Family Events

Since I have been re-searching, many events have unfolded. Events in time that I would not have known. Discovering, how they lived and how far they had travelled. Learning what life was like such as living in a workhouse, lunatic asylums, and how hard it was to raise a family that would survive beyond childhood, due to epidemics and illnesses.

Henham 1830 – 1831 Frost Family

During Autumn of 1830 agricultural labourers, mainly those in the southern areas of England, rose up against their masters in the effort to better their lives and families. At the start of 1831 all the hopes of improved working conditions came to a halt, instead families found themselves worse off, and the bread winner confined to prison, or worse still on board boats waiting to be transported to Tasmania as it was then called, many of those left behind were described as ‘on the parish’.
How I came about finding a family member was through a search on the internet with his name. Swing riots of 1830 to 1831, listed on the prison list was John Frost, a direct descendant of the Frost family of Henham. John was given a 3 month sentence for rioting to raise wages at Henham., during 1831. So my great, great, great grandfather fought for his rights and family but probably paid heavy for his beliefs.

Sawbridgeworth 1845 Walker Family

In 1845 Sarah Walker was born daughter of Benjamin and granddaughter of James Walker. In 1851 Sarah was living with her parents at Bulls off High Wych, Road, with her parents Benjamin and Ann. By 1861 Sarah was working in service for William Bull and family at 8 Park Place, Mile End, Stepney. In 1871 Sarah was found to be living at the Watford Workhouse, and listed as Inmate.
In 1901 Sarah was traced to Hill End Lunatic Asylum in Hertfordshire, she was 57 then. A death is recorded at Watford District for Sarah in 1913 she was 68.
I found this story to be quite sad and slightly shocking, asylums back then were not the best places to be living. Many people were put in Asylums for such petty things, such as not fitting in with society, post natal depression, possible forms of dementia, which in those days was not recognised as it is today. Plus many other forms of non mental health disorders. Rest in peace Sarah.

(More on Asylums under History)

Niece to William Walker, cousin to Abraham Walker.

Sawbridgeworth 1838 Walker Family

Charles Walker son of Benjamin and grandson of James Walker was born in 1838 at Sawbridgeworth. In 1851 he was living at 101 Bulls Sawbridgeworth with his parents Benjamin and Ann, he was 13 at the time. As a young man Charles wanted to better his prospects in life, so took off on a sail boat as a cook to the Unites States. The trip lasted 6 weeks which took him as far as Minnesota. He was eventually re united with his brother John Walker also born in Sawbridgeworth.
They bought land at Tilbury East Kent County Ontario Canada. Charles lived in his log cabin on the east of the 100 acres. He married Martha Davidson in 1861 at Detroit Michigan. By 1901 Charles was living in the town of Aylmer, Ontario, with Olive and stepson Fred German, Charles was a farmer and immigrated to Canada in 1858 he was aged 20. Charles died in 1911.

Nephew to William Walker, cousin to Abraham Walker.

History Event - The 1884 England Earthquake

On the 22nd April 1884, at 9.18, we suffered an earthquake of 6.9 on the Richter scale. Its epicentre was just to the south east of Colchester near Wivenhow. Shock waves travelled across England, Belgium and France. It destroyed 1,200 buildings, including the entire villages of Wivenhoe and Abberton. The churches of Breton, Marney, Wivenhoe, Peldon and De La Haye were damaged and Langenhoe church was virtually destroyed.

Gilston Hertfordshire 1783 Prentis or Prentice Family

In 1783 William Prentice was born, my great, great, great grandfather. Son of Charles Prentice and Hannah Feast. Born in the quiet village of Gilston, close to High Wych and Sawbridgeworth. The 1841 census shows William living at Pye Corner with his wife Mary and daughter Mary Ann. William was a tailor, I was informed that many of the Prentices were in the fabric trade and their daughters and other women in the family were trained as seamstresses, then sent to work in the sewing shops as they used to be called. It is possible that Mary Ann was also a seamstress, but worked for her father until he died in 1850.

Information on cottages in Church Street, Henham, Essex

The row of four brick – faced cottages look uninteresting, but they are seventeenth century, and in the roof of the cottage next to Mount House is something very exciting indeed. The way in was originally up a chimney in the next cottage to the Chase, once an ale- house, and then along a great tie- beam, which goes the length of the cottages. The roof was opened-up in the early part of this century, and then closed-in again, as it is now, but the existence of a secret chamber was known of in the village. The roof was repaired again in 1944, after bomb damage, when I and my father got in over the roof at the back. At the end of the tie-beam the level drops about three feet, and then there is a tiny doorway over a high threshold, and one gets into a tiny low room a few feet square, with a window a few inches square, hidden very cleverly behind the chimney-stack. On one of the sloping walls formed by the roof timbers, the Lord’s Prayer is painted in red on a white ground, in very beautiful Roman lettering; there is also painted decoration in red on the beams, including a series of medallions. At the time of the first discovery, a name and date were painted on the wall; these have since been destroyed by blast, which also destroyed a good deal of the Prayer. After a long search some numbers were found on two bits of broken plaster on the floor; when they were pieced together they fitted perfectly, and gave the date of 1683, or 1688, the last figure being a bit imperfect. A description and drawing were sent to Professor Tristam, who substantiated the period, and said obviously the lettering was a beautiful bit of work. The little room had probably been used by anyone fleeing from justice – not necessarily anyone hiding from religious persecution. The room was sealed in again in a few days, but if and when it is re-opened, a box will be found with the dated fragments of plaster all tied up in a tea-cloth, and a record of what we found in 1944.

About Mary Frost b. 1784 Henham Essex

Mary was born into the family of Thomas and Hannah Frost, living in Henham Essex. Mary married Joshua Camp in 1804 at Henham Essex. Joshua was born in Debden Essex in 1785, by 1851 he had died which left Mary on her own. The 1851 census shows Mary as being at Springfield in Essex she is listed as Criminal Prisoner. At present time I have not been able to find out why she was sent to prison. I have also been trying to trace the actual date that Joshua died, so we can see if Mary was already in prison. While tracing I have found many sad events happening to the Frost family.

Sister to John Frost b. 1805 Henham Essex.

Mary Frost b. 1735

There was no trace of Mary being married, it appears that she continued to use her maiden name of Frost for her son Thomas. Mary was living at Henham by 1760, her first son Thomas was born on 3 Feb 1760, although this may well have been the christening date. In 1763 Mary had another child James, his father was reputed to be the village blacksmiths, who at that time was John Gurson. This story is very confusing, for when tracing John I found a marriage for him to Mary Trott born about 1742 Henham Essex, the marriage also took place on 24 October 1763. The same year that Mary gave birth to James. The information I found on John Gurson’s marriage is as follows.

Mary Trott
Female Family
Birth: About 1742 Of, Henham, Essex, England
Marriages:
Spouse: John Gurson Family
Marriage: 24 OCT 1763 Henham, Essex, England

This could be a transcription error in the name of Frost, when I looked back the writing in those days a S looked like T or F. But what gives me the feeling that it is not the same person is the date of birth. Then again a possible transcription error. I hope to be able to trace this theory and will update the findings here.

Mary Frost mother of Thomas Frost

Charles Walker b. 1820 Sawbridgeworth, Herts

Charles son of William Walker and Mary Morris and brother to my great, great grandfather Abraham. Seemed to lead a lonely life, in 1841 he is listed on the census living with his parents at Bean Field, Sawbridgeworth. By 1851 he was lodging with Mr & Mrs Deadman, in Sawbridgeworth. On the 1861 census he is seen to be back living with his parents again at Crumps farm in Sawbridgeworth. I could not find a marriage for Charles, just his christening date and information on the censuses. In 1871 he was then listed at being in Bishops Stortford poor house, he was aged 51 then. On the 1881 census he is living at the workhouse in Bishops Stortford. A death record for Charles Walker is listed in 1886 Bishops Stortford. I guess Charles never really had a choice, but to enter the workhouse, his parents were gone and most of his family members were married and trying to survive with their own families. When tracing his brothers and sisters, I found Charles not the only person to enter the workhouse.

(More on Workhouses under History)

Son of William, brother to Abraham uncle to Emma Walker my great grandmother.

Frederick Walker b. 1827 Sawbridgeworth, Herts
Frederick son of William Walker & Mary Morris, brother to my great, great grandfather Abraham. Frederick married Elizabeth Felton in 1852 in Sawbridgeworth, he had a large family 6 sons and a daughter Emily. In 1881 Frederick is listed on the census as living with his family at Cottage 7 Sawbridgeworth. By 1901 census, Frederick was living at Bishops Stortford workhouse.

Son of William, brother to Abraham uncle to Emma Walker my great grandmother.

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