Bray family

5 September 2008

 

 

 

Bray family tree

Bray family summary

Bray ancestor chart

 

Dr Geoffrey Mann

geoff.mann@btinternet.com

home page

 

3 Elizabeth Mary Ann BRAY 1831-1895

 


spouse's records

m James BROOKBANKS 1855

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Bray was baptised at St George in the East in 1831.  Her father Thomas was a butcher in Church Row, Stepney, but some time later became a dairyman in the same street. 

 

Elizabeth was an only child, and was still living with her parents in 1851 when she was 19, and married James Brookbanks from her parent’s home when she was 24.  James was an omnibus guard taking horse-drawn buses over London Bridge.  Perhaps Stepney was at one end of his omnibus route and this is how they met.  On their wedding night, James &  Elizabeth moved to their new home on Clapham Common.

 

They lived in Clapham for a few years where their first two children were born, though their eldest daughter died only 4 weeks old.  They then returned to Stepney where James took over his father-in-law's dairy business in Church Row, just by St Dunstan’s Church about 1860.   Six more children were born at Church Row, though Kate died aged two.

 

The dairy at Church Row Stepney remained in business until 1882, (though the address was changed to 9 Durham Row in 1880).   James died there of TB in 1888 aged 56.

 

Elizabeth went to live with her married daughter Helena Blewett in Limehouse and died there in 1895 aged 63

 

EVENTS

C=Christened

 

           age

   DATE   TC SF

 

                       EVENT

28Dec1831

 6Jun1841  9

30Mar1851 19

 2Dec1855 24 24

 4Jny1857 25 25

 3Feb1857 25 25

16May1858 26 26

    c1859

     1860 28 28

 7Apr1861 29 29

14Aug1861 29 29

17Aug1861 29 29

     1862 31 30

     1863 32 31

18May1865 34 33

     1868 37 36

     1870 39 38

 2Apr1871 39 39

     1872 40 40

 3Apr1881 49 49

     1882 50 50

11Jny1886 54 54

28Feb1888 56 56

12Aug1895 63  

C at St George in the East, dau of Thomas, a butcher, and Mary

census not found

living with her mother and father, a milkman, at Church Row, Stepney

married James BROOKBANKS at St George in East and moved to house in Clapham

da Elizabeth born

da Elizabeth baptised privately by vicar of Clapham Holy Trinity and died same day

so James baptized at Clapham Holy Trinity; James an omnibus guard

moved back to parent’s house in Stepney

da Kate Mary Ann born at Stepney

at 4 Church Row Stepney with husband, a dairyman, children James & Kate, and her parents and aunt

registered the death of her father

registered the death of her mother, just 3 days after her father’s death

Kate died

da Alice born at Stepney

da Helena Annie born at 4 Church Row, Stepney; James a dairyman

so Christopher Thomas born at Stepney

so Francis Edward born at 6 Church Row Stepney

at 6 Church Row Stepney with husband James, a dairyman, and 5 children

so Charles Robert born at Stepney

at 9 Durham Row Stepney with husband James and 3 children

last year that the dairy is listed in the post office directory

daughter Helena married from 113 Stepney Green; James was a dairyman

husband James died at 9 Durham Row of TB; death registered by married dau Alice TRUSTHAM

Elizabeth died of stroke at 64 Burgess St, home of her married dau Helena BLEWETT

 

PRINCIPAL RECORDS

b=born  m=married  d=died

C=Christened        B=Buried

BIRTH

 

From census, Elizabeth was born about 1832 at St George in the East, daughter of Thomas and Mary BRAY.  There is just one suitable baptism at the parish church, the same church in which she married in 1855:

from register of St George in the East:

 

C 28Dec1831 Elizabeth Mary d Thomas & Mary BRAY, Church Rd, butcher

 

MARRIAGE

certificate

 

m 2Dec1855 at St George in the East after banns

James BROOKBANKS bch full omnibus guard, 4 Church Rd, & Elizabeth Mary Ann Bray spr full of 4 Church Rd

fathers: Christopher BROOKBANKS baker; Thomas BRAY dairyman;  witnesses: J VIRRAL; Mary BRAY

 

DESCENDANTS

from register of Clapham Holy Trinity:

 

C  3Feb1857 b  4Jan1857 Elizabeth  d James & Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS omnibus conductor Clapham private baptism

C 16May1858 b 28Feb1858 James      s James & Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS omnibus conductor Clapham

 

from letter written by Elizabeth, Elizabeth died on the day she was baptised, 3Feb1857

from census, GRO and family memory:

 

b    1q1860 Kate Mary Ann at Stepney   d    4q1862 Stepney

b 31May1862 Alice                      m    4q1882 Thomas John TRUSTTUM, Mile End

b 18May1865 Helena Annie               m 11Jan1886 H.M.BLEWETT St Dunstan, Stepney

b    3q1867 Christopher Thomas         m    3q1894 Margaret LAMASS, Mile End 

b 13Feb1870 Francis Edward             m 17Feb1895 Emma E HAIRFIELD, St Paul, Bow Common

b    1q1872 Charles Robert             m    4q1909 “Carrie”; Edmonton; no children

certificates

b 18May1865 Helena Annie  girl at 4 Church Row

father: James BROOKBANKS dairyman; mother: Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS formerly BRAY

r 15Jun11865 by E M A BROOKBANKS mother of 4 Church Row, Ratcliff, at Ratcliff Stepney MDX

 

b 13Feb1870 Francis Edward, boy, at 6 Church Row

fa: James BROOKBANKS dairyman; mo: Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS formerly BRAY

r24mar1870 by E M A Brookbanks mother, 6 Church Row Ratcliff, at Ratcliff, Stepney, London

 

 

m 11Jan1886 at St Dunstan's Stepney after banns

Henry Michael BLEWETT   bch 20 rope merchant 11 Rectory Square & Helena Annie BROOKBANKS spr 20 11 Rectory Square

fa: Henry BLEWETT master mariner; James BROOKBANKS dairyman; wi: C T BROOKBANKS; Emma{?} GAINES; Elizabeth Jessie COOPER

 

m 17Feb1895 at St Paul, Bow Common, Mile End Old Town reg district by licence

Francis Edward BROOKBANKS 24 bch 64 Burgess St & Emma Ellen HAIRFIELD 21 spr 1 Rose Lane

fa: James BROOKBANKS dairyman; William HAIRFIELD, general dealer; wit: William WALLACE, Elizabeth REES

 

DEATH

certificates:

 

d 28Feb1888 James BROOKBANKS male, dairyman, at 9 Durham Row, age 56; cause chronic gout, phthisis 4 months

r  1Mar1888 at Ratcliff, Stepney, MDX by Alice TRUSTHAM, dau, pad, of 31 Aston St Limehouse

 

d 12Aug1895 Elizabeth Mary Ann BROOKBANKS female, wid of James BROOKBANKS dairyman, at 64 Burgess St, age 63; cause: hemiplegia, exhaustion

r 16Aug1895 at Limehouse, Stepney, LND by H M BLEWETT, son-in-law, pad of 64 Burgess St, Limehouse

 

 

CENSUS

 

1841 aged 9 not found

1851 4 Church Row Stepney HO107/1551 f247

 

Thomas     BRAY        he mar 65  1785    milkman                       Hoxton

Mary       BRAY        wi mar 61  1789                                  Erith Kent

E M A      BRAY        da unm 19  1831                                  St George in the East

Ann        CARTER      sl unm 31  1819                                  Erith Kent

 

NOTE: Ann Carter's age probably should be 51 (see 61 census)

 

1861 4 Church Row, Stepney RG9/285 f50

 

James      BROOKBANK   he mar 29  1833    dairyman                      Camberwell

Eliza      BROOKBANK   wi mar 29  1833                                  St George in the East

James      BROOKBANK   so     3   1858                                  Clapham SRY

Katarina{?}BROOKBANK   da     1   1860                                  Stepney

Thomas     BRAY        fl mar 76  1885    dairyman                      Hoxton

Mary       BRAY        ml mar 73  1888                                  Erith KEN

Ann        CARTER      sl unm 64  1897    house servant                 Erith KEN

 

1871 6 Church Row Stepney, parish of St Dunstan RG10/547 f115

 

James      BROOKBANKS  he mar 39  1832    dairyman                      Camberwell

Elizabeth  BROOKBANKS  wi mar 39  1832                                  St George in the East

James      BROOKBANKS  so unm 13  1858    scholar                       Clapham SRY

Alice      BROOKBANKS  da     8   1863    scholar                       Ratcliff MDX

Elenor     BROOKBANKS  da     5   1866    scholar                       Ratcliff MDX

ChristopherBROOKBANKS  so     3   1868                                  Ratcliff MDX

Francis    BROOKBANKS  so     1   1870                                  Ratcliff MDX

 

1881 9 Durham Row, Stepney RG11/463 f124 p6

 

James      BROOKBANKS  he mar 49  1832    dairyman                      Camberwell

Elizabeth  BROOKBANKS  wi mar 49  1832    dairyman's wife               St George in the East

Alice      BROOKBANKS  da unm 18  1863    dairyman's daughter           Stepney

ChristopherBROOKBANKS  so     13  1868    errand boy                    Stepney

Francis    BROOKBANKS  so     11  1860    scholar                       Stepney

 

1891 13 Streatfield St, Limehouse (St Paul),   RG12/299 dist 26 f4    5 rooms or more

 

Henry M       BLEWETT    he mar 25  1866 marine store dealer; neither               Stepney

Helen A       BLEWETT    wi mar 25  1866                                            Stepney

Helen M       BLEWETT    da     4   1887                                            Stepney

Elizabeth A   BLEWETT    da     2   1889                                            Stepney

Henry A       BLEWETT    so     3m  1891                                            Limehouse

Elizabeth M A BROOKBANKS ml wid 59  1832 retired dairy woman   [ml=mother-in-law]   Shadwell

Christopher T BROOKBANKS bl sgl 23  1868 blacksmith, employed  [bl=brother-in-law]  Stepney

 

 

 

 

OTHER

 

Numerous letters written by Elizabeth to her mother just before and after her marriage have survived and are in the possession of Elizabeth’s gr.grandson Howard BENNETT   The following two transcripts relate to her marriage and death of her first child:

letter undated with no envelope, but presumably written the day after her marriage 2Dec1855  words in brackets[] difficult to read

 

Dearest Father Mother and Aunt

I hope this will find you as well and in as good spirits as I am myself and you will have no reason to complain   I thought you would be glad to hear from the new wife how wee got home last night   my wrapping up kept me warm   Dear James was very tired when wee got to the cab stand but he would not let me help him carry the things   but thank God wee got there in time for Mrs Colloff waited up for me  tucked me up  kissed me and wished me good night and what follows   we got up this morning as happy an Husband and Wife as ever [Began King] joined together   now come and see your loving daughter [still] installed in her new home with every comfort in moderation her heart can wish for and the greatest blessing of all a good husband   I must now conclude hoping to hear from you or see you soon with love to you all

Believe me your ever affectionate children till death

J  E M A Brookbanks

 

PS when you come do not forget to bring the coat with and see if the Ink is in the Pocket   good bye God bless you and tell Mrs Stephens I did not say as she did    give my kind regards to all my enquireing Friends

 

letter addressed to Mrs Bray, 4 Church Row, Stepney, postmarked 4Feb1857 Clapham Common

 

Dear Mother and Father

The worst I hope is past   my dear baby is now an angel   she left us at twenty past seven last night   do not come yet as it only renews my sorrow   not but I hope I am thankful poor baby she never had anything to regret leaving this world   hers was only a life of suffering   poor James just saw the last of her   hoping you are well

Yours J EM Brookbanks

 

 

from Post Office Directory

 

James BROOKBANKS        1867-1879 dairyman 6 Church Row Stepney (1862 no entry)

James BROOKBANKS        1880-1882 dairyman 9 Durham Row Stepney (1883 no entry)

 

 

 

 

return to top