 |
| from Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, Vol 2. (1851) |
Investigative journalist Henry Mayhew published three volumes of commentary on street labor in mid-Victorian Britain, with interviews of some of the workers. To hear the voice of one London Scavenger (Mayhew renders their accents in his text) try London Labour and the London Poor (1851), pages 224-226. Among the workers, there were those who kept the city clean. Any big city generates refuse. In the nineteenth century, add horse manure to the mix, and the task of keeping the mess under control was considerable. Those with the unenviable occupation of scavenger scraped the streets clean with shovels and brooms, work that was repetitive, unskilled, and with little room for advancement. They worked in gangs, so perhaps one could rise to the position of a foreman of sorts. At least their weekly 12 shillings or so, kept them in cheap lodgings and food.
In this post, see two sets of records, one already established as belonging to John Beresford, and some earlier ones, related to each other, which I believe belong to the same John Beresford. And the Scavenger? Well read on, as move from Mayhew's London to Durham.
John Beresford, my step-2xgreat grandfather, has uncertain origins, but he was certainly from Durham. This post contains some repetition of information previously posted on this blog, but also previously unposted census returns which may provide some of his earlier history, and a marriage to direct future research on his family of origin.
Clearly belonging to John Beresford we have the following: marriage certificate (1867), census returns from 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1911, and death registration (1912).
Marriage
BMD Marriage Index
John Beresford and Mary Ann Kennett Dec 1867 Sunderland 10a 581
GRO Copy
Marriage Solemnized at the Parish Church in the [...illegible...] of Hendon
Bishopwearmouth in the County of Durham.
When Married: Oct 2 1867
Name and Surname: John Beresford
Mary Ann Kennett
Age: 22
20
Condition: Bachelor
Spinster
Rank or Profession: Mariner
[left blank]
Residence at time of marriage: 22 Lodge Terrace
3 Lodge Terrace
Father's name and surname: John Beresford
William Kennett
Rank or Profession of Father: Attorney's Clerk
Coast Guard
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the
Established Church, by Superintendant Registrar Certificate by me,
Alexr Maclerman Curate
This Marriage was solemnized between us,
John Beresford
Mary Ann Kennett
in the Presence of us,
R. W. Gowland
Mahala Kennett
Census Data
1871 England Census John Beresford in his own household at 11 Magdalene Street, St. Giles, Durham, Durham.
John Beresford Head Mar 25 Porter Durham City
Mary Ann do Wife Mar 23 Essex, Shoeburyness
Ann E do daur 2 Durham, Sunderland
Rosetta E do daur 11 mo do , City
William Kennett Father-in-law Mar 52 Labourer Kent, Monkton
Ann do Mother-in-law Mar 54 Devonshire, Budleigh
Rosetta M do Sister-in-law 13 Yorks., Kettleness
[Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 4967; Folio: 46; Page: 42; GSU roll: 847430]
1881 England Census John Beresford in his own household at 30 Duke Street, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, Durham.
John Beresford Head [Mar] 36 Seaman Durham City
Mary Ann do Wife do 33 Shoeburyness, Essex
Annie E do Daur 12 Scholar Durham, Sunderland
Minnie K do do 6 do do , Langlemoor
Ada M do do 4 do do , Sunderland
William A do Son 2 do , Brandon
Thomas K do do 5 mos do , Hendon
[Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 5005; Folio: 99; Page: 71; GSU roll: 1342205]
Bullmer’s Directory of North Yorkshire (1890), p.270
Thomas K Do Son 10 Do Do , Sunderland
Albert E Do Son 5 Do Yorkshire, Middlesbrough
Adela V Do Daur 4 Do Do , Do
Robert B Hayes Visitor S 29 Dramatic Artist Ireland
[Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 4009; Folio: 17; Page: 28; GSU roll 6099119]
1901 England Census John Beresford in his own household at 80 Granville Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
John Beresford Head M 56 Retired Seaman Durham, Durham
Mary Ann Do Wife M 54 Essex, Shoebury.
William A Do Son S 22 Clerk Correspondence in Wellington Steel Foundry Durham, Brandon
Thomas K Do Son S 20 Apprentice Mechanical Engineer
Do , Sunderland
Albert E Do Son 15 Apprentice Marine Draughtsman Yorks, Middlesbrough
Ada D Do Daur 14 Do , Do
[Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 4581; Folio: 99; Page:35]
1911 England Census John Beresford in his own household at 19 Upton
Street, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
John Beresford Head 66 Married 44 10 8 2
Mariner RiggerIron Works
Blast Furnace
Parish St. Margarets, City of Durham
Mary Ann Beresford Wife 64
Wife
Shoeburyness
[Source Citation Class: RG:14; Piece: 29259]
In 1911, John and Mary Ann had been married almost 44 years, and the census records that in 1911 eight of their ten children were still alive. The previous census returns enumerate nine children, while a tenth must have been born and died between censuses, thus escaping enumeration. Inspection of the Birth Index reveals Mary Ann K Beresford born 1872 and died 1874, 1 year old. The third quarter of 1874 must have been difficult for them since Rosetta Eveline also died aged 4. The BMD Death Index has Mary Ann K Beresford Sep 1874 Durham 10a 263 age:1 and Rosetta Eveline Beresford Durham 10a 267 age:4, that is, only a few pages apart in the register. I suspect they both died of the same infectious disease within a few days of each other. At the same time, they had a three- and a six-year-old at home.
Here is a list of their children, and their years of birth, death, and spouses' names:
Ann Elizabeth Beresford 1868-1938 (Joshua Naylor Hemingway)
Rosetta Eveline Beresford 1870-1874
Amelia Augusta Beresford 1871-1959 (John "Jack" Tilley)
Mary Ann K[ennett?] Beresford 1872-1874
Minnie Kennett Beresford 1874-1956 (unmarried)
Ada Matilda Beresford 1876-1964 (John William Dalkin)
William Adolphus Beresford 1879-1965 (Lilian Mabel Edwards)
Thomas Kennett Beresford 1880-1950 (Delia Meehan)
Albert Edward Beresford 1885-? (Edith Barker)
Adela Victoria Beresford 1887-1969 (George Cecil Cox)
Death
BMD Death Index John Beresford Jun 1912 Stockton 10a 71 age:67
GRO Copy (as reported by Duncan Brown)
"JOHN BERESFORD death certificate JUNE QUARTER Stockton 10A 71:
died 3 MAY 1912, at 5 The Green, Norton, Stockton, county of Durham,
aged 67 years of acute pneumonia syncope. JOHN's occupation was
MASTER MARINER MERCHANT SERVICE. Informant was his daughter
A.E. HEMINGWAY, present at his death. Her address was 41 Chester road,
Sunderland."
It is easy to see how all the above records are for the same John Beresford. There is the Beresford-Kennett marriage. The in-laws are present for the 1871 census (and earlier censuses confirm that William Kennett of Monkton, Kent was a Coast Guard, and that he and his wife had a daughter Amelia in Shoeburyness), and the next census records are held together by names and places of birth.
From the above documentation, John Beresford would have been born in St. Margaret's, Durham about 1845. And there is a birth registration for one John Berresford at the correct time and place. Others have come across this before me, and I first posted on this two years ago. Subsequent experience of genealogy has served to make this origin all the more plausible to me. The discrepancies in spelling and age are actually insignificant as we will see.John Beresford Head 66 Married 44 10 8 2
Mariner Rigger
Parish St. Margarets, City of Durham
Mary Ann Beresford Wife 64
Wife
Shoeburyness
[Source Citation Class: RG:14; Piece: 29259]
In 1911, John and Mary Ann had been married almost 44 years, and the census records that in 1911 eight of their ten children were still alive. The previous census returns enumerate nine children, while a tenth must have been born and died between censuses, thus escaping enumeration. Inspection of the Birth Index reveals Mary Ann K Beresford born 1872 and died 1874, 1 year old. The third quarter of 1874 must have been difficult for them since Rosetta Eveline also died aged 4. The BMD Death Index has Mary Ann K Beresford Sep 1874 Durham 10a 263 age:1 and Rosetta Eveline Beresford Durham 10a 267 age:4, that is, only a few pages apart in the register. I suspect they both died of the same infectious disease within a few days of each other. At the same time, they had a three- and a six-year-old at home.
Here is a list of their children, and their years of birth, death, and spouses' names:
Ann Elizabeth Beresford 1868-1938 (Joshua Naylor Hemingway)
Rosetta Eveline Beresford 1870-1874
Amelia Augusta Beresford 1871-1959 (John "Jack" Tilley)
Mary Ann K[ennett?] Beresford 1872-1874
Minnie Kennett Beresford 1874-1956 (unmarried)
Ada Matilda Beresford 1876-1964 (John William Dalkin)
William Adolphus Beresford 1879-1965 (Lilian Mabel Edwards)
Thomas Kennett Beresford 1880-1950 (Delia Meehan)
Albert Edward Beresford 1885-? (Edith Barker)
Adela Victoria Beresford 1887-1969 (George Cecil Cox)
Death
BMD Death Index John Beresford Jun 1912 Stockton 10a 71 age:67
GRO Copy (as reported by Duncan Brown)
"JOHN BERESFORD death certificate JUNE QUARTER Stockton 10A 71:
died 3 MAY 1912, at 5 The Green, Norton, Stockton, county of Durham,
aged 67 years of acute pneumonia syncope. JOHN's occupation was
MASTER MARINER MERCHANT SERVICE. Informant was his daughter
A.E. HEMINGWAY, present at his death. Her address was 41 Chester road,
Sunderland."
It is easy to see how all the above records are for the same John Beresford. There is the Beresford-Kennett marriage. The in-laws are present for the 1871 census (and earlier censuses confirm that William Kennett of Monkton, Kent was a Coast Guard, and that he and his wife had a daughter Amelia in Shoeburyness), and the next census records are held together by names and places of birth.
Birth
BMD Birth Index John Beresford Jun 1845 Durham 24 104
GRO Copy
When and where born: Eighteenth of May 1845
at the Union Workhouse Crossgate Durham
Name (if any): John
Sex: Boy
Name and surname of father: [left blank]
Name, surname and maiden surname of mother:
Elizabeth Berresford
Occupation of father: [left blank]
Signature, description and residence of informant:
The mark of Elizabeth x Berresford Mother
Union Workhouse Crossgate Durham
When registered: Twelfth of June 1845
Signature of registrar: Thomas Clamp, Registrar
Census data
Searching the 1861 England census for John Beresford born about 1845 in Durham, I found this one:
1861 England Census John Barresford in the household of William Fagan at Claypath, St. Nicholas, Durham, Durham.
William Fagan Head Mar 47 Scavenger Ireland
Elizabeth Fagan Wife Mar 37 Durham, Tanfield
John Barresford Stepson 15 Painter's Apprentice City of Durham, St. Margaret's
[Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 3743; Folio: 57; Page: 23; GSU roll: 543180]
In 1851 the same family unit with alternate spelling is found here:
1851 England Census John Barrowford in the household of William Faigan at Framwell Gate, St. Oswald, Durham, Durham.
William Faigan Head Mar 40 Labourer & Mason London
Elizth Do Wife Mar 28 Durham, Tanfield
John Barrowford 5 Scholar Do , St Margrets
[Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 2390; Folio: 195; Page: 25; GSU roll: 87068]
There is also a marriage index entry 1849 for Elizabeth Beresford and William Fagan.
BMD Marriage Index Dec 1849 Durham 24 120
GRO Copy
Marriage Solemnized at the Register Office in Durham in the County of Durham.
When Married: Oct 27 1849
Name and Surname: William Fagan
Elizabeth Beresford
Age: 36
25
Condition: Bachelor
Spinster
Rank or Profession: Labourer
[left blank]
Residence at time of marriage: Framwell Gate Durham
No 50 Framwell Gate Durham
Father's name and surname: James Fagan
Stephen Beresford
Rank or Profession of Father: Labourer
Pitman
Married in the Register Office by Superintendant Registrar Certificate by me,
This Marriage was solemnized between us,
X the mark of William Fagan
X the mark of Elizabeth Beresford
in the Presence of us,
Cathrine Caldcleugh
Thomas Burns
William and Elizabeth are still alive to be enumerated in the 1871 England Census at Claypath, St. Nicholas, Durham, Durham:
William Fagan Head Mar 70 Scavenger Ireland, Westmeath
Elizabeth Fagan Wife Mar 49 Durham, Tanfield
After this, I do not have further records for Elizabeth, but it would appear from the Death Index that William Fagan died in 1875, based on his name, age and location.
BMD Death Index William Fagan Dec1875 Durham 10a 216 age:70
It's possible that a marriage between Elizabeth Fagan and John Taylor in Durham Sep 1876 is hers.
The "London" birthplace for William Faigan of the 1851 census is probably incorrect, and Westmeath, Ireland correct. His year of birth varies between 1800 and 1814, his age inflating toward the end of his life. With a much younger wife, he may have deliberately underplayed his age, so perhaps 1801-1805 is more realistic. For two censuses he worked as a Scavenger in Durham, which was presumably his steady occupation in the 1860s.
There are spelling errors/variants, but there is enough consistency in the information to see these earlier (1845-1861) documents (and the 1871 census for William and Elizabeth) as belonging to the same family. The sequence of events shows that Elizabeth Beresford gave birth to a John out of wedlock. She later married William Fagan, but the boy retained his last name. John's surname has been rendered: Berresford (1845 birth certificate), Beresford (his mother's 1849 marriage certificate), Barrowford (1851 census), and Barresford (1861 census).
I am also sure that these documents describe the same John Beresford as the later ones. The following tables show the consistency for place of birth and date of birth for the documents. First, place of birth:
1845 Birth Certificate: Crossgate Union Workhouse
[in St. Margaret's, Durham]
1851 Census: Durham, St, Margrets
1861 Census: Durham, St. Margaret's
1871 Census: Durham City
1881 Census: Durham City
1891 Census: Durham, Durham
1901 Census: Durham, Durham
1911 Census: Parish of St. Margaret's City of Durham
The places of birth for these documents are all consistent at the city level, plus the place of birth given on the 1911 census matches the first three documents down to the parish level.
Next, age:
1845 Birth Certificate gives date of birth 18 May 1845
1851 Census on 30 Mar 1851 age given: 5 should be: 5
1861 Census on 7 Apr 1861 age given: 15 should be: 15
Marriage Certificate 2 Oct 1867 age given: 22 should be 22
1871 Census on 2 Apr 1871 age given: 25 should be 25
1881 Census on 3 Apr 1881 age given: 36 should be: 35
1891 Census on 5 Apr 1891 age given: 46 should be: 45
1901 Census on 31 March 1901 age given: 56 should be: 55
1911 Census on 2 Apr 1911 age given: 66 should be: 65
Death Registration 3 May 1912 age given: 67 should be: 66
John Beresford appears to gain an extra year between 1871 and 1881, Note his 1867 marriage and 1871 census records both match the putative prior records. A similar exercise with respect to his wife Mary Ann Kennett Beresford shows that she gains an extra year between 1881 and 1891.
I am convinced by the consistency among the documents that they all belong to the same person. If I'm wrong and the first three records belong to a different John Beresford/ Berresford/ Barresford/ Barrowford then he left no other documentation after 1861. He may have died unrecorded in further BMD or census documents (for example, by emigration). It would, of course, be an extraordinary coincidence that two John Ber(r)esfords were born at about the same time and place. In addition, it would be harder to explain the absence of documents prior to 1867 for our John Beresford. Over the last couple of years I must have searched for over a thousand post-1837 civil birth records and can recall only a couple of times being unable to find one. I have not given up on the possibility of finding irrefutable evidence connecting our John Beresford to the Fagans - William's death registration may be one place to look, or an independent source on our John Beresford's birthday. However, I do believe the evidence is strong enough already.
Stephen Beresford, Elizabeth's father, would be my step-4xgreat grandfather, and I'll have a little to say about him in another post. But there is a mystery to be solved. On his birth certificate, John Beresford has no father listed. On his marriage certificate John (presumably) gives his father as John Beresford, Attorney's Clerk. Now, I can understand that John would make up a father's name and occupation to avoid embarrassment. Why not Mariner or Labourer or Coalminer, an occupation common to the region? Attorney's Clerk sounds rather unusual and specific for a fictitious father. But I have a person of interest. And he is the topic of the next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment