The
census in April 1841 lists George Cornwell, an agricultural labourer aged 25 in
Kelvedon living with his wife Elizabeth (24) and their children Charles (3) and
George (1).
The
1851 census shows George and Elizabeth Cornwell living in Kelvedon with their
children Charles (aged 12), George (10), Elizabeth (8), and Henry (3).
In
1861, George and Elizabeth are listed at High St, Kelvedon with their children
George (now aged 20 and a blacksmith), Henry (12), Jane (9) Rebecca (6) and
William (2).
George
Cornwell junior moved to London sometime between 1861 and 1865. On July 1st
1865 he married Louisa Charlotte Hoppet at Christ Church, St Pancras. He was
aged 25 and a farrier (a blacksmith who fits shoes to horses). She was aged 24
(born 1841 in Marylebone), a daughter of Israel Hoppett, a labourer, and his
wife Charlotte Jubilee nee Polley.
George
and Louisa went on to have seven children namely Louisa Jane (born 1866 in
Marylebone), Rebecca Charlotte (born 1868 in Marylebone), Elizabeth Jubilee
(born 1870 in Marylebone, died 1871), Emma Amelia (born 1872 in Marylebone), Mary
Elizabeth (born 1875 in Marylebone, died 1876), Elizabeth (born 1879 in
Camberwell) and George Henry (born 1882 in Camberwell).
The
1871 census shows George Cornwell, aged 30, a cellarman, living at 157
Cleveland Street, Marylebone with his wife Louisa (29) and children Louisa (4),
Rebecca (2) and Elizabeth (7 months). A cellarman is a person who works in a
cellar where wine or beer is stored.
George
and his family seem to have moved from Marylebone (in North East London) to
Camberwell (in South East London) sometime between 1875 and 1879. The 1881
census lists George as a drayman, aged 40, living at 5 Bedford Cottages,
Bedford Street, Camberwell. Also at this address was George’s wife Louisa (aged
39) with his daughters Emma (7) and Elizabeth (1). A drayman is someone who
drives a dray, a large flat cart with four wheels, pulled by horses. It was
often used to deliver beer.
The
census in 1891 lists George, aged 50, a carman (a driver of a cart) living at
63 Waghorn Street in Camberwell with his wife Louisa (50) plus children
Elizabeth (10) and George (8).
Charles
Booth (1840-1916), undertook an Inquiry
into the Life and Labour of the People in London, between 1886 and 1903. It
contained information on housing conditions in London. Waghorn Street was
surveyed in 1899. The notebook entry says Waghorn
Street. 2 story, 6 to 8 rooms. Some let at 14 shillings per week. 2 families,
labouring people. Houses badly kept. Trade notices in windows. A few shops at
south end. Booth produced maps of London where each road was colour coded
according to the people who lived there. There were 7 categories ranging from Lowest class. Vicious, semi-criminal (black)
to Upper-middle and upper classes.
Wealthy (yellow). Waghorn Street was classified as Mixed. Some comfortable others poor (purple), which was the fourth
of the seven classifications. The current 63 Waghorn Street is a 2 storey house
which looks like it was built before 1891 and seems to be the property that
George and his family lived in.
In
1901 George was living at 108 Lower Park Road in Camberwell. He is listed as
aged 60, a carman employed by an iron foundry. Also in the household were his
wife Louisa (60) and son George Henry (19, a tin plate worker).
George’s
father died in 1907. George was left a quarter share of his father’s estate of
£121 15s 1d (equivalent to about £47,000 now).
In
1911 George (aged 70, a general carman out of employment) and Louisa (69) were
living at 37 Fenham Road, Peckham. The census return says that they occupied 3
rooms, had been married for 46 years and had 7 children, of which 4 were alive
and 3 were dead.
George
died in 1912 aged 71. He was buried on 12 April 1912 in a cemetery in Southwark.
His wife died in 1913 aged 72.
