Amelia A Abram was born in Northampton in 1884. The 1891 census shows her aged seven at Great Holme Street, Leicester. Aged 17, she can be found on the 1901 census at 75, Lower Hester Street, Northampton working as a shoe fitter and aged 27 an Amelia Ann Abram can be found boarding at 43 Stanley Road, Northampton, Dallington St James.
Tag: Family history
Francis George Abram
Francis G Abram was born in Northampton in 1881. The census for that year shows him aged less than one year old, at 12, William Street, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton.
In 1891 the family can be found at Great Holme Street, Leicester and it now includes my great grandfather Joseph Charles, Amelia A, Theresa, William and Albert V. I have been unable to find Francis on the 1901 census but the 1911 census records a Francis George Abram living at 27 Lawrence Street, Northampton. Now aged 30 he is married to Annie Elizabeth who was born in London. Her occupation is given as Hotters Furrier. The couple have two children, a son named George Thomas and a daughter named Gladys Kate.
The 1939 register shows Francis and Annie living at 84 Northcote Street, Nothampton. Francis is recorded as a builders labourer (heavy worker) and Annie is recorded as undertaking unpaid domestic duties.
Albert Victor Abram
Albert V Abram was born in Leicester in 1891. The census for that year shows him aged less than one year old, at Great Holme Street, Leicester.
In 1901 the family can be found at 75, Lower Hester Street, Northampton, Kingsthorpe where Albert, aged ten, is living with eight brothers and sisters. In 1911, aged 20, Albert can be found living at Station Road, Earl’s Barton, working as a shoe machine operative.
Albert can still be found living in the UK in 1939, at 24 St Peters Avenue, Rusden where he lives with Kate Abram and Gwendoline Taylor (nee Abram). Albert’s occupation is given as a Heel Scourer Boot and Shoe Operative.
On 25 February 1952, aged 61, Albert travelled from London to Melbourne on the Strathnaver with wife Kate and daughter Josephine.
Reginald James Abram
Reginald James Abram was born in Northampton in 1903. The 1911 census shows him, aged eight, living at Station Road, Earl’s Barton.
Reginald J Abraham is recorded as leaving London for Australia on 5 December 1922, travelling on the Esperance Bay with 290 other people.
Kathleen Rose
Kathleen Rose Abram was born in Northampton in 1899. The 1901 census shows Kathleen, aged two at 75, Lower Hester Street, Northampton, Kingsthorpe. The 1911 census shows her living at Station Road, Earls Barton.
In 1919 Kathleen went to live in Australia, with her husband, an Australian soldier.
Violet May
Violet May Abram was the youngest child of my great great grandparents Charles and Emily. She was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire in 1907. Emily lived into her nineties and daughter Violet lived to celebrate her 100th birthday in 2006.
After the war, my great grandfather Charlie and his wife Milly May settled in England but other family members went to Australia. Aged 18, Violet went too, leaving from London on 31 December 1924 and arriving in Melbourne, Australia on 9 February 1925. They sailed aboard the Ship Esperance Bay on it’s maiden voyage, with 268 others. The ship was later turned into a battle ship in the Second World War and sunk.
Five years later, in 1930, Violet married Hugh Smith Wilson in Victoria, Australia.
Emily Hutchings
My great great grandmother Emily Hutchings was born in Birmingham on 7 April 1861. Emily was the daughter of William Hutchings and Amelia Underwood. Beginning in 1881 and ending in 1907, Emily is believed to have had thirteen children (see post titled ‘The pommie mafia’.) by the age of 20 she was married and had her first child.
1871
Emily can first be found on the 1871 census, aged ten, living at East Street, St Andrew Priory, Northampton, with her parents. William and Amelia are recorded as tailors but their birth place is not known. Emily is shown to have a sister, Mary J and two brothers, Alfred and William.
1881
In 1881 Emily can be found at 12, William Street, Northampton. Aged 20, she is married to Charles Abram and they have a son named Francis G. Emily is recorded as a shoe fitter.
1891
The Abram family can be found on the 1891 census living at Great Holme Street, Leicester. Emily is now aged 30 and along with Francis G, she now has six other children – Joseph C (my great grandfather), Amelia A, Theresa, William and Albert V.
1901
In 1901, the family are back in Northampton at 75, Lower Hester Street. Another four children have joined the family – Alfred, Louis, Walter and Kathleen.
1911
Emily can be found on the 1911 census at Station Road, Earl’s Barton, Northamptonshire. Another three children have joined the family – Rose, Reginald James and violet May.
1939
Charles and Emily can also be found on the 1939 register, living alone at 77 Station Road, Earls Barton. Emily’s occupation is given as unpaid domestic duties and Charles is recorded as a pensioner.
On paper, Emily’s life may look unspectacular but she lived through significant events such as the invention of television and radio, the suffragette movement, the death of Queen Victoria and her son King Edward VII, the sinking of the Titantic, the Spanish flu, two world wars, the creation of the BBC, women getting the vote, the first talkie, the discovery of penicillin, the Wall Street crash, the first Penguin paperbacks going on sale, the death of George V and the abdication of Edward VIII, the establishment of the NHS, the publication of George Orwell’s 1984, the death of George V and the succession of Elizabeth II. After the second world war, a number of her children emigrated to Australia including her daughter Violet who was just 18 at the time. Emily sent the photo above to Violet many year letter, on the reverse it read, ‘What do you think of a face like this at 90’? She died in 1952 at the grand old age of 91.
Charles Abram
My great great grandfather Charles Abram was born in Rothwell, Northamptonshire on 8 August 1859. He was the son of Joseph Abram and Ann Cox who were both born in Northamptonshire. Charles’ life can be tracked through census returns.
1861
The 1861 census shows Charles him living at 4, Lower River Terrace, St Sepulchre, Northampton with his parents. Joseph’s occupation is shown as a shoemaker and Charles has two sisters, Emma and Harriett.
1881
In 1881 Charles can be found at 12, William Street, Northampton. Aged 22, he is married to Emily and they have a son named Francis G. Charles is recorded as a shoe finisher and Emily as a shoe fitter.
1891
The Abram family can be found on the 1891 census living at Great Holme Street, Leicester. Charles is aged 31 and his occupation is now recorded as a shoemaker. Along with Francis G, six other children are recorded – Joseph C (my great grandfather), Amelia A, Theresa, William and Albert V.
1901
In 1901, the family are back in Northampton at 75, Lower Hester Street. Another four children have joined the family – Alfred, Louis, Walter and Kathleen.
1911
Charles can be found on the 1911 census at Station Road, Earl’s Barton, Northamptonshire. His occupation is a shoe machine operative. Another three children have joined the family – Rose, Reginald James and violet May.
1939
Charles and Emily can also be found on the 1939 register, living alone at 77 Station Road, Earls Barton. Charles is recorded as a pensioner and Emily’s occupation is given as unpaid domestic duties.
George Brooker and Mary Ann Brooker (nee Darts)
My great great grandfather George Brooker was born on 14 February 1846. He was the son of James Brooker and Jane Hall. My great great grandmother Mary Ann Darts was born in 1845 and was the daughter of Benjamin Darts* and Ann Hall. George and Mary married in Wrestlingworth in 1867, where they lived throughout their lives.
Census returns
1851
The 1851 census shows George Brooker, aged five at Cambridge Road, Wrestlingworth, Biggleswade. James and Jane are both aged 29 and James is working as a farm labourer. George has one sister, Sarah and a brother Joseph. In 1861 the family can be found at Water End, Wrestlingworth, Biggleswade. George is now 15 and he has three brothers, John, Nineon and Joseph.
I believe I have found the Darts family on the 1851 census too. Benjamin Darts aged 35 is recorded as a farm labourer born in Wrestlingworth. He is living at Potton End and recorded as having a wife named Ann Dort aged 32 and four children – Matilda Dart, Mary Ann Dort, Benjamin Dort and Sarah Dort. However, in 1861, Benjamin aged 44 is recorded as a widower with four children – Matilda, Benjamin, Sarah and Harriett Darts, again living at Water End, Wrestlingworth, Biggleswade. The 1871 census shows Benjamin and daughter Sarah living alone at Fast and Last, Wrestlingworth.
1871
The 1871 census also shows that George is now married to my great great grandmother Mary Ann. They are living at Fast and Last in Wrestlingworth with a daughter, Lucy A Brooker, aged three. In 1881, living at Water End, they have six children – Louisa A, Harriet, Jane, Alice, David (my great grandfather). In 1891 they are recorded with children, David, Arthur, Sam and Alice. In 1901 they are again in Wrestlingworth with children David and Samuel and grandson William, aged two, who was born in Middlesex.
The Brooker and Darts family appear to have been neighbours. The 1861 census shows the Brooker family living at Water End, Wrestlingworth, Biggleswade. The Darts family can be found living there on the same census. The 1871 census shows George and Mary Ann Darts and their daughter Lucy living at Fast and Last, Wrestlingworth, Biggleswade. Benjamin Darts and his daughter Sarah can be found living there too.
The First and Last
The First and Last appears to have been a beer house. Images of the beer house can be found on the Bedfordshire Archives website.
Beer houses were created by the 1830 Beer Act, when the government tried to create a free market in beer and they were controlled by the excise department. As long as a few basic conditions were met, beer house licenses were granted automatically.
Neither George or Benjamin were the licencee of The First and Last beer house. Bedfordshire archives have advised that at the time the census was taken, the beer house appears to have been the last property to have a name of number so this has been continued to following properties. Benjamin and George are both recorded as the head of their household and // indicates the end of a household which shows they lived in separate properties but no street name or property number is given. In 1871 Charles Masters is in fact recorded as the publican in 1871 and again in 1891.
Further information
- Bedfordshire Archives
- British History Online: Wrestlingworth
- Wrestlingworth History Society
- Census abbreviations
- The rise and fall of beer houses
* A Benjamin Darts, aged 27 and born in 1814 is recorded on the 1841 census at
Wrestlingworth, Biggleswade in the home of Samuel Hall, where he also lives with
with Ann Hall aged 22. Household members include those with the name Darts and
those with the name Hall.
Eleanor, Rhoda, Elizabeth and Ann
My great grandmother Eleanor Rose Payne was born on 23 August 1892 in Biggleswade. She was the daughter of Charles and Rhoda Payne (nee Brown) who was born in 1860 in Potton, Bedfordshire. Rhoda’s mother was Elizabeth and her mother was Ann. Their lives can be tracked by census returns.
Note:
- Bedfordshire County Record Office have advised there were two Rhoda Brown’s born in Stotfold within a year of one another. One was the daughter of Elizabeth, the other the daughter of James. I believe my family is descended from the daughter of Elizabeth.
1861
The 1861 census shows Ann, a widow, aged 65, living at Queen Street, Stotfold, Biggleswade with her daughter Elizabeth, aged 35 (born 1826), who is unmarried. Elizabeth’s daughter Rhoda is living with them and is less than one year old. Ann was born in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, Elizabeth and Rhoda were born in Stotfold.
1871
The 1871 census shows Elizabeth, aged 46 and Rhoda aged 10, at Brook Street, Stotfold, Biggleswade. Elizabeth’s occupation is a straw plaiter.
1881
The 1881 census shows Elizabeth, aged 56, at Meeting Lane, Potton, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. Her marital status is shown as married, however there is no husband recorded. Elizabeth is working as a char woman. She is living with Rhoda, aged 20, who is working as a domestic servant.
1884
I believe that Rhoda had a daughter called Annie born outside of marriage on 20 June 1884. Rhoda would have been 24 at the time. No details of the father appear on the birth certificate. However Annie appears to be living with Rhoda on the 1901 census and recorded as ‘Annie Paine’.
1891
Rhoda can be found on the 1891 census of Potton, aged 31 and now married to Charles Paine. They have one son called Charles, aged five and a daughter, Ellie, aged two. Elizabeth Brown can also be found on the 1891 census, at Meeting Lane, Potton, Biggleswade, living with with her granddaughter Annie Brown.
1901
The 1901 census show Rhoda and Charles are still at Horselow Street. The family has grown and now comprises six children – Annie (aged 16), Charles, Nelly (aged 8, born 1893), Minnie, Florence and Bertie.
1911
The family are still at Horselow Street on the 1911 census but Eleanor Rose is not with them.
Charles Payne
My great great grandfather Charles Payne was born in Stotfold, Bedfordshire in 1860. His life can be tracked by census returns.
Note: Although I use the spelling of Payne on this page, historically the surname can also be spelt Paine and Pain
1891
Charles can be found on the 1891 census living at Horselow Street, Potton, aged 32 and married to my great grandmother Rhoda. They have one son named Charles, aged five and a daughter, Ellie, aged two. He is employed as a farm labourer.
1901
The 1901 census show Charles aged 41 and Rhoda are still at Horselow Street. The family has grown and now comprises six children – Annie, Charles, Nelly (aged 8, born 1893), Minnie, Florence and Bertie. Charles is employed as an ordinary agricultural labourer.
1911
The family are still at Horselow Street on the 1911 census, Charles is aged 50. His occupation is given as Gardeners labour.
Ellen Kefford
Ellen Kefford was born on 25 December 1880 in Sawston, Cambridgeshire. She was the daughter of James Kefford and Harriet Coleman.
The 1881 census shows Ellen, aged less than one year old, living in Sawston with her father James, a shepherd, mother Harriet and four brothers and sisters – John, Rebecca, Thomas and Jane.
Ellen married my great grandfather David Brooker in Biggleswade on 2 December 1903 and the 1911 census shows them living together in Wrestlingworth with a four year old son called David Arthur.
Ellen died suddenly in 1932 at the age of 54, at the Southend Municipal Hospital in Rochford, Essex following an accident. Her death and the inquest that followed was reported in newspapers at the time.
A little bit of this ~ A little bit of that 