The known origins of my father's maternal side begin with the marriage of Frederick William
GREENFIELD and Harriet SPRINGETT in 1852 at Colchester, witnessing the wedding was Joseph
and Mary ROOFE. Harriet's father was a labourer, whilst Frederick's was a surgeon. Whether the
disparity in trades was the same as it would be now is not known by the writer. Frederick was a
Royal Naval seaman, a cook by trade. Harriet and Frederick had five children, one of whom I have
not identified. The other four children were William, Frederick, Henry Richard and Alice. Harriet's
husband died in 1864, having retired from the Navy earlier that year. This left Harriet with the five
children. As the son of a Naval pensioner Henry Richard was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital
School in Greenwich in 1868. The family were living in Harwich at this time. By the time of the 1881
census Harriet had remarried a William ELLIS. The family, by this time were living in Bergholt Rd.,
Lexden. The children, living at home, William, Fred and Alice were all recorded as Ellis'. Fred had
become a shunter with the GER and Alice was recorded as a dressmaker. All of the Greenfield
offspring were recorded with the middle letter G. The family had a lodger John BETTS (aged 19,
born in Suffolk). He was an engine cleaner. It also appears that William Ellis and Harriet had a son of
their own, Edward aged 9, he was born in Dovercourt.
In 1884, Alice was married at St. Pauls' Colchester to Robert John BRIGGS, a dyer from
Clapham, witnessing this wedding was William B(ass Briggs) and Ada Roofe. The Roofes Joseph,
Mary and Ada were shown as residing at East Hill in the 1881 census. How did a dyer from Clapham
meet a dressmaker from Colchester? Were the Roofes relatives (they witnessed two weddings)?
Have to check whether Mary Roofe was a Greenfield?
Robert John Briggs address on the wedding certificate is shown as Clapham. In the 1881 census
he is shown living with his parents, William Briggs and Elleanor. Matha Briggs was also shown as
living in the household at 286, Wandsworth Rd. Clapham. William is shown as a dyer and the
children as assistant dyers. At 442, Wandsworth Rd. a William B. Briggs was living. His occupation
was shown as an Oil and Colorman. Oil and colorman can apply to dyeing but on the other hand may
be selling oil for lamps. A William Bass Briggs was a witness at Robert's wedding so I am assuming
that he was Robert's elder brother. I know, never assume in genealogy! Whilst in 1881 the family
were living south of the river, the census indicates that the children were born in Paddington. I have
not found out much about the dyeing industry in London, but in 1846, there were at least six Briggs
dyeing, and in 1865 there were still six, one of whom was William Briggs and Co., 3 Richmond Rd.
Westbourne Grove. That's pretty close to Paddington. Anybody with information on the dyeing trade in
London at and Briggs in particular this time please contact me.
After they were married , I have no address for Alice and John, but they had four children, Dorothy
Olive, Winifred, Leslie and Stanley. For a little while they must have lived South of the Thames, as
Dorothy Olive was born in Brixton. Robert died in Walthamstow in 1918. The family probably moved to
Walthamstow prior to 1900, as Robert was President of Walthamstow Avenue F.C. in 1901.
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