From Fareham to Gosport

My wife’s great great grandfather was baptised as George Albury on 17th August 1817 at St Bartholomew, Rogate, in West Sussex. He was the son of James and Rhoda née Luckins who were married by Banns at the same church on 6th November 1804, in the presence of Henry Jupp and Nanny Collins. They had a total of fourteen children, George being their eighth child and the fifth of nine boys.

As a young man, and at some point prior to the 1841 Census, George moved from Rogate to Fareham in Hampshire where he found work as a labourer.

Fareham was originally a Saxon village known as Ferne Ham. The original settlement was on a hill near to where the church of St Peter & Paul is located. It was quite a busy port, exporting timber and importing wine, and there was a boat building industry in the town. In the 1830’s, a writer said: “Taking in all its circumstances Fareham is one of the most agreeable towns in the country.” In 1841, the railway came to Fareham, linking the town to Gosport and Southampton. Could it have been this that enticed George Albury to go to Fareham to find work as a Labourer?

In the 1841 Census of Fareham, he appears in the household of Elizabeth Parsons at Windmill Lane using the surname Williams (HO107 Piece 389 Book 5 Folio 8 Page 10). Could the connection with this surname possibly be the fact that his next oldest brother was named William? George soon fathered three children with Elizabeth Parsons, all of them being born at Fareham. Again, it’s intriguing to see the variations used in the spelling of their surname:

Rhoda Allberry

Rhoda was born at Fareham on 3rd June 1843 (Q2 Fareham 7/81). She was baptised as Rhoda Aubrey on 3rd September the same year at St Peter & Paul, Fareham.

When Rhoda registered the birth of her illegitimate daughter Emily in 1866, she used the Albray spelling. Emily was born on 15th April 1866 at 23 Park Street, Forton.

On 2nd April 1868, Rhoda Albray married Henry Hawkins at St Mary, Alverstoke, Henry being recorded as a Private in the Royal Marines. They were married in the presence of William Misselbrook and Anne Healey, their fathers being named as George Albray and John Hawkins, both of whom were said to be Labourers.

Henry Hawkins had been baptised on 13th June 1833 at Potterne in Wiltshire. He was the son of John Hawkins and Hanna née Philpot who were married on 20th October 1831 at Potterne.

Henry and Rhoda Hawkins had two children during their extremely short time together. Their son William Henry was born on 24th February 1868, and baptised on 31st May 1868 at St John the Evangelist, Forton, the family’s address being given as 2 Mill Lane, Forton. Very sadly, he died at Mill Lane aged just one year, and was buried at Ann’s Hill Cemetery on 4th April 1869, plot 67. Rhoda’s daughter Emily Albray was baptised as Emily Hawkins later the same year on 1st August 1869 at St John the Evangelist, Forton, their address on her baptism record again being given as 2 Mill Lane, Forton. Henry and Rhoda’s second child, a daughter who they named Elizabeth Ann, was born on 10th February 1870, and baptised later the same year on 3rd November at St John the Evangelist, Forton, their address again being given as 2 Mill Lane. Rhoda Hawkins née Albray died at Mill Lane later the same month (Q4 Alverstoke 2B/323), and was buried at Ann’s Hill Cemetery on 27th November 1870, plot 93.

After being pensioned from the Royal Marines, and while living at Moreland Road in the Forton area of Gosport, Henry Hawkins died at the age of forty-five. He was buried at Ann’s Hill Cemetery on 2nd September 1878, plot 125.

Rhoda Hawkins’ daughter, Emily, married Edward Habens on 22nd July 1888 at St Thomas, Elson. They were married after banns, and the witnesses to their marriage were Emily’s half-uncle and aunt, Henry and Charlotte Albray.

Edward and Emily Habens had a total of eleven children, all born in the Gosport area: Edward William was born on 14th March 1888 and baptised on 4th May 1890 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Joseph Henry Bertram was born on 13th January 1890 and baptised on the same day as Edward William; Charles George was born on 30th January 1892, and baptised on 9th June the same year at Christ Church, Gosport; Lavinia (also known as Minnie) was born on 19th November 1893, and baptised on 6th February 1894 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Arthur was born on 22nd December 1895, and was baptised on 3rd March 1896 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Francis was born on 18th November 1898, and baptised on 7th February 1899 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Robert Cecil was born on 29th October 1901, and baptised on 7th January 1902 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Emily was born on 6th December 1902, and baptised on 5th February 1903 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Dorothy was born on 21st March 1905, and baptised on 2nd May 1905 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; Florence Victoria was born on 24th May 1907, and baptised on 2nd July 1907 at St John the Evangelist, Forton; and Nellie was born on 6th January 1910, and baptised on 1st March 1910 at St John the Evangelist, Forton.

James Aldbury

James was born at Fareham on 4th January 1846 (Q1 Fareham 7/82) . He was baptised as James Aubrey on 3rd May the same year at St Peter & Paul, Fareham.

Unlike his sister Rhoda and brother Henry, it appears that James chose to keep his surname as Williams rather than Albray. Although so far I’ve not definitely found him in the 1871 Census, he was one of the witnesses at his brother Henry’s marriage on 30th October the same year. James never married, although he had two children with Eliza Alexander née Churchman during the early 1880’s. She already had five children with her husband, and it seems most likely that she had another son, Frederick, with someone else before her relationship with James Williams.

Name  |  Birth Year  |  Mother’s Maiden Name

When the 1881 Census was taken on the night of 3rd April, James Williams is found at Badshot Lea in Farnham, Surrey (RG11 Piece 788 Folio 128 Page 46). He is recorded as a Brickmakers Labourer, very similar to his occupation in the 1861 Census. With him is his “wife” Eliza, she and her four children all being indexed with the Williams surname.

Shortly after this Census was taken, James, Eliza and her children moved to the Bracknell area of Berkshire where their two daughters were born, Annie on 28th April 1883 (Q2 Easthampstead 2C/429) and Lizzie on 4th May 1885 (Q2 Easthampstead 2C/414).

When the next Census was taken on the night of 5th April 1891, the Williams family are found living at Binfield Road in Bracknell (RG12 Piece 1006 Folio 16 Page 25). Ten years later when the 1901 Census was taken on the night of 31st March, the Williams family are still living at Binfield Road (RG13 Piece 1162 Folio 52 Page 16).

Annie Williams’s illegitimate son, Jack, was baptised on 7th February 1903 (Q1 Easthampstead 2C/407). The following year, James Williams died at the age of “62” (Q4 Easthampstead 2C/255). He was buried on 3rd November at Saints Michael & Mary Magdalene, Easthampstead, Berkshire. Less than two months after his burial, his daughter Annie married Frederick Thomas Lovejoy on 31st December at Easthampstead, in the presence of Alfred James Lovejoy and Edith Emily Lovejoy. Their fathers were recorded as James Williams, an Engine Driver, and John Lovejoy, who was a Labourer. Their son Frederick James was born on 14th October 1905 (Q4 Easthampstead 2C/414).

Eliza Williams is found in the 1911 Census living at Pleasant Place, Wokingham Road, in Bracknell along with her grandson Jack Williams (RG14 Piece 6669 Schedule 158). Frederick Thomas and Annie Lovejoy are found living at Church Cottage, Manor Farm, in Tidmarsh (RG14 Piece 6549 Schedule 71). With them is their three year-old son Stafford (born on 22nd February 1908; Q2 Bradfield 2C/339), and their ten month-old daughter Evelyn (born on 20th May 1910; Q2 Bradfield 2C/353).

During 1912, the Lovejoy family emigrated to Australia. At the age of thirty-three, Frederick Thomas was the first to sail on 15th March, travelling aboard the White Star Line’s “Irishman,” arriving at Melbourne in May. Then on 8th October, Annie aged twenty-nine, Jack aged nine, Frederick aged six, Stafford aged four, and Evelyn aged two joined him, arriving in Melbourne aboard the Milburn Line’s “Port Macquarie” during November. Their final child, Allan Robert, was born at Melbourne on 14th August 1919.

When the 1921 Census was taken on the night of 19th June, Eliza Williams is found living at Station Road in Bracknell (RG15 Piece 06066 Schedule 99). She is said to be seventy-five years and four months old, and is a Charwoman for Barclays Bank located in the High Street at Bracknell. With her is her fifty-four year-old unmarried son, James Alexander, who is a Labourer on the Estate of Lady Haversham of South Hill Park, Bracknell.

In 1934, Eliza Williams died at the age of “87” (Q4 Easthampstead 2C/498).

Henry Aubery

My wife’s great grandfather, Henry, was born at Fareham on 17th December 1847 (Q1 1848 Fareham 7/73). On 11th April 1858, when he was ten years old, he was baptised at St John the Evangelist, Forton, in Gosport. His surname was written as Albury, and his father was named as George Albury, a Labourer of Fareham. There is no mention of George Albury being deceased on Henry’s baptism record.

On 30th October 1871, Henry Albray and Charlotte Harvey were married at the Alverstoke Register Office, in the presence of Henry’s brother, James Williams, and Charlotte’s remarried mother, Elizabeth Hardy. Henry’s address was given as Mill Lane, while Charlotte was recorded as a Domestic Servant of Fountain Place. Their fathers were recorded as George Albray, Seaman (deceased), and George Harvey, Labourer. To my knowledge, George Albray had never been a seaman.

Charlotte Harvey had been born on 15th March 1851, but at the time that year’s Census was taken on 30th March, she was indexed as Harriet (HO107 Piece 1670 Folio 276 Page 3). She was baptised as Charlotte on 29th June the same year at the East Street Methodist Chapel in Southampton. She was the daughter of George Harvey and Elizabeth née Page who were married on 13th March 1848 at Westend, a chapelry in South Stoneham, Hampshire, located a little over three miles north-northeast of the city of Southampton.

Henry and Charlotte had a total of eleven children, nine of whom were born at Gosport. Two of their sons, Harry George Richard and Percy Douglas, were born in the Southampton area. As Henry was at Halifax Nova Scotia serving aboard HMS Immortalité in early June 1871, it’s not possible for him to be Henrietta’s biological father. It’s interesting to note that all of their children’s birth registrations consistently used the Albray spelling.

Name  |  Birth Year  |  Mother’s Maiden Name

There is a great deal of research regarding each of their children on the To London, Surrey, Dorset and Beyond page.

Rhoda Allberry’s birth certificate shows her mother to be “Elizabeth Parsons formerly childs,” while James Aldbury’s birth certificate names his mother as “Elizabeth Aldbury late Parsons formerly Childs.” This gives the impression that George and Elizabeth had married in between 1843 and 1846, but their parents never married. The reason for this is probably because either Elizabeth’s husband, George Parsons, was still alive, or she couldn’t prove that he had died.

At the time of the 1851 Census, they appear to be using a double l variant of the family surname, and are found living at Russel Place in Fareham (HO107 Piece 1661 Folio 152 Page 32). With them is Elizabeth’s eighty-six year-old mother, Sarah Childs.

Sarah childs died of “old age” on 2nd November 1853 at Red Lion Yard, Fareham. Her death certificate also states that she was the “widow of Charles Childs.” She was buried on 6th November at the St Peter & Paul churchyard, Fareham, aged eighty-eight, her residence being recorded as Fareham.

I can’t be certain, but there’s a possible marriage for Elizabeth Childs’s parents at the Holy Trinity church in Gosport on 21st January 1793 when Charles Childs and Sarah Strugnel were married in the presence of Willm Sharp and Richd Welch. There is also a baptism of a Charles Childs on 15th February 1795 at St Peter & Paul, Fareham, the son of Charles and Sarah. Very sadly, he died aged three years, and was buried on 21st May 1797 at the same church. So far I’ve been unable to find baptisms for any other children of Charles and Sarah, including Elizabeth.

In 1854, again at Red Lion Yard, George Aubrey died of “Phthisis” (Pulminary Tuberculosis) on 20th November. He was buried on 23rd November at the St Peter & Paul churchyard, aged just thirty-seven. His burial record has his surname recorded as Alberry, and his residence as Red Lion Square. The informant of both Sarah and George’s deaths was Mary Luff, but so far I’ve been unable to make a connection between her and this family.

In the mid to late 1850’s, Elizabeth decided to move her family to Gosport, where she baptised her ten year-old son, Henry Albury, on 11th April 1858 at St John the Evangelist, Forton. Elizabeth, Rhoda, James, and Henry are next found in the 1861 Census at Durham Street in Gosport, however, rather than using one of many variant spellings of the Albray surname, they are indexed as “Williams” (RG09 Piece 646 Folio 49 Page 35). In this Census, Elizabeth is said to have been born at Fareham, the same as her three children. Elizabeth and Rhoda are both working as a Laundress, while James and Henry are brick makers.

The Albray spelling began to be used fairly consistently from 1862 onwards. The first occasion was when Henry Albray volunteered for the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 28th October 1862. His mother signed the form of agreement as Elizabeth Albray. Three years later when he reached his eighteenth birthday on 17th December 1865, Henry was engaged for continuous service for a term of ten years with the Royal Navy, again using the Albray spelling.

When the next Census was taken on 2nd April 1871, Elizabeth Williams is found living at Mill Lane, and with her are Rhoda’s two daughters, Emily and Elizabeth (RG10 Piece 1150 Folio 49 Page 26). Meanwhile, her son indexed as “Henry Allbray” was at sea (RG10 Piece 5781 Folio 137 Page 14). According to the co-ordinates on the Census header page of 16°30’N 67°33’W the Immortalité was just south of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. Elizabeth’s widowed son-in-law, Henry Hawkins, was based at Portsmouth.

It was apparently not unusual for someone in Henry Hawkins’ situation, being recently widowed, to have what was termed a ’private room” within a barracks. Shortly after this Census was taken, Elizabeth Ann Hawkins died on 20th June at the tender age of one year.

1881 Census

When Henry and Charlotte’s son Percy Douglas and daughter Rhoda were baptised together in 1883, and when their daughter Ethel May was baptised in 1886, all three baptisms taking place at St John the Evangelist, Forton, the family’s address was given as 25 Union Place.

Elizabeth Williams later moved along Bedford Street to number 26, where she died of “Bronchitis” on 31st january 1887, aged seventy-nine. The informant of her death was Mary Jane Adams née Habens, the wife of Elizabeth's grandson, George Alfred Adams. Elizabeth was buried in plot 145 at Ann’s Hill Cemetery on 5th February 1887.

Evidently, after completing his service in the Royal Navy, Henry Albray found work at Messrs. Mumby and Co.’s ginger beer factory in the High Street, Gosport. As reported on in the Hampshire Telegraph of Saturday 23rd July 1887, he suffered a rather painful injury:

Portsmouth Evening News, Wednesday 11th April 1923: