Jersey

Edith May Le Marquand – 24 December 1896

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On the 24th December 1869, my great grandmother Edith May Le Marquand was born, in the parish of St. Peter, Jersey.

I have a brief memory of visiting her when I was young. She was sitting in a wheelchair.

Here is Edith’s timeline to the best of my knowledge:

1896 – Edith is born to her parents are Marie E. Le Gresley and Phillipe Le Marquand. A perfect present in time for Christmas!

It appears that Edith already has a half brother called J S Le Gresley, born in St. Peter’s in 1880. I have yet to confirm this detail.

1897 – Edith’s sister, ‘Dot’ Dorothy Maud Le Marquand is born in St. Peter.

1899 – Edith’s sister Iris Ellen Le Marqaund is born in St. Peter.

1901 – According to the 1901 census, Edith is still living in St. Peter at 66 Overdale with her father Phillipe Jn. aged 38, a merchant and farmer of his own account. Her mother, Marie, aged 41, sisters Lilian aged 10, Dorothy M., Iris Ellen and stepbrother J.S. Le Gresley, aged 21, a carpenter. Edith’s auntie, Jane A. le Gresley (who was born in St. Ouen and is living on own means) is also residing with the family the day the census is taken.

(This census also tells me that Edith had an older sister, born 1891)

1911 – Edith is living at Angora House, St. Peter. She is single and is working as a farmers daughter doing dairy work (likely on her father’s farm). She is living with her father, mother and sisters, Dorothy maud, and Iris E. who are at school. There are 10 rooms in the dwelling which is quite a large to my mind.

1914 – It is the first year of World War One and Edith is now working in a munitions factory in Penryn, Cornwall, England. This must have been a huge culture shock and change of lifestyle compared to her dairy farming on a quiet little island. Such a brave move or maybe a welcome adventure.

1919 – In November, Edith married Alfred Bouchere at St. Peters parish church. She is 4 months pregnant. According to family notes, Edith was living at Les Sixbulls in St. Ouen when she married Alfred.

1920 – Edith gives birth to her first child, my grandmother, Edith May Bouchere on the 10th May in St. Helier. Is May the baby’s middle name as this is the month she is born? Exact address unknown unless she is at the address where she has her next child Barbara, the next year.

1921 – Edith gives birth to daughter, Barbara Elize on the 28th January at Bas du Mont au Pretre, St. Helier, Jersey.

Edith gives birth to daughter Joyce.

Edith gives birth to daughter Margaret.

1924 – Edith gives birth to son, Kenneth Alfred on the 27th January.

Daughter Elizabeth is born.

Son Malcolm is born.

Daughter Ruth is born.

Daughter Rosemary is born.

Daughter Jennifer is born.

1937 – Edith has her eleventh child. Her son Patrick is born.

1941 – Edith is living at Penryn, Chestnut Avenue, Jersey. Is the name of the house in memory of her times working in the munitions factory at Penryn, Cornwall? That would imply that Edith saw this time in her life as something worth remembering.

1941 – World War 2 rages through Europe and Jersey is occupied by German forces.

1987 – Edith dies at the grand age of 84. With eleven children this is pretty impressive and shows what a strong woman she must have been, not forgetting that she also lived through two world wars! (Date amended from 1981 to 1987)

She is buried at St. Saviours Cemetery.

Here is Edith standing at the front with 9 of her 11 children:

Bouchere Family - Descendants of Edith & Alfred copy

Photo courtesy of H. Dryden

Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

 

Eliza Lozuet – born 1864

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Eliza Lozouet 1864On the 21st June 1864 Eliza Lozouet was born in the parish of St. Ouen in the island of Jersey. Eliza was the sister of my great great grandfather John Lozouet. As I have mentioned before in previous posts, birth certificates are a great source of information as you can see in the image of Eliza’s birth certificate above.

Eliza was the only daughter (as far as I know) of Elize Elizabeth Le Brocq (of St. Ouen, Jersey) and Jean Louis Desiré Lozouet (possibly of Surville, Le Manche, Normandy, France).

Eliza’s only sibling to my knowledge was her younger brother John.

Here is her timeline:

1864 – on the 21st June Eliza was born in St. Ouen, Jersey.

1864 – on the 20th July Eliza’s birth is registered.

1866 – on the 23rd April Eliza’s brother John is born. Eliza is almost two years old. The exact place pf residence is still unknown although they are still in St. Ouen.

1871 – Eliza is a scholar and is living with her grandmother Eliza Le Brocq (neé Le Boutellier), a farmer’s wife and her grandfather John Le Brocq (head of Household), a farmer of 8 acres and her unmarried uncle John Le Brocq jr. (age 27), a farmer’s son. The whereabouts of Eliza’s parents and baby brother are unknown.

1881 – Eliza is almost 17 years old. She is living along Vinchelez Main Road, St. Ouen with her grandmother Eliza Le Brocq, now a widow and her brother John, a carpenter.

1891 – Eliza is 25 and living at the Farmer’s Rest Hotel, St. Peter’s, Jersey with her husband Octave Duthiel, aged 45 (head of household).Her grandmother Eliza Le Brocq is now also living with them (aged 70).

1892 – On the 13th January, Eliza gave birth to her son Octave Theobald John Duthiel. You can read more about that here: Eliza has a son. Eliza’s place of residence is Motivier Lane, King Street, St. Helier, Jersey.

1901 – Eliza is now 37 years old and has moved to England with her family Octave and son John (they seem to have adopted his middle name rather than use Octave). They are now  living in 30 Dock Terrace, St. Mary’s, Hampshire, England. Eliza is working as a ‘grocer’s assistant, while her husband Octave is working as a ‘dock labourer’.

1911 – The following information may or may not be my Eliza: An Eliza Dutel, aged 46, is working as a Servant at Jersey General Dispensary And Infirmary, St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. Her occupation is recorded as a ‘cook’. Marital Status: married; Relation to Head: servant. Father’s birthplace: France, Brittany (although I have been told by a fellow researcher that Eliza’s father is possibly from Normandy).

1911 – Octave, Eliza’s husband, is living with the Sisters Of The Poor, Hauteville, St. Helier, Jersey. His occupation is described as ‘former boarding housekeeper.’

Eliza’s timeline ends here. I do not know what happened to her next. There is a 100 year restriction on viewing censuses, so the 1911 is the last one available.

Things to find out about Eliza:

  • what was her address at birth?
  • what school did Eliza go to?
  • What happened to the Le Brocq farm in 1891? The whereabouts of Eliza’s brother, John is also unknown. Although I do have a photo of John Le Brocq taken circa 1891 in San Fransisco.
  • Why did they move to England?
  • When did she she? Where? And how?

If you have more information on Eliza Lozouet and would like to share it I look forward to hearing from you! 🙂

Cholera Epidemic reaches Jersey – 1832

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On August 6th in 1832, the cholera epidemic that had been sweeping through England and Europe had finally reached the shores of Jersey.

Cholera = an acute intestinal infection characterized by severe diarrhoea, cramp, etc.: caused by ingestion of water or food contaminated with the bacterium. (The Collins Concise Dictionary)

Go back through the death dates of some of your ancestors. You may find you have people in your family tree that died around this time and cholera may have been the reason of death.

Alex Glendinning writes about the Jersey epidemic here: JERSEY CHOLERA EPIDEMIC – 1832

The epidemic spread throughout the town areas first as it was high residential area and therefore spread from building to building quicker than it did in the countryside. Alex writes that…

‘When the cholera reached Jersey on August 6 1832, there had been a heavy downpour of rain the previous day and Dr Hooper theorised that the movement of all the accumulated filth in the streams helped spread the disease.
Hilgrove Lane was one of the first places to suffer outbreaks.’

The majority of my ancestors were town dwellers, so this is of interest to me. Although I have not been able to always find specific addresses for this time as it was before the first Census in 1841.

I scan through all my family trees for all the death dates during this year and only find a date match with my Davey family.

The Rabet’s didn’t arrive in Jersey from Brittany until the turn of the century in the early 1900’s.

The Lozuet’s were living in St. Ouen at this time so were relatively safe (I presume).

I find William Davey who had died on the 19th November 1832. I have written about him before:

Boxing Day marriage of Mary De France & William Davey – 1804

William Davy – died 19th November 1832

William writes his Will & Testament four days before he dies in St. helier, leaving his wife Mary Defrance as executor and his children are his heirs: Thomas, Rachel, William, Isaac, Mary Ann and George. Unfortunately his Will does not state his address unlike his son Isaac’s Will & Testament 60 years later.

snap shot of William Davey's Will - 1832

It says that he is ‘of sound and disposing mind.’ I don’t have a copy of this death certificate, so I can not confirm  whether he was ill from cholera.  He died at the age of 52.

Alex Glendinning  goes on to state that:

According to Dr Hooper’s carefully kept statistics, 803 people were taken ill and 347 died over an eleven week and five day period. The deaths were so concentrated in the poorer parts of town, that the Rector of St Helier had to inaugurate a new Strangers’ Cemetery (below Westmount) on August 27 to cope with the extra burials. On October 27, the Board of Health reported the Island free of cholera and adjourned, the very day that the first case was reported in Guernsey.

Sadly, another cholera epidemic returns 16 years later, in 1848. You can read more about it in an article in the Jersey Evening Post: Containing Cholera In The 19th Century.

My next step is to get hold of a copy of William’s death certificate from the Jersey Registry Office to confirm details of his death.

I may have had more ancestors that fell ill or died from the cholera in 1832, but I do not know many of their dates of death. This is especially the case with my female ancestors. If I do not know the surname of the man they married I cannot trace their whereabouts and therefore when they died or where.

Have you found a family death during 1832?

Matilda Davey – born 19th March 1863

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Screen Shot 2014-03-19 at 11.06.41 am

According to my records my great great grandfather Isaac’s younger sister was born, Matilda Davey. A child of nine to the parents Isaac William Davey and Ann ‘Nancy’ Le Breton.

Any family historian will tell you that tracing our female ancestors can be tricky because once they have married they can disappear if you do not know the surname of their new spouse.

I have created the following timeline of what I beleive is Matilda’s life, but there is always the sneeking fear that you may have got it wrong and matched your female up with the wrong husband, especially when their name is as common as Davey.

1863 – Matilda is born on the 19th March very likely at 14 Lempriere Street (once The Eagle Tavern), St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK.

1863 – On the 5th April Matilda is baptised in a town church of St. Helier. Her godparents were Philip Le Breton and Mary Leath. It is likely that Philip is the mother Ann’s brother. Ann came from a huge family with 11 brothers and sisters! (Source: Jersey Heritage Archive Catalogue)

1871 – In the Census, Matilda aged 7, is a scholar and is living with her father Isaac: a Shipwright, mother Ann: Tavern Keeper, and siblings: Isaac W: Shipwright (aged 19), William: Mason’s Labourer, Ann E: Apprentice Tailoress, Mary and Esther: Scholars and Selina aged 1. I would love to know more about the life of women Tavern Keepers, it can’t have been easy with such a large family where your children’s age range from 19 to 1 years old.

1881 – In the Census, Matilda is 18 and is still a ‘Scholar.’ This seems quite old to still be at school.

The Elementary Education Act 1880 insisted on compulsory attendance from 5–10 years.      (Source:Wikipedia. Lincolnshire School Resources Genuki.org.uk)

She lives with her father Isaac, now a Victualler. Her mother is no longer a Tavern Keeper. Her older brother Isaac lives with them with his wife and kids. 

1885 – Matilda, aged 22 married Arveld George Winter Bishop.

1891 – Matilda is 28 and is living at 12 Goucester Street with her husband Arveld, a Stationary Engine Driver and their 2 month old son Arveld.

1899 – Matilda, aged 36, gives birth to a daughter, Lilian Beatrice Bishop, eight years after her son. This is quite a lengthy time between children, it may be that Matilda lost some to miscarriage in between.

1901 – In the Census taken on the 31st March, Matilda is living at 17 Seaton Place, St. Helier, Jersey with her husband Arveld – an Engine/Crane Driver and their children Arveld (10) and Lilian (2).

This is the year that tragedy strikes matilda’s life. She loses her 10 year old son Arveld to Tuberculosis. Having a 10 year old son myself, I can not even begin to understand how unbearable it must have been to experience this.

Tuberculosis infects the lungs and causes breathing difficulties which would have been very distressing to watch in a child.

In large cities the poor had high rates of tuberculosis. Public-health physicians and politicians typically blamed both the poor themselves and their ramshackle tenement houses (conventillos) for the spread of the dreaded disease. People ignored public-health campaigns to limit the spread of contagious diseases, such as the prohibition of spitting on the streets, the strict guidelines to care for infants and young children, and quarantines that separated families from ill loved ones.                                                                     (Wikipedia – Source: Diego Armus, The Ailing City: Health, Tuberculosis, and Culture in Buenos Aires, 1870–1950 (2011)

1903 – Aged 40, Matilda has another daughter, Muriel Evelyn Bishop.

1911 – Aged 48, Matilda is living at 29 Windsor Road with her husband Arveld, now working as a Ships Stoker and daughters lilian and Muriel who are both attending school. A ships Stoker was hard work, shovelling coal into the ships engine. I wonder why he changed jobs?

1924 – At the age of 60, Matilda writes her Will & Testament. It appears she has separated from Arveld as she beqeathes her property and possessions to her daughters.

1941 – Matilda dies at the grand age of 78. I do not know where she is buried.

***

If Matilda is in your family tree and you can confirm some details above, that’s great I’d love to hear from you or maybe you ar related to her husband, let me know.

Hope you enjoyed reading this timeline, until next time, bye for now.

William Davy – died 19th November 1832

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William Davey, my 4x great grandfther died on the 19th November 1832.

I have come across William’s surname spelt in a few different variations:

DAVY is recorded in his own marriage to Mary De France in 1804

DAVIS is recorded in his Will & Testament in 1832

DAVEY is recorded in the marriage certificate of his son Isaac to Ann Le Breton in 1850.

It is the latter spelling which stuck and is still used today with William’s descendants and myself.

Here is William’s timeline as far as I know so far:

1780 – William Davy is born about 1780 in West Coker, Somerset. The exact date is unknown. His father was John Davy, his mother is unknown.

1804 – William, aged 24 marries Mary De France, age 22 and born in Guernsey, daughter of Thomas De France, on 26th December, Boxing Day.

Davey marriage

1813 – William’s daughter Rachel Mary  is baptised in St. Helier on the 7 August. The family have now moved to Jersey from Guernsey. Was this for work? In the marriage certificate of his daughter Mary Ann to George Le Breton, William’s proffession is recorded as a CARTER. This is a job of low earnings.

1816 – Birth of  son William George.

1819 – Birth of daughter – Mary ann

1821 – Birth of son Isaac William on the 24th July. Isaac is my 3x great grandfather.

1832 – A cholera epidemic swept through St. Helier and some of the outlyinf parts of the island. Special centres were established to cope with the level of illness. 

1832 – On the 15th November William, aged 52, writes his Will & Testament – “my desire is to be buried at the discretion of Mary De France, my dear wife.”

mark X of William Davis

mark X of William Davis

1832 – On the 19th November, only 4 days after writing his Will & Testament, Willaim dies. UPDATE: He was buried Green Street Cemetery.

Cemetery plot 230 - Green Street Graveyard, Jersey

Cemetery plot 230 – Green Street Graveyard, Jersey

Although I do not have firm evidence of where William lived, I can presume that it was in St. Helier where  his children were born. It may be that William became one out of the 348 vicitms of cholera in Jersey.

To find out more about the history of cholera in Jersey click on the following link: (http://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/1832_cholera_epidemic)

If you think you are a descendant of William Davey than I would love to hear from you!

More mystery photos – set 2

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A while ago a reader contacted me to say that he had purchased a photo album which contained photographs of unknown people in the 1930’s. He believed that some, if not all the photos may have been taken in Jersey. He was correct as you can read here in a previous post: Mystery family holiday photos from reader.

Today I am uploading the second batch from his collection, which are fabulous. It is hard to say if they are in Jersey or not, but hopefully one of my lovely readers may recognise something.

richard - lady in cloche

A beautiful portrait photo of a young lady in a cloche hat.

Do you recognise this young lady or the interesting broach she is wearing?

richard - lady with dog

Who is this rather fashionable lady with her pet dog? Interesting style of hat too.

richard - mature couple by church

A well dressed couple at a special occasion

Do you recognise which church this may be? The window shape and the paving on the floor may be a clue.

richard - old lady in chacked dress

A very smart woman standing infront of her vegetable patch.

Do you recognise this woman and are they rhubarb plants behind her? I wonder too if the granite wall and stone borders have been painted white as is often seen in Jersey?

If you recognise any of these photos I would love to hear from you.

Many thanks to Richard for sharing his wonderful photos!