“Grandad was a Pastry Cook”

 Thomas John Spall was my maternal great-great-grandfather, born in the Old Bailey area of the City of London in 1862 to Jonathan Spall and Elizabeth Arabella Paine.¹ He was the eldest of four children.²

Thomas John married Elizabeth Mary Rose in 1887 and the couple had ten children, three of whom died in infancy.^3,2 My grandfather (Edward John, 1902) was the second youngest of the seven surviving children.²

My mother seemed to spend a lot of time with her grandmother and remembered the tales her grandmother used to tell of her Indian childhood. (see "A Rifleman of the 60th"). Her grandmother also told her that her grandfather had been a pastrycook.⁴

The truth of this was proven by genealogical research with Thomas’ occupation being given as “Apprenticed to cooking” in the 1881 census and as a cook in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses and the birth registrations of his children.^5,6 So if not a pastrycook per se, he was at least a cook for most of his working life and here the tale may have ended if I had not made contact with a third cousin on my Spall side in 2009.⁷

This lady had a collection of family photos, most of which she was able to identify. However there was one photo which had her stumped. This showed a fairly young man dressed in a full length white gown and a floppy white hat (see image below). I looked at it and immediately thought “cook”!

Photograph of an unknown young man with contacts to the Spall family. Original held by J. Ward.

Two of the keys to dating photographs are fashion and photographer. Fashion cannot help with this photograph, but maybe the photographer can. The photographer’s name on the photo mount is R. Hellis of Notting Hill Gate. Looking R. Hellis up on the internet it seems that one Robert Hellis had a photographic shop in Silver Street, Notting Hill by 1870.⁸ In 1887 the name of the enterprise was changed to Hellis and Son, so the photograph must have been taken before then.

At this time photographs were primarily taken on special occasions, so what special occasion occurred in the Spall family between 1870 and 1887 involving a cook? Well, if Thomas was apprenticed at the usual age (14 years) and had a standard length apprenticeship (7 years) he would have qualified as a Journeyman at the age of 21. This would have occurred in 1883 at the earliest.

I believe there is a strong possibility that this is a photograph of Thomas John Spall on the occasion of his graduation to journeyman cook, taken in the period between 1883 and 1887. So, to quote my mother, “Grandad was a pastrycook”.

Sources

1. England & Wales Birth certificate of Thomas John Spall, born 27 Oct 1862, citing 1c/39/180, Dec quarter 1862, West London registration district, West London sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.
2. Law, Susan, 'Susan Commons Pedigree View - Ancestry.Com', https://www.ancestry.com.au/family-tree/tree/52067358/family?cfpid=13296141854, Accessed 4 Sep 2023 (private tree, access can be requested).
3. England and Wales, marriage certificate for Thomas Jonathan Spall and Elizabeth Mary Rose, married 25 Sep 1887; citing 1c/262/455, Sep quarter 1887, Shoreditch registration district; General Register Office, Southport
4. Commons, Patricia P. L. M., private communication c. 2007.
5. Census record for Thomas J. Spall, aged 18, 14 Victoria Grove, South Hackney, Middlesex, 1881 England and Wales Census, The National Archives, RG11/0317/39/16; Census record for Thomas J. Spall, aged 28, 86 Mintern St, Haggerston, Middlesex, 1891 England and Wales Census, The National Archives, RG12/249/122/33; Census record for Thomas J. Spall, aged 38, 9 Marian St, Homerton, Middlesex, 1901 England and Wales Census, The National Archives, RG13/220/146/41; Census record for T. John Spall, aged 48, 71 Mintern St, Hoxton, Middlesex, 1911 England and Wales Census, The National Archives, RG14/1358/78/47, UK Census Collection, Ancestry.com, accessed 27 Jan 2009.
6. See e.g. England & Wales Birth certificate of Thomas Henry Spall, born 28 Jul 1888, citing 1c/29/113, Sep quarter 1888, Shoreditch registration district, Holywell sub-district; General Register Office, Southport; England & Wales Birth certificate of Horace William Spall, born 15 Apr 1909, citing 1c/64/482, Jun quarter 1888, Shoreditch registration district, Shoreditch north west sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.
7. Ward, J., email communications, 2011.
8. Brunning, Robert, “Robert Hellis (1835-1895): Photographer & Conjuror”, Friends of West Norwood Cemetery Newsletter, No. 87, Sep 2016, page 9, https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804357498?profile=original, Accessed 2 Sep 2023.

Emily Beckwith's Bible

Well it's not been a great year, but I have managed to complete six out of the seven remaining Units I need to complete my Diploma of Family History and I'm looking forward to having more time to spend on my blog. This post is from an assessment for one of the most recent Units "Place, Image, Object", part of which involved identification of inherited objects and placing them in context. I looked at the bible which originally belonged to my great-grandmother, Emily Beckwith.

Why Chris Locke?

When my father was a teenager in Brighton (Sussex, England) people who found out who he was used to say "Oh! Chris Locke's son." Dad couldn't understand this because his father's name was Christopher Henry Common(s). The reason goes back to his grandfather's childhood.

Albert Edward Common was born on the 11th August 1877 at 76 Cornwall Street, St George in the East, London. He was the fourth son and sixth (and last) child of Henry John Common & Jemima Hummerston. Part of Cornwall Street still exists, but the area was a slum and when it was badly damaged during WWII it gave the local councils an excuse to clear it. Henry John had various occupations during his life, but at the time of Albert's birth he declared that he was a "general dealer". From what I have read this is a rag-and-bone man (think "Steptoe and Son").¹

Albert was baptised on 2nd September 1877 in St George in the East Parish Church.²

St George in the East Parish Church

By 6th April 1881 the family had moved to an even poorer location - Albert Street, Shadwell - and their second daughter (Jane Elizabeth) had died.³ In 1887, when Albert turned 10, his mother died.⁴ Albert was the only child too young to be thrown on his own resources. (His next eldest sibling, James, was 17.) The next census (5th April 1891) shows the family had split up. Henry John was living on his own at 83 Cornwall Street.⁵ Albert was living with his sister Fanny or Frances (born 25th February 1865).⁶

On 2nd August 1891 Frances married Christopher William Locke in St George in the East Parish Church.⁷ Aha!! The couple's child, Frances Sophia, was born on 19 May 1892 in St George in the East.⁸ By 1901 the family had moved to Worthing, Sussex and Christopher was a fish dealer.⁹

On 3 Dec 1900 Albert married Elizabeth Jane Shadbolt in Christchurch, Spitalfields.¹⁰ This was six months after the birth of their first child (Albert James George) but, hey, even a bride-groom-two-witnesses marriage cost money.¹¹ On 31st March 1901 they are living at 7 Mary Street, the same address as Elizabeth's parents (James & Elizabeth Shadbolt).¹² Their next two children were also born at this address (Christopher Henry, 25th July 1902, Charles James, 18th July 1904).¹³

Elizabeth's father, James Shadbolt, died on 27th June 1904 and the couple's next child (Leonard Arthur, 11th November 1906) was born back in the old Common stomping ground, Cornwall Street.¹⁴ Further tragedy struck - Leonard Arthur died on 28th April 1908 and it was probably around this time that Elizabeth's mother was committed to the "Metropolitan Asylum for Pauper Imbeciles" at Leavesden, Hertfordshire.¹⁵

The couple fled London, and Henry Edward was born at 97 Church Street, Brighton on 10th March 1909 with Albert listed as a "Fishmonger's Assistant".¹⁶ Who was he assistant to? Well by 1911 Christopher Locke is a fish dealer in Brighton.¹⁷ Church Street is a street full of shops and it is possible that Albert and Elizabeth were living above Christopher's shop. The next three children are all born at 97 Church Street.¹⁸

World War I started in 1914 and in 1916 Albert was conscripted.¹⁹ After various transfers he ended up in a battalion of the Cheshire Regiment stationed in Salonika.²⁰ Like so many servicemen in that region he contracted malaria, was transferred to a service battalion and probably spent the rest of the war oscillating between field hospital and road building.²¹ He survived the war, but died on 21st August 1920, probably due to recurrent malaria.²² He is buried in a Commonwealth War Grave in Brighton General Cemetery and his name appears on the Brighton Cenotaph (see photograph).²³

The Brighton Cenotaph, photographed by suelaw1954, 11th July 2016

Dad's father worked in the fish business on and off and owned his own fish and chip shops at times.²⁴ It is probable that when young he worked for his uncle, Chris Locke. Having the same given name, he could have been referred to by his uncle's surname. One family story proved possible.

1. England and Wales, birth certificate for Albert Edward Common, born 11 Aug 1877; citing 1c/386/470, Sep quarter 1877, St George in the East registration district, Saint Paul sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
2. St George (St George in the East, Middlesex, England), Parish Registers, "London Metropolitan Archives P93/GEO/027 Register of baptisms,"  page 43, baptism of Albert Edward Commons, 2 Sep 1877; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Unlimited Company, Ancestry Australia (https://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 21 Sep 2009)
3.  1881 census of England, London, Shadwell, folio 128, page 28, Henry Commons; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Company, Ancestry Australia (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 10 Jan 2006); citing PRO RG 11/460; England and Wales, death certificate for Jane Elizabeth Common, died 7 Mar 1877; citing 1c/292/332, Mar quarter 1877, Saint George in the East registration district, Saint Paul sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
4. England and Wales, death certificate for Jemima Commons, died 17 Jan 1887; citing 1c/230/493, Mar quarter 1887, Whitechapel registration district, Whitechapel Church sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
5. 1891 census of England, London, St George in the East, folio 109, page 30, Henry Common; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Company, Ancestry Australia (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 28 Apr 2006); citing PRO RG 12/287
6. 1891 census of England, London, St George in the East, folio 100, page 12, Frances Common; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Company, Ancestry Australia (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 10 Jan 2006); citing PRO RG 12/287
7. St George (St George in the East, Middlesex, England), Parish Registers, "London Metropolitan Archives P93/GEO/065 Register of marriages,"  page 151, marriage of Christopher William Locke & Frances Common, 2 Aug 1891; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Unlimited Company, Ancestry Australia (https://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 22 Sep 2009)
8. St George (St George in the East, Middlesex, England), Parish Registers, "London Metropolitan Archives P93/GEO/030, Register of baptisms,"  page 271, baptism of Frances Sophia Locke, 12 Jun 1892; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Unlimited Company, Ancestry Australia (https://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 12 Jul 2010)
9. 1901 census of England, Sussex, Worthing, folio 20, page 32, Christopher Locke; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Company, Ancestry Australia (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 2 Jul 2006); citing PRO RG 13/959
10. England and Wales, marriage certificate for Albert Edward Commons and Elizabeth Jane Shadbolt, married 3 Dec 1900; citing 1c/460/436, Dec quarter 1900, Whitechapel registration district; General Register Office, Southport
11. England and Wales, birth certificate for Albert James George Commons, born 11 Jun 1900; citing 1c/319/87 (?), Sep quarter 1900, St George-in-the-East registration district, Saint Georges North sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
12. 1901 census of England, London, St George in the East, folio 166, page 50, Albert E. Commons; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Company, Ancestry Australia (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 10 Jan 2006); citing PRO RG 13/309; 1901 census of England, London, St George in the East, folio 166, page 49, James Shadbolt; digital images, Ancestry Information Operations Company, Ancestry Australia (http://www.ancestry.com.au/ : accessed 20 Jan 2006); citing PRO RG 13/309
13. England and Wales, birth certificate for Christopher Henry Commons, born 25 Jul 1902; citing 1c/844/20, Sep quarter 1902, St George in the East registration district, St George & St John sub-district; General Register Office, Southport; England and Wales, birth certificate for Charles James Commons, born 18 Jul 1904; citing 1c/327/431, Sep quarter 1904, St George-in-the-East registration district, St George and St John sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
14. England and Wales, death certificate for James Shadbolt, died 27 Jun 1904; citing 1c/214/66, Jun quarter 1904, St George in the East registration district, St George and St John sub-district; General Register Office, Southport; England and Wales, birth certificate for Leonard Arthur Commons, born 11 Nov 1906; citing 1c/292/311, Mar quarter 1907, St. George-in-the-East registration district, St George and St John sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
15. England and Wales, death certificate for Leonard Arthur Commons, died 28 Apr 1908; citing 1c/180/428, Jun quarter 1908, ST. GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST registration district, St George & St John sub-district; General Register Office, Southport; 1911 census of England, Hertfordshire, Kings Langley, Elizabeth Shadbolt; digital images, Brightsolid Online Publishing Ltd, Find My Past (http://www.findmypast.co.uk/ : accessed 28 Jan 2009); citing  RG 78, RG 14 PN 7739, registration district (RD) 140, sub district (SD) 4, enumeration district (ED) 7, schedule number (SN) 9999
16. England and Wales, birth certificate for Henry Edward Commons, born 3 May 1909; citing 2b/210/312, Jun quarter 1909, Brighton registration district, West Brighton sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
17. 1911 census of England, Sussex, 7 Cheltenham Place Brighton, C. W. Locke; digital images, Brightsolid Online Publishing Ltd, Find My Past (http://www.findmypast.com.au/ : accessed 27 Jan 2009); citing  RG 78 PN 227, RG 14 PN 5137, registration district (RD) 79, sub district (SD) 2, enumeration district (ED) 17, schedule number (SN) 369
18. England and Wales, birth certificate for Leslie Common, born 2 Jul 1910; citing 2b/205/214, Sep quarter 1910, Brighton registration district, West Brighton sub-district; General Register Office, Southport; England and Wales, birth certificate for Frances Elizabeth Commons, born 21 Apr 1912; citing 2b/409/69, Jun quarter 1912, Brighton registration district, West Brighton sub-district; General Register Office, Southport; England and Wales, birth certificate for Mabel Isabel Commons, born 17 Aug 1914; citing 2b/397/162, Sep quarter 1914, Brighton registration district, West Brighton sub-district; General Register Office, Southport
19. After Albert's call up, Elizabeth wrote to the army to get her under-age son (Albert James George) discharged. This happened in July 1916. Albert James George Commons Service Record, Soldiers’ Documents from Pension Claims, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England, WO364, 'British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920', Ancestry, Accessed 1st December 2008
20. suelaw1954 to Various, forum thread on Albert Edward Commons, Great War Forum, 'Soldiers and their Units', https://www.greatwarforum.org/, Accessed 3rd December 2008
21. Martin Marix Evans, Forgotten Battlefronts of the First World War, The History Press, Stroud, 2003
22. England and Wales, death certificate for Albert Edward Commons, died 21 Aug 1920; citing 2b/219/408, Sep quarter 1920, Brighton registration district, East Brighton sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.
23. Commonwealth War Graves Commission database, Commonwealth War Graves Commission (http://www.cwgc.org/ : accessed 2 Sep 2006), A. E. Commons
24. Patricia Commons, numerous conversations over many years to author