Sarah RANDELL 1862
The birth of Sarah Randell was recorded in the Erpingham district in the final quarter of 1862, however Sarah was baptised 4 January 1863 at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Cromer. Sarah was the eldest child of John Randell and Sarah Ann Kirby. She enjoyed a childhood living with her family in Brooke Street, Cromer until leaving to be a housemaid at Oak Hill Park in Hampstead where she was employed by 81 year old Elizabeth Smith who intriguingly listed her occupation as 'Widow of Bengal Citizen'.
Sarah Randell evidently returned to Cromer and St Peter and St Paul's Church to marry William England, 1 June 1887. The marriage was witnessed by Sara's brother John Ephraim and William's sister Harriet. William, a baker, was aged 26 whilst Sarah was two years his junior.
Around four years later, at the time of the 1891 census, the couple were living at Verona House in Overstrand. The household was composed of William and Sarah, their two children plus Sarah's sister Edith and an assistant baker, Edgar Bushell.
By census night 31 March 1901 the family, still at the same address, had expanded to five children Mabel, Lillian, Gladys, William and Edith plus the two parents.
England family portrait from around 1899
By 1911 the family was spread across the country. Mabel Winnie, aged 22 was employed as a one of eleven Shop Assistants at William Aldiss Drapery" Outfitters in Fakenham, Norfolk. Gladys, aged 18, was a Housemaid at Shustoke Hall, a late-17th-century at moated building in rural Warwickshire. She was one of eight staff. William, aged 15, was a House Boy for widow Mary Hamond and her brother Thomas Ware at the very fashionable address of 74 Chester Square, Belgravia, London. (Margerat Thatcher lived & died at 73 Chester Square.)
Meanwhile back in Norfolk, William and Sarah England and the remaining two girls Lily 21 and Edith 13, had relocated to Harbord House, Harbord Road, Overstrand. According to the census details Verona House was a relatively large home with ample accommodation for a family of seven but Harbord House by any definition a massive property with 22 rooms. Harbord House still stands but is now divided into a series of flats. It was built by Lord Suffield, head of the Harbord family, as a private residence. I assume, taking a lead from their brother-in-law, William & Sarah had taken a position as caretakers on the property.
William had also undergone a significant change in occupation and had joined his brother-in-law as a Domestic Gardener.
Their only son William Randell England was killed 27 May 1915 in Belgium. I understand the church of St Martin, Overstrand has Celtic style cross in the grounds naming the Great War fallen. It also has a carved wooden panel and a bound book containing a short passage about each soldier.
Sarah England died in the April quarter 1950 aged 87 years. She outlived William by 18 years and was still living in or around Overstrand when she died.
William and Sarah had the following children:
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William ENGLAND 1861
Sarah Randell married William England 1 June, 1887 at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Cromer, Norfolk.
William was born in Cromer and ran a successful village Bakery in Overstrand for several years before he joined his brothers as a gardener in the expanding wealthy holiday homes springing up in and around Overstrand.
William England was the eldest child of George England and his wife Elizabeth Stimpson who were married 28 May 1860 at St Peter and Paul's, Cromer.
The parish register reveals that George England, was a general labourer, born 11 September 1816 in Cromer, the son of William England and his wife Anne. William England, George's father was a agricultural labourer. I was unable to find a Cromer wedding for William & Anne but a William England married Ann Breeze 18 November 1806 at St Mary the Virgin at North Repps.
as William and Anne England.
William senior appears to have died around July 1838, leaving his widow Anne living with her daughter Susanna who in 1837 had married Robert Barker. In 1841 the Barkers lived in Pump Street, Cromer in a household that comprised mother-in-law Anne England, a widow aged 65, George England, her son aged 20 and Susanna the link to them all, wife of Robert Barker, daughter of Anne and sister to George. Robert Barker was both head of household and a local Shoemaker.
Ann England widow of William England died September 1846 at Pump street.
When George England married Elizabeth Stimpson in 1860 he was said to be a general labourer but the census record states he was a Ostler (stable groom) and at other times a Farm Servant or Agricultural Labourer. It sometimes hard to fully embrace an individuals occupation, because specialised jobs like, gamekeeper, shepherd, shearer and ostler were all thrown into the same pot.
George & Elizabeth had six children all baptised in Cromer, but Harriet Elizabeth appears to have been born in East Beckham.
William England was George & Elizabeth's first child. His baptism was 2 December 1860 but on census night, 7 April 1861, he was recorded as eight months old, additionally his birth was registered in the September 1860 which all points to an actual birthday around August 1860. His first appearance in the census was in the arms of his mother as a visitor with Susanna & Robert Barker in Pump Street.
William's mother Elizabeth Stimpson was also a life long resident of Cromer. She appears to be the illegitimate daughter of Charlotte Stimpsom who in turn was the daughter of William Stimpson and his wife Elizabeth Bird.
Charlotte Stimpson, on paper at least, lived a curious life. Charlotte never married and produced three children. Her eldest son, William Bird Stimpson, arrived 10 June 1827 and was described in the St Peter & St Paul parish register as "son of a single women". Elizabeth Cook Stimpson (Sarah Randell's future mother-in-law) came next, baptised 27 March 1831 as the "base child" of Charlotte Stimpson. One other child was recorded James William Stimpson, 7 September 1839 described as an "illegitimate son", unfortunately he had the misfortune to die two months later and 26 November 1839 was buried St Peter & St Paul, Cromer.
Even in 1840 a single illegitimate child was not exactly news worthy but three over twelve years, is clearly unusual. Generally, the middle name of an illegitimate child can be taken as a guide to the identity of the father, given that Bird was the maiden name of her mother, Cook remains interesting. In 1841 Charlotte aged 30 was living in 'central' Cromer, sharing a house in New street, with her widowed mother Elizabeth aged 60 and two children, Elizabeth 10 and William 14.
By 1851, Charlotte had forsaken the temptations of city life and moved to the suburbs. They journeyed 350 metres along West Road, Cromer where Charlotte and her daughter were laundresses taking in washing, whilst William was employed as a farm labourer.
When Elizabeth married George England, she provided no evidence of a father, leaving that section of the marriage certificate blank. Charlotte Stimpson single woman of Cromer died aged 50 and was buried with her secrets, 9 August 1856 at St Peter & St Pauls Church, Cromer.
By the time of his marriage to Sarah Randell, William England was a qualified baker. He subsequently ran his own village bakery which was recorded in trade directories of the period. The 1891 and 1901 census records his family at Verona House, Cromer Road, Overstrand. Apparently, it was both their home and a bakery. I understand it functioned as a bakery and village shop for many years after they left and I'm equally assured the name is on the building to this day.
Sometime just after the turn of the century, William England switched occupation, from Baker and Confectioner to Domestic Gardener. In 1911 William England was aged around fifty. His brother-in-law William Chillingworth, significantly a resident of Overstrand, was also a Gardener.
The life of a Victorian Baker had some serious disadvantages, the hours being but one. Bread making in pre-War Britain was hard work, as everything was hands on. The ovens were fired with wood thrown directly into the chamber. This was raked out as ash just prior to the loaves being pushed in. By morning, fresh warm bread was delivered to the door or sold over the shop counter. Once the Bread had finished, pies were cooked and finally for a small fee, space was offered for housewives to put a dish or meat roast into the cooling oven.
The following day it would all start again. Why wouldn't you go gardening?
William England died aged 71 years in the July quarter of 1932.
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