Information about the Corvans in Australia is very thin on the ground, but the biggest problem is a period of seven years between 1856 and 1863, during which I can find absolutely no sign of Anthony and his family.
There are several "perhaps" sightings, when it is a definite possibility that the 'Corvan' family name has undergone another evolution to 'Carven' or 'Carvan':
In the Victorian Gazette of 1857, part 4, there is an entry for "E. Carven" in a list of "Outstanding Accounts- Accounts unpaid at the Sub-treasury, Beechworth, 31st August, 1857."
In the Victorian Gazette of 1858, Part 5, there is a similar entry:
"At the Receipt and Pay Office, Maryborough- Outstanding Accounts now lying at the Pay Offices of the Treasury: A.E Carven".
The "A.E" initials indicate to me that this is a reference to our Anthony...the name 'Anthony' in itself isn't particularly common in the 1850s-60s, and the continual use of 'Edward' or the initial 'E' by our Anthony Corvan becomes a great help in tracking him through the misspellings of the Corvan name.
In the Argus newspaper on two occasions in May of 1859 ( May 21st and 26th) the following notice was placed in the "Missing Friends, Messages &c" section:
ROYAL ARTILLERY- James White, late gunner and driver, New Zealand, will find Edward Carven at Police Barrack, Benalla."
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Getting closer to Anthony's departure from England...
The above certificate of John Corvan's death arrived today, and contained exactly the information that I was hoping for.Baby John Corvan,first son and child number five for Anthony Edward Corvan and Mary Torsa Healy, died at the Corvan home, 73 Lisson Grove North, on Saturday, September 2, 1854. He was eight weeks old ( thus putting his birth as around the first or second week of July, 1854.
The baby's cause of death was given as 'marasmus', which is defined as "Severe malnutrition in children caused by a diet lacking in calories as well as protein. Marasmus may also be caused by disease and parasitic infection."
I have had this occur as cause of death in other babies while researching other branches of my tree, in particular two sets of twins who were born prematurely and just failed to thrive or had feeding disorders. You wouldn't think that John Corvan had died of starvation when enough money was found in the oncoming months to pay for passage to Australia for Anthony and then his wife and children.
Although, perhaps financially the family was destitute after Anthony's bankruptcy and imprisonment, and their baby son's death was the last straw and they looked upon emigration to another country as a new start. Anthony's elder brother John was still alive at this stage, and seems to have been relatively wealthy- the fare for passage to Australia may have been borrowed from him.
Anthony Edward Corvan registered the death of his baby son himself on Wednesday, September 6, 1854: "A.E Corvan, present at the death, 73 Lisson Grove North".
This piece of information greatly narrows the time frame in which Anthony could have left England for Australia....his wife and children left AFTER him in early January 1855, so he must have left between September and December, a period of only four months.
I have searched the Victorian shipping indexes for both assisted and unassisted passengers arriving in November-March 1854-55 to no avail- no entry remotely resembling Anthony Corvan stands out. The closest is an Antoni Conco who arrived in January 1855 per the 'Carntyne'...almost definitely not our fellow, but will have to be checked out anyway.
Anthony must have decided to set sail for Victoria before his family in order to secure them a home and himself employment before their arrival.The gold rush was in full swing at the time of his arrival, so I wonder if he headed directly to the goldfields of central Victoria rather than look for employment in Melbourne. The fact that he took over a week to respond to his wife's notices of her arrival in the Melbourne Argus newspaper suggests that he was some distance away. It is interesting that he didn't fall back on his old trade of baker to support his family- his occupation on the New Chum Gully diggings was 'store keeper' ( stores on the diggings were usually conducted from tents, so this isn't as impressive as it sounds!), and later his occupation was given as 'commercial traveller' or just 'traveller'.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Anthony Corvan in Australia
We know that Anthony Corvan immigrated to Australia after getting out of Debtors Prison in the early 1850s(post 1851), but what I can't discover is the when and how of the circumstances by which he arrived.
His son John was born in London in 1854, so presumably he was still around to father the child in the latter half of 1853.When baby John's death certificate arrives next week,it will be interesting to see who acted as informant..if Mary Corvan registered her son's death nothing will be proved, but if Anthony did it will reveal that he was still in England at the time and further narrow the time frame for his immigration.
Anthony sailed for Australia before his family. When Mary and their three young daughters arrived per the ship 'Mooresfort' in 1855, she was forced to put notices in the Missing Friends section of The Argus, a Melbourne newspaper of the time, advising her husband that his wife and daughters had arrived.
The Mooresfort arrived in Melbourne on March 19, 1855. The shipping index records as passengers:
Mary Corvan, 29; Helen Corvan 8; Mary Corvan 6 and Rosa Corvan 2. The age of Rosa was slightly out- she actually would have turned four in January 1855.
Mary placed her first notice in the newspaper immediately upon her arrival-she arrived on Monday, March 19, and The Argus published her notice on Tuesday March 20. It read:
" ANTHONY EDWARD CORVAN, wife and three children have arrived in the Mooresfort.Apply at Chisholm's Store,Elizabeth Street North."
Anthony obviously didn't see the first notice, as six days later Mary placed another in the Argus:
"MISSING FRIENDS: ANTHONY ED. CORVAN- Send your address to Chisholm's Store, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Your wife has arrived."
The same notice also appeared the following day on March 27.
I am wondering if Chisholm's Store was associated with the wonderful Caroline Chisholm, who was living in Victoria at the time and setting all sorts of changes in motion for immigrants. Research showed that:
“When Caroline Chisholm sailed for Australia in the Ballarat in 1854, her departure was widely reported and over £900 was subscribed as a testimonial. The society then had more than £15,000 in hand and had sent out over 3000 emigrants. She arrived in Port Phillip in July: at one welcome meeting tribute was paid to Captain Chisholm, who almost alone in Australia had ensured the success of his wife's scheme. The Victorian Legislative Council voted the Chisholms £5000 and another £2500 was privately subscribed. The family was in desperate need and opened a store with some of this money, although Caroline accepted it with reluctance.”
Anthony must have responded to the notices, because the following January on Victoria's goldfields their last child was born.
Anthony James Corvan was born on January 29, 1856, at New Chum Gully, Victoria.Thankfully, Victorian certificates are very rich in genealogical information, so baby Anthony's birth certificate allows us a glimpse into the Corvan family of early 1856.
Anthony Edward Corvan was working as a storekeeper at the time of his last child's birth. The family were at New Chum Gully, near Bendigo ( or 'Sandhurst' as it was known then), and consisted of 36 year old Anthony, his 30 year old wife Mary and children nine year old Ellen, Mary aged 8 and 5 year old Rosa.Two children were noted as having died- Catherine and John, the latter aged 3 months.
Anthony himself registered the birth, and very impressively correctly gave his marriage details: June 4, 1844, at Lincolns-inn-Fields, London, England.He gave simply 'London' as the birth place for both himself and Mary.
Anthony Corvan registered his son's birth on February 14, 1856, the same day that the baby died.On Anthony Junior's death certificate he was noted as being ‘Anthony James Corvan – storekeeper’s son’. He was buried two days later at the Junction Cemetery, the undertaker being William Turnbull.The Junction Cemetery was the early name for what is now known as the White Hills Cemetery near Bendigo.
In 1854,on Victoria Hill, to the northwest of Sandhurst town above New Chum Gully, gold had been discovered in on the New Chum or Victoria Reef. This was the first reef worked in the Bendigo area and one of two principal lines of reef on the Bendigo gold fields. Anthony Corvan appears in the 1856 electoral roll for Sandhurst as:
No: 179
Name: Edward Corvan
Abode & occupation: New Chum, miner
nature of Qualification: business license
This seems to suggest that Anthony was supplementing mining with selling goods on the fields to other miners.
His son John was born in London in 1854, so presumably he was still around to father the child in the latter half of 1853.When baby John's death certificate arrives next week,it will be interesting to see who acted as informant..if Mary Corvan registered her son's death nothing will be proved, but if Anthony did it will reveal that he was still in England at the time and further narrow the time frame for his immigration.
Anthony sailed for Australia before his family. When Mary and their three young daughters arrived per the ship 'Mooresfort' in 1855, she was forced to put notices in the Missing Friends section of The Argus, a Melbourne newspaper of the time, advising her husband that his wife and daughters had arrived.
The Mooresfort arrived in Melbourne on March 19, 1855. The shipping index records as passengers:
Mary Corvan, 29; Helen Corvan 8; Mary Corvan 6 and Rosa Corvan 2. The age of Rosa was slightly out- she actually would have turned four in January 1855.
Mary placed her first notice in the newspaper immediately upon her arrival-she arrived on Monday, March 19, and The Argus published her notice on Tuesday March 20. It read:
" ANTHONY EDWARD CORVAN, wife and three children have arrived in the Mooresfort.Apply at Chisholm's Store,Elizabeth Street North."
Anthony obviously didn't see the first notice, as six days later Mary placed another in the Argus:
"MISSING FRIENDS: ANTHONY ED. CORVAN- Send your address to Chisholm's Store, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Your wife has arrived."
The same notice also appeared the following day on March 27.
I am wondering if Chisholm's Store was associated with the wonderful Caroline Chisholm, who was living in Victoria at the time and setting all sorts of changes in motion for immigrants. Research showed that:
“When Caroline Chisholm sailed for Australia in the Ballarat in 1854, her departure was widely reported and over £900 was subscribed as a testimonial. The society then had more than £15,000 in hand and had sent out over 3000 emigrants. She arrived in Port Phillip in July: at one welcome meeting tribute was paid to Captain Chisholm, who almost alone in Australia had ensured the success of his wife's scheme. The Victorian Legislative Council voted the Chisholms £5000 and another £2500 was privately subscribed. The family was in desperate need and opened a store with some of this money, although Caroline accepted it with reluctance.”
Anthony must have responded to the notices, because the following January on Victoria's goldfields their last child was born.
Anthony James Corvan was born on January 29, 1856, at New Chum Gully, Victoria.Thankfully, Victorian certificates are very rich in genealogical information, so baby Anthony's birth certificate allows us a glimpse into the Corvan family of early 1856.
Anthony Edward Corvan was working as a storekeeper at the time of his last child's birth. The family were at New Chum Gully, near Bendigo ( or 'Sandhurst' as it was known then), and consisted of 36 year old Anthony, his 30 year old wife Mary and children nine year old Ellen, Mary aged 8 and 5 year old Rosa.Two children were noted as having died- Catherine and John, the latter aged 3 months.
Anthony himself registered the birth, and very impressively correctly gave his marriage details: June 4, 1844, at Lincolns-inn-Fields, London, England.He gave simply 'London' as the birth place for both himself and Mary.
Anthony Corvan registered his son's birth on February 14, 1856, the same day that the baby died.On Anthony Junior's death certificate he was noted as being ‘Anthony James Corvan – storekeeper’s son’. He was buried two days later at the Junction Cemetery, the undertaker being William Turnbull.The Junction Cemetery was the early name for what is now known as the White Hills Cemetery near Bendigo.
In 1854,on Victoria Hill, to the northwest of Sandhurst town above New Chum Gully, gold had been discovered in on the New Chum or Victoria Reef. This was the first reef worked in the Bendigo area and one of two principal lines of reef on the Bendigo gold fields. Anthony Corvan appears in the 1856 electoral roll for Sandhurst as:
No: 179
Name: Edward Corvan
Abode & occupation: New Chum, miner
nature of Qualification: business license
This seems to suggest that Anthony was supplementing mining with selling goods on the fields to other miners.
I finally found Anthony in the 51 Census!!!!
I just can't explain my elation of the past few minutes as I finally, FINALLY, located Anthony Edward Corvan in the 1851 census after many years of fruitless searching. He wasn't living at home with his wife and children in 1851,and I conducted searches under every possible variation of 'Corvan', 'Anthony' and even 'Edward' as he was known occasionally to switch to his middle name. I had an inkling that he may have been in prison because of his bankruptcy, but that line of research also always drew a blank. Then tonight, at long last, a long-shot search simply for the initials "A.E" with no last name finally struck pay dirt.....Anthony Edward Corvan was in the Queens Prison in Southwark, incorrectly recorded as "A.E Curran". There is absolutely no doubt that it is our man....
Queens Prison/ A.E Curran/married/31/baker/ born St. Giles, Middlesex".
The initials are correct, the age and marital status are spot on, and the occupation and birthplace are a perfect match. Add the fact that 'Curran', like 'Cowan' is a common misspelling of 'Corvan' and all doubt that this could be anyone else than Anthony Corvan is removed.
The Queens Prison in Southwark, formerly called the Kings Bench, was a place of confinement for debtors and those sentenced to imprisonment by the Court of Queens bench for libels and other small misdemeanors. the prison comprised of 224 separate rooms and a "spacious" chapel, and was surrounded by a "sombre" 50 feet high wall. In the interior was a large exercise ground. The rooms were very small, being about 9 feet square, and each contained a bed and other conveniences for the inmates.At the time of Anthony's incarceration, visitors could call at the prison from any time between nine in the morning and seven in the evening to visit whoever they wanted...this was certainly no Pentonville or Milbank!
The census return concerning the inmates at Queens Prison at the time of the 1851 census covered almost ten pages, and Anthony Corvan's entry was the second last. The other three inmates on the same page as him were a 70 year old "gentleman" named John Hutchinson, a 28 year old solicitor named B. Brock Jones and James Farratt, a 69 year old "Commoner E.I Company", the 'E.I' of course representing 'East India Company'.
I've just conducted a very rough tally of the occupations of Anthony's fellow inmates, and they include about 50 "Gentlemen", about 60 who were involved in trades or business, 12 involved with Law (barristers -at-law or solicitors), 2 surgeons and various others from 'inventors' to no occupation at all. There were also eight women debtors in the Prison.
I have no idea the period of time that Anthony Corvan spent in debtors prison.The notices for his bankruptcy started appearing in 1850 and continued until December 1852.
From the 1851 entry for the rest of his family, it appears that Mary Healy Corvan and other family members were trying to keep the bakery ship afloat.The 1851 census finds the Corvan family living at 73 Lisson Grove North:
Mary Corvan/ sister / marr/ 25/ shop assistant/ b Bloomsbury M’sex
Mary Corvan/ daughter/ 3/ b St. Pancras
Rosa Corvan/ daughter/ 3 months/ b Marylebone
Ellen Healy/ mother/ widow/ 69/ undertaker’s wife/ b Ireland
Margaret Dore/ servant/ unmarr/21/ house servant/ b Ireland
George Strickland/ foreman/ unmarr/ 29/ baker/ b Somerset
Andrew Coles/ 2nd hand/ 27/ baker/ b Somerset
Daniel Smith/ 3rd hand/ 18/ baker/ b Westminster, M’sex.
Two things are notable here- as well as Anthony Corvan being absent from the family group, so is his infant daughter Ellen Annette Corvan. She should have been listed between daughters Mary and Rosa.
Also, Mary Healy Corvan is not listed as being head of the household herself, or wife of head, but ‘sister’. This implies that either her brother, James Healy, or brother-in-law, Patrick Corvan, owned or leased the premises in which she lived. I suggest the latter, as an 1852 Postal Directory for London lists ‘Patrick Corvan, baker’ living at 73 Lisson Grove. I think this may have been a ruse to allow the bankrupt Anthony's family to go on functioning as a bakery, as Patrick the previous year was living with his family in Clement’s Lane, and continued to do so for years.
The leases for the two Corvan bakeries appeared for sale in the Times in late May of 1850, yet Mary and her family were still living there almost a year later, and Rosa was born at 73 Lisson Grove North in January of 1851.
One last child, named John Corvan, was born to Anthony and Mary Corvan in England, although it appears as though his birth was not registered. His death was recorded in the September quarter of 1854 in the Marylebone district however, and I have ordered this certificate to obtain an address and the cause of death.
Queens Prison/ A.E Curran/married/31/baker/ born St. Giles, Middlesex".
The initials are correct, the age and marital status are spot on, and the occupation and birthplace are a perfect match. Add the fact that 'Curran', like 'Cowan' is a common misspelling of 'Corvan' and all doubt that this could be anyone else than Anthony Corvan is removed.
The Queens Prison in Southwark, formerly called the Kings Bench, was a place of confinement for debtors and those sentenced to imprisonment by the Court of Queens bench for libels and other small misdemeanors. the prison comprised of 224 separate rooms and a "spacious" chapel, and was surrounded by a "sombre" 50 feet high wall. In the interior was a large exercise ground. The rooms were very small, being about 9 feet square, and each contained a bed and other conveniences for the inmates.At the time of Anthony's incarceration, visitors could call at the prison from any time between nine in the morning and seven in the evening to visit whoever they wanted...this was certainly no Pentonville or Milbank!
The census return concerning the inmates at Queens Prison at the time of the 1851 census covered almost ten pages, and Anthony Corvan's entry was the second last. The other three inmates on the same page as him were a 70 year old "gentleman" named John Hutchinson, a 28 year old solicitor named B. Brock Jones and James Farratt, a 69 year old "Commoner E.I Company", the 'E.I' of course representing 'East India Company'.
I've just conducted a very rough tally of the occupations of Anthony's fellow inmates, and they include about 50 "Gentlemen", about 60 who were involved in trades or business, 12 involved with Law (barristers -at-law or solicitors), 2 surgeons and various others from 'inventors' to no occupation at all. There were also eight women debtors in the Prison.
I have no idea the period of time that Anthony Corvan spent in debtors prison.The notices for his bankruptcy started appearing in 1850 and continued until December 1852.
From the 1851 entry for the rest of his family, it appears that Mary Healy Corvan and other family members were trying to keep the bakery ship afloat.The 1851 census finds the Corvan family living at 73 Lisson Grove North:
Mary Corvan/ sister / marr/ 25/ shop assistant/ b Bloomsbury M’sex
Mary Corvan/ daughter/ 3/ b St. Pancras
Rosa Corvan/ daughter/ 3 months/ b Marylebone
Ellen Healy/ mother/ widow/ 69/ undertaker’s wife/ b Ireland
Margaret Dore/ servant/ unmarr/21/ house servant/ b Ireland
George Strickland/ foreman/ unmarr/ 29/ baker/ b Somerset
Andrew Coles/ 2nd hand/ 27/ baker/ b Somerset
Daniel Smith/ 3rd hand/ 18/ baker/ b Westminster, M’sex.
Two things are notable here- as well as Anthony Corvan being absent from the family group, so is his infant daughter Ellen Annette Corvan. She should have been listed between daughters Mary and Rosa.
Also, Mary Healy Corvan is not listed as being head of the household herself, or wife of head, but ‘sister’. This implies that either her brother, James Healy, or brother-in-law, Patrick Corvan, owned or leased the premises in which she lived. I suggest the latter, as an 1852 Postal Directory for London lists ‘Patrick Corvan, baker’ living at 73 Lisson Grove. I think this may have been a ruse to allow the bankrupt Anthony's family to go on functioning as a bakery, as Patrick the previous year was living with his family in Clement’s Lane, and continued to do so for years.
The leases for the two Corvan bakeries appeared for sale in the Times in late May of 1850, yet Mary and her family were still living there almost a year later, and Rosa was born at 73 Lisson Grove North in January of 1851.
One last child, named John Corvan, was born to Anthony and Mary Corvan in England, although it appears as though his birth was not registered. His death was recorded in the September quarter of 1854 in the Marylebone district however, and I have ordered this certificate to obtain an address and the cause of death.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Anthony Corvan's bankruptcy
Firstly, a bit of history about bankruptcy in England in the 19th century:
Until 1841, the legal status of being a bankrupt was confined to traders owing more than £100 (reduced to £50 in 1842). Debtors who were not traders did not qualify to become bankrupt, but stayed as insolvent debtors. Responsible for their debts but unable to pay them, they remained subject to common law proceedings and indefinite imprisonment, if their creditors so wished. The legal definition of 'trader' came to embrace all those who made a living by buying and selling and by the late 18th century, included all those who bought materials, worked on them and then re-sold them: in other words, most skilled craftsmen. Farmers were specifically excluded but, nonetheless, do appear in the records. Those who wished to qualify as bankrupts, and thus avoid the awful fate of an insolvent debtor, sometimes gave a false or misleadingly general description of their occupations: dealer and chapman was very common. Partnerships of individuals could also declare themselves bankrupt, but companies were not covered until after 1844.
Insolvent debtors were held in local prisons, and often spent the rest of their lives there: imprisonment for debt did not stop until 1869.
Under the Bankruptcy Act of 1571 (13 Eliz. I c.7) commissioners of bankrupts could be appointed to allow a bankrupt to legally discharge his debts to his creditors by an equitable and independent distribution of his assets, and then begin trading again with his outstanding debts wiped out.
The creditors petitioned the Lord Chancellor for a commission of bankruptcy, or a fiat after 1832 when the Court of Bankruptcy was established. Commissioners were independent assessors who would decide whether a debtor was eligible for bankruptcy proceedings, and oversee the distribution of his assets among the creditors. After 1849, creditors petitioned for an Adjudication in Bankruptcy. The Commissioners took statements from the bankrupt and his creditors about his debts and the creditors would then elect trustees or assignees to value his assets and distribute them as dividends. Full-time Official Assignees, to prevent fraud, were also appointed after 1831, and thereafter assignees had to pay cash from the sale of a bankrupt's estates into the Bank of England.
When sufficient creditors, (the proportion varied from 3/4 to 4/5, by number and value), were satisfied and had signed a request for a Certificate of Conformity (a statement that the bankrupt had satisfied all the legal requirements), the Commissioners could issue the certificate which effectively discharged him, although dividends might continue to be paid after that date. From 1849 to 1861, there were 3 classes of certificate, I - where the bankrupt was blameless, II - where some blame could be attributed and III - where it was entirely the bankrupt's fault. The Commissioners published notices in the London Gazette to inform creditors about their proceedings.
This makes it apparent that the bakery business was not looking good for the Corvans in the early 1850’s, as Anthony was awarded a certificate of the 3rd class.
Anthony Corvan 1841-1851
Within months of undertaker David Healy passing away, his only surviving son James married. On Tuesday, May 21st, 1844, at the Saint Aloysius Chapel in Saint Pancras, London, James Healy, an undertaker of full age, residing at 104 High Holborn, married Mary Louisa Corvan, a spinster from 16 Adam's Row. Witnesses were John Corvan of 15 Buckeridge Street,Bloomsbury, who was Mary's brother, and Thomas Parker of 57 Museum Street, Bloomsbury( who had also witnessed the will of James Healy's father six months previously).Thomas Parker a builder who was born in Ireland in c. 1795. He and his wife Bridget had a large family comprising of Alice, Mary, George, Mathew, Catherine, Ellen, Matilda and Elizabeth born in London between 1829 and 1850.
Exactly two weeks later, on Tuesday, June 4, 1844, James Healy's sister Mary was married to his brother-in-law, Anthony Edward Corvan. They were married in the Sardinian Chapel in St. Giles, and due to the stipulations in David Healy's will and the fact that Mary Healy was a minor, permission to marry would have had to be granted by both Mary's mother, Ellen Healy, and her brother James.
Mary fell pregnant immediately, as their first child, a daughter named Catherine Mary Corvan, was born nine months later. She was born at 16 Adams Row at 5:45 P.M. on Wednesday, March 26, 1845, and her father was noted as still being a baker.
Unfortunately, their baby girl didn’t survive until even her first birthday…she died on November 25, 1845, at 16 Adam's Row, of " Dentition, four weeks duration, and spasmodic affection of the glottis". Her mother, Mary Corvan, present at the death, registered her eight month old daughter's death two days later.She was about four months pregnant at the time of Catherine's death, and her second child, Ellen Annette Mary Corvan was born at five in the afternoon on Sunday, April 13th, 1846, in the Corvan home at 16 Adams Row.As with the information given on his first child's birth certificate, Anthony again was noted as being a baker.
Two more daughters followed for Anthony and Mary- Mary in 1848 and Rosa in 1851. I have not purchased Mary's birth certificate as yet, but Rosa's gave the following information:
" Tenth January, 1851, at 73 Lisson Grove North: Rosa Corvan, daughter of Anthony Edward Corvan, baker, and Mary Corvan, formerly Healy. Rosa's mother registered her birth the following month, on February 20, 1851.
Sadly, the birth of a son at last didn’t fulfil the promise of an heir to carry on the Corvan name…baby John died in 1854 aged only 3 months.
Anthony continued with his occupation as a baker throughout the 1840s from his shop at 16 Adam's Row, Hampstead Road.He appears in the London Directories of 1843 and 1848 as:
1843: "CORVAN, ANTHONY, baker, 16 Hampstead Road"
1848: "CORVAN, ANTHONY EDWARD, baker, 16 Adam's Row, Hampstead Road."
Business must have been doing well, because Anthony expanded his trade from one to two shops towards the end of the 1840s. He maintained his shop at 16 Adams Row, Hampstead Road,and moved his family to another shop and premises at 73 Lisson Grove North. However,financial problems began to creep into the Corvan household, and by 1850 Anthony Edward Corvan's name was appearing in The London Gazette and London Times in notices associated with his impending bankruptcy.\
On Monday, May 27, 1850, a notice appeared in the London Times advertising the sale of Anthony’s premises….
“ IN BANKRUPTCY- to Millers, Flour factors, bakers and others- two old established and first rate bakers’ shops, with the Goodwills of the Trades, to be sold without reserve, in 2 lots, by Mr. Champness at Jack’s Coffee House, Mark-lane, on Monday June 3, at 2 for 3 precisely, by order of the assignees of Mr. Anthony Edward Corvan.
Two Leasehold shops and premises, situate in populous and daily improving neighbourhoods. Lot 1 will consist of a very desirable messuage and premises, with a capricious Baker’s shop, excellently fitted up for the convenience of the trade, and situate in the most eligible part of Hampstead Road, being No. 16 Adams-row, late in the occupation of A.E. Corvan, the bankrupt; held under a lease of which 16 ½ years are yet unexpired, at the yearly rent of 67 pounds; together with the Goodwill of the business, which has, according to the written examination of the bankrupt, averaged from 20 to 30 sacks per week.
Lot 2 will comprise a very substantially brick-built messuage, being number 73 Lisson Grove, late in the occupation of the bankrupt, with a handsome and modern plate-glass front to the baker’s shop, in mahogany frame; and on which premises a very large trade has lately been done, together with the Goodwill of the business. The said premises are held under an agreement for 3 years from Christmas 1849, and which contain an agreement for a lease of 21 years at the yearly rent of 52 pounds. The fixtures and fittings to be taken at a valuation in the usual way.
May be viewed anytime preceding the sale and particulars may be had of Mr. J.J. Hubbard, solicitor; of Messrs Hillery, solicitors, 63 Fenchurch-street; at Jacks Coffee House, Mark-lane; of W. Pennell,Esq, official assignee, Guild-hall chambers, and of Mr. Champness, auctioneer, surveyor and estate agent.”
A short article in The London Times on January 6, 1851, gave an explanation as to the failure of Anthony Corvan's business...
" A bankrupt named Corvan who kept what is termed a "cheap shop" in the Hampstead Road , applied for his certificate.Corvan was a baker, and undersold all his neighbours. Beginning with a small capital, he failed considerably in debt with nothing for his creditors but the lease of the premises, value 500 pounds."
Exactly two weeks later, on Tuesday, June 4, 1844, James Healy's sister Mary was married to his brother-in-law, Anthony Edward Corvan. They were married in the Sardinian Chapel in St. Giles, and due to the stipulations in David Healy's will and the fact that Mary Healy was a minor, permission to marry would have had to be granted by both Mary's mother, Ellen Healy, and her brother James.
Mary fell pregnant immediately, as their first child, a daughter named Catherine Mary Corvan, was born nine months later. She was born at 16 Adams Row at 5:45 P.M. on Wednesday, March 26, 1845, and her father was noted as still being a baker.
Unfortunately, their baby girl didn’t survive until even her first birthday…she died on November 25, 1845, at 16 Adam's Row, of " Dentition, four weeks duration, and spasmodic affection of the glottis". Her mother, Mary Corvan, present at the death, registered her eight month old daughter's death two days later.She was about four months pregnant at the time of Catherine's death, and her second child, Ellen Annette Mary Corvan was born at five in the afternoon on Sunday, April 13th, 1846, in the Corvan home at 16 Adams Row.As with the information given on his first child's birth certificate, Anthony again was noted as being a baker.
Two more daughters followed for Anthony and Mary- Mary in 1848 and Rosa in 1851. I have not purchased Mary's birth certificate as yet, but Rosa's gave the following information:
" Tenth January, 1851, at 73 Lisson Grove North: Rosa Corvan, daughter of Anthony Edward Corvan, baker, and Mary Corvan, formerly Healy. Rosa's mother registered her birth the following month, on February 20, 1851.
Sadly, the birth of a son at last didn’t fulfil the promise of an heir to carry on the Corvan name…baby John died in 1854 aged only 3 months.
Anthony continued with his occupation as a baker throughout the 1840s from his shop at 16 Adam's Row, Hampstead Road.He appears in the London Directories of 1843 and 1848 as:
1843: "CORVAN, ANTHONY, baker, 16 Hampstead Road"
1848: "CORVAN, ANTHONY EDWARD, baker, 16 Adam's Row, Hampstead Road."
Business must have been doing well, because Anthony expanded his trade from one to two shops towards the end of the 1840s. He maintained his shop at 16 Adams Row, Hampstead Road,and moved his family to another shop and premises at 73 Lisson Grove North. However,financial problems began to creep into the Corvan household, and by 1850 Anthony Edward Corvan's name was appearing in The London Gazette and London Times in notices associated with his impending bankruptcy.\
On Monday, May 27, 1850, a notice appeared in the London Times advertising the sale of Anthony’s premises….
“ IN BANKRUPTCY- to Millers, Flour factors, bakers and others- two old established and first rate bakers’ shops, with the Goodwills of the Trades, to be sold without reserve, in 2 lots, by Mr. Champness at Jack’s Coffee House, Mark-lane, on Monday June 3, at 2 for 3 precisely, by order of the assignees of Mr. Anthony Edward Corvan.
Two Leasehold shops and premises, situate in populous and daily improving neighbourhoods. Lot 1 will consist of a very desirable messuage and premises, with a capricious Baker’s shop, excellently fitted up for the convenience of the trade, and situate in the most eligible part of Hampstead Road, being No. 16 Adams-row, late in the occupation of A.E. Corvan, the bankrupt; held under a lease of which 16 ½ years are yet unexpired, at the yearly rent of 67 pounds; together with the Goodwill of the business, which has, according to the written examination of the bankrupt, averaged from 20 to 30 sacks per week.
Lot 2 will comprise a very substantially brick-built messuage, being number 73 Lisson Grove, late in the occupation of the bankrupt, with a handsome and modern plate-glass front to the baker’s shop, in mahogany frame; and on which premises a very large trade has lately been done, together with the Goodwill of the business. The said premises are held under an agreement for 3 years from Christmas 1849, and which contain an agreement for a lease of 21 years at the yearly rent of 52 pounds. The fixtures and fittings to be taken at a valuation in the usual way.
May be viewed anytime preceding the sale and particulars may be had of Mr. J.J. Hubbard, solicitor; of Messrs Hillery, solicitors, 63 Fenchurch-street; at Jacks Coffee House, Mark-lane; of W. Pennell,Esq, official assignee, Guild-hall chambers, and of Mr. Champness, auctioneer, surveyor and estate agent.”
A short article in The London Times on January 6, 1851, gave an explanation as to the failure of Anthony Corvan's business...
" A bankrupt named Corvan who kept what is termed a "cheap shop" in the Hampstead Road , applied for his certificate.Corvan was a baker, and undersold all his neighbours. Beginning with a small capital, he failed considerably in debt with nothing for his creditors but the lease of the premises, value 500 pounds."
Healy Family in the 1841 Census
Above: Top- The Healy family in the 1841 Census. At home was mother Ellen Healy, her children James and Mary, and her granddaughter Ellen Healy. Missing from the family residence was father David Healy, but the advertisement below, taken from the Catholic Advertiser of 1843, perhaps offers a clue as to why he wasn't at Broad Street on the night in question...."Funerals conducted to and from all parts of the country".
David Healy wrote his will on November 25, 1843, and died within months. The will was proved on March 22, 1844. A copy of the will is included in the following blog entries, but the main part of it read as follows:
" I, Mr David Healy of Number 154 High Holborn in the Parish of Middlesex, and County Middlesex, undertaker, and being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be unto God calling into ind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men each to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament.
That is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and bequeath of the same in the following manner and form
First I give and bequeath to Ellen healy my dearly beloved wife the sum of four hundred pounds of lawful money of England to be raised and levied out of my bank stock which is eleven hundred pounds at 3 1/2 % Bank of England and one hundred pounds which my wife and son have sureties for and one half of my business on condition that she does not marry and she must undergo one half of the expenses of the business and receive one half of the profit arising therefrom and she must be liable to pay out half the expenses of the business and one half the expenses of clothing, boarding and lodging the present resident family during the time they abide in the family.
I do bind my wife out of her _____ to pay and give unto my granddaughter ELLEN HEALY fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain when she is twenty years of age and in case my wife should decease before that time she must deposit the said sum of fifty pounds in the Bank or in some responsible executors hands for the use of Ellen Healy when she arrives at the aforesaid age and not until then. The said Ellen Healy is to reside and continue by the advice of her Grandmother and Uncle JAMES HEALY and if not to be exempt from the said sum.
I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter MISS MARY HEALY the sum of four hundred pounds of lawful money of England exclusive of its interest at the time she gets married or in case she may want any part of it for any other use before then she may draw it not without the full consent of her mother and brother James Healy whatever sum she might draw before her marriage to be debited from her moiety and in case she would get married without the consent of both her mother and brother James the aforesaid four hundred pounds to be at their disposal..
I give and bequeath unto my beloved son MR. JAMES HEALY the sum of four hundred pounds of lawful money of England together with the eight title and interest to one half of my tenements, one half of my stock and trade and the ____ments arising therefrom. I equally bequeath the profits arising out of part____ my tenements
No. 8,9,10,11 and 12, the houses which I hold and occupy in ____ Court, Broad Street, County of Middlesex, to be jointly between my wife and son James Healy as an addition to their stock in trade.
In case that my wife should die the survivor is to have the buildings and trade and the moiety in Bank stock to be equally divided between him or her the survivor and my daughter mary in two equal parts in case James should die without issue.
I bind my son James Healy to give and pay unto my granddaughter SARAH HEALY fifty pounds of lawful money of England when she is twenty years of age and not before. The said Sarah Healy is to be and take the advice of her Grandmother and Uncle James Healy and if she does not be _____ by them she is to be exempt from the fifty pounds.
The whole disp____ of my grandchildren's legacy to be governed by their grandmother and Uncle James Healy and in case that any of them would decease or they shall receive the money the surviving sister to inherit her sum or in case of both dying before receiving their money the sum to be equally divided between the survivor or survivors.
I equally bequeath that my son James Healy in case of his death before then deposit in the Bank of England or in the possession of some honest executor for her use to be paid unto her at said time the said Sarah Healy the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money to be paid to her when ___ lawfully due to her.
I also give to my dear wife and son whom I likewise constitute, make and ordain the sole executors of this my last will and testament all singular my messuages, tenements and holding trade by them freely to be managed and disposed of as they think to the best of their belief and understanding.
And I do disallow and revoke all and every other former testaments, wills, legacies, bequests and executors by me in any wise before named and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this 25th day of November, 1843.
David Healy Witness: Thomas Parker, Thomas Flynn, Timothy Foley
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Anthony Edward Corvan continued...
If the age of 18 years given for Anthony Corvan in the 1841 census was correct,he was about 21 years old when he married in 1844.The age on his marriage certificate was "Full age", which simply means he was over 21.His bride Mary Healy was a 'minor', and ages given on two census returns suggest that she would have been about 18 years old when she married Anthony Corvan.
Mary Torsa Healy was the daughter of London undertaker David Healy and his wife Ellen. Like the parents of Anthony Corvan, they were Irish-born Catholics, and lived in Broad Street, St.Giles, not far from Buckeridge Street where the Corvans lived for more than twenty years.All information on census returns and other sources suggests that Mary Torsa Healy was born in 1826 in London.She had an elder brother James Healy, and an unknown brother who must have died pre-1844 as Mary's father David Healy mentions two Healy granddaughters in his will that do not belong to Mary or James.
The Healy family have been a very difficult one to trace, particularly because of the common surname.I can not locate the maiden name of Ellen Healy, nor the names of any other children apart from James and Mary.I only know that she was born in ireland in c. 1782, and my last sighting of her was in the 1851 census when she was living with her daughter Mary Corvan.
Mary Torsa Healy was the daughter of London undertaker David Healy and his wife Ellen. Like the parents of Anthony Corvan, they were Irish-born Catholics, and lived in Broad Street, St.Giles, not far from Buckeridge Street where the Corvans lived for more than twenty years.All information on census returns and other sources suggests that Mary Torsa Healy was born in 1826 in London.She had an elder brother James Healy, and an unknown brother who must have died pre-1844 as Mary's father David Healy mentions two Healy granddaughters in his will that do not belong to Mary or James.
The Healy family have been a very difficult one to trace, particularly because of the common surname.I can not locate the maiden name of Ellen Healy, nor the names of any other children apart from James and Mary.I only know that she was born in ireland in c. 1782, and my last sighting of her was in the 1851 census when she was living with her daughter Mary Corvan.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
"Metropolitan Improvements"
Above: Two articles from the London Times newspaper concerning the demise of Buckeridge Street in May of 1844.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Anrthony Corvan continued
Above: Map showing Buckeridge Street and the area known as St. Giles Rookery.( Taken from the brilliant website http://archivemaps.com/mapco/london.htm which has amazing high quality maps of old London available for download)
Anthony resided in Buckeridge Street for the first twenty or so years of his life. He was living there in the Corvan house at Number 15 Buckeridge Street with siblings John, Patrick, Ann,Mary and Rosa in the 1841 census.
Buckeridge Street ran through the heart of the Rookery of St. Giles, and was one of the streets which were demolished in 1844 to make way for the construction of New Oxford Street. A newspaper article from the London Times of Tuesday, May 7, 1844, stated:
" METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.
The locality called the Rookery, which is situate on the line of the new street that is to connect Oxford Street and Holborn and which for many years has been the resort of the abandoned of both sexes, is about to be removed for the improvements in this neighbourhood. Sixty houses forming Buckeridge Street on the North and Church Street on the west have been sold by private contract( it not being thought advisable to dispose of them by auction, in consequence of their low value) and several men are now employed in their removal.
The purchaser of the property, which belonged to Colonel Buckeridge, has great difficulty in getting rid of the inmates, and in some of the houses, though the roofs have been taken off,they still remain."
The Corvans were fortunate in that they were affluent enough to relocate to another area without any trouble...the other poor and destitute residents wouldn't leave the demolished houses because they COULDN'T leave- they had absolutely nowhere else to go. Many of the Buckeridge Street lodging houses were vile and crammed people into rooms like animals, but at least they provided some sort of shelter. The scheme to rid London of its biggest embarrassment failed to take into account just where these poor people were going to go once the streets, alleys and courts of the Rookery were torn down.
It is interesting to note that when John Corvan, Anthony's elder brother, witnessed the marriage of his sister Mary Louisa Corvan to James Healy on May 21, 1844, he still nominated his address as '15 Buckerisge Street, Bloomsbury'.This seems to suggest that Number 15 Buckeridge Street was located on the south side of Buckeridge street, as the houses on that side were put up for sale by contract some weeks after those on the north side. The prospective sale of 70 houses on the south side of Buckeridge Street and Ivy Street, St.Giles,by private contract, was announced in the Times newspaper on May 23, 1844.
Anthony Corvan had already moved by May of 1844. The London directory of 1843 has an entry for:
"CORVAN, ANTHONY, baker, 16 Hampstead Road."
I believe that his sister Mary Corvan may have lived with Anthony, as when she married in 1844 her address was given as '16 Adam's Row, Hampstead Road'.
The area which the Corvans relocated to was like another world compared to the one from which they had came. They all settled at Regents Park in streets just east of the Park itself...Ehrenberg Terrace, Adam's Row Hampstead Road, Stanhope Cresent, Mornington Road...these locations were all within very close proximity of each other.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
6. ANTHONY EDWARD CORVAN, SON OF PADDY & ANN CORVAN.
My great-great-great grandfather Anthony Edward Corvan was the youngest of the Corvan sons, and the sixth of eight children born to Patrick and Ann Corvan.He was born in London, England, after the arrival of his family from Ireland c. 1815.
This man has proved to be the most difficult of all of my ancestors to track, and after two decades I still can't find the deaths of he and his wife, or even the countries they occurred in.He has many descendants spread throughout Australia, but it seems as though elaborate stories have been weaved over the years to cover up some shady patches of his life...one branch even proudly carried the story of "Sir" Anthony Corvan, a wealthy Englishman who got himself into a spot of bother with a girl totally unsuitable. Nicki Blake, a lovely fellow Corvan researcher, was kind enough to relate to me the story that was passed down to her generation through one of Anthony Corvan's granddaughters:
"A quote from my mother-in-law''s autobiography will probably strike a chord with you: 'On Grandmother Brown''s side is an even more dramatic story; Sir Anthony Edward Corvan (in England) married a Spanish lady against her family''s wishes, and after his early death she "got herself to a nunnery" and the three young children were shipped out to Australia and brought up in an orphanage in Melbourne.' "
Nothing, in fact, could be further than the truth, but it is interesting to note that the 'Spanish' theme also popped up in my family line (my great grandfather, John Brown, was Anthony Corvan's grandson, and the brother of Penelope Brown whose family were told the 'Sir Anthony' story). I was told by John Brown's daughter- my maternal grandmother Ivy Ellen Brown -that in her lineage there was a bad-tempered red-haired Spanish gypsy! Anthony's wife carried the unusual middle name of "Torsa", which always struck me as exotic enough to hint at gypsy heritage, but I am yet to chase the "Spanish" or "Gypsy" leads.
Anthony Edward Corvan was, in a nutshell, a failed London baker who married the local Catholic undertaker's daughter, left England for Australia to seek his fortune on the goldfields, and then ended up in New Zealand to fight in the Maori Wars, at last sighting,perhaps, ending his days there as a drunken old nuisance.
The fact that Anthony was born in St. Giles,in the heart of the Rookery, home to London's most notorious thieves, prostitutes and worse, makes it even more amazing that the "Sir Anthony Corvan" story was created as a cover story. Or perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise...there was a fair amount of Anthony's life that his children and grandchildren in another country would perhaps have liked to keep under wraps. I wish my grandmother had lived long enough for me to have questioned her more about her Corvan grandmother. I would love to find some descendants of her grandmother's sister, Ellen Annette Mary Corvan, who married in Australia a man named Thomas Matthewson..it would be fascinating to discover if a version of the Sir Anthony legend has passed down through that branch of the family.
This man has proved to be the most difficult of all of my ancestors to track, and after two decades I still can't find the deaths of he and his wife, or even the countries they occurred in.He has many descendants spread throughout Australia, but it seems as though elaborate stories have been weaved over the years to cover up some shady patches of his life...one branch even proudly carried the story of "Sir" Anthony Corvan, a wealthy Englishman who got himself into a spot of bother with a girl totally unsuitable. Nicki Blake, a lovely fellow Corvan researcher, was kind enough to relate to me the story that was passed down to her generation through one of Anthony Corvan's granddaughters:
"A quote from my mother-in-law''s autobiography will probably strike a chord with you: 'On Grandmother Brown''s side is an even more dramatic story; Sir Anthony Edward Corvan (in England) married a Spanish lady against her family''s wishes, and after his early death she "got herself to a nunnery" and the three young children were shipped out to Australia and brought up in an orphanage in Melbourne.' "
Nothing, in fact, could be further than the truth, but it is interesting to note that the 'Spanish' theme also popped up in my family line (my great grandfather, John Brown, was Anthony Corvan's grandson, and the brother of Penelope Brown whose family were told the 'Sir Anthony' story). I was told by John Brown's daughter- my maternal grandmother Ivy Ellen Brown -that in her lineage there was a bad-tempered red-haired Spanish gypsy! Anthony's wife carried the unusual middle name of "Torsa", which always struck me as exotic enough to hint at gypsy heritage, but I am yet to chase the "Spanish" or "Gypsy" leads.
Anthony Edward Corvan was, in a nutshell, a failed London baker who married the local Catholic undertaker's daughter, left England for Australia to seek his fortune on the goldfields, and then ended up in New Zealand to fight in the Maori Wars, at last sighting,perhaps, ending his days there as a drunken old nuisance.
The fact that Anthony was born in St. Giles,in the heart of the Rookery, home to London's most notorious thieves, prostitutes and worse, makes it even more amazing that the "Sir Anthony Corvan" story was created as a cover story. Or perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise...there was a fair amount of Anthony's life that his children and grandchildren in another country would perhaps have liked to keep under wraps. I wish my grandmother had lived long enough for me to have questioned her more about her Corvan grandmother. I would love to find some descendants of her grandmother's sister, Ellen Annette Mary Corvan, who married in Australia a man named Thomas Matthewson..it would be fascinating to discover if a version of the Sir Anthony legend has passed down through that branch of the family.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
5. ANN CORVAN
Above: The 1841 marriage certificate of Ann Corvan and Michael Millar.
Ann Corvan was born c. 1819, in the St. Giles district, to parents Patrick and Ann Corvan.
At the time of the 1841 census, she was living in the Corvan family home at 15 Buckeridge Street, St. Giles,London, and her age given as 22 years.
Several months later, on October 5, 1841, Ann Corvan married widower Michael James Millar in the parish church of St. George,Bloomsbury. Michael was a clerk and had been residing at 28 Hart Street. He was the son of a coach painter, Michael Millar.
The London Times newspaper carried the following notice on Thursday, October 7, 1841:
“ On the 5th inst., at St. George’s, Bloomsbury, Mr. M. Millar, of Hart-street, Bloomsbury, to Ann, eldest daughter of the late Mr. P. Corvan, of Buckeridge-street, Bloomsbury.”
On the marriage certificate, Ann’s father was noted as being Patrick Corvan, merchant. Witnesses at the ceremony were Ann’s siblings, John and Mary Louisa Corvan, and Mary Ann Bennett and Francis Millar.
The 1841 census has the following information regarding Michael Millar:
28 Hart Street: Michael Millar/ 30/ clerk/ b in county
Francis Millar/23/ bank m/ b in c
Ann’s first child was born in 1846, a son whom they named Francis. Two years later followed James, then in 1850 their first daughter, Alice, was born. Louisa Millar appeared in 1852, then there was a nine year gap before a final son, Arthur Millar, was born in 1861.
The 1851 census revealed that the Millars were living at 5 Southampton Court, St. George, Bloomsbury. Their details were as follows:
Michael Millar/ head/ 43/ clerk to coachbuilders/ b M’sex
Ann Millar/ wife/ 30/ b M’sex
Francis Millar/son/ 5/ scholar/ b M’sex
James Millar/ son/ 3/ b M’sex
Alice Millar/ daughter/ 1/ b M’sex.
The 1861 census finds the Millar family living at 4 Brunswick Row, Holborn St. George The Martyr.
Michael Millar/ head/ 53/ b c. 1806, Bloomsbury/ Coachmaker’s Clerk.
Ann Millar/ wife/ 39/ b c. 1822, Bloomsbury.
Francis Millar/ son/ 15/ b c. 1846, Bloomsbury/ Civil Engineer’s assistant.
James Millar/ son/ 13/ b c. 1848, Bloomsbury.
Alice Millar/ daughter/11/ b c. 1850, Bloomsbury/ scholar
Louisa Millar/ daughter/ 9 /b c. 1852, Bloomsbury/ scholar
Arthur Millar/ son/ 2 months/ b c. 1861.
The next reference to the Millars comes from the 1871 census. We find them at 54 St. Andrews, civil parish of Hillingdon. Living at that address were:
Michael J. Millar, head, 63 years, clerk to a coachbuilder, born St. Giles, Middlesex.
Ann Millar, wife, aged 48, born St. Giles, Middlesex.
Arthur Millar, son, aged 10, born St. Giles, Middlesex
Lavina Smith, servant, 13 years, born Harmondsworth, Middlesex.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The aftermath...
Above: The birth and death certificates of little Vincent Corvan, the illegitimate son of Rosa Corvan.Violence can never be justified, of course, but this case is so very sad because you can see just what led to the few minutes of craziness between brother and sister, and the incredible remorse felt by both parties afterwards.
John Corvan was being eaten away by what he considered to be his sister's unforgivable sin and being reminded of it each time he looked upon the face of the infant Vincent who was living with his own children under his roof.
The appearance of the child's father wanting to take him away for whatever reason would have been viewed by John as a Godsend. On the other hand we have poor young Rosa Corvan, distraught because her baby was being forcefully taken from her arms and home. It is not surprising that emotions were running high that day.
The testimony of Charles Adams, witness for the defence, was very touching, describing how it did the scenario of a young man who took in and cared for his siblings while raising his own young family. Charles was a neighbour and friend of the Corvans. He can be found in the 1881 census living at St. Helena Gardens, Rotherhithe,at the spectacular address of "Sedgewick's Wax Work Show" in the employ of William Sedgewick,travelling showman.( "Oldham based Sedgewick originally entered show business with a photographic studio and by 1860 was travelling a waxworks show. He then moved into the menagerie business and by 1869 was running a group of performing lions. Sedgewick was a great breeder of lions, boasting that he had more than any other showman." - From http://www.fairground-heritage.org.uk )
Charles Adams' occupation was 'traveller', and he was 42 years old, unmarried from Bermondsay, Surrey.
The declaration of "Guilty-five years' penal servitude" is the last comment I can find in reference to John Corvan. It is almost as if he disappeared from all records- I can't find him in subsequent census returns, and can locate no death for him.
Evidence points to his death occurring between 1891 and 1901, as his wife in 1891 describes herself as 'married', but in 1901 was 'widow'.
So what happened to John Corvan's family while he was in prison? Sadly,in the 1891 census I located his wife Elizabeth Inch Corvan in the St. Olave Union Workhouse:
" Elizabeth Corvan/ Inmate/ married/ 41/ nil profession/ born St. Martins Fields, Middlesex."
At the time of her husband's incarceration their children would have been aged 10 (Rose Cecilia); nine (John Stephen); six (Elizabeth) and five (Vincent).
I was so sad to find Vincent Corvan in the 1891 census...he was 11 years old, and living at St. Agnes Orphanage,in St. Marys Parish, Leyton in Essex. As yet I can find no trace of son John and daughters Rose and Elizabeth under any spelling combinations.By 1891, Rose would have been 16 or 17, John 15 or 16 and Elizabeth about 13.
HOLD ON!!!!! I just this second located Rose Cecilia and her brother John Corvan in the 1891 census! Rosa was working as a domestic servant for a pork butcher widower and his family in Bermondsey, and indexed in the Ancestry index as "Conary"!:
170 Bermondsey Street, London.
James Milbank/head/widower/56/pork butcher/b Essex
Mary Milbank/sister/54/housekeeper/ born Waltham Essex
Edward J Milbank/son/18/ manager to pork butcher/b Bermondsey
Thomas H Milbank/son/15/assistant pork butcher/ "
Elizabeth M.H Milbank/daughter/scholar/ "
Agnes Milbank/ niece/16/ born Great Waltham, Essex
William Andrews/servant/widower/48/slaughterman/b Whitechapel
ROSE C CORVAN/ servant/single/16/domestic servant general/ born Strand, London.
John Stephen Corvan was a boarder in a Boys' Home at 81 Blackfriars Road,, Southwark, London. He was 15 years old, and his employment was boot ____ maker. His birthplace was given as Bermondsey, London.
Further investigation shows that this institution was officially known as St. George's Working Boys' Home, and that it was an auxiliary home to St. Vincent's Industrial School for Roman Catholic Boys at Dartford, Kent.
"Certified 3rd December 1891 for a number not exceeding 45 boys. An additional house was taken at No. 83 Blackfriars Road, and fitted with workshops, reading rooms etc. Departments for printing, cabinet-making and book-binding were initiated for the employment of boys discharged from Industrial Schools, or out of employment. There was a reading room had been founded for the lads after working hours. There was also a gymnasium with baths and lavatory. A great effort was made to promote the best interests of the lads dealt with to secure them a comfortable home, due care and suitable occupation. This auxiliary home was gone from 81 Blackfriars Road, Southwark, Surrey by 1897." ( Source: http://www.missing-ancestors.com/ )
I won't give up on finding Elizabeth Corvan...just yesterday I couldn't find any of the family of John Corvan in the 1891 census, and 24 hours later I have his wife and three of four children...rewards come to the very persistent!
Rose Corvan, John's sister, was perhaps the most tragic victim of this sad story.After standing up in court and trying to defend her brother by saying she had injured herself falling down stairs and that she couldn't remember what happened on the night in question, she not only had to watch John be sent to prison but also his family disband.Her own little boy, Vincent, who was unwittingly at the root of the whole terrible event, died just two months after the trial.
His death certificate states that on May 27, 1884, at 11 Herbert Street, Vincent Corvin, aged 2 years, son of Rosa Corvin of no occupation, died of Tuberculosis and consequent congenital atrophy from ???? (looks like 'inutrition') certified by E.E Hooper, M.R.C.S. The informant was M.Starns, occupier, present at the death, 11 Herbert Street, Hoxton, New Town.
I don't know why little Vincent was staying in the Starns household. In 1881, the Starns family living at 11 Herbert Street, Hoxton, consisted of:
George Starns/head/35/milkman/born Suffolk
Marion Starns/wife/35/born Portsmouth
Children William aged 7; Marion aged 4 and Arthur aged 1; as well as a 13 year old nephew William Starns and two servants.
George Starns had married Marianne Watson in the district of St George Hanover Square, London in 1873.I can find no relationship between this family and Rosa Corvan, or in fact any trace of the Vincent Coleman who fathered Rosa's child.
In the 1891 census return, Rosa was a boarder in the London suburb of Willesden. She was living with the Morris family in Rucklidge Street, Willesden:
John W. Morris/head/35/bus driver/b Camden Town
Caroline Morris/wife/35 b Cambridge
Children: Charlotte ,14, laundry maid; Ellen, 11, scholar; Edward, 7, scholar; John, 4, scholar and Frederick, 2.
Rosa Corvan/boarder/single/35/living on own means/ born Strand.
In 1891 Rosa was still in Rucklidge Street, Willesden, but boarding with another family:
70 Rucklidge Street.
Charles Horbury/head/35/railway engine driver/b Yorkshire
Agnes/35/wife (maiden name Cowley)
Children:Charles, 13; Agnes 6; Henry 3; Annie W 1.
Rosa Corvan/boarder/single/44/living on own means/b Strand
Two other boarders were also living with the Horbury family: 18 year old railway engine stoker Joseph Brockie and 24 year old Charles Salter, same occupation.
The last trace of Rosa Corvan comes in the 1911 census, and she is still living with the Horbury family, even though they have moved to another house. Boarder Joseph Brockie is also with them:
78 Leghorn Road, Harlesden, Willesden.
Charles Horbury/head/45/locomotive engineman
Agnes Horbury/45/married for 26 years
Charles John/son/23/railway clerk
Agnes Margaret/daughter/16
Henry/son/13/scholar
Annie Winifred/daughter/11/scholar
Rosa Corvan/boarder/single/living on own means/ b Strand
Thomas Hale/27/boarder/single/locomotive fireman
Joseph Brockie/boarder/single/28/locomotive fireman
I would love to know the circumstances by which Rosa Corvan found herself with the means to support herself without working for over twenty years.I wish that she had married and had other children, but since this wasn't to be I hope she found peace after the tragedy she went through as a young woman.
WHATEVER BECAME OF THE CHILDREN OF JOHN CORVAN AND ELIZABETH INCH?
I would never have found the answers to this question if it wasn't for a wonderful lady named Linda Corvan, a distant Corvan relation who found my blog and was kind enough to contact me to share information about her grandfather, Vincent Corvan, the youngest child of John Corvan and Elizabeth Inch. It was Linda who sent me the wonderful photographs reproduced below- the first Corvan photos, besides those few of my great-great grandmother Rosa Corvan, that I have ever seen.
These two photographs portray John Corvan's wife, Elizabeth Inch, and three of their children- Vincent, Rosa and John.
The wonderful top photo shows Vincent Corvan sitting astride a stuffed alligator with two unknown friends. Linda Corvan wrote : "It seems to have been some sort of a Florida tradition to have a photo taken sitting on a stuffed alligator. I have a similar photo of my dad's sister sitting on probably the same alligator. Now that I have scanned this photo and then opened it up in a viewer, enlarged, I can clearly see the scald scar on his left cheek. When looking at just the photo itself, I thought he had very large sideburns."
This reference to a scald also appears on Vincent Corvan's 1921 U.S naturalisation papers in his description: 42 years old; 5 feet 5 inches; dark complexion; blue eyes; dark brown hair; visible distinguishing marks: left side of face scald scarred.
The bottom photo is of Elizabeth Inch Corvan and her children John Stephen and Rosa. It must have been sent from England by Rosa to her brother Vincent in Florida, because on the reverse is written " This is my mother, brother and myself. I should like one of you if I could get it or your family." In another hand in pencil is written "This is your Daddy's sister, Rose, and his brother John and his mother"...the latter obviously being written for the benefit of Vincent Corvan's son, Vincent.
It appears that both Vincent and his brother, John Stephen Corvan, left England and ended up in the United States, possibly via Canada. Dealing with John Stephen Corvan first...
The details of John Stephen Corvan's life are very patchy. In 1891 he was a 15 year old living at the St. George's Working Boys' Home in Southwark. There are no signs of him in the census returns for 1901 and 1911, but he pops up in the U.S 1910 census for San Francisco. Information to be gained from this documents includes: lodger/ male/ single/ white/33/ born in England' both parents born in England/ Immigrated to the U.S in 1900/ gardener/ can both read and write.
In California in 1918 when aged 41 John Corvan filled in a WW1 draft registration card. His birth date was given as October 6, 1876, his birthplace as Britain and his occupation as shipping clerk. His nearest relative was given as Mrs E. Corvan, 3 Clifton Crescent, London, England. John's description was "short in height; medium in build, grey eyes, and black hair.
In 1921 there is a shipping record for a return trip to England by John Corvan on board the ship 'Empress Of Britain'. Information given in the passenger list included :Proposed Address In The United Kingdom: 3 Blucher Road Camberwell, London E. C.
Occupation: Shipping Clerk
Country of Last Permanent Residence: California Age: 45 Arrived: 6 August 1921.
The sad story of John Corvan, son of Patrick and Cecilia.
As previously mentioned, John Corvan was born in 1850, the second of seven sons born to Patrick Stephen Corvan and Cecilia Burn.He married Elizabeth Inch on July 20, 1873, at St. Martins In The Fields.
John lived with his parents in Clements Lane, St. Clement Danes, until his marriage. His father died in 1873 and his mother in 1875, and being the only married sibling John and his wife Elizabeth took on the role of raising the younger Corvan children- James, Rosa, Albert and Vincent.He had an elder brother, Thomas Patrick Corvan, but apparently John was considered to be a better choice.
The Corvans remained in St. Clement Danes until the late 1870s, during which time Elizabeth gave birth to three children- Rose Cecilia in 1874, John Stephen in 1875 and Elizabeth in 1877.
By the time their next child, Vincent Corvan, was born in 1879, the family had moved to Rotherhithe in Surrey. The 1881 census found them living at 18 Parfitt Street, Rotherhithe:
John Corvan/ head/ 30/ ornamental engraver/ born St. Clement Danes
Elizabeth Corvan/ wife/ 30/ born St. Giles
Rosa Corvan/ daughter/ 6/ born St. Clement Danes
John Corvan/ son/ 5/ born St. Clement Danes
Elizabeth Corvan/daughter/ 3/ born St. Clement Danes
Vincent Corvan/son/1/born Rotherhithe, Surrey.
Rosa Corvan/sister/24/ dressmaker/ born St. Clement Danes.
Two of the other boys had obtained employment and moved away from home- James and Albert, aged 21 and 19, were boarding together at 28 Charles Street, London, in the home of Irishwoman Margaret Russell. James was an upholsterer and Albert a plumber.I am yet to find any trace of Vincent.
In late 1881 an event occured which would result in this young family becoming destroyed...a relatively simple, very common occurrence, but one that would rip the Corvan family apart.
Rosa Corvan, John's only surviving sister, became pregnant to a man named Vincent Coleman. The resulting child was born in the June 1/4 of 1882 in St. Olave district of Rotherhithe, and was registered as "Vincent Corvin".
The presence of an illegitimate child in the Catholic Corvan household proved to be very unsettling for John Corvan, and depressed him to the extent that he attempted suicide. He was charged before a magistrate with this crime, but matters really came to a head on February 4, 1884.
The father of Rosa's son, Vincent Coleman,had taken the child away, an act which was very much against the wishes of Rosa. John apparently welcomed the opportunity to rid his house of little Vincent, because he and Rosa got into an argument that quickly escalated into violence.Rosa badly cut her brother's hand with a glass, and John, in a rage, picked up a heavy hammer and started to hit her about the head and body with it. Rosa ended up having to escape out of a first floor window, where she was found hanging by a passerby who, with the assistance of a policeman, helped her down and took her to hospital.
The case was briefly covered in local papers, and in more depth on the Oldbaileyonline website. These reports will be included in the following blog entry.
John lived with his parents in Clements Lane, St. Clement Danes, until his marriage. His father died in 1873 and his mother in 1875, and being the only married sibling John and his wife Elizabeth took on the role of raising the younger Corvan children- James, Rosa, Albert and Vincent.He had an elder brother, Thomas Patrick Corvan, but apparently John was considered to be a better choice.
The Corvans remained in St. Clement Danes until the late 1870s, during which time Elizabeth gave birth to three children- Rose Cecilia in 1874, John Stephen in 1875 and Elizabeth in 1877.
By the time their next child, Vincent Corvan, was born in 1879, the family had moved to Rotherhithe in Surrey. The 1881 census found them living at 18 Parfitt Street, Rotherhithe:
John Corvan/ head/ 30/ ornamental engraver/ born St. Clement Danes
Elizabeth Corvan/ wife/ 30/ born St. Giles
Rosa Corvan/ daughter/ 6/ born St. Clement Danes
John Corvan/ son/ 5/ born St. Clement Danes
Elizabeth Corvan/daughter/ 3/ born St. Clement Danes
Vincent Corvan/son/1/born Rotherhithe, Surrey.
Rosa Corvan/sister/24/ dressmaker/ born St. Clement Danes.
Two of the other boys had obtained employment and moved away from home- James and Albert, aged 21 and 19, were boarding together at 28 Charles Street, London, in the home of Irishwoman Margaret Russell. James was an upholsterer and Albert a plumber.I am yet to find any trace of Vincent.
In late 1881 an event occured which would result in this young family becoming destroyed...a relatively simple, very common occurrence, but one that would rip the Corvan family apart.
Rosa Corvan, John's only surviving sister, became pregnant to a man named Vincent Coleman. The resulting child was born in the June 1/4 of 1882 in St. Olave district of Rotherhithe, and was registered as "Vincent Corvin".
The presence of an illegitimate child in the Catholic Corvan household proved to be very unsettling for John Corvan, and depressed him to the extent that he attempted suicide. He was charged before a magistrate with this crime, but matters really came to a head on February 4, 1884.
The father of Rosa's son, Vincent Coleman,had taken the child away, an act which was very much against the wishes of Rosa. John apparently welcomed the opportunity to rid his house of little Vincent, because he and Rosa got into an argument that quickly escalated into violence.Rosa badly cut her brother's hand with a glass, and John, in a rage, picked up a heavy hammer and started to hit her about the head and body with it. Rosa ended up having to escape out of a first floor window, where she was found hanging by a passerby who, with the assistance of a policeman, helped her down and took her to hospital.
The case was briefly covered in local papers, and in more depth on the Oldbaileyonline website. These reports will be included in the following blog entry.
Discovery of Skeletons in Corvan-owned house!
I was delighted to find these newspaper articles about the discovery of three skeletons in a house sold by Patrick Stephen Corvan to the King's College Hospital. Patrick and his family lived for many years in St Clements Lane, Strand. In a London Directory of 1848, Patrick's address is given as 31 Clements Lane, Strand.The family were still there at the time of the 1851 census, then in 1861 and 1871 were at 41 and 42 Clements Lane respectively.The numbers 41 and 42 may have just been a change in the numbering of houses in Clements Lane rather than a change in the actual house.
Similarly, when you look at the 1851 census return for St. Clements Lane, you find that there is no number 30 Clements Lane...it starts with the number 31, which is inhabited by Patrick Corvan's family and six families who lodged in the house.A total of 29 people lived at 31 Clements Lane at the time of the 1851 census, 14 of whom were children, and several of whom were Irish-born. As stated in the newspaper article, the families seem "poor but respectable" with occupations such as staymakers, laundresses, milkman and bootmaker.
The "Mr Ennis" who was named as the former proprietor before Patrick Corvan was most likely Charles Innis, a friend of the Corvan family who was a witness at the marriage of John Corvan in 1844. He was the son of an Irishman also named Charles Innis who had married Mary McCarty at St. George Bloomsbury in 1803. Charles the Younger was a solicitor.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Patrick Stephen Corvan continued
I can't find any information on Cecilia Burn and her family, but there is a reference to her on the Oldbaileyonline site which states her address in 1845 as Lawrence Street, which was given as her address at the time of her 1846 marriage in the parish records of the Sardinian Chapel:-
"1313. SARAH BRYAN was indicted for stealing 2 pair of trowsers, value 7s.; 2 pairs of boots, 1s. 6d.; 1 scarf, 3d.; and 1 apron, 6d.; the goods of Richard Thorpe.
RICHARD THORPE . I live in Lawrence-street, St. Giles. On the 22nd of May, about half-past two o'clock, I went out for some refreshment—I returned at half-past three, and missed my trowsers and the other things stated—I went out, and saw the prisoner down Lascelles-place, with this pair of trowsers and this apron in her apron—they are mine.
CECILIA BURN . I live in this house. About three o'clock I was in the parlour—I heard a person going down stairs—I opened the parlour door, and saw the prisoner coming down, with a bundle of clothes in her apron—I could see the back of a pair of boots amongst the things quite plain—I knew the prisoner before by sight.
Prisoner's Defence. At half-past one o'clock I was coming home; a woman was coming along with a basket of clothes; I looked at these trowsers; she asked me half a crown for them; I gave her 1s. 9d., and I gave her 1 1/2d. for this apron.
GUILTY . Aged 54.— Confined Three Months.
SARAH BRYAN, Theft, simple larceny, 16th June 1845.
Lawrence Street was also part of the St. Giles Rookery district, and in close proximity to Buckeridge Street where the Corvans resided. Another Old Bailey report reveals that Lawrence Street was also the location of a shop that John and Patrick Corvan ran together in the mid-1840s:-
" 49. November 1844: ANN DOWLING was indicted for stealing 1 stock, value 6d.; 1 pipe, 6d.; 1 ring, 5s.; the goods of Patrick Stephen Corvan: 1 brush, 1s.; 1 locket, 3d.; 2 pieces of thrum, 3d.; 1 piece of candle, 1d.; 1 fork, 6d.; and 1 tobacco-stopper, 2d.; the goods of Patrick Stephen Corvan and another, her masters.
PATRICK STEPHEN CORVAN: I am a partner with my brother. We have a shop in Lawrence-street, St. Giles's. The prisoner came there from time to time as a charwoman. She was in my employ on the 1st of October, and left on the 2nd, I think. On the 4th she came to my shop with this ring, which is my property, on her finger. I said, "Dear me, that is my ring, where did you get it?". She said, "I picked it up by the water-butt". I said, "Give it me". She took it off, and gave it me. I missed other property, and went with a policeman to her residence. I found the property produced in a trunk and boxes. She was present at the time we found a brush, a pipe, and a stock. They are the property of myself and my partner. The prisoner said they were given to her by my sister.
DENNIS MAHONEY (police-constable E 63.) I went with Mr. Corvan to the prisoner's lodging. She was there. I found all these things, except the ring, in her boxes.
ROSA CORVAN : I live with my brother John, who is partner with Patrick Stephen Corvan. I never gave these things to the prisoner.
Prisoner's Defence: I found the ring, and left it in the kitchen till Saturday, and then took it home; the other things have never been in that house; the brush belonged to a young man who is gone to sea.
GUILTY . Aged 32.— Confined Two Months ."
An advertisement in the Catholic Advertiser of 1845 also supports the fact that the Corvans had a business in Lawrence ( or 'Laurence') Street:- "John Corvan, Coal Merchant. Royal George Wharf, Bankside, Southwick; and 9 Laurence Street Bloomsbury."
In 1844, Buckeridge Street was one of parts of St. Giles which was demolished when New Oxford Street was driven right through the centre of the district in an attempt to rid London of one of its worse slum areas. The plan backfired, however, when no attempt was made to re-house the thousands of poor citizens who lost their homes and lodgings- they simply crammed themselves into the parts of St. Giles which were still standing and made the overcrowding and resulting disease far worse. One of the streets saved from destruction was Church Street, and it was here that Patrick Corvan had already removed to when he married in 1846.
The first child born to Patrick and Cecilia Corvan was a daughter. Born in 1847, CATHERINE ANN CORVAN named after both of her grandmothers,and known as 'Kate'. She was born in the family home at 31 Clements Lane, Westminster. Kate Corvan died in 1858, aged ten years.
Second child was a son named THOMAS PATRICK CORVAN, named for his grandfather Thomas Burn and father and grandfather( both Patrick Corvans).The London Times carried the notice of his birth:
" “BIRTHS: On the 5th inst. the wife of Mr. P.S. Corvan, of Clements Lane, of a son and heir.
-Thursday September 7, 1848.”
Twenty two year old Thomas Corvan in the 1871 census was working as a carpenter and living at home with his parents and siblings. His father was a master builder employing 4 men, so Thomas was most likely working for him.
In 1880, at the age of 32 years, Thomas Patrick Corvan married Annie Vandome, the daughter of Thomas Vandome and Ann Peak. Annie was born in St. Pancras in late 1854, and had two brothers- John born 1851 and William born 1852. Their father Thomas Vandrome was a light porter who had been born in c. 1821 in Shoreditch.He married Ann Peak in 1849, but died in early 1855 after only five years of marriage.His wife Ann raised her children by becoming a lodging house keeper.
Annie Vandome Corvan was not even one year old when her father died, and like her mother she also lost her husband after only several years of marriage. Thomas Patrick Corvan died in late 1884 in the Kensington district, aged only 35. His four years of marriage had produced two daughters, Annie Corvan, born Kensington district in late 1880,and her sister Cecilia Corvan born in 1882; and a namesake, Thomas Patrick Corvan in September 1/4 of 1884, just before his death. Sadly, his son did not live to honour his father's name...baby Thomas Patrick Corvan died late 1885, aged one year.Daughter Annie did not marry, and died in 1917 aged 36.
The 1911 census return shows the widowed Annie living at 19 Siddons Buildings, Drury Lane, Strand, with her two daughters. Annie was 56 years old and working as 'foreman, book folding'. Daughter Annie was single and aged 31, and employed as a numerical printer. Twenty eight year old Cecilia was working as a book folder.
In 1850, second son JOHN CORVAN was born to Patrick Stephen Corvan and Cecilia Burn. As a young man John was taught the trade of ornamental engraver, and was working in this profession at the time of the 1871 census when he was 20 years old and living at home with his family.
In the September 1/4 of 1873, 22 year old John Corvan married Elizabeth Inch.Their first child was a daughter whom they named Rose Cecilia Corvan. She was born in the September 1/4 of 1874, at St. Clement Dane, Westminster.
Other children born to John and Elizabeth were John Stephan Corvan in 1875, also in St Clement Dane and Vincent Anthony Corvan in 1879, distict of St.Olave,Rotherhithe, in Surrey.Vincent Anthony Corvan emigrated to the USA and had a family, the descendants of whom still live there.
Moving on from John and his family for the moment, the fourth child born to Patrick Stephen Corvan and his wife Cecilia was a third son. Named ANTHONY CORVAN, the baby was born in 1852. The little fellow came to a tragic end in 1856 when he suffered terrible injuries in a fire accident in his home. The local newspaper told the story:
" A child named Anthony Corvan aged five years was burnt to death by a fire breaking out on Friday night at Number 42 Clements Lane,Strand.It appears that the mother had gone out and left the child in the room, and neglected to put a guard before the fire, when the unfortunate little creature began playing with the cinders and accidentally set fire to the bed and bedding in a front room on the first floor.- From Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, Sunday July 13, 1856.
Four year old Anthony Corvan was buried on July 14, 1856, at the All Souls Catholic Cemetery in Chelsea.
Cecilia Corvan's next two children also did not survive their childhood:- CECILIA CORVAN was born in 1854 and died the same year, and the following year sixth child GEORGE CORVAN was born and died in 1855.Both of these children were buried in the All Souls Catholic Cemetery at Chelsea...Cecilia Corvan was buried on October 27, 1857, and her five week old brother George Corvan was buried on October 19, 1855.
Child number seven was a daughter named ROSA CORVAN after Patrick Corvan's youngest sister. She was born in 1857, and remained a spinster all of her life. She lived with her brother John and his wife Elizabeth after the death of their parents in the mid-1870s, then after 1884 lived as a lodger or boarder in other peoples' houses.
Patrick's and Cecilia's eighth child was JAMES ANTHONY CORVAN, born in 1858, St. James Middlesex. In the 1881 he was 21 and boarding with his brother Albert, working as an upolsterer.James married Mary Helen Fisher on August 9, 1883, at Soho, Westminster.James died in 1919 in the Newcastle Upon Tyne district,and as yet I have no other information about him or his family.
Corvan child number nine was ALBERT GEORGE CORVAN, and he was born in 1861, Strand, London.In 1881, he was a 19 year old plumber in Mile End Old Town, boarding at 28 Charles Street, with his brother James.Albert and his wife Agnes had a large family of children- Albert, Thomas, William, Bernard, Agnes, Rose, Winnifred and Mary. After living in Shadwell, London, Albert moved his family to Walthamstow, Essex, in the 1890s. He changed his occupation as a young man to printers' copyreader, and by the 1901 census was "Printers' reader assistant". Albert Corvan Senior died 1913,West Ham, Essex, aged 51.
The tenth Corvan child was yet another son- VINCENT CORVAN, born c. 1863, St. James Middlesex.Vincent married Bessie Emma Nuttle, Camberwell district, 1884. Their first child was a daughter named Hilary Cecilia Maud Corvan. She was born on February 2, 1885, at 221 Saint James road, Southwark, Surrey. For some unknown reason she was not living with her parents at the time of the 1891 census. They were living together at 48 Earl Street, Southwark:
Vincent Corvan/head/29/printer/b Clare market, London
Bessie Corvan/wife/30/born Plymouth.
I finally located their daughter Hilary at 6 Brook Hill Road, Woolwich, London, living with the Younger family:
Lottie Younger/head/single/18/bc. 1873, Ireland/ P.O telegraphist
Jessie Younger/sister/17/b c. 1874, Ireland/sorter cook(??)
James Younger/brother/15/b c. 1876,Ireland/fitter & turner apprentice
Sidney M. Younger/brother/14/b c. 1877, London
Charlotte C. Smith/cousin/27/b c. 1864,London/housekeeper
Hilary C.M Corvan/niece/6/b 1885/scholar/b London
I have just spent the last hour in investigative mode to discover the exact relationship between Bessie Nuttle and the Younger family, and am very pleased to report success!
Bessie Emma Nuttle was born in Plymstock, Devon, in 1859, to parents Elizabeth Mortimore and Philip Nuttle who had married the previous year in 1858.Another son, William Henry, was born in Plymstock in 1860. Philip Nuttle died in 1862, and in 1867 Elizabeth Mortimore Nuttle was married to Thomas Hogben. He didn't last much longer than her first husband, because by the 1871 census she was once again widowed:
1871: Plymstock, Devon
Elizabeth Hogben/head/widow/35/dressmaker/b Ashburton, Devon
George Parsons/lodger/married/45/ag lab/born Devon
William Nuttall/son/10/b Turnchapel, Devon.
Elizabeth's daughter Bessie Emma Nuttle is staying with her maternal grandmother on the night of the '71 census:
Plympton, Devon
Elizabeth Mortimore/head/widow/59/laundress/b Stoke Damerel, Devon
Samuel Mortimore/son/23/plasterer/b Plympton
Bessey Emma Nuttle/granddaughter/12/scholar/b Plymstock
John Willcocks/son-in-law/32/cordwainer/b Frome, Somerset
Emma Willcocks/wife/27/laundress/b Plympton
George Willcocks/grandson/1 month/born Plympton.
In 1872 Elizabeth Mortimore Nuttle Hogben married for a third time, this time to James Younger.Despite being in her mid-thirties, Elizabeth bore James Younger two sons and two daughters. Daughters Lottie and Jessie were born in Ireland in c.1873 and c. 1874 respectively.Son James followed in c. 1876, also in Ireland, but by the time son Sidney appeared in c. 1877 the family had returned to England.
In the 1881 census the family was living at 38 Parfitt Road, Rotherhithe, which is the same street as John Corvan and his family were living in at the time:
1881: 38 Parfitt Rd, Rotherhithe
James Younger/head/marr/37/engraver-writing/b Clerkenwell, M'sex
Elizabeth Younger/wife/45/b Ashburton, Devon
Lottie Younger/daughter/8/scholar/b Ireland
Jessie Younger/daughter/scholar/b Ireland
James Younger/son/5/b Ireland
Sidney M/son/4/b Bermondsey, Surrey
In 1881 20 year old Bessie Emma Nuttle was working as a farm servant for 41 year old farmer Walter Wyatt and his 35 year old sister Susan at Plymstock.She married Vincent Corvan, youngest son of Patrick Stephen Corvan and Cecilia Burn, in 1884.
James Younger, Elizabeth's third husband, died at Woolwich in 1888, aged 44. Elizabeth herself died in early 1891, aged 53, which explains why her daughter Lottie was the head of the household at the young age of 18 in the 1891 census.Lottie's siblings were aged 17,15 and 14, so it was fortuetous that their 27 year old cousin, Charlotte Smith, was living in their home as a housekeeper. The fact that 6 year old Hilary Cecilia Corvan was described as their niece was by the virtue of her being the daughter of their half-sister, Bessie Emma Nuttle, from their mother's first marriage.
Phew..that took a lot of delving and scribbling on paper to sort out relationships and marriages!
Sadly, Hilary Cecilia Maud Corvan died not long after the 1891 census. She died at Woolwich, aged six, in the September 1/4 of 1891.I obtained her birth certificate to ascertain who her parents were, and the information given was "On the second of February, 1885, at 221 Saint James Road, Southwark, Hilary Cecilia Maud was born to Philip Vincent Corvan, a farmer, and Emma Bessie Corvan formerly Nuttle. The informant was "P.V Corvan, father, of 221 Saint James Road, Bermondsey."
It is interesting to note that the forenames and middle names of both parents were reversed on the certificate...Vincent calling himself 'Philip' and Bessie as 'Emma'.
Two more children can be found in the birth index for the St. Olave district after Hilary...in 1886 Alfred Moray Corvan was registered and then in 1888 Elizabeth helen Corvan. Both children died in the same year as they were born.Without purchasing the certificates I cannot say for sure whether they were the issue of Vincent and Bessie, but it is certainly a possibility.
I have trawled the 1901 census for Vincent and Bessie( or Philip and Emma!) under every spelling and variation and combination, and am just about ready to admit defeat. I can't find their deaths either-for the moment the pair of them have simply vanished into thin air.
The last child to be attributed to Patrick and Cecilia Corvan was a daughter named CATHERINE CORVAN. Unfortunately, their last born child was to be no more fortunate than their first born...like her namesake Catherine 'Kate' Corvan who died when she was 10 or 11 in 1858, this baby Catherine died in her infancy in 1866, the year after her birth.
The census returns help track the growth and progress of Patrcik's family:-
The 1851 census finds the Corvan family living at 31 Clements Lane, Westminster:
Patrick Corvan/ head/ 38/ coal merchant/ b Lingfoner, Ireland
Cecilia Corvan/ wife/ 24/ b St. Andrews, City.
Kate Corvan/ daughter/3/ b St. Clements, Westminster.
Thomas Corvan/ son/ 2/ b St. Clements, Westminster.
John Corvan/son/ 6 months/ b St. Clements, Westminster.
Ann White/ servant/ 21/ house servant/ b Cork, Ireland.
In 1861, Patrick and his family were still in Clements Lane:
42 Clements Lane, Westminster.
Patrick S. Corvan/ head/ 49/ builder/ b St. Giles, London.
Cecilia Corvan/ wife/32/ b St. Andrew’s, M’sex
Thomas Corvan/ son/ 12/ scholar/ b St. Clements
John Corvan/ son/ 10/ scholar/ b St. Clements
James Corvan/ son/ 3/ b St. Clements
Rosa Corvan/daughter/ 4/ b St. Clements
Mary Crisp/ 65/ widow/ servant/ b Ealing M’sex.
1871 Census: 42 Clements Lane, St. Clement Danes
Patrick S. Corvan, b c. 1817, aged 54. Born county Longford, Ireland/ Head of household. Occupation builder master, employing 4 men.
Cecilia Corvan, aged 41, born St. James, Middlesex, wife.
Thomas P/ 22/ born Middlesex/ son
James J. / 20/ born Middlesex/ son
Albert/ 10/ born Middlesex/ son
Vincent/ 8/ born Middlesex/ son.
Patrick Corvan built himself a successful career as a builder. He died in 1873, aged 63.
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