Descendants of Archibald Grasham
Rotherhithe, the East End of London
St. Mary's, Rotherhithe
Generation No. 1
1. ARCHIBALD1 GRASHAM was born Abt. 1775. He married SARAH ?NESBITT. She was born Abt. 17791, and died 1836 in Upper Queens St, Rotherhithe. She was buried February 17, 18362 .
Children of ARCHIBALD GRASHAM and SARAH ?NESBITT are:
2. i. JAMES2 GRASHAM, b. December 14, 1801, St Mary's, Rotherhithe.
ii. JOHN GRASHAM3, b. 1803.
iii. WILLIAM GRASHAM3, b. 1803.
iv. JOSEPH GRASHAM3, b. 1814. Joseph was a witness to Charles Frances Grasham's marriage to Ada.
v. ROBERT GRASHAM3, b. 1821.
Generation No. 2
2. JAMES2 GRASHAM (ARCHIBALD1)4 was born December 14, 1801 in St Mary's, Rotherhithe5. He married ESTHER PERCIVAL September 30, 1823 in St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey. She was born Abt. 18046, and died 1867 in Rotherhithe.
Notes for JAMES GRASHAM:
1833: Lived in Adam St, Rotherhithe, according to Parish Records on child's death.
1836: Lived in Crofs St, Rotherhithe, according to Parish Records on children's death
1839: Lived in King St (cb pr's)
1841: Lived in King St (cb pr's)
1844: Lived in King St (cb pr's)
1845: Lived in Searn's or Searle's Alley, according to Parish Records on children's deaths.
1848: Lived in King St, Rotherhithe (pr childs birth).
1849: Lived in Crofs St (pr childs death) also King St (pr child's death)
Occupation throughout: carpenter.
Six of James and Esther's 12 children died, 3 of them within days of each other. There was probably an outbreak of cholera or scarlet fever - probably something similar to the latter as the parish records reveal several children from the immediate locality died at that time, but no adults.
Children of JAMES GRASHAM and ESTHER PERCIVAL are:
3. i. JAMES DOUGLAS3 GRASHAM, b. 1826, Rotherhithe; d. Bef. 1891.
ii. SARAH GRASHAM, b. 1828, Rotherhithe.
iii. MARY ANN GRASHAM, b. 1832, Rotherhithe; d. 1833, Adam St, Rotherhithe. Died in infancy, Burial: June 14, 18337
iv. ESTHER ELIZA GRASHAM, b. 1834, Rotherhithe; d. 1836, Crofs St, Rotherhithe. Died in infancy, Burial: August 14, 18367
4. v. WILLIAM GRASHAM, b. 1835, Rotherhithe.
vi. EMMA ELIZABETH GRASHAM, b. 1837, Rotherhithe; m. JOHN LARDIER, 1864, St. Mary's, Rotherhithe8. Witnesses to marriage: Joseph Grasham (his mark) and Matilda Lee (Emma's sister)
5. vii. CHARLES FRANCIS GRASHAM, b. August 07, 1839, St. Mary's Rotherhithe; d. July 13, 1872, 1 Neptune Place, Rotherhithe.
viii. MATILDA GRASHAM, b. 1840; m. ROBERT LEE, (Master Mariner) April 20, 1861, St. Mary's, Rotherhithe. Matilda was a witness at the marriage of Charles Francis Grasham and Ada Maria Deal. Witnesses to marriage: James Grasham (his mark) and Martha Mason.
ix. HENRY GRASHAM, b. 1841, Rotherhithe; d. 1849, Searle's or Jennes Alley, Rotherhithe. Burial: October 10, 1849, St Mary's, Rotherhithe9
x. FREDERICK GRASHAM, b. March 1844, Rotherhithe; d. 1845, Searn's Alley. Died in infancy. Burial: September 20, 18459
xi. ESTHER ELLEN GRASHAM, b. 1846, Rotherhithe; d. 184910.
xii. MARY ANN GRASHAM, b. March 21, 1848, St Mary's, Rotherhithe11. Died in infancy. Burial: October 31, 1849, St Mary's, Rotherhithe
Generation No. 3
3. JAMES DOUGLAS3 GRASHAM (JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1826 in Rotherhithe, and died Bef. 1891. He married MARY ANN12. She was born Abt. 1829 in Deptford, Kent, and died Aft. 1891.
Notes for JAMES DOUGLAS GRASHAM:
1854 (parish records) Living at ?Thpper's Place (difficult to read). occupation Carpenter
1856 (parish records) Living at 40 Clarence St, Occupation Carpenter.
1861 (parish records) Living at 40 Clarence St, Occupation Carpenter.
1881: James Douglas Grasham was working as a Carpenter at 40 Clarence St, Rotherhithe, at the 1881 census.
Notes for MARY ANN:
1891 census: Living at 79 Clarence St with Mary Anne and William
Children of JAMES GRASHAM and MARY ANN are:
6. i. JAMES HENRY4 GRASHAM, b. September 20, 1854, Rotherhithe.
ii. MARY ANN GRASHAM13, b. February 07, 1856, Rotherhithe. In 1881 Mary Anne was living at 13 Rotherhithe St and working as a housekeeper (unmarried, age 26) to Edmund Perks, a corn miller
iii. ESTHER GRASHAM14, b. November 22, 1860, St. Mary's, Rotherhithe; m. UNKNOWN, 1893, St Olave.
Esther and Mary Ann were working together in the same household, with the Perks brothers (cornmillers) at 13 Rotherhithe St. Esther was a parlourmaid.
iv. WILLIAM GRASHAM15, b. 1865, Rotherhithe16.
1881: Clerk in a chemical works
1891: Clerk. Living with his mother and sister, unmarried
4. WILLIAM3 GRASHAM (JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1835 in Rotherhithe.
Children of WILLIAM GRASHAM are:
i. CAROLINE4 GRASHAM, b. 186617.
ii. ESTHER GRASHAM, b. 186818.
5. CHARLES FRANCIS3 GRASHAM (JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born August 07, 1839 in St. Mary's Rotherhithe, and died July 13, 1872 in 1 Neptune Place, Rotherhithe19. He married ADA MARIA DEAL20 October 09, 1865 in Rotherhithe. She was born Bet. 1844 - 1850. Witnesses to the marriage: Joseph Grasham and Matilda Grasham.
1865: Living in Albion St just prior to his marriage
1872: Died at home (1 Neptune Place) of pneumonia at the age of 32. His wife, Ada, was with him. He was a labourer at that time.
Child of CHARLES GRASHAM and ADA DEAL is:
7. i. CHARLES THOMAS4 GRASHAM, b. 1866, Rotherhithe; d. May 01, 1920, 2/3 Bidder St, West Ham.
Generation No. 4
6. JAMES HENRY4 GRASHAM (JAMES DOUGLAS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1)21 was born September 20, 1854 in Rotherhithe22.
Children of JAMES HENRY GRASHAM are:
i. AMELIA5 GRASHAM, b. 187223.
ii. ROSE GRASHAM, b. 187624.
iii. HENRIETTA GRASHAM25, b. 1878.
7. CHARLES THOMAS4 GRASHAM (CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1866 in Rotherhithe, and died May 01, 1920 in 2/3 Bidder St, West Ham26. He married JANE ANN BOWLING July 05, 1888 in Christ Church, Rotherhithe. She was born August 28, 1864 in Blackwall, London, and died Abt. 1930. Witnesses to the marriage: William John Bowling and Victoria Amy Bellaby.
Despite looking though the records for several years around 1866 in the PRO I can't find any record of Charles' birth. (I can't find a record of his father's birth either - were they a particularly bad family for registering births?!)
In the 1881 census Charles Grasham is in
in the Essex Villas Home for boys in Regents Park Rd, St
Pancras, London, he is aged 15. I don't know why he was there instead of being
at home. There are a few possibilities, however. In the 1891 census, 10 years
later, there is still a boys home in Regents Park Rd, but it is called an
'Industrial School', and the boys there are learning to be tailors and
shoemakers etc. It is possible that there was some vocational activity such as
this in 1881; perhaps Charles was there to learn a trade. An alternative is that
Ada, his mother, could not cope with Charles, I think that Charles Francis, his
father, died within a few years of Charles' birth, the evidence for this is that
his mother, Ada, remarried before 1881 and is living with her second husband in
Rotherhithe (1881 census). Perhaps her new husband did not want Charles. There
seems however no ill feeling on Charles' part towards his mother for putting him
in a Home as he named his first child after her. He probaby had every
sympathy for her, as she must have a difficult life, her husband dying so young
and leaving her with a young child.
Industrial Schools
(Much of this info and the photos from Colin Harris)
Industrial schools were first established in 1866 as reformatory establishments for juveniles who had committed minor offences. They were initially under the control of the county justices and passed to the control of County Councils in 1888, when the Local Government Act became law. The were early 'approved schools', operated along the lines of harsh discipline and hard work but were seen as a better option than adult prison.
It is likely that the picture above is of a renamed Essex Villas. Interestingly, its name specifies 'destitute boys not convicted of crime'. Charles may have been up in front of the beak for a minor crime (if his father had died money would have been tight) and perhaps the magistrate's mercy was conditional upon his attending the Boys Home. This is speculation, however; Charles was in the Home about 10 years before these photos etc and its remit may have been a bit different.
1891 census: Charles is now married and living with Jane and Ada, their baby daughter, at 12 Ainsty St (which is noted to have 4 rooms). They are a few doors down from Jane's family. Charles is now a mercantile clerk. He is described in this census as blind.
Aunt
Gladly says he went blind when he was 23, which would have been about 1889. The
cause of his blindness is not known. The most likely causes seem to be an
accident,
Streets of Rotherhithe pre WW2
or possibly glaucoma (which usually affects older people but can apparently rarely affect younger people). It was most probably a progressive form of blindness, otherwise he could not have continued his work as a clerk. Soon after the 1891 census (in which he was described as blind) he probably changed his job.
Lilian (my grandmother) told me she remembered reading bits from the ?Times newspaper to her father every morning at breakfast. This would have been about 1905. She would be reprimanded if she pronounced words wrongly, and if she did not know the meaning of a word her father would tell her to look it up in the dictionary. He played the violin, this had a label saying 'Stradivarius 1760 (or something) in it. Expert opinion said it was made by a pupil of the great man, and was worth very little. It was very shabby, falling to bits. I don't know what happened to it.
In 1920, Charles died of pneumonia, which
had lasted 4 days. I wonder if he was a victim of the
great flu epidemic of that time? Probably not, as according to sources on the
internet the flu epidemic was very intense, and did not last until 1920. He was
54 when he died (1920), and was employed as a brewers caretaker at the Duke of
Wellington Hotel in Canning Town, a large empty hotel. Gladly says the Grasham
family were very friendly with the Shaws, who kept a shop just opposite the
hotel where two streets converged to form a sort of triangle. Gladly remembers
the distinctive smell of the shop, and the Shaws putting down sawdust on the
floor.
Bidder St in 1920
Charles' daughter Ada was present when he died. He lived at 2/3 Bidder St, Canning Town, accommodation which we think was 'tied' to his employment. Gladly remembers him as a tall man, about 6ft 1inch, and dark haired.
Jane (Jinny), his wife, eventually lived with her daughter Lilian, and Henry at West Tilbury. It is highly likely that the newly widowed Jinny and her children moved near to Ada at Stanford le Hope soon after his death.
Bud remembers her grandmother Jinny living with Henry and Lilian. Promptly at the end of the evening meal she would retire to the privy, only returning when the washing up was done! She took to her bed every October with bottles of Friars Balsam. She was very outspoken, and could swear like a trooper - Bud says she and her sister Emma could not have been more different and it was hilarious listerning to the very ladylike Emma and the earthy Jinny in conversation. Bud very kindly has given me Mary Anne's gold watch, and a pendant with her photo showing her wearing the watch.
Children of CHARLES GRASHAM and JANE BOWLING are:
8. i. ADA M5 GRASHAM, b. 1888; d. Aft. 1922.
9. ii. HENRY EDWARD (HARRY) GRASHAM, b. 1892.
10. iii. LILIAN FLORENCE GRASHAM, b. September 18, 1895, London 12 Ainsty St, Rotherhithe; d. 1972, Mayday Hosp, Croydon.
iv. REG GRASHAM.
v. CHARLES THOMAS GRASHAM.
vi. GLADYS GRASHAM.
Generation No. 5
8. ADA M5 GRASHAM (CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1)27 was born 1888, and died Aft. 1922. She married ALBERT EDWARD PRATT.
Ada was present at her father's death in 1920, giving her address as Claude Villa, First Avenue, Stanford-le-Hope. Ada died young. Her husband remarried a new wife who didn't treat the children well, according to Reg. Reg used to walk several miles to see Lilian and Henry, who fed him up and gave him warm clothing. Once he arrived soaking wet as he had no jacket - they gave him one. He used to play with my dad, Fred, his cousin. Reg looks very much like Fred - tall, slim and dark. This must be the 'Grasham' look.
Children of ADA GRASHAM and ALBERT PRATT are:
11. i. JOYCE6 PRATT, d. 1999.
ii. ARTHUR 'BOY' PRATT. Not much known except he 'died young'
12. iii. GLADYS 'GLADLY' ELEANOR PRATT, b. 1913.
13. iv. REG PRATT, b. 1922.
9. HENRY EDWARD (HARRY)5 GRASHAM (CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1892. He married GRACE KATHLEEN MARY BARNARD 1927. She was born 1898.
Children of HENRY GRASHAM and GRACE BARNARD are:
i. KATHLEEN FRANCES6 GRASHAM, b. 1930.
14. ii. DONALD EDWARD GRASHAM, b. 1932.
10. LILIAN FLORENCE5 GRASHAM (CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born September 18, 1895 in London 12 Ainsty St, Rotherhithe, and died 1972 in Mayday Hosp, Croydon. She married HENRY GEORGE WILKINS February 02, 1923. He was born March 04, 1894 in Southend Rd, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, and died 1966 in Hampshire, of a stroke. Year of death not sure.
Lilian was awarded the OBE for staying at
her post during a Zeppelin raid in the 1st WW. She worked at the Silvertown
telephone exchange, which handled the government calls.
We have always wondered how Lilian and
Henry met, Lilian being born and bred in Rotherhithe and Canning Town, and Henry
in the Stanford-le-Hope area. Donald Grasham suggests that Lilian visited her
sister Ada, who, by 1920 was living in Stanford-le-Hope. Also, it is highly
likely that the Grashams moved near to Ada after Charles Grasham's death.
Perhaps Ada and Henry's family were neighbours, friends etc. Certainly, the two
addresses (Ada's and Henry's family's) were very close - matter of yards. In
1920 Ada was living at First Avenue, 
Stanford-le-Hope;
Henry was born at Southend Rd, Stanford-le-Hope in the 1890's. I don't know
where he was living in 1920 but the S-l-H connection is there. He may have been
in Fobbing by then (newly returned from the War) - he was in Fobbing just prior
to his marriage. In this map S-l-H seems more a part of Corringham; the station
is just south of the map area and Mucking (which is where Lilian lived just
prior to her marriage) is only a mile or two south.
Children of LILIAN GRASHAM and HENRY WILKINS are:
15. i. FRED6 WILKINS, b. 1924.
ii IRIS (BUD) WILKINS b 1927
iii PHIL WILKINS b 1930
Generation No. 6
11. JOYCE6 PRATT (ADA M5 GRASHAM, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) died 1999. She married WILLIAM HILDREW.
Notes for JOYCE PRATT:
Auntie Joyce and Uncle Bill lived at Corringham, I used to go down the road to play with their children, my cousins, when staying with nanna and granddad.
Children of JOYCE PRATT and WILLIAM HILDREW are:
i. CHRISTINE7 HILDREW.
ii. ALAN HILDREW.
iii. JANET HILDREW.
iv. JOHN HILDREW.
12. GLADYS 'GLADLY' ELEANOR6 PRATT (ADA M5 GRASHAM, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1913. She married STANLEY ASHCROFT.
Notes for GLADYS 'GLADLY' ELEANOR PRATT:
Gladys and Stanley emigrated to NZ after the 2nd ww. Shortly after arrival, Stanley became ill, and died of leukaemia. Gladys was pregnant at the time, brought up her children alone.
Children of GLADYS PRATT and STANLEY ASHCROFT are:
i. TIM7 ASHCROFT, d. Abt. 1996.
16. ii. DEIDRE ASHCROFT.
iii. NEIL ASHCROFT.
iv. RODDY ASHCROFT.
13. REG6 PRATT (ADA M5 GRASHAM, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1922.
Notes for REG PRATT:
37 Harrison Court, Harrison Close, Hitchin. 01462 438802
Child of REG PRATT is:
i. ROBIN7 PRATT.
14. DONALD EDWARD6 GRASHAM (HENRY EDWARD (HARRY)5, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1932. He married GLENYS HAMER LEWIS. She was born 1944.
Notes for DONALD EDWARD GRASHAM:
tel 01743 872947 48, Harley Rd, Condover, Shrewbsury, Shropshire.
Children of DONALD GRASHAM and GLENYS LEWIS are:
17. i. MICHAEL JONATHAN7 GRASHAM, b. 1965.
ii. ANDREW MARK GRASHAM, b. 1967.
18. iii. NIGEL PATRICK GRASHAM, b. 1970.
15. FRED6 WILKINS (LILIAN FLORENCE5 GRASHAM, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1924.
Child of FRED WILKINS is:
i. VALERIE7 WILKINS, b. 1946.
Generation No. 7
16. DEIDRE7 ASHCROFT (GLADYS 'GLADLY' ELEANOR6 PRATT, ADA M5 GRASHAM, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) She married MR ARMSTRONG.
Notes for DEIDRE ASHCROFT:
32 Puketea St, Eastbourne, NZ. 006445628392
Child of DEIDRE ASHCROFT and MR ARMSTRONG is:
i. AMANDA8 ARMSTRONG, b. 1967.
17. MICHAEL JONATHAN7 GRASHAM (DONALD EDWARD6, HENRY EDWARD (HARRY)5, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1965. He married SARAH JANE DAVIES.
Children of MICHAEL GRASHAM and SARAH DAVIES are:
i. BENJAMIN ALEX8 GRASHAM, b. 1992.
ii. HARRY JOSEPH GRASHAM, b. 1995.
18. NIGEL PATRICK7 GRASHAM (DONALD EDWARD6, HENRY EDWARD (HARRY)5, CHARLES THOMAS4, CHARLES FRANCIS3, JAMES2, ARCHIBALD1) was born 1970. He married JESSICA SHARP.
Children of NIGEL GRASHAM and JESSICA SHARP are:
i. JASPER SHARP8 GRASHAM, b. 1997.
ii. CHARLES SHARP GRASHAM, b. 1999.
Endnotes
1. death records.
2. London Met Archives, fiml X097/341.
3. igi.
4. Not sure Archie is his father, or the following are siblings..
5. parish records.
6. death records.
7. London Met Archives, fiml X097/341.
8. parish records.
9. London Met Archives, fiml X097/341.
10. Donald Grasham.
11. parish records.
12. marriage reg's, PRO.
13. 1d515.
14. 1d538.
15. 1d597.
16. Birth register, vol 1d page 597.
17. 1d601.
18. 1d689.
19. death cert.
20. marriage cert.
21. 1d430.
22. parish records.
23. 1d231.
24. 1d262.
25. 1d289.
26. death cert.
27. 1891 census.