George Carsten Hollings was born 17th September 1859, at 26 East Street, Bethnal Green, North London. It is fortunate for us that he shares his name with his great grandfather, such a distinctive and unusual name has made identification a little easier. The earliest information we have, as regards his life and occupation has come from various sources, his marriage certificates and the birth certificates of his children, (his occupation is given as "bricklayer journeyman"), the personal memories of my father (his grandson), and various  publications from, and about, the Walthamstow area. 
On the 1st October 1882 George married Sarah Jemimah Inward, a Baptist Ministers daughter in the Parish Church of South Hackney.  At the time George was living at 34 Bentham Road, South Hackney, (just minutes from the Church). He was living alone as a lodger. 
Sarah's Address was 4 Palace Road, again, just minutes from the Church. Palace Road has long since disappeared, it was a small turning off Wells Street opposite Balcorne Street, running parallel to and east of Frampton Park Road but not as long. Charles Booth's 1889 poverty map categorised Palace Road as "Lowest class, vicious semi-criminal" one of only a handful of areas warranting that description in Hackney at that time.

Sarah was born in Poplar, East London in 1863, the daughter of a Baptist Minister, John Joseph Inward. John  died in December 1881 leaving three unmarried daughters Rachel, Charlotte and Sarah. Sarah was the youngest and all three were married before the end of 1882. In addition to the three unmarried daughters there were four other children, John Joseph the first born, Phillis, Eliza and Joseph John. More information on the Inward Family can be found here.

George Carsten Hollings with a young George Albert circa. 1898

The newly married couple moved from Hackney to Walthamstow. It is more than likely the work available to a journeyman bricklayer in this rapidly expanding countryside town was the main reason. Their first child Sarah Ethel  was born in 1889, at 8,Osney Terrace, Hervey Park Road, Walthamstow. Why there were no children born before this time is difficult to say, it is possible previous children did not survive, or maybe the couple decided not to bring children into the world until they had a home of their own. This address no longer exists as "Osney Terrace," although Hervey Park Road remains as it was when first built. This intriguing mystery stayed with us for some time until we visited the Vestry House Museum in Walthamstow, where we discovered the practice of naming and numbering terraced houses one block at a time as they are completed (for identification purposes). This process carried on until the street was completed, and then the whole street was re-numbered. At this time Walthamstow was expanding rapidly, with new houses going up by the hundred. Following the pattern of addresses over the next few years, it almost appears that the family moved forward with the builders. For more information on Walthamstow as it was then, click here The house in Hervey Park Road, plus some of the other houses where the Hollings family lived can be seen here.

Sarah Jemimah and her three eldest daughters Sarah Ethel, Florence Gertrude and Violet May Hollings. The photograph dates from around 1915 probably Walthamstow.

The next child born was George Albert on the 25th April 1891, at 2 Stoney Down Avenue, Walthamstow, and this address is only minutes from the previous one! cheaper rent maybe? The Family stayed here until 1893 and then moved again to 5 Warner Road, Walthamstow, where Florence Gertrude was born on the 23rd October. Two years later and they were off again, this time to 13 Melville Road Walthamstow, and again it is minutes from their previous address. This was the Birthplace of Violet May on 1st May 1896, and again on the Birth Certificate it gives the address of "Woodbine Villas" Melville Road. Needless to say Woodbine Villas no longer exists. At the same address on 18th November 1899, Daisy Ivy was born.  Daisy had a short life of only 18 years, she died as a result of heart disease.

We found in the electoral register an entry that gives the owner of 13 Melville Road as one: John Joseph Inward of 29 Endymion Road, Finsbury Park. Further research is required on this particular item, because the likelihood of this man NOT being George Hollings Father-in-law would be an astonishing coincidence indeed! The Family stayed at this address for over fourteen years, we have to presume the work dried up, or moving was becoming difficult with five young children, but whatever the reason their next move was not until 1910. This time the move was to the other side of Walthamstow. An interesting point turned up in the electoral register for 1908, it was a Greengrocer shop registered to George Hollings in at 633, Forest Road, Walthamstow. The entry was only for one year only, so what happened before and after that is not clear.

The map above gives a clearer indication of the area at that time, it was drawn in 1913 and shows the closeness of the streets with little to no green areas. The four roads of interest are highlighted in yellow.

1910 gives us a new address in Walthamstow North. 206 St. Johns Road. The Family stayed at this address until  1916, and then we find them at 23 Exeter road, Walthamstow Central/East.

The above  photograph is of the four Hollings Girls plus one Mystery Lady.  Left to right they are: Sarah Ethel, Violet May, Florence Gertrude.  Front right Daisy Ivy and mystery Lady, possibly Maud Lillian Bremer who would soon become Mrs George Albert Hollings (photograph circa.1915)

During those few years many things happened that can only be described as odd. The first concerns the birth of Raymond Leslie Hollings. His birth certificate states he was born at 206, St Andrews Road, Walthamstow. According to the records from the Vestry Museum, in Walthamstow, there has never been a 206 St. Andrews Road, Walthamstow. Some renaming DID take place in St Andrews Road but even before that, the numbers never went above 200. At the time (1910) the family were living at 206 St. Johns Street, Walthamstow. It is easy to consider this a logical error to make, but we are talking about a Birth Certificate. I find it hard to believe someone could make such a mistake. Secondly, Raymond Leslie Hollings Birth Certificate States his mother is Ethel Inward. At this moment in time we can find no trace of such a person. Coincidently, in 1905 at 179 St Andrews Road Walthamstow, lived a Mr. Henry Hollings, who later (1906)  moved to 173 St Andrews Road, Walthamstow. Any relation? We do not know yet but it certainly seems very likely it is George's younger brother Henry William who was also a bricklayer and house decorator.

Another curious fact that one may want to ponder on. In 1897, living just down the road at 65 Leslie Road, Leyton was a Mr. John Gowing . A few years later in 1907 and half a mile or so northward  at 141 Grove Green Road, Leyton lived another Mr. John Gowing. The same person? possibly. Or maybe a father and son. There are not too many people about with that name.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

 

 

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