Genealogy Chat

Mad Alice My gt gt grandfather moved to London at some point between his birth in Essex 1812 and his marriage in Kennington, Surrey in 1858. He then settled in Richmond, Surrey for the rest of his life. Of course, Kennington was probably still a village rather than part of Greater London, then. Ditto Richmond. I am just thinking that he may well have moved from Kennington to Richmond by train as there is a line from Vauxhall to Richmond. Railways opened up travel possibilities. But I have found that none of my relatives moved further than about 10 miles away before the 1850s, which is when the railways really began expanding. My Warwickshire gt grandfather moved to London sometime after 1851 and before 1865 (haven't found him on 1861 census in either his birth village or his London address). His wife was in Cambridge in 1851 and in London 1865 (when they married - but again I don't know where she was in 1861). nell

Hi Alice Mine moved from rural Essex where they were Agricultural Labourers to Lambeth, London where the Dad became a Stoker at an Engineering Works. Their children's occupations varied from Postman, Weigh Gas Meter Maker, Commercial Clerk, Shop Assistant and Dressmakers. Probably more opportunites than they would have got working on someone else's farm in Wimbish, Essex! Interestingly, though, once the railways arrived, they all moved back out of London to Essex again - but nearer London, West Ham, Forest Gate etc. It would be interesting to know what prompted them all to leave Essex in the first place. Natalie PS. They left Essex in 1848.

My Mum and dad were both born in the London area, where their parents were born. As I trace their familis back on the census it seems that many of their ancestors moved into London round about the 1850's - when I lose most of them on the census as they are not in the village where they came from so I guess they were in London/Surrey/Kent by then. Interestly they came from all over the country and then met in London so it makes for some diverse research. In the last few days I have found another family who did the same from yet another county. It was not just the younger generation that moved, often the whole family moved with grown up children. I was wondering firstly if my lot were typical and seconly why most of them moved in the 1850's ? Presumeably industry was a lure - but did life in the country become more difficult too for some reason? Alice

I am just wondering if my relatives were typical of the time. See below