter in GREENWICH Vol 01D Page 493
9. William Thompson Wykes b. 1869 D Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 782

The GRO birth registrations give the mother's maiden name as THOMPSON.

By 1861 William Wykes (29), Elizabeth Wykes (32), Anne Wykes (15), Martha (8), Mary Ann (6), Eliza (4) and Edward W (1), Edward Dodd (21) Lodger and John Wykes (21), were living in Deptford (as were Daniel and Sarah Botterill). Anne Wykes (15) is certainly the Ann Thompson (5) who was staying with her grandmother, Maria Thompson, in 1851. It's clear she is Elizabeth's child. It's not clear if William Wykes is her biological father, even though she is using his surname (no GRO registration).

In 1871, William Wykes (45) Labourer, Elizabeth (42), Martha (18), Mary Ann (16), Edward (11), [Sarah] Elizabeth (9), John Thomas (6) and William (0), were in Deptford, with Mary Thompson (85), Elizabeth's widowed mother. Eliza Wikes (sic) (14) was a Domestic Servant in the employ of Edward Allwright (40) Upholsterer, in New Cross Road, Deptford.

In 1881, William Wykes (51) with no employment, and son Edward William (21) Labourer, were living at 38, Deptford Green, while Elizabeth (52) was at 249, Evelyn Street, Deptford, with her occupation listed as Midwife. With her were married daughter Martha Buzzacott (28), Elizabeth Wykes (19) Assistant Nurse; John T (16) Apprentice Moulder and William T (11) Scholar.

In 1891, living in Evelyn Street, Deptford are William Wykes (63) Labourer, Elizabeth (62) Midwife and just William (21) Boiler Maker. 

William Wykes died, in Greenwich in 1892 M Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 831, aged 62. Elizabeth Wykes died, in Greenwich, in 1894 S Quarter in GREENWICH Volume 01D Page 493, aged 65.

Michael Kritzer and Maria Agatha Hall

Interior of the Catholic parish church of St. Johann, Donaueschingen, Baden, Germany. 
H.Helmlechner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Michael Kritzer (b. 28 Sep 1805), son of Sebastian Kritzer and Rosina Tritshler, married Maria Agatha Hall (b. 29 Mar 1822), daughter of Johann Hall and Brigitta Engesser, at St. Johann, Donaueschingen, on 26 Apr 1841.

Michael and Agatha (as she appears to have been known) had five children, all also baptised at Donaueschingen's Catholic church of St. Johann.

1. Rosina Kritzer b. 12 Mar 1842, bap. 14 Apr 1842 
2. Wilhelm Kritzer b. 10 Jan 1844, bap 14 Jan 1844
3. Wilhelmina Kritzer b. 8 May 1845, bap. 18 May 1845
4. Anna Kritzer b. 6 Jun 1849, bap. 10 Jun 1849
5. Augusta Brigitta Kritzer b. 19 Aug 1858, bap. 29 Aug 1858

Michael Kritzer died, aged 61, in Donaueschingen on 1 Apr 1867.

Anna Kritzer and three of the children of Wilhelm Kritzer came to England. 

Rosina Kritzer married Josef Johann Baptist Seemann, in Donaueschingen, on 30 Sep 1869 and Wilhelmina Kritzer married Carl Emil Boll, again in Donaueschingen, on 29 May 1873. This last couple had at least seven children, giving the potential for further family still remaining in the area. There are no further records showing up for Augusta Brigitte Kritzer. There's evidence of this family, in this parish, right back to the 16th Century.

The German surname Kritzer, it is said, is derived from the Old German word "Kretscham," meaning "inn." The name was most likely first borne by an innkeeper. An alternative suggestion is as a South German occupational name for a coiner, from krüzer Kreutzer.