The last resting place of the Reverend Fulcher who married most of the family
Providence was born on Tuesday 3 November 1846, her birth being registered 18 days later by Samuel CHILVERS, her father. The birth was registered with Edward Norris CLOWES, the attorney and solicitor in New Buckenham. Providence appears in the 1851 census as a 4-year-old.
The 1861 census throws up an interesting result. On the night of the census (7 April) Providence was away from home in Everetts Lane in East Harling in the home of an Ag Lab widower Thomas PARKER (aged 60) and his 14-year-old son, Thomas. Providence was herself 14. Read into that what you will.
Thirza, Providence's mother, died on 15 February 1865, and barely 4 months later Providence married in Old Buckenham Parish Church on Monday 5 June 1865 when she was 19. The groom was William BLACKBOURN, a 21-year-old miller. William's father, John, is shown on the marriage certificate as a labourer, but in 1851 he was a farmer of 80 acres, employing 3 men. There were 8 children in all, William being the 6th. The wedding was performed by the Perpetual Curate of Old Buckenham, Thomas FULCHER, who at the time was 64. There were three witnesses to the wedding, Providence's brother David (then aged about 20), his fiancée Alice YALLOP, and a Charles ALDOUS, who was a tailor and at 41 a bit older than the newly weds; whether Charles was a friend of the family (he appears in a number of other family weddings) or a church official is unclear.
We can trace Providence and William's story further from the 1871 census when the couple lived in Market Street, Attleborough. William was a Journeyman Miller Innkeeper. William was 26 and Providence 23. The children listed were Angelina aged 4 and Ambrose aged 2, both born in Old Buckenham. Florence, listed without a place of birth is shown aged 2 months. There is a Florence Louisa BLACKBURN born in the March quarter of 1871 (Vol 4b Page 270) in Wayland, correct for Attleborough. The couple also had lodging in the household a family called CARTER (William, an Ag Lab, and Elizabeth, both 25, and Henry (2) - Elizabeth was from Old Buckenham), and George and Mary HILL and their daughter Alice. This list of lodgers would make it appear that they had an inn, but no record is held of which.
The couple then appear to have moved to Islington in London, where William was born in about 1874 and Thurza on 30 April 1878 in Peabody Buildings. Unfortunately, Thurza appears to have died soon after her birth (June quarter 1878 Vol 1b Page 230).
At some point before the 1881 census (probably in 1880) William died, because Providence lived at South Block, Peabody Buildings, Islington, and is recorded as a 33-year-old widow. She was a charwoman, and Angelina recorded as a servant. Ambrose, Louisa (not recorded as Florence Louisa) and William are also in the house.
She married again just after Christmas on 28 December 1882 at Islington Register Office. The groom was Frederick MORRELL, a bachelor of 27 years old, eight years younger than Providence. He was a blacksmith living in Queensbury Street, Islington. The witnesses were a Mary Jane PUGH and James MICKLE. Providence and Frederick had two children, May Louisa Lilian MORRELL who was born on 28 December 1887 (exactly 5 years after she was remarried), and Beatrice Rose who was born in 1889.
In 1891 the family were living at 15 Ellington Street, Lower Holloway, Islington. Frederick MORRALL (changed from an "e" to an "a") is a 37-year-old omnibus fitter. He was stated to be from Cheltenham, and noted as being deaf. Frederick appears to be the son of John MORRELL, a cordwainer originally from Bridgewater in Somer set and his wife Elizabeth, a shoebinder from Cheltenham. And if you didn't know, a cordwainer made shoes of soft leather, as opposed to a cobbler who repaired them.
Ambrose W BLACKBOURNE is at home, a 22-year-old paper stainer, as also is William (16, a miller's assistant). Also at home are May L L (3, from Barnsbury) and Beatrice R MORRALL (6 months also from Barnsbury). They also have a lodger, a 20-year-old dressmaker from Salisbury, Kate WILKINS.
In 1901 the couple still lived at Ellington Street in Islington, London. The surname is again spelt MORRALL, and Frederick was recorded as being 48 years old, and the entry for occupation reads "General Labourer at LGOC", the latter being the London General Omnibus Company. He was shown as being born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and again is the note in the end column that he was deaf from birth. Providence was recorded as 58 years old. William BLACKBOURNE is living with the family, recorded as a Carman (basically a bus-driver, so he followed his step-father into employment with a forerunner of London Transport.
The two girls are shown as May (13) and Beatie (sic) (10), but interestingly there are now three boarders also shown: Harry PRIEST (28, a Mercantile Marine Seaman from Buckingham), William MOODY (20, a Gold Blocker Binder from London), and a mysterious Jakob HEIL (45, of unknown origin, and no quoted job!!).
Ambrose was married to Kate (31 from Hitchin in Herts, and probably Kate CHALKLEY) and the couple lived in 26 Crane Grove in Islington. Ambrose's occupation isn't completely clear but seems to be "Copper Stall Keeper". He is certainly however shown as working on his own account. They have 3 children: Constance (5), Ambrose (4) and Grace (1 month), all born in Islington.
Providence died on Saturday 20 June 1925, a widow living at 2 Ickworth Road, Quarrington, near Sleaford in Lincolnshire. Cause of death was recorded as Cerebral Haemorrhage; Herman MEYER, Beatrice's husband, was the informant.
Page last updated 25 January 2007
