HART - Tendring, Canewdon and India

[BritCanadian]

After seven years of searching, I have finally discovered where my great grandfather was born. He was John James Hart (usually referred to as John), born in 1852 in Canewdon. He was the son of William Hart and Emma Miller. William was born in abt 1808 in Tendring, and Emma was born in abt 1821 in Cricksea (although one census says Ostend).

The reason it took me so long to confirm that John Hart really was my great grandfather, is that he spent most of his life in India, and shows up in England again on the 1911 census in Gravesend, with his wife and two youngest children, all three of whom were born in India. John became a Captain in the Royal Engineers in India, but being the son of an illiterate carpenter, I was told by many people with extensive knowledge of both colonial life in India, as well as military knowledge, that it would have been next to impossible for him to have attained the rank of Captain, having come from such a modest family background.

However, it seems that John did achieve the next to impossible, and I have managed to trace quite a bit of his life in India. What I now hope to discover, is more about his parents, William and Emma. I know when and where they were born, but nothing of their parentage, or any carpenter apprenticeships entered into. Young John started out as a carpenter himself, as did his older brother William. By 1881, young William was at the School for Military Engineering, Royal Engineers Barracks, Brompton, Essex. I have no idea whether or not John was at the school or not, but by 1879, he was married and living in Rangoon, and working as an overseer for Burma Railways.

If anyone can shed any light on The marriage and parentage of William Hart, b 1808, Tendring, and Emma Miller, b 1821 in Cricksea (or possibly Ostend), I would be extremely grateful. I do have some details of John's five siblings, but initially, my research aim is to go further back.

[roma]

There is this Marriage on FreeBMD (Rochford is in Essex)

William HART and Emma MILLER Dec 1841 Rochford  12 399   

Regards
Robert

[BritCanadian]

Many thanks for that information Robert, it will allow me to order a copy of their marriage certificate, which will hopefully tell me at least, who their fathers were.

Regards,
Judy/BritCanadian

[jeremytrewindixon]

Hi, my interest  is in the cunning folk/witches of the Essex area, and as it happens the name Hart is a one often associated with witches in south eastern Essex, ie near Canewdon, most notably the 19th century Harriet Hart of Latchingdon but also others (going back to the sixteenth century). Rochford and Dengie Hundreds are both in this area, Canewdon is in Rochford Hundred ; Latchingdon in Dengie Hundred.

You will find some more information on the Hart family of Canewdon on Bill the Exile's page:
 http://www.deadfamilies.com/Z3-Others/Pickingill/Scott-Mary-Gen4.htm

I don't know if the Canewdon Harts had a reputation as witches or not but Canewdon did and does have a witchy reputation and the Canewdon Harts were definitely (as Bill the Exile shows) connected by marriage to the reputed, actually rather famous, Canewdon cunning man or witch George Pickingill.

Harriet Hart of Latchingdon is discussed by folkorist Eric Maple in his article  "Witchcraft and Magic inthe Dengie Hundred" in the journal Folklore about 1960, I can get the reference. Bill the Exile seems to have identified her from the census data too.

As for some other local Harts I quote myself quoting others (must rush now):

In Witchcraft and Magic in the Rochford Hundred (published in 1965 in Folklore) Maple writes:
"Rochford boasted a witch in the 1740s, Old Witch Hart (not to be confused with the witch of the same name in the Dengie Hundred) who was swum in the River Crouch and only narrowly escaped drowning. She is remembered as standing in her garden at Rochford, tending white poppies and whispering to her imps. One old resident, Mr Boosey, told me that she was often discussed in his father's time. In answer to what she actually did, he replied 'Why, she'd haunt you of course!' "

Essex witchcraft is discussed on the following website: http://www.essex-family-history.co.uk/witches.htm which alrgely draws on Maples' Folklore articles. But it does contain also the following useful references:

"Captain Harriott in his book 'Struggles through Life, London, 1815', tells the story of an old couple named Hart lived in a cottage near Fambridge Ferry [about four miles by road from Latchingdon]. Young Harriott and his brother alternately patronised and teazed the old lady, and presently satisfied themselves by an experiment of their own that she was no witch. But the pair, long after the boy was gone, were wickedly persecuted by their neighbours, and according to Mr. Benton (History of Rochford Hundred) they were eventually "swum" in the presence of a great crowd of people. The husband was adjudged innocent, after being nearly drowned, but the wife was tied to a boat by a line, and consequently floated. She was ever afterwards regarded as a witch"

[BritCanadian]

Hi Jeremy,

Thank you so much for the fascinating information that you posted. I will definitely look into learning more about a possible connection between the "Canewdon Harts" and my gg grandfather, William Hart, born +/- 1808 in Tendring, Essex, and who then lived in Canewdon.  It may be that William Hart and John Hart (who married Mary Scott) were brothers, as both were carpenters, both were born in Tendring, and both moved to Canewdon, where both married. After 1871, most of my Harts seem to have disappeared, although my research is ongoing. A William Hart died in +/- 1876 in Rochford (district), William James was in the Royal Engineers at Brompton Barracks in 1881, and John, my great grandfather was in Burma by 1879, where he married. I have not found any other members of the family on the 1881 census, so far. So, I'm still looking for Emma Hart (Miller), daughter Elizabeth Jane (born 1847), daughter Jessie (born 1855) son James (born 1859) or son Frederick (born 1862). William James Hart shows up on the 1901 census in Shipton Bellinger in Hampshire, where he was Clerk of Government Works. With him was his wife, Louisa (Adams), but no children.

I would love to go back to England again and explore the area, which is about the only part of England that I have never been to, or lived in. Perhaps one day, I'll get back there again. Until then, I will continue my research from here in Toronto. Again, many thanks for the fascinating information you have provided, I truly do appreciate it. If you should come across any further information about John Hart who married Mary Scott, I would be very grateful if you could share it.

Regards,
Judy (BritCanadian)