Albert Edward Coe 1869 –1931
Albert E Coe was born in Essex and registered under the district of Rochford in Q3 1869 vol 4a page 207. Rochford district covered the area of Essex to the North and West of and including the villages surrounding Southend.
The 1871 census shows the Coe family consisting of four children and living in Paglesham which is a small hamlet in the Essex marshes some seven miles north of Southend. The head of household is John who is a farmer of some considerable acreage. Albert appears to be the fourth child of the family, the oldest being Ann Maria who would have been born when her mother was about 25.
The photograph above shows the front portico of Stannets the family house as it now is in 2009. The building was apparently divided into two cottages centrally from left to right at the end of the 19th or the beginning of the 20th century. However it has subsequently been returned to its original design and is currently undergoing internal renovations
In 2009 I visited the old family home of Stannets in Paglesham. According to one of the few remaining farm workers I spoke to who has worked on the South Hall Farm estate all his life, the farm was owned by a Mr Davies prior to the late twenties and subsequently by a George Furze Perry a farmer from Cornwall between then and 1964 although he was not resident for all of this time. At some time between 1964 and 1997 Stannetts was owned and lived in by Digby Fairweather the acclaimed British Jazz trumpeter who started playing full time in 1977 after leaving his job as a librarian in Southend.
Returning to the history of Albert Edward Coe, the census taken in 1881 just 7 years before his marriage to Jane shows that Albert was a lad of 11 living with his mother and two sisters in Southend where his mother was running a lodging house. This is a significant change from the earlier farming entry. The Lodging House was on the South Side of Alexandra Street at number 7 which is now the location of Brook Street Employment Agents assuming that the buildings have not been renumbered..
Returning to the history of Albert Edward Coe, the census taken in 1881 just 7 years before his marriage to Jane shows that Albert was a lad of 11 living with his mother and two sisters in Southend where his mother was running a lodging house. This is a significant change from the earlier farming entry. The Lodging House was on the South Side of Alexandra Street at number 7 which is now the location of Brook Street Employment Agents assuming that the buildings have not been renumbered..
My researches into the Coe family show that all traces of them had left the village of Paglesham during the 1870’s. There are no Coe’s in the village in 1881, 1891 or 1901. Similarly any investigations into the family prior to 1841 involve looking at the records not only for Paglesham but also those of Canewdon as that seems to be where the family were prior to their occupancy of Stannetts.
I have obtained a copy of the marriage certificate for Albert and Jane nee Slowley for Jun 10th 1888. The marriage took place in Mile End which is the other side of the Thames in the East End of London.
I have obtained a copy of the marriage certificate for Albert and Jane nee Slowley for Jun 10th 1888. The marriage took place in Mile End which is the other side of the Thames in the East End of London.
The 1891 census shows that Albert Coe is now lodging in Vauxhall Lambeth with his wife Jane and their daughter Winniefred. Given that his occupation is Cab Driver and that in the 1890’s cabs were all horse drawn it is possible that he not only lodged but worked with his landlord who is shown as a farrier.
So the question is, how do we account for the change in location and fortunes of the Coe family during the mid to late 1800’s from farming to keeping a lodging house and also what happened to Albert’s father John?
We know from the Probate records that the farm property was leased but that John Coe left somewhere between £2000 and £3000 to his widow Maria Elizabeth, Albert's mother.
So how do we link the Albert E Coe who lived with his mother and sisters in Southend at least until 1881 with the Albert E Coe who appears in the 1891 census as a Cab Driver. Albert obviously had to find work and it appears from his marriage certificate in 1888 that he was a Coachman before becoming a Cab Driver. On the marriage certificate his fathers occupation is given as Cab Proprietor when we know that he was definitely a Farmer. This is an enigma for which I have no plausible explanation.
To help in confirming that they are one and the same person is the fact that he named two of his daughters Winniefred and Annis both of which were also the names of two of the daughters of John Coe of Paglesham who were undoubtedly Albert’s sisters.
What I have not been able to find is any reference to Albert Coe in the Mile End area of London. In 1881 he is in Southend and by 1891 he is married and living in Vauxhall. However we can fairly conclusively link his wife to Mile End and they were married in Mile End. As a Cab Driver he would have travelled extensively around London and could easily have met his future wife at any time during his travels. There is also no reason why he might not have been lodging somewhere in Mile End prior to his marriage in 1888
In the 1901 census Albert’s family has now expanded to include 5 daughters and a son.
The census for 1901 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
The census for 1911 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
Dorothy was married from this house in 1916 and with the availability of the 1911 census records we now know that she was living at 18 Robsart Street in that year and employed as a tailoress.
Albert E Coe died on 2nd January 1931 age 61 in Lambeth Q1 1931 vol 1d page 403. The death certificate shows us that he was still living at 18 Robsart Street at the time. It also tells us that his occupation at date of death was ‘Formerly Munition Worker’. He must have given up his job as ‘Cabman’ between April 1911 when the census was taken and his death in 1931.
We know from the Probate records that the farm property was leased but that John Coe left somewhere between £2000 and £3000 to his widow Maria Elizabeth, Albert's mother.
So how do we link the Albert E Coe who lived with his mother and sisters in Southend at least until 1881 with the Albert E Coe who appears in the 1891 census as a Cab Driver. Albert obviously had to find work and it appears from his marriage certificate in 1888 that he was a Coachman before becoming a Cab Driver. On the marriage certificate his fathers occupation is given as Cab Proprietor when we know that he was definitely a Farmer. This is an enigma for which I have no plausible explanation.
To help in confirming that they are one and the same person is the fact that he named two of his daughters Winniefred and Annis both of which were also the names of two of the daughters of John Coe of Paglesham who were undoubtedly Albert’s sisters.
What I have not been able to find is any reference to Albert Coe in the Mile End area of London. In 1881 he is in Southend and by 1891 he is married and living in Vauxhall. However we can fairly conclusively link his wife to Mile End and they were married in Mile End. As a Cab Driver he would have travelled extensively around London and could easily have met his future wife at any time during his travels. There is also no reason why he might not have been lodging somewhere in Mile End prior to his marriage in 1888
In the 1901 census Albert’s family has now expanded to include 5 daughters and a son.
The census for 1901 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
The census for 1911 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
Dorothy was married from this house in 1916 and with the availability of the 1911 census records we now know that she was living at 18 Robsart Street in that year and employed as a tailoress.
Albert E Coe died on 2nd January 1931 age 61 in Lambeth Q1 1931 vol 1d page 403. The death certificate shows us that he was still living at 18 Robsart Street at the time. It also tells us that his occupation at date of death was ‘Formerly Munition Worker’. He must have given up his job as ‘Cabman’ between April 1911 when the census was taken and his death in 1931.
Further research has identified that Albert Edward Coe was buried at Streatham Park Cemetery in square 17 plot 26424. On 28th March 2011 I visited the cemetery to try to find his final resting place. Amongst the family photographs I inherited when my father died was the following taken in 1931 so I felt that locating the grave should be a simple matter of finding the gravestone. Unfortunately it proved to be more difficult..
On arrival at Streatham Park I enquired as to whether they might have any record of an interment for Jane Adelaide Coe as I had been unable to find any record of her in the area of Sutton in Surrey which is where she died. I wondered whether she had been returned to Streatham to be buried with her husband. This is in fact the case and she is also interred in the same plot. I was directed to the area of the cemetery where I might find the grave and was advised that not all headstones were still in place and so it might be necessary to identify the location from the few remaining stones. I was looking for plot 26424 and at first could not see any that might help locate it. As the following image shows far more graves are unmarked than have the benefit of headstones. The area shown contains the remains of some 335 individuals and yet only a handful of monuments remain.
On closer scrutiny of the area where I should have found the grave I eventually discovered a more recently placed small wooden cross bearing the mark 20424A. This indicated that the plot which I sought was immediately behind it in the next row about half way along the hedge shown above at the right hand side of the photograph.
No headstone or other remnant of the 1931 photograph remained in that position but I was satisfied that I now knew where Albert and Jane were buried. On returning home and comparing the photograph I took of the believed location with that taken in 1931 I could confirm that I had indeed found the correct place as one of the few remaining headstones had a rope and anchor carving a feature which is clearly shown as the neighbouring grave in the earlier picture. In the row behind is the square topped grave of Annie Lilian Yates who was buried in 1929 and whose headstone still remains. An earlier grave one row further back with a stone cross atop the monument has now been replaced by the black headstones of more recant burials which show how plots are reused over time.
No headstone or other remnant of the 1931 photograph remained in that position but I was satisfied that I now knew where Albert and Jane were buried. On returning home and comparing the photograph I took of the believed location with that taken in 1931 I could confirm that I had indeed found the correct place as one of the few remaining headstones had a rope and anchor carving a feature which is clearly shown as the neighbouring grave in the earlier picture. In the row behind is the square topped grave of Annie Lilian Yates who was buried in 1929 and whose headstone still remains. An earlier grave one row further back with a stone cross atop the monument has now been replaced by the black headstones of more recant burials which show how plots are reused over time.
The neighbouring grave with the distinctive carving has received several occupants since 1931 as shown by the addition of further stonework at the foot of the monument visible in the 2011 photograph. The ropework on the hook of the anchor from the original carving has broken away. Unfortunately the monumental masonry for Albert and Jane is no longer in place. I have no way of knowing when it was removed but undoubtedly later than the date when Jane joined her husband in 1945. The final image shows the location as it is now with the few remaining memorials.
Jane Adelaide Slowley 1868 – 1945
I have traced a birth record for a Jane Adelaide Slowly 24th May 1868 in Mile End Q2 1868 vol 1c page 595 which is almost certainly the Jane who married Albert Coe in 1888 and who was living in Commodore Street at the time of her marriage.
I have traced a birth record for a Jane Adelaide Slowly 24th May 1868 in Mile End Q2 1868 vol 1c page 595 which is almost certainly the Jane who married Albert Coe in 1888 and who was living in Commodore Street at the time of her marriage.
The birth certificate shows us that she was born at her parents’ home 8 John Street Mile End 24th May 1868. Her father’s name is William Slowly who is a Twine Spinner and her mother is Elizabeth Slowly formerly Johnson.
I have checked the census for 1871 for the John Street area and there is no sign of the Slowley family. No 8 John Street is occupied by another family. The house in Commodore Street from which Jane was married in 1888 is only 1.4 miles from her birthplace in John Street.
I have not yet located a census entry for 1871 or 1881 for Jane Slowly
The 1881 Census for Mile End shows that the family living at 16 Commodore Street 7 years before Jane’s marriage were not the Slowleys. Therefore Jane must have moved into that address between 1881 and 1888. After her marriage in 1888 the next census in 1891 also shows yet another family residing at that address.
It is possible that Jane was lodging in Commodore Street and not living with her family
Details of Jane Adelaide Slowley’s ancestors can be found in the Slowley family chapter.
The census for 1901 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
The census for 1911 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
I have checked the census for 1871 for the John Street area and there is no sign of the Slowley family. No 8 John Street is occupied by another family. The house in Commodore Street from which Jane was married in 1888 is only 1.4 miles from her birthplace in John Street.
I have not yet located a census entry for 1871 or 1881 for Jane Slowly
The 1881 Census for Mile End shows that the family living at 16 Commodore Street 7 years before Jane’s marriage were not the Slowleys. Therefore Jane must have moved into that address between 1881 and 1888. After her marriage in 1888 the next census in 1891 also shows yet another family residing at that address.
It is possible that Jane was lodging in Commodore Street and not living with her family
Details of Jane Adelaide Slowley’s ancestors can be found in the Slowley family chapter.
The census for 1901 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
The census for 1911 is shown under Dorothy Jane Coe 1893 - 1975.
210 Collingwood Road Sutton
Jane Adelaide Coe died in Surrey Mid Eastern Q1 1945 vol 2a page 369.
Her death certificate shows that she died age 75 on 23rd January 1945 at 210 Collingwood Road Sutton, Sutton and Cheam. Her occupation is given as ‘Widow of Albert Edward Coe a Horsekeeper’. Her death was registered by her son A J Coe of 18 Burnside Crescent Chelmsford.
Her husband Albert had died some 13 years earlier when they were living in Lambeth.
Why she moved to Sutton is unclear. It is possible that she was living with one of her children but if that is the case then why was the death registered by Albert John Coe when it would have been reasonable to expect the person she was living with to have registered it. In view of this I suspect that she was living alone in Sutton.
As shown in the history of her husband above, she was actually taken back to Streatham and interred with Albert in Streatham Park Cemetery.
Her death certificate shows that she died age 75 on 23rd January 1945 at 210 Collingwood Road Sutton, Sutton and Cheam. Her occupation is given as ‘Widow of Albert Edward Coe a Horsekeeper’. Her death was registered by her son A J Coe of 18 Burnside Crescent Chelmsford.
Her husband Albert had died some 13 years earlier when they were living in Lambeth.
Why she moved to Sutton is unclear. It is possible that she was living with one of her children but if that is the case then why was the death registered by Albert John Coe when it would have been reasonable to expect the person she was living with to have registered it. In view of this I suspect that she was living alone in Sutton.
As shown in the history of her husband above, she was actually taken back to Streatham and interred with Albert in Streatham Park Cemetery.