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A family tree of the Randell family originating in North Norfolk
Thomas Randell ~ The Randell Warm Seawater Baths ~ Clockmakers ~ Ironmongers ~ Postmasters ~ Sailors ~ Victorians

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Nathaniel RANDELL 1829

Nathaniel Randell was born Christmas Day 1829, the third son of Thomas Randell and Mary Ann Gray. In keeping with the other children in the family he was christened 14 February 1830 at North Walsham's Wesleyan Chapel. Around 1843 he left Cromer to take a Watchmaker apprenticeship with John Randall of Holt.
He lived in Withers St, Holt with the Randall family who were headed by John Randall, a Watchmaker, Gas fitter, Jeweller and Ironmonger. John Randall perfectly fit’s the profile of a Cromer Randell with one short fall, he was born in Holt in 1805 and his family tree heads in another direction. It is however possible that one more generation might reveal a very different picture.
In March 1860 Nathaniel Randell married Catherine Ann Parr in Ixworth, Suffolk. The details of the 1861 census taken 7 April show the couple living in High St, Ixworth with their first child Elizabeth. Nathaniel was aged thirty, the local Postmaster and a Watchmaker. His bride, Catherine Ann was aged twenty six and had the assistance of a house servant relieving some of the pressure the day to day domestic duties. Tragically the following year in December 1862 Catherine Ann Randell died.
It appears that after the birth of their second child, Thomas Charles Randell in April 1862 her health collapsed and both mother and child died within months.
Independently of Nathaniel’s story, his friend and immediate neighbour, Herbert Drake had a sister, Emma, who was an unmarried mother. Whatever the circumstances of their meeting, Nathaniel and Emma proved to be a life long match.
Nathaniel Randell and Emma Drake married in January 1866 in Suffolk. They continued to live in the house in High St, Ixworth and began a family of their own. In time their household comprised four children they had together plus Elizabeth from Nathaniel’s first marriage and Emma’s son Albert Ernest Drake.
Nathaniel advertised as a jeweller in the Post Office Directory of 1875 but he was always recorded as a Clock and Watch Maker in the census. His father was recorded in the same way. I assume, that because he did an apprenticeship as a watch and clock maker he considered that his occupation. As the years moved on, he was the Postmaster of Ixworth and by 1891 was recorded as the District Registrar for Births Deaths and Marriages. He was also recorded as the clerk of Petty Sessions. Which has a slightly ironic twist, because in 1880 he appeared as the accused before that very court.
The complete story unfolds over three issues of the Ipswich Journal. Nathaniel, was the joint owner of two cottages in Pakenham, which were in a “filthy state”, fouled “with deposits from the children anywhere about the floors”. He was found guilty of overcrowding and fined nearly five guineas inclusive of court costs.
But there is a twist...
The cottages in question were owned by Nathaniel and his sister in law from his first marriage, Susannah who was married to Charles Deeks, yet the case was vigorously prosecuted by Richard Deeks the sanitary inspector for the local council.
Nathaniel in his defence stated that he had no legal authority to throw out his clearly unsavoury tenants and requested assistance from the court in evicting them. This was refused, which lead to him reappearing on two further occasions charged with the same offence. Richard Deeks pursued Mrs Deeks and Nathaniel relentlessly but ultimately the court saw sense and intervened to remove the tenants. Richard Deeks received five shillings in costs directly from Nathaniel.
Both Nathaniel Randell and brother in law Herbert Drake’s daily sales registers 1865/91 are held in the National Archives, Suffolk.
Nathaniel Randell died 1 January 1900 at home in Ixworth, he was aged 70 and taken by a virulent flu. His death was reported in four articles from local newspapers. He was described as much respected but the description of the funeral service seems to refer to the 'widows and children', which I read as connected to the Friendly Society not his own family. He was transported to the grave by his 'tenants' and buried in a plain oak coffin with the words 'Nathaniel Randell, born 25 December 1830, died 1 January 1900'.

ANCESTRY ~ Clement /Thomas / Nathaniel

Emma DRAKE 1836

Nathaniel Randell married Emma Drake in January 1866 around four years after the death of Catherine. Emma’s brother Hebert lived next door to Nathaniel, leaving open the possibility of them meeting in Ixworth. She was seven years younger than Nathaniel and at the time of their marriage, she was the previously un-married and the mother of seven year old Albert Ernest Drake.
Emma Drake was seemingly born 26 January 1836 and baptised 11 August 1836 in Walsham le Willows, Suffolk. She was daughter of Henry Drake and Mary Ann Mullenger. Henry Drake was a Glazier and Plumber employing two men. He was born in Smithfield, London in 1803 but had lived for many years in Suffolk. Emma’s mother, Mary was two years younger than her husband and had been born 12 February 1804 in Walsham le Willows. Emma was one of five children, Henry, Herbert, Ellen and the youngest Edwin.
Their home in Walsham Le Willows still stands and is recorded in the Historic Walsham le Willows website. Now called The Old Bakehouse, it is described as a late 17th century building with a crown post from an earlier construction.
Previous owners are listed as Henry Block as early as 1679 and ultimately Henry Drake, a plumber and glazier. Early in the 20th century it became the village bakery.
In the 1851 census Emma was living at home with her parents and a second Mary Ann Mullenger. The second Mary Ann remains slightly elusive but is apparently a cousin of Emma’s mother.
Things begin to get complicated in April 1859 when the unmarried Emma has Albert Ernest Drake. By 1861 Emma and baby Albert are living or staying with Phillip and Elizabeth Hart. Phillip Hart age 57 is the District Registrar for births Deaths and Marriages, a position her future husband would also achieve.
Phillip Hart was born in Wortham but was living in Brome, Suffolk which is the stated birth place of Albert Ernest, suggesting that Emma had been in Brome at least since his birth. The Hart family re-appear in her children’s stories.
Emma married Nathaniel in January 1866 and they lived together 34 years until his death in 1900. Emma continued to live in Ixworth and died 6 January 1924. In keeping with many of the Randells she left a Will which was administrated by her son Edwin 'Mullingar' Randell. The value of her assets at Probate, 20 June 1924 were recorded as £933 16s. 10p. a considerable sum for the period.

Catherine Ann PARR 1835

Catherine Ann Parr was the first wife of Nathaniel Randell. Unfortunately, their life together was ended by her death around three years into their marriage. Catherine Ann Randell died aged 27, in December 1862 and was buried in Saint Mary’s Church, Ixworth in the company of an extensive collection of her relatives and her own child Thomas Charles Randell.
Nathaniel Randell and Catherine Ann Parr married in the March quarter of 1860 and in their short marriage they had two children, Elizabeth Ann born 1860 and the unfortunate Thomas Charles who died an infant. The story of Catherine Ann Parr is more intriguing than first apparent.
Catherine Ann Parr was born in High Street, Ixworth in 1835 and was the daughter of Charles Parr and his first wife Catherine Hart. Catherine Hart was baptised 3 August 1809, at Brinkley, Cambridgeshire was the daughter of William Hart and his wife Ann Bentley. In 1841 Nathaniel's future wife, Catherine Ann Parr was aged 5 years and living in Brinkley with Catherine Bentley, who presumably was a relative on her mothers side.
The marriage of Charles Parr and Catherine Hart was recorded at Brinkley, 10 November 1831 and the burial of Catherine Parr, aged 28 years, who I assumming was the wife of Charles Parr and the mother of Catherine Ann Parr was recorded in Ixworth, 30 October 1837.
Following the death of his first wife, Charles Parr remarried, taking Rebecca Smith as his second wife in 1839. Rebecca was buried aged 46 year, 14 July 1847.
Charles Parr was born 27 January 1799 in Ixworth, the son of an earlier Charles Parr also of Ixworth. The Parr family seemingly have a long association with Ixworth. The 1727 Poll of Two Knights Suffolk, effectively the register of voter for that period, lists a Charles Parr in Ixworth and the National Archive has a document with the sub-heading“Charles Parr, Ixworth, the alleged father of the future base child of Sarah Markall, single woman, 12 March 1730”. Finally the Ixworth parish register includes a fractured chain of Charles Parr's going back to 10 November 1672, any or all of which could be connected.
Unfortunately the birth of Catherine Ann Parr and the marriages of her father Charles, took place prior to the introduction of formal birth certificates, this naturally introduces an element of speculation and conjecture into these early lives. Having said that, Catherine was one of six children, two boys; Charles & George, and four girls; Jane, Catherine Ann, Elizabeth & Susannah Alice.
Charles Parr their father, was a farmer who in 1851 employed three men on his 48 acre property. At the same time, Catherine’s elder brother also Charles, was the local Miller and employed two men. In 1851 both households had domestic servants and apparent wealth.
Ten years later Catherine Ann Parr was married to Nathaniel Randell but in the intervening years her parents, elder brother Charles and sister Elizabeth had all died. Prior to his death, her brother Charles it seems had married but his wife had also died leaving their two children in the collective care of the family. Charles Parr, miller, was buried 16 January 1857 aged 33, whilst Charlotte Ann Parr, whom I'm assuming to be his wife, was buried 20 October 1859 aged 28.
Within months of Catherine’s wedding her remaining brother George also died. He too had recently married and produced a son. Catherine’s sisters Jane and Susannah Alice both outlived her but adding to the chaos her sister Jane married William Richer who died within two years of the wedding. Jane remarried George Henry Ayers who lasted slightly longer but died before the next census. Catherine’s younger sister, Susannah Alice married Charles Deeks. Statistically, Charles did rather well for an in-law of the family but even he didn’t see his fiftieth birthday.

Nathaniel and Catherine Parr had two children;
Elizabeth Ann RANDELL 1860 Ixwoth, Suffolk
Thomas Charles RANDELL - died an infant Apr 1862

Nathaniel and Emma Drake four children;
Ellen Marion RANDELL 1867 Ixwoth, Suffolk
Edwin Mullinger RANDELL 1869 Ixwoth, Suffolk
Harold Drake RANDELL 1872 Ixwoth, Suffolk
Cyril Henry RANDELL 1880 Ixwoth, Suffolk

Emma Drake had one child prior to meeting Nathaniel;
Albert Ernest DRAKE 1859 Broome, Suffolk

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Hi, I would love to hear from you. I would be thrilled to receive any contributions or even corrections.
If you are connected to this family tree please say hello, Martin - martisan@iinet.net.au