Person:Richard Kempson (1)

Richard Kempson was baptised on Christmas Day 1815 at Totternhoe in Bedfordshire, son of Rebecca Kempson, formerly Turnham, and her husband George Kempson, a straw dealer. Richard's mother died in 1833, when Richard was eighteen.

On 30th January 1836, aged twenty, Richard was married at Totternhoe to Mary Proctor, who was from the neighbouring village of Eaton Bray. They appear to have had eight children together between 1838 and 1859. The 1841 census finds them living in Totternhoe, where their first two children were born. In the early 1840s they moved to Mary's native parish of Eaton Bray, where the rest of their children were born. Richard worked as a straw dealer.

The 1851 census finds the family living at Westcote Gate in Eaton Bray. In the summer of 1853, Richard was convicted of assaulting a Thomas Noah at Eaton Bray. He was held at Bedford Gaol for a week pending his trial. His jail records describe him as being 5'6¼" tall with brown hair, blue eyes, and a pale complexion. He was convicted and given the choice of spending a month in jail or paying £1 14s. He paid the fine. Richard's father died a few weeks later.

The 1861 and 1871 censuses each find Richard, Mary and their children living in Eaton Bray. Mary died shortly after the 1871 census. She was said to be 55 years old.

Richard married again in 1876 to a widow called Margaret Heley, formerly Light, at the register office in the nearby town of Luton.

In 1879 Richard was convicted of assaulting Martha Turner, one of his neighbours, in a dispute over some money that Martha and her husband were said to owe Richard. It appears there had been a previous county court case between them regarding a defective churn. Richard's son (the newspaper article does not say which son) intervened to try and stop his father assaulting Martha Turner. Richard was fined 12s plus 18s costs, or alternatively a month's hard labour. Richard said he would go to prison, but his son "...came forward, and, though the father protested against it, paid the money."

The 1881 census finds Richard living with his son Jesse and Jesse's wife at Eaton Bray. He was not living with his wife Margaret, who can be found living in the nearby town of Dunstable under her first husband's surname as Margaret Heley.

Richard died in 1886, aged 70. Margaret outlived him by about 13 years, appearing in both the 1891 and 1901 censuses as Margaret Heley, although when she died in 1901 her name was given as Margaret Kempson.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Totternhoe Parish Registers, 1559-1966. (Bedford: Bedfordshire Record Office).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Totternhoe in the County of Bedford in the Year 1815
   No.45
   When baptized: Dec[embe]r 25th
   Name: Richard son of
   Parents: George & Rebecca
   Surname: Kempson
   Abode: Totternhoe
   Occupation: Labourer

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 5; Book 36; Folio 9; Page 12, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Richard Kempson, male, 20 [1816-21], Straw Dealer, born in county
   Mary Kempson, female, 20 [1816-21], born in county
   George Kempson, male, 3 [1837/8], born in county
   Susannah Kempson, female, 1 month [1841], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1756; Folio 548; Page 31, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Westcote Gate, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Richard Kempson, head, married, male, 35 [1815/16], Straw Dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Mary Kempson, wife, married, female, 34 [1816/17], b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 13 [1837/8], Straw Dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sussanna Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 9 [1841/2], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Ann Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 7 [1843/4], Plaiter, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Jane Kempson, daughter, female, 4 [1846/7], Scholar, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Jesse Kempson, son, male, 1 [1849/50], b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1009; Folio 92; Page 29, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Private House, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Richard Kempson, head, married, male, 45 [1815/16], Straw Dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Mary Kempson, wife, married, female, 45 [1815/16], Straw Sorter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 23 [1837/8], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah A. Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1843/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Jane Kempson, daughter, female, 14 [1846/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Jesse Kempson, son, male, 11 [1849/50], Scholar, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Alice Kempson, daughter, female, 9 [1851/2], Scholar, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1565; Folio 104; Page 32, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Great Green, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Richard Kempson, head, married, male, 55 [1815/16], Straw Dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Mary Kempson, wife, married, female, 55 [1815/16], Plaiter, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Jesse Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 22 [1848/9], Plaiter, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Alice Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 19 [1851/2], Plaiter, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1645; Folio 85; Page 21, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: High Street, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Richard Kempson, head, married, male, 63 [1817/18], Straw dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Jessie Kempson, son, married, male, 30 [1850/1], Straw dealer, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfodshire
   Jane Kempson, son wife, married, female, 25 [1855/6], b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Richard KEMPSON, March Quarter 1886, Leighton Buzzard Registration District, Volume 3b, page 317, aged 66 [1819/20]

8.   Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford)
   BLARS QGV10/3 ID 2454.

   Name: Richard Kempson
   Age: 36
   Height: 5'6¼"
   Hair: Brown
   Eyes: Blue
   Complexion: Pale
   Visage: Oval
   Occupation: Labourer
   Eduation: Neither
   Marital status: Married
   Children: 6
   Born: Tottenhall [sic], Bedfordshire
   Residence: Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Offence: Assaulting Thomas Noah on 19 Jul 1853 at Eaton Bray
   Committed: 25 Jul 1853
   Gaol: Bedford County Gaol
   Sentence: 1 calendar month imprisonment or pay £1 14s
   How disposed: Paid fine and discharged
   Discharge date: 1 Aug 1853

9.   Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, 8 Apr 1879.

   LEIGHTON BUZZARD.
   PETTY SESSIONS - Tuesday, April 1st.
   AN EATON BRAY SQUABBLE.
   Richard Kempson, labourer, of Eaton Bray, was charged on a summons with having assaulted Martha, wife of Daniel Turner, straw dealer, at Eaton Bray, on the 7th of March.
   Defendant pleaded not guilty.
   Complainant stated that on the day named Kempson came to her house, at half-past eight in the morning, and beckoned for her or her husband to go out. She went outside, when defendant said, "I don't want you; I want your husband." Her husband then went out, and defendant asked him how he was going on - referring to some money which Turner owed to Kempson. Complainant's husband replied that he then had no money to spare, to which defendant said he was not going to be "humbugged about like that." Complainant then asked defendant for a bill, and Kempson said he was not obliged to give one. Complainant further told him that if he did not give her a straightforward account she would not pay the money, to which defendant said "Shut your chops; it's nothing to do with you." He also accused her of having said something about him to a man named Mayo at Dunstable, and threatened, with oaths, to knock her brains out. He clenched his fists and put them up repeatedly, and was prevented by his own son from committing violence.
   In cross-examination, complainant denied that either she or her husband had said they owed defendant nothing. She did say that Kempson had sworn falsely about a churn, in a county court case two years ago; but she did not say that defendant was a rogue, that he had robbed his own brother, or that he starved himself to death.
   Sarah Shelton, an old woman, the wife of John Shelton, labourer, called by complainant, said she had come to speak nothing but the truth. On the 7th of March she was shut in her house, "a clipping o' plait," when her boy got up and said, "Mother, there's a row outside." Witness lived almost next door to complainant. Well, Mrs. Turner, and Master Shelton were having a row. Well, witness saw Kempson once lift up his fist at Mrs. Turner. She stood in her own doorway - the magistrates knew where that was. Kempson stood close to complainant, and said he would knock her brains out, but his son pushed him away, saying, "Go on father, and don't talk such rubbish."
   Cross-examined by defendant, witness said - I live next door to you, so you know where I live. I have spoke the truth, and nothing but the truth. Your son said to complainant, "If you were not a woman, I would knock your brains out." I am saying the truth and nothing but the truth.
   Daniel Turner, husband of complainant, stated that when he had been beckoned to and went out of his house, as stated by his wife, defendant asked how he was going on about the money that was owing him. Witness said he could not pay, when defendant replied that he was not going to be humbugged, and challenged him out to fight. He rubbed his hands together, doubled his fists, and said "Come along." Witness refused to fight, and his wife went out and asked Kempson for his bill, when he said he had no need to send one, and threatened several times to knock out her brains. As defendant held up his fists, his son prevented him from striking, and said, "You are a fool to hit her." The son also said to witness that if he would come out he would left him know what he was.
   Kempson, in defence, said Turner had promised to clear off an old debt by paying him a shilling a week. The time had run out, and he (defendant) went to ask for the money, when Turner and his wife declared that they owed him nothing, and then "up comes the churn," which complainant said he (defendant) had sworn was fit for use. Defendant had county courted Turner for this churn two years ago.
   Mary, wife of Abel Osborn, from her upstairs window saw all the row. The Turners went out and blackguarded defendant very much. Mrs. Turner said she did not owe him any money, and she doubled her fist at him, and followed him out into the road. The defendant did the same - he was forced to do so in self-defence. Kempson came and asked for his money very civilly. Mrs. Turner asked for a bill, but at the same time said she did not owe anything. Kempson said he could give her a bill if it was wanted, when Mrs. Turner called him a rogue, accued him of robbing his own brother, and of taking a false oath.
   Mr. Macnamara said the magistrates had no doubt that Turner owed Kempson some money, but he was not justified in going to his house and using violence to obtain it. Turner owed him (Mr. Macnamara) money, but he had, a week or two back, given him £2 or £3, knowing that he had hard work to live during the winter, and believing him to be an honest man. When Mrs. Turner came to him to have the summons signed, she did not deny owing Kempson money, but she said she asked him for a receipt for an instalment. The last witness had done defendant harm. She had said that Mrs. Turner followed him into the street and threatened him. If that had been true, it was hardly likely that defendant himself would have omitted to say so. He (Mr. Macnamara) believed that defendant had treated complainant shamefully.
   The Magistrates then consulted, and fined Kempson 12s. and 18s. costs, giving him the alternative of a month's hard labour.
   Defendant said he would go to prison, but his son came forward, and, though the father protested against it, paid the money.