Person:John Field (70)

John French Field was baptised on 5th June 1814 at Cassington in Oxfordshire. He was the illegitimate son of Ann Field. The following year she married a John French. Given young John's middle name (which was quoted at his baptism) it seems reasonable to assume that he was John French's son, although it worth noting that as an adult young John continued to use French as a middle name and Field as his surname.

By 1837, John had left Oxfordshire and moved to the London area. On 19th February 1837, aged 22, he was married at the church of St John of Jerusalem in Hackney to Sarah Cassanet. They went on to have five children together between 1838 and 1845. The first two children were born in Shoreditch, and the other three back in Hackney. The 1841 census finds John, Sarah, their children and Sarah's elderly father living at Wood Street (later renamed Rossington Street) in the Upper Clapton area of Hackney. Later records give their full address as 2 Wood Street. John worked as a carpenter.

In October 1845 John was involved in an altercation with a young man dangerously hitting bushes with a loaded gun. John tried to apprehend the man and stop him, but there was some form of skirmish and chase between them (the newspaper reports differ slightly in their accounts), which involved the gun being fired, with the side of John's head being caught in the blast. John was not so badly injured that he couldn't continue trying to restrain the man, eventually managing to do so when others came to his aid. The man was brought before the magistrate and evidence at the initial hearing seemed fairly clear that the man had deliberately shot at John. By the time the case came to court in front of a judge and jury a couple of weeks later, John seems to have been less robust in his evidence, no longer wishing to press the case. Accordingly the man was found not guilty.

John and Sarah stayed living at 2 Wood Street for some time, appearing there in both the 1851 and 1861 censuses with their children. In 1861 John was described as a builder and undertaker. In 1865 John was the victim of a burglary when two men broke into his workshop and stole ten pounds' worth of tools.

In 1871, John, Sarah and two of their children were living at 18 Grange Road, in the Comberton Road area of Upper Clapton in Hackney. At the time, despite only being relatively recently built, that street was being partially demolished to make way for the new Chingford branch railway line, which would open the following year. A couple of lines after John and Sarah's house in the census, a note records that the numbers jump from 17 Grange Road to 9 Grange Road where "Houses pulled down for Railway".

Sarah died in 1876 in the Shoreditch area, aged seventy.

Just under three years later, John married again. His second wife was Sarah Ann Tilbrook, and they married at St John of Jerusalem in Hackney (which had been rebuilt since John's first marriage there) on 1st June 1879. Sarah was nearly thirty years his junior.

The 1881 census finds John and Sarah living at 254 Kingsland Road in Shoreditch.

John died on 9th August 1883, after collapsing in the street in Queen's Road, in the Dalston area of Hackney. He collapsed opposite the Middleton Arms, where he was taken, but he had died. An inquest was held, where it was said that he appeared to have died from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. He was 69 years old. His second wife Sarah survived him.

1. ↑ Baptisms register, in Cassington, Oxfordshire. Parish Registers (Oxfordshire History Centre).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Cassington in the County of Oxford in the Year 1814
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   18	June 5	John French base born son of	Ann	Field	Cassington	-	S. Stanton

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 700; Book 11; Folio 7; Page 8, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Wood Street, Hackney, Middlesex
   John Field, male, 25 [1811-16], Carpenter, not born in county
   Sarah Field, female, 30 [1806-11], born in county
   Sarah Field, female, 3 [1837/8], born in county
   John Field, male, 8 months [1840], born in county
   Ann Payne, female, 12 [1828/9], F[emale] S[ervant], born in county
   Peter Cassanet, male, 79 [1761/2], Ind[ependent], French

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 1503; Folio 267; Page 68, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: 2 Wood Street, Hackney, Middlesex
   John Frenchfield, head, married, male, 37 [1813/14], Master Carpenter Employing 1 Man, b. Cassington, Oxfordshire
   Sarah Frenchfield, wife, married, female, 40 [1810/11], b. Bethnal Green, Middlesex
   Sarah Ann Frenchfield, daughter, female, 12 [1838/8], Scholar, b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   John Frenchfield, son, male, 10 [1840/1], Scholar, b. Shoreditch, Middlesex
   Jane Frenchfield, daughter, female, 9 [1841/2], Scholar, b. Clapton, Middlesex
   Peter Frenchfield, son, male, 7 [1843/4], Scholar, b. Clapton, Middlesex
   Henry Frenchfield, son, male, 5 [1845/6], Scholar, b. Clapton, Middlesex

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 153; Folio 51; Page 4, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 2 Wood Street, Hackney, Middlesex
   John French Field, head, married, male, 46 [1814/15], Builder & Undertaker, b. Cassington, Oxfordshire
   Sarah Field, wife, married, female, 54 [1806/7], b. Bethnal Green, Middlesex
   Peter French Field, son, male, 17 [1843/4], Merchants Clerk, b. Clapton, Middlesex
   Henry French Field, son, male, 16 [1844/5], Apprentice to his father, b. Clapton, Middlesex

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 325; Folio 56; Page 49, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 18 Grange Road, Comberton Road, Hackney, Middlesex
   John F. Field, head, married, male, 56 [1814/15], Carpenter (Master), b. Cassington, Oxfordshire
   Sarah Field, wife, married, female, 64 [1806/7], b. Bethnal Green, Middlesex
   Peter F. Field, son, unmarried, male, 27 [1843/4], Clerk in Silk Merchant, b. Clapton, Middlesex
   Sarah A. Field, daughter, unmarried, female, 32 [1838/9], Dress Maker, b. Hackney, Middlesex

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 405; Folio 31; Page 1, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 254 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, Middlesex
   John Field, head, married, male, 66 [1814/15], Carpenter, b. Cassington, Oxfordshire
   Sarah A. Field, wife, married, female, 37 [1843/4], b. Punwell [sic], Essex

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

   d. John French FIELD, September Quarter 1883, Hackney Registration District, Volume 1b, page 289, aged 68 [1814/15]

8. ↑ Hackney and Kingsland Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, Monday 13 Aug 1883.

   INQUESTS.
   SUDDEN DEATH. - On Saturday Mr. Collier held an inquest at the Mermaid Inn, Mare street, on John French Field, 2, Queen's road, Dalston, who fell down in Queen's road, and died shortly afterwards, on Thursday evening. Mrs. Field, widow of the deceased, said he left home on the evening named to do some work at a neighbouring house, and she did not see him again alive. He had enjoyed good gealth generally, but complained sometimes of lumbago. Mrs. Bathsheba Watson, 1, Albert road, stated, she saw the deceased fall down in the Queen's road, opposite the Middleton Arms; he staggered and fell to the ground. Witness informed Mr. Barber, chemist, who lived near, and he rendered all the assistance he could, until Dr. Hunt arrived. Deceased was then taken into the Middleton Arms. Dr. J.W. Hunt, 101, Queen's road, stated that upon examination he considered death resulted from the rupture of a blood vessel, causing an effusion of blood to the brain. Verdict, 'Death from natural causes.'

9.   Morning Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 7, 17 Oct 1845.

   WORSHIP-STREET.
   Philip Ernst, a youth about 19 years of age, was placed at the bar, before Mr. Combe, charged with having wilfully and maliciously discharged a gun, loaded with shot, a Mr. John French Field, a master carpenter, residing in Wood-street, Clapton, with intent to do him some grievous bodily injury.
   The prosecutor, one side of whose head was covered with adhesive plaister, stated that at a quarter to five o'clock on the preceding afternoon, whilst passing through a lane leading to Temple Mills, Homerton, he observed the prisoner, who was carrying a gun at full cock, a few paces before him, a beating the bushes with the stock of the weapon, the muzzle of which was pointed in the direction of witness's person. On remonstrating with him upon the dangerous manner in which he was handling the gun, the prisoner assailed him with abusive epithets, and desired him to my his own business. Witness then intimated to the prisoner his intention to convey him at one to the residence of Mr. Lowe, the owner of the adjoining field, and ascertain whether he had authorised him to carry such a weapon upon his property; to which course the prisoner assented, and having uncocked the piece, proceeded quietly with him for a short distance, when he started off in a contrary direction. Witness sharply pursued him, and was gaining rapidly upon him, when the prisoner suddenly stopped at a distance of about ten yards from him, and raising the gun to his shoulder, without uttering a word, took deliberate aim at his head and discharged the piece. By a rapid motion of the head, which caused his hat to fall off, he fortunately escaped receiving the full charge of the gun, but experienced a stunning sensation above the right temple, and instantly fell to the ground. On recovering his self-possession he again pursued and overtook the prisoner, who immediately levelled a violent blow at his head with the barrel of the piece, but witness warded it off with his hand, the back of which had received a severe contusion. He then closed with the prisoner, and after a sever contest they both fell, and continued struggling upon the ground for nearly ten minutes, when two men came up to his assistance, and the prisoner was eventually secured.
   In cross-examination by Mr. Vann, who attended for the prisoner, the prosecutor stated that after the latter had been captured, he expressed his regret at the transaction, and declared it to have been accidental, but that he made no previous observation to that effect.
   Mr. Wm. Thompson, a licensed victualler, in Morgan-street, Commercial-road, stated that while passing down the lane, accompanied by a man who was in his service, he saw the prosecutor engaged in a desperate encounter with the prisoner upon the ground, and the former called out for assistance, as he was so faint from loss of blood that he could hold the prisoner no longer. Observing a gun upon the ground, which had evidently been recently discharged, he immediately took possession of it, while his servant secured the prisoner, whom they afterwards conveyed to the police-station.
   Mr. Garrod, the divisional surgeon, stated that he had been sent for to the station to attend the prosecutor, and found upon examination that he had sustained a very sever laceration on the right side of the scalp of about an inch and a half in extent. The injury, in his opinion, had evidently been caused by the full charge of the gun obliquely striking the head, and glancing off from the bone, after tearing away that portion of the integuments. He did not anticipate any immediate danger from the injury the prosecutor had received, but could pronounce no decided opinion upon the result in his present condition.
   The gun, a long and old-fashioned fowling-piece, with a barrel resembling that of an American rifle, was produced by Serjeant Gilliver, together with a packet of mixed small and swan shot, which he had found upon the prisoner's person.
   Mr. Vann addressed the magistrate on behalf of the prisoner, and submitted that the prosecutor, having no authority whatever to pursue and arrest him in the manner he had done, was clearly engaged in the commission of an illegal act, and that, therefore, even if death had resulted from the prisoner's resistance to the caption, according to numerous cases in books, it would have amounted to no more than justifiable homicide.
   Mr. Combe expressed his opinion that the position of the Learned Gentleman was altogether untenable, but it was a question which must be reserved for the consideration of the judge before whom the case would be tried. He, himself, considered the case a most deliberate and malicious act of shooting with intent to inflict a grievous injury, and the animus by which the prisoner was actuated had been rendered doubly manifest by his subsequent attack upon the prosecutor on his attempting to secure him. He should, therefore, order the prisoner to be committed to Newgate for trial upon the charge, but as the depositions could not be completed that day, he must be brought up again for that purpose.
   Mr. Vann strongly urged the magistrate to accept bail for the prisoner's appearance, but the application was peremptorily refused.

10.   London Evening Standard, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 7, 4 Nov 1845.

    CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT, Nov. 3.
    OLD COURT.
    (Before the COMMON SERJEANT.)...
    William Ernst was indicted for maliciously shooting John French Field, with intent to murder him.
    Mr. Clarkson defended the prisoner.
    John French Field, was passing near the Eastern Counties Railway when he met the prisoner. Some words passed between them, and as he was going away he heard the report of the gun, and felt himself struck by the shot. He fell, but he was able to stop the prisoner, and grapple with him. He was then given into custody,
    Mr. Clarkson, in cross-examination, elicited from the witness that he did not wish to press the case, as the gun might have been discharged with a view to frighten him. The surgeon who was called said the wound was exceedingly slight.
    Mr. Clarkson shortly addressed the jury for the defence, and the learned Common Serjeant having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.

11.   London Evening Standard, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 5, 3 Jan 1865.

    CAPTURE OF HOUSEBREAKERS.
    Thomas Dearman, 22, a seaman, and Alfred Haggis, 18, seaman, were indicted as follows: Breaking into the workshop of John French Field, and stealing therein 16 planes and other articles, the property of the said John French Field. Thomas Dearman was also indicted for stealing two spades and other articles, the property of Richard Foster.
    The prisoners pleaded guilty.
    The prosecutor in the first case was a carpenter residing at No. 2, Wood-street, Upper Clapton, and had workshops at Nursery-place, Brook-street, Clapton. On the 8th of December he saw those workshops safe, and upon going there on the following morning he found the lock of the door broken off, and the door open. Upon going into the workshop prosecutor missed 10 planes and other articles, value 10l. The prisoners had been lurking about when the prosecutor was leaving his shop.
    Robert Jarrett, 279 N, said on the 9th inst. he apprehended the prisoner Dearman. He said he knew nothing about it. He afterwards apprehended Haggis. He (the prisoner) said, "It's no use denying anything now." A police serjeant examined the premises of the prosecutor, and found footmarks in the fresh dug up earth of the garden corresponding with the boots of both prisoners.
    A Witness proved advancing 5s. to the prisoner Dearman upon some of the tools stolen from the prosecutor's shop.
    Upon the other indictment, the prisoner Dearman pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a gardener's shed, in Grove-lane, Stamford-hill, and stealing two spades and other articles, value 14s.
    Serjeant Gardener, of the N division, proved seven convictions against the prisoner Dearman, ranging from 1857 to 1862, one of them being in that court, and he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for burglary.
    The Assistant Judge said his career would now be stopped for a considerable time, and sentenced him to be kept in penal servitude for seven years, and the other prisoner, who appeared to have been taken in by him, to six months' hard labour.
    The Prisoner Dearman said he thought he was taken in now.