The EAST Family history society was launched in 1993, to bring together people researching ancestors with the name EAST and its variants.
Since that time a Journal called ' POINTS EAST ' which contains many interesting facts, information and articles has been produced twice yearly.
As the Society prepares to Celebrate 25 years next year We have decided to reproduce some articles from the early journals.
Since that time a Journal called ' POINTS EAST ' which contains many interesting facts, information and articles has been produced twice yearly.
As the Society prepares to Celebrate 25 years next year We have decided to reproduce some articles from the early journals.
From almost 25 Years Ago ......
'The Story of Mary East'
From an article found by Eric Este
A member Eric Este sent us this interesting story about a woman who spent her life masquerading as a man. The subject of this article is among the numerous females who might be mentioned who have, for a long series of years, sustained the character and devoted themselves to the occupations and pursuits of men.
We have seen them attaining the highest distinction in the republic of letters, intrusted with important diplomatic conditions and rising with deserved eminence in military careers. Their examples seem to prove that, with the same education, women might be able to acquit themselves with equal credit in professions exclusively assigned to the other sex.
Mary East was born about 1715 and when very young was courted by a man for whom she conceived the strongest affection. This man, afterwards falling into bad courses, resolved to try his fortune on the highway, but it was not long before he was apprehended for a robbery, for which he was condemned to die. However the sentence was changed to transportation. This circumstance, which happened about the year 1731 so deeply affected the mind of Mary East that she determined that ever after she would remain single. In the neighbourhood of her residence lived another young woman, who likewise having met with several disappointments in her experience of passion, had formed a similar resolution. As they were intimate they communicated their intentions to each other and at length concluded to live together.
We have seen them attaining the highest distinction in the republic of letters, intrusted with important diplomatic conditions and rising with deserved eminence in military careers. Their examples seem to prove that, with the same education, women might be able to acquit themselves with equal credit in professions exclusively assigned to the other sex.
Mary East was born about 1715 and when very young was courted by a man for whom she conceived the strongest affection. This man, afterwards falling into bad courses, resolved to try his fortune on the highway, but it was not long before he was apprehended for a robbery, for which he was condemned to die. However the sentence was changed to transportation. This circumstance, which happened about the year 1731 so deeply affected the mind of Mary East that she determined that ever after she would remain single. In the neighbourhood of her residence lived another young woman, who likewise having met with several disappointments in her experience of passion, had formed a similar resolution. As they were intimate they communicated their intentions to each other and at length concluded to live together.
Having consulted on the most prudent method of proceeding, it was decided that one should put on man's apparel and they should live as man and wife in some place where they were not known. The only difficulty was deciding who should be the man which was decided by lot in favour of Mary East, who was at the time about sixteen years of age and her partner seventeen. The sum of money they possessed between them was about £30 with which they set out and Mary, after purchasing a man's habit, assumed the name of James How by which we shall be obliged to distinguish her. In their progress they chanced to stop at a small public house at Epping, which was to be let. This house they took and lived in it for some time.
At about this time a quarrel, the cause of which we are not informed, took place between James How and a young gentleman against whom James entered an action and obtained a verdict of £500 damages. With this sum our couple sought a place in a better situation and took a very good public house in Limehouse-hole, where they live many years as man and wife, in good credit and esteem and by their industry and frugality, contrived to save a considerable sum of money.
Leaving the last mentioned situation they removed to the White Horse in Poplar, which as well as several other houses, they later purchased. In this manner they had lived about eighteen years, when a woman who was acquainted with Mary East in her youth and was in the secret of her metamorphosis, knowing in what creditable circumstances she now lived, thought this a favourable opportunity to turn her knowledge to her own advantage. She accordingly sent to Mr How for £10 at the same time intimating at the same time that in case of refusal, she would disclose all she knew concerning the affair. Fearful of her executing the threat James, in compliance with her demand sent her the money.
For a considerable time they remained free of any demands of a similar nature. How with her supposed wife continued to live in good credit till the year 1764. She had served all the parish offices of Poplar, excepting that of a constable and church warden from the former of which she was excused by a lameness in her hand occasioned by the quarrel above mentioned and the functions of the later she was to
have performed the following year. She had several times been foreman of juries, though her effeminacy was frequently remarked. About Christmas 1764 the woman who had practiced the former piece of extortion, resolved again to have recourse to the same expedient and with like menaces obtained £10 more. Flushed with her success and emboldened to prosecute her depredation, a fortnight had not elapsed before she repeated her demand for the same sum, which James happened not to have in the house, but still fearing discovery, sent her back £5. About this time the supposed wife of James How was taken ill and died.
The woman now planned to increase her depredations and for this purpose she procured two fellows to assist her in its execution, one of these, a coloured man, passed as a police officer and the other equipped with a pocket staff as a constable. In these characters they repaired to the White Horse and enquired for Mr How, who answered to the name. They informed her that they were come from Justice Fielding to apprehend her for a robbery committed thirty years before and they were acquainted with the secret of her sex. She was terrified to the highest degree on account of the discovery, but conscious of her innocence with regard to the robbery, and an intimate acquaintance, Mr Williams, a pawnbroker, happening to pass by and she called him in and acquainted him with the business of the two men, adding that she really was a woman but that she was innocent of the crime with which she was charged. Mr Williams, as soon as he recovered from the surprise occasioned by the disclosure, told her that she should not be carried before Justice Fielding, but before her own bench of Justices, adding that he would just step home and return in a few minutes to accompany her. On his departure the ruffians renewed their threats, but at the same time told her, if she would give them £100 they would cause her no further trouble, if not she would be hanged in six days and they would receive £40 each for bringing her to justice. Not withstanding their menaces she firmly resisted their demand, waiting with the utmost impatience for the return of Mr Williams. Persisting in her refusal they at length forced her out of the house, carried her through the fields and conveyed her Garlick Hill and the house of their employer, where with threats they obliged her to give a draft at a short date to Mr Williams. She was then set at liberty. When Mr Williams came back he was surprised to find her gone and immediately set off to the bench of justices to see if she was there. Not finding her he immediately went to Sir John Fielding and not succeeding there he went home, where James soon after returned and related what had happened.
At about this time a quarrel, the cause of which we are not informed, took place between James How and a young gentleman against whom James entered an action and obtained a verdict of £500 damages. With this sum our couple sought a place in a better situation and took a very good public house in Limehouse-hole, where they live many years as man and wife, in good credit and esteem and by their industry and frugality, contrived to save a considerable sum of money.
Leaving the last mentioned situation they removed to the White Horse in Poplar, which as well as several other houses, they later purchased. In this manner they had lived about eighteen years, when a woman who was acquainted with Mary East in her youth and was in the secret of her metamorphosis, knowing in what creditable circumstances she now lived, thought this a favourable opportunity to turn her knowledge to her own advantage. She accordingly sent to Mr How for £10 at the same time intimating at the same time that in case of refusal, she would disclose all she knew concerning the affair. Fearful of her executing the threat James, in compliance with her demand sent her the money.
For a considerable time they remained free of any demands of a similar nature. How with her supposed wife continued to live in good credit till the year 1764. She had served all the parish offices of Poplar, excepting that of a constable and church warden from the former of which she was excused by a lameness in her hand occasioned by the quarrel above mentioned and the functions of the later she was to
have performed the following year. She had several times been foreman of juries, though her effeminacy was frequently remarked. About Christmas 1764 the woman who had practiced the former piece of extortion, resolved again to have recourse to the same expedient and with like menaces obtained £10 more. Flushed with her success and emboldened to prosecute her depredation, a fortnight had not elapsed before she repeated her demand for the same sum, which James happened not to have in the house, but still fearing discovery, sent her back £5. About this time the supposed wife of James How was taken ill and died.
The woman now planned to increase her depredations and for this purpose she procured two fellows to assist her in its execution, one of these, a coloured man, passed as a police officer and the other equipped with a pocket staff as a constable. In these characters they repaired to the White Horse and enquired for Mr How, who answered to the name. They informed her that they were come from Justice Fielding to apprehend her for a robbery committed thirty years before and they were acquainted with the secret of her sex. She was terrified to the highest degree on account of the discovery, but conscious of her innocence with regard to the robbery, and an intimate acquaintance, Mr Williams, a pawnbroker, happening to pass by and she called him in and acquainted him with the business of the two men, adding that she really was a woman but that she was innocent of the crime with which she was charged. Mr Williams, as soon as he recovered from the surprise occasioned by the disclosure, told her that she should not be carried before Justice Fielding, but before her own bench of Justices, adding that he would just step home and return in a few minutes to accompany her. On his departure the ruffians renewed their threats, but at the same time told her, if she would give them £100 they would cause her no further trouble, if not she would be hanged in six days and they would receive £40 each for bringing her to justice. Not withstanding their menaces she firmly resisted their demand, waiting with the utmost impatience for the return of Mr Williams. Persisting in her refusal they at length forced her out of the house, carried her through the fields and conveyed her Garlick Hill and the house of their employer, where with threats they obliged her to give a draft at a short date to Mr Williams. She was then set at liberty. When Mr Williams came back he was surprised to find her gone and immediately set off to the bench of justices to see if she was there. Not finding her he immediately went to Sir John Fielding and not succeeding there he went home, where James soon after returned and related what had happened.
It was now the month of July, 1763. On Monday the 14th the woman to whom the draft was given, went to Mr Williams with it to enquire if he would pay it as it would be due the following Wednesday. He replied that if she would bring it when due, he should know better what to say. In the mean time he applied to the bench of justices for advice and on the Wednesday a constable was sent with orders to be in readiness in his house. The woman punctually attended with the draft bringing the coloured man with her. They were immediately taken into custody and carried before the justices sitting at The Angel in Whitechapel, wither Mr Williams repaired, attended by Mary East, in the proper habit of her sex. The awkwardness of her behaviour occasioned by the alteration of her dress, was such as to afford considerable diversion.
In the course of the examination the woman denied having sent for the sum of £100, which the men had demanded, but the coloured gentleman declared that if she had not sent him on such an errand, he would never have gone. By their numerous contradictions they completely unfolded the villainy of their designs and the strongest proof of being adduced of the extortion and assault. They were both committed to Clerkenwell till the sessions, to be tried for the offences. The other man who was involved in this nefarious transaction, would have been included in this punishment had he not by flight evaded the arm of justice.
It should have been observed that before the supposed wife of James How died, finding herself indisposed, she went to her brothers in Essex for the benefit of the air and after some stay, perceiving that she was near her end, sent for her husband to come to her. As How neglected to comply with her request, she informed her brother that the person with whom she had cohabited was not her husband, but a woman, that they were partners in the business by which they had acquired three or four thousand pounds, part of which had been laid out in bank stock. As soon as the supposed wife was dead and buried, her relations had set out for Poplar to claim her share of the property, which was accordingly delivered to them by Mary East.
It is remarkable that during the thirty four years in which they lived together, neither the husband nor the wife was ever observed to dress a joint of meat, nor had they ever any meetings, or the like at their house. They never kept any maid or boy but the husband, Mary East, always used to draw beer, serve, fetch and carry out the pots, so extremely solicitous were they that their secret might not be discovered.
After she had disposed of her house and settled her affairs, Mary East retired into another part of Poplar, to enjoy with quiet and pleasure, that property she had acquired by fair and honest means and with an unblemished character. She died in January 1781 aged sixty four years and left her fortune to a friend in the country and a young woman who lived with her during her retirement as a servant, except for ten shillings a year to the poor of Poplar, 50 shillings to a working gardener and her gold watch to Mr Curry an eminent distiller at Poplar.
In the course of the examination the woman denied having sent for the sum of £100, which the men had demanded, but the coloured gentleman declared that if she had not sent him on such an errand, he would never have gone. By their numerous contradictions they completely unfolded the villainy of their designs and the strongest proof of being adduced of the extortion and assault. They were both committed to Clerkenwell till the sessions, to be tried for the offences. The other man who was involved in this nefarious transaction, would have been included in this punishment had he not by flight evaded the arm of justice.
It should have been observed that before the supposed wife of James How died, finding herself indisposed, she went to her brothers in Essex for the benefit of the air and after some stay, perceiving that she was near her end, sent for her husband to come to her. As How neglected to comply with her request, she informed her brother that the person with whom she had cohabited was not her husband, but a woman, that they were partners in the business by which they had acquired three or four thousand pounds, part of which had been laid out in bank stock. As soon as the supposed wife was dead and buried, her relations had set out for Poplar to claim her share of the property, which was accordingly delivered to them by Mary East.
It is remarkable that during the thirty four years in which they lived together, neither the husband nor the wife was ever observed to dress a joint of meat, nor had they ever any meetings, or the like at their house. They never kept any maid or boy but the husband, Mary East, always used to draw beer, serve, fetch and carry out the pots, so extremely solicitous were they that their secret might not be discovered.
After she had disposed of her house and settled her affairs, Mary East retired into another part of Poplar, to enjoy with quiet and pleasure, that property she had acquired by fair and honest means and with an unblemished character. She died in January 1781 aged sixty four years and left her fortune to a friend in the country and a young woman who lived with her during her retirement as a servant, except for ten shillings a year to the poor of Poplar, 50 shillings to a working gardener and her gold watch to Mr Curry an eminent distiller at Poplar.
'A Trip to Points East'
Article by John & Andrée East
In what I think is a fitting tribute in our 25th Anniversary Year I have chosen an article called 'A Trip to Points East' by John & Andrée East, the Founders of the Society. The article was first published in the 2nd Journal published by the Society. Published in the Autumn of 1993.
When arranging to visit my sisters in South Australia the itinerary became rather more complicated than originally envisaged. To Start with we were seduced by the argument that it was just as easy to fly out to Adelaide, and carry on Eastwards round the world, instead of simply flying back Westwards, In the end we flew out via Singapore, which made a very interesting 'stopover' before arriving at Adelaide at 5 o'clock one morning with the prospect of a round the world trip before us.
Adelaide had changed a lot since my last visit. The city centre has come into the 20th century with a bang and the suburbs spreads much further out. My sisters had not changed much since their last visit to see us in England and we were rapidly absorbed into the new family represented by all the nephews and nieces and their children. All the papers and photographs found eventually after the clearing up of my late parents effects, came out for inspection, and we were very glad to be able to bring away some of them.
We introduced ourselves to Helen Jennings, member of the EFHS, and of the South Australian Family History Society, who have a fine headquarters building, with impressive library and racks and racks of records. A pity, but we did not have anything like enough time to do justice to these facilities, but we did quite a lot of research concerning the Easts of Mallalla. (More came to light later in Sydney). They were said to be connected in some way with my father's going out to Australia in 1922, but then they do not seem to have their origins anywhere near Essex, where
Dad came from.
We went to the Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide, where many thousands of immigrants arrived. No convicts were sent to South Australia to help settle and develop the new country, and the settlers included many from Germany. Some of their descendants now produce superb wine after more than a century of experience. The computerised records of settlers makes it easy to check on one's own family, but unfortunately there are gaps, so although my Mother's arrival is recorded the year of Dads is not, It is always possible that he arrived elsewhere in Australia, of course finishing up in Adelaide after exploring the possibilities in Victoria. if only I had asked Dad about this when he was alive!
Adelaide had changed a lot since my last visit. The city centre has come into the 20th century with a bang and the suburbs spreads much further out. My sisters had not changed much since their last visit to see us in England and we were rapidly absorbed into the new family represented by all the nephews and nieces and their children. All the papers and photographs found eventually after the clearing up of my late parents effects, came out for inspection, and we were very glad to be able to bring away some of them.
We introduced ourselves to Helen Jennings, member of the EFHS, and of the South Australian Family History Society, who have a fine headquarters building, with impressive library and racks and racks of records. A pity, but we did not have anything like enough time to do justice to these facilities, but we did quite a lot of research concerning the Easts of Mallalla. (More came to light later in Sydney). They were said to be connected in some way with my father's going out to Australia in 1922, but then they do not seem to have their origins anywhere near Essex, where
Dad came from.
We went to the Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide, where many thousands of immigrants arrived. No convicts were sent to South Australia to help settle and develop the new country, and the settlers included many from Germany. Some of their descendants now produce superb wine after more than a century of experience. The computerised records of settlers makes it easy to check on one's own family, but unfortunately there are gaps, so although my Mother's arrival is recorded the year of Dads is not, It is always possible that he arrived elsewhere in Australia, of course finishing up in Adelaide after exploring the possibilities in Victoria. if only I had asked Dad about this when he was alive!
After the excitements and joys of seeing the 'family' and visiting parts of South Australia, we moved onto New South Wales. There we were made more than welcome by Society members Joan & Ralph Stilgoe, of Como just south of Sydney. They had insisted that we stay with them rather than at an hotel in the city. Their hospitality was marvellous, and they new so much about the lesser tourist spots as well as the obvious ones, that we had a wonderful time. We had a most enjoyable day tripping round Sydney Harbour with another member Joan Ransom & her husband, a Presbytarian minister and mine of information on the history of the area. The next day we met Madge Hargreaves at North Sidney, another member of our Family History Society and definitely related to Robert East and descended from the Estes of Radnage. Madge is a fund of information and the hours spent in her company passed very quickly. she gave us notes about the Easts of Mallalla, which should help our research in England. One evening we went to the Botany Bay Family History Society meeting, and Andrée talked to them about 'one name studies' and our own particular experiences. Several of the audience came up to us with queries about East ancestors, to be delighted by getting answers straight away from Andrée.
some of them joined the EFHS on the spot. We met Mignon Tamsitt, another East researcher with whom we had already corresponded, also a EFHS member. One highlight of our visit to NSW was a long trip down the coast to Woolongong and Kiama, where we had a surprise visit to the Easts of East's beach. A total surprise for us, that is, for Ralph & Joan had earlier contacted Robert East, who turned out to be a descendant of the 'Estes of Radnage', Bucks. Their family origins going back to the 16th century was news to Robert, but Andrée had all the details in her head once the connection was established. We came away with a copy of the family history as produced for an East Reunion on Kiama some years ago.
We were reluctant to leave the Stilgoes, who had made our visit to Sydney so memorable, but after a week we headed for Cairns and the Barrier Reef. In Brisbane we saw an old friend from more than 45 years ago, suffering the effects of the long drawn out drought up on the darling Downs, where she and her husband went to farm so many years ago. Next morning she rang to bid us 'Bon Voyage' and to say that over 2 inches of snow had fallen overnight. On then to New Zealand, specifically Auckland. Here again members of own FHS Noreen Newland & Rosanne Biddle, met us and once more we were shown around the city, and the area to the north, in a way we could never have forseen, and visited their homes. Rosanne's mother was an East, origins in South Shields.
In Rotorua we noticed the local office of their MP and yet another East, he was not in town but we got an introduction to his father Geoffrey down in New Plymouth, whom we contacted by phone. he is a keen genealogist, and we hope to have from him more data on New Zealand Easts and their origins in the Old Country.
In Vancouver we met another EFHS member, Joan Lehman, armed with questions and her East tree. There followed a trip around this beautiful city, such superb views from Stanley Park and the higher roads. Such hospitality, it is going to be difficult to match the kindness received from all the EFHS members that we met on this trip.
some of them joined the EFHS on the spot. We met Mignon Tamsitt, another East researcher with whom we had already corresponded, also a EFHS member. One highlight of our visit to NSW was a long trip down the coast to Woolongong and Kiama, where we had a surprise visit to the Easts of East's beach. A total surprise for us, that is, for Ralph & Joan had earlier contacted Robert East, who turned out to be a descendant of the 'Estes of Radnage', Bucks. Their family origins going back to the 16th century was news to Robert, but Andrée had all the details in her head once the connection was established. We came away with a copy of the family history as produced for an East Reunion on Kiama some years ago.
We were reluctant to leave the Stilgoes, who had made our visit to Sydney so memorable, but after a week we headed for Cairns and the Barrier Reef. In Brisbane we saw an old friend from more than 45 years ago, suffering the effects of the long drawn out drought up on the darling Downs, where she and her husband went to farm so many years ago. Next morning she rang to bid us 'Bon Voyage' and to say that over 2 inches of snow had fallen overnight. On then to New Zealand, specifically Auckland. Here again members of own FHS Noreen Newland & Rosanne Biddle, met us and once more we were shown around the city, and the area to the north, in a way we could never have forseen, and visited their homes. Rosanne's mother was an East, origins in South Shields.
In Rotorua we noticed the local office of their MP and yet another East, he was not in town but we got an introduction to his father Geoffrey down in New Plymouth, whom we contacted by phone. he is a keen genealogist, and we hope to have from him more data on New Zealand Easts and their origins in the Old Country.
In Vancouver we met another EFHS member, Joan Lehman, armed with questions and her East tree. There followed a trip around this beautiful city, such superb views from Stanley Park and the higher roads. Such hospitality, it is going to be difficult to match the kindness received from all the EFHS members that we met on this trip.
There were no more genealogical encounters during the remainder of the trip back to Gatwick. We did visit the city archives in Ottawa, but time was pressing. We checked for Easts in all the phone books we saw en route, listed names and addresses but Too late we learned that in Canada, the zip codes, which do not appear in the phone books are essential to the address. Without it, we were told, delivery simply does not take place. Strangely the biggest number of East's were in the Quebec phone book.
With what we learned on this occasion we feel far better equipped for a repeat trip, with genealogy again forming part of the interest.
With what we learned on this occasion we feel far better equipped for a repeat trip, with genealogy again forming part of the interest.
'An Ancestral East Branch'
Article by Janet R Rose.
Published in Points East Journals Spring 1994 & Spring 1995
Published in Points East Journals Spring 1994 & Spring 1995
Received wisdom stated that my great grandmother Ellen Wake née East, sometime Wighton, was brought up by an aunt in Boxmoor, Herts. where she learnt to plait straw for the hat trade, was on a short list of wet nurses to Queen Victoria, (but was rejected because her mother had died of milk fever, She was also "head cook" to the Queens Chef ( or Cook to the Queens Head Chef !).
She married Francis Henry Wake and bore him a second set of seven children. She had previously had two children by one Wighton, one of these being 'Jack' Wighton who lost an eye in the Boer War and who married 'Polly from Yorkshire'. I was also told that 'she was never 'registered', but it was unclear if this referred to her birth or her marriage! I assumed at first it was her birth and this was discovered when old age pensions started and she could not prove her age, but later decided it referred to her 'marriage' !
Later my uncle, first cousin Wake, said that she was a "canal child" but my aunt hushed him up at this point saying it was only a rumour! The subject was never mentioned again, or even remembered when I questioned it .
My Mother and her only sister ( aunt Nellie) remembered their grandmother well, as their mother was Ellen's youngest child and Ellen lived with them from time to time during their childhood. when researching my ancestry I confined myself to the families of my four grandparents, and only the parents of each newly acquired antecedent, through marriage in these four families. The one great grandparent I felt close to was Ellen and as I had this basic data going back to 1840 I thought she begged to be 'done'.
I started with Francis Henry Wake, referring to the family who had oral information about him. My aunt was able to tell me the names of all fourteen of his children, from both marriages and the children of my great grandmother's son Jack, also quite a lot about various cousins. a lot of the family had kept in touch with each other and many remained in the same geographical area. Francis Henry Wake made mathematical instruments and he was said to be descended from Hereward the Wake (*Editors Note - Hereward the Wake, the guerrilla leader who headed Anglo- Saxon resistance to William the Conqueror for five years has been called one of history's "greatest Englishmen".) The Wake family of Northamptonshire researched the possibility of their own descent from Hereward but found none. The only connection with any branch of the family may be with the Wake's house at Selbourne.
Ellen said she went to work for Francis Henry when he was widowed and subsequently married him. at that time she already had son Jack Wighton, so I looked in vain for a marriage Wighton / East at St Catherines. Much later I found the Wake / East marriage at Christ Church Marylebone, both their addresses being at Nottingham Street. Ellen was described as a spinster her father as William East, a Porter. Two of Francis's children were witnesses. I had been unable to find Ellen's birth at St Catherines many years ago, so came to the conclusion that she had been right about not being registered. Later in 1982 we moved to Hertfordshire and I decided to try to solve the problem whilst in the area. I started with a blanket search of the 1852 census of Boxmoor but this was negative, so I widened my search to Hemel Hempstead. There at the workhouse I found an Ellen, not quite the right age, but lacking any others in the area who fitted, I felt sure I had found her, plus two brothers, but no parents. In due course I found her birth registered as Helen, somewhat later than expected with her fathers name on the marriage certificate for Francis Henry Wake. so in fact she was 'registered' and was married to my great grandfather.
Helen Eliza East was born on the 9th March 1844 in Crouchfield parish, Hemel Hempstead, the daughter of William East, Labourer and Sophia East née Cheshire. This was about three years later than expected from the age quoted on her death, but otherwise fits all the known facts. William East of Two Waters, then a boatman (remember the canal child theory ?) of full age, married Sophia Cheshire, of Crouchfield, also of full age, on the 13th June 1842 in the parish church Hemel Hempstead. William's father was given as Joseph East, labourer and Sophia's as William Cheshire, labourer. Joseph East, Ellen's brother, was born on 4th February 1847 at Crouchfield, an area of Hemel Hempstead. The mother's name was given as Sylpha - the name becomes important later on. The father given as a labourer.
On the 1851 census for Hemel Hempstead at the Union Workhouse, Queen Street,
among other inmates were :
William East 7 scholar Hemel Hempstead
Ellen East 6 scholar Hemel Hempstead
Joseph East 4 scholar Hemel Hempstead
No adults were listed but there was another William aged 12 but of Kings Langley, Though not found at St Catherines, at the local registrars I found recorded Williams birth in Hemel Hempstead in 1844. There were many East's in that area, but I could not find Joseph, the younger of Ellen's brothers.
There are two Joseph East's marrying in Hertfordshire according to IGI at about the right period to be William's parents, but I have not pursued them further. I checked with the Waterways Index for William East, but drew a blank.
I have not found Ellen in the 1861 census and workhouse records have not survived. It appears that William deserted his family as a reward was offered for his apprehension. There are workhouse records at PRO Kew which I intend to search in the near future.
Going Back I found that on the 9th March 1849 Zilpha East, now in the workhouse 'is to be removed to Bedford Lunatic Asylum upon the Medical Officer giving the necessary medical certificate' On the 3rd may 1850 the clerk 'is to write to the Lunatic Asylum and request discharge of Zilpha East should the Medical Officer certify to that effect'. A letter in reply stated that release could not be recommended. Research at the Bedford RO. revealed that Zilpha remained certified for the rest of her life, dying in the three counties asylum in 1898 aged 80 years.
By the 1851 census William East had not been found as his and Sophia's children were still in the workhouse. Presumably they were eventually 'put out' to the aunt who lived on Boxmoor and taught Ellen straw plaiting. I looked on the 1861 census for Joseph as he would have been fourteen at that time and hopefully still with relatives on Boxmoor, but he was not to be found. I suppose he could have been apprenticed or working elsewhere by that time.
Ellen had a child jack Wighton and in 1871 after she married Francis Wake, he was described as 'son in law' aged 7 on the census and living at 4 St Martin's Place, St Martin's in the Fields. Therefore I searched for jacks birth also without success. As Ellen married Francis Henry in 1869 as Ellen East and not Wighton I decided to look for jack under the surname East. I found Jane Wighton East in the indexes, born in Berkhamstead in the March quarter of 1865, which was something of a surprise !
I wrote to the local registrar for a copy of the certificate, thinking that it should have been John and was astonished to find that it was Jane. There was a twin sister Emma - their date of birth the 20th February 1865. The mother was given as Ellen East, no father was recorded and they were born in the Union Workhouse, Berkhamstead. These twins would have been six years old in 1871 but they did not appear with Ellen and her newly acquired family. The next logical step was to 'kill them off' ! John Wighton was not found born in Berkhamstead the previous year.
I eventually found Jane East daughter of Ellen, no father, baptised on 31st May 1867 at St Martin's in the Fields, noted as having been born on the 27th July 1866, address : Castle Street. ( The workhouse was in Castle Street). The birth certificate gave the twins DOB as 20 Feb 1865 - were there more ?
The death index shows a Jane Wighton age 0 in the St Martin's index for June 1867 which is presumably the Jane baptised the previous July and also Emma Wighton East dying in St Martin's in December 1865, which must surely be one of the twins born in Berkhamstead ?
Searching for Jane's death I found John Wighton's, presumably the father of these children, who died aged 28 on the 18th July 1866 ( nine days before Jane was said to have been born !) his address given as 10 Cecil Court, St Martin's Lane, described as a Carpenter workman and his cause of death given as Acute Rheumatism over two months and Endo-Carditis (inflammation of the heart - common in acute rheumatism) for 24 days. The informant present at the death was Ellen Wighton !
No John Wighton was baptised at St Martin's or at St pauls ( the place of birth given in the 1871 Census.
Just round the corner at 4 St Martins Court, on the 8th May 1867, died the first wife of Francis Wake, leaving him with seven children, the youngest being nine years old. Presumably this was where Ellen stepped in as housekeeper as she had recently been 'widowed' herself.
The children of the marriage of Francis Henry Wake and Ellen were :
Elizabeth (Lizzie) - born 1870 - died 1964
Alfred William - born 28th Feb 1871 - died 1961 ( my uncles father)
Francis - born 1873 - died in childhood
Joseph - born Nov 1875 - died in India in the army 1896 - unmarried
Lilian - born about 1876
Robert - born 10th Jan 1877 - died 1977
Louise - born 30th May 1880 - died Oct 1925
Louisa was my grandmother and she was born in Havil Street Workhouse, and was poor all her life. She was married at seventeen to George Allen and had three children who survived. The first was auntie Nellie married to Alfred Wake, son of the above Alfred William. The second was George Charles Allen and the youngest was Rose Anne who married Cyril Norman Bond in 1933. They lived to be eighty nine, eighty six and seventy four old respectively. I will write more on this family in my Wake Chapter.
Ellen was living 'south of the river' in her later years and I have been unable to locate her in 1881, though her husband Francis was in the Camberwell Infirmary (now St Giles Hospital ). In 1883 her husband died in the workhouse infirmary of Tuberculosis, recorded as being 26 Ruby Street, a much nicer sounding place than it was, in fact it was off the Old Kent Road, near the canal.
The 1891 census finds her at 30 Ruby Street as an Ironer from Boxmoor Herts. a forty eight year old widow with her sixteen year old son Joseph an Oil shop Assistant and her ten year old daughter Louisa, a scholar. On 1st Feb 1899 she was living at 3 Princes Street, Peckham Rye, according to her son's Joseph's service record.
She was in and out of the workhouse herself and Nellie remembered going to see her there and having to take packets of tea and sugar, for a 'cuppa' when they visited. My Aunt had a horror of receiving tea as a gift for Christmas as she said it made her feel destitute!
Ellen died at Constance Road Infirmary, Dulwich, on the 16th August 1919 and was buried at Honor Oak.
Eleven children and a mother who lived long enough to have known all her grand children and some of her great grand children as well and I am sure Ellen didn't even know - she thought she had died of 'milk fever' as undoubtedly that's what she had been told. In and out of the workhouse all her life ! What a Life !!
She married Francis Henry Wake and bore him a second set of seven children. She had previously had two children by one Wighton, one of these being 'Jack' Wighton who lost an eye in the Boer War and who married 'Polly from Yorkshire'. I was also told that 'she was never 'registered', but it was unclear if this referred to her birth or her marriage! I assumed at first it was her birth and this was discovered when old age pensions started and she could not prove her age, but later decided it referred to her 'marriage' !
Later my uncle, first cousin Wake, said that she was a "canal child" but my aunt hushed him up at this point saying it was only a rumour! The subject was never mentioned again, or even remembered when I questioned it .
My Mother and her only sister ( aunt Nellie) remembered their grandmother well, as their mother was Ellen's youngest child and Ellen lived with them from time to time during their childhood. when researching my ancestry I confined myself to the families of my four grandparents, and only the parents of each newly acquired antecedent, through marriage in these four families. The one great grandparent I felt close to was Ellen and as I had this basic data going back to 1840 I thought she begged to be 'done'.
I started with Francis Henry Wake, referring to the family who had oral information about him. My aunt was able to tell me the names of all fourteen of his children, from both marriages and the children of my great grandmother's son Jack, also quite a lot about various cousins. a lot of the family had kept in touch with each other and many remained in the same geographical area. Francis Henry Wake made mathematical instruments and he was said to be descended from Hereward the Wake (*Editors Note - Hereward the Wake, the guerrilla leader who headed Anglo- Saxon resistance to William the Conqueror for five years has been called one of history's "greatest Englishmen".) The Wake family of Northamptonshire researched the possibility of their own descent from Hereward but found none. The only connection with any branch of the family may be with the Wake's house at Selbourne.
Ellen said she went to work for Francis Henry when he was widowed and subsequently married him. at that time she already had son Jack Wighton, so I looked in vain for a marriage Wighton / East at St Catherines. Much later I found the Wake / East marriage at Christ Church Marylebone, both their addresses being at Nottingham Street. Ellen was described as a spinster her father as William East, a Porter. Two of Francis's children were witnesses. I had been unable to find Ellen's birth at St Catherines many years ago, so came to the conclusion that she had been right about not being registered. Later in 1982 we moved to Hertfordshire and I decided to try to solve the problem whilst in the area. I started with a blanket search of the 1852 census of Boxmoor but this was negative, so I widened my search to Hemel Hempstead. There at the workhouse I found an Ellen, not quite the right age, but lacking any others in the area who fitted, I felt sure I had found her, plus two brothers, but no parents. In due course I found her birth registered as Helen, somewhat later than expected with her fathers name on the marriage certificate for Francis Henry Wake. so in fact she was 'registered' and was married to my great grandfather.
Helen Eliza East was born on the 9th March 1844 in Crouchfield parish, Hemel Hempstead, the daughter of William East, Labourer and Sophia East née Cheshire. This was about three years later than expected from the age quoted on her death, but otherwise fits all the known facts. William East of Two Waters, then a boatman (remember the canal child theory ?) of full age, married Sophia Cheshire, of Crouchfield, also of full age, on the 13th June 1842 in the parish church Hemel Hempstead. William's father was given as Joseph East, labourer and Sophia's as William Cheshire, labourer. Joseph East, Ellen's brother, was born on 4th February 1847 at Crouchfield, an area of Hemel Hempstead. The mother's name was given as Sylpha - the name becomes important later on. The father given as a labourer.
On the 1851 census for Hemel Hempstead at the Union Workhouse, Queen Street,
among other inmates were :
William East 7 scholar Hemel Hempstead
Ellen East 6 scholar Hemel Hempstead
Joseph East 4 scholar Hemel Hempstead
No adults were listed but there was another William aged 12 but of Kings Langley, Though not found at St Catherines, at the local registrars I found recorded Williams birth in Hemel Hempstead in 1844. There were many East's in that area, but I could not find Joseph, the younger of Ellen's brothers.
There are two Joseph East's marrying in Hertfordshire according to IGI at about the right period to be William's parents, but I have not pursued them further. I checked with the Waterways Index for William East, but drew a blank.
I have not found Ellen in the 1861 census and workhouse records have not survived. It appears that William deserted his family as a reward was offered for his apprehension. There are workhouse records at PRO Kew which I intend to search in the near future.
Going Back I found that on the 9th March 1849 Zilpha East, now in the workhouse 'is to be removed to Bedford Lunatic Asylum upon the Medical Officer giving the necessary medical certificate' On the 3rd may 1850 the clerk 'is to write to the Lunatic Asylum and request discharge of Zilpha East should the Medical Officer certify to that effect'. A letter in reply stated that release could not be recommended. Research at the Bedford RO. revealed that Zilpha remained certified for the rest of her life, dying in the three counties asylum in 1898 aged 80 years.
By the 1851 census William East had not been found as his and Sophia's children were still in the workhouse. Presumably they were eventually 'put out' to the aunt who lived on Boxmoor and taught Ellen straw plaiting. I looked on the 1861 census for Joseph as he would have been fourteen at that time and hopefully still with relatives on Boxmoor, but he was not to be found. I suppose he could have been apprenticed or working elsewhere by that time.
Ellen had a child jack Wighton and in 1871 after she married Francis Wake, he was described as 'son in law' aged 7 on the census and living at 4 St Martin's Place, St Martin's in the Fields. Therefore I searched for jacks birth also without success. As Ellen married Francis Henry in 1869 as Ellen East and not Wighton I decided to look for jack under the surname East. I found Jane Wighton East in the indexes, born in Berkhamstead in the March quarter of 1865, which was something of a surprise !
I wrote to the local registrar for a copy of the certificate, thinking that it should have been John and was astonished to find that it was Jane. There was a twin sister Emma - their date of birth the 20th February 1865. The mother was given as Ellen East, no father was recorded and they were born in the Union Workhouse, Berkhamstead. These twins would have been six years old in 1871 but they did not appear with Ellen and her newly acquired family. The next logical step was to 'kill them off' ! John Wighton was not found born in Berkhamstead the previous year.
I eventually found Jane East daughter of Ellen, no father, baptised on 31st May 1867 at St Martin's in the Fields, noted as having been born on the 27th July 1866, address : Castle Street. ( The workhouse was in Castle Street). The birth certificate gave the twins DOB as 20 Feb 1865 - were there more ?
The death index shows a Jane Wighton age 0 in the St Martin's index for June 1867 which is presumably the Jane baptised the previous July and also Emma Wighton East dying in St Martin's in December 1865, which must surely be one of the twins born in Berkhamstead ?
Searching for Jane's death I found John Wighton's, presumably the father of these children, who died aged 28 on the 18th July 1866 ( nine days before Jane was said to have been born !) his address given as 10 Cecil Court, St Martin's Lane, described as a Carpenter workman and his cause of death given as Acute Rheumatism over two months and Endo-Carditis (inflammation of the heart - common in acute rheumatism) for 24 days. The informant present at the death was Ellen Wighton !
No John Wighton was baptised at St Martin's or at St pauls ( the place of birth given in the 1871 Census.
Just round the corner at 4 St Martins Court, on the 8th May 1867, died the first wife of Francis Wake, leaving him with seven children, the youngest being nine years old. Presumably this was where Ellen stepped in as housekeeper as she had recently been 'widowed' herself.
The children of the marriage of Francis Henry Wake and Ellen were :
Elizabeth (Lizzie) - born 1870 - died 1964
Alfred William - born 28th Feb 1871 - died 1961 ( my uncles father)
Francis - born 1873 - died in childhood
Joseph - born Nov 1875 - died in India in the army 1896 - unmarried
Lilian - born about 1876
Robert - born 10th Jan 1877 - died 1977
Louise - born 30th May 1880 - died Oct 1925
Louisa was my grandmother and she was born in Havil Street Workhouse, and was poor all her life. She was married at seventeen to George Allen and had three children who survived. The first was auntie Nellie married to Alfred Wake, son of the above Alfred William. The second was George Charles Allen and the youngest was Rose Anne who married Cyril Norman Bond in 1933. They lived to be eighty nine, eighty six and seventy four old respectively. I will write more on this family in my Wake Chapter.
Ellen was living 'south of the river' in her later years and I have been unable to locate her in 1881, though her husband Francis was in the Camberwell Infirmary (now St Giles Hospital ). In 1883 her husband died in the workhouse infirmary of Tuberculosis, recorded as being 26 Ruby Street, a much nicer sounding place than it was, in fact it was off the Old Kent Road, near the canal.
The 1891 census finds her at 30 Ruby Street as an Ironer from Boxmoor Herts. a forty eight year old widow with her sixteen year old son Joseph an Oil shop Assistant and her ten year old daughter Louisa, a scholar. On 1st Feb 1899 she was living at 3 Princes Street, Peckham Rye, according to her son's Joseph's service record.
She was in and out of the workhouse herself and Nellie remembered going to see her there and having to take packets of tea and sugar, for a 'cuppa' when they visited. My Aunt had a horror of receiving tea as a gift for Christmas as she said it made her feel destitute!
Ellen died at Constance Road Infirmary, Dulwich, on the 16th August 1919 and was buried at Honor Oak.
Eleven children and a mother who lived long enough to have known all her grand children and some of her great grand children as well and I am sure Ellen didn't even know - she thought she had died of 'milk fever' as undoubtedly that's what she had been told. In and out of the workhouse all her life ! What a Life !!
Easts Down Under
Article by Geoffrey B Sharman, Evandale, Tasmania.
Published in Points East Journal Summer 1993
Published in Points East Journal Summer 1993
The Transported Easts
During its first 50 years as a British possession Tasmania was known as Van Diemens Land or V.D.L. and was a penal colony . Free Settlers also arrived during that time `but of the Europeans who came before 1853
70,000 were convicts. Thirteen bore the name of EAST.
Forenames and convictions were :
70,000 were convicts. Thirteen bore the name of EAST.
Forenames and convictions were :
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Ann
Charles Edward James James John John Thomas Thomas William William William William |
Ripon, Yorkshire
Buckinghamshire Quarter Sessions London Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) Middlesex Quarter Sessions Cambridge Quarter Sessions Aylesbury Special Commission Devon Assizes Oxford Assizes Berkshire Assizes Essex Assizes London Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) Cambridge Quarter Sessions Hereford Quarter Sessions |
Dec 1833
Dec 1839 Jan 1837 Oct 1830 Jan 1842 Jan 1831 Mar 1840 Mar 1824 Mar 1827 Jul 1810 Sep 1840 Oct 1841 Mar 1945 |
7 years
14 years 7 years 7 years 7 years 7 years 10 years Life Life 7 years 10 years 7 years 7 years |
John East 1809 - 1857
John was arrested on the 29th Nov 1830 being one of a mob of between 300 and 500 "swing" rioters outside the paper mill of W R Davis at Loudwater, near High Wycombe. The constable who arrested him said "John East was in the mill yard with the mob. He was fighting his way through the mob to face the special constables. He had nothing in his hand. When he came to us I took him into custody."
John was then 21 years old and as he was a mere 5ft 1in tall, and totally unarmed, his arrest cannot have presented much difficulty. He had married Charlotte Blizard at Harefield, Middlesex, on 22nd August 1830. Their son William, who John possibly never saw, was baptised at High Wycombe on 29th Dec 1830, while his father was in gaol awaiting trial.
On 12th January 1831 John East was acquitted when charged with having 'unlawfully assembled.... and ...having destroyed certain machinery at the paper mill of W R Davis'. The next day he was further indicted for 'having destroyed certain machines at Chapping Wycombe, the property of W R Davis' ( Bucks Gazette 15 Jan 1831). The authorities were presumably determines that none of the few arrested should escape punishment, although it must have been obvious that John could not have destroyed machinery at the Davis mill. he did not go into the mill at all, and was arrested before the machinery was broken, or at worst while it was being broken by those already inside. He was convicted without further trial and "judgment of death" was recorded, which was commuted by the Crown to 7 years transportation.
John East received a free pardon on the 1st August 1835 but it took time for the instructions from London to reach colonial authorities, so his pardon was not promulgated until 3rd Feb 1836. at the time he was on 'ticket of leave' and free to work anywhere in the Australian colonies. He was free to return to England and it may be that he chose not to do so because he had heard that his wife Charlotte had died.
On 22 May 1840, John married Sarah Hambury at St Matthews Church, New Norfolk, V. D. L. They had four children and thirty four grandchildren but only the first was born before John died.
John East was the grandfather of the author.
John was arrested on the 29th Nov 1830 being one of a mob of between 300 and 500 "swing" rioters outside the paper mill of W R Davis at Loudwater, near High Wycombe. The constable who arrested him said "John East was in the mill yard with the mob. He was fighting his way through the mob to face the special constables. He had nothing in his hand. When he came to us I took him into custody."
John was then 21 years old and as he was a mere 5ft 1in tall, and totally unarmed, his arrest cannot have presented much difficulty. He had married Charlotte Blizard at Harefield, Middlesex, on 22nd August 1830. Their son William, who John possibly never saw, was baptised at High Wycombe on 29th Dec 1830, while his father was in gaol awaiting trial.
On 12th January 1831 John East was acquitted when charged with having 'unlawfully assembled.... and ...having destroyed certain machinery at the paper mill of W R Davis'. The next day he was further indicted for 'having destroyed certain machines at Chapping Wycombe, the property of W R Davis' ( Bucks Gazette 15 Jan 1831). The authorities were presumably determines that none of the few arrested should escape punishment, although it must have been obvious that John could not have destroyed machinery at the Davis mill. he did not go into the mill at all, and was arrested before the machinery was broken, or at worst while it was being broken by those already inside. He was convicted without further trial and "judgment of death" was recorded, which was commuted by the Crown to 7 years transportation.
John East received a free pardon on the 1st August 1835 but it took time for the instructions from London to reach colonial authorities, so his pardon was not promulgated until 3rd Feb 1836. at the time he was on 'ticket of leave' and free to work anywhere in the Australian colonies. He was free to return to England and it may be that he chose not to do so because he had heard that his wife Charlotte had died.
On 22 May 1840, John married Sarah Hambury at St Matthews Church, New Norfolk, V. D. L. They had four children and thirty four grandchildren but only the first was born before John died.
John East was the grandfather of the author.
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