Mansfield Genealogy

5 March 2018

 

 

 

 

MANSFIELD family tree

MANSFIELD family summary

MANSFIELD ancestor chart

 

 

Dr Geoffrey Mann
geoff.mann@btinternet.com
home page

     

2. Alice MANSFIELD

3 Francis MANSFIELD 1854-1933

4 James MANSFIELD


spouse's records

m Frances Rebecca YOUNG 1877

 

 

image of Frank Mansfield

 

 

Francis Mansfield was born in 1854 in the heart of Bethnal Green where his father and grandfather were wheelwrights.  Francis was baptized in nearby St Leonard's Shoreditch on the same day as his older brother James. He was always known as Frank.

 

Frank enlisted as a boy in the Navy when he was 16, the consent form signed by his mother.    He trained for two years at Portsmouth before joining HMS Shearwater, a Royal Navy survey ship bound for the Indian Ocean. After one year however he served 42 days in gaol for insubordination, first in Cape Town and then in Mauritius. He left the Navy 6 months later and is said to have arrived home with a hand of bananas when nobody knew what they were, followed by a coloured girl with a parrot claiming to be his wife. In Bethnal Green he followed family tradition by becoming a wheelwright and three years later, he married Frances YOUNG at Kirtlington in Oxfordshire.  Probably they met after Frances had left her home village to work in Bethnal Green,

 

At the time of their marriage in 1877, Frances' father James was a carman in Bethnal Green and by 1881, Frances had taken over the business in Canrobert St, and was now a master carman, ie one who owned the carts or carriages driven by others. They had eight children in ten years after their marriage living first in Mape St then in Seabright St, but only two survived childhood. Their first child was buried at Kirtlington, the other at Tower Hamlets cemetery. 

 

The Carman's business continued in Bethnal Green until 1901. Family tradition has it that Frank’s business was eventually ruined by his wife's addiction to drink.  The carman's trade however was increasingly competitive at this time and facing competition from buses and this probably played a significant role in the end of Frank’s business.  The family moved briefly to Walthamstow where Frank continued as a cab-driver, and then to Camden Town where Francis returned to his old trade of wheelwright, and daughter Alice was married.

 

Francis remained in Camden Town until his wife died in 1925, when he moved to Manor Park to live with his daughter Alice, visiting his other daughter Helena every Sunday for lunch.  He remained there until he died in 1933.

 

Frank’s granddaughter Nellie SHORT remembered him as a tall upright man, with fair hair, always impeccably dressed (though his Naval record shows he was only 5’8”.  He was scarred on his face when the cab horse he was riding, bolted and went into a tram.  When living at Manor Park, he had his own downstairs room, and seemed a happy man, often singing, playing cards, and a musical instrument in Coverdale Church Band; he told exciting stories from his time at sea.

 

 

 

 

 

EVENTS

 

 

           age

   DATE   FM RY

 

                       EVENT

 15Jun1854     

17Jul1854     

 3Apr1861  6  

16May1870 16  

 2Apr1871 16  

15Feb1873 18  

13Mar1874 19   

11Aug1874 19   

18Apr1877 23 21

31Jul1879 25 23

    c1880 26 24

 3Apr1881 26 24

    c1884 29 27

     1888.33 31

 5Apr1891 36 34

c    1900 45 43

31Mar1901 46 44

c    1902 47 45

21Dec1902 47 45

    .1903 48 46

16Dec1925 70 69

c    1926 71  

27Aug1933 79  

Frank born at 4 Holybush Place; parents James, a wheelwright, and Mary Ann

Frank christened at St Leonards Shoreditch; father a wheelwright at 40 Holywell Lane

census: at 36 Wilmot St, Bethnal Green with family

enlisted in the Navy as a boy on HMS Fisguard at Woolwich (mother signed consent form)

on training ship in Portsmouth Harbour

ten year Naval service commenced on HMS Shearwater

served 42 days in gaol at Cape Town and Maurutius for insubordination

left the Royal Navy; dismissed or desrted

married at Kirtlington; Frank was a wheelwright of Bethnal Green

dau Alice born at 7 Mape St; Frank was a carman

son Frank born

census: at 7 Mape St with 2 children; Frank a master carman

dau Helena born

first listed in PO directory as carman at 1a Seabright St, Bethnal Green Rd

Frank, a master carman, at 1½ Seabright St with wife, two daughters and Francis' sister from Kirtlington

gave up carman’s business and moved to Walthamstow

Frank was a cab-driver at Walthamstow, living with wife and two daughters

moved to Camden Town

dau Alice married at Camden Town; Frank was a wheelwright

Frank listed in PO directory as wheelwright at Kings Place, King St, Camden Town

wife Frances of 18 Hawley Crescent St Pancras died at 199 Dartmouth Park Hill from stroke

Frank went to live with daughter Alice at 49 Durham Rd Manor Park

Frank, of 49 Durham Rd, died at Central Home Leytonstone

 

 

 

PRINCIPAL RECORDS

 

 

b=born  m=married  d=died

C=Christened      B=Buried

 

BIRTH

 

From census marriage and death certificates, Francis was born c1854 in Bethnal Green son of James.  This is sufficient to identify the following certificate and baptism at Shoreditch St Leonards

 

b 15Jun1854 Francis, boy, at 4 Holybush Place; father: James MANSFIELD, wheelwright; mother: Mary_Ann MANSFIELD formerly NEWMAN

r 26Jul1854 at Church, Bethnal Green, MDX by Mary_Ann MANSFIELD, mother, of 4 Holybush Place, Bethnal_Green

 

C 17Jul1854 b 11Jun1854 Francis s James & Mary_Ann MANSFIELD, 40 Holywell Lane, wheelwright; at Shoreditch St.Leonards

 

note difference between christening address and birth/registration address, though the baptism took place between birth and registration; almost certainly the explanation is that Holybush Place was home; the father’s wheelwright's business was in Holywell Lane

 

on enlistment in the Navy on 15Feb1873, Francis gave his birthdate as 15Feb1855, ie appearing to enlist on his 18th birthday though he was actually 18 & 8 months.

 

MARRIAGE

certificate:

 

Francis MANSFIELD bch 23, wheelwright of Bethnal_Green & Frances_Rebecca YOUNG spr 21 of Kirtlington

fathers: James MANSFIELD, carman; Thomas YOUNG, mason; witness: Benjamin_YOUNG; Martha_x_YOUNG

m 18Jun1877 at St Mary's Kirtlington OXF after banns

 

DESCENDANTS


Baptisms at St Jude, Bethnal Green to Francis and Frances MANSFIELD


C  4Aug1878 b 12Jul1878 Florence Rebecca 90 Canrobert St Bethnal Green; Francis was a carman

C 30Jan1881 b 31Jul1879 Alice            30 Canrobert St; carman

C 30Jan1881 b 10Jan1881 Frank            30 Canrobert St; carman

C 23Apr1882 b  6Apr1882 Minnie           30 Canrobert St; carman

C 13Apr1884 b 18Mar1884 Eleanor          30 Canrobert St; carman registered 2Q1884 as Helena

C  5Apr1885 b 16Mar1885 Frank            30 Canrobert St; carman

C 17Apr1887 b 25Mar1887 Mary Ann         30 Canrobert St; carman

Birth Certificate

b 31Jul1879 Alice MANSFIELD girl at 7 Mape St; f:Francis MANSFIELD carman; m: Frances Rebecca MANSFIELD formerly YOUNG

r 10Sep1879 at Church, Bethnal Green, MDX by F R MANSFIELD mother of 7 Mape St Bethnal Green

Burial at St Mary Kirtlington

B 26Feb1880 Florence Rebecca 1yr 8mns dau of Francis and Frances Mansfield

Burials at Tower Hamlets Cemetery; children of Francis and Frances Mansfield

B 26Jan1882 Frank        7 Mape St Bethnal Green
B  1Mar1883 Minnie 10 1/2 yrs [error for months?] 17 Mape St Bethnal Green
B 22Apr1886 Frank        1 1/2 Seabright St Bethnal Green
B 13May1888 Mary Ann 13m 1 1/2 Seabright St

 

The 1911 census states that 8 children were born 2 surviving; the 8th child has not been identified

DEATH

certificates:

 

d 16Dec1925 Frances Rebecca MANSFIELD female age 69, of 18 Hawley Crescent, St.Pancras, wife of Francis MANSFIELD wheelwright

            at 199 Dartmouth Park Hill from cerebral haemorrhage

r 17Dec1925 by Helena SALMON daughter of 111 Fortess Rd, St.Pancras at North St.Pancras, LND

 

d 27Aug1933 Francis MANSFIELD male age 79, formerly wheelwright of 49 Durham Rd, East Ham

            at Central Home, Leytonstone from cystitis and carcinoma

r 28Aug1933 by T.W.SHORT son-in-law of 49 Durham Rd, Manor Park at South Leyton, West Ham, ESX

 

CENSUS

1861 36 Wilmot St, Bethnal Green RG9/258 f 35

 

James      MANSFIELD   he mar 32  1828    wheelwright                                     Bethnal Green

Mary Ann   MANSFIELD   wi mar 31  1829                                                    Bethnal Green

Deborah    MANSFIELD   da     10  1850                                                    Bethnal Green

James      MANSFIELD   so     8   1852                                                    Bethnal Green

Francis    MANSFIELD   so     6   1854                                                    Bethnal Green

 

1871 Portsea Town; HMS Martin (training ship) in Portsmouth Harbour

Francis MANSFIELD boy 2nd class single 17 [1854] Bethnal Green

1881 7 Mape St Bethnal Green RG11/425 f75 p8

 

Frank      MANSFIELD   he mar 26  1854    master carman                                   Bethnal Green

Frances    MANSFIELD   wi mar 24  1856                                                    Kirtlington OXF

George     MANSFIELD   br     12  1868    scholar                                         Bethnal Green

Alice      MANSFIELD   da     2   1878                                                    Bethnal Green

Frank      MANSFIELD   so     1   1879                                                    Bethnal Green

John       WILLOUGHBY  lo unm 22  1858    ostler                                          Whitechapel

 

1891 Bethnal Green, 1½ Seabright St,   RG12/265/12 f 88

 

Francis    MANSFIELD   he mar 37  1854    cab proprietor (groom); employer                Bethnal Green

Frances    MANSFIELD   wi mar 35  1856                                                    Kirtlington OXF

Alice      MANSFIELD   da     11  1880    scholar                                         Bethnal Green

Helena     MANSFIELD   da     9   1882    scholar                                         Bethnal Green

Martha     BADSEY      vi mar 47  1844    dressmaker                                      Forest Hill OXF; neither

John       HARRIS      he mar 56  1835    fishmonger; neither                             Bethnal Green

Sarah      HARRIS      wi mar 48  1843                                                    Carfew {Corfu?} British subject

Agnes E    CONEY       sd sin 21  1870    general servant domestic  sd=stepdaughter       Shoreditch

 

Mansfield family had 4 rooms occupied; Harris family had 2 rooms

NOTE: Martha BADSEY (nee YOUNG) was a sister of Frances

 

1901 Walthamstow Essex, 115 Clacton Rd   RG13/1623 f 41

 

Francis MANSFIELD he mar 46 1855 cab driver                   worker     London, Bethnal Green

Frances MANSFIELD wi mar 44 1857                                         Oxford, Kirtlington

Alice   MANSFIELD da sin 21 1880                                         London, Bethnal Green

Helena  MANSFIELD da sin 17 1884 upholsterer (trimming)       worker     London, Bethnal Green

 

next to: Charles 25 & Annie HOWARD 23 and son, carpenter, b New Chesterton, Cambs

also   : Maria HOMIG 56 b Germany and 2 children Arthur 27, Anna 15, both b London

1911 18 Hawley Crescent, Camden Town

Francis MANSFIELD he mar 57 1854 cab driver  worker        Bethnal Green
Frances MANSFIELD wi mar 55 1856 8children 6died 2living   Oxford
Helena  MANSFIELD da sin 27 1884 waitress                  Bethnal Green

OTHER

Naval Records at TNA

 

1. from ADM 139/1025   (index of names)

                   born  CS no.  ship enlisted

James MANSFIELD   1852  8441B   Fisgard          FE(=first engagement)

Frances MANSFIELD 1855 11859B   Fisgard          FE

[CS=Continuous Service]

 

2. from ADM 139/919  (Continuous Service Record)

 

Francis MANSFIELD born Bethnal Green MDX 15Feb1855

height: 5’2¼”

complexion: fair

hair: dark brown

eyes: grey

marks: none

 

enlisted HMS Fisgard no.267 16May1870;  boy 2nd class

engagement commenced 15Feb1873 for 10 years

 

certified fit by John MacDonald staff surgeon [the printed words on the form include: “a well-grown stout lad of perfectly sound and healthy constitution, free from all physical malformation, and intelligent”]

 

signed Francis MANSFIELD

witness T,J[?]Tanner  N.Schoolmaster

 

Parents Consent Form signed by Mary Ann MANSFIELD and Francis MANSFIELD 13May1870 at Woolwich

in margin:  height 5’2¼”   chest: 30¼”

 

Mary Ann, James and Francis Mansfield all signed with a good handwriting

 

3. from ADM 188/46 362, 363 Register of Seaman's Service


Francis Mansfield b15Feb1855 London, Middlesex engaged 15Feb1873 for 10 years
height: 5'8 5'6, hair:light brown, eyes:hazel, complxion:fair
letters FM on right arm, tatoo marks both arms, trade:blacksmith
Ship: Shearwater
 1Jan73 - 28Feb73 character: [tick]
 1Mar73 - 13Mar74 character: [tick]
24Apr74 - 11Aug74 character:  Bad
Breakwater gaol Cape Tn 42 days District gaol Mauritius
Insubordination dismiss object character

There are records [not seen] of desertion dated 1874

Kelly PO Directory:

 

Frank MANSFIELD 1881 no entry

Frank MANSFIELD 1889,1894,1897,1902 carman at 1a Seabright St, Bethnal Green Rd

Frank MANSFIELD 1903 wheelwright at Kings Place, King St, Camden Town

Frank MANSFIELD 1905 no entry

 

 

 

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