Thomas and Annie Staples

You can now view Marriage Certificate online.

From Raven's Roots

George Albert Staples Dossier

George's (Percy's brother) file now available. Viewing 5 pages of 19.

G Staples Dossier

Frank Ernest Staples Dossier

Frank's (Percy's brother) file available now. Viewing 7 pages (complete file - 8 pages)

F Staples Dossier

Percy Staples Dossier

Percy's war file is now available for viewing. (7 pages of 30)

P Staples Dossier

War Service Records

In the very humble beginnings of my research, before I even worked out how to trace births, deaths and marriages, I stumbled across the National Archives and the data kept by the Australian War Memorial. (Links to both in sidebar) Here I was able to find service records for ancestors. In the beginning I found next to none, but as the files were ever so slowly digitised and made available, I was able to track down records for more and more people. Over the span of the past 2 - 3 years, I have been able to download a number of these documents and over the coming weeks, I will endeavour to make them available via the Web Album. Due to space restrictions, not all data will be loaded. If you are interested in complete copies, please contact me.

Picasa Web Album now launched!

Yep! I finally organised a Web Album where I can upload documents and photos for viewing. This way, you can view stuff you are interested in without bogging down the blog loading time. So, here it is...

http://picasaweb.google.com/jo.s.ravenwolf

Have only loaded a few things so far - much, much more to come!

Fulstow Early History

My Boss at work recently loaned me a book entitled "Fulstow - A History of A Marsh Village" by The Fulstow History Group, 2001. Fulstow is a small village near Louth and they have much in common. Here are a few tidbits concerning general early village life, and changes up to the mid 1900's. Hope you find it as interesting as I did. Larger blocks of information have separate posts, which, for ease, can also be accessed via hyperlink.

Click here for map of the area of Fulstow and Louth.

Early roots

pg 9. "...main occupation of the day was saltmaking ... this industry ... was extremely large ..."

pg 11. "Lawbreakers would often have to suffer the humiliation of being put in the villages stocks. The use of stocks as a means of punishment died out after 1830."

pg 13. "Sheep rearing was one of the most important occupations of the Marsh and Wolds. Wool from the Lincolnshire Longwool sheep was highly prized by foreign merchants. They came from all over Europe to Louth via Saltfleet Haven."

pg 13. Mud and Stud Cottages.

pg 14. Canal Trade

pg 14. "... in 1819 the ownership of [Fulstow] had fallen into the hands of a few landowners. The award, drawn up in 1817, shows the main landowners to be Sir Joseph Banks with 693 acres, ......"

pg 16. Brickmaking.

pg 17. "Another essential industry ... was milling. ... an important part of village life throughout the centuries. Everyone took his or her grain to the mill for grinding."

pg 17. Churches and Chapels.

1800's to 1900's

pg 36. "In 1842 there was ... a blacksmith, farrier, nailmaker, three brick makers, a joiner, a wheelwright, a shoemakers and cornmiller ... vicar, schoolmaster and surgeon/registrar ... three shops: grocer, a grocer cum draper and tailor, and a butchers ... two public houses in the village: Lord Nelson and Cross Keys ... a [third] The Ship at Fire Beacon."

pg 36. "By the end of the nineteenth century ... a machine maker, carter and three carriers ... hire a thrashing machine ... Veterinary Surgeon ... Post Office ... Sexton..."

pg 47. "Almost all of Fulstow's houses would have a reasonable size garden attached to their property. Here they would produce much that was required to make life comfortable during the hard winter months. Quite often they would be able to supplement their income by selling surplus produce at the local Markets." (most of the Staples were Market Gardeners!)

pg 48. "... 1920's ... local newspaper ... The Louth Advertiser ..."

pg 23. Schools.

pg 28. Carriers.

pg 29. "The Cross Keys was a favourite halfway house for coaches taking people on excursion from Cleethorpes to Hubbards Hills in Louth."

pg 29. "In 1930 public transport was by the Silver Queen Motor Bus Company daily between Louth and Grimsby."



pg 29. "Public transport in the 1940's ... three buses a day that ran between Fulstow, Louth and Grimsby ... a three-coach steam train ran between Louth and Grimsby daily. This was used by people from Fulstow and pupils who went to the Grammar School in Louth. The railway closed to passengers in 1963."

WWI

pg 56. "A Zeppelin was sighted over the village ... on its way to Grimsby."

WWII

pg 57. "... Lancaster Bombers ... would circle over Fulstow to gain height before setting off for their targets in Germany ..."

pg 57. "... German plane dropped a land mine on a field at Manor Farm ..."

pg 57. "... 1942 a JU 88 was shot down at North Thoresby. The pilot was killed."

pg 57. "[23 Dec] 1943 [two] Lancaster bombers [collided] over the north side of the village ... flying at ... 12,000 feet ... both crews were killed and the wreckage was spread over a large area of the Marsh."

pg 58. "...various Prisoners of War. Italian prisoners worked on the land at Waingrove Farm. The German prisoners were brought from nearby Donna Nook to work on the land too."

Carriers

"In the early part of the nineteenth century few people would need to leave the confines of the village. They worked on the land or in local businesses. Only the farmers or businessmen would travel away from the village. Transport was by horse and cart or the canal, which could be reached at Fulstow Bridge or the more common Fire Beacon.

Carriers would transport goods to the markets at Louth and Grimsby. By 1856 jasper Capes went to Louth and Fras. Robinson and Edward Storr to Grimsby. In 1876 George Phillips visited Grimsby on a Friday. Edward Storr carried to Louth on Wednesdays and Saturdays and Philip & William Robinson on Wednesdays. The carrier could transport any surplus produce to Louth Market for sale in the Corn Market, known locally as the Stones. He would bring back goods ordered by the villagers.

One of the Carriers to Louth, around the early 1900's, was Jim Wright. (rel. of Christiana?) He supplemented his income by keeping sheep.

Commodities such as bricks, grain and produce could be transported to other areas by means of the Louth Navigation. Goods were loaded or unloaded at the wharf at Fire Beacon where there was a public house called The Ship. Farmers and local producers could gain access to many parts of the country via the canal system. It was possible for goods to be shipped abroad via Grimsby, Boston and Hull.

By 1848 the railway had reached Grimsby from Boston. A station had been built on the Ludborough Road about a mile from the village. It now meant goods could be transported quicker than ever. It was possible for villagers to reach Louth or Grimsby Markets in a very short time.

The railway eventually replaced the canal as the main means of transporting goods to and from the village. However, it took nearly 50 years for this to happen."

pp. 28-29 "Fulstow A History of A Marsh Village" by the Fulstow History Group.

Fulstow Schools

"... there was a school in the village by 1842 ... In 1866 a National School was built at the cost of 250 ... room for 90 pupils ... 1894 a school Board was established ... In 1870 and 1889 there is a reference to the Fulstow C of E School & Church School Fulstow ... Children went to the village school from the ages of 5 to 14 years. However, in 1940 it changed to a primary school and pupils over the age of 11 went to Waltham Toll Bar Senior School. ... School's Log Book gives us an insight into the early days of Fulstow School.

Jan 6th 1873 - many of the younger children are ill through cold & diphtheria etc. William Rushby died yesterday

Sept 22nd - 26th 1873 - Poor attendance this week as many children are busy with the harvest & gleaning, which is late due to the rains

Jan 1875 - New ventilation system the same as St James School Louth was costed at 20 shillings, put to the Rev. Garthorpe for consideration

April 1875 - The end of half year which shows no increase in school fees over last year

May 16th 1879 - Attendance very low the weather making it impossible for children to come

May 20th 1879 - Photographs of the children taken attendance up to 87.3 %

Feb 22 1883 - Scarletina on increase but the average attendance is over 60

Nov 7th 1883 - Mrs. Grantham's children refused admittance until the school fees are paid

Nov 20th 1886 - James Horton refused to obey orders and was left standing in the corner of the room for the whole afternoon. 1 left the room for a minute or 2 and found he had walked off. Mr. Horton visited it was decided to give a lesson rather than a caning

Jan 14th 1898 - Lower standard taken in comprehension as 2 of the class were 3 minutes late they where kept after school for 15 minutes

1893 - 1 Days holiday for Christmas, children promised a week after exam if attended well

July 1914 - Attendance very low due to Chicken pox, Whooping Cough & ring worm 36/60

July 28th 1915 - 2 Scholars were punished lightly, in morning along with others for bad work Mother kept them away in afternoon & sent them to play in the hayfield. The majority of parents in this village are like that.

Jan 1930 - the Dentist & Nurse extract teeth from seven children (no gas was brought) thirteen more are awaiting treatment

Jan 1939 - Gas Mask arrived at school, children made boxes & packed respirators

July 1956 - Mr. & Mrs. Nurrish sent each child 6d. School closed tomorrow for village fair"

pp. 23-24 "Fulstow A History of A Marsh Village" by the Fulstow History Group

Fulstow Churches and Chapels

In 1219 the Church of St Lawrence was built in the Early English style commonly known as Gothic. It was valued at 16 marks (£11) in 1251, and £14 in 1341. In 1615 repairs were carried out. During the 1720's the tower collapsed and in 1867 part of the church wall collapsed and was rebuilt in 1868. Little of this church remains today.

In 1810 the Methodist chapel was built and it closed during the 1930's.

By 1836, there was a second chapel, a Primitive Methodist Chapel. It was the largest of all three chapels and still stands today.

Between 1842 and 1856, a third chapel was built for the Wesleyan Reformers. In 1882 they were known as the Free Methodists, by 1889 they had reverted to being the Reformers, and by 1919 were known as the United Methodists. It also closed during the 1930's.

Information from "Fulstow A History of A Marsh Village" by the Fulstow History Group.

Fulstow Canal Trade

"In 1767 the Louth Navigation was opened to traffic from Tetney (small village to the North) to Firebeacon. (just East) The road from Fulstow to Marshchapel crossed the canal by a Horse Bridge. At this point the canal was narrowed to around 17 feet, just wide enough for a sloop or keel to pass through. A swing bridge was constructed from local timbers. Boats could stop and load or unload goods for the two villages ... The coming of the canal would boost trade in the locality and goods brought in from abroad via Hull would be available to villagers. It also opened trade with the Yorkshire area allowing coal to be brought in and the export of locally produced wool and grain to be taken to the mills.
A report of 1828 shows that the land adjoining the canal was owned by Lady Banks and Kidd Carter."

pg.14 "Fulstow A History of A Marsh Village" by The Fulstow History Group.

Fulstow Mud and Stud Cottages

"... houses were of the Lincolnshire Mud and Stud variety. They were either earth fast or box framed. The top of the studs was mortised together by timbers. Other horizontal timbers were fixed between the studs and hedgerow branches nailed in place to form a type of lath work. Mud from the surrounding area was mixed with chopped straw and then plastered onto the laths. This was done in a series of lifts so that the walls did not collapse. Whilst the resulting mud wall was still wet, sieved loam was mixed with water and plastered onto its surface. While still damp the walls were painted with a Limewash mix to waterproof them. A timber and mud chimney was constructed in the centre of the house and the roof finished off with straw thatching."

pg 13 "Fulstow A History of A Marsh Village" by the Fulstow History Group.

Fulstow Brickworks

The 1841 census shows 24 year old Thomas Wright (Percy Staples' Uncle's Father in Law) living with his parents and younger brother in North Thoresby, a small village approx. 3 km Northwest of Fulstow. His occupation is listed as Bricklayer. It is quite likely that he either used bricks made at the Fulstow brickworks (they had a reputation for very high quality bricks) or that there may have also been a brickworks in North Thoresby itself.

The following is an excerpt from "Fulstow - A History of a Marsh Village" which describes in detail the brickworks in Fulstow.

"During the late 1700's bricks were brought up the canal and unloaded at Firebeacon and transported to the village. However, it was not long before a local Brickmaking industry sprang up in many of the surrounding villages to meet the increasing demand.

Fulstow was no exception and soon Brickmaking was established. By 1842 there were three Brick and Tile makers listed in the village. They were Susanna Blythe, Benjamin Smith and Robert Waller junior. In White's Directory of 1856 we find only William Blythe and Benjamin Smith recorded.

These brickworks were to the north of the village and the large ponds mark the sites where clay was extracted for the brickmaking. Clay was dug by hand and sieved to remove any objects such as stones. It was then taken to the brickmaker who forced the clay into moulds. The wet clay was removed and the green brick, as it was known then, laid to dry in the open. Straw was often spread over them to prevent rain from damaging the soft bricks.

After a period of drying the bricks were loaded into the kiln and the door sealed and the ovens fired allowing the hot gasses to circulate. Once the bricks had been fired the kiln was left to cool and the bricks unloaded ready for use on the local buildings.

A good brickmaker could produce around one thousand bricks a day. If he had the help of a boy this could be increased to two thousand a day. The kilns could fire between twenty thousand and fifty thousand a time. However the firing process took around fourteen days. Two days filling, three days curing, two days to bring to full temperature, a day at full heat and then three or four days to cool down and a further one or two days to empty.

The early bricks produced in Fulstow were, like other brickyards, of varying quality. The well-fired bricks came out a fine brown colour, however, there were bricks not fired enough and they would be a pink colour and not suitable for external purposes. This did not stop the bricklayers from using them on outside walls, as a look at some of Fulstow's older houses will show.

Bricks overfired would come out black or over burnt. These too were used in many of the houses in the village. Not all stones were removed and it is possible to spot these in the bricks.

The drying process also left its mark. Straw imprints are to be found as well as the marks where one green brick was laid over another and forced an impression into them. You might even be lucky enough to find the thumb or finger impression of a Fulstow brickmaker in a brick.

The Kilns used in Fulstow were the Down Draft type. The kiln was rectangular with a domed roof. The grates were either side and when lit the hot gasses were drawn up the sides and down from the roof through the hearth and out the chimney thus cooking the bricks.

Brick production was during the summer period. The fine clays were dug in the autumn and allowed to weather over the winter period and then the springtime saw brick production begin.

During the late nineteenth century brick production improved and we see a better quality brick with a smoother surface being introduced. These bricks are slightly larger than their predecessors and weather far better.

However, brick production in Fulstow was not to last. With the commercial production of bricks by larger concerns springing up all over the country in the early twentieth century the end for village brickworks was not far off. Fulstow's brickyards closed in the 1930's but their legacy can still be seen by the many older houses in the village."

Tree Outline

Just a rough outline of the tree as it stands at the moment. Names not italicized have detailed posts with information. Direct lineage shown in bold green.

Michael Staples (b. 1786) m. Susannah ? (b. 1806) (This info. was taken from the 1841 census conducted in East Kirkby - Spilsby, Lincolnshire, which did not designate positions in household - Michael may have been Susannah's husband or father-in-law or other relative. There is an age difference of 20 years between them - while this is not uncommon, it may mean that Michael was not her husband, or if he was, she may not be his first wife. Any research will have to be conducted from Parish records. Any records prior 1837 not available online)

1. William (b. 1830, East Kirkby - Spilsby) (Great Great Grandfather)
2. John (b. 1832, East Kirkby - Spilsby)
3. Thomas (b. 1835, East Kirkby - Spilsby)
4. Robert (b. 1837, East Kirkby - Spilsby)
5. Sampson (b. 1840, East Kirkby - Spilsby) (This birth certificate will verify parents names - on order soon)

William Staples (b. 1830, East Kirkby - Spilsby) m. (1851, Louth) Mary Roberts (b. 1816) (this was her second marriage)

1. Hannah (b. 1843, Legsby) (father as yet unknown - searching for Mary's prev marr.)
2. John (b. 1845, Market Rasen) (another from poss. prev. marr.)
3. Elizabeth (b. 1850, Linwood) (again from prev. rel.)
4. William (b. 1852, Louth) (William and Mary's first child together)
5. George (b. 1855, Louth) (George's tribe in blue)
6. James (b. 1857, Louth) (Jame's tribe in red)
7. Thomas (b, 1861, Louth) (Great Grandfather - Thomas' tribe in green)
   

George Staples (b. 1855, Louth) m. (1873, Louth) Mary Jane Upton (b. 1853, Louth) daughter of John Upton (b. 1825) and Jane Thompson (b. 1827) (m. 1846, Lincoln) (Jane Thompson was the daughter of Joseph Thompson (b. 1797) and Sarah ?? (b. 1795)) George and Mary Jane emigrated to Australia after they were married, and lived in Brooyar, Qld. This is where they were when their sons James and Arthur enlisted for the Australian Imperial Forces and fought in WWI. During the war, Mary Jane is listed as living in Newmarket House, Louth, and James took leave to work with George in the fruit harvest in Louth. Much more research to be done.

1. James Albert (b. 1895, Louth) (WWI)
   
2. Arthur Henry (b. 1888, Louth) (WWI)
   

James Staples (b. 1857, Louth) m. (1877, Louth) Christiana Wright (b. 1856, North Thoresby - Louth) daughter of Thomas Wright (b. 1817) and Eliza Walker (b. 1824) (m. 1846, Louth)

1. William Wright (b. 1881, Saltfleetby, St. Peters - Louth)
2. Thomas (b. 1883, Saltfleetby, St Peters - Louth)
3. Charles ( b. 1886, Saltfleetby, St Peters - Louth)
4. James Herbert (b. 1888, Saltfleetby, St Peters - Louth)
5. Christopher ( b. 1891, Saltfleetby, St Peters - Louth)

Thomas Staples (b. 1861, Louth) m. (1882, Louth) Annie Good (b. 1861) daughter of William Good.

1. John William (b. 12 May 1883)
2. Nellie (b. 12 Jan 1885)
3. Elizabeth (b. 15 Apr 1886)
4. Annie (b. 3 May 1887)
5. Sarah Jane (b. 1890)
6. Thomas Henry (b. 25 Feb 1891)
7. George Albert (b. 31 May 1892)
8. Frank Ernest (b. 1893) (WWI)
9. Mary (b. 28 Mar 1895)
10. Percy (b. Aug 1896, Louth. d. 29 Oct 1947, Qld) (WWI) (Grandfather)
11. Ida (b. 30 Apr 1898)
12. Charlotte (b. 6 Nov 1899)
13. Walter Charles (b. 12 Mar 1901)
14. Leonard Lincoln (b. 30 Jan 1903)
15. Arthur Bertie Cyril (b. 28 Mar 1907) (WWII)

The child lists and family information given here are by no means complete, there is still much research to do. This is simply a list of information I have to hand to date.

Fifeshire

Annie and her kids departed London 1st June 1897 and travelled to Brisbane aboard the Fifeshire.

Details of the Passenger List are as follows:

Ship's Name: Fifeshire
Master's Name: G. Ross
Tons per Register: 2426
Where Bound: Java, Brisbane and Queensland Ports (Rockhampton, Townsville, Mackay, Cairns)

Port of Embarkation: London

Name - Occupation - Age

Annie Staples - Married Woman - 38
Nellie - Child - 11
Elizabeth - Child - 10
Annie - Child - 9
Alice Maude - Child - 7
Janey - Child - 6
Thomas Henry - Child - 5
George Herbert - Child - 4
Frank Ernest - Child - 3
Mary - Child - 2
Percy - Infant - 1

Notable absences from the list are Annie's husband Tom and their 14 year old son, John. It is assumed they were home in Brooyar, Queensland, tending the farm.

It is said that as Percy was so young (10 mths) leaving him behind with family in Louth had been considered.

Thomas and Annie Staples

Thomas Staples and Annie Good were married at the Register Office in Louth, Lincolnshire, on 20th December 1882. (GRO Index Ref. Louth Vol 7a Pg 1178)

Details listed in the Marriage Entry are as follows:

Thomas Staples, aged 21, Bachelor, Gardener, living at 34 Mt Pleasant, Louth. Father, William Staples, Gardener.

Annie Good, aged 21, Spinster, living at Ramsgate, Louth. (Only two streets across from Mt Pleasant) Father, William Good, Farm Labourer, Deceased.

Witnesses: Bernard Mooney and Mary Jane Staples (Tom's sister-in-law)

Date/ Details of emigration as yet unknown. However, their first child, John, born 5 Dec 1883, was born in Queensland. Therefore, they must have sailed very soon after the wedding.