Norris-Beldom Mystery

The Hay Wain by John Constable (1821)

A few months ago, a commenter asked if I knew why George Norris had changed his name to George Beldom. The short answer to this is: I don't know. Every so often in genealogy, I come across records that tell a story, but not the whole story, leaving some degree of mystery. I suppose that more famous ancestors would leave a greater imprint in the historical record, and, perhaps, more insight into the circumstances of the mystery. But not in the case of records belonging to agricultural laborer George Norris, who appears to have gone by the name George Beldom for over a decade.

When I first came across these records, I was not sure that they referred to the same person. In this post, I will lay out the records associated with the said names George Beldom and George Norris, and draw the tentative conclusion that these refer to one person.

So first off, where do these names fit into my ancestry? I have already posted about Henry Stroud, a pilot during the Great War, and one of my great grandfathers, and Henry Stroud, hairdresser of Hanwell, the former Henry's grandfather.

In between these two Henrys is Robert Stroud (1856-1925), a building contractor who played a part in developing Ilford, Essex. He married Charlotte Norris in 1882. The FreeBMD Marriage Index reference is Dec 1882 Wandsworth 1d 1013. They were married at St. Peter's, Battersea on Christmas Eve.

As you see from the certificate, Charlotte Norris gives her father's name as George Norris, occupation "Labourer". And it is through Charlotte that we will trace the records for George Norris or Beldom. On her census returns with Robert, Charlotte's place of birth is given as Dudley, Shropshire/ Worcestershire. (The upper margin note records a correction of Robert's age from 24 to 26 years of age at the time of his marriage).

Charlotte's 1881 Census return is as a servant in the household of widow Eliza M Bloxam at 74 Blenheim C[rescent?], Kensington. She is listed as single, aged 23 from "Staffordshire Not Known".

In 1871, the Census places Charlotte and her father in Hale, Farnham, Surrey.
       George Norris     Head       Mar  52  Labourer             [Farnham, Surrey]
       Mary        do         Wife        Mar  42                              Staffordshire, Codsall
       William    do          Son         Unm 15  Labourer                    "              Wombourne
       Charlotte do          Daur          "    13  Scholar                      "                      "
       Mary A     do            "              "    10      "                            "                       "
       George A do         Nephew     "      2                               Farnham, Surrey

And Wombourne is just a few miles northwest of Dudley and southwest of Wolverhampton. However, there is no birth index record for William, Charlotte or Mary A Norris in Staffordshire around their years of birth.

But I did find this 1861 Census enumeration at Blacklay (now Blakeley), Wombourne has the following household:
       George Beldom   Head     Mar   40  Park Lab            Surrey, Farnham
       Mary        Do         Wife      Mar   31                            Staffordshire, Codsall
       William     Do          Son                 5   Scholar                    Do           Wombourne
       Charlotte  Do         Daur                3                                   Do                 Do
       Robert Lamport     Lodger  Mar   30   Ag Lab               Surrey, Farnham
       Jane         Do         Wife      Mar   38                                  Do       Do
       George Norris        Nephew          9   Scholar                    Do   Mitcham

This is an interesting census return, because, Mary (the mother), William and Charlotte Beldom are most certainly the same individuals named ten years later as Mary (the mother), William and Charlotte Norris. The question arises as to whether the George Beldom of 1861 is also the George Norris of 1871.

Robert Lamport and Jane Norris (daughter of George Norris, labourer were married on 14 Sep 1851 at St Andrew's, Farnham. The nephew (presumably, of Robert and Jane) is probably the birth referred to in FreeBMD Birth Index George Norris Mar 1852 Croydon 2a 147. He is not someone I have followed up on.

The Wombourne, Staffordshire children have the following entries in the FreeBMD Birth Index:
       William Beldom Mar 1856 Wolverhampton 6b 360
       Charlotte Beldon Jun 1858 Wolverhampton 6b 380
       Mary Ann Beldom Jun 1861 Wolverhampton 6b 406

Charlotte's Birth Certificate reads:
       Date and place of birth: Twenty Ninth March 1858 Blacklay Wombourn
       Name/Sex: Charlotte/Girl
       Father's name: George Beldom
       Mother's name: Mary Beldom formerly Ferrington
       Father's occupation: Park Labourer
       Reported by: Mary Beldom Mother Blacklay

On 7 Aug 1882 William married Annie Cecilia Trigg. His marriage record (St John's, Hale) gives his father as George Norris, Labourer. And likewise, on 24 Dec 1887 Mary Ann married John Planton, and her marriage record (again, St John's, Hale) gives her father as George Norris, Labourer.

There are four further children to consider, although, sadly none of them survived to be enumerated in a census. They are:
       Robert Beldom Norris Sep 1864 Farnham 2a 72
              Baptized at St. John's, Hale 5 Sep 1864
                     Robert Beldon, of George and Mary Norris, Pharo's Row, Laborer
              Died Robert Norris Mar 1865 Farnham 2a 72
              Burial at St. John's, Hale
                     Robert Norris 18 Mar 1865 6 months

       George Norris Jun 1866 Farnham 2a 98
               Baptized at St. John's, Hale 8 Jul 1866
                     George, of George and Mary Norris, Common, Laborer
               Died George Norris Sep 1866 Farnham 2a 54 age:0
               Burial at St. John's, Hale
                     George Norris 17 Jul 1866 Upper Hale 7 weeks

       Louisa Jane Jun 1867 Farnham 2a 95
                Baptized at St. John's, Hale 14 Jul 1867
                       Louisa Jane, of George and Mary Norris, Upper Hale, Laborer
                Died Louisa Jane Norris Dec 1869 Farnham 2a 63 age:2
                Burial at St. John's, Hale
                       Sarah [sic] Jane 9 Nov 1869 Hale 2 yr and 5 mos

        Albert Henry Norris Jun 1873 Farnham 2a 101
                Baptized at St. John's, Hale 10 Sep 1873
                        Albert Henry, of George and Mary Norris, Pharo's Row, Laborer
                Died Albert Henry Norris Mar 1874 Farnham 2a 75
                Burial at St. John's, Hale
                        Albert Henry Norris son of George & Mary Norris 11 months Hale 28 Mar

Of these, I have the birth certificate of Robert Beldom Norris, which reads:
       Date and place of birth: Twenty Fifth August 1864 Hungry Hill Farnham
       Name/Sex: Robert Beldom/Boy
       Father's name: George Norris
       Mother's name: Mary Norris formerly Ferrington
       Father's occupation: General Labourer
       Reported by: M Norris Mother Hungry Hill Farnham

In 1881, this family is enumerated at No.1 Weybourne Lane:
       George Norris Head  Mar    60  Gen'l Laborer       Surrey, Farnham
       Mary        Do    Wife    Mar    51                               Staffordshire, Codsall
       William     Do     Son     Unm  25  Gen'l Laborer            Do         Wombourne
       George    Do     Son              12   Scholar                Surrey, Farnham

And in 1891, at Bagshot LEa Road:
       George Norris   Head   M  71  General Labourer    Surrey, Farnham
       Mary        Do      Wife     M  60                                  Staffordshire, Codsall
       George A Do      Nephew   22         Do        Do         Surrey, Farnham

In 1901, at Elm Tree Vil[las?]:
       George Norris   Head     M  82  Labourer (Agricultural)    Surrey, Farnham
       Mary      do        Wife       M  71                                          Staffs, Codsall
       Albert    do         Nephew S  32   Labourer (Agricultural)   Surrey, Farnham
       Emma Cooper    Visitor    S  28   Servant Domestic                do        do

The George Norris, son of 1881, George A Norris, nephew in 1891 and Albert Norris of 1901 are probably the same individual, George Albert Norris (1869-1947), the son of John Norris and Frances Maria Gardener. Our George and Mary Norris did not have a surviving son named George, while one George Albert Norris married Emily Cooper on 20th May 1901 at St. John's, Hale, shortly after this latter census was taken.

Both George and Mary died before the next census was taken in 1911. The FreeBMD Death Index lists the following:
       George Norris Sep 1903 Farnham 2a 81 age:84
       Mary Norris Dec 1906 Farnham 2a 103 age:77

From 1864 onwards, Mary's husband George bears the last name "Norris". We have already seen the 1861 Census from Blacklay, Staffordshire. We now turn to records prior to that date.

In 1851, a 29-year-old George Beldam is enumerated in the household of Eliza M Bloxam as a "General Servant", place of birth given as "Surrey, Effingham", which is about as far east of Guildford as Hale is to its west (about 8 miles).

At this time, 21-year-old Mary Ferrington of Codsall is a cook in the Wolverhampton household of fishmonger Joseph Bosworth.

On the 1st May 1855, George Belldom and Mary Ferrington were married at St. Michael's, Himley. The reference at FreeBMD Marriage Index is Jun 1855 Wloverhampton 6b 500.
       Groom: George Belldom/Of Full Age/Widower/Labourer/Himley
       Groom's father: George Belldom/Labourer
       Bride: Mary Ferrington/Of Full Age/Spinster/Domestic Servant/Wombourn
       Bride's father: William Ferrington/Farmer

As for records to explain George's first marriage - he is a widower in 1855 - the FreeBMD Marriage Index has George Beldon and Charlotte Tomlinson Jun 1851 Wolverhampton 17 387. England Select Marriages has the same names (and fathers both George, in addition) 24 Jun 1849 at St. Peters, Wolverhampton, but the date of the Index is more likely to be correct. The FreeBMD Death Index has a corresponding death of Charlotte Beldham Jun1853 Wolverhampton 6b 274.

In 1841, I have not yet found any George Beldom (Beldon, Belldom or Beldham, etc.), but there is a George Norris at Hoghatch Farnham:
       George Norris         45[-49]   Brickmaker     Y[es, born in Surrey]
       George    do   Junr  20[-24]   Lab[ourer]      Y
       William     do            20[-24]   Brickmaker     Y
       Jane        do            20[-24]                          Y
       Sarah       do           15[-19]                          Y
       John         do           14                                 Y
       Mary Ann  do           12                                 Y
       Henry       do            10                                 Y
       Louisa      do              8                                 Y
       Eliza         do              5                                 Y

These correspond to baptisms for children of George and Mary Norris at St. Andrew's, Farnham.
       George     21 Sep 1817
       William     21 Sep 1817
       Jane           3 Oct 1819
       Sarah        18 Jul 1824
       John           8 Oct 1826
       Mary Ann   7 Sep 1828
       Henry         2 Sep 1830
       Louisa        7 Nov 1832
       Eliza         16 Aug 1835

(It is Jane Norris who will go on to marry Robert Lamport, the couple who are lodgers with George Beldom and Mary in 1861. While George Albert Norris who is living with George Norris and Mary in 1881, 1891 and 1901 is the son of John Norris).

The marriage of the parents of these children must be this one recorded in Surrey, England, Church of England Marriages 1754-1937:
       George Norris of the parish of West Horsley bachelor married
       Charlotte Page of this parish spinster
       ... this fourth Day of November [1816]

The parish in question being St Lawrence's, Effingham, Surrey - which place was given as George Beldom's place of birth in the 1851 Census.

One reason why George and William might be baptized at the same time would be if they were twins. The 1841 Census ages are not that helpful here, since, according to the instructions for enumerations, ages over 15 were to be given rounded down to the nearest decade or half-decade. Thus, George and William being reported as 20 years old on the 1841 census could be separated in age by nearly five years.

George's year of birth based on ages given in his census records is relatively consistent, if inaccurate, at about 1819-1821. His baptism puts it in 1817 or before. William's census records (he died in 1871) yield a year of birth about 1816-1819. If they were not twins, then the double baptism suggests one of them was born before the marriage. George would be the candidate for this, since he is listed first in the 1841 census (although the census ages would argue the other way around). I had entertained the possibility that his father was named George Beldom, and this is still a possibility. Yet in the 1841 census, he is recognized as George Norris, Junior, suggesting to me that George Norris, Senior really is his father.

Here is the case for George Beldom being the same individual as George Norris.

One: George, junior and William of the 1841 census are most certainly the George and William of the 1817 baptisms. George Norris of the 1891 and 1901 censuses has a nephew George Albert Norris, who we know by other records, to be the son of John Norris. This John Norris appearing in the 1841 census as an apparent sibling of George, Junior, and baptized in 1826, a sibling of George Norris baptized in 1817.

Two: The George Beldom of the 1851 census gives Effingham, Surrey as his place of birth, which is where the parents of George (and all the 1841 siblings) were married. This George Beldom is almost certainly the George Beldom of the 1861 census, reported to be born in Farnham. The members of the 1861 George Beldom census appear to reemerge in 1871 under the name Norris.

Three: There is a lack of data for two separate individuals. There is no marriage record (1861-1865, or at any time for that matter) for George Norris and Mary Beldom, which would indicate two different people, and no obvious death record for George Beldom in the same period. While it is possible that a George Beldom deserted his family, and his wife ended up living with George Norris (I've come across stranger situations in my research into more distant branches of my family), naming a child Robert Beldom Norris argues against the plausibility of this.

Four: Further, in any one time period, I have only ever found records for one or the other of George Norris or George Beldom. Even after diligent searching, I have not found census records for George Norris for 1851 and 1861, nor any for George Beldom in 1841, 1871 and later.

The most likely explanation is that George Norris of the above records and George Beldom are one and the same. For some reason, George Norris left Farnham, Surrey between mid-1841 and early 1851 and reappears as George Beldom in Staffordshire. A family quarrel? Or some legal trouble? We'll probably never know. Depending on the timing he spent some 10-23 years in Staffordshire. Time smoothed things over. George Norris returned to Farnham between mid-1861 (when Mary Ann Beldom is born in Staffordshire) and mid-1864 (when Robert Beldom Norris is born in Farnham).

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.