Person:Sophia Hornet (1)

Sophia Hornet was born in 1862 at St Albans in Hertfordshire, daughter of a straw plaiter called Maria Hornet. Maria was from the nearby village of Wheathampstead, and Sophia seems to have spent most of her childhood there.

When Sophia was about eighteen months old, her mother married Charles Wright, who thus became Sophia's stepfather. Sophia had two younger half-siblings from this marriage. She also sometimes used her stepfather's surname of Wright rather than Hornet. Charles Wright died in 1868, leaving Sophia's mother with the three young children. The 1871 census finds Sophia with her mother and siblings living at The Folly in Wheathampstead. Both Sophia and her mother were working as straw plaiters.

Later in 1871, Sophia's mother married again, to an agricultural labourer called Daniel Nicholls, who thus became Sophia's second stepfather. The 1881 census finds Sophia living at The Folly with her aunt (her mother's sister, Mary Ann Wheeler), whilst Sophia's mother, stepfather and half-siblings were living in Wheathampstead village.

A couple of miles north-east of Wheathampstead, in the village of Codicote, there lived at this time a young man called Frederick Winch. He emigrated to America in 1883, but by early 1885 he had returned. He married Sophia at Wheathampstead on 26th March 1885. They then left for America after their marriage, settling in the Boston area of Massachusetts, where Frederick worked as a house painter.

Frederick and Sophia had four children together, although only two survived infancy. In 1890 Sophia paid a visit back to England with her four year old son.

In 1887 Frederick began the process of becoming a naturalized American citizen, which he completed in 1893. Sophia became an American citizen as a result of her husband's naturalization. In 1895, Frederick's brother William emigrated to join them, living with Frederick and Sophia in both the 1900 and 1910 censuses.

In 1900, Frederick, Sophia and their two children travelled back to Britain for a visit, staying for nearly a month before returning home to Boston.

Back in England, Sophia's mother died in 1906.

By 1910 Sophia, Frederick, their two children and Frederick's brother were living at 39 Pomeroy Street in Boston.

Frederick and Sophia paid one final visit back to Britain, in 1927, staying for about a month in Codicote.

The 1930 census finds Frederick and Sophia still living at 39 Pomeroy Street. Frederick reported that he owned the house and that it was worth $6,000.

Frederick died on the last day of 1936, aged 73. Sophia outlived him by nearly ten years, appearing in the 1940 census living alone at 39 Pomeroy Street in Boston. Sophia died in 1946, aged about 84.

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

   b. Sophia HORNET, March Quarter 1862, St Albans Registration District, Volume 3a, page 282, mother's maiden name blank

2. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Wheathampstead in the County of Hertford in the Year 1863
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   163	May 31	Sophia	Maria	Hornet	Marshalls Heath, Wheathampstead	Single woman	Owen W. Davys, Rector

   Baptised the same day as her cousins Jesse and Mary Ann Nicholls who were children of her mother's half-sister Susan Warner.

3. ↑ 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 1376; Folio 36; Page 34, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: The Folly, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Maria Hornet, head, widow, female, 39 [1831/2], Straw plaitter, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Sophia Hornet, daughter, female, 9 [1861/2], Straw plaitter, b. St Albans, Hertfordshire
   Frederic Wright, son, male, 6 [1864/5], Scholar, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Wright, daughter, female, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

4. ↑ 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 1429; Folio 40; Page 38, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: The Folly, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Joshua Wheeler, head, married, male, 67 [1813/4], Laborer, b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary A. Wheeler, wife, married, female, 56 [1824/5], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire
   Sophia Wright, niece, unmarried, 19 [1861/2], Domestic servant, b. St Albans, Hertfordshire
   George Wheatley, grandson, male, 8 [1872/3], b. Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire

5.   UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960.

   'Pavonia' departing Liverpool 17 Jul 1890 bound for Boston
   Passengers including Sofia Winch and Frederick Winch, 4

6.   Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963.

   'Pavonia' arriving Boston 28 Jul 1890 from Liverpool
   Sophia Winch, 28 [1861/2], married, bound for Massachusetts
   Fred[eric]k Winch, 4 [1885/6], child, citizen of USA, bound for Massachusetts

7. ↑ United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T623)
   Boston Ward 25; Page 10; Enumeration District 1542, 1 Jun 1900.

   Address: 222 Brighton Avenue, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
   Winch, Frederick / head / born Nov 1863 / married 15 years / born England / father born England / mother born England / immigration year 1883 / house painter
   Winch, Sophia / wife / born Feb 1862 / married 15 years / 4 children, 2 still living / born England / father born England / mother born England / immigration year 1885
   Winch, George A. / son / born May 1894 / born Massachusetts / father born England / mother born England / at school
   Winch, Ethel M. / daughter / born Nov 1896 / born Massachusetts / father born England / mother born England
   Winch, W[illia]m / brother / born July 1861 / born England / father born England / mother born England / immigration year 1895 / painter

8.   UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960.

   Arrived Liverpool on 'Servia' 30 Jul 1900 from Boston:
   Fred[eric]k Winch, 37
   Sophia Winch, 30
   George A. Winch, 6
   Ethel Winch, 3

9.   UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960.

   Departed Liverpool 21 Aug 1900 on 'Ivernia' bound for Boston:
   Fred Winch, Mrs Winch, Geo[rge] Winch (6) & Ethel Winch (3½)

10.   Book Indexes to Boston Passenger Lists, 1899-1940.

    Arrived Boston 30 Aug 1900 on 'Ivernia' from Liverpool:
    Fred[eric]k Winch, Sophia WInch, Geo[rge] A. Winch & Ethel Winch

11. ↑ United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T624)
    Boston Ward 25; District 1648, 15 Apr 1910.

    Address: 39 Pomeroy Street, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
    Wynch, Fred, head, 46 [1863/4], born England, both parents born England, immigration year 1883, naturalised, Painter - House
    Wynch, Sophia, wife, 48 [1861/2], married 25 years, 4 children born, 2 children still living, born England, both parents born England, immigration year 1885
    Wynch, George A., son, 15 [1894/5], born Massachusetts, both parents born England
    Wynch, Ethel M., daughter, 13 [1896/7], born Massachusetts, both parents born England
    Wynch, William, brother, 48 [1861/2], born England, both parents born England, immigration year 1895, alien, Laborer - street

12. ↑ United States. 1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625)
    Boston Ward 25; District 0585, 1 Jan 1920.

    Address: 39 Pomeroy Street, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
    Fredrick Winch, head, 56 [1863/4], born England, House Painter
    Sophia Winch, wife, 57 [1862/3], born England, Housewife
    Ethel Winch, daughter, 23 [1896/7], born Massachusetts, Bookkeeper

13.   UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960.

    Arrived Liverpool 4 Jul 1927 on 'Samaria' from Boston
    Winch, Sophia, intended residence in UK: Newtown, Codicote, Herts, housewife, 65
    Winch, Fred[eric]k, intended residence in UK: Newtown, Codicote, Herts, painter, 63

14.   Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963.

    Departed Liverpool 6 Aug 1927 on 'Samaria', arrived Boston 14 Aug 1927
    Winch, Frederick, 63, naturalized 4 Feb 1893 at Boston Massachusetts, address 39 Pomeroy Street, Allston, Massachusetts
    Winch, Sophia, 55, naturalized by marriage, address 39 Pomeroy Street, Allston, Massachusetts

15. ↑ United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T626)
    Boston Ward 21; District 0237, 1 Apr 1930.

    Address: 39 Pomeroy Street, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
    Winch, Frederick, head, home owner, home value $6000, 66 [1863/4], born England, House Painter
    Winch, Sophia, wife, 68 [1861/2], born England

16. ↑ United States. 1940 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T627)
    Boston Ward 21, 1 Apr 1940.

    Address: 39 Pomeroy Street, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
    Winch, Sophia, head, widow, 78 [1861/2], born England

17. ↑ Massachusetts, Death Index, 1901-1980.

    Name: Winch, Sophia (Wright)
    Town: Hull
    Year: 1946
    Volume 50, page 103