The Family of James Belsham junior
I am grateful to Mike Blackney for some of the information on this page.
James was baptised 19 February 1837 at Theydon Mount, a son of James Belsham, of Stapleford Tawney, a labourer and Sophia formerly Brewitt.
In the 1841 census of Tawney Common, in the home of his parents, James was aged 4 and born in Essex.
In the 1851 census of Church House, Stapleford Tawney, in the home of his parents, James was aged 13 and born at Stapleford Tawney.
He married Thurza Neate in the district of St George S (presumably Southwark) in the December quarter of 1859 (1d 168).
In the 1861 census of 124 City Road, parish of St Leonard Shoreditch, James was aged 25, an ale house keeper, born at Theydon Mount. His wife was Thurza, aged 31, born at Westbury, Wiltshire. With them was a servant, Louisa Stride, aged 16 and born in Middlesex.
James died in 1862 and was buried at Hunsden, Herts. His death was registered in the Ware district in the June quarter 1862. Hunsden is 3 miles east of Ware.
In 1877 Thirza was sub-matron at Newgate Gaol.
In the 1881 census of Newgate Prison, Thirza Belsham was a lodger and a widow aged 51, the Matron, and born at Westbury, Wilts.
In 1885 Thirza received a bequest of £500 from the estate of Lucy Eliza Lucy.
In the 1901 census of 27 High Street, Eltham, Woolwich, as mother in law to Arthur Blackney, blacksmith, she was aged 73, living on own means and born at Westbury, Wilts.
Thirza Belsham died 24 February 1910, (registered in the Lewisham district in the March quarter 1910) and is buried at St John the Baptist, Eltham.
James and Thirza's child was:
- May, born 21 December 1862 at York Road hospital, Lambeth (registered in the Lambeth district in the December quarter 1862). Her father was James Belsham (deceased) and her mother was Thirza, formerly Neate. Thirza registered the birth and was living at 23 Jubilee Street, Mile End Road. In the 1881 census of 52 Canterbury Road, Willesden, Middx, in the household of her cousin Sarah West, she was a pupil teacher, aged 18 and born in Middlesex. She married Arthur James Blackney in the Lewisham district (1d 1407) in the June quarter1886. In the 1901 census of 27 High Street Eltham, Woolwich, next to the workshop and forge etc she (as Mary Blackney) was aged 38 and born in London. With her were her husband, Arthur, aged 43, a blacksmith and employer, born at Eltham, and their children Ethel Constance aged 11, Arthur Reginald aged 9, Roy Belsham aged 6, Kathleen May aged 4 and Percy Gordon aged 1, all born at Eltham. There was also Arthur's mother, Susannah Blackney, a widow aged 65, and sister Edith Catherine Blackney aged 25 a milliner (worker) both born at Eltham and Arthur's mother in law Thurza Belsham, a widow living on own means and born at Westbury Wilts. Under the will, dated 1929, of her aunt, Elizabeth Banks (formerly Belsham), May Blackney was to receive a bequest of £100. Arthur James Blackney died 14 December 1947 aged 90 and May Blackney died February 15th 1950 aged 87. They are buried at St John the Baptist, Eltham.
Arthur and May's children were:
- Ethel Constance, born about 1889 at Eltham.
- Arthur Reginald, born about 1891 at Eltham.
- Roy Belsham, born about 1894 at Eltham.
- Kathleen May, born about 1896 at Eltham.
- Percy Gordon, born about 1899 at Eltham.
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Posted January 2008