Evelyn Gladys Roe (1902-1942)
My grandmother. I know little about Evelyn as she died so young at the age of 39. Evelyn was born in Bootle, Merseyside and she was the only child of August Henry Bence Roe (yes, that is his name!) and Amelia Warbrick.
Evelyn married Charles on 10th April 1928 at St Athanasius, Kirkdale, Liverpool. They had three children, my Dad was the eldest born in 1929. He was was followed by Irene (1930) and Corene (1933). The family lived in the Bootle or Kirkdale area of Liverpool.
In 1941 the three children were in isolation hospital with suspected diptheria. Unforunately, Corene died in October 1941. The family was devasted and the two remaining children went to live in North Wales for some time. Long enough for Irene to attend school. Eveleyn never recovered from the loss of her child and herself died in January 1942.
After this the children went back to live with their father in Lydiate where Charles lived for the rest of his life.
Evelyn married Charles on 10th April 1928 at St Athanasius, Kirkdale, Liverpool. They had three children, my Dad was the eldest born in 1929. He was was followed by Irene (1930) and Corene (1933). The family lived in the Bootle or Kirkdale area of Liverpool.
In 1941 the three children were in isolation hospital with suspected diptheria. Unforunately, Corene died in October 1941. The family was devasted and the two remaining children went to live in North Wales for some time. Long enough for Irene to attend school. Eveleyn never recovered from the loss of her child and herself died in January 1942.
After this the children went back to live with their father in Lydiate where Charles lived for the rest of his life.
August Henry Bence Roe (1873-1915)
Unfortunately I have no photo of August. He was born in the Everton area of Liverpool and was the only child of Harry Sparrow Bence Roe and Frederika Margaretha Sophia Geyer. August's occupation was that of clerk and he lived in different areas of North Liverpool - Bootle, Seaforth, Litherland and Kirkdale. August died quite young at the age of 41 of Nephritis and Uremia at the West Derby Union Infirmary.
August married Amelia Warbick in 1899 at St Thomas, Seaforth.
August married Amelia Warbick in 1899 at St Thomas, Seaforth.
Harry Sparrow Bence Roe (1847-1925)
Harry was born in Lowestoft, the illegimate son of Harriet Elizabeth Roe. His mother died just before his 3rd birthday. How did Harry end up married to Frederika, a German girl. Good question! I can't find Harry in 1851. In 1861 he is living with his aunts, Emily and Martha, in Hopesay, Shopshire. By 1871 he was married to Frederika and living in Tranmere, near Birkenhead. His occupation is 1871 was a civil engineer. How did he get there from Lowestoft and how did he end up married to a German girl. The mysteries of family history!
I have a theory about his parentage that may have helped him get where he did.......
I have a theory about his parentage that may have helped him get where he did.......
Harry's ancestry?
Thorington Hall, Suffolk
So who was Harry's father? I have the birth certificate but the entry is blank. I have Harry's marriage certificate and his father is named as Henry Bence Roe, occupation gentleman. And with a middle name like Sparrow, this has to be a pointer to his father.
So I investigated. The name Bence was known in the area as the family who owned Thorington Hall. And Henry Bence Sparrow changed his name to Henry Bence Bence when he inherited Thorington Hall. Did Harriet have a relationship with Henry or his son Henry. Just to confuse matters the father and son have the same name. The story is below.....
So I investigated. The name Bence was known in the area as the family who owned Thorington Hall. And Henry Bence Sparrow changed his name to Henry Bence Bence when he inherited Thorington Hall. Did Harriet have a relationship with Henry or his son Henry. Just to confuse matters the father and son have the same name. The story is below.....
Harry Sparrow Bence Roe - who was his father?
Harry Sparrow Bence Roe was born in Lowestoft on 31st July 1847. He was my great great grandfather. His mother was Harriet Elizabeth Roe, the youngest daughter of Michael Richardson Roe and Rebecca Mary Walker Chambers.
Before considering the origins of Harry’s names and looking further into what happened to Harry, I will look further at the Roe/Chambers family who have an interesting background. The Roe name is of more interest to me than the other names, being the maiden name of my grandmother. However, I will detail the brief information that I have in case anyone can add more.
Michael Richardson Roe was born in Stoven on 10th October 1783. He was one of two children so far traced (the other being Frances) born to Thomas Roe (born Beccles c. 1745) and Sarah Sewell. The middle name of Richardson comes from Thomas’s parents – Thomas Roe and Elizabeth Richardson. Although Thomas and Elizabeth had five other children, no descendants have been traced. There is a burial at St Margaret’s Lowestoft of Elizabeth, aged 80, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth. She could have been a sister to Thomas.
Michael Richardson Roe married Rebecca Mary Walker Chambers on 11th February 1806 in Lowestoft. Rebecca was christened on 31 January 1776 at Lowestoft. She was the eldest daughter of John Chambers (1751-1830) and Mary Walker. I believe that Mary was born circa 1754 in Gunton, Suffolk. She was the daughter of Philip Walker and Rebecca Barton.
Philip Walker was one of the founding members of Lowestoft Porcelain. The clay used at the Lowestoft Factory originated from nearby Gunton in the 1750s. In 1757, four partners, Walker, Browne, Obed Aldred and John Richman, converted premises on the south of Bell Lane, now known as Crown Street, into a pottery. A kiln was built and the factory began its life of more than forty years, longer than any other eighteenth-century English porcelain factory apart from those at Derby and Worcester.
Philip was the son of Thomas and Ann Walker of Carlton Colville and Flixton, born around 1721. In 1743 he married Rebecca Barton and they had seven children, only one of whom died as a child.
He was a person of some local note, as he was not only chief constable for Gunton in 1760 and Somerleyton in 1756, but he was also, according to the Norwich Mercury, one of the "Guardians of the Poor" for Mutford and Lothingland. In 1764 he moved to Lowestoft where he became churchwarden for St Mary's Church. In 1768 he was a feofee of the church
Philip's many interests came to an end in with his death in 1803, one year after the Lowestoft Porcelain factory closed down. It appears that the firm was closed down because the owners had had enough - they were old and tired, and chose to close rather than have the stress of continuing the venture, successful as it was.
So whatever else can be discovered about Harry’s ancestry, Philip Walker was his great great grandfather.
So what about Harry? Harry’s mother Harriet was living with her parents in 1841 at Back Street, Lowestoft. Her age was shown as 21. Harriet was christened at St Margaret’s, Lowestoft on 31st December 1819 (source – Baptism records at Lowestoft Record Office). The 9 older children had either died or moved away from home. In 1847 Harriet gave birth to Harry so giving rise to the question “Who was Harry’s father?” as no father was named on the birth certificate. The christening of Harry has never been found, which may have mentioned a father. The final source that might show a father is a Bastardy Order but this too has not been traced.
Sadly, Harriet died on 19th July 1850 at the family home of 8 Prospect Place, Lowestoft. Her mother was present at her death so Harriet was still living at home even though she had an illegitimate child. At the 1851 census Harriet’s mother was still living at 8 Prospect Place with her husband Michael Richardson Roe. But there is no sign of Harry. In fact Harry has disappeared! I have attempted to trace Harry living with Harriet’s siblings but no luck. Was he sent somewhere away from the family? We may never know.
However by 1861 Harry is back with the family. He is living with his aunt Emily at Sandford House, Hopesay, Shropshire. Emily married Folliott Sandford, a clergyman. They had no children.
By 1870 Harry had travelled further from Suffolk. Why? Did his work give him a reason to move? Or did he move for love? On 23rd February 1870 Harry married Fredericka Sophia Margaretha Geyer at St Chrystom’s Church in Everton, Lancashire. Fredericka was born in Bavaria. Harry’s occupation is shown as Engineer and his father is named as Henry Bence Roe, gentleman. In 1871, he is living in Tranmere, Cheshire with his wife.
So did Harry make up a name so as not to have a blank on his marriage certificate or is there more to it?
Living at Thorington Hall, near Halesworth in Suffolk is the Bence family. At around the time of Harry’s birth the incumbent at the hall was Henry Bence Bence. Henry was born on 12th March 1788 at Beccles, Suffolk and was christened Henry Bence Sparrow. He was the son of Bence Sparrow who was the Rector at Beccles. Bence Sparrow changed his name from Bence Sparrow to Bence Bence in 1804 when he inherited the Bence fortune from his cousin Ann Bence who died childless. Bence became the lordship of the Manor of Thorington with Wenhaston.
At his point the Bence and Sparrow names can get confusing but I will try and make it clear!
Bence Bence (formerly Sparrow) died in 1824. He had two daughters and one son. The son being Henry Bence Bence (formerly Sparrow) who inherited Thorington Hall and lived there with his wife Elizabeth Susannah Starkie and their four children.
So the question when arises - was Henry Bence Bence the father of Harry. Harry’s middle names are very distinctive. Why else would Harriet choose them other than to point at her son’s parentage? Where would Harriet have met with Henry? She was around 28 when she had Harry. Could she have been working at the Hall? But none of her other siblings were working as servants. She could have been a great beauty taken advantage of by the wicked master. She could have been a simple girl who knew no better. Will I ever know?
Just to close Harry’s life, he married for a second time in 1899 to Fanny Quayle and died in 1925 in Walton, Liverpool at the age of 78.
Before considering the origins of Harry’s names and looking further into what happened to Harry, I will look further at the Roe/Chambers family who have an interesting background. The Roe name is of more interest to me than the other names, being the maiden name of my grandmother. However, I will detail the brief information that I have in case anyone can add more.
Michael Richardson Roe was born in Stoven on 10th October 1783. He was one of two children so far traced (the other being Frances) born to Thomas Roe (born Beccles c. 1745) and Sarah Sewell. The middle name of Richardson comes from Thomas’s parents – Thomas Roe and Elizabeth Richardson. Although Thomas and Elizabeth had five other children, no descendants have been traced. There is a burial at St Margaret’s Lowestoft of Elizabeth, aged 80, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth. She could have been a sister to Thomas.
Michael Richardson Roe married Rebecca Mary Walker Chambers on 11th February 1806 in Lowestoft. Rebecca was christened on 31 January 1776 at Lowestoft. She was the eldest daughter of John Chambers (1751-1830) and Mary Walker. I believe that Mary was born circa 1754 in Gunton, Suffolk. She was the daughter of Philip Walker and Rebecca Barton.
Philip Walker was one of the founding members of Lowestoft Porcelain. The clay used at the Lowestoft Factory originated from nearby Gunton in the 1750s. In 1757, four partners, Walker, Browne, Obed Aldred and John Richman, converted premises on the south of Bell Lane, now known as Crown Street, into a pottery. A kiln was built and the factory began its life of more than forty years, longer than any other eighteenth-century English porcelain factory apart from those at Derby and Worcester.
Philip was the son of Thomas and Ann Walker of Carlton Colville and Flixton, born around 1721. In 1743 he married Rebecca Barton and they had seven children, only one of whom died as a child.
He was a person of some local note, as he was not only chief constable for Gunton in 1760 and Somerleyton in 1756, but he was also, according to the Norwich Mercury, one of the "Guardians of the Poor" for Mutford and Lothingland. In 1764 he moved to Lowestoft where he became churchwarden for St Mary's Church. In 1768 he was a feofee of the church
Philip's many interests came to an end in with his death in 1803, one year after the Lowestoft Porcelain factory closed down. It appears that the firm was closed down because the owners had had enough - they were old and tired, and chose to close rather than have the stress of continuing the venture, successful as it was.
So whatever else can be discovered about Harry’s ancestry, Philip Walker was his great great grandfather.
So what about Harry? Harry’s mother Harriet was living with her parents in 1841 at Back Street, Lowestoft. Her age was shown as 21. Harriet was christened at St Margaret’s, Lowestoft on 31st December 1819 (source – Baptism records at Lowestoft Record Office). The 9 older children had either died or moved away from home. In 1847 Harriet gave birth to Harry so giving rise to the question “Who was Harry’s father?” as no father was named on the birth certificate. The christening of Harry has never been found, which may have mentioned a father. The final source that might show a father is a Bastardy Order but this too has not been traced.
Sadly, Harriet died on 19th July 1850 at the family home of 8 Prospect Place, Lowestoft. Her mother was present at her death so Harriet was still living at home even though she had an illegitimate child. At the 1851 census Harriet’s mother was still living at 8 Prospect Place with her husband Michael Richardson Roe. But there is no sign of Harry. In fact Harry has disappeared! I have attempted to trace Harry living with Harriet’s siblings but no luck. Was he sent somewhere away from the family? We may never know.
However by 1861 Harry is back with the family. He is living with his aunt Emily at Sandford House, Hopesay, Shropshire. Emily married Folliott Sandford, a clergyman. They had no children.
By 1870 Harry had travelled further from Suffolk. Why? Did his work give him a reason to move? Or did he move for love? On 23rd February 1870 Harry married Fredericka Sophia Margaretha Geyer at St Chrystom’s Church in Everton, Lancashire. Fredericka was born in Bavaria. Harry’s occupation is shown as Engineer and his father is named as Henry Bence Roe, gentleman. In 1871, he is living in Tranmere, Cheshire with his wife.
So did Harry make up a name so as not to have a blank on his marriage certificate or is there more to it?
Living at Thorington Hall, near Halesworth in Suffolk is the Bence family. At around the time of Harry’s birth the incumbent at the hall was Henry Bence Bence. Henry was born on 12th March 1788 at Beccles, Suffolk and was christened Henry Bence Sparrow. He was the son of Bence Sparrow who was the Rector at Beccles. Bence Sparrow changed his name from Bence Sparrow to Bence Bence in 1804 when he inherited the Bence fortune from his cousin Ann Bence who died childless. Bence became the lordship of the Manor of Thorington with Wenhaston.
At his point the Bence and Sparrow names can get confusing but I will try and make it clear!
Bence Bence (formerly Sparrow) died in 1824. He had two daughters and one son. The son being Henry Bence Bence (formerly Sparrow) who inherited Thorington Hall and lived there with his wife Elizabeth Susannah Starkie and their four children.
So the question when arises - was Henry Bence Bence the father of Harry. Harry’s middle names are very distinctive. Why else would Harriet choose them other than to point at her son’s parentage? Where would Harriet have met with Henry? She was around 28 when she had Harry. Could she have been working at the Hall? But none of her other siblings were working as servants. She could have been a great beauty taken advantage of by the wicked master. She could have been a simple girl who knew no better. Will I ever know?
Just to close Harry’s life, he married for a second time in 1899 to Fanny Quayle and died in 1925 in Walton, Liverpool at the age of 78.