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Date:January 03, 2014

Lyndon in Rutland c.1682 – 1843

CHAPTER V

Lyndon – The Fifth and Final Generation

The Children of Francis & Sarah Scott (née Scott)  – Part 1: MARY, WILLIAM & ANN

Francis and Sarah, who were my great-great-great-great Grandparents, had five children all but one, their first daughter ANNE who only lived for a day, survived into adulthood, married and had children of their own.

Although my own lineal descent is traced through Richard, the eldest child of Francis and Sarah, this page details of the lives of his siblings, Mary, William and Ann, and some of their descendants. Unlike Richard’s line which lead to Tugby and then onto Billesdon, those featured below took a different journey to Oakham, London and to Brighton.

The-Children-of-Francis-Shelacres-&-Sarah-Scott

The four surviving children of Francis & Sarah (née Scott) Shellaker; RICHARD, MARY and WILLIAM were married in 1787, 1785 and 1798 respectively. The youngest child, ANN also married but I have not located the records of her wedding. Detail below is what is currently known of the marriages of these children.

1785 – The Marriage of MARY Shellaker to Cuthbert Buck 
Owston ChurchOnline records indicate Mary Shellaker married a soldier named Cuthbert Buck in the parish church of St Andrew in Owston and Newbold in East Leicestershire on Saturday 17th September 1785. This church is shown on the right.

Owston and Newbold is a hamlet around 5 miles west of Oakham in the county of Leicestershire and around 12 miles west of the Mary’s home parish of Lyndon.

Mary was 21 years old when she married. Her husband Cuthbert Buck, based on unsubstantiated online record was born in 1755 in Auckland Saint Helen, a village in County Durham in the north of England. If that is correct he was around 31 years old on his wedding day.

No record of children from this marriage have been found and again, based on online record, Cuthbert Buck married for a second time to a woman named Margaret Pells on 6th January 1801 in Lambeth, Surrey, when he was 46 years old. This second marriage took place fifteen years after his marriage to Mary Shellaker. I have not found any records of the death of Mary Buck (nee Shellaker)

Apparently Cuthbert and his second wife had three children together before he died in May 1823 at the age of 68 years.

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Unknown Date – The Marriage of Ann Shellaker to John Brook 
No record of Ann’s marriage to John Brook has been found in the parish records or on online searches. How I know it occurs is that it is recorded in the Last Will and Testament of Francis Shellaker – Ann’s father. In his Will it states…

I give and bequeath to my to my daughter ANN BROOKS, wife of John Brooks the sum of thirty pounds to be paid to her at the end of twelve calendar months after my decease also to my Grandson, the son of the said John and Ann Brooks (now an infant) the sum of ten pound to be paid to him when he attains the age if twenty one years

As can be seen above Ann and John Brooks had a son, who is not named, possibly as he was only just born when Francis made his will on the 1st July 1814. At this time Ann would have been around 35 years old.

No further records have been found  of Ann, her husband John or their unnamed son.

1798 – The Marriage of WILLIAM Shellaker to Mary Woods 
1798-William & Mary Wood_weddingThis thread of the family tree is slightly complex with many unanswered questions and dead ends. I’m not totally sure if the record of a William Shellaker to Mary Woods, which took place on Thursday 12th April 1798 in Oakham church (record on the right), is actually the William Shellaker who was baptised in Lyndon on 28th Oct 1772. If it was then he would have been 25 years old when he married.

I have seen other records that prove William’s wife was named ‘Mary’ but I have not seen a second source to confirm that the maiden name of William’s wife was ‘Woods’.

However we know that before William marriage he received an apprenticeship as a Tailor. A record can be seen of a William Shellaker receiving an apprenticeship from Robert Pitt of Caldercott in Rutland as a Tailor from 30th June 1786 to 4th April 1789, at this time he would have been around 13 years old at the start of this apprenticeship and 16 years old once completed.

Reproduced by permission of Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland

After their marriage William and Mary had six children;

  • FRANCIS, who was baptised on Wednesday 6th Feb 1799 10 months after the wedding,
  • their first Daughter baptised on Tuesday 29th April 1800 named SARAH but she only lived for a month and was buried on the 29th May of that same year,
  • their third child was THOMAS who was baptised on Friday 1st May 1801,
  • their next child was another girl baptised on Saturday 30th Oct 1802  she, like their first daughter, was named SARAH
  • around 18 months later another son, JOHN, was baptised on Thursday 8th Mar 1804
  • their final child was named WILLIAM for whom the record of his birth or baptism has not been located but his existence is proven by this Will of his grandfather.

The-Family-of-William-Shellaker-1772---1857

In addition to the Apprenticeship further records can be found of William Shellaker life………..

1834 Burial – Mary Shellaker
On the 2nd March 1834 a ‘Mary Shellaker’ was buried in Oakham at the age of 63 years. This give a birth year of around 1771, which is consistent with William’s birthdate of 1772. Her abode at the time of her death was St. Luke’s in London. Pure speculation but Mary could have been in St Luke’s Workhouse when she died.

1841 Census – William Shellaker
Northgate OakhamThe 1841 Census taken on 6th June of that year records a William Shellaker, a Tailor, living in Northgate Street in Oakham with an age of 65 years. At first viewing this is not consistent with William’s birth date of 28th October 1772 as he would have reached 68 years at the time of the Census.

However in the 1841 Census In the 1841 census, the age of people over 15 are rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5 – so in this instance 68 years is recorded as 65. There is no record of his wife Mary on this Census. [A modern image of a section of Northgate Street in Oakham is shown on the right].

1851 Census – William Shellaker
The 1851 Census taken on 30th March of that year records a William Shellaker, a Tailor, living in Northgate Street in Oakham with an age of 78 years. with a birthplace of Lyndon in Rutland.

On this record it appears his condition is that of a ‘Widower’ but I have not found any record the death of his wife. The age of 78 is totally consistent with William’s birth date of 28th October 1772.

1856 The Last Will & Testament of William Shellaker of Oakham
On the 15th January 1856 William Shellaker wrote his Will –  The Last Will & Testament of William Shellaker of Oakham

1857 Burial- William Shellaker
A William Shellaker, who lived in Northgate Street, Oakham, was buried in that town on 13th Feb 1857 at the age of 84 years. This age at death is totally consistent with William’s birth date of 28th October 1772.

The children of William and Mary Shellaker (née Woods)
What can be found of the children of the marriage of William & Mary Shellaker?

FRANCIS (baptised 6th Feb 1799)
Francis was baptised in Oakham on Wednesday 6th Feb 1799, 10 months after the wedding of his parents. From here on I am using unsubstantiated online information but it appears he moved to London.

1830 Marriage – There is a record of a marriage of a Francis Shellaker to Ann Branham on 31st May 1830 in the parish of St Anne Soho in Westminster. Francis would have been 31 years old at this time. There is no information on this marriage record to link this man to Oakham. There is also a record of a Mary Cranham marrying a Francis Shellaker in Soho in 1830 but, considering the closeness of the names ‘Ann Branham’ and ‘Mary Cranham’ this is possibly a transcribing error at the time of the marriage as I’ve viewed both records and they are recorded as different names .

1841 Census –  This Census was 6th June of that year records a Francis Shellaker residing in St Giles and Bloomsbury Union Workhouse. His age is recorded as 40 years but if born around February 1799 his age at that time would have been 41 years but as mentioned above, in this Census the ages of adult are rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5. So if he was 41, his age would have been recorded as 40 years.

1851 Census – In the records for the 1851 Census, which was taken on 30th March a Francis Shellaker is recorded as living in a Union Workhouse in St Giles in the Fields, Middlesex. His ‘occupation’ is recorded as a ‘Servant‘, his status is ‘married’ and his place of birth is recorded as ‘Oakham, Rutland’.

The age of this man is recorded as 50 years, which puts his year of birth either 1800 or 1801. This does not totally match up to a birth year of 1799 but it is close enough to say this is probably the record of Francis, the son of William and Mary Shellaker (née Woods).

This Workhouse, based on a contemporary report, was a brick-built structure, consisting of various detached and connected erections, three or four stories high, dating from 1727. The site is relatively high and dry, the subsoil gravel, and the drainage and water-supply good. The house was built for 850 paupers but in times of pressure the number reaches over 900.

1854 Burial – Francis Shellaker was buried on the 3rd January 1854 in Saint Giles In The Fields, Camden. He died in the Workhouse, as that is the place recorded as his abode.

The record indicates he was 58 years old when he died, which suggests a birth year of 1796 but I’m relatively convinced this is the man who was baptised in Oakham in 1799.

THOMAS (baptised 1st May 1801)
Thomas was baptised in Oakham on Friday 1st May 1801 and as with his brother Francis, I am using unsubstantiated online information but it appears he also moved to London.

1828 Marriage – There is a record of a marriage of a Thomas William Shellaker to Ann Dyde on 2nd April 1828 in the St Pancras parish in London. They were both from that parish. Thomas would have been around 27 years at this time. There is no information on this marriage record to link this man to Oakham.

1841 Census – In the records for the 1841 Census, which was taken on 6th June, a Thomas Shellaker is recorded as living in Phoenix Street in the St Pancras parish. His age is recorded as 40 years which is consistent with a birth year in 1801. His occupation is recorded as a ‘Labourer’. In the same house were his wife, ANN aged 35 years making her birth year around 1806., a daughter named ELIZABETH age 13 years, MARY age 11 years and SARAH who was 5 years old.

Thomas and his wife Ann were born outside of the country, all their children were born within the county.

1861 Census – In the records for the 1861 Census, which was taken on 7th April, Thomas Shellaker is recorded as living in Suffolk Street West in the St Pancras parish in the borough of Marylebone. His age is recorded as 54 years which put place his birth year in 1805, this is not consistent with a birth year of 1801. His is recorded as a ‘Widower‘ and his occupation is ‘Coal Dealer’. His place of birth is recorded as Oakham in Rutland which is obviously significant.

In the same residence is his daughter SARAH SHELLAKER aged 24 and born in the Shoreditch area of Middlesex around 1837. This girl connects this record with that of the 1841 Census.

St Pancras Workhouse1871 Census – In the records for the 1871 Census, which was taken on 2nd  April, Thomas Shellaker is recorded as one of many people living at 15 Suffolk Street in the St Pancras parish in the borough of Marylebone. His age is recorded as 66 years which would give him a birth year of around 1805, this is out by around 4 years from a birth year of 1801 but this man’s place of birth is recorded as Oakham in Rutland.

His is recorded as a ‘Widower‘ with an unclear occupation which appears to be ‘Keeping  a Coal Shed’. With Thomas is his daughter SARAH J SHELLAKER aged 34 and born in the Shoreditch area of Middlesex. Her occupation appears to be ‘Assisting in shed’.

1881 Census – In the records for the 1881 Census, which was taken on 3rd April, Thomas Shellaker is recorded as a ‘Widower‘ and an ‘inmate’ at ‘St Pancras Workhouse’ in Kings Road, Camden Town, a picture of which is shown on the right. His age is recorded as 79 years which put his birth years as around 1802 which is close to the birth year of 1801 of Thomas Shellaker of Oakham –  this man’s place of birth is recorded as Oakham in Rutland.

1884 Death– Thomas Shellaker died on 19th July 1884 as recorded in the ‘Registered on Death in the Workhouse’. His age was recorded as ‘about 82’ years – birth year around 1802. He was an inmate in ‘Ward 302’ and he was one of three men who died in the Workhouse on that day.

Although there are inconsistencies in the various birth years, the evidence of the birthplace of  Oakham and the link of his daughter Ann from the 1841 and 1861 Census indicates this is the man who was baptised in Oakham in 1801.

SARAH (baptised 30th Oct 1802)
Sarah was baptised in Oakham on Saturday 30th Oct 1802 but other than that event I know little else. What is known is information within the Will of her grandfather – Last Will and Testament of Francis Shellaker

Date Marriage – Sarah married SAMUEL LOWE but date and location of that marriage is unknown.

Children – In her grandfather’s Will two children of Sarah and Samuel Lowe are mentioned; SAMUEL and MARY. The date and parish of their birth is unknown.

JOHN (baptised 8th Mar 1804)
John was baptised in Oakham on Thursday 8th Mar 1804 but I have not seen any further records that I believe relate to this man.

WILLIAM (baptised – no detail found)
It is not known when William was baptised but as the Will of his grandfather lists the children on chronologically one could assume William’s birth year is between 1805 and 1808.

newsteine1841 Marriage – In the spring of 1841, probably on 23rd March, William Shellaker married ELIZABETH CARTER in Brighton.

1851 Census – In the records for the 1851 Census, which was taken on 30th March a William Shellaker, who has a birthplace, recorded on the Census of ‘Oakham in Rutlandshire’ is living at 26, New Steine, Brighton. His age on the Census is 45 years, this would give a birth year of 1806, which fits very well with his probable birth year. His occupation is unclear but it has the words ‘Lodging’ and ‘Keeper’.

Steine Street is adjacent to seafront and his place of residence is likely to be connected with tourism. I believe the area known as ‘New Steine is shown in the image on the right – No.26 is one of the hotels shown on the left of this picture.

With William is his wife, Elizabeth, who is 53 years old and was born in Worcestershire. In the house is also a 14 year old servant, Elizabeth Morris.

Brighton’s growth as a major centre of tourism followed the arrival of the railways in 1841. It became a popular destination for day-trippers from London.

NB – In the 1841 Census there is an unclear records which could be an entry of a ‘Elizabeth Shellaker’ at New Steine in Brighton, aged 40 years. This could be the wife of William as although she would have been 43 years old, ages at this Census are rounded down to the nearest 5 years. There is no record of a William Shellaker on the same page.

1861 Census – In the records for the 1861 Census, which was taken on 7th April, William Shellaker is recorded at  26, New Steine, Brighton in Sussex. His occupation is clearer, it is recorded as ‘Lodging House Keeper’. On this Census William’s age is 55, his wife Elizabeth is recorded as being 63 years old.

1871 Census – In the records for the 1871 Census, which was taken on 2nd  April, William Shellaker is again recorded at 26, New Steine, Brighton. His age is recorded as 65 years and he is with his wife Elizabeth who is now 73 years old.

1873 – Lunacy – There is a record of a ‘William Shellaker’ being admitted into a Lunatic Asylum on 5th September 1872. He was discharged on 26th November of the same year. The relevant Asylum is in Sussex, I cannot confirm if this is the same William Shellaker who was born in Oakham in 1806.

1878 Death Elizabeth Shellaker died in Brighton in the summer of 1873. Her age at death is recorded as 75 years but this is inconsistent with previous records – she would have been 80 years old when he died.

1878 Death William Shellaker died in Brighton at the end of 1878. His age at death is recorded as ‘about 68’ but this is inconsistent with previous records – he would have been 73 years old when he died.

Legacies
I mentioned above that William Shellaker, the father of these children made a Will dated 15th January 1856. In that Will, of his six children two are mentioned and received legacies; WILLIAM, who on that date was living at 26, New Steine, Brighton as a ‘Lodging House Keeper’ with his wife Elizabeth and THOMAS, who was living in the St Pancras area of London working as a ‘Coal Merchant’ or something similar to that. At that time Thomas may have been a ‘Widower’ as it is known that was his status in 1861. Thomas with his wife Ann had three children Elizabeth, Mary and, Sarah none of whom are mentioned in William’s Will.

William’s other 4 children are not mentioned in his Will; FRANCIS died at the age of 58 years in a Workhouse on the 3rd January 1854 – two years prior to the date of his father’s Will, the first daughter SARAH died within a month of her birth in 1800, the second daughter SARAH who was born in 1802 married Samuel Lowe and had at least two children, Samuel and Mary but no further records can be found to establish if she was alive at the time when her father’s Will has written, likewise JOHN, baptised in 1804 but no further records found.

The Family of William Shelacres of Lyndon & Oakham 1772-1857 – a Summary

Below is a tree containing the details discovered thus far of William’s children and grand-children. The larger view of this tree can be seen by clicking on it.

The-Family-of-William-Shellaker-1772-1857

The only grandchildren on this tree are the three daughters of Thomas Shellaker and the son and daughter of Sarah who married Samuel Lowe. There are no male children to carry on the Shellaker name. The responsibility of continuing the Shellaker name in Rutland and Leicestershire is with William’s brother, RICHARD……………….

 

Next Page: Lyndon – The Fifth & Final Generation