Part of the Earley family tree
Family background
Martha Rose was born at West Grimstead, near Salisbury, on 1 June 1844, the first of six children born to George Rose (1807–1889) and his wife, Jane née Grist (1820–1897). She was baptised at St John’s Church, West Grimstead on 28 July 1844.
At the 1851 census, Martha was living with her parents in West Grimstead together with two younger siblings.
Ten years later, 16-year old Martha was living at Hope Terrace in Limehouse in east London, where she was working as a servant to 29-year old Alice Agar, a milliner, and her 19-year old assistant, Anne Coombes.
On 23 May 1863, a week before her 19th birthday, Martha gave birth to a son whom she named Charles Mursell Rose. On the child’s birth certificate, no father is named; there were several families in West Grimstead with the name Mussell, including the two main farming families. Martha’s aunt, also Martha Rose, was the second wife of Joseph Mussell, who had five sons, Martha’s cousins. Charles was baptised at St John’s Church on 26 July 1863.
Marriage and children
On 6 January 1865, she gave birth to a second son, William George; again there are no details of the father on the birth certificate. William was baptised alongside two brothers at St John’s Church on 15 November 1871, with the surname Earley, when his father was recorded as Charles Earley.
On 4 October 1866, Martha (now 22) married 24-year old Charles John Earley, a farm labourer. The wedding was held at the District Registry Office for Alderbury (in the St Edmund parish of Salisbury).
Martha and Charles had a further nine children, all born at West Grimstead:
Sidney John Earley, born 26 July 1867, baptised at Burley 15 October 1867
Alfred George Earley, born 17 August 1869, baptised at West Grimstead 15 November 1871
Harry William Earley, born 22 June 1871, baptised 15 November 1871
Edward Earley, born 9 March 1874, baptised 14 May 1874
Elizabeth Jane, born 29 February 1876, baptised 25 May 1876
Tom Earley, born 24 August 1878, baptised 18 December 1878
Martha Kate Earley, born 15 April 1881, baptised 26 May 1881
Frank Earley, born 15 April 1884, baptised 22 May 1884
Emmeline Mary Earley, born 20 July 1887, baptised 21 December 1887
It appears that Martha and Charles may have fallen out with the vicar of West Grimstead; as a consequence they were married at the Registry Office in Alderbury, Sidney was not baptised there, while William and Alfred were not baptised until they were 6 and 2 years old respectively.
At the 1871 census, Martha and Charles (now a dairyman) were living in West Grimstead, where they were to remain for the rest of their lives. With them were their three sons: William, Sidney and Alfred. Ten years later, the family had been joined by four further children: Harry, Edward, Elizabeth and Tom. 13-year old Sidney was now an apprentice blacksmith, living with William Hinwood at Whaddon.
By 1891, William was married to Ellen Brown, with whom he went on to have five children. At the census, he and Ellen were living at Middle Bridge Street, Romsey, with their two eldest children. William was now employed as a shoemaker.
Sidney was married to Ada Richards, and was living at Rose Road, Eling where, aged 23, he was employed as a blacksmith.
Harry enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1889, aged 18. At the 1891 census, he was based at Aldershot. In December 1898, he married Alice Webb, and had four daughters.
The rest of the family were still living at home in West Grimstead at the 1891 census. Charles was still working as a cow man, while his two eldest sons still living at home, Alfred and Edward, were working as farm labourers.
Tragically, Martha Kate died on 4 October 1895, aged 14, as a result of diphtheria.
At the 1901 census, the only children still at home with Charles and Rose were 22-year old Tom, a groom, and the youngest child, 13-year old Emmeline, still at school.
Alfred had married Mary Hatcher in 1893, and was living at Norton Bavant, near Warminster. Aged 31, he was working as a cattle man, and living with his wife and two sons.
At the 1901 census, Edward was in Endless Street, Salisbury, employed as a coachman for Harcourt Coates, a surgeon, and his wife and family. His younger brother Frank was working alongside him as a groom. The following month, Edward married Lavinia Vincent, with whom he had six children. Frank was working as a chauffeur for Colonel Hugh Hulleat, Royal Engineers at Chatham in 1911. He married Nellie Light in 1912, with whom he had three children. During the First World War, Frank served with the Royal Army Service Corps. He went to France with the British Expeditionary Force in May 1915 and was discharged in June 1919, with the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Elizabeth had left home by the 1901 census, and was probably married, but it has not been possible to track her life after 1891.
In November 1906, Emmeline married Revd Albert Frederic Acton (1859–1938), who had been installed as the rector of West Grimstead in 1901; they had a son and two daughters.
Tom was the last child to leave the parental home when he married Ellen Keturah Southwell in October 1910, with whom he had six children.
Martha and Charles continued to live at West Grimstead until Charles died on 1 January 1924. Martha survived him by nearly eight years and died, aged 87, at West Grimstead on 23 December 1931. The cause of death was bronchopneumonia.
Charles Mursell Rose
Martha’s first child, Charles, was born on 23 May 1863 when Martha was just 18. He never lived with her after she married Charles Earley.
At the 1871 census, 7-year old Charles was living in West Grimstead with his grandparents, George and Jane Rose. Ten years later, he was still with his grandparents; aged 17, he was employed as a plumber.
In 1886, he married Lucy O’Meara in Lambeth, south London, with whom he had three children. He died in Redhill, Surrey in 1945.