Person:Sophia Atwood (1)

Sophia Atwood's origins have yet to be established, with no baptism or birth record having been found for her. As an adult she claimed to have been born around 1815 at Flamstead in Hertfordshire.

Sophia's first confirmed sighting is on 11th August 1835, when she had a son called Amos Atwood Dean, who was born at Great Gaddesden, immediately west of Flamstead. Amos's father was William Dean. Sophia and William were no married at the time of Amos's birth, but went on to marry eight months later, on 2nd April 1836 at Great Gaddesden. Amos was baptised the next day. The family's abode on his baptism record was given as Gaddesden Row, a hamlet to the east of Great Gaddesden, close to the border with Flamstead.

After their marriage, Sophia and William went on to have another ten children at Great Gaddesden between 1837 and 1856, although one died at the age of one in 1853.

Each census from 1841 to 1861 finds Sophia, William and their children living at Gaddesden Row in Great Gaddesden. Sophia worked as a straw plaiter, and William as an agricultural labourer.

William died in 1870, aged 60.

The 1871 and 1881 censuses find Sophia still living at Gaddesden Row with her children. By 1881 she was described as an invalid.

Sophia died in 1885, aged about 69.

1. ↑ 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 441; Book 2; Folio 17; Page 6, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   William Dean, male, 30 [1806-11], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Sopiah [sic] Dean, female, 25 [1811-16], Plater, born in county
   Amos Dean, male, 5 [1835/6], born in county
   Emanuel Dean, male, 3 [1837/8], born in county
   Emma Dean, female, 1 [1839/40], born in county

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 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 1715; Folio 450; Page 12, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   William Deane, head, married, male, 42 [1808/9], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sopiah [sic] Deane, wife, married, female, 35 [1815/16], Plaiter, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Amos Deane, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1834/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Emanuel Deane,son, male, 14 [1836/7], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Emma Deane, daugther, female, 12 [1838/9], Plaiter, b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Susan Deane, daughter, female, 9 [1841/2], Plaiter, b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Mary Ann Deane, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], Plaiter, b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Ester Deane, daughter, female, 5 [1845/6], Plaiter, b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Eliza Deane, daughter, female, 3 [1847/8], Plaiter, b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Geo[rge] Deane, son, male, 1 [1849/50], b. Gaddesden, Hertfordshire

3. ↑ 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 840; Folio 18; Page 5, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   William Dean, head, married, male, 51 [1809/10], Farm Labourer, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sophia Dean, wife, married, female, 45 [1815/16], Straw Plaiter, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Esther Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 15 [1845/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Eliza Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 13 [1847/8], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   George Dean, son, unmarried, male, 11 [1849/50], b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Ellen Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 7 [1853/4], b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Ann Dean, daughter, female, 5 [1855/6], b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire

4. ↑ 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 1388; Folio 18; Page 6, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: The Row, Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sophia Dean, head, widow, female, 56 [1814/15], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Esther Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 25 [1845/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Eliza Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 23 [1847/8], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Ellen Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1853/4], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Ann Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 15 [1855/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Ernest Dean, son, male, 3 [1867/8], b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1445; Folio 21; Page 13, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Gaddesden Row, Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sophia Dean, head, widow, female, 65 [1815/16], (Invalid), b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Esther Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 35 [1845/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Eliza Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 33 [1847/8], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire
   Sarah Ann Dean, daughter, unmarried, female, 25 [1855/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Great Gaddesden, Hertfordshire

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

   d. Sophia DEAN, June Quarter 1885, Hemel Hempstead Registration District, Volume 3a, page 313, aged 68 [1816/17]