Genealogists' Forum - We have branches everywhere! - Who Do You Think You Are

Episode Synopsis

Nigel Havers was born in 1951. He has homes in London and Wiltshire and his wife's name is Georgiana. His parents were Sir Michael Havers, lawyer, MP, Attorney General and then Lord Chancellor, and Carol Lay. Sir Michael died over 20 years ago. Nigel's grandfather was Sir Cecil Robert Havers, the judge who sentenced Ruth Ellis to hang.

Nigel went to visit his father's older brother Tony Havers who is about 95 years old and lives in Hampshire. Tony had a family tree to show Nigel. Cecil Havers' parents were Daniel Havers and Agnes Sophia Buckingham. Agnes' parents were George S Buckingham and Elizabeth Hamblion, a couple who had 17 children, 14 of whom survived infancy. Tony showed Nigel a photo of Salisbury House, Unthank Road, Norwich, where the Buckingham family lived.
Nigel ordered a copy of Elizabeth Hamblion's birth certificate and found that she was born in Colchester on the 8th April 1841. Her parents were Henry Hamblion and Elizabeth Ann Ransome. Henry's occupation on the birth certificate was Driver. Nigel looked at the 1841 census which showed Henry's occupation as Hackney Master. There was also an older daughter Rosina age 2.

Nigel visited Colchester to find out about cab drivers in the 19th century. He was shown the Essex Standard from 1844 which had an advertisement for H & J Hamblion, who hired out horses and various carriages. J was Henry's brother Jeremiah Hamblion. Nigel was also shown a news report from the Ipswich Journal about a robbery on Mile End Road in London on one of Henry's drivers, and another report about a man who hired a horse and gig from the Hamblions, lied about where he was going, and failed to return the horse and gig.

Nigel was shown the minute book of the Colchester Association from 1846 stating that Henry Hamblion had joined as a new subscriber. His brother Jeremiah joined two years later. The association was an anti-crime organisation for local businesses and was known as "The Thieves".
Nigel was then shown a newspaper announcement of the dissolution of the Hamblions' partnership in 1850. This may have been due to Jeremiah's court appearances charged with "furious driving" and "wilful damage". Nigel also visited the street where Henry's livery stables used to stand, and a local business historian showed him the 1851 census entry where Henry, age 37, is the Innkeeper of the Brewers' Arms, with 12-year-old daughter Rosanna's occupation shown as Barmaid, although this is crossed out.

In 1864 Henry took over a business of "Railway and General Carrying", i.e transporting goods. But two years later he voluntarily had himself declared bankrupt, due to losses in his own business, and to him standing surety for his son-in-law John F Hum, builder, Rosina's husband. There was a newspaper report of John F Hum being imprisoned for debt, and a report from March 1867 that Henry Hamblion's creditors received £8,460.
The Essex Standard from Feb 1871 reported that the Provident Asylum Society, a kind of self-help insurance society for local business people, had voted to admit Henry Hamblion "on the Foundation" and commiserated on his "present affliction". They provided accommodation for him and his wife in the Society's house which was much better than the workhouse.

Nigel was shown Henry's death certificate - he died on the 17th Mar 1871 of a diseased heart,age 56. Henry's widow Elizabeth continued to live in the PAS home until her death in 1892 at the age of 79. Nigel visited the grave of Henry and Elizabeth in Colchester cemetery.
The 1881 census shows Elizabeth jr as the wife of George S Buckingham, shoe manufacturer employing 50 men.

Nigel then turned to his mother Carol's family. He went to Hertfordshire to see his mother's sister Manda (Amanda) Lay who gave him some information about the family. His grandfather was Stuart Charles Lay who owned a laundry, and his grandmother was Irene Wackett. Irene's mother was Elizabeth Couch who was born in Cornwall, the daughter of David Couch and his wife Maria Caroline. David was a miller and he and his twin brother Jonathan lived at Couch's Mill.

The 1851 census shows David and Jonathan both unmarried and age 28 living with their father [B]John Couch[B], the miller, age 62, and his wife Elizabeth. Nigel was told that David took over the mill from John and it then went to Jonathan. The mill was on the Boconnoc Estate, which was owned by the Fortescue family. Nigel went to visit the old mill with a local historian, who showed him a newspaper report from the Cornwall Gazette stating that an affiliation order was made against David Couch by Ann Bryant (one of the Couch family's servants on the 1851 census) and he was ordered to pay 2s 6d per week. This was maintenance for Ann's illegitimate child, of whom David was the father. Nigel was shown the death certificate for Eleanor Couch Bryant age 1 year, who died 15 Mar 1854 of inflammation of the chest.

Nigel was also shown the 1862 marriage certificate of David Couch and Maria Caroline Collins, a widow. The couple had four children, David Frederick, Elizabeth, Georgina Mary and a second Georgina Mary after the first one died age 21 months from a scalding accident. Nigel was shown the 1871 census entry for the family including John Collins, son in law (i.e. stepson).

The local historian then showed Nigel an entry in the Estate Steward's Diary relating to the death of David Couch in 1871 at the age of 48. This was the reason why Jonathan took over the mill. Maria left the area with her children.

Nigel visited the parish graveyard near the mill and saw John Couch's gravestone and David Couch's gravestone, which also had the name of his daughter Georgina Mary on it.