Person:Martha Walby (1)

Martha Walby was baptised on 17th June 1781 at Aston in Hertfordshire, the daughter of Alice Walby, formerly Wright, and her husband George Walby, a labourer.

On 9th October 1802, Martha Walby married Joseph King at Aston. He was from the neighbouring parish of Watton at Stone. They went on to have a daughter called Maria baptised at Stevenage in 1806 and a son called Bartholomew baptised at Aston in 1809. They then moved to Watton at Stone where they had a son John baptised in 1812, but who died as a baby early in 1813. He was followed by a son called Joseph in 1814 and a daughter Eliza in 1817, both baptised at Watton. Several of the children's baptisms describe Joseph as a labourer. Back in Aston, Martha's mother died in 1816 and her father died in 1821.

Some time between 1817 and 1838 Martha and Joseph left Hertfordshire and moved to London. Martha's two daughters were both married in the northern suburbs of London in September 1838. The 1841 census finds Martha and Joseph living at Whiskin Street in Clerkenwell, with Joseph described as a cow keeper. They also had living with them a Louisa Piddle, who was Martha's niece, being her sister Ann's daughter.

In April 1844, Joseph wrote his will. By that time they were living at 12 East Road, just off the City Road in the parish of Shoreditch. He described himself as a dairyman, and left his estate to Martha and his brother Thomas on trust to provide an income for Martha during her widowhood and after her death to be split between his four surviving children. Joseph died on 28th January 1845 at 12 East Street. He was about 59 years old.

By 1851, Martha was living at 17 Model Buildings, just off the Grays Inn Road and in the parish of St Pancras. She has not been found in the 1861 census - one possibility is that she was in nearby Islington, where one of the 1861 census books is known to be lost.

Martha later left London and returned to Hertfordshire, to Broxbourne, where her daughter Maria was the inn keeper of the King William public house. Martha died at Broxbourne on 16th May 1863, aged about 82. She was buried at Broxbourne.

1. ↑ Church of England. Aston Parish registers, 1558-1980. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   Baptized 1781: Martha Daugh[te]r of Geo[rge] & Alice Walby June 17

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 660; Book 5; Folio 24; Page 2, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Wiskin Street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex
   Joseph King, male, 50 [1786-91], Cow keeper, not born in county
   Martha King, female, 55 [1781-6], not born in county
   Rich[ar]d Flint, male, 20 [1816-21], M[ale] S[ervant], not born in county
   John Wicks, male, 15 [1821-6], M[ale] S[ervant], not born in county
   Tho[ma]s Rolfe, male, 15 [1821-6], M[ale] S[ervant], not born in county
   Louisa Piddle, female, 15 [1821-6], F[emale] S[ervant], not born in county
   Margarett Flint, female, 15 [1821-6], F[emale] S[ervant], not born in county
   Jo[h]n Crips, male, 15 [1821-6], M[ale] S[ervant], not 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 1495; Folio 514; Page 31, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: 17 Model Buildings, St Pancras, Middlesex
   Martha King, inmate, widow, female, 69 [1781/2], Annuitant, b. Aston, Hertfordshire

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

   d. Martha KING, June Quarter 1863, Ware Registration District, Volume 3a, page 137, aged 83 [1779/80]

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

   1863
   KING Martha
   Effects under £20.
   7 August.
   Letters of Administration of the Personal estate and effects of Martha King formerly of 12 East-road City-road in the County of Middlesex but late of the Parish of Broxbourn in the County of Hertford Widow deceased who died 16 May 1863 at Broxbourn aforesaid were granted at the Principal Registry to Maria Sears of the said Parish Widow the Daughter of the said Deceased she having been first sworn.

6. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Broxbourne Parish Registers, 1688-1907. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Broxbourne in the County of Hertford in the Year 1863
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   48	Martha King	Broxbourne Street	May 23d	83 [1779/80]	T.B.G. Moore