Hammond, Mrs Elsie, nee Burton

Notes on Mrs Elsie Hammond, nee Burton

For interviews with her, see tapes 21 and 23


The Burton side of the family
The Burton side of the family

Father, Arnold Burton
Not born in Witham but came to Rivenhall as child to Hoo Hall cottage. His brother was born in Rivenhall. Worked in station maltings (later Hugh Baird) at first (including 1897 according to baptism register above). But then worked on railway and drove the van, 40 years, i.e. from age 30 to 70. Lived up Church Street. Died at 82 at Harold Wood.

Mother, Emily Elizabeth Burton (nee Caton)
Nee Emily Elizabeth Caton. Her father moved a lot for farm work. When she (Emily) was young they were in Hatfield Peverel at Whitelands farm and she went to Hatfield school. They were in a pair of cottages of which one was in Hatfield and one in Terling. She came to Witham in service, e.g. at Abrey’s or Gardner’s at 22, 24 or 26 Newland Street (not there in 1891 census). Died at 78.

Brothers and sisters
Six. Two brothers on railway.

School
Chipping Hill infants, Church Street, from three till seven.
Maldon Road, Board School. Left at 13; allowed to if perfect record for a year.

Church
Baptised and married St Nicolas church (Anglican) but went to Sunday School at Congregational; mother changed to that for small reason.

Jobs
Pinkham’s glove factory (1 Chipping Hill) from age of 13 to 24. Helped organise a strike for higher wages. For part of time when to Chelmsford as supervisor in a Pinkham’s factory there.

Married
26 December 1924.

Husband
Cecil Hammond. Born July 1898. From Suffolk. Came to Witham after coming out of the army after the First World War. Was working as a shunter on the railway in Stowmarket and then got moved here.

Residences
Brought up Chipping Hill terrace, 100-134 Church Street; during that time moved within the terrace to slightly bigger house.
1924 on, after marriage, at 4 Rickstones Road, new bungalow built for them, they bought it. Then sold it.
Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, about 2 years, when moved there from Witham for work.
Rooms at Totham while Mr H working in Maldon.
Colchester briefly.
1932-c.1962, rented house in Easton Road from Mr Mondy.
c.1952, bought 13 Chalks Road from Mr Mondy. Couldn’t move into it for ten years till Mrs Kidd, who was living in it, died aged 98.
Later, 11 Birch Close, bungalow adapted for Mrs Hammond’s arthritis.

Children
Son and daughter. Son was John Hammond of 36 St Nicholas Road (died c 2004)

Extracts from relevant documents.

1871 census
RG 10/1696, f.115, p.19, schedules 28 and 29, Pointwell Lane, Little Coggeshall
George Burton    Head    Mar    41    Coachman    born Essex, Little Coggeshall
Eleanor Burton    Wife    Mar    41        born Essex, Great Tey
George Burton    Son    Unm    15    Groom    born Essex, Little Coggeshall
Ellen Jane Burton    Dau    Unm    13        born Essex, Little Coggeshall
Henry Burton    Son        6        born Essex, Little Coggeshall
Alice May Burton    Dau        4        born Essex, Little Coggeshall
//
Samuel Burton    Head    Widr    73    Agricultural labourer    born Essex, Little Coggeshall

1881 census
RG 11/1808, f.52, p.19, schedule 105, Gate House, Rivenhall [next schedule is Hoo Hall]
George Burton    Head    Mar    51    Groom and gardener    born Essex, Little Coggeshall
Maria Burton    Wife    Mar    41        born Suffolk, Rushmere
Arnold Burton    Son        7    Scholar    born Essex, Layer Breton
Cordy Burton    Son        2        born Essex, Rivenhall
Alice Burton    Dau        14    Scholar    born Essex, Little Coggeshall

1891 census
RG 12/1425, f.57, p.23, schedule 143, 10 The Terrace, Church Street, Witham
George Burton    Head    M    61    Gardener    born Essex, Coggeshall
Maria Burton    Wife    M    51        born Suffolk, Rushmere
Arnold Burton    Son    S    17    Agricultural labourer    born Essex, Layer Breton
Cordy[?] Burton    Son        12    Agricultural labourer    born Essex, Rivenhall

Catons in censuses
1871 census
RG 10/1495, f.68, p.23, schedule 148, Witham [location not given, next to Rail Cottage]
William Caton    Head    M    49    Farm labourer    born Essex, Wimbish
Eliza Caton    Wife    M    51        born Essex, Saling
Joseph Caton    Lodger    M    25    Farm labourer    born Essex, Shalford
Jane Caton    Lodger    M    26        born Essex, Wigborough

1881 census
RG 11/1809, f.142, p.17, schedule 85, Whitelands Cottages
Joseph Caton    Head    Mar    34    Agric lab    born Essex, Shalford
Jane[?] Caton    Wife    Mar    35        born Essex, Wigborough
Emily Caton    Dau        9    Scholar    born Essex, Lt Braxted
Alice Caton    Dau        5    Schoilar    born Essex, Terling
Albert Caton    Son        3        born Essex, Hatfield Peverel
Percy Caton    Son        1        born Essex, Hatfield Peverel

1891 census
[the only Catons in Witham – the ones Joseph and Jane were lodging with in 1871]
RG 12/1425, f.26, p.21, schedule 130, Maldon Road, Witham
William Caton    Head    M    67    Cowman    born Essex, Wimbish
Eliza Caton    Wife    M    72        born Essex, Gt Saling
Frederick W Caton    Grandson    S    18    Assistant gardener Domestic    born Essex, Gt Braxted

1891 census
RG 12/1424, f.48, p.22, schedule 162, Ford Farm, Rivenhall
Emily Caton    Servt    S    19    General domestic servant    born Essex, Gt Braxted
with Thomas Speakman, farmer, and family, and a governess

Marriage certificate, 1896
31 October 1896, at St Nicolas church, Witham.
Arnold Burton aged 22, bachelor, labourer, of Witham, son of George Burton, gardener
Emily Elizabeth Caton aged 24, spinster, of Witham, daughter of Joseph Caton, labourer

Baptisms, Witham
5 December 1897    Edith Emily    Arnold and Emily Elizabeth     Burton    Chipping Hill    Maltster labourer
15 April 1900    Elsie Agnes[?]    Ditto    Burton    Chipping Hill    Stableman
12 January 1902    Albert William    Ditto    Ditto    Witham    Carman
Register ends 1907. In any case, they switched to the Congregationalists at some stage.

1901 census returns (RG 13/1725, folio 59, page 9, schedule 59, Church Street)
Arnold Burton    Head    Mar    27    Railway carter (worker)    born Essex, Layer Breton
Emily E Burton    Wife    Mar    29        born Essex, Little Braxted
Edith E Burton    Dau        3        born Essex, Witham
Elsie A Burton    Dau        1        born Essex, Witham


2 thoughts on “Hammond, Mrs Elsie, nee Burton”

  1. I am trying to find out more about my grandmother, Gertrude Annie Hammond, born c 1893 in Witham. Her father was George, I think, and she always told me she was in service at a Vicar’s house as was her father. She was a cook, he was a gardener. Any help with this would be very welcome. Thank you!

    1. Mrs Hammond was a Burton.I didn’t talk much to her husband Cecil, so don’t know much aboout the Hammonds, except that there were quite a lot of them. Have you tried census returns – quite a lot of companies give access to those, and provide indexes. I hope you find them OK

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