Digging up Bodies of Those Buried in Bedlam Insane Asylum

The Bedlam mental health hospital was established in 1247. A burial site, called Bethlehem and the New Churchyard, was opened after graveyards around London started to overflow.
The poor from London and inmates from the asylum were buried there and recent excavations have uncovered bits and pieces of skeletal remains.

Read more:

Digging up Bodies of Those Buried in Bedlam

The 'oldest tree in Europe' discovered in a Welsh cemetery

5000 year old yew tree in Wales

I don't normally blog about trees (well perhaps Family Trees) but as this one is in a cemetery its worthy of note. Experts say a yew tree found in St Cynog’s churchyard in Wales, is probably Europe’s oldest living thing.

The tree is more than 5,000 years old, that's 3,000BC. It started growing about 500 years before the Pharaohs in Egypt built the Great Pyramid of Giza. And it was a sapling at about the time work first began on building Stonehenge.

If only it could talk.

Saxon bones are significant archaeological discovery

Bones unearthed by landscape gardeners laying a driveway at a house in Purley have been hailed as a significant archaeological discovery after it was confirmed they are at least 1,200 years old.
The skull and thigh bone discovered in Riddlesdown Road on April 14 have been analysed by experts who say they are Saxon and date back to between 670 and 775AD.

Read More On The Saxon Bones

52 Ancestors: Richard Boniwell Loses Everyting to his Creditors in 1849

I'm writing about my 4th great-grandpa Richard Rufus Boniwell or Bonewell, as part of Amy Crow's Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Richard was born in 1809 in Southwold, Suffolk England, the son of Richard Rufus Boniwell. Richard Jr. was well-established in the little community and is written about in James Magg's Diary on Ancestry.com 

Luckily for me, his marriage to Harriet, daughter of James Martin who owned The Red Lion Inn in Southwold, is mentioned in the diary. That gave me his wife's maiden name and her father's name. 

A carpenter by trade, Richard was the owner of The White Swan Inn and in 1841 he was living at Cliff's End with his wife Harriet Martin and 4 young children. A prominent man in the small community, he was elected a Councillor of Southwold in 1845. Then his luck changed.

1849 finds Richard bankrupt. A notice appeared in the Ipswich Journal dated February 1849 for an auction of all his posessions in order to pay his creditors - carpentry equipment, tools, household effects and so on. You name it, he lost it. There were 4 feather beds and all bedding listed in the effects to be auctioned for his creditors. He and his wife were given 3 months to gather all their possessions together for the auctioneers. 

Then in October yet another blow struck Richard. His inn, The White Swan, was repossessed and sold to pay his creditors. 

1851 finds Richard and his family living in much poorer conditions in the town of Southwold itself. I have to wonder how Harriet coped!   

In the end Richard and Harriet had 8 children, the last born in 1856. In 1886 Richard died. 

52 Ancestors: Edith & Martha Finch - Life in the Workhouse in England

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. 

A few weeks ago I wrote about my ancestor Elsie Phyllis Markham and the hard life she had, orphaned at 9 months old, pregnant in 1917 at 19...... Today I want to talk about her mother Edith FINCH and grandmother Martha FINCH and their lives in the Workhouse.

Elsie's mother Edith Finch died in November 1898 in London England at the age of 28. Her husband Albert Markham had died just one month before Edith. They had both fallen victim to Typhoid Fever. Three young children were left behind - Albert, Frederick and Elsie (9 months old)




Brighton Workhouse


Edith's life had not been without difficulties. She was born in 1870 in the Brighton Workhouse in London England to Martha Finch, an unmarried inmate of the Workhouse. No father's name was given on little Edith's birth registration but at her marriage to Albert Markham in 1895 she gave her father's name as Lionel and his occupation as Commercial Traveller. I've never been able to find out if this is true. 

Edith Finch - Albert Markham Marriage 1895

1871 Census

The census of 1871 finds Martha, age 32, listed as a pauper in the Cuckfield Union Workhouse with her 6 month old "pauper child" Edith. Martha has work outside the Workhouse as a cook in a family home. 

Race Hill Workhouse and Brighton Industrial School

1881 Census

In 1881 the family is still in dire financial circumstances. 43 year old Martha is living in the Race Hill Workhouse with another illegitimate daughter Esther age 23 and Esther's illegitimate son Arthur 1 1/2 years old. Edith is not with the family at this time. She may be the Edith Finch age 12 in the Brighton Industrial School in Sussex but the birth location for this Edith is not consistent with the actual birth location of my ancestor. However I believe the birth location is simply an error and that this is my great-great grandmother. 

The Brighton Workhouse (also known as Race Hill Workhouse) sent pauper children to the new Warren Farm (aka Brighton Industrial School) in 1862 and it seems almost certain that Edith was sent there from Race Hill where her mother is found in 1881. [Source: http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Brighton/ ]

The lives of Martha and her daughters in the Workhouse and the Industrial School would not have been easy. People ended up in the Workhouse if they were too poor to support themselves, or if their family would not help them during difficult times. Often unmarried pregnant women were forced to enter the workhouse because their families disowned them.

Workhouse inmates were forced to do hard physical labour to help offset the cost of providing them with lodging and meagre food rations. For the most part, the inmates worked 12  hours of each day. Meals were simple with breakfast consisting usually of tea and bread or tea and gruel (a watery oatmeal). Lunch was their main meal of the day and it was usually a watery soup with bread, or a thin stew made of tough mutton or beef with a few carrots and potatoes. Their last meal of the day was tea with bread and butter. [Source: http://www.workhouses.org.uk/life/food.shtml]

1891 Census

1891 finds Edith Finch still living in the Workhouse but working as a housemaid. She too has an illegitimate son named Albert, age 5 months. It is not known who Albert's father was but he too was born in the St. Pancras Workhouse. Edith's mother Martha appears to have finally left the Workhouse after 30 or more years. Martha entered the Workhouse sometime before 1861 when she is found working as a dairymaid but with an illegitimate daughter born in the Workhouse. I suspect it may have been the birth of her daughter that forced Martha into the Workhouse. 

In the 1891 census Martha Finch lists herself as a widow even though there is no evidence that she ever married. She is working as a cook in a family home and no doubt had to say she was widowed since she had at least 3 illegitimate children. A proper Victorian family would not have allowed her to be part of their family life if she were not considered "respectable". It appears she may have been a live-in cook which was probably her only opportunity to escape the Workhouse life. 

As for Martha's 3 children, her son John (born 1863) was taken in by Martha's parents and appears to have lived with them his entire life. As to why they took in John but not Martha's daughters, I can't say. However there was contact between Martha and her parents as in 1871 12 year Esther Finch is staying with her grandparents and brother John. 

Esther Finch had yet a second illegitimate child, Ruth, born circa 1887 in the Workhouse but in 1900 Esther married a widower named William John Arrow. William had been left with 5 young children when his wife died in London in 1898, possibly from the same illness that took Esther's sister Edith and brother-in-law Albert Markham.

Timeline:

It's a confusing family to follow, full of misfortunate and sad circumstances. Because of this I created a timeline summary to help me in my research.

1838: Martha Finch, my 3rd great-grandmother, is born to Charles Finch and Keziah Harding. Charles is a bricklayer. Martha is one of 10 children. 

1861: Martha Finch is a dairymaid but living in the Workhouse. Her illegitimate daughter Esther is born that year.

1863: Martha Finch has an illegitimate son John born in Brighton Sussex OR is he the son of her younger sister Anna? 

1871:

• Martha is a pauper in the Cuckfield Union Workhouse with her illegitimate 6 month old daughter Edith Finch, my 2nd great grandmother. 
• John Finch and Esther Finch, Martha's two children, are living with grandparents George and Keziah

1881: 

• Martha Finch is an inmate in the Race Hill Workhouse with her daughter Esther and Esther's illegitimate son Arthur, age 1 1/2 
• Edith Finch is 12 years old and an inmate in the Brighton Industrial School which is part of Race Hill Workhouse.
• John Finch is living with his grandparents George & Keziah Finch

1891: 

• Martha Finch is employed as a cook in a family home. She doesn't appear to be living in the Workhouse
• Edith Finch is in the Pancras Workhouse. She has an illegitimate son Albert born in the Workhouse 5 months previously.
• Esther Finch is in the Race Hill Workhouse with her 4 year old illegitimate daughter Ruth.
• John Finch is  living "on his own means" at Hollycombe Stable in Sussex
• Arthur Finch, Martha's grandson, is living with a nurse in Brighton Sussex

1894: A John Finch born 1863 dies in Brighton Sussex. I do not have proof this is the grand son of George and Keziah but I do not find John in 1901 or 1911 census records.

1895: Edith Finch marries Albert Markham

1898: Edith Finch and her husband Albert Markham die of Typhoid Fever leaving 3 young children orphaned, including my great grandmother, 9 month old Elsie Markham

1900: Esther Finch marries John William Arrow, widower with 5 children

1901: 

• 62 year old Martha is a servant in Portsmouth Hampshire England
• John Finch - not found
• Arthur Finch is on board a ship of the Royal Navy as a musician
• Esther (Finch) Arrow is with her husband and daughter Ruth Finch in Brighton Sussex 

1909: Esther (Finch) Arrow dies

1911:

• Arthur Finch is living in Portsmouth, Hampshire England. He is a musician in the Royal Marine Artillery Barracks And Infirmary
• Ruth Finch is a maid in the house of Fanny Masters in Sussex England
• John Finch - not found

52 Ancestors: Poor Elsie, Orphaned at 9 Months and Pregnant at 19

Elsie age 15 in 1913
on her way to Canada

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. 

Elsie Phyllis Markham was my great-grandmother. She was born in London England in 1898 to parents Albert Markham and Edith Finch. At the age of 9 months Elsie was orphaned when her parents died within a month of each other. 

Elsie's mother Edith was an illegitimate child born in the St. Pancras Workhouse. There does not seem to have been much contact with Edith's mother Martha Finch who had a total of 3 illegitimate children born to her while she was in the Workhouse. 

Elsie and my Grandpa Bert 1918

Baby Elsie and her two year old brother Frederick Markham were lucky enough to be taken in by an Aunt and Uncle but her 8 year old brother Albert Finch was sent to an orphanage. Several months after being taken in, the uncle refused to pay for the children's upkeep any longer.  Little Frederick was sent to a different orphanage than Albert, and Elsie was adopted by an older couple. 

Albert, who himself was an illegitimate child born in the St. Pancras Workhouse to his mother Edith Finch, was 8 year old when he entered Barnardo's Homes and at the age of 11 was sent as a Home Child to Canada. Letters exchanged between Albert and Barnardo's reveal that he was not treated well and ran away several times from his life of servitude and beatings. Eventually Albert was placed in the home of Roy and Mary Skinner of St. Mary's Ontario and there he found a happy life where he was treated as a son.

Frederick Markham

Albert was determined to reunite the family and began saving his money as a young teen so that he could bring Frederick and Elsie to Canada to join him. In September 1913, 23 year old Albert sent for 15 year old Elsie and she joined him in St. Mary's Ontario. 

His younger brother Frederick was an inmate of Miller's Orphan House in London until March 1914. He was18 when his older brother Albert paid for his passage to Canada. Sadly Frederick enlisted in the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force) during WW1 and was killed overseas. 

Elsie, poor Elsie, got pregnant in August 1917. She was just 19 years old and alone in the world except for her brother Albert. One month later she married Bristol Holden but recent DNA tests have revealed that Bristol was not the baby's father. 

Elsie and brother Albert

That was a surprise but confirmed what my grandmother Luella always told me - that Elsie was "fooling around with the hired man Cooper and that is Bert's father, not Bristol Holden." We have narrowed the possible candidates to two men in the Cooper family. We do not judge Elsie harshly. She was young, alone and pregnant in 1917. What was she to do? Her options were limited! 

We do not know whether she told Bristol the truth before marrying him or whether she kept her secret and let him think he was Bert's father. It really doesn't matter because by all accounts they had a happy marriage. 

52 Ancestors: Sam Sandercock and His WW1 Tragedy

Amy Johnson Crow has a new challenge for geneabloggers called Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Amy challenges genealogists to write about one ancestor once a week. I'm having fun with this and I hope you are too!

The Sandercott Family 1916

One of my ancestors was Sam Sandercock aka Sandercott. Sam was born in Cornwall England in 1870 and came to Ontario Canada in 1887 on board the ship Parisian. Eventually he married Ann Jackson and they had 7 children - 6 sons and 1 daughter (my great grandmother).

Sam was a proud patriotic Englishman and when WW 1 started in 1914 he was all for it. He could not join the military in 1914 as men his age were not really wanted. The Military only wanted young fit men in 1914 but as the war dragged on and casualties mounted they were forced to start taking older and far less fit men. So Sam enlisted in 1916 even though he was 46 years old and not in the best of health. His two eldest sons, Cecil and Bill, were now of military service age, also enlisted and the 3 went off to war.

Sadly Bill was killed in August 1917 in France. He was just 19 years old. His brother Cecil was right beside Bill when he was killed, and Cecil's postcard to his parents is chilling in its brevity:

Just a few lines, hoping you are well. I guess you will have heard the news of my brother's death before this letter reaches you. Bill and I went out on a working party on the night of August 23rd. We were both together working when a shell lit in the trench. Bill was killed. I got a slight wound in the knee. I was lucky i was not killed too. 

Almost exactly one year later in August 1918 Cecil Sandercock was also killed during some heavy fighting near Boiry France. He was just 20 years old.

Sam himself never made it into the trenches. The damp cold conditions in England got the best of his health. He was invalided with asthma in 1916 and sent home to Canada in April 1917 as medically unfit. Such a sad tale for 3 family members to go off to war and only one returned. 

52 Ancestors: Frederick Purdue, Chaser of Slave Vessels, Friend of Thomas Edison?

Frederick Purdue in 1921

Frederick Purdue (1827-1921) was my 3rd great-grandfather. According to his obituary and some family stories he was quite a colourful character. I've tried to confirm the stories told in his obit but so far no luck. The Bluecoat School has no record of him being a student and I have not been able to find out anything about his sailing days or his adventures during the Fenian Raids. 

Were the stories true? I don't know but I hope so! What an exciting ancestor to have if the stories are true. 

His obituary reads

An interesting personality passed away on Monday evening at the advanced age of 94 years, at his home 94 Seaton St., in the person of Frederick Purdue, who in his early days, had a somewhat adventurous career on the sea. The deceased gentleman, who was born at Andover in the County of Hants England,  in the year 1826, and received his education at the famous Bluecoat School, the pupils of which until quite recently wore a uniform consisting of a long blue coat reaching almost to the ankles, yellow stockings, and buckled shoes. No matter what the weather, they never wore headgear of any kind. On September 23 1845 Mr. Purdue registered in London as a mariner, and spent a portion of his life at sea in chasing slave vessels.

He came to Canada about 65 years ago, located in Prescott, where he married Margaret Cowan. He was subsequently transferred by the G.T.R. [Grand Trunk Railway], in whose employ he was, to Montreal, and afterwards to St. Mary's Ontario, where most of his family were born. He served with the Railway Company for a period of 52 years, being Relieving Agent at several G.T.R. stations in Canada and also across the border. He was quite active during the Fenian Raid, and could tell many interesting incidents connected with his career.

Another cool story about Frederick is that he worked with Thomas Edison at the Stratford Junction Railway Station in St. Marys Ontario. As most people know Thomas Edison was the inventor of many things including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. I know from historical records that Frederick did work at the Stratford Junction Station at around the same time as Thomas Edison. And Frederick himself claimed to know Edison.  However as to what relationship they may have had who can tell.

When I was a child I had the opportunity to speak on several occasions with someone who had first hand knowledge of Frederick. And while it was not said in so many words I got the distinct impression that old Frederick was perhaps a bit of a character. One story that stands out in my mind is how every morning Frederick would walk from his house the short distance to a local park in order to do his exercises in full public view. This may not sound strange today but in the late 1800s or early 1900s this was a rather odd thing for a man to do.  So who knows was Frederick just an old guy who was good at telling tales. Or was he a man who had a long and interesting life. Perhaps more research will tell.

Surprise Found in Lead Coffin Found at King Richard III Burial Site

The lead coffin found near the body of King Richard III during archeological excavations in Leicester has taken a surprise turn!

Archaeologists had thought the 600-year-old metal casket, which was found in a stone tomb at Greyfriars in August, might belong to knight Sir William de Moton. But analysis is showing that the skeleton appears to be that of a female.

Working with a newly found list of burials at the Friary, scientists are attempting to discover just who is buried in this high status coffin.

Read more: http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/New-twist-mystery-lead-coffin-near-Richard-III/story-19946113-detail/story.html#ixzz2iHRVpkV1

Anne Bronte Gets a New Grave Stone

A new plaque has been installed at Anne Bronte’s grave in Scarborough England to ensure that visitors will be able to read the inscription for many years to come. The grave, which is located in St Mary’s Churchyard, has been subject to weathering and erosion over the years and had become illegible in places. Anne Bronte, the youngest of the three world-famous Bronte sisters, died at the age of 29 in 1849.

Read More

'Pay $10,000 to keep old family graves'

As someone who appreciates the importance of preserving cemeteries I could not believe this next story. It  seems this area in England wants to dig up the older graves so they can sell them again. Relatives could be asked to pay between £1,000 and £5,000 (that's approximately $2,000 to $10,000) to keep a plot that's more than 75 years old. Remains that were removed could be placed in an unmarked common grave.

51 Headless Vikings Found in English Execution Pit

I found this story interesting and was thinking I would pass it on. I would love to see if they could get any DNA from the bodies.

Naked, beheaded, and tangled, the bodies of 51 young men—their heads stacked neatly to the side—have been found in a thousand-year-old pit in southern England. Read More

Coffin Plate Death Records from England

England Coffin Plates

William Manly 1809~1893 England.

Martha Manly 1813~1875 England.

George Frederick Manly 1847~1875 England.

Queen Caroline Of Brunswick 1768–1821 wife of King George IV of England.

Births And Baptisms In Poplar Chapel, London County, England 1584 ~ 1799

Hi all

I have added a few more records for Poplar Chapel, London County, England.
This time it is Births And Baptisms 1584 ~ 1799. Now it is just a few records and is far from complete but it may be of interest to someone searching for ancestors in London. This new data will compliment the Poplar Chapel, London County Marriages 1670~1753 that I have had on line for some time.

If you want to have a look at the records go to Poplar Chapel Records

Good Luck
Brian

Cheshire England Memorial Cards (over 50)

Memorial cards many from the Tarporley and Eaton areas of Cheshire England.

name of deceased, their location, and date of death:

John Asprey, Tarporley, 1876
Alice Burgess, Luton, 1934
George Bell, Tarporley, 1889
Edward Barton, Luton, 1931
Elizabeth Banks, Westhead, 1888
Robert Brackenridge, Liverpool, 1875
Henry Carter, Tarporley, 1910
Frances Carter, Eaton, 1903
Maria Carter, Eaton, 1902
Richard Cooke, Londonderry, 1893
Eliza Cawley, Tarporley, 1910
Ellen Clarke, Tarporley, 1889
Joseph Clarke, Tarporley, 1873
Alice Caiger, Paddington, 1897
Anne Done, Tarporley, 1872
John Deveraux(?), Lee, 1912
Frances Dolben, 1892
Thomas Dickinson, Luddington Hill, 1914
Hannah Dickinson, Tarporley, 1909
Ann Deakin, Cote-Brook, 1911
Eli Deakin, Cote-Brook, 1911
Lydia Forshaw, Skelmersdale, 1909
Edwin Fitton, Eaton, 1882
Martha Hasall, Eaton, 1887
Mary Hassall, Eaton, 1880
John Hassall, Eaton, 1900
Elizabeth Hassall, Tarporley, 1896
Rose Heath, Tarporley, 1915
Sarah Jane Hewitt, Tarporley
Frederick Hall, Gillingham (Kent), 1909
John Johnson, Cote-Brook, 1909
Richard Jones, Smithdown Lane, 1870
Mary Kay, Eaton, 1894
Martha Lewis, Cote-Brook, 1904
Christopher Orton, 1893
Emily Pinney, Ecton, 1894
Elizabeth Prince, Tarporley, 1895
Thomas Prince, Delamere, 1876
Elizabeth Prince, Tarporley, 1895
Elizabeth Prince, Eaton, 1906
Sarah Prince, Tarporley, 1866
Thomas Prince, Delamere, 1876
Ruth Prince, Eaton, 1899
George Prince, Tarporley, 1876
Ruth Prince, Eaton, 1899
Mary Stockton, Tarporley, 1898
Albert Shewring, Lea, 1921
Robert A. Taylor, Lathom, 1937
Eliza Tomlin, 1906
Annie Tuddenham, Basingstoke, 1948
John Turton, Latham, 1947
Herbert Vernon, Chester, 1897
John Vernon, Eaton, 1872
Thomas Vernon, Eaton, 1872
Jesse Walker, Eaton, 1908

Funeral Card Phebe Garnett of Nantwhich 1904

Phebe Garnett of Nantwich departed this life March 10th 1904 (probably Nantwich Cheshire England)

Submitted by Chester Graham. No Photo included

Funeral Card William Fisher, Nantwich Cheshire England 1906

William Fisher of Nantwich died 16th December 1906.

See Funeral Card for his wife Ann Fisher.

The 1891 England census shows Fisher, William born about 1823 Rixton, Lancashire, England living in Burland, Cheshire England with wife Ann born about 1824 in Acton Cheshire England and daughter Ellen born 1850 in Acton. Find this family on more census records for Cheshire England on U.K. & Ireland Genealogy Records

Submitted by Alice Fisher (no photo)

Funeral Card Elizabeth Bond 1898

Elizabeth Bond died April 22nd 1898 (probably Nantwhich Cheshire England)

Submitted by Chris Bond, no picture available

Funeral Card Ann Fisher 1824-1900 Cheshire England

Ann Fisher beloved wife of William Fisher who departed this life Oct 1st 1900 age 76 years. See funeral card for her husband William Fisher

The 1891 census shows Fisher, William born about 1823 Rixton, Lancashire, England living in Burland, Cheshire England with wife Ann born about 1824 in Acton Cheshire England and daughter Ellen born 1850 in Acton.

On SS Norfolk England to NZ, Emma Young 1873-1881

In loving mamory of EMMA ROBERTSON YOUNG who DIED AT SEA on 17th FEBRUARY 1881 on board the S. S. NORFOLK from London to NEW ZEALAND. aged 7 years. - Buried in the SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN 900 MILES EAST OF ASCENSION ISLAND on 18th February 1881