Part of the Ingram-Green family tree (Great-great-grandfather)
Family background and early life
Joseph Henry Green was born in the autumn of 1834 at Pitsea, now part of Basildon, Essex. He was the fourth of seven children born to James Green (1799–1872) and his wife, Frances née Mason (1807–1883). He was baptised at St Michael’s Church, Pitsea on 5 October 1834.
James Green and Frances Mason had been married at St Michael’s Church, Pitsea on 4 April 1826. Their first child, James, was born in December 1826, but sadly died at just a few days old; he was baptised at St Michael’s on 8 December and buried there on 16 December.
Over the next 21 years, a further six children were born, of whom two died before reaching their seventh birthday.
By the time of the first national census in June 1841, the family had moved three miles south-east to South Benfleet, where they were living at East Street. James, an agricultural labourer, was living with Frances and five children, including 6-year old Joseph.
Ten years later, James (now employed as a shepherd) and Frances, with 16-year old Joseph and his youngest sibling, 3-year old Ellen. had returned to Pitsea; their address was recorded as Pitsea Hall. 16-year old Joseph was employed as an agricultural labourer.
In 1861, Joseph was no longer living with his parents, but was working as a labourer at Little Rinwoods Farm in Foulness, to the east of Southend.
Marriage and children
On 4 October 1862, 28-year old Joseph Henry Green married 22-year old Eliza Skingley at the Church of St Helen & St Giles, Rainham (then part of Romford, Essex, but now in the London Borough of Havering). She was the daughter of Thomas Skingley, a gardener.
The couple had five children, four of whom died young, leaving only one son, Joseph George, born in August 1864, to become an adult.
At the 1871 census, 37-year old Joseph (an agricultural labourer) and Eliza were living in West Thurrock with 6-year old Joseph George (recorded as George) and a 2-year old son, Lee. [No further record of Lee Green has been found, nor of any of the other children.] The residential address is simply recorded as “low house”, with no street indicated.
By the next census, Joseph had left the land and moved to East Ham, where he was employed as a labourer at a gas works. He and Eliza, together with their only surviving son, Joseph (also a gasworks labourer, aged 17), were living at Crescent Road, North side, East Ham.
By 1891, Joseph was working as a plate layer on the railway system within the large gas works at Beckton, and was living nearby at 8 Arthur Street, with their 6-year old grandson, Ernest George Green. Ten years later, he was still living at Arthur Street, but was now working as a stoker at the gas works.
In 1911, he was now living at 32 Lawrence Road, East Ham, having retired from the gasworks. He was described as an “Old Age Pensioner, Permanent Way Man”.
Joseph Henry Green died in December 1911, age 77, and was buried at St Mary Magdalene’s Church, East Ham on 21 December.
Sources
Ancestry.co.uk:
1841 England Census
1851 England Census
1861 England Census
1861 England Census
1871 England Census
1881 England Census
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
Essex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1918
Essex, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813-1994
Essex, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1935
Freereg.org.uk:
Pitsea St Michael parish register:
5 October 1834. Baptism of Joseph Green