Person:Fanny Pocock (1)

Fanny Pocock was baptised on 14th January 1816 at Madehurst in Sussex. She was the illegitimate daughter of a menial servant called Mary Pocock and a Charles Eversfield. Mary was living in the neighbouring parish of Walberton at the time. Fanny never appears to have used her father's surname, suggesting he probably had little or no involvement in her life. It would appear that Fanny's mother died in September 1818, when Fanny was two years old. As an adult, Fanny lived with her mother's sister Harriet, suggesting that Fanny was probably raised by her mother's family.

In 1838, aged about 22, Fanny married Robert Mason in Brighton. He was a domestic servant, who gradually worked his way up from being a general servant to a coachman and then a butler. They settled in Brighton after their marriage, having eight children there between 1838 and 1855. The 1841 census finds the family living at Bloomsbury Street, with Robert working as a servant and Fanny as a laundress. Fanny's aunt Harriet Coleman (formerly Pocock) and her daughter Charlotte were living in the same house. The 1851 census similarly finds Fanny and her children at 13 Bloomsbury Street, along with Harriet and Charlotte Coleman. Robert was staying nearby at his employer's house on census night.

By 1861 Fanny, the children, and the Colemans were living at 8 Lower College Street. Robert was again at his employer's house on census night.

The 1871 census finds Fanny and Robert living with their son Robert and his wife and children at 3 West Street Hill in Brighton. Robert was described as an unemployed butler at this time. By 1881 Fanny and Robert were living at 5 St George's Terrace in Brighton with their daughter Elizabeth and Charlotte Coleman. Fanny was working as a cook, whilst Robert and Elizabeth were a waiter and waitress - perhaps they were running some form of restaurant there.

In 1889 Robert was admitted to the Sussex County Asylum at Haywards Heath. He died there about a month after his admission. He was 79.

After Robert's death, Fanny continued living in Brighton with her unmarried daughters. The 1891 census finds her living at 14 College Gardens with her daughter Elizabeth, and they were both working as charwomen. In 1901 Fanny was living with her daughters Emma and Elizabeth at 30 Great College Street, which Emma ran as a lodging house.

Fanny died in 1904, aged 88.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Madehurst (Sussex). Parish registers of Madehurst, 1639-1905. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1999).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Madehurst in the County of Sussex in the Year 1816
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   17	1816 Jan[uar]y 14	Fanny	Charles base-born Child Mary	- Pocock	Walberton	Menial Servant	J. Pannell

   
   West Sussex County Council transcript of register:
   ch. 14 Jan 1816, Madehurst, Sussex: Fanny illegitimate daughter of Charles Eversfield and Mary Pocock of Walberton, Menial Servant

   Charles's surname is blank on the parish register, but is given as Eversfield on the West Sussex County Council transcript of the register. Presumably therefore the additional information comes from the Bishop's Transcript of the register.

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 1123; Book 6; Folio 18; Page 3, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Bloomsbury Street, Brighton, Sussex
   Robert Mason, male, 25 [1811-16], M[ale] S[ervant], born in county
   Fanny Mason, female, 25 [1811-16], Laundress, born in county
   William Mason, male, 2 [1838/9], born in county
   Robert Mason, male, 1 [1839/40], born in county
   Harriott Colman, female, 30 [1806-11], Laundress, born in county
   Charlotte Colman, female, 6 [1834/5], 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 1644; Folio 280; Page 5, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: 13 Bloomsbury Street, Brighton, Sussex
   Fanny Mason, head, married, female, 36 [1814/15], Coachman's Wife, b. Midhurst, Sussex
   William Mason, son, male, 12 [1838/9], Scholar, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Robert Mason, son, male, 11 [1839/40], Scholar, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Elizabeth Mason, daughter, female, 8 [1842/3], b. Brighton, Sussex
   John Mason, son, male, 5 [1845/6], Scholar, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Emma Mason, daughter, female, 4 [1846/7], b. Brighton, Sussex
   Catharine Mason, daughter, female, 9mo [1850], b. Brighton, Sussex
   ~ [second household in same house]
   Harriet Coleman, head, married, female, 45 [1805/6], Laundress, b. Medhurst, Sussex
   Charlotte Coleman, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1834/5], Nursemaid, b. Brighton, Sussex

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 592; Folio 14; Page 22, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 8 Lower College Street, Brighton, Sussex
   Fanny Mason, head, married, female, 42 [1818/19], Butler's Wife, b. Medhurst, Sussex
   William Mason, son, unmarried, male, 22 [1838/9], Carpetner, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Robert Mason, son, unmarried, male, 21 [1839/40], Gardener, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Catherine Mason, daughter, female, 10 [1850/1], Scholar, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Harriett Colman, lodger, widow, female, 50 [1810/11], formerly Laundress, b. Medhurst, Sussex
   Charlotte Colman, visitor, unmarried, female, 25 [1835/6], House servant, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Ellen Willcox, visitor, female, 11 [1849/50], Scholar, b. Norwood, Surrey

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 1082; Folio 51; Page 1, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 3 West Hill Street, Brighton, Sussex
   Robert Mason, head, married, male, 31 [1839/40], Carpenter, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Catherine Mason, wife, married, female, 36 [1834/5], Dressmaker, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Fanny Louise Mason, daughter, female, 5 [1865/6], Scholar, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Catherine Mason, daughter, female, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Robert Mason, father, married, male, 61 [1809/10], Butler Unemployed, b. Barnick [sic], Northamptonshire
   Fanny Mason, mother, married, female, 53 [1817/18], b. Walburton, Sussex
   Isabella Eades, visitor, unmarried, female, 30 [1840/1], Nurse, b. Butleigh, Sussex

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 1077; Folio 60; Page 1, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 5 St George's Terrace, Brighton, Sussex
   Robert Mason, head, married, male, 71 [1809/10], Waiter, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Fanny Mason, wife, married, female, 62 [1818/19], Cook, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Elizabeth Mason, daughter, unmarried, female, 37 [1843/4], Waitress, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Charlotte Coleman, niece, unmarried, female, 46 [1834/5], Dressmaker, b. Brighton, Sussex

7. ↑ 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 803; Folio 56; Page 22, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 14 College Gardens, Brighton, Sussex
   Fanny Mason, head, widow, female, 73 [1817/18], Charwoman, neither employer nor employed, b. Warburton, Sussex
   Elizabeth Mason, daughter, single, female, 48 [1842/3], Charwoman, neither employer nor employed, b. Brighton, Sussex

8. ↑ 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 927; Folio 21; Page 33, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 30 Great College Street, Brighton, Sussex
   3 rooms occupied
   Emma F. Mason, head, single, female, 54 [1846/7], Lodging House Keeper, b. Brighton, Sussex
   Fanny Mason, mother, married [sic], female, 82 [1818/19], b. Warburton [later hand has added "Chesh"]
   Elizabeth Mason, sister, single, female, 58 [1842/3], Needlewoman, own account, working at home, b. Brighton, Sussex

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

   d. Fanny MASON, December Quarter 1904, Brighton Registration District, Volume 2b, page 120, aged 85 [1818/19]