26. William Henry Swain
William Henry Swain was my great-great grandfather, and father of Madeleine Charlotte Swain.
According to an LDS ancestral record, William Harry [sic] Swain was born on 17 April 1844 at Shoreditch, St Leonards, England and died on 24 January 1912 in Hackney, London, England. According to his birth certificate, however, he was born at 6 Everards Place, Back Church Lane, Whitechapel on 19 March 1844. His father is given as William Swain, Gun Smith, and his mother as Frances Swain, formerly Lee. I couldn't find the family at this address in the 1841 census.
According to their marriage certificate, William Henry Swain and Susannah Sarah Sykes were married in the parish church of St Pauls, Bow Common in the County of Middlesex on 31 July 1864. They were both resident at Bow Common Lane. He was 22 years old, and a carman by profession. His father was William Henry Swain, a shipwright (deceased). She was 17 years old, and a factory hand. Her father was Robert Henry Sykes, a barber (deceased).
I tried looking for the Swains at Bow Common Lane in the 1871 census but it was too big.
William Henry Swain begat Madeline Charlotte Swain on 18 April 1874, in Poplar in the sub-district of Bow in the County of Middlesex. On her birth certificate his occupation was given as Carman. Susannah Swain, formerly Sykes was the informant, made her mark, and gave her address as 6 Sherwood Street, Bromley (presumably Bromley by Bow).
At the time of the 1891 census, he and his family were living at 130 Bow Common Lane. There was one habitation at this address, and three rooms were occupied.
| Name | Relationship to head of household | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
| William Henry Swain | Head | M | 46 | Carman (employed) | London, Poplar |
| Sarah Susannah Swain | Wife | M | 43 | London, Stepney | |
| Sarah Swain | Daughter | S | 12 | Scholar | London, Bow Common |
| Thonas Swain | Son | S | 10 | Scholar | London, Bow Common |
| Samuel Swain | Son | S | 7 | Scholar | London, Bow Common |
| Frederick Swain | Son | S | 4 | Scholar | London, Bow Common |
At the time of the 1901 Census he was 53 and still living with his family at 130 Bow Common Lane. He was a contractor's carman. There seem to be some discrepancies in the names of his children in the two census returns,
When Madeline Charlotte Swain got married on 24 April 1904 she was living at 17 Halley Road Forest Gate. William Harry [that's what it looks like] Swain's occupation was given as Stableman. The witnesses to the marriage were D Ramsay Murray and Elizabeth Jane Murray.
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