Category Archives: Edwards

Maria Harcour born in Bombay 1811

So! Summer has been busy and I haven’t posted for a while. It’s been 6 months since I made a start with the blog and I’ve already made contact with a couple of awesome cousins! Turns out I’m not the only one puzzled by Maria Harcour!

Maria was born in Bombay in 1811 and married a shrimper from Margate in 1829. We haven’t been able to find a birth certificate for Maria and know nothing of her siblings or parents.

There’s an  entry in the 1841 census for Marias 10 year old daughter Mary Christina Edwards (sometimes just known as Christiana) which might hold clues or false leads!:
At the top of the census page is:

1. Ann Peg(d?)ine age 50, Independent means, born in the county. b 1791
2. Mary Gibson, age 75, Independent means, born in foreign parts. b1766
3. Christiana Edwards, age 10, female, born in the county. I think the mark in the employment column is F.S meaning (female servant).

Mary Christianna Edwards 1841 Census, Bullers Court, Margate
I wonder if Mary Gibson could be Marias widowed mother seeing as Maria named her first born Mary and Mary Gibson was also noted as born in foreign parts on the census?
Perhaps Ann Peg(d?)ine is Marias older widowed sister? Maria gave 3 of her girls the middle name of Ann so the name must have been important to her.

Or perhaps its just a coincidence and Mary Christiana is the servant not a family member?

Double strokes // are used to indicate the end of the list of people living in a dwelling, single / ones are used to divide different households sharing the dwelling. It looks like Ann and Mary are living in one dwelling and Christiana is noted as same dwelling different household? So I think this would suggest she is not part of the family?

The house is ‘Bullers Court’ Margate.
Family Search says the address is ‘High St Buller’s Court’ and is an institution.

I think this is a picture of it: Margate History, Facebook
In 1793, John Lewis (a historian) stated that Buller’s Court was often referred to as the ‘Parish Yard’ and was used as a refuge for old ladies.

A forum post on Curious Fox references Bullers Court as: alms houses at 99 high street margate for needy widows

…..off to do some more research!

Henry Thomas Fuller – General dealer or just a general rogue?

Henry Thomas Fuller was born in 1843 in Ash, Kent to Charles Francis Fuller and Mary Jane Spratt. His birth was registered in the Eastry registration district  (which Ash was a part of between 1837-1941.)

At the time of the 1851 census Henry lived in Princes Court, King St, Margate:

1. Chs Fns Fuller, Head, married, age 28, Mariner, born Margate, Kent.
2. Mary June Fuller, Wife, Married, age 28, Mariners Wife, born Ash, Kent. (NB I think her middle name was misspelled)
3. Henry Thoms Fuller, Son, age 7, Scholar, born Ash, Kent
4. Mary June Fuller, Daugh, age 4, at home, born Margate, Kent
5. Thomas Charles Fuller, Son, age 1, born Margate, Kent.
(1851 Census: HO 107/1629, Folio 359, Page 7, Parish of St John the Baptist, Margate, Kent.)

In 1853 when Henry was 14 he lost his father who died on the Lugger the Victory, which went to save the American ship the Northern Belle. This left Henry as the the eldest child of 7 siblings. See blog post.

The 1861 census lists Henry at Church St, Margate:

1. Jane Fuller, Widow, age 40, Laundress, born Margate, Kent.
2. Henry Fuller, Son, unmarried, age 18, Labourer, born Margate, Kent.
3. Mary Fuller, Daugh, unmarried, age 14, born Margate.
4. John Fuller, Son, age 9, born Margate.
5. Thomas Fuller, Son, age 9 born Margate.
6. Robert Fuller, Son, age 9, born Margate.
7. Charles Fuller, Son, age 4, born Margate.
(RG9, Piece: 534, Folio: 41, Page: 6, Parish of St Johns, Margate.)

In 1868 he married Elizabeth Ann Edwards in Thanet. I believe Elizabeth already had an illegitimate daughter called Sarah Jane Edwards born 1866 in Thanet and baptised 15.7.1866 at St John the Baptist Church, Margate.

Sarah Jane can be seen staying with Elizabeth’s sister Mary Christiana Edwards (who had then married and was known as ‘Christiana Batchelor’) in 1871. Sarah Jane Edwards was listed as her niece age 4.

Henry and Elizabeth had the following children:

  1. William Henry Thomas Fuller, bp 3.3.1869 St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession: Labourer, abode: Margate; buried 9.3.1869 aged 2 1/2 months. NB The baptism was a private baptism which often meant the baptism of a person  (adult or infant) who might die before being able to attend the church for a public baptism.
  2. Sarah Ann Fuller, b. 25.6.1875  bp 3.10.1875 St John the Baptist Church, Margate.
  3. Elizabeth Maria Fuller, b. 21.11.1877 Thanet, bp. 4.11.1881 St John the Baptist Church. Margate, fathers profession: Labourer, abode: Victoria Rd, Margate (Elizabeth was baptised at same time as her sister Bertha).
  4. Bertha Agnes Fuller, b. 1881 Thanet, bp. 4.11.1881 St John the Baptist Church, Margate
  5. Frederick George Fuller b. 1887 Thanet. (staying with Christiana Batchelor in 1891- This child may or may not belong to Henry as he was in prison for 5 years from 1883)

    Christiana Batchelor, Sarah A Fuller and Frederick Fuller 1871 census, Margate

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I found the following in the Kentish Gazette 26 April 1870 referring to Henry and his mother Mary Jane Fuller (also known by her middle name):

Margate:
Assaulting a Constable-At the Borough Magistrates sitting on Wednesday; a widow named Jane Fuller was charged before George E Hannam; T Blackburn and J.B Flint Esqrs with assaulting Police Constable Chas. Harlow in the executing of his duty, on the 16th inst. Fined 10s and 8s 6d costs, or 14 days hard labour.

The son, Henry Fuller, had been brought up on the previous Monday on charges of being drunk and assaulting police constables Millgate and Harlow in the execution of their duty, and sentenced to 7 days for the first and 21 days for the 2nd offence.

So I guess his mother set an example then!

In 1871 Henry and Elizabeth Ann were living at 4 Journeymans Court, Church Alley, Margate. Source: Class: RG10; Piece: 991; Folio: 69; Page: 30; GSU roll: 838723:

  1. Jesse Fox (Head), Widower, age 74, Mariner, born Margate
  2. Henrietta Lewis (House keeper) Widow, age 63, Charwoman, born Margate
  3. Henry Fuller (Lodger) Married, age 27, General Labourer, born Ash nr Sandwich
  4. Elizabeth A Fuller, (Lodgers wife), married, age 26, Charwoman born Margate

April 7th 1880: Henry in trouble again!
Henry was tried in court before F.J Smith Esq, Recorder. The committing magistrate was R. Wood Esq. Margate:
Henry Fuller, age 38 Labourer, once before convicted of Felony and 5 times summarily convicted.
Offence: Obtaining by false pretences 17s. 6d. the money of John Francis Brown at St John the Baptist on March 1st 1880.
Verdict: Guilty of obtaining money by false pretenses.
Sentence of the court: 3 calendar months hard labour HM Prison Canterbury.
Degree of Instruction: N (cannot read or write).
Date of warrant: 1880 March 2nd; Received into custody March 3rd 1880.
Tried April 7th 1880.
Particulars of previous convictions charged in the indictment and proved in court:
Margate;

Dec 28th 1872 stealing 10s. (C.J.A) 3 months
Source: A Calendar Of Prisoners Tried At The General Quarter Sessions Of The Peace Series: HO140; Piece number: 50; Record set: Crime, Prisons & Punishment; Category: Institutions & organisations; Record collection: Prison registers; Collections from Great Britain.

Census 1881: 37 Victoria Rd, Margate, Kent:

  1. Henry Fuller (Head) married, age 38, General Labourer, born Ash, Kent
  2. Elizabeth Fuller (Wife) age 37, born Margate, Kent
  3. Sarah A Fuller (Daughter) age 5, born Margate, Kent
  4. Elizabeth Fuller (Daughter) age 3, born Margate, Kent

22nd Oct 1888: Henry can’t keep out of mischief….
Tried before the Recorder. The committing magistrate: HF Hermitage Esq,  Margate:
Henry Fuller age 46, Labourer.
Offence: Stealing a silver watch and chain and other articles value: 2. 8s. the property of Sarah Jane Edwards at Saint John the Baptist Margate. (N.B Sarah Jane Edwards being his step-daughter! Or perhaps his illegitimate child.)
Verdict: Guilty
Sentence: 6 Calender months: HM Prison Canterbury.
Degree of Instruction: N (Cannot read or write.)
2nd August 1888 (Date of warrant and received into custody.)
Tried 22nd Oct 1888 found guilty of Larceny after a previous conviction.
Previous:
28 days; 19th April 1870 (drunk and assaulting police) Margate.
7 days 8th Feb 1872 (unlawfully depositing soil) Margate. (NB I wonder if soil meant garden soil or perhaps human soil?!)
3 calender months 31st December 1872 (stealing 10s.) Margate.
21 days 4th Oct 1876 (assault) Margate.
1 month 30th Oct 1879 (want of Sureties) Margate.
3 calender Months 7th Apri; 1880 (obtaining 7s. 6d. by false pretences) Margate sessions.
5 years Penal servitude 4th April 1883 (House breaking) Margate Sessions.
Source: A Calendar Of Prisoners Tried At The General Quarter Sessions Of The Peace, Series: HO140, Piece number: 104, Record set: Crime, Prisons & Punishment, Category: Institutions & organisations, Record collection: Prison registers, Collections from Great Britain.

Margate, 1891 census, 2 Sollys Cottages, Margate, Kent. Source: Class: RG12; Piece: 727; Folio: 78; Page: 11; GSU Roll: 6095837:

  1. Henry Fuller (Head) married, age 46, General Labourer (employed), born Margate, Kent
  2. Elizabeth Fuller (Wife), age 42, Charwoman, born Margate, Kent
  3. Elizabeth Fuller (Daughter) age 13, Scholar, born Margate, Kent
  4. Bertha Fuller (Daughter) age 7, scholar, born Margate, Kent

In 1897 his daughter Sarah Ann Fuller married and gave her fathers profession as ‘General Dealer’ A euphemism perhaps?! Her husband’s fathers profession was given as ‘horse dealer’

Sarah Ann Fuller and George Harris marriage cert 1897 Margate

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Jan 5th 1904: Henry still up to mischief age 66:
Tried before A.J.Tassell, and others. Committing Magistrate: H.B. Hammond, Esq, Ramsgate.
Henry Fuller, age 66, labourer.
Offence as charged in the Indictment: Feloniously stealing one sheet and four waistbands, together value 4s., the goods of the Guardians of the Poor of the Isle of Thanet Union, on the 5th December 1903, at Minster, Thanet.
Jury’s verdict: Guilty.
Sentence or Order of the Court: Three months hard labour.
When tried: Jan 5th 1904.
Degree of Instruction: Imp (can read and write imperfectly) .
Date of Warrant: 8th Dec 1903.
When received into custody: 8th Dec 1903.
Particulars of previous convictions charged in the Indictment and proved in court:
Borough of Margate Petty Sessions, 31st March, 1896, two months hard labour. 

Previous:
3 months hard labour, Margate Petty Sessions, 28th December, 1872 (stealing money).
3 Month hard labour, Margate Quarter Sessions, 7th April, 1880, (obtaining money by false pretences).
5 years penal servitude, Margate Quarter Sessions, 4th April, 1883 (house breaking).
6 calendar months hard labour, Margate Petty Sessions, 22nd Oct, 1888 (stealing a watch and chain).
1 Month hard labour, Margate Petty Sessions, 9th December, 1800 (stealing a coat).
1 Day, Margate Petty Sessions, 11th March 1906 (Stealing theatrical articles).
2 Months hard labour, Margate Petty Sessions, 31st March 1896 (stealing a meat safe).
And 15 summary convictions for drunk and disorderly, assault, using obscene language and threats.
Source:  Henry Fuller Age 66,  Labourer, Birth year: 1838, Year: 1904 5th Jan, Place: Kent Court St Augustine’s. A Calendar Of Prisoners Tried At The General Quarter Sessions Of The Peace Series: HO140 Piece number: 232, Record set: Crime, Prisons & Punishment Category: Institutions & organisations Record collection: Prison registers Collections from Great Britain.

1901 census for Henry Fuller and Elizabeth (both in the Workhouse at Minster.)

Ash, Kent genealogy and family history resources
Margate, Kent genealogy and family history resources
Life in Kent Gaols before 1877
The Session House and Gaol, Canterbury

William Edwards and Maria Harcour’s children and census records

William Edwards and Maria Harcour had the following children:

  1. Mary Christiana Edwards bp. 12.9.1830 (St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession given as ‘Labourer’; Abode: Margate).
  2. Thomas Edwards bp. 9.6.1833 (St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession given as ‘Fisherman’; Abode: Margate) d. 1874 (Margate).
  3. Henry William Edwards bp. 10.4.1836 (St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession given as ‘Mariner’; Abode: Margate) d. 1913 NB. He was also known as William Henry Edwards.
  4. Elizabeth Ann Edwards bp. 24.6.1838  (St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession given as ‘Fisherman’; Abode: Margate) d. 7.11.1838
  5. Richard William Edwards bp. 12.7.1840 (St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession given as ‘Shrimper’; Abode: Margate) 
  6. Elizabeth Ann Edwards b. 1843 (Thanet) bp. 12.3.1843 (St John the Baptist Church, Margate, fathers profession given as ‘Mariner’; Abode: Margate)
  7. Sarah Ann Edwards bp. 23.12.1849 (St John the Baptist Church, Margate; fathers profession given as ‘Labourer’; Abode: Margate) d. 1872

Census Records:
1841 census: HO107; Piece: 468; HO107; Piece number 468; Book: 6; Folio: 6; Page no: 5
St John’s College Cottages, St John Baptist, Margate, Isle of Thanet:

  1.  William Edwards, age 30. Labourer, born Kent
  2.  Maria Edwards, age 30, born in foreign parts
  3.  Thomas Edwards, age 8, born in Kent
  4.  Henry Edwards, age 5, born in Kent
  5.  Richard Edwards, age 1, born in Kent

1851 Census: Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1629; Folio: 256; Page: 4; GSU roll: 193530.
1 Kidman Row, Margate, Kent:

  1. William Edwards, (Head) age 46, Shrimper, born: St Lawrence, Kent.
  2. Maria Edwards, (Wife) age 40, born: Bombay East Indies.
  3. Mary C Edwards, (Daughter) age 21, Servant, born: Margate, Kent.
  4. William H Edwards, (Son) age 15, Shrimper, born: Margate, Kent.
  5. Elizabeth A Edwards, (Daughter) age 2, Scholar, born: Margate, Kent.
  6. Sarah Edwards, (Daughter) age 1, born: Margate, Kent.
    Kidman Row
    Rule by Margate Board of Health 1851-1858 (discusses Kidman Row).
    1852 Map of Kidman Row, Margate.
William Edwards and Maria Harcour census 1851

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1861 census:  Class: RG 9; Piece: 535; Folio: 107; Page: 10; GSU roll: 542657.
4 Cuthills Cottages, Margate, Kent:

  1. Maria Edwards, Head, Widowed, age 52, Laundress, born: Margate, Kent.
  2. Henry Edwards, Son, unmarried, age 25, Labourer, born: Margate, Kent.
  3. Elizabeth Edwards, Daughter, unmarried, age 17, born: Margate, Kent.
  4. Sarah Edwards, Daughter, age 11, born: Margate, Kent
    (Living next door is Thomas Edwards, Head, married, age 26, Labourer, born Margate, Kent and his wife Sarah Jane, age 25, Laundress, born Hampshire.

1871 census: Class: RG10; Piece: 991; Folio: 109; Page: 7; GSU roll: 838723.
2 Ventnor Lane, Margate, Kent: (all the below are sharing the same house)

  1. Thomas Edwards (Head) married, age 36, Labourer out of employment, born Margate, Kent.
  2. Sarah Edwards (Wife) married, age 25, Laundress, born Southsea, Hants.
  3. Ann Bow (Head), Widow, age 59, Laundress, born Margate, Kent.
  4. Eliza Bow, Daughter, unmarried, age 30, Domestic Servant, born Margate, Kent.
  5. Alfred Bow, Son, unmarried, age 20, Painter, born Margate, Kent.
  6. Thomas Bow, Son, unmarried, age 18, Waiter, born Margate, Kent.
  7. Maria Edwards (Head), Widow, age 61, Charwoman, born Margate, Kent.
  8. James Brandell (Head) married, age 76, Pensioner, born Woolwich, Kent.
  9. Ann Brandell (Wife) age 65, born Margate, Kent.

Note that in the 1861 and 1871 census Maria gives her birth as Margate, Kent. 

Maria died in 1877 (buried in St John the Baptist churchyard, Margate) and William died in 1858 in Thanet.

Margate genealogy, local and family history resources

William Edwards, a shrimper from Margate and Maria Harcour from Bombay

William Edwards was a fisherman, shrimper and labourer and lived in Margate, Kent. He was born 22nd October 1804 in St Laurence, Kent and baptised in the local church 18.11.1804.

William Edwards baptism 1804 St Laurence, Kent

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He married  (by banns) Maria Harcour, 26th August 1829 at the Parish Church of
St John’s in Margate. The wedding was witnessed by the Parish Clerks rather than family or friends. Perhaps this indicates an opposition to the marriage?  Or perhaps the Parish Clerks were the only people that day who could write and were therefore the only people allowed to sign as witness to a marriage where two people signed by their mark?

Maria Harcour and William Edwards marriage cert

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According to the 1851 census, Maria was born in Bombay, East Indies c.1811 (the 1841 census notes her as ‘Foreign born’).

I’d like to know who Maria’s parents were? Was Maria British? How did she end up married to a shrimper in Margate?

I searched the IGI for a birth and found no reference for a ‘Maria Harcour’ born in India. Maria signed her mark on her marriage certificate so I have to assume she was illiterate (or perhaps pretending to be in order not to show up her illiterate husband..?!) and so her surname may have be misspelt or misheard by the writer.

Perhaps her name was Har Kaur?

Her daughter’s birth certificate (Sarah Ann Edwards) gives Maria’s surname as ‘Hacker’. I’ll need to order her other children’s birth certificates to gain a consensus but in the meantime, I searched the IGI for anyone called ‘Maria’ or ‘Marie’ (omitting a surname) born in India between 1800-1815.

I found the following with surnames similar to ‘Harcour’ or ‘Hacker’:

  1. Maria Hawker, Birth Date: 05 Aug 1815 Christening Place: Quilon, Madras, India, Christening Date: 30 Sep 1815, Father’s Name: Frederick Hawker, Mother’s Name: Mary.
  2. Maria Margaret Harcourt, Birth Date: 24 Apr 1806, Christening Place: Bellary, Madras, India, Christening Date: 13 May 1806, Father’s Name: Hillary Harcourt, Mother’s Name: Margaret Torriano.
  3. Maria Hasker, Birth Date: 12 Mar 1816, Christening Date: 27 Nov 1825, Christening Place: Vizagapatam, Madras, India, Father’s Name: William Hasker, Mother’s Name: Cawder Bee.

None of them show birth dates in Bombay but perhaps Maria was born in Bombay and christened in Madras (a trading post and naval base). These are the closest references I could find in both name, place and date. 

I don’t think ‘Maria Margaret Harcourt’ is our Maria as Maria Margaret was married in 1832 to a John Stow and her father was given as Capt Hillary Harcourt Torriano of the East India Company Madras Engineers. I’ve as yet been unable to find further info on Maria Hawker and Maria Hasker. If one of these two are Maria Harcour then she would have wed age either 14, or 13 respectively. William wed age 24.

It was possible for a girl to marry at 12 and a boy at 14. Even if the parents disagreed with the decision, there were legal ways in which the marriage could take place such as calling banns in a different parish to that which they belonged.

Perhaps Maria had been married before and wed in her married name? The marriage entry says she was a spinster but it’s known that sometimes info given at time of marriage may be incorrect for any number of reasons. 

At the time of Maria’s birth The East India Company held rule in India. Her father could have been any among civil servants, military personnel (most regiments served in India at some point), mariners, medical staff, chaplains, railway workers, law officers, merchants, planters, free mariners, and missionaries.

Only a small number of British military men stationed in India could bring their wives and many men would marry in India (both English and local women) though marriage with Indian women became less common after 1830.

Some young British women would travel the 5 months to India to try and bag themselves a husband amongst the East India Company men. Perhaps Maria’s mother was one of these hopefuls. 

I guess it’s possible Maria may have been Indian as some British took Indian servants back to Britain where many Indians laboured under European names. She may have been a ‘ayah’ ( domestic servant) or a nanny. According to the National Archives:

“This arrangement was attractive for many Asian women, as ayahs were not generally paid a wage, whereas travel of this kind involved a fee. However, although they were promised their passage back home, often they were left stranded, especially in London.”

 Domestic slavery continued in India into the 1840’s:

I think I’ll have to do a bit more digging before I can come to any conclusions. If anyone has any further suggestions I’d be interested to hear them.

William Edwards and Maria Harcour’s children and census records

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