Keeping Cows and Carting Coal

We move back a generation from yesterday's post to William Neill and his wife Ann.

From his daughter's marriage record, we know he is a Dairy Man and that she is from Hanwell. When I began this last year, several others on ancestry.com had been there before me, making the research easy. But I also discovered that some public member trees had Ann Fox for his wife, while others had Ann Howden. In looking for the documentary record of this family, I was also on the lookout for any clues to her true identity.

I will start by progressing forwards in time through census records from 1841. Living in Hanwell, Middlesex we have:
       William Neill   40   Cow Keeper     Y[es, born in Middlesex]
       Ann        Do    40                            Y
       William   Do    13                            Y
       George   Do    10                           Y
       James    Do     8                             Y
       Edmond  Do     6                            Y
       Jane       Do     3                             Y

The 1841 Census does not list relationships, although we might infer from the above that William and Ann are parents, while the five minors are their children.

In 1851, still in Hanwell:
       William Jas Neill   Head      Mar  57  Dairy Man & Cow Keeper      Uncertain
       Ann              Do    Wife       Mar  58                       do  Wife            Norfolk, Caustee
       William        Do     Son         U    23   Labourer                                Middx, Hanwell
       George        Do     do          do   20     Do                                           do         do
       Jane            Do    Daughter do  13                                                     do         do

By the 1851 Census, relationship to head of household is listed, and we can confirm three of the children. We are also able to a middle name for William. And there are discrepancies between 1851 and 1841 as to place of birth for William and Ann. In 1841, they are both reported as born in Middlesex (Y on the form). In 1851, Ann's place of birth is in Norfolk (although there is no such place as Caustee - or even Caversfield as the ancestry transcript incorrectly has it). Meanwhile, William's place of birth is listed as "Uncertain", when it should at least have Middlesex. I suspect the census enumerator was dealing with Ann, and that she was uncertain as to where he was born.

In 1861, on Boston Road, Hanwell (the previous returns do not list a street):
       William Neill    Head             Mar   64    Dairy Man           Middlesex, Brentford
       Ann Neill         Wife              Mar   67                                Norfolk, Cosly
       William Neill    Son               Mar   33   Coal Merchant     Middlesex, Hanwell
       Charlotte Neill Daur-in-Law  Mar  30                                    Do         Ealing
       Jane Stroud    Grand Daur            11                                   Do         Hanwell
       John Savage     Do  Son                8                                     Do         Westminster
       Elizabeth Neill   Do  Daur               1 mo                               Do         Hanwell

This census return is highly informative. William (senior) has a place of birth: Brentford, Middlesex. A possible baptism, allowing for non-standardized spellings, would be the one recorded at St Mary Ealing (also known as St Mary Hanwell):
       Neal   William James son of William & Ann.
                                             born November 5th: 1796. baptized October 15th: 1797

Before widespread literacy, names were not standardized in spelling so it's worth looking for variants of a name. For Neill, that might include Neil, Neal, Neale, Niall etc. I have not yet looked, but there are likely some siblings baptized here in the 1790s as well.

Ann's place of birth is still Norfolk, but now Cosly - another nonexistent place.

It is reassuring to find Jane Stroud here, confirming that this is indeed the family of Ann Neill, who married Henry Stroud, the Hairdresser of Hanwell.

William Neill (junior) is now married, and presumably Charlotte is his wife. We find at Hampstead St. Stephen the Martyr on 21 April 1860, the following marriage record:
       Groom: William Neill  30  Bachelor  Labourer    Portland Town
                           father: William Neill  Cow-Keeper
       Bride: Charlotte Savage  30  Widow   Victoria Terrace
                           father: John Hill  Labourer
       Signed: William Neill and Charlotte Savage
       Witnessed by: Henry Webb and Elizabeth Webb

Thus, John Savage, the grandson of William and Ann, is Charlotte's son from her previous marriage. The record for this marriage to John Savage is recorded at St Mary Hanwell on 21 July 1850.

The one-month-old Elizabeth Neill of the 1861 Census return must the daughter of William and Charlotte baptized at St Mary Hanwell (who was actually 2 months old by census night):
       born Jany 26 1861 [bapt.] Feb 24  Elizabeth  William & Charlotte Neill
                                                                                                 Hanwell  Milkman
This corresponds to BMD Birth Index:
       Elizabeth Neill Mar1861 Brentford 3a 79

At St Mary, Hanwell, two brothers of Elizabeth are also baptized:
       William James Neill  born 28 Feb 1864, bapt. 27 Mar
       Harry Walter Neill   born 23 Oct 1865, bapt. 19 Nov

In the five records above, the occupation for William (junior) is given as Coal Merchant, Labourer (three times) and Milkman. As we see below, William James Neill (senior) is described in a probate document as both Dairyman and Coal Merchant. It is possible that the son was carrying on his father's trades, however improbable the combination seems.

Death records for William James Neill:
       BMD Death Index William James Neill Jun1864 Brentford 3a 60

       Burial at St Mary's Hanwell 24 April 1864, aged 68

       National Probate Calendar, England and Wales
              NEILL William James    
              22 November [1864]     Letters of Administration
              (with the Will annexed) of the Personal estate
              and effects of William James Neill late of
              Hanwell in the County of Middlesex Dairy-
              man and Coal Merchant deceased who died
              20 April 1864 at Hanwell aforesaid were granted
              at the Principal Registry to Ann Neill of
              Hanwell aforesaid Widow the Relict the
              Residuary Legatee named in the said Will she
              having been first sworn.
     
Death records for Ann Neill:
       BMD Death Index Ann Neill Mar1865 Brentford 3a 62

       Burial at St Mary's Hanwell 5 February 1865, aged 73

       National Probate Calendar, England and Wales
              NEILL Ann         
              18 February [1865]    Letters of Administration
              of the Personal estate of Ann
              Neill late of Alpha Cottage Hanwell in the
              County of Middlesex Widow deceased who
              died 30 January 1865 at Alpha Cottage afore-
              said were granted at the Principal Registry
              to Sarah Bucknell of 94 Tyler-street Lambeth
              in the County of Surrey Widow the daughter
              of the said Deceased she having been first sworn.

The daughter Sarah, we have not yet seen. She must be the one baptized at St Mary Hanwell (non-standardized spelling again):
       [Born 1821] May 19  [bapt.] June 4  Sarah  William & Ann  Neale  Hanwell  Milkman

Lambeth St Mary the Less have the following marriage record, dated 12 July 1855:
       Groom: Robert Bucknell  Full Age  Widower  Baker  94 Tyer's Street
                            father: Robert Bucknell (decd)  Farmer
       Bride: Sarah Neill   Full Age  Spinster      94 Tyer's Street
                            father: William Neill  Cow Keeper
       signed: Robert Bucknell and Sarah Neill
       witnessed by: George Neill and Elizabeth Barker

Robert Bucknell (the baker) dies 1862. Sarah remarries the well-named Thomas Barley, Licensed Victualler, as recorded at Newington, St Mary on 29 November 1870.

In addition to the children of William Neill, Cow Keeper, and his wife Ann shown in the census returns, we have the following:
       Ann
              There is no record of her baptism at St Mary Hanwell, and the parish register
              for St Nicholas Chiswick is not available online.
              Of course, we do know she is a daughter of William Neill Dairy Man from
              her marriage record to Henry Stroud, Hairdresser of Hanwell.
                     Hanwell St Mary 21 July 1845
              BMD Death Index Ann Stroud Sep1895 Romford 4a 231 Age:77
       Charles
              Charles Naill born 26 January 1822, baptized 3 March
              Married 1. Charlotte Bunce
                     BMD Marriage Index Jun1845 Brentford 3 5 (Charles Neill and Charlotte Bunce)
              Married 2. Louisa Frampton
                     Hanwell St Mary 2 April 1888
              Occupation: Labourer
              BMD Death Index Charles Neill Dec1904 Brentford 3a 40 Age:82
       Eliza
              Eliza Neall born 19 August 1824, baptized 12 September
              Married William Farr (Farm Labourer/Hay Binder)
                     BMD Marriage Jun1846 Brentford 3 7 (William Farr and Eliza Neill)
              BMD Death Eliza Farr Mar1895 Brentford 3a 112 Age:69
       Sarah
              Sarah Neale born 19 May 1826, baptized 4 June
              Married 1. Robert Bucknell (Baker)
                     Lambeth St Mary the Less 12 July 1855
              Married 2. Thomas Barley (Licensed Victualler)
                     Newington St Mary 29 November 1870
              BMD Death Sarah Barley Sep1896 Lambeth 1d 294 Age:70
       William
              William Neill born 28 December 1827, baptized 20 January 1828
              Married Charlotte Hill (widow Savage)
                     Hampstead St Stephen the Martyr 21 April 1860
              Occupation: Labourer (in 1861 Coal Merchant and in 1891 Cow Keeper)
              BMD Death Index William Neill Sep1897 Wandsworth 1d 478 Age:69
       Martha
              Martha Neill born 2 August 1829, baptized 23 August
              Burial at Hanwell St Mary 18 July 1830 aged 11 months
       George
              George Neill born 5 March 1831, baptized 29 April
              Married Emily Guerrier (widow Colwell)
                     BMD Marriage Mar1858 Westminster St Mary 1a 337
                                   (George Neill and Emily Colwell)
              Occupation: Baker
              Died after 1891 Census
       James
              James Neill born 18 March 1832, baptized 7 April
              Married 1. Ellen Kendrick
                     St Pancras Parish Chapel 17 December 1857
              Married 2. Elizabeth Ligg (widow Smith)
                     Pentonville St Silas 31 January 1878
              Occupation: Railway Porter
              BMD Death Index James Neill Sep1898 Pancras 1b 64 Age:65
              Burial 12 September 1898 St Pancras Parish Chapel
       Edmund
              Edmund Neill born 19 December 1834, baptized 18 January 1835
              Married Mary Ann Emmerton
                     Haggerston All Saints 26 May 1861
              Occupation: Police Constable (1911 Census has Police Railway Pensioner)
              BMD Death Index Edmund Neill Mar1914 Edmonton 3a 634 Age:79
              National Probate Calendar records death on 26 January 1914
       Jane Hannah Fox
              Jane Anna Neill born 20 December 1837, baptized 14 January 1838
              Married Edward William Lewonskei (Blacksmith, and latterly Oil and Colourman)
                     BMD Marriage Index Sep1858 Kensigton 1a 45
                            (Jane Hannah Fox Neill and Edward William Lewonskei)
              BMD Death Index Jane Hannah F Lewonskei Dec1901 West Ham 4a 152 Age:63
                     (Edward W Lewonskei West Ham 4a 144 Age:66

This youngest daughter, named Jane Hannah Fox Neill, suggests the correct maiden name for her mother Ann. In addition, there is a three-year-old Ann Fox Neill, the daughter of James Neill and Ellen (Kendrick) reported in the 1871 Census at 11 Hampden Street, Somers Town, St Pancras. St Pancras parish records have her born 21 January 1868, and baptized 9 March, corresponding to BMD Birth Index Ann Fox Neill Jun1868 Pancras 1b 117.

The marriage record for William Neill and Ann Fox is just down the road from Hanwell at Chiswick St Nicholas:
       William James Neill of this Parish
       and Ann Fox of this Parish
       were married in this Church by Banns...
       ... this Twenty Third Day of
       November in the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and seventeen
       By me Thos Frere Bowerbank Vicar
       This Marriage was solemnized between us:
              the mark of X William James Neill
              the mark of X Ann Fox
       In the Presence of:
              (signed) John Frayley Parish Clerk
              (signed) Charlotte Harrison

Chiswick St Nicholas

Next, where was Ann Fox born?

Henry Stroud Hairdresser of Hanwell

Be Sure Your Hairdresser is Trustworthy!

When I think Victorian hairdressing, I recall the story of Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street! He dispatches his trusting clients, taking their possessions, while his mistress makes succulent meat pies to dispose of the remains. The terror of the story (and no such person as Sweeney Todd truly existed in Victorian London) lies in the commonplace situation of visiting the hairdresser and being completely at his mercy in the age of the shaving razor.

A previous post describes the war record of my great grandfather Henry Stroud, and documents his siblings and parents, Robert and Charlotte Stroud. In this post we follow Robert Stroud, the building contractor of Barley Hall, Ilford, back in time before his marriage, to document his siblings and parents.

The 1911 England census includes information on length of current marriage, which for Robert and Charlotte Stroud was 28 years, meaning they were married in about 1881. The parish register at Battersea St Peter for 24 December 1882 has:

       Robert Stroud    24  Bachelor  Labourer  173 Ingrave St  Henry Stroud  Hairdresser
       Charlotte Norris 24  Spinster                   173 Ingrave St  George Norris Labourer
       signed by Robert Stroud and Charlotte Norris
       witnessed by Ann Matton and Benjamin Stroud

Above the entry, and in reference to Robert's age, a later vicar had added an anotation:
In entry no. 269, col. 3 for "24" in upper line read "26" corrected on the 11th February 1884 by me Joseph Miles, Vicar in the presence of Robert Stroud and Charlotte Stroud the parties married.

I have not yet found Robert's 1881 census return, but I do have one for 1871, in which a 15-year-old Robert is living with parents Henry Stroud, Hairdresser, and Ann. The household is shown at 11 Gladman's Cottages as follows:
        Henry   Stroud  Head   Mar   48    Hairdresser   Middlesex, Marylebone
        Ann         Do      Wife    Mar  50    Laundress         Do           Hanwell
        Henry      Do      Son    Unm  18    Labourer           Do               Do
        Robert     Do      Son              15        Do                 Do               Do
        Elizabeth Do      Daur            13                              Do               Do

By 1891, Robert was an building contractor, employing workers. As we saw above, in 1882, he gives his occupation as labourer for the marriage certificate, and this occupation is also reported in the 1871 England census. He seems to have struck out on his own, certainly not following his father's occupation of hairdresser.

In 1881, Robert's parents are found at 2 Adelaide Cottages, Boston Road, Hanwell, giving ages 59 and 60, and occupations as Hairdresser and Laundress.

In 1891, they are at 2 Halfacre, Hanwell, just off the High Street. Henry, now reported aged 69, is still a hairdresser, although reported this time as Barber, and Ann, 71, no longer gives an occupation.

Henry's entry in the BMD Death Index must be:
       Henry Stroud Dec1893 Brentford 3a 90 Age:73

However, it is less clear which should be Ann's.
       Ann Stroud Dec1892 Henley 3a 432 Age:72
       Ann Stroud Sep1895 Romford 4a 231 Age:77

The former is consistent with the ages reported in censuses, while the latter is cited by unsourced trees in ancestry.com.

Returning to Robert Stroud, in 1861 we find him with his father and siblings living opposite the Middlesex Lunatic Asylum in Norwell. However, Ann is not among them, presumably visiting somewhere. In addition to Henry, Robert and Elizabeth, two older children are still at home in 1861.
       Henry Stroud Head Mar   38 Hair Dresser Middx St Marylebone
       Sarah    do     Daughter   10                        do              do
       William  do     Son           13                        do              do        [new page]
       Henry Stroud   Son           8                       Middx Hanwell
       Robert   do      do             5                         do               do
       Elizabeth do Daur            3                         do               do

Before Robert was born, we can follow the young family back in time to 1851, in Hanwell:
       Henry Stroud   Head   Mar   28   Hair Dresser  Mddx Marylebone
       Ann Stroud      Wife   Mar    30    Do    Do   Wife   do     Hanwell
         do      do        Daur              4                               do         do
       William do       Son                3                               do         do
       Jane    do        Daur              1                                do         do
       Sarah   do         do                1 month                     do         do

The marriage of Henry Stroud and Ann Neill is recorded in the parish register at St Mary's Hanwell on 21 July 1845. Banns are recorded for St Mary's Paddington Green (Henry's home parish?) and St Mary's Hanwell.
       Henry Stroud Full Age Bachelor Hair Dresser  Hanwell  John Stroud    Hair Dresser
       Ann Neill        Full Age Spinster                        Hanwell  William Neill   Dairy Man
       signed by: Henry Stroud and Ann Neill
       witnessed by: Charles Battey Parish Clerk and Elizabeth Dawson

Henry Stroud, hairdresser, can also be found before his marriage in the 1841 England Census. No address is given, although the census book for Acton District 5 begins at "Gospel oak near the township of New Brentford and [terminates] at the High road through the town of Hanwell". There on page 4 (out of 17) we find:
       John Atwell      60   Hairdresser    No[t born in Middlesex]
       Ann      Do       50                          No
       Henery Stroud 18   Prentice Do    Yes

Henry's place of birth on his census returns is always St Marylebone, and his reported age gives a year of birth about 1823. The St Marylebone parish register has the following baptism for 24 March 1822:
       Henry S[on] of     John and Zipporah   Stroud    Servt   [born] 22 Dec 1821

This would mean that the census ages up to 1871 are consistently one less than his real age (and thereafter match it), which is quite possible. Also, the father's occupation is not consistent between Henry's baptism and marriage documents, but this is also also possible. Related to the above baptism is in the same parish for 9 April 1818:
       William S[on] of     James and Zipporah    Stroud   Servt [born]  2 Jany1818

It seems to me likely that the baptisms here are for two brothers, and that on one of them the father's name is not correct; I find it hard to believe that in the same parish there are two Zipporahs married to a Stroud. Leaving open some room for doubt, I tend to accept the first of these baptisms as being for our future hairdresser, and the second being for his brother.

The parish register at Hanwell St Mary, records the following baptisms of the children of Henry and Ann Stroud. Many of the entries had been mis-transcibed in ancestry as "Strond", and , to find them, I had to just read through the register page by page:
       Ann Sarah       
              Born 9 Jun 1846  bapt. 5 July 1846
                     At home for the 1851 Census, but I have no further record of her
       William Henry        
              Born 1 Nov 1847  bapt. 28 Nov 1847
                     At home 1851 and 1861
                     Marries Louisa Harriett Stebbing 25 Dec 1869 Battersea St George Martyr
                     Occupation: Hairdresser
                     Still alive in 1911
       Jane                         
              Born 6 Jul 1849    bapt. 29 July 1849
                     At home 1851, with grandparents Neill 1861, but no further record
       Sarah                       
              Born 3 Mar 1851   bapt. 26 Mar 1851
                     At home 1851 and 1861
                     Servant 1871 to two unmarried Wilshire sisters in Hanwell
                     BMD Marriage Index Mar1874 Brentford 3a 100
                            Sarah Stroud and George Scott
                     Still alive in 1911: Nurse (Maternity)
       Henry                      
              Born 27 Jan 1853   bapt. 6 Mar 1853
                     Marries Annie Maria Johnson
                     Marries Fanny Wheeler
                             (surname according to ancestry public member trees)
                     Occupation: Plasterer
                     Death 1905
       Robert                   
              Born 15 Mar 1856  bapt. 6 Apr 1856
                     Details in this and the previous post.
       Elizabeth                 
              Born 16 Oct 1857   bapt. 6 Dec 1857
                     At home 1861 and 1871
                     Attendant at the Middlesex Lunatic Asylum 1881
                     Marries William Evans, Gentleman's Servant 18 May 1882 at Deptford St Paul
                     BMD Death Jun1890 Brentford 3a 59 Age:32
                     Burial 26 Jun 1890 St Mary's Ealing
       Benjamin              
              Born 10  Jan 1860  bapt. 4 Mar 1860
                     1871 Lodger with John and Charlotte Wells in Hammersmith
                     1881 Servant (Barman) to Richard Hill (Licensed Victualler) in Marylebone
                     Marries Lydia Bland 4 Jun 1884 at St Marylebone
                     1891 Lodger with Fred Wm Palmer in East Ham
                     Occupation: Driller
                     No further record
Benjamin, I would not have found, but for browsing the St Mary's Hanwell parish register. He may be the Benjamin Stroud who signed as a witness on Robert Stroud's marriage registration, presented at the top of this post.

So, three generations of hairdressers: first John Stroud, according to the marriage registration for Henry Stroud and Ann Neill, second Henry Stroud himself, and thirdly his son, William Henry Stroud. And none of them, a "demon barber" I'm sure! Next up the Neills, and then Foxes and Bunnets.