Notes on: George and Mrs Doll Hayes (nee Bright, George’s wife), and Ada (Sis) Hayes, George’s sister
See the tapes in the interview category numbered 18, 19, 24 and 25, for George and Doll, and 55 for Sis.
Born
George 15 September 1904, Church Street, Ada c 1905, Church Street.
Doll, nee Bright, 23 February 1903, probably Fairstead, family at Westocks Farm
Relatives – George’s family
David Hayes, father of George and Sis:
Born at Wangford or Woodbridge in Suffolk. His grandmother kept the Grapes public house at Woodbridge. He was in the Boer War. Then he became a signalman at Hatfield Peverel and then moved to Witham. He lived to 90.
Maria Edith, Mother of George and Sis
Was a Smith, from Church Street Witham, and lived to 88, died 1971.
George’s family
George and Sis were the only two children in their family.
Relatives, Doll’s family
She had three younger sisters, Laura, Edie and Violet. Their mother died when Doll was sixteen and their father put out this advert
The housekeeper who came proved dishonest, and left. So Doll brought up the younger children herself.
Children
George and Doll had one son, Ian, born about 1926, also known as Jim.
Residences
1904-1905 George and Sis born in Church Street at about number 30.
1916 they moved with their parents to 11 Chalks Road, and Sis stayed there after their parents died. Sis became lame and they think she had got lead poisoning from paint etc when they decorated the house and it affected her arms and legs so she spent some time in hospital and was always lame after that.
1926 George and Doll moved to 8 Chalks Road when they married.
School
George and Sis. Chipping Hill Infants then National School, Guithavon Street.
Married
George and Doll married 1926.
Essex Weekly News, 22 January 1926
Wedding. – The marriage of Mr D G Hayes, only son of Mr and Mrs D Hayes, Witham, and Miss Dorothy Priscilla Bright, eldest daughter of Mr A Bright, Fairsted, took place at Fairsted Church on Saturday. Canon F W Galpin, R D , rector of Faulkbourne, officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, was dressed in a navy rep two piece costume. She was attended by Miss V Bright, sister of the bride, and the Misses Dot, and Cathie Smith, and Gladys Hayes, cousins of the bridegroom, each of whom wore a peach-coloured dress and mob cap, and carried a bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums. Mr H Brooks was best man. At the close of the servicee the bells rang out a merry peal. A reception followed at the bride’s home. The couple were the recipients of many choice presents.
Work – George
c 1917?, when first left school, looking after chickens at MacLaren’s. 6 shillings a week.
c 1917?-1918 On railway as refreshment boy. 10 shillings a week.
c 1918 Hoffmans engineering works, Chelmsford, as apprentice.
c 1920 Crittall’s window factory at Witham, when it first started. Three months out of work in 1921-22. Then back. There 47½ years altogether, then made redundant.
Work – Sis
George said she worked at the glove factory when she first left school, though she didn’t remember it herself.
Then she went to Hoffman’s in Chelmsford c 1918 when George was there.
Stopped because of illness.
Then about 1938 as cashier in Fuller’s butcher’s shop in Witham for thirty odd years, till age of 63.
Work – Doll
Paid work not mentioned, but was in Red Cross for c.21 years, 1934/35 to 1956 and ended up as Commandant.
Extracts from relevant documents
1881 census
This is probably David Hayes, George and Sis’s father, at the age of 1
RG 11/1809, f.?, ED 6. page 4, Hatfield Peverel
Louis Hayes Head Mar 26 Signalman to G E Railway born Suffolk, Wangford
Sarah Hayes WIfe Mar 25 born Suffolk, Woodbridge
Louis Hayes Son 6 Scholar born Suffolk, Woodbridge
William Hayes Son 4 Scholar born Suffolk, Woodbridge
David Hayes Son 1 born Suffolk, Woodbridge
1891 census
This is probably David Hayes, George’s and Sis’s father, at the age of 11
RG 12/1425, f.79, page 9, schedule 66, 3 GER Station, Hatfield Peverel
Louis Hayes Head Mar 36 Signalman GER born Suffolk, Wangford
Sarah Hayes Wife Mar 35 born Suffolk, Woodbridge
William Hayes Son S 14 Agricultural labourer born Suffolk, Woodbridge
David Hayes Son S 11 Scholar born Suffolk, Woodbridge
Herbert Edward Hayes Son S 9 Scholar born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Henry James Hayes Son S 8 Scholar born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Maurice Hayes Son S 6 Scholar born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Albert Hayes Son S 4 Scholar born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Percy Hayes Son S 2 born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
1901 census
Can’t find David Hayes, George and Sis’s father. The following are probably their grandparents
RG 13/1725, f.59, p.10, schedule 69, Church Street, Witham
Louis Hayes Head M 46 Railway porter born Suffolk, Wangford
Sarah Hayes Wife M 45 born Suffolk, Woodbridge
Henry J Hayes Son S 18 Thatcher born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Maurice Hayes Son S 16 Hay binder born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Albert Hayes Son S 14 Errand boy (Chemist’s) born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Percy Hayes Son S 12 born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Ellen Hayes Daur 9 born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Ernest Hayes Son 8 born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Frederick Hayes Son 6 born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Free BMD online gives the following marriage
January, February, March, 1904, Braintree District
David Hayes married Maria Edith Smith.
The following might be George’s mother
RG 13/1725, f.50, p.25, schedule 177, Avenue Road, Witham
Edith Smith Servt S 18 Cook (domestic) born Essex, Witham
With Frank Hemming, Stock dealer, stock exchange, and family
1911 electoral register
David Hayes, Church Street.
Essex Weekly News, 26 May 1916
page 5 (from xerox). Military Tribunal re exemptions from conscription. Chairman Hon C H Strutt. ‘Shortage of plumbers. Exemption was sought for William A Mills, 25, Great Totham, fitter and sanitary engineer, employers Messrs Lewis and Son, Witham; and Maurice Hayes, plumber and fitter, Witham, employer Mr Wager. It was stated that Witham was very short of plumbers; and Mr Wager said that as his son had gone he might as well close the shop if Hayes went also, as he did a lot of work, which he (Mr Wager) was not now able to do very well owning to failing eyesight. Mills was granted three months postponement and Hayes four months.
Essex Weekly News, 22 March 1918
page 6, col 3. Witham Tribunal. ‘Temporary exemption … Maurice Hayes, 33, plumber and fitter, employers Messrs Wager and Son, three months; Walter H Ellis, 19, single, C3, boot repairer, employed by his father, 6 months; Arthur J Horner, 35, veterinary surgeon, Witham, six months’.
1920 electoral register
Maurice Hayes, Ada Hayes, Church Street.
David Hayes, Edith Miria Hayes, 1 Diamond Terrace, Chalks Road (later 11 Chalks Road)
1930 electoral register
David George Hayes, Dorothy Priscilla Hayes, 8 Church Street.
David Hayes, Edith Miria Hayes, Ada Elizabeth Hayes, 11 Church Street.
Braintree and Witham Times, 20 August 1931, page 5
Police courts. William Henry Hills of Great Braxted applied for ejectment order against George Hayes, re ‘cottage and garden’ in Chalks Lane. Mr Hills said George was a tenant when he bought it seven years ago. Rent was 30s a month. Notice was given three months ago to leave, Hills wanted to occupy it himself. Mr Tinsley, appearing for George Hayes, Hills agreed with him that George was formerly a quarterly tenant. Recently George had paid 3s 4d additional rates. Tinsley raised legal objection, and said fact that rent totalled over £20 a year put the case ‘into the jurisdiction of the court’. Application not granted.