January and February 2002

I had been ticking off the months, then days and then hours to when the 1901 Census was about to come online and I could not sleep the night before because I was so excited. Well, what an anticlimax! We all know what happened there! I was bitterly disappointed and a lot more but my reaction over this particular ‘non-great’ event is best left undocumented as likely to cause offence.

On 3 January I was astounded to find another e-mail from Surrey History Centre. The edited transcription goes as follows:

3 January 2002

Dear Ms Marelli

Family History: George Walker

Thank you for your e-mail of 2 December.

We had a very quiet week on the run up to Christmas and so I was able to co-opt a colleague to trawl through all the minutes and Creed Registers of the Board of Guardians for Epsom between the years 1907 and 1920 looking for George Walker. In doing so, we not only found him but also more information relating to Maggie and Millie.

The first reference we found was from an earlier Creed Register (Ref BG3/42/1) and an entry dated 1 August 1908. It refers to the first admission of Maggie Walker and lists her mother as Nora Walker of 223 Hook Road, Epsom. Later that year, on 23 November, Edith Walker and George Walker were admitted. I checked the admission registers for these dates (BG36/36/26) and found that Maggie was listed as ‘sick’ when she was admitted. George was listed as being born in 1904 and Edith in 1902. Interestingly enough, their religion at this time was listed as Church of England.

In the minutes of 10 May 1911 (Ref BG3/11/29) there is a note which reads:

Re Children Walker

We recommend that steps be taken for the adoption of Maggie and Millie Walker, the children of Nora Walker under the Poor Law Act 1899. (Report was resolved and adopted.)

A further note in the minutes of 21 May 1913 (Ref. BG3/11/31) reads:

Re Millie Walker

Read letter dated 19th inst. From the Invalid Children’s Aid Association stating that this child was well and quite fit to go to school. Resolved that the suggestion of the Home be agreed to.

Later that year there is a report in the Minutes of 3 December 1913 (also Ref. BG3/11/31) which states:

Re Walker Children

Read Medical report from the Invalid Children’s Aid Association with regard to these children which was considered very satisfactory.

We could find nothing listed for the Walker children until 30 April 1919 where further minutes (BG3/11/35) state:

Re Maggie Walker

Read letter from Mrs Goodchild asking the guardians to increase the amount given to her in respect of the boarding out of this girl. In consequence of the increased cost of medical necessaries and also enquiring whether the board would have an objection to her taking charge of two girls from the Dr Barnado’s Homes.

Resolved that the sum paid to Mrs Goodchild be increased from 8/- to 10/6 weekly, and that provided that the Invalid Children’s Aid Association raise no objection to her taking two girls from Dr Barnado’s Homes the board offer no objection.

Then two years later the minutes of 9 November 1921 (BG3/11/37) read:

Maggie Walker

Read letter dated 7th instant from the Wantage Union stating that this girl had been compelled to leave her situation on account of eczema and asking the guardians to authorise the payment of the usual Boarding Out Allowance to her. Resolved that authority be given for the payment of 10/6 weekly and 30/- per quarter for clothing.

Since the earlier Creed Register had listed their religion as Church of England I checked the three parish churches for Epsom: St Martin’s, St Barnabas and Christ Church, for any evidence of the Walker family. If Nora Walker did have any of the children christened, it does not seem to have been in Epsom.

I really do think that we have exhausted all the avenues we can. It would seem that the Walker children spent time in and out of the workhouse and boarded out to foster parents. I hope this gives you more fuel for your search through the GRO indexes. I wish you lots of luck and a very Happy New Year.

Yours sincerely

Jane B. Tombe

It was all too emotive. Maggie was only ten weeks old when first placed in the workhouse and it seems as though she probably spent most of her childhood there. It was difficult explaining this latest information to my mum, but although she was devastated by the thought of her mother having such a dreadful childhood it also helped her to understand so much more about Maggie.

I looked again at Peter Higginbotham’s Internet site on the workhouse and the more I read the more I hurt for Maggie but the more I understood her and the life she must have had in the workhouse, never mind ‘The Great Depression’ and the Second World War. Maggie never mentioned the workhouse to Mum, but said she was in hospital a lot – denial perhaps or maybe embarrassment. I was able to help Mum understand her too and she at last was able to come to terms with her own childhood. For the first time in her life Mum knew about her mother’s childhood, information she was never privy to while Maggie lived.

An aside: Another thing Mum was right about was that Maggie did live part of her childhood in the Reading area. Was it Mrs Goodchild that had a farm? This was the only time during Maggie’s childhood that we know she was happy. I must see if I can track Mrs Goodchild down at some point.

I personally have mixed feelings about the workhouse. I hate the fact that my grandmother, Maggie, through no fault of her own was forced to live in a workhouse, never knowing the comfort of a normal family upbringing. But if it hadn’t been for the workhouse would she have survived? I suppose it is easy to judge parents who could do such a thing to their children, having been brought up in a close and loving family myself, but I was not there. I do not know the circumstances that drove Asor Zoar to take her children to the workhouse – maybe her husband died, as she did marry again. Maybe they fell on hard times and her husband could not find work. Maybe one day I will find out but until then I prefer to believe Asor Zoar had no choice. I still have not found the marriage certificate of Asor Zoar to Albert Brown.

I was sure I read in one of the family history magazines or something similar about being able to access archived British newspapers online. This is similar, I suppose, to the Newspaper Detectives who are indexing, but not associated with, the local Surrey Advertiser.

It did not take long to find the site called British Online Newspaper Archives via www.uk.olivesoftware.com. By typing the keyword Workhouse into the search facility located on the home page I found hundreds of articles among which were two very interesting ones that gave both sides of the story of life in the workhouse around the time Maggie herself had been resident in one of these establishments. I have reproduced the articles below.

The first is taken from the Daily News dated 16 December 1918.

THE POOR LAW GIRL

To the Editor of the Daily News.

Sir, – You have given space in your columns for a discussion on the Poor Law – whether or not it shall live. I have read some outside opinions and the Guardians’ defence. May I give a few whispers from within, as I was brought up in a Poor Law Home?

Poor Law children are terribly mixed in rank, character, and appearance. Some have gentle feelings and kind dispositions; others show bad breeding. Some are backward scholars and others have great talents. ‘The workhouse nursery is the least objectionable to visit,’ so I am told by one who knows. The children look upon Guardians as men to be revered and referred to in a whisper. If one is seen coming towards the dayroom the girls are told to smile – not an easy thing to do to order – and if they are unable to do so they get into serious trouble afterwards. Has the Guardian any idea of how the children live, of the low atmosphere they breathe, or of the degrading punishments given them for very small misdeeds and mistakes?

What becomes of us? When we are fifteen we are sent into the world, of which we are ignorant, to become general servants, as if we were responsible working girls who should know what is required of us. We are not; we feel helpless and alone, besides being strangers to life’s simplest ways and habits. We have never entered a shop or handled money; at every turn we find ourselves lost, in the street, kitchen, dining-room, drawing-room or bedroom; everywhere things are new and strange, and we lack the speech, manners, knowledge and courage which are so badly needed to cope with life. Our minds are, as it were, chained up through rule and discipline; individuality is unknown to us, our capabilities have no standard, and we had no sense of self or of our importance as human beings.

In consequence of this, ‘Home’ Girls are backward, shy, thoughtless and slow. Many of them have no taste for housework, yet all are catalogued for domestic service. These are England’s special girls. What do you readers think of the Poor Law system now?

GRACE BUMPSTEED

The response came on 19 December 1918:

THE POOR LAW GIRL

To the Editor of the Daily News.

Sir, – Your correspondent is, no doubt, relating her own particular experience; but what would she have been if the Poor Law had not stepped in and helped her?

Experience teaches us that no child is sent to the workhouse unless the conditions of life are such that she is unable to obtain sufficient nourishment and care in the home from which she comes.

A child is taken into the workhouse, cared for, washed, clothed, and fed from infancy until it is about five years old. Then it is transferred to a cottage home, where it is located with another 30 to 25 children, and sent to the county school. The cottage homes are in the country (most of the children come from the slums). The children are not dressed in uniform; they sit side by side with other children, and have an equal chance of obtaining scholarships.

When they are about 14 two of the girls are appointed to assist the foster mother in cleaning the home, and are taught to bake, sew, knit, and darn. For further domestic training two of the eldest girls take duty in the superintendent’s house, and help in all kinds of work, including waiting at the table.

When one thinks of all that is being done for these children, one cannot but wonder what would have become of them if they had not received the care and attention of the Poor Law.

A GUARDIAN

The last article talks of only the two eldest girls being trained. I wonder what training for life the others had?

I went to the FRC in search of birth details for George Brown and Edith Brown, but was unsuccessful. I also searched for the marriage of Asor Zoar to Albert Brown and was again unsuccessful. I came home with nothing. I broke my own unwritten rule to always take some positive information away with me so that I never come home empty-handed – I was really losing it.

I also spent a great deal of time searching the 1881 Census for Henry Pudvine and others but could not find Henry or anyone else that I was still looking for. I did find a family by the name of Maloney in Liverpool that could be related to my dad who was born in 1888. I also found a Mary Anne Walker working in Guildford High Street, born in 1860 in Worplesdon. I thought this could be Maggie’s grandmother, Mary Pudvine, but I will need to source the marriage certificate, as I do not know at this time if Mary Anne had already married Charles Walker. If she had not maybe for some reason she was using the name of Walker as I cannot find her on the 1881 Census under the name Pudvine, Pudwine, Mary, Mary Ann, Mary Anne or Maryann.

I posted some messages on the Genforum site asking if anyone had heard of the name Pudvine or Pudwine or knew of their origins. I only had one reply telling me again about the Pudvine that my friend Sue has sourced. I must contact them at some point.

What I learned

• Family history, although amazing, can bring heart-rending results.
• By taking your research further and finding out more about the lives of your ancestors via the Census, workhouse, newspapers, etc. your ancestors will spring to life.

March 2002

I was back at the good old FRC again. I searched from 1895 to 1920 for a marriage certificate for Asor Zoar Walker to Albert Edward Brown under both names but could find nothing listed. Here I go again!

I selected some years using one of my search forms but only for the surnames Pudvine and Pudwine, crossing through each box carefully twice as I went for each spelling. Eventually I found a record for Henry Pudwine in 1858 and one for Frederick Pudwine in 1859. (Frederick’s surname is spelt differently to the 1881 Census where he is a Pudvine.)

With these exciting finds my confidence returned so I looked for the marriage of Charles Walker to Ellen, Asor Zoar’s grandparents. I found it in 1860.

Marriages were surprisingly quiet so I took the opportunity to search for the other marriage of Asor Zoar to a Taylor, (still a little miffed that I could not find her marriage to Albert Brown). As Maggie was born a Brown I decided to start my search from the year 1907 thinking perhaps Albert had died and that is why Maggie ended up in the workhouse at ten weeks of age and that Asor Zoar would have married after this date. I found nothing under Asor Zoar’s name but several possibilities under the Taylor name and two in the right district in 1910 and 1911, one for William and one for George William, but I could not find a corresponding record for Asor Zoar so I ordered both certificates.

I then went to deaths because I knew there was no mention of Maggie’s grandfather Charles Walker in the 1881 Census. I assumed he had died between 1875 and 1881 because his last child was only five years old in 1881. I found him in 1875.

I also had three death dates for Pudwines from the National Burial Index so I looked for those. I found one for William Pudwine in 1848, one for Charles Pudwine in 1848 and one for another William Pudwine in 1849. Was this a good day or a bad one?

I moved back to births looking for another sibling of Maggie’s under the name of Edith Brown but had no luck when something occurred to me. Could Edith have been born prior to her relationship with Albert Brown and be registered under Walker? I found an Edith Walker in 1902. I looked for George Walker but could not find him.

I also selected another certificate for Mum’s grandfather Robert Reynolds, this time born in Poplar, London in 1862. I wasn’t sure though.

Lastly I did a blanket search under the name Voller in the hope of finding Emily who married Henry Pudwine and was involved in the incident in Guildford as per the Newspaper Detectives website. I found one for a Louisa Voller in 1858.

While waiting for the certificates I did a thorough search on the FamilySearch site, this time in the names of Pudvine and Pudwine and below is what I found:

• Susanna Pudwine, christened in Albury on 8 April 1828, parents Thomas and Harriet Pudwine;
• William Pudwine, christened in Albury on 21 July 1829, parents William and Harriet Pudwine;
• Maryanne Pudwine, christened in Albury on 11 March 1832, parents Thomas and Harriet Pudwine;
• Frederick Pudwine, christened in Albury on 27 January 1833, parents Thomas and Harriet Pudwine;
• Henry Pudwine, christened in Albury on 16 March 1834, parents Thomas and Harriet Pudwine;
• Stephen Pudwine, christened in Albury on 14 September 1835, parents Thomas and Harriet Pudwine;
• Stephen Pudwine, buried in Albury on 25 September 1835, parents Thomas and Harriet Pudwine;
• Edwin Pudvine, christened in Worplesdon on 17 September 1865, parents Frederick and Harriett (sic) Pudvine;
• Charlotte Pudvine, christened in Worplesdon on 19 July 1867, parents Frederick and Harriet Pudvine;
• Susanna Pudvine, married to Richard Bonsey on 16 November 1851, Saint Mary Guildford;
• Ann Pudwine, married to John Stevert on 15 April 1739, Saint Dunstan, Stepney, London;
• Catherine Pudvine, married to John Greenfield on 8 July 1817, Glasgow, Lanark.

The last two names are possibly related but I’m not sure and will have to check further. I had also found a Stephanie Pudwine on the National Burial Index but now think that Stephanie is a misprint and should read Stephen.

It looks like either there are two Pudwine families both married to someone called Harriet, perhaps brothers, or there is a misprint and all should read Thomas and Harriet or William and Harriet. I must check further.

Both Frederick and Henry have the same parents regardless of whether one is Thomas or William, so they must be brothers and quite likely my Henry and Frederick. I must find the three death certificates for the two Williams and Charles.

The certificates arrived and it gets better all the time

The marriage was for Henry Pudwine, aged 24, dated 16 October 1858 (amended from aged 20), occupation dock labourer, to Emily Voller, aged 19 with no occupation. Henry does not state who his father is, frustratingly, but Emily’s father is John Voller, an agricultural labourer. Witnesses at the wedding are Henry Rose and Mary Wye; neither Henry Rose nor Henry Pudvine could sign their names. They were married in Guildford Register Office. How utterly amazing – this is where, 132 years later, I would marry Brian not knowing of course that my ancestors had lived in the surrounding area. (It is quite common to find the name of a father missing off a marriage certificate if the parent is deceased, as Henry’s father William was at the time of this marriage.)

The next marriage is for Frederick Pudwine, aged 23 years, dated 13 August 1859 (if this was Henry’s brother he should be 26 years), occupation agricultural labourer, to Harriett (sic) Voller aged 22 years. The father of Frederick is William Pudwine, deceased, occupation wheelwright. On FamilySearch it states that Frederick’s father was called Thomas! Harriett’s father is also called John Voller, as is Emily’s, occupation agricultural labourer. The witnesses for the marriage were Charles Voller and Jane Voller; only Jane Voller could sign her name. They too were married at Guildford Register Office. The more I find out the more complicated this is becoming. Did I say Brian’s family was difficult, because if I did I was making it up!

The next was for Charles Walker, aged 25 years, dated 9 January 1860, occupation labourer, to Ellen Lee, aged 20 years, with no occupation. Charles named his father as John Walker, a labourer, and Ellen named her father as John Lee, a millwright. Thank goodness for that, some decent occupations are beginning to surface. They were married at the Parish Church in Stoke next to Guildford. Witnesses were John Smith and Ann Hall; all were able to sign their names except for Ann Hall.

One of the Taylor marriages is incorrect but the other is startling. It is for Asar Zora (sic) (corrected from Asarzora) dated 1911 – it seems as though this is how she thought she should spell her name even though it is Asor Zoar on her birth certificate – aged 33 years, a spinster of no occupation. What did this mean? Was she lying or did she never marry Albert Edward Brown? It seems to me that as I can find no evidence of a first marriage the latter is the correct assumption! Again, I find myself shocked. Did people live together openly in those days? Obviously yes! Again how myopic a view I have of those times. Asar Zora married George William Taylor, not William Taylor as given on the workhouse record I had received previously. No wonder I could not find it when I tried before – more transposed Christian names or perhaps he too was christened George but chose to go by a middle name. He was aged 50 years and his occupation was bricklayer. They were both living at the same address. A bit of a girl then our Asar Zora, or maybe she was just a victim of circumstance. Asar Zora’s father was Charles George Walker, occupation electrical engineer. George William’s father was George Taylor, deceased, occupation builder. Witnesses were R. Edward Wallace and Wilfred J. Pickering; they were married at Epsom Register Office and all could write their names. My first reaction to finding this marriage is, what happened in her relationship with Albert Brown? My second reaction was why did she not claim her children back when she married George?

I decided to find the Pudwine death certificates that I had previously found information about on the National Burial Index, though I could not look for Stephen/Stephanie as s/he was born prior to 1837.

The first death certificate is for William Pudwine, aged 18 years, dated 21 May 1848, occupation labourer; Susan Pudwine was present at his death and signed with her mark. The cause of death is given as typhus for 14 days and the address as St Mary’s Guildford. Susan must have been William’s sister judging by the information I have from FamilySearch yet William’s father from that source is William and Susan’s (Susanna) is Thomas. I’m beginning to think now that it’s the same father but a misprint in records.

The second death certificate is for a Charles Pudwine, aged 22 years, dated 6 June 1848, occupation labourer and cause of death fever for five days. The informant of death is J. R. Ames, Master of Guildford Workhouse. The workhouse rears its ugly head again although the poor did go to the workhouse infirmary if ill. I couldn’t find any details of his birth on the FamilySearch site but this certificate gave me proof of his existence.

Sadly the next death is for William Pudwine, aged 53 years, dated 23 December 1849, occupation labourer and cause of death fever. The informant of the death is J. R. Ames, Master of Guildford Workhouse. If William and Charles are the sons of William how sad that they both died followed by their father. William is my five times great grandfather on my mother’s side – how wonderful to know who he is.

The final death is for Charles Walker, aged 39 years, dated 3 April 1875, occupation labourer in Brewhouse (sic). The cause of death was bronchopneumonia (sic) for five days and present at the death was Mary Triggs, Milk House Gate. This was definitely Maggie’s great grandfather as per the address for Ellen Walker, his wife, on the 1881 Census for Milk House Gate and their marriage certificate. Perhaps Mary was his married sister or a kindly neighbour looking after him while Ellen was at work?

The birth certificate I received for a Robert Reynolds was dated 23 November 1861. Although registered in 1861, he could be my mum’s grandfather on her father’s side but I have no other evidence as yet. It states his parents were Broughton Reynolds, occupation dock labourer, and Jane Arabella Reynolds, formerly Wilson. They were living in Bow but in the registration district of Poplar, Middlesex.

The second birth certificate is quite surprising. It is for Louisa Voller, dated 2 March 1858, daughter of Harriet Voller. The father’s name is not given. Louisa was born in Guildford workhouse. If this was the Harriet Voller who married Frederick Pudvine then this child was born prior to their marriage in August 1859. Was she Frederick’s child? I suppose I will never know but like to think it is a possibility.

The birth certificate I found for Edith Walker proved to be correct. Edith Annie Walker was born on 22 April 1902, daughter of Asar Zora Walker of no occupation. Not so shockingly – in fact becoming quite normal – there is no father’s name given. Asor Zoar was living in Knaphill, Woking at the time. I wonder if she was sent to relatives because she was pregnant? I wish the 1901 Census would come online!

I carried out another search on the Internet and all my CDs of family history looking for other spellings of Pudwine hoping to find a Thomas, but could not find one. However, playing around with the spelling of the name Pudwine found me this: Alfred F. Pudwino? (sic), buried in 1862, St Mary, Worplesdon, aged five weeks.

My search on the Internet in FamilySearch brought me these:

• Emley (sic) Voller, christened 29 November 1840, in Worth, Sussex, parents John Voller and Charlotte;
• Harriet Voller, christened 30 September 1838, in Saint Nicholas, Guildford, parents John Voller and Charlotte.

Although born in different counties they must be sisters so I now believe that Frederick, who married Harriet, and Henry, who married Emily, wed sisters.

What I learned

• When unable to source a birth certificate for an ancestor, always consider looking under the maiden name of the mother.
• There are misprints and errors on most sources of information.
• Some sources will not be immediately useful in your research but may prove beneficial at a later date.
• When I compare how relatively straightforward researching Brian’s family was to researching my own I realise now that sometimes you may be lucky and may not encounter any of the problems I have had.
• Those of us with working-class or poor ancestors are lucky they survived during the nineteenth century when family deaths seemed to have been as common as a cold.

I now have quite a family tree building (see figure 7.1).

April 2002

I spoke to Mum and we talked generally about many things but somehow it prompted Mum into remembering more about her childhood, convincing me further that I should never stop Mum talking about the past or stop asking her questions.

Mum told me about her little sister called Dorothy who sadly died when Mum was about six or seven years old. Mum remembers an older woman arriving at the house dressed in a black three-quarter-length jacket and ankle length skirt with little black boots buttoned up the side.

She was also carrying a basket with a white cloth over it. Mum thought it was food of some sort, perhaps for the wake. This woman, who was very stern in appearance, came to pay her respects, Mum presumes, but said only a couple of words and left after a few minutes. When Mum asked Maggie who she was Maggie replied sharply, ‘that was your Gran’. This had to be Asor Zora because Mum had met her dad’s mother, Eliza Reynolds, formerly Cuffley, previously. Mum also remembered Maggie telling her that Asor Zora had seen Mum once before when she was a baby of about six months old. Maggie was pushing her in a pram and bumped into Asor Zora who asked Maggie what my mum was called. When Maggie said her name was Lilian, Asor Zora apparently said, ‘well she doesn’t look like a Lily to me’. Maggie, obviously affected by what Asor Zora had said, called Mum by the name of Peggy from that day, a name that would stick with her for life.

Mum also has fond memories of Eliza Reynolds, not that she saw her often, but she did stay with her on a couple of occasions. All she remembers is Eliza had a large gramophone with a large brass horn and a beautiful doll that she kept on top of a cabinet. Sometimes, if Mum was good, Eliza would let her hold the doll momentarily but was quick to retrieve it from her and place it safely back on top of the cabinet.

I now know something personal about two great grandmothers who I never met for obvious reasons, and it feels good to be able to add this small but real piece of information to the family history. I am certain that future generations will appreciate these little snippets of reality as much as I do.

This extra information motivated me back into action. What a month – I took days off to search plus weekends, and I’m also currently only working four days per week. There’s so much to tell I really don’t know where to start.

From my many trips to the FRC during this month I obtained the birth and death certificates for Mum’s sister Dorothy:

• Dorothy May Reynolds was born on 21 August 1934, daughter of Harry William Reynolds, occupation general labourer, and Maggie Reynolds, formerly Walker, of Epsom;
• Dorothy May Reynolds died on 23 January 1937 aged two years, of myocardial failure by bronchopneumonia. The informant was M Reynolds, mother, of Ashtead.

During my visits to the FRC I decided to do blanket searches for Pudwine/Pudvine deaths and marriages and also the marriage of Charles Walker to Mary Ann Pudvine who are Maggie’s maternal grandparents.