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Seventh Generation
Family of Thomas GROSSMITH (G7) and Amelia Jane BROOKS
G11 William Thomas GROSSMITHBorn on 15 August 1841 at Scarbrook Hill, Croydon.
Recorded residing at 13 Surrey Street, Croydon in 1881; at 16 South End, Croydon in 1885; and at 35 South End, Croydon in 1887.
William Thomas died in Cheltenham Australia on 27 August 1916, at the age of 75.
Occupation: Ship Steward.
On 16 December 1863 when William Thomas was 22, he married Mary (Polly) BROMLEY, in Bombay, India.
Mary (Polly) was born in 1832 in Southampton.
Mary (Polly) died in Australia in 1896, at the age of 64. She had previously been married to a Mr Musselwhite and had one child, Harriet (born in 1856)
Occupation: Ships Stewardess.
They had the following children:
William (Willie) Thomas (1868-)
Mary Amelia (Emmie) (1871-1928) Emigrated to Australia after 1887.
Mary Amelia is listed in 1881 Census staying with Aunt Isobel (Grossmith) Hudson and her husband Tom in Acklam Village, York at age of 10.
Mary Amelia travelled to Australia on the ship Austral, arriving in Melbourne in October 1888. It is believed that her brother William Thomas travelled with her, as a crew member. She married Robert James Shakespeare HOGAN, who was born in Bombay, India, in 1889
They had ten children: Gladys Isabella Rose Hogan (1890-1957), Leslie William Robert (1892-1958), Vita Hogan (1894-1897), Henry Arthur (1896-1916 Killed in Action WW1 France), Ivy Muriel (1899-1952), Matilda (1901-1903), Thomas James (1904-1960), Stella Veronica (1907-), Clarence George (1910-1916), and Florence Amelia (1912-1985).
She later remarried, and died as Mary Amelia Paris on 14 June 1944 and is buried at Box Hill Cemetery.
Her great grandson is Daryl Ward, now 58, retired and living in Victoria, Australia. Daryl has been researching the Australian branch of the Grossmith family.
Before emigrating to Australia, her brother William Thomas was a coach trimmer. Daryl Ward has transcribed the text of the Indenture:
This Indenture Witnesseth that William Thomas Grossmith in the County of Surrey Son of William Thomas Grossmith of his own free will and accord, and by and with the consent and approbation of his father testified by his executing these Presents, doth put himself Apprentice to William Moore Coach Trimmer of Croydon in the County of Surrey to learn the Art, Trade, or Business of Coach Trimming and to be with him after the manner of an Apprentice from the Twenty Eighth day of May one thousand eight hundred and Eighty Three unto the full end term of five years, from thence next following, and fully to be complete and ended; during which time the said Apprentice his Master faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep, and his lawful commands obey; -- he shall do no damage to his said Master or his Goods, nor suffer it to be done by others, but shall forthwith give notice to his said Master of the same when necessary; -- he shall not waste the said Goods nor lend them unlawfully, nor shall he do any act whereby his said Master may sustain any loss with his own Goods or others’ during the said term; he shall not buy nor sell during his Apprenticeship, nor absent himself from his said master’s service, day or night, unlawfully, but in all things as a faithful Apprentice shall behave himself towards his said Master and others during the said term. AND the said William Moore agrees to a Premium of twenty Pounds, Ten Pounds to be paid forthwith and Ten Pounds after the expiration of two Years. In consideration of the above Premium the said William Moore agrees to teach his said Apprentice in the Art, Trade, or Business of a Coach Trimmer by the best means in his power shall teach and instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed, William Thomas Grossmith the said William Moore finding the said Apprentice sufficient Meat, Drink, Lodging and washing during the said term. and the said William Moore does not agree to find any clothes or pay any Doctors Bills, the said William Moore agrees to pay the said William Thomas Grossmith per week of the first year the sum of one shilling, second year two shillings, third year three shillings, fourth year four shillings, fifth year five shillings AND for the true performance of all and every of the said Covenants and Agreements the said Parties bind themselves by these present. IN WITNESS whereof, they have to this Indenture interchangeably set their Hands and Seals the Twenty Eighth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Eighty Three.
SIGNED, SEALED, and delivered
William Thomas Grossmith
In the presence of Matilda Jane Moore, William Moore, William Plowman
William Thomas married Winifred Teresa Baker in Australia in 1898. They never had any children. Winifred died on 30 August 1948 and William, aged 83, on 29 July 1950. They are both buried at Melbourne General Cemetery.
G12 Thomas John GROSSMITH
Born on 21 May 1845 in Croydon.
Recorded residing in London Road, Reigate in 1867; and at 13 Surrey Street, Croydon in 1874.
Thomas John died in Croydon on 20 June 1874, at the age of 29. He was buried on 25 June 1874 in Queens Road Cemetery, Croydon. Cause of death: Kidney disease.
Occupation: Glover, Painter.
On 28 October 1867 when Thomas John was 22, he married Matilda Emma ANGEL, at the Parish Church, Reigate.
Matilda was the daughter of John ANGEL. She was born about 1846.
They had the following children:
Matilda Jessie (1868-)
Thomas John (1870-)
John Henry (1874-)
John Henry married Annie Louise PENNELLS and had four children.
Thomas is recorded in the 1851 Census living with his parents and siblings at 45 Surrey Street, aged 5. In the 1861 Census he is still living with parents and siblings at 13 Surrey Street, aged 13. But it was not found in 1871 Census in Surrey Street.
G13 Amelia Jane GROSSMITH
Born on 11 December 1846 in Croydon. Amelia Jane died on 27 July 1870.
On 9 January 1868 when Amelia Jane was 21, she married Edwin Josiah WHALING, in Croydon. She had quads and possibly a daughter
G14 Maria Sarah GROSSMITH
Maria Sarah was born on 24 June 1849 at 9 Pitlake Bridge, Croydon. She died on 29 May 1909, aged 59.
On 20 October 1879 when Maria Sarah was 30, she married Harlech THEOBALD, in Croydon.
G15 Elizabeth GROSSMITH
Born on 10 September 1851 in Croydon. Elizabeth was baptized in St Johns Croydon on 26 October 1851.
Recorded residing in Surrey Street, Croydon in 1881.
Elizabeth died at 76 Eldridge Road, Croydon on 7 February 1933, at the age of 81. She was buried on 13 February 1933 in Queens Road Cemetery Croydon. Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Occupation: Governess.
Education: Privately by her aunts. Religion: Anglican.
Elizabeth could speak French and German, and went abroad as a governess before she married.
On 2 April 1878 when Elizabeth was 26, she married William PLOWMAN (P17) in St Luke’s, Norwood, London.
William was the son of Charles PLOWMAN (1816-9 May 1864) and Mary Ann POTTER (1818-9 January 1872) He was born on 6 February 1848 in Croydon. William died in Croydon on 22 April 1919, at the age of 71.
Occupation: Master Basket Maker.
They had the following children:
William Charles Arthur (1879-1881)
Elizabeth Amelia (~1880-1882)
Emily Louise (1885-1952)
Emma Theresa (1885-1940)
Henry James (1887-)
Florence Mary (1889-1973)
Rosabel Madelin Maud (1892-1960)
Ellen (Nell) Mary Frances (1894-1979)
Cecil (1900-) (adopted)
In the 1881 Census Elizabeth is recorded as living in Surrey Street, at the age of 29, with husband William, 34, son William, 2, and daughter Elizabeth, 11 months; and William's brother Henry C Plowman, 30.
Elizabeth broke her leg in 1902 and never walked again.
Some time in the 1920s, Elizabeth's sister Isabel came to live with Elizabeth. She was widowed and had no children of her own. She is said to have been jealous of her sister, and in an act of spite sent away the family papers that would have proved the claim on the property, lost in a gamble by William Brooks in 1840, due to revert to the family in 1940.
Isabel is alleged to have sent these papers to Willie Grossmith in Australia. She did not want Elizabeth's children to inherit, as she had no children of her own.
The story was so strongly believed that when Florence (Plowman) Mitchell came home from New Zealand in 1958 she wanted it investigated again. She employed a lawyer to look into it. But as no papers could be found, no progress was made.
The first two children of William and Elizabeth were William and Elizabeth. Apparently they were lovely children, blond with the curly Plowman hair. They died of measles and Elizabeth never got over it and always talked of them.
In her extreme old age she was senile and in bed in the Queens Hospital. The bed had sides like a cot. She kept calling for her children and a kind nurse found two little children and put them in a cot with her for a little while. She thought her babies were back. Elizabeth's daughter Nell (Plowman) Crowhurst told this story to her daughter.
On 3 September 1930 in her last Will and Testament, Elizabeth left her estate to be equally divided between her six children.
P16 Isabel GROSSMITH
Born on 3 October 1853 in Croydon, Surrey.
Isabel died on 3 August 1934, at the age of 80. Occupation: Teacher, Dressmaker.
On 12 August 1878 when Isabel was 24, she married Thomas HUDSON, in Wolsingham Durham, England. He was born in 1849 in Acklam, York, and occupation: Blacksmith.
Recorded in the 1881 Census aged 25, living with her husband Tom Hudson, 32, at Acklam Village, Acklam with Barthopre, York. Also at the address are two relatives nephew William T Grossmith, 13 and niece Mary A Grossmith, 10, both described as scholars and born in Southampton.
Isabel HUDSON does not appear anywhere in Engalnd and Wales in the 1901 Census.
P17 Teresa GROSSMITH
Born on 24 August 1855 in Croydon.
Teresa died in Carrisbrooke, Isle of Wight on 10 May 1899, aged 43.
Occupation: Needlewoman.
P18 Arthur GROSSMITH
Born on 17 December 1857 in Croydon.
Arthur died at Hundred Acres, Banstead, Surrey on 20 December 1932, at the age of 75.
Occupation: Leather Cutter, Sailmaker.
On 22 May 1881 when Arthur was 23, he married Mary Ann SAMWAYS, in Bow, Middlesex.
Mary Ann was born in 1859 in Woolwich, Kent.
Mary Ann died in 1930, at the age of 71.
Occupation: Housemaid Domestic Servant.
They had the following children:
Florence Mary (1884-1967) Florence married her cousin Alfred Smith(1883-1954) in 1912. Mabel Matilda (1885-1921) Mabel married Joseph Henry Patrick BASSEY (1876-) in 1904 Arthur Frederick (1888-1961) Arthur married Maud Emily ARCHER in 1919 Albert Edward (1890-1938) Albert married Minnie FREEGROVE(1887-1967) in 1911 Ethel (1894-1977 Ethel married Cecil Martin George BROWN (1894-1980) in 1915) Lillian Norah (1898-1980) Elsie Maud (1900-1901)
My Family Tree is a 60 minute documentary that I have made with my digital camcorder and edited into a video production.
This documentary is the story of four families. It is the story of my father's parents, Brigden and Chapman, and my mother's parents, Crowhurst and Plowman.
The video can be purchased for £5 plus £2 postage and packaging. To order a copy click here