Tuesday, 17 July 2018

The Barham Saga II - a second addition



The Barham Saga II – an second addition

Once again, Pea-Bee has had a bit of luck in extending the tale of the Mayze family, and in particular the life of Henry William Mayze, young brother of Lydia Barham. His tale was part of “The Barham Saga II” blog published 26 January 2015. When that was published, Pea-Bee knew nothing of Henry after the 1891 census when he was living with his mother Jane at 30 Friendly Street, Deptford[1]. At 72, Jane had no occupation, but Henry was an engine fitter, following on from his naval trade of engine room artificer.

However, now it is possible to say for certain – despite the fact that his name was being spelt “Mayes” rather than “Mayze” in the records of the Greenwich Union Workhouse – that Henry was still alive at least until the summer of 1900. The link has come through whom he stated were his next of kin – first Lydia and then his other sister, Elizabeth.

So, the Saga continues…



At 10.20am, on 28 February 1899, “Henry Mayes” was admitted to Greenwich Union Workhouse in Woolwich Road, sick and destitute. He described himself as a labourer and gave his home address as 114 High Street, Deptford, and his next of kin as his sister, Mrs Barham of Bristol Road, Gloucester.[2]
At 11 o’clock, he was sent to the infirmary in Vanburgh Hill.[3]
He remained in the infirmary until 5 April 1899 when he was discharged at his own request[4]. According to the infirmary records, he was discharged to the workhouse, but there is no record of his re-admission there and it is presumed he went to live outside the workhouse system. He may have returned to 112/114 High Street, a large lodging house run by Banard Jaffa, his wife Esther and his sons.
However, on 13 June 1899, “Henry Mayes” was admitted again to the infirmary[5] and this time stayed for a year.
On his second admission, he gave his next of kin as his other sister, Mrs Elizabeth Taylor, who lived in 33 Ravensbourne Street, Deptford.
He was discharged “to Friends”, probably to his sister Elizabeth, on 13 June 1900.[6]
After that – once again – he disappears from the records.
No further records of his admission at the workhouse or infirmary can be found and if he did return to the Jaffa’s lodging house, his presence there at the time of the 1901 census would not have been recorded. The enumerator, having listed the Jaffa family and their servants then noted that there were also present “154 lodgers all males, no particulars given, Reported to the Registrar General”.[7]
While details are sparse, there appears at the end of the enumerator’s return a list of the ages of the 154 lodgers, grouped together as five aged 20, five aged 23, and so on. Strangely, each age group numbered precisely five or ten men, with the exception of the last – aged 70 – which numbered just four. There were five men aged 44 and ten aged 45, spanning the age range that would have included Henry[8].




[1] 1891 England Census Class RG12; Piece 501; Folio 11; Page 15; GSU roll 6095611 (Ancestry.com 1891 Census London>St Paul Deptford>District 34>image 15)
[2] London Metropolitan Archives: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930 GBG/250/32 Greenwich>Greenwich>Workhouse Woolwich Road>1898-1899 image 349
[3] London Metropolitan Archives: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930 GBG/250/32 Greenwich>Greenwich>Workhouse Woolwich Road>1898-1899 image 399; London Metropolitan Archives Board of Guardians Records: Hospital and Infirmary, Vanburgh Hill, 1898-1899 GBG/220/030 image 128
[4] London Metropolitan Archives Board of Guardians Records: Hospital and Infirmary, Vanburgh Hill, 1899 GBG/220/031 image 14
[5] London Metropolitan Archives Board of Guardians Records: Hospital and Infirmary, Vanburgh Hill, 1899 GBG/220/031 image 72
[6] London Metropolitan Archives Board of Guardians Records: Hospital and Infirmary, Vanburgh Hill, 1900 GBG/220/033 image 65
[7] 1901 England Census Class RG13; Piece 527; Folio 63; Page 2 (Ancestry.com 1901 Census London>St Paul>Deptford Central>District 3>image 3)
[8] 1901 England Census Class RG13; Piece 527; Folio 63; Page 2 (Ancestry.com 1901 census London>St Paul>Deptford Central>District 3>image 73)

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