Person:James King (98)

Childhood

James King was baptised on 9th October 1808 at Caddington in Bedfordshire, son of Mary King, formerly Arnold, and her husband Thomas King, a labourer. James was the couple's third of five children. The family had only recently moved to Caddington at the time of James's baptism; eighteen months earlier they had been living in the market town of St Albans, about eleven miles south of Caddington. James's youngest sister Mary's baptism records that the family lived at Tipple Hill, in the Aley Green area to the south of Caddington parish, in the part of the parish which at that time was in Hertfordshire.

When James was seventeen both his father and eldest brother William died at about the same time, perhaps suggesting an illness in the family; both were buried at Caddington on 5th January 1826. Eighteen months later James's older sister Hannah died aged 20. Each of these three burials also record the family as having lived at Tipple Hill.

Marriage

James's signature from his marriage record.

Soon after their marriage James and Susan returned to the Tipple Hill area of Caddington, probably living with his mother. They had eight children baptised at Caddington between 1831 and 1846, with each baptism giving the family's abode as either Tipple Hill, Aley Green or Pipers Bottom, all of which were in the same general area. The baptisms also tell us that James worked as a labourer. Sadly two of their eight children died young: the second daughter, Mary Ann, died aged one in 1834, whilst the youngest daughter, Matilda, died aged two in 1849.

In 1839 James's younger sister Mary died aged 25 years old, leaving her young son William orphaned. The 1841 census finds James and Susan and their children living in a house which also had James's nephew William, mother Mary and brother John living there. James's mother died in 1850.

In 1850 James's eldest daughter Hannah was married to a labourer named Lewis Ellis, and James's first known grandchild was born the following year, when James was 42 years old. The 1851 census finds James, Susan, and their children living together in a household which also included their son-in-law Lewis Ellis and baby granddaughter Matilda, who was presumably named after James's youngest daughter who had died two years earlier. The girls were all described as straw plaiters, which was a very common local trade for women and children, supplying the hat industry centred on the nearby town of Luton.

The family was still at Aley Green in the 1861 census. On this occasion Susan was also described as a straw plaiter.

Susan died in 1865, aged 59. She and James had been married for 35 years. James was therefore left a widower at the age of 56. The 1871 census finds James living with his son Thomas, who was also a widower, and his two surviving daughters, Betsy and Matilda.

Later life

By 1881 James was living with his granddaughter Betsy and her husband Walter Fountain at Aley Green. He appears to have lived with them for several years, still appearing with them in the 1891 census, by which time they had four children who were James's great grandchildren. The house they were living in at Aley Green was described in 1891 as having three rooms.

James died on 9th February 1895 at Aley Green, aged 86. He had outlived Susan by nearly 30 years. He had had 62 grandchildren born in his lifetime, although some had died young. An obituary notice in the Luton News described James as being "an honest, industrious and trustworthy man".

1. ↑ Bedfordshire Family History Society. Caddington Parish Register Transcript 1538-1812. (Bedford).

   ch. 9 Oct 1808: Jas s. Thos [Jas - T.] & Mary KING

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives. This baptism has been linked to the James King who married Susan Dean on the basis of the 1841 census in which James and Susan were living with the mother, brother and nephew of the James baptised in 1808. It is also about the right time to match the ages the adult James quoted in the censuses, and in one of the two places James claimed to have been born - he regularly quoted both Caddington and St Albans as his place of birth in the censuses. The confusion appears to have arisen because James's parents had moved from St Albans to Caddington some time in the eighteen months between James's elder sister Hannah's baptism in 1807 in St Albans and his baptism in 1808 in Caddington.

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 440; Book 10; Folio 22; Page 8, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Haley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James King, male, 30 [1806-11], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], born in county
   Susanna King, female, 35 [1801-6], not born in county
   Hannah King, female, 10 [1830/1], born in county
   Mary King, female, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Bertha King, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Thomas King, male, 2 [1838/9], born in county
   Edward King, male, 5m [1840/1], born in county
   ~ second household in same house ~
   Mary King, female, 65 [1771-6], Straw plaiter, born in county
   John King, male, 25 [1811-16], born in county
   William King, male, 7 [1833/4], 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 1757; Folio 341; Page 8, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James King, head, married, male, 41 [1809/10], Farm labourer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Susan King, wife, married, female, 45 [1805/6], b. Wipsnade, Bedfordshire
   Mary King ,daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1834/5], Platter of straw, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Bethiah King, daughter, unmarried, female, 14 [1836/7], Platter of straw, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Ann King, daughter, female, 8 [1842/3], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Lewis Ellis, lodger, married, male, 20 [1830/1], Farm labourer, b. Stretly, Bedfordshire
   Hannah Ellis, lodger, married, female, 20 [1830/1], Platter of straw, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Matilda Ellis, lodger, female, 1m [1851], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

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 1015; Folio 89; Page 4, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Aley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James King, head, married, male, 52 [1808/9], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], b. St Albans, Hertfordshire
   Susan King, wife, married, female, 55 [1805/6], Straw plaiter, b. Whipsnade, Bedfordshire
   Bethia King, daughter, unmarried, female, 24 [1836/7], Bonnet sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Edward King, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1840/1], Ag[ricultural] lab[ourer], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Ann King, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1842/3], Bonnet sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Leticia King, granddaughter, female, 1m [1861], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

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 1568; Folio 27; Page 14, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Aley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James King, head, widower, male, 63 [1807/8], Lab[ourer], b. St Albans, Hertfordshire
   Thomas King, son, widower, male, 33 [1837/8], Lab[ourer], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth King, daughter, female, 12 [1858/9], Sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Matilda King, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

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 1653; Folio 135; Page 2, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Aley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James King, head, widower, male, 76 [1804/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   ~ [second household in same house] ~
   Walter Fountain, head, married, male, 17 [1863/4], Brick Maker, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Eliz[abe]th Fountain, wife, married, female, 22 [1858/9], Bonnet Sewer, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Eliz[abe]th Fountain, daughter, female, 4 [1876/7], b. Caddington, Hertfordshire

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 1275; Folio 133; Page 6, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Aley Green, Caddington, Hertfordshire
   3 rooms occupied
   Walter Fountain, head, married, male, 27 [1863/4], Brickmaker, employed, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Betsy Fountain, wife, married, female, 32 [1858/9], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Fountain, stepdaughter, single, female, 14 [1876/7], Straw Hat Finisher, employed, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Lillie Fountain, daughter, female, 9 [1881/2], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Frederick Fountain, son, male, 6 [1884/5], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   Rose Fountain, daughter, female, 4 [1886/7], Scholar, b. Caddington, Hertfordshire
   James King, lodger, widower, male, 83 [1807/8], b. St Albans, Hertfordshire

8. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   Registration District Luton
   1865 DEATH in the Sub-district of Luton in the Counties of Beds and Herts
   No.	When and where died	Name and surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered	Signature of registrar
   137	Ninth February 1895 Aley Green Caddington, Herts R.S.D.	James King	Male	86 years [1808/9]	Farm Labourer	Senile Decay Exhaustion Certified C.W. Beresford M.R.C.S.	X The mark of Thomas King Son Present at the death Aley Green, Caddington, Herts	Eleventh February 1895	Edward Barnard, Registrar

9.   Luton News
   21 Feb 1895.

   James King of Aley Green Caddington nr. Luton passed away 9 Feb 1895 age 87. He was an honest industrious and trustworthy man. One of the oldest people in Caddington, he lived to see the fourth generation of his family.