1841/51 Sheerness lookup please - I have possible address

[alnat]

I'm looking for families in Sheerness named Craddock and Kimber, especially a Benjamin Craddock c1816 and a Caroline Kimber c1820.

From 1861-1881 various members of the families occupied a house at 4 Short Street, Sheerness.

I've not done any Kent research before so I'm not sure what resources are available. I do not want anyone trawling through page by page but if there is some kind of index it would be great if someone could check out the address for me.

Thank you.

[casalguidi]

Hi Helen

There is an 1851 surname index on Colin Penney's Sheppey site - the details from which might help with a lookup for that year:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~penney/

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[alnat]

Thanks for the information, I'll have a look.

[carol_cholsey]

Hi Helen,
Here's the entry from the 1851 census:
ref HO107 1628a folio 139: Chapel Street, Sheerness
Benjamin Craddock head un age 36 dock yd labr born Sheerness
Caroline Kimber housekeeper un age 30 born do
Mary J do dau age 9 scholar born do
James W do son age 7 scholar born do
Thomas G do son age 5 born do
Elizabeth A do dau age 11 months born do

xx Carol

[alnat]

Thank you for the look up Carol.

Can I just check, was the childrens surname Craddock or Kimber?

I had not been able to find a marriage for Benjamin and Caroline but had been looking c.1840-1845. I have also not been able to find a birth certificate for Elizabeth Alice Craddock, my G G Grandmother. Now I'm wondering if Elizabeth may have been registered with the surname Kimber.

Benjamin and Caroline appear as a married couple in 1861/71 (can't find them 1881) but after Benjamin's death in 1890 I can only find a Caroline Kimber on the 1891 with a son Thomas.

Looks like they may never have married. Big surprise as Benjamin came from a very strict family of 'Bible Christians'.

[carol_cholsey]

Hi Helen,
The 'dittos' for the childrens names were all under Caroline Kimber on the 1851 census, so your Elizabeth may well have been registered as a Kimber, rather than a Craddock. Here's the 1841 entry for Caroline, I'm afraid that I can't find Benjamin.
ref HO107 474-14 folio 37: Minster Sheppey (no address)
Mary Kimber age 50 ind
Richard do age 21 labourer
Caroline do age 19
Thomas do age 14
Elizabeth do age 12
Hannah do age 10
Frances do age 2
Mary do age 7 months
all born in county

Mary (age 7 months), shown here may be the same Mary living with Caroline and Benjamin in 1851, Frances age 2 may also be Caroline's daughter, although she doesn't appear in 1851.
xx Carol

[alnat]

Carol, thank you so so much.

I have now managed to find the reference for my G G Grandmother's birth certificate under the name Kimber. Two years of searching now over!

It's also given me a giggle. This is my very 'prim and proper' Nan's side of the family. So far I've found that both her parents and grandparents 'had to get married'. One of her Grandfathers had no father named on his marriage cert, now Nan's other Granny was the housekeeper's daughter! And Nan (94, bless) looks down her nose at the couple next door cos they've got different surnames and two children. I just daren't tell her what I know!!!

[sheppysearch]

Hi

my great grandfather was Edward John Kimber born 1855 Sheerness, married to Maria Gurr and they lived in 4 Short Street (1881 census). I have their marriage certificate, but no father given for Edward, and I have not yet been able to find his parents.

Any help ?

Nick K

[alnat]

Hi Nick

It looks like we're related then!

Edward Craddock c.1857 appears on the 1861 and 1871 Census with parents Benjamin and Caroline Craddock at 4 Short Street.

I think he's the only one of their children who's birth isn't (yet) on FreeBMD under Kimber, as I have no GRO reference for him in my records.

Benjamin and Caroline's children seemed to use either surname.