On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:34 +0100 "historyresearch" <historyresearch@supanet.com> wrote: > Hi all > > I am looking for a James Seaward - probably Seward - b Kingsclere abt > 1845 who married (possibly his second wife) Ellen Dore 1844 > Burghfield in the Wokingham Reg Dist in 1879. > > In 1881 he has children ranging from age 13 down to age 1, all born > Wokingham, hence my thinking second marriage. In 1878 Wokingham Reg > Ds there is a death of a 39 yr old Frances Seaward who may well be > his first wife. James was a chimney sweep in 1881. > > There is a marriage in 1865 for James Seaward/Frances Smith in Henley > Reg Dist. > > IGI has a James Seward 1844 son of Mary who is possibly him, but that > leads me nowhere. > > Any takers for censuses please, anyone? My link at the moment is the > Dore family. Hi Vicki James and Ellen are easy to find under surname SEAWARD in 1881/91 & 1901. In 1851 there is this record: North Street, Kingsclere: Jane Allen, head, mar, 38, charwoman, Kingsclere James Seward, nephew, 6, scholar, Kingsclere I don't seem to have this Jane Allen (indexed as Aller in Census) in my database at the moment. I suspect James may be illegitimate from that entry and this confirms it St. Mary Baptism Register entry no. 1408 21 Aug 1844, James illegitimate son of Mary Seward, Union Workhouse, pauper. I can't find James (or Jane Allen) in 1861 but in 1871 there is this which confirms your suspicion of an earlier marriage Nonsuch Lane, Wokingham: James Seaward, head, 27, chimney sweep, Kingsclere Frances -do-, wife, 32, , Wokingham Henry J -do-, son, 3, , Wokingham George W -do-, son, 1, , Wokingham James Woodford, assistant, Um 23, chimney sweep, Bristol The only un-married Mary Seward in 1851 Census, living in George Street Kingsclere in parents household, is Mary Ann age 28, dressmaker, dau of Joseph & Elizabeth. Mary Ann married Charles Lawrence at St. Mary on 31 Mar 1857. This Mary Ann is almost certainly the mother of Fanny Lewis bapt 3 Dec 1842, the entry has mother as Mary Ann Seward spinster of George Street, Fanny was buried 29th Dec 1842 So unless anyone can come up with a better Mary Seward she could well be the mother of James as well. I cannot find any relationship to a Jane Allen, but that may simply be because she isn't in the database. -- John Lewis Debian & the GeneWeb genealogical data server

James “Sooty” Seaward (1844-1921) Everyone in Wokingham (Berks) should know about James Seaward: the town’s first commissioned public work of art, erected in 1999 at the library entrance, is a unique sculpture to commemorate his reputation as the inspiration for Charles Kingsley’s “Tom” in the Water Babies. But there may be few folk in Kingsclere who know that he was a native of their town. James was born in 1844 at the old Workhouse on the Newbury Road, the illegitimate son of Mary Seward, a poor 18 year old. Mary was the youngest daughter of James Seward, a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth, formerly Hedgecock, both of whom had died by the time she fell pregnant. Presumably Mary’s elder sister helped her as in the 1851 Census James is a scholar living with his aunt Jane in North Street. But shortly after this he was ‘apprenticed’ to a cruel chimney sweep. Why James came to Wokingham is unknown at present (this may be revealed when a few clues have been followed up). In 1861, at only seventeen years old, he established his business here under the name Seaward, probably derived from his pronunciation, and for the next sixty years he swept the chimneys of the neighbourhood. These included those at Charles Kingsley’s Rectory at Eversley, where James related his childhood experiences to the housekeeper who in turn told her master. James married three times and had twelve children, of whom only four outlived him. However, his work extended beyond his family. In 1892 he became the first workingman elected to the Town Council. Despite initial prejudice by some councillors, his integrity and hard work resulted in his elevation to Alderman, the only Alderman who was born in a workhouse and the only one to decline to be Mayor. In addition to his council activities (which included chairmanship of the Lighting Committee), James was prominent in the local temperance movement and for many years he organised social events to raise funds for charity or to entertain and educate the poorer residents. Peter G john lewis wrote: > On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:34 +0100 > "historyresearch" <historyresearch@supanet.com> wrote: > > >> Hi all >> >> I am looking for a James Seaward - probably Seward - b Kingsclere abt >> 1845 who married (possibly his second wife) Ellen Dore 1844 >> Burghfield in the Wokingham Reg Dist in 1879. >> >> In 1881 he has children ranging from age 13 down to age 1, all born >> Wokingham, hence my thinking second marriage. In 1878 Wokingham Reg >> Ds there is a death of a 39 yr old Frances Seaward who may well be >> his first wife. James was a chimney sweep in 1881. >> >> There is a marriage in 1865 for James Seaward/Frances Smith in Henley >> Reg Dist. >> >> IGI has a James Seward 1844 son of Mary who is possibly him, but that >> leads me nowhere. >> >> Any takers for censuses please, anyone? My link at the moment is the >> Dore family. >> > > Hi Vicki > > James and Ellen are easy to find under surname SEAWARD in 1881/91 & > 1901. > > In 1851 there is this record: > > North Street, Kingsclere: > Jane Allen, head, mar, 38, charwoman, Kingsclere > James Seward, nephew, 6, scholar, Kingsclere > > I don't seem to have this Jane Allen (indexed as Aller in Census) in my > database at the moment. I suspect James may be illegitimate from that > entry and this confirms it > > St. Mary Baptism Register entry no. 1408 > 21 Aug 1844, James illegitimate son of Mary Seward, Union Workhouse, > pauper. > > I can't find James (or Jane Allen) in 1861 but in 1871 there is this > which confirms your suspicion of an earlier marriage > > Nonsuch Lane, Wokingham: > James Seaward, head, 27, chimney sweep, Kingsclere > Frances -do-, wife, 32, , Wokingham > Henry J -do-, son, 3, , Wokingham > George W -do-, son, 1, , Wokingham > James Woodford, assistant, Um 23, chimney sweep, Bristol > > The only un-married Mary Seward in 1851 Census, living in > George Street Kingsclere in parents household, is Mary Ann age 28, > dressmaker, dau of Joseph & Elizabeth. Mary Ann married Charles > Lawrence at St. Mary on 31 Mar 1857. > > This Mary Ann is almost certainly the mother of Fanny Lewis bapt 3 Dec > 1842, the entry has mother as Mary Ann Seward spinster of George > Street, Fanny was buried 29th Dec 1842 > > So unless anyone can come up with a better Mary Seward she could well > be the mother of James as well. > > I cannot find any relationship to a Jane Allen, but that may simply be > because she isn't in the database. > >

Well, I'll be blowed. Many thanks for that Peter. I must admit to being totally ignorant of it. Something new learned every day. James must have married for the 3rd time after Ellen Dore died in 1915 and before he died in 1921, if my research and that report are right. Where did the peice originate from, if I am not once again showing my ignorance? I must admit that although I have read it several times, Kingsley's "Water Babies" I still find hard going. Yours Vicki ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter L Goff" <peter.goff@btinternet.com> To: <eng-hampshire-kingsclere@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 2:39 PM Subject: Re: [King] James Seaward 1845 - AKA Water Baby James “Sooty” Seaward (1844-1921) Everyone in Wokingham (Berks) should know about James Seaward: the town’s first commissioned public work of art, erected in 1999 at the library entrance, is a unique sculpture to commemorate his reputation as the inspiration for Charles Kingsley’s “Tom” in the Water Babies. But there may be few folk in Kingsclere who know that he was a native of their town. James was born in 1844 at the old Workhouse on the Newbury Road, the illegitimate son of Mary Seward, a poor 18 year old. Mary was the youngest daughter of James Seward, a labourer, and his wife Elizabeth, formerly Hedgecock, both of whom had died by the time she fell pregnant. Presumably Mary’s elder sister helped her as in the 1851 Census James is a scholar living with his aunt Jane in North Street. But shortly after this he was ‘apprenticed’ to a cruel chimney sweep. Why James came to Wokingham is unknown at present (this may be revealed when a few clues have been followed up). In 1861, at only seventeen years old, he established his business here under the name Seaward, probably derived from his pronunciation, and for the next sixty years he swept the chimneys of the neighbourhood. These included those at Charles Kingsley’s Rectory at Eversley, where James related his childhood experiences to the housekeeper who in turn told her master. James married three times and had twelve children, of whom only four outlived him. However, his work extended beyond his family. In 1892 he became the first workingman elected to the Town Council. Despite initial prejudice by some councillors, his integrity and hard work resulted in his elevation to Alderman, the only Alderman who was born in a workhouse and the only one to decline to be Mayor. In addition to his council activities (which included chairmanship of the Lighting Committee), James was prominent in the local temperance movement and for many years he organised social events to raise funds for charity or to entertain and educate the poorer residents. Peter G john lewis wrote: > On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:34 +0100 > "historyresearch" <historyresearch@supanet.com> wrote: > > >> Hi all >> >> I am looking for a James Seaward - probably Seward - b Kingsclere abt >> 1845 who married (possibly his second wife) Ellen Dore 1844 >> Burghfield in the Wokingham Reg Dist in 1879. >> >> In 1881 he has children ranging from age 13 down to age 1, all born >> Wokingham, hence my thinking second marriage. In 1878 Wokingham Reg >> Ds there is a death of a 39 yr old Frances Seaward who may well be >> his first wife. James was a chimney sweep in 1881. >> >> There is a marriage in 1865 for James Seaward/Frances Smith in Henley >> Reg Dist. >> >> IGI has a James Seward 1844 son of Mary who is possibly him, but that >> leads me nowhere. >> >> Any takers for censuses please, anyone? My link at the moment is the >> Dore family. >> > > Hi Vicki > > James and Ellen are easy to find under surname SEAWARD in 1881/91 & > 1901. > > In 1851 there is this record: > > North Street, Kingsclere: > Jane Allen, head, mar, 38, charwoman, Kingsclere > James Seward, nephew, 6, scholar, Kingsclere > > I don't seem to have this Jane Allen (indexed as Aller in Census) in my > database at the moment. I suspect James may be illegitimate from that > entry and this confirms it > > St. Mary Baptism Register entry no. 1408 > 21 Aug 1844, James illegitimate son of Mary Seward, Union Workhouse, > pauper. > > I can't find James (or Jane Allen) in 1861 but in 1871 there is this > which confirms your suspicion of an earlier marriage > > Nonsuch Lane, Wokingham: > James Seaward, head, 27, chimney sweep, Kingsclere > Frances -do-, wife, 32, , Wokingham > Henry J -do-, son, 3, , Wokingham > George W -do-, son, 1, , Wokingham > James Woodford, assistant, Um 23, chimney sweep, Bristol > > The only un-married Mary Seward in 1851 Census, living in > George Street Kingsclere in parents household, is Mary Ann age 28, > dressmaker, dau of Joseph & Elizabeth. Mary Ann married Charles > Lawrence at St. Mary on 31 Mar 1857. > > This Mary Ann is almost certainly the mother of Fanny Lewis bapt 3 Dec > 1842, the entry has mother as Mary Ann Seward spinster of George > Street, Fanny was buried 29th Dec 1842 > > So unless anyone can come up with a better Mary Seward she could well > be the mother of James as well. > > I cannot find any relationship to a Jane Allen, but that may simply be > because she isn't in the database. > > --------------------------------------- >From Kingsclere. 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