Bill's Great Grandfather George Nelson and his wife Hannah Dinah Nelson (nee Durrant) had 14 children, this is what i have been able to find out about them.
Charles George Nelson 1859 - 1934
Charles was born in Southtown, Gt Yarmouth. In 1861 he’s living with his parents on the High Rd. in Southtown. In the 1871 and 1881 census’s he’s described as a ‘labourer’. By 1886 he’s made his way to London where aged 27 he marries Catherine Baikie 28. Catherine was born in West Derby, Liverpool. He then appears on the electoral roll as living at 87 Parker St. Byker Newcastle upon Tyne between 1886 and 1889 and is possibly the first Nelson to make the move to Newcastle. His father George Nelson would then take over the address after moving his family from Yarmouth in 1889. In the 1891 census Charles and wife Catherine are back in London and living at 25 Uxbridge St. Newington, London, he is working as a ‘Horse keeper (Groom)’.
In 1901 Charles and Catherine are managing a public house, ‘The Angel and Crown’ at 5 Whitechapel Rd. Whitechapel, London and there are 4 other pub workers living with them. In 1911 Charles and Catherine are living at 75 Royal Mint St. Tower Hill, London. Charles is again a ‘Horse keeper‘(Carman) and the couple have had 2 children who have both died. Catherine Nelson (nee Baikie) died in 1924 in Islington London. Charles George a ’Cabman’ moved back to Yarmouth and died whilst living with his sister Ellen Eliza Lowther at 239 High St. Gorleston in 1934.
James John Nelson 1860 - 1861
Born in Southtown, died in infancy age 6 weeks.
James Durrant Nelson 1861 - 1931
James Durrant Nelson
Georgina Woolaston Lawrence
James Durrant was born in Southtown. In the 1871 census age 9 he’s living with his parents and four siblings on the High Road in Southtown and is a Scholar. Ten years later at the age of 19 he is living in a boarding house at Row 61, No.6, Call Quay in Gorleston and his occupation is ‘Maltster’.
On the 17th June 1882 aged 20 he marries Georgina Woolaston Lawrence 20 at Gorleston Parish Church his occupation remains ‘Maltster’. Georgina was born in Marylebone London in 1862. In the 1891 census the couple have moved to Newcastle (some time in the previous year shortly after George Nelson and most of his family. They are living at 52 Denmark St. Byker and have 6 children all of whom were born in Yarmouth except the youngest Mabel (2 months) who was born in Newcastle. James’ occupation is ‘Gas Stoker’.
In 1901 they are living at 54 Belvedere St. Byker and now have 11 children. The 2 oldest boys are working, James Frederick 18 as an Apprentice Marine Engineer and Frederick William 13 as a Butchers Assistant. James Durrant is still working as a Gas Stoker.
In 1908 James Durrant Nelson and his son James Frederick Nelson were initiated into the Saint Gabriel Lodge of the Freemasons in Byker. Another son Frederick William James Nelson was initiated into the same lodge in 1912.
In 1911 James and his family are living at 97 Tynemouth Road with 11 of their 15 children. Three children have died and James Frederick has married. James is still a Gas Worker and 7 of the children are also working.
James Durrant Nelson died on 10th August 1931 age 70 still living at Tynemouth Rd. James’s wife Georgina Nelson (nee Lawrence) died in 1949.
Henry George Nelson 1863 - 1863
Born in Gorleston, died in infancy age 6 months.
Ellen Eliza Nelson 1865 - 1947
Ellen Eliza was born in Gorleston Gt. Yarmouth. In the 1871 census she is living with her grandparents George and Harriet Durrant in Beccles Rd. Gorleston. In 1881 she is living with her now widowed grandmother in Bradwell Rd Gorleston and at age of 16 is described as a ‘Domestic Servant’. In 1887 she married William Read Lowther 35 a ‘Ships Carpenter‘. In the 1891 census they are running the ‘White Horse Inn’ on Burnt Lane, Gorleston and have 4 children. Also at the address are a boarder, a servant and Ellen’s younger sister Clara May Nelson 13 (Her parents and other siblings had moved to Newcastle at this point). Ten years later in 1901 they are still at the White Horse Inn and now have 6 children and Clara May Nelson is still living with them.
In 1911 Ellen 46 and now widowed (husband William died in 1910) is living at 56 High Rd Southtown with 4 of her children and is described as a ‘Boarding house keeper‘. In 1939 Ellen Eliza Lowther is living at 239 High St. Gorleston with her divorced daughter Ellen Cutler and her 2 children. Ellen Eliza died in 1947 aged 85 at the same address.
Arthur William Nelson 1867 - 1888
Arthur William was baptised in Gorleston on 11th August 1867. In 1871 he’s living with the family on the High Road in Southtown. In the 1881 census he appears twice, firstly at the family address of 12 Trafalgar Road, Gorleston aged 13 and described as being a ‘Cabin Boy’. Secondly he appears on a census for a vessel which at midnight on April 3 1881 was positioned in the North Sea off Horn Reef (about 15 miles from coast of Denmark). The vessel in question was a ‘Dandy’ called ‘Boy Bill’ which was a 45 ton, sea fishing, sailing trawler. The term ‘Dandy’ refers to the boats particular type of twin mast rigging configuration. Also on board are Scottish master John Macombie and 4 other crew members. The boat belonged to Hewett and Co. Ltd and worked between 1876 and 1901.
I couldn’t find any trace of Arthur in subsequent census’s or a marriage record or death record, which is unusual and thought that he perhaps spent a lot of time at sea and didn’t leave much in the way of a paper trail. On the 14th of October 1881 there was a bad storm over the North Sea and many boats were lost from fishing communities all along the east coast. Yarmouth lost 8 boats and 120 men; fortunately Arthur was not amongst the casualties.
A search of the local newspaper archives found a court report from March 1887 where an Arthur Nelson a ’smacksman’ (fishing smack) was fined 5 shillings plus costs for using ‘obscene language’ in Howard St. Yarmouth and his brother James (Durrant) Nelson was taken into custody for two days and reprimanded for obstructing a policeman.
This can perhaps be taken as a pointer to the sad demise of Arthur William who it turns out was 3rd hand on a Lowestoft based fishing ketch ‘Emily’ the following year in July 1888 and is recorded as having drowned as a consequence of ‘jumping overboard‘. This would explain the lack of a land based death record. The only newspaper account of the incident I could find was in the Norfolk News of 14th July 1888 which stated:-
“Gorleston - Suicide at Sea - News has been brought in that a man named Nelson, residing at Gorleston committed suicide by jumping overboard. It appears that domestic events were the cause of the rash act. “
It’s possible that Arthurs tragic death influenced his father Georges decision to move the family to Newcastle .
Sarah Jane Nelson 1869 - 1937
Sarah Jane was born in Gorleston. In 1871 she’s living with her parents on the High Rd. in Southtown. In 1881 she is working as a domestic servant for a woman called Mary A Hancock who is a ‘Stationer’ at 4 Spring St. Kingston upon Hull. In 1891 she is still in domestic service but now working for Richard W Richardson a ‘Master Engine Builder’ and his family who live at 28 Simonside Terrace, Heaton in Newcastle upon Tyne.
In 1892 In Newcastle Sarah Jane married Augustus William Isaac a ‘Joiner Carpenter’ who was born in Hull. In 1901 they are living at 4 Excelsior Avenue Sculcoates in Kingston upon Hull and have 3 children Charles Watson 8, Clara May 5 and Augustus William 2. In 1911 they are living at 13 Mayfield St. Springbank, Hull and Augustus is an out of work Joiner. Son Charles Watson Isaac 18 is a Merchant Sailor and Clara May 15 is a Dressmaker, Augustus Jr. 12 is still at school. They have had 5 children 1 of whom has died.
Sarah Jane’s husband Augustus William Isaac enlisted with the 4th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment during WW1. His regiment landed in Boulogne on 17th April 1915 and Augustus died on the 4th of May 1915 during the 2nd Battle of Ypres aged 46. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial. Sarah Jane Isaac (nee Nelson) died in Hull in 1937 aged 68.
Hannah Dinah Nelson 1870 - 1896
Hannah Dinah was born in Gorleston. In 1871 she’s living with her parents on the High Rd. in Southtown. In 1881 she appears on the census with her brother Walter at the address of a neighbour of her grandmother Harriet Durrant in Bradwell Rd Gorleston. They are described as ‘visitors’. In 1891 age 20 she is living with her parents at 87 Parker St., Byker in Newcastle. In the first quarter of 1896 Hannah married Samuel Howell 35 a Labourer who was born in Potter Heigham in Norfolk. Unfortunately she died just weeks later on the 5th of May 1896 at the age of 25. The couple lived at 52 Brinkburn St. Byker. Samuel Howell did not re-marry and died in 1902 age 43.
George Henry Nelson 1872 - 1872
Born in Southtown died in infancy age 6 months.
Clara May Nelson 1873 - 1874
Born in Southtown and died in infancy age 22 months.
Walter Nelson 1875 - 1953
Bill’s grandfather Walter was born in Gorleston. In 1881 census he appears as a visitor at the house of a neighbour of his grandmother Harriet Durrant. In 1891 he’s living in Byker Newcastle at 87 Parker St. and at the age of 16 is an Apprentice in an Ironworks. In 1899 he married Ellen Macintosh McMillan 22 the daughter of a Ships Carpenter from Ardrossan in Scotland. Ellen’s father is working at the shipyards in Newcastle. In 1901 they are living at 22 Brock St. in Byker and Walter is working as ‘Hand Driller’ in the shipyards and they have a son William who is 1.
In 1911 they are living at 323 Welbeck Road, Byker. Walter is still a Hand Driller and the have 3 children William 11, Walter Jr. 7 and Ellen 8 months. In 1918 Son William enlists in the Durham Light Infantry but the War ends before he is sent overseas. In 1921 his wife Ellen Nelson (nee McMillan) dies at the age of 45. In 1922 son William Nelson leaves Welbeck Rd. In 1928 he marries Widow Kate Howard Pearson in Wakefield. Around 1930 Bill’s father Walter Nelson leaves Welbeck Road. In 1932 Ellen Nelson marries James Boyle and the couple move in with Walter Sr. at Welbeck Rd. In 1936 Ellen and James Boyle leave Welbeck Rd. and move to Birmingham.
In 1939 Walter Sr. is living alone at Welbeck Rd. and is working as a self employed Chimney Sweep. Around 1947 he leaves Welbeck Rd. and seems to have moved to Birmingham to live with daughter Ellen and family. Walter Nelson Sr. died in Birmingham in 1953 age 78.
Clara May Nelson 1877 - 1936
Clara May was born on Aug 13th 1877 in Southtown. In the 1881 census she is living with her family at 12 Trafalgar Rd. Gorleston. In 1891 she is still in Gorleston living with her sister Ellen Eliza and her husband at the White Horse Inn on Burnt Lane, her parents and other siblings having made the move to Newcastle. She is still at the White Horse in 1901 aged 23; no occupation is ascribed to her. In 1910 aged 33 she marries a 30 year old man called Francis Jean Corneilla Vanden Brock in Liverpool. Francis was born in Antwerp Belgium.
In 1914 the couple appear on the passenger list of a transatlantic ship ‘Cedric‘, a White Star liner which sailed from Liverpool to New York between 15th and 24th January. Their occupations are described as ‘Chief Steward’ and ‘Stewardess’ indicating that they work aboard a ship but on this occasion they are passengers as Francis is described as having paid for their tickets. The document also indicates that they have travelled to New York previously in 1913 and that they are neither ‘polygamists’ nor ‘anarchists’ (US Immigration questions). Francis is described as 5 foot 6 inches tall with light brown hair and brown eyes. Clara May is the same height with blond hair and blue eyes.
In 1917 they appear on the crew list of another steam ship the ‘Tuscan Prince’ which arrived in New York from Kingston Jamaica on 21st of July. They are described as having been engaged on the ship in 1915 in New York and where it asks if crew members are to be discharged there is a question mark. The ‘Tuscan Prince’ belonged to the Prince Line fleet of steamers all named as various ‘Princes’. The Prince line was based in Newcastle and operated between the Mediterranean the UK and North and South America. Luckily Frank and Clara left the ship in New York in 1917 as the Tuscan Prince was torpedoed by a German U-boat off Dungeness on route from Hull to New York in 1918. She was damaged but did not sink and there were 2 casualties. In total during World War One, 17 Prince Line steamers were attacked, 14 were sunk, 3 were damaged and there were 81 casualties.
A W.W.1 Draft Registration card for Frank from Sept 1918 shows the couple living at 4022 6th Avenue in Kings, Brooklyn, New York and Frank is working for US Army Transport as a Steward.
The Vanden Brocks seem to have stayed in the U.S. as they appear in the 1920 Census living in an apartment in Brooklyn New York. Francis or Frank as he is listed is a ‘Checker for the Government’ and Clara May is an ‘Examiner in a factory’.
Francis Vanden Brock became a naturalised US Citizen in 1922 and Clara May Vanden Brock (nee Nelson) was naturalised in 1926.
In the 1930 census they have moved to an apartment the Richmond Hill area of Queens New York for which they pay $46 per month rent. Frank is a book keeper for a Hosiery Mill and Clara May is not working. Clara May died in Cortland New York in 1936 age 59 and Francis in the same area a year later aged 57
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S.S. Tuscan Prince
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cumberlandmuseum/6961791451/in/photostream/
George Isaac Nelson 1881 - 1938
George Isaac was born in Gorleston. In the 1891 census he’s living with his parents at 87 Parker St. Byker. In 1902 age 21 he married Margaret Ann Campbell 23. Margaret was born in Wallsend, Northumberland. In 1911 they are living at 103 Brinkburn St. Byker. George is a ‘Glazer and they have had 2 children one of whom has died. Their son Arthur William (named in memory of George’s late brother) is 4. George’s wife Margaret Ann Nelson (nee Campbell) died in 1914. In 1915 George Isaac married Edith Ward with whom he had a further 3 children, 2 of which died in infancy.
George Isaac Nelson died in Newcastle in 1938.
Gertrude Nelson 1889 - 1957
Gertrude was born in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1889. In 1891 she’s living with her parents at 87 Parker St. Byker with 3 of her siblings and 2 lodgers. In 1901 age 11 she is the last of the children living at home in 70 Brock St. Byker.
In 1911 age 20 she is living and working as a trainee Nurse at the Newcastle Workhouse & Infirmary and became qualified in 1914. In 1917 age 27 Gertrude married William Lionel Johnstone 31 a Drapers son from Stockton on Tees who served in the Labour Corps and the Army Veterinary Corps in W.W.1.
In July 1917 she joined the British Red Cross and served until June 1918 when she left to have her first child. Unfortunately Gertrude’s first child died after only a week. Gertrude seems to have worked her way up to the rank of Sister with the Red Cross but wasn’t eligible for a medal as she didn’t serve overseas. The Johnstones had a further 3 children.
In 1939 they are living in Stockton on Tees and William Lionel is a Director for a Drapery Company, Gertrude as well as ‘unpaid domestic duties’ is the Commandant of the 112th Detachment of the Women’s British Red Cross.
Gertrude Johnstone (nee Nelson) died in 1957 in Sedgefield Durham.
Update:- It's possible that Gertrude is actually the illegitimate daughter of Sarah Jane Nelson and therefore actually the grandaughter of George and Hannah Nelson.
