Person:David Kempson (2)

David Kempson was baptised on 3rd November 1839 at Tilsworth in Bedfordshire, son of Mary Kempson, formerly Hemmings, and her husband Joseph Kempson, an agricultural labourer. David appears in the 1841 census living with his parents and older sister at the nearby village of Billington.

In March 1843, David's father was convicted of breaking into a granary and stealing pears. He was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour, which he spent at Bedford Gaol. Shortly after Joseph's conviction, Mary gave birth to another son, George. Later in 1843, Mary died, aged 24, being buried at Stanbridge on Christmas Eve. Joseph would not be released from jail until March 1844.

David's father remarried in 1845, with a Sarah Neal (formerly Gobby) becoming David's stepmother. The 1851 census finds David living in Totternhoe with his father, stepmother, brother George, step-sister Elizabeth and two half siblings, James and Rebecca.

In 1860, aged 20, David married Elizabeth Horn at Luton. They went on to have thirteen children between 1861 and 1886, although at least three died young. Each census from 1861 to 1891 finds Elizabeth and David working in the straw hat industry and living in Luton with their children. Elizabeth's widowed father was also living with them in both 1861 and 1871.

David's father died in 1880.

Elizabeth died in 1892. Later that year, David remarried. His second wife was Elizabeth Casey, who was about twenty years his junior. She already had two sons. They had one further son together, Horace David, in 1898. The 1901 census finds them living at 8 Hitchin Road in Luton.

David died on 12th May 1910, aged 70. Elizabeth appears in the census the following year still living at 8 Hitchin Road. She died in 1912.

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

   b. David KEMPSEN, September Quarter 1839, Woburn Registration District, Volume 6, page 110, mother's maiden name Hemmings

2. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Tilsworth Parish registers, 1549-1979. (Bedford: Bedfordshire Record Office).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Tilsworth in the County of Bedford in the Year 1839
   No. 244
   When Baptized: Nov[embe]r 3d
   Child's Christian Name: David 1st Son of
   Parents Name - Christian: Joseph & Mary
   Parents Name - Surname: Kempson
   Abode: Tilsworth
   Quality, Trade or Profession: Labourer
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: T.L.J. Sunderland, Vicar

3. ↑ 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 22; Folio 5; Page 5, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Great Billington East Side, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempston, male, 20 [1816-21], Ag Labourer, born in county
   Mary Kempston, female, 20 [1816-21], born in county
   Mary Ann Kempston, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   David Kempston, male, 1 [1839/40], born in county

4. ↑ 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 1757; Folio 12; Page 17, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Kempson, head, married, male, 35 [1815/6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, wife, married, female, 41 [1809/10], Straw Plaiter, b. Wobourn [sic], Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, son, male, 11 [1839/40], Straw Plaiter, b. Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, male, 8 [1842/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   James Kempson, son, male, 4 [1846/7], Scholar, b. Puddle Hill, Bedfordshire
   Rebecca Kempson, daughter, female, 1 [1849/50], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1014; Folio 37; Page 29, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Upper George Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, head, married, male, 21 [1839/40], Bonnet Blocker, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 21 [1839/40], Bonnet Sewer, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 3mos [1860/1], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Horn, sister in law, unmarried, female, 28 [1832/3], Bonnet Sewer, b. Ivinghoe Aston, Buckinghamshire
   Henry Horn, father in law, widower, male, 69 [1791/2], Plait dealer, b. Ivinghoe Aston, Buckinghamshire

6. ↑ 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 1571; Folio 57; Page 17, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 7 Barber's Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, head, married, male, 31 [1839/40], Blocker, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 31 [1839/40], Hat & Bonnet Sewer, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, female, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edward Ernest Kempson, son, male, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Orice Kempson, son, male, 2 [1868/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Henry Horn, wife's father, widower, male, 77 [1793/4], b. Ivinghoe Aston, Buckinghamshire

7. ↑ 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 1648; Folio 114; Page 35, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: New Bedford Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, head, married, male, 39 [1841/2], Manufactuer Straw Hat, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   E. Kempson, wife, married, female, 40 [1840/1], Manufacturer's Wife, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1863/4], Machinist Straw Hat, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 15 [1865/6], Machinist Straw Hat, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edward Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 13 [1867/8], Grocer Lad, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Horace Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 12 [1868/9], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Herbert Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edith Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 4 [1876/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lilly Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 3 [1877/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 10 months [1880], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Turvey, unmarried, female, 19 [1861/2], Servant, b. Buckingham, Buckinghamshire

8. ↑ England. 1891 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 RG12; Piece 1272; Folio 17; Page 27, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 4 Crescent Rise, Luton, Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, head, married, male, 49 [1841/2], Straw Hat Manuf[acture]r, employer, b. Tilsworth, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 51 [1839/40], Straw Hat Sewer, employed, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Edward Kempson, son, single, male, 20 [1870/1], Straw Hat Blocker, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Herbert Kempson, son, single, male, 15 [1875/6], Stonemason, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Edith Kempson, daughter, single, female, 12 [1878/9], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lilly Kempson, daughter, single, female, 10 [1880/1], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Kempson, son, single, male, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ronald Kempson, son, single, male, 6 [1884/5], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Percy Kempson, son, male, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

9. ↑ England. England. 1901 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 RG13; Piece 1517; Folio 94; Page 9, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 8 Hitchin Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   David Kempson, head, married, male, 59 [1841/2], Straw Hat Manufacturer, own account, working at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 40 [1860/1], b. Westminster, London
   Lily Kempson, daughter, single, female, 22 [1878/9], Straw Hat Machinist, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Kempson, son, single, male, 20 [1880/1], Straw Hat Blocker, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Harold Kempson, son, single, male, 18 [1882/3], Straw Hat Packer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Percy Kempson, son, single, male, 17 [1883/4], Fish dealer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ernest C. Casey, son, single, male, 16 [1884/5], Hat Tip Stamper, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Horace Kempson, son, single, male, 2 [1898/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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

    d. David KEMPSON, June Quarter 1910, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 223, aged 70 [1839/40]

11. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

    1910
    KEMPSON David of 8 Hitchin-road Luton Bedfordshire died 12 May 1910 Probate London 20 August to Frederick Rainbow beerseller. Effects £197.