Jacob Birch was baptised 30 March 1834 at Barrow, a son of Robert Birch and Ann formerly Jolly.
In the 1841 census of Barrow Green, he was with his family aged 6, and born in Suffolk.
The 1851 census of Barrow Green, living with his family he was aged 17, an agricultural labourer, born in Barrow.
Reported in the Suffolk Chronicle Jacob was committed to prison for 3 months for an offence against the game laws, at Barrow.
On 11
July 1859 at The Bull at Hargrave, Jacob along with his brother Jeremiah were
involved in a drunken brawl with Charles Seeley and Elias Manning. At the County Petty Sessions 20 July 1859, Jacob
was bound over for six months in the sum of £10 to keep the peace for
assaulting Charles Seeley. For the
details see Jeremiah Birch.
Jacob married Eliza Harold 15 August 18605 at Barrow. They were both of full age and of Barrow. He was a labourer and son of Robert Birch labourer of Barrow. Eliza’s father was not stated.
In 1861, at 27 Church Street, Manchester Road, Poplar, he was aged 26, married, a labourer in shipyard and born at Barrow. He was a boarder in the household of James Gregory and Harriet his wife (aged 29 and born at Barrow). Also in the household, as Harriet's brother (James's brother-in-law) was Richard Harrold, aged 28 (labourer at shipyard) and born at Barrow. Jacob had married Eliza Harrold, who was probably Harriet's sister.
Jacob Birch was a witness at his sister Eliza's marriage to John Pettit in 1861.
Jacob (Burch) died 17 August 1866 at 23 Church Street, Poplar. He was a labourer, Brick Fields, aged 32, and died of diarrhoea, 5 days and cholera, 2 days. The informant was Amelia Shuttle, present at the death, of 21 Church Street. The address at death probably is where he was being nursed since 27 Church Street was rather full of people, and the Birches were only lodging there, perhaps in one room. Eliza already had an 8 year old son and was either pregnant or had a very young baby so he would be a risk to them if he had stayed with them. Jacob's occupation seemed slightly different but this may simply have been the work he was doing at the time of his death; and 'Brick Fields' could be a place rather than indicate the type of labouring he was doing. His daughter Eliza was born 1866/7, so he was still alive around 1866 so this death is almost certain to be the correct one. He had died by June 1871 (death notice of Isaac, the only brother of Jeremiah).
In 1871, at 27 Church Street, Poplar, Eliza was a widow and head aged 28, born at Suffolk. With her were George, aged 12 born in Suffolk and Eliza aged 4, born Poplar, Middx. Richard Harrold, her brother was at 25 Church Street and Harriet seems possibly to have married again, to James Walker, and was living at 27.
In the 1881 census at 31 Church Street, London, Middx, widow, Eliza Birch was aged 45 and born at Barrow. There is a baptism at Barrow of an illegitimate Eliza Harrald, 5 March 1836 (mother Mary Harrald) so she is Jacob’s widow. With her was her son George, unmarried, aged 23 (baptism of George Harrald 3 March 1858 at Barrow in IGI), a labourer at Oil Mills and born at Barrow, and her daughter, Eliza, aged 14 and born at Poplar, Middx. There was also a boarder, George Holderman, unmarried, aged 25 and born at Southampton.
Jacob and Eliza's child was:
Eliza Birch, born 1866/7 at Poplar.
Posted December 2016