Cousin marriage: Barnes

William Henry Hill married his cousin Maud Beatrice Barnes on 16 May 1902 at St Jude, Gray’s Inn Road, Camden (central London).

William, a 27 year old packer (and bachelor) residing at 14 Britannia Street (Kings Cross), was a son of Alfred Hill, a deceased confectioner. Maude, a 25 year old spinster with no occupation, residing at 9 Swinton Street, was a daughter of James Barnes, a milkman. The witnesses were Frederick William Lutser [?] and Amelia Alice Warner.

William’s mother was Clara Barnes, a sister of Maude’s father James Barnes. The parents of Clara and James were Amelia (or Emily) Girdler and William Barnes. William Barnes was a son of my 5 x great grandparents William Barnes and Sarah Bridgman.

Clara Barnes and Alfred Hill

Clara Barnes was born in Kingsclere (Hampshire) in about 1844. She married Alfred Hill (bricklayer) on 4 October 1868 at St Luke, Finsbury, Islington (central London). In 1871 and 1881, Alfred was a dairyman and the couple were at 13 James Street, Finsbury.

Alfred Hill, a dairyman of 202 Old-street City-road, died on 4 September 1885, leaving an estate of £360 15s. Alfred and Clara had 4 children.

In 1891, Clara (a confectioner) was at 202 Old Street, with daughter Bertha, a tie [?] maker.

In 1901, Clara was still a confectioner at 202 Old Street, with son William Hill (28, a seaman) and visitor Emily Hunt, an 85 year old widow from Kingsclere. Emily was Clara’s grandmother (Emily Girdler), who had married Charles Hunt after her first husband William Barnes died. Also at 202 Old Street but in a separate household were Clara’s daughter Bertha and Bertha’s husband Edward Reider.

In 1911, Clara was at 85 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, Hackney (East London) with Bertha and Edward Reider (who had no children) and 9 year old Alfred Sidney Hill, Bertha’s nephew and Clara’s grandson—perhaps son of Bertha’s brother Sidney George Hill and his wife Florence.

In 1921, Clara, Bertha and Edward were still at 85 Shacklewell Lane. Bertha was doing laundry work at home and Edward was an out-of-work warehouseman, whose most recent  employer was Sainsbury at Stamford Hill.

Clara Hill died in Islington in 1929.

James Barnes and Sarah Riley

James Barnes was born in Kingsclere in about 1851 and was still in Kingsclere in 1861. I haven’t found him in 1871.

James married Sarah Riley on 13 June 1872 at St Luke, Finsbury, Islington. Bride and groom gave their residence as 13 James Street (where Clara and Alfred were living). James was a milkman, and son of William Barnes (bailiff). Sarah was a daughter of Samuel Riley, ship-keeper. The witnesses were Susannah Brill [?] and Sarah Ryle [sic].

In 1881, James and Sarah were at 58 Felton Street, Shoreditch, with 4 children and a visitor (Lizzie Foskett [?], a 20 year old patent turner [?], born in Hackney). James was a milkman journeyman. I haven’t found them in 1891.

In 1901, they were at 14 Britannia Street, St Pancras. James was still a milkman. Daughter Maud (24) was a waitress. Son William (18) was a packer and Arthur (16) was an errand boy.

James and Sarah had at least 7 children.

William and Maud

In 1911, the widowed James was listed as a “cowman dairy”. He was living with William (a draper’s porter) and James’ daughter Maud at 84 Whidborne Buildings, Kings Cross with two sons.

In 1921, William—was a porter at Henry Glaver, drapers, 80-100 New Oxford Street—and Maud were at 56 Shakespear Rd, London N1. With them were children Alfred (18, student of tailoring, Ministry of Labour Training School, Rathbone Place, west London, William Hill (13, school whole time), Maude Hill 3 (Stoke Newington). Alfred Frederick William Hill was still at 56 Shakespear Road in 1924 when he married Gladys Alice Roberts.

In 1939, William was an unemployed general packer and he and Maud were in Benfleet (Essex). I haven’t found out what happened afterwards to William, Maud or James.

Amelia Alicia Warner and William James Barnes

As I said above, one witness to the marriage between William Henry Hill and Maud Beatrice Barnes was Amelia Alice Warner. Intriguingly, Amelia married a William James Barnes on 3 June 1906. That William James Barnes and Amelia gave their address as 86 Aldenham Street (in Somers Town, St Pancras). Amelia’s family were living at that address in 1901. William was a bill poster and said his father was William James Barnes (cowman).

In 1911, Amelia (a dressmaker) was at 26 Drummond Crescent with sons Albert (1) and Henry (2 months). Amelia said she was (still) married, the marriage having lasted 5 years and having produced 4 children, though 2 of them had died. William wasn’t with the family in 1911 and I haven’t found out where he was.

William and Amelia were evidently hard up and moved around constantly. They lived at 5 different addresses between late 1906 and mid 1913: 34 Gough Street in November 1906, 44 Harrison Street in December 1907, 19 Drummond Crescent in 1910 and early 1911, 26 Drummond Crescent slightly later in 1911 and 14 Arlington Road in 1913. The first two children (born in 1906 and 1907) were briefly admitted to St Pancras workhouse with Amelia in late 1908 and then both died in early 1909.

William and Alice appear on the electoral register for 1918-1920 at 28 Peckwater Street, St Pancras. They were still there in 1921. William James (38 years, 7 months, born in Barnesbury), was a painter with Cooper Turner, Old Turnstile, Holborn. 3 children under 16 alive (11, 10, 8). Amelia (26 years, 8 months, born in St Pancras) was on home duties, though also described as out of work. With them was son Ernest Barnes (8y 2m, born St Pancras). I haven’t found the couple’s other 2 children, both said to be still alive (Henry Edward and Albert Henry).

It seems likely that Amelia’s husband was in fact William Barnes, Maud’s brother, who was born around the right time. There are slight discrepancies:

• on Amelia and William’s marriage certificate, her husband is listed as William James and his father is listed as William James Barnes (cowman).
• In contrast, all records I have found for Maud and James’ father give his name as James Barnes (not William James) and give his occupation—though interestingly the 1911 does give his occupation as “cowman dairy”. That occupation seems implausible in Kings Cross, though in a way related to milkman.

Some family historians say that William (but not Amelia) and two of their sons emigrated to Australia and that another one emigrated to Canada. I haven’t seen enough documentation to confirm this. A Henry Edward Barnes emigrated to Australia (alone) at the age of about 15 in 1927, and he could be William and Amelia’s sons who had the same name and approximately the same date of birth.