You Put One Foot in Front of the Other

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Anita Renaud

Almost immediately after receiving news of my husband’s job loss, we tried to reign in all of our spending.  Having purchased airline tickets in advance of my trip to England, I attempted to return them in the hope of a refund, but was denied.  This trip was ordained by the heavens to take place at this time, and I just needed to relax my shoulders and breathe through it.

There are very few, if any, vacations that I can remember that were not filled with as much tension as they were with enjoyment.  Yet, when I look back at photographs from days long gone, I am wistful in my yearning to return to those days for a few moments longer – the sweet overpowering the bitter.  This vacation would be no exception, a time of constant anxiety for me, embedded with moments of great beauty in the midst of profound frustration.

Three concerns were my constant companion.

Firstly, how was my husband?  Angry?  Hopeful?  Desperate?  Confused?  There have been very few difficulties in our marriage that we have not endured side by side, literally.  The burden of our future was borne heavily in the countenance of this man who rarely expressed emotion.  Though we would enjoy the luxury of seeing each other daily via Skype, our solitary moments were truly just between us and God, and we would each have to find our hope in Him alone.

Secondly, would I drive my mother crazy?  Would I sap her joy by requiring her to hold on to my arm instead of letting her walk alone?  Though in her heart she is ever youthful and strong, her physical body has not complied, and inflicts cruel reminders that nothing stays the same. This trip would require getting up close and personal in ways that we were not accustomed to and that neither of us wanted to experience.

Finally, would I ruin this trip for my son?

I rode in the seat behind my son on the way to England – literally “looking over his shoulder.”

He was looking forward to this time with my Mom as a landmark moment – getting to see firsthand his Nan’s homeland, birthplace and many of her childhood memories.  This is the son who was made in my image;  we are both firstborn, large and in charge, and fiercely independent.  I did not want him to feel that I had hijacked his long-awaited trek.

These worries never left my side for the duration of the trip.  I gave my best effort to be thoughtful, patient and helpful but am sure that my good intentions were not fully realized.  Looking back, I see how God had to show me things about myself that were hard to bear, but needful if I was to navigate the unknown future with a right heart.  Living selflessly when I was consumed by selfish fears did not come naturally.

At the end of those two weeks, I was joyful to be back in my husband’s arms and comforted that he seemed strong

A sweet Nanny/grandson moment traversing through London.

er and more hope-filled than when I had left him.

My worst fears were realized when my mother insisted on walking unaided and fell to the ground.

Thankfully, the trauma was minimal and our relationship remains close.

When I asked my son if I had been overbearing or diminished his experience in England, he replied that it wasn’t as bad as he had anticipated.  I believe that was the sweetest moment of all.

Hope and more heartaches would be on the horizon, but for now, I was more grateful than ever for the mercy of God.

 

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Didn’t See This Coming….

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Anita Renaud

Spring of 2012 was a hopeful and busy time for my husband and myself.  Joe had decided  to build himself a compost bin and some raised beds for a large vegetable garden;

Joe prepares new raised beds for our first vegetable garden.

I was looking forward to a trip to England with my mother and eldest son.  Our children and their families were in good places:  employed, productive, healthy, happily married. We loved our church, our friends, and our routine.  We were content.

Approximately two weeks before I was to leave for England, my husband came home from work with devastating news:  he had suddenly lost his job of 27 years.  I felt all of the blood drain out of my face as despair filled my soul.  Though my husband had been unhappy for many months  at work, he remained fiercely loyal to his employer in the hope that things would eventually change, and he would once again enjoy the trust and confidence he had previously known.  Alas, this was not to be so.

My immediate reaction was one of panic and dread, realizing instantly that our lives had irreversibly changed;  my husband had joined the scores of middle aged men let go by their employers in order for their business to survive.  Everything that felt safe and protected for our future had vanished in a breath.

I cannot remember clearly if I grabbed my husband tightly when he first told me the news, but I am certain that it would have been my reaction after he answered my questions:  how, why and when.  In our 34 years of marriage, our conditioned response to difficulty is to run, not walk, to God in prayer.  We were confident that the expression of our shock and disappointment would not surprise God, nor would He turn away from our honest cries of anguish.

The first thing needful was to search ourselves for sin.  Was there anything we had done to separate ourselves from God’s mercy by choosing sin over obedience?

It is painful to look in the bathroom mirror with all those bright light bulbs illuminating the real condition of my skin;  as long as I keep the lights turned off I stay blissfully ignorant of who I am versus who I pretend be.

Not unlike this wheelbarrow, our lives had been overturned. Could this upheaval eventually be the means of richer soil in the garden of our hearts? Time would tell.

Makeup creates illusion, isolation hides flaws, silence protects pride.  What, if anything, were we hiding  in our hearts that was offensive to Christ?   The time had come to strip away all defenses, excuses and justifications for secretly nurtured grudges and cherished selfish ambitions.

We began the process by asking God to reveal anything in our hearts that we needed to confess and ask His forgiveness.   In our first anxious prayers we immediately asked God to forgive any sin that might have opened a door in our lives for judgment, but knew deep down this was only the beginning of the soul-searching process.  Once we had truly cleared our collective conscience and turned away from our mistakes, the next challenge would be how to stay OUT of bitterness and blame while keeping our eyes fixed on God’s faithful provision.

 

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Albert and Ethel Fanny Lock

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Anita Renaud

Born October 7, 1893, Albert Lock was the sixth-born child of George and Alice Lock.  He was also born in the East Preston District of Sussex in Broadwater.  The 1911 Broadwater Census reveals he was working as a baker at age 17.  Like his brothers before him, he followed the path of military enlistment, but waited until age 22 to join the Rifle Brigade on November 15, 1915.  The 1918 Absent Voters List for Worthing has Albert’s address listed as the same as his parents, and notes his Regimental number was 6353. The WWI Medal Rolls Index Card also lists him in the Labour Corps #533960.

Albert was entitled to the British War Medal and the Victory Medal which means he did not go overseas until after December 31, 1915.

WWI Silver War Badge for Albert Lock

The Silver War Badge was awarded to all of those military personnel who had served at home or overseas during the war, and who had been discharged from the army under King’s Regulations. The Kings Regulation #392 meant that he had been released on account of being permanently physically unfit.  He was discharged on  March 13, 1919   His transfer to the Labour Corps probably indicates a downgrading of his fitness category while in the service. Unfortunately his service record does not appear to have survived.

Sometime after World War I, Albert moved to Gosport, Hampshire, presumably due to his service with the Labour Corps.    There was a Royal Naval Air Service/Fleet Air Arm airfield (HMS Daedalus) at Lee-on-the-Solent, which is a short drive along the coast from Alverstoke/Gosport.   July of 1944 was one month after the D-Day landings in France, so the airfield was likely very busy with planes doing cross-channel attacks.

Unmarked gravesite of Albert and Ethel Fanny Lock

Albert’s death certificate states he died July 6, 1944 at the Emergency Hospital in Alverstroke, Gosport.  He died of injuries sustained when he was accidentally struck by an aeroplane during takeoff.  His occupation was listed as a labourer at  1 Teter Road, Gosport.  There is no address listed, only a note that says a certificate was received from G. H. Warner – the coroner for Hants, and an inquest was held July 11, 1944.  No inquest records survive from this time period.  He never married and had no children.

 

Ethel Fanny Lock

Ethel Fanny Lock was the eighth child and second daughter of George and Alice Lock.  Like all of her siblings, she was born in the East Preston District of Sussex, on July 18, 1898.  Little information is available on Ethel’s life.  She is the only one of the Lock siblings that my mother ever remembers having met, and it was during her visit to Alice Lock’s house when she was a teenager.  I believe Ethel grew very close to Albert, probably helping with his care when he was discharged from service during WWI.  Having never married, she lived with her mother Alice, and stayed close to her brother George’s widow, Lilian, and her daughter Mary.  She died February 4, 1978 in Worthing, age 79, of cerebral arteriosclerosis, and is buried along with Albert in the same burial plot in Durrington Cemetery in Worthing.

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Edwin Percy and Ernest Lock

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Anita Renaud

Edwin Percy Lock and his brother Ernest were the fifth and seventh children respectively of George and Alice Lock.  Both of these young men were World War I casualties, though they chose different paths to that end.  Neither of them married or had any children.

Memorial headstone for Edwin Percy Lock in Kortrijk (St. Jan) Communal Cemetery in Belgium.

The elder of these two brothers was Edwin Percy Lock, born September 4, 1891 in the East Preston District of Sussex.  He enlisted in Brighton, Sussex  April 28, 1915, just over 3 months before his older brother George was killed while serving aboard the HMS Lynx when it hit a mine in the Moray Firth.  Known as Gunner 44615, “A” Battery, 28th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, Edwin was killed in action October 17, 1918, age 27, at the Battle of France and Flanders.  He is buried in the Kortrijk (St. Jan) Communal Cemetery in Belgium.  Recently, one of our Lock cousins traveled to Belgium and photographed Edwin’s memorial headstone.  Though the headstone lists his name as P E Lock, Edwin’s given name on his birth certificate is Edwin Percy.

Ernest Lock was born April 20, 1896, also in the East Preston District of Sussex.  The 1911 Broadwater Census shows that at age 14 he is employed as a market gardener, and living at home with his parents and siblings Albert, Ethel, and Robert.  Choosing a different path than his older brothers, Ernest became a Merchant Seaman.  The British Merchant Navy was responsible for moving goods, equipment and personnel as needed for the Royal Navy.  The details of Ernest’s service with the Merchant Navy are unknown, as all records for the year of 1917 have been lost.  Merchant Navy personnel had to sign on for each voyage and were discharged on reaching their destination.  Ernest died July 16, 1917 of Bilateral Lobar Pneumonia at the Royal Infirmary in the County of Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire.  He was only 21 years old.  His burial place is unknown.

George Lock's headstone.

Before his death in 1948, George Lock had lost five of his nine children, and four of them are memorialized on George and Alice’s headstone in Broadwater Cemetery in Worthing, Sussex.   George, Percy Edwin and Ernest all died during World War I, and Alice Maud died in 1929 of cancer.  Before her own death in 1958, Alice would bury one more of her children.

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William Thomas Lock

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Anita Renaud

William Thomas Lock holds a special place in my affections.  It was the discovery of his photograph online that first ignited this consuming fire for knowledge of the Lock siblings.

William Thomas Lock WWI

Born February 25, 1890 in East Preston District, Broadwater, Sussex, William Thomas Lock was the third son and fourth-born child of George and Alice Lock.

Like his brothers, he enlisted in the Army at age 18 on November 11, 1908.  He served in WWI in the 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade as Private 3140, later 72587 Machine Gun Corps.  The Roll of Honour shows him as a Sergeant, receiving the Silver War Badge (this was received if a soldier could not serve any longer due to injury or illness that occurred during his enlistment) and was discharged as being sick October 12, 1918.

Annie Gardner Lock and William Thomas Lock

Before his illness, William married Annie Winifred Gardner September 22, 1917 in Worthing, Sussex.  He was 27 years old; she was 29.  They had only one child, born in the fourth quarter of 1919, a daughter named Hildred Alice Lock.  Eventually William would serve in World War II;  unfortunately I have not obtained his service record.  Sometime after the war, William opened a radio shop in Littlehampton, Sussex called Telma Radio.

William Lock's shop, Telma Radio, in Littlehampton, Sussex

Photographs portray this family as very happy;  William and Annie are shown in their golf togs with jolly smiles, Annie standing intimately near her man, Hildred gleaming in photos with friends and coworkers.  This little family had traveled at least once to Canada to visit with Annie’s extended relations.  William would outlive Annie by almost 20 years;  she died in the first quarter of 1962 at age 74, and William died November 15, 1981 at the age of 91.  He was the longest surviving member of the Lock family.

Astonishment is the only word to describe my feelings upon  finding information online about William.  I had been praying for some time for a breakthrough in my research – if only I could find one of these mystery brothers!  Most of my time had been spent scouring all of the genealogy websites, with little success.  Finally I decided to just google William’s name, and found a remarkable hit on The Great War Forum.  Right before my eyes were two brilliant photos of a man that was unmistakably related to my great grandfather, Jack Lock!

These images had been stashed in a box of old photographs that was purchased by a gentleman at an estate sale.  His particular interest was in World War I history and memorabilia, and he posted these photos with the intent of sleuthing out the back-story of this youthful soldier.

Herbert Henry Gardner and Julia Fulcher 1917

In addition to the photos of William, there were two pictures of another soldier and his wife with a connection to William.  The other soldier was William’s brother-in-law, Herbert Henry Gardner (William’s wife’s brother), who also lived in Littlehampton, and eventually emigrated to Canada.  This was the family that was seen in the photos of William, Annie and Hildred’s trip to Canada.

Hildred Lock

Armed with this battery of information, I was compelled to find Hildred in the hope that I could connect with her and actually meet a long, lost cousin.  Returning to the google search, I was devastated to find an obituary for her dated December 29, 2010.   She had never married, had no children, and passed away in Nightingale Nursing Home in West Sussex at age 91, the same age as her father.  The estate sale that my Great War Forum friend had attended was Hildred’s, and he had purchased her personal photographs.

I am extremely grateful for the generosity and friendliness of all those at The Great War Forum for filling in so many blanks.  All things related to World War I are explained on this fantastic website – please check it out!

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Alice Maud Lock

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Anita Renaud

The oldest daughter and third child of George and Alice Lock was Alice Maud Lock.  The more I have learned of her, the more I have come to admire her courage.  Her life was far too short, but its effects far-reaching as her destiny would impact in ways unforeseen the destinies of her children.

Alice was born December 22, 1887, in the East Preston District of Worthing, Sussex, Broadwater Parish.  Just as she was probably named after her own mother, my grandmother (her niece) would be named after Alice and her sister Ethel.  This young lady went into service as a domestic servant at age 13 for the Herbert Kenworthy family in the neighboring county of the Isle of Wight in Hampshire.  I still marvel at how this impacted her parents and siblings.  As the oldest daughter, would she not have been more of a help at home with the many babies and daily household duties?  Or was the requirement for income more pressing, hence the need to leave home to bring in earnings?  As a mother, I can only imagine how hard it was for her parents to let her go.

James Alfred Bowles and Alice Maud Lock Wedding Portrait 1909

A dashing young man named James Alfred Bowles certainly must have swept Alice off of her feet, and they were married in the second quarter of 1909 in Worthing, Sussex.  Two sons would grace this family right away:  James Sidney Gordon Bowles in 1911, and Sydney George Bowles in 1913.  A bold move would come in 1913, as James and Alice decided to emigrate to Canada.  They leave England for Halifax, Nova Scotia March 30, 1913 with 2 year old James S.G., and 1-2 month old Sydney G.  The passenger manifest for their ship, the Tunisian, states that James worked on a farm as a carter for 9 years before leaving England to emigrate. He intends to be a farmer in Canada. This form also states that he is going to his brother. Their faith is Church of England, and their destination is Elmore, Saskatchewan, having departed from Liverpool, England.

The final destination of the Bowles family places them in Minitonas by 1916, and they are indeed working their own farm.  Two more children would be born several years later;  Iva Louise Bowles and Percy Bowles.  The family eventually settled in Swan River, Manitoba.

Metagama, Canadian Pacific Line

In researching this family, I was baffled by the lack of available Canadian documents that could reveal the births, deaths and whereabouts of James, Alice and their children.  The last documentation that I was able to find are the passenger lists for a trip that James and Alice took back to England in 1928.  The date was December 15, traveling on the ship Metagama, with only their youngest son Stanley, an infant of 11 months.  Their projected destination is Parkmore, Gordon Road in Worthing, the home of James’ parents.  On their return to Canada in February, 1929, James and Alice are alone – without young Stanley.

Had her baby contracted some disease and died while in England?  Did he then pass on something like tuberculosis or influenza to his mother?  Documented on her father George’s headstone, Alice died 5 months later, July 19, 1929, at age 41, in Swan River, Manitoba.  I would not solve the mystery of how and why she died until, after many months of prayer,  a door was opened for me to find living ancestors of Alice in her Canadian hometown.  Let’s just say that God works in amazing and mysterious ways!

Left to right, Alice, Stanley and James Alfred Bowles, circa late 1928, just before traveling to England.

Alice’s grandchildren have been generous to fill in the blanks and provide me with beautiful and haunting photographs of their family.  Alice, being critically ill with uterine cancer, had traveled back to England one last time to say her goodbyes, and place her youngest son in the care of James’ extended family.  Just a few months after returning home to Canada, she would pass away, leaving her husband James with their two adult sons, James S.G. and Sydney G., and young Iva and Percy.  James would eventually return to England with his two remaining young children and also leave them in the care of his family.

Left to right: Sydney G., Percy, James Alfred, Iva, and James S.G. Bowles 1930

How much adversity may one family be allowed to endure?  Alice’s story grips me in my soul, as I grieve for her short life and the sorrow of her parents, siblings, husband and children.  And yet I am reminded of this scripture:  “But though He causes grief, yet will He be moved to compassion according to the multitude of His loving-kindness and tender mercy.  For He does not willingly and from His heart afflict or grieve the children of men.”  Lamentations 3: 32-33

Mercy has trickled down on this great-great niece to have learned of this strong and beautiful woman and meet her descendants, for truly we are family.  It is Alice’s grandchildren along with the grandchildren of my great grandfather, Jack Lock, that comprise the only living Lock descendants of George and Alice Lock’s nine children.

 

 

 

 

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George Lock

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Anita Renaud

The second son of George and Alice Lock appears to have been named after his father.  Born March 3, 1886 in the East Preston District of Worthing, Sussex, George Lock had no middle name (like his older brother Jack).  His earliest occupation at age 15 is listed on the 1901 Broadwater Census as “domestic gardener.”  Like his brother before him, he sought enlistment in the military, and was accepted as a “boy 2nd class” in the Royal Navy.

George’s naval record is still intact, and reveals a great deal about his appearance and experience.  He actually began his naval career in February of 1902 when he was 16 years old.  Boys who entered the service under the age of 17  had to have their parents sign a  consent form to allow their sons to voluntarily enlist.  Enlistment was for 12 years, but did not begin officially until he attained his eighteenth birthday, March 3, 1904.   He is described as 5′ 2″ tall, brown eyes, dark hair and “fresh” complexion. He served on at least 15 different ships in his career, and earned 4 different badges.

Life wasn’t just about military service for George, as he found love on land with Lilian Blanche Hide.  They were married shortly before the beginning of World War I in the third quarter of 1913 in Worthing, Sussex;  George was 27, Lilian was 19.  Their only child, a daughter named Mary Alice Lock, would be born March 29, 1914.

HMS Lynx

February 2, 1914, George was known as Able Seaman 219675 aboard the HMS “Lynx”, Royal Navy, 4th Destroyer Flotilla, The Grand Fleet.  The HMS Lynx was on patrol along with one other destroyer August 8 and 9, 1915, along the Northern Coast of Scotland in waters known as Moray Firth.  It was known that there was an enemy minefield, but the exact parameters were unclear.  Some warning was given at 10:40 pm on August 8 to both destroyers to stay 5 miles to the eastward of the Noss Head to Rosehearty line, supposedly well clear of the minefield.  Lynx hit a mine at 6:10 am on August 9.  The Captain and 73 crewmen died, including George Lock.  There were only 26 survivors.  George Lock’s body was never found.

George Lock’s service is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea, and is also commemorated at St. Paul’s and Broadwater Parish Church War Memorials in Sussex.

Lilian Hide Lock on the left, with Ethel Fanny Lock 1968

His widow Lilian remained close to George’s parents and sister Ethel, living just a couple of doors down from her in-laws.  Lilian’s cremated remains were buried in her father-in-law George’s burial plot in Broadwater Cemetery.  Their only daughter, Mary Alice, married widower Sidney Sharp October 1, 1968, at the age of 54.  She passed away in the second quarter of 1983, age 69, with no known descendants.

My great hope is that one day Mary Alice’s stepchildren or their own children will see this post and get in touch with me.  I believe it is quite possible that the photographs my mother saw as a young girl in Alice Saunders Lock’s home (of all of the Lock siblings in their military uniforms) were passed down to Mary Alice.  My prayer is that they will be found and preserved.

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Jack Lock

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Anita Renaud

Jack Lock was the firstborn son of George Lock and Alice Saunders.  He came into this world August 7, 1884 in the East Preston District of Worthing in Sussex County, England.  What an extraordinary life he would lead – the oldest of a houseful of nine noisy, happy children.

Jack Lock, approximately age 35-40.

I suspect he developed the attitude of a facilitator and overseer as he grew, and without question a heart of tender compassion and sympathy as one by one he watched his family members leave this earth.

He played English football (that’s soccer for you Americans), and like every other player, sustained his share of injuries.  While playing in goal for Worthing Town Football Club, Jack was kicked in the head by a Tottenham Hotspur player.  There must have been some kind of nerve injury or stroke, as Jack walked with a limp and endured loss of mobility in his arm for the rest of his life.  This one moment in his young life would have far-reaching effects on his destiny.  World War I was waiting in the wings across Europe, and Jack did his patriotic duty by trying to enlist.  Fortunately for his descendants and parents, he was turned down for enlistment because of his impairments.  His life would be mercifully spared during the Great War, and he would go on to be one of only two of his siblings with living descendants today.

According to the 1901 census, Jack’s earliest vocation at age 17 was as a basket maker.  He married Florence Mary Cooper February 3, 1909 in St. George’s Parish in Worthing, Sussex at the age of 24.  His occupation at the time of his marriage was still basket maker; Florence was a spinster.  It appears Florence was very pregnant at the time of the wedding, and their first child, Alice Florence Lock, was born one month later, March 9, 1909.  Four more children would follow:  Robert George Lock in 1911, Frederick Ernest Lock in 1913, Ethel Maud Lock March 13, 1915, and Lilian May Lock May 7, 1917.

By all accounts, Jack was a gentle, kind and happy man.  His personality was markedly different than that of his “large and in charge” spouse, Florence.

Jack Lock (middle) and Mr. Barr (right) taken at Lock's garden allotment in Gainsborough.

Much of his free time was spent at his allotment (a section of public ground used for gardening).  Jack was not allowed to smoke at home, so he was often found in a shed at the allotments sitting around the potbellied stove, swapping stories with the other old-timers.  He loved to garden.

Florence passed away September 20, 1964 at the age of 79 of a myocardial infarction.  Her death certificate states that Jack’s profession at the time of her death was a retired engineer’s crane driver (he worked for a company called Marshall’s).  At some point after her death, Jack moved in with his daughter Alice and her husband, Joseph Leslie Bainborough at 40 Clinton Terrace in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.  Inheriting his parents great DNA for longevity, Jack was 90 years old when he died ten years after his wife, December 27, 1974 of cerebral thrombosis and arteriosclerosis.

 

 

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The Locks of Broadwater Parish

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Anita Renaud

About a year ago, my mother told me about a vague remembrance she had of visiting her great grandmother, Alice Saunders Lock, as a young teenager.  She traveled from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire to Worthing, Sussex, presumably by train, with her mother.  She only clearly remembers seeing two people during this visit:  Alice Saunders Lock and her daughter, Ethel Fanny Lock.  Their home was two-story with a thatched roof;  photographs of all of Alice’s children were hung on the wall that lined the staircase.  While she was looking at these photos, my mother remembers someone telling her that they were all dead.  And so began my quest to learn the truth regarding the lives and deaths of the children of George and Alice Saunders Lock.

George Lock was the youngest of seven children born to William Lock and Sarah Austin Lock.  Born February 16, 1861 at 13 Ann Street, Worthing, Sussex, England, there was approximately 16 years difference in his age from his oldest sister, Fanny.  He married Alice Saunders November 11, 1883 in Broadwater Parish at the age of 22.  Almost all of the census records describe his occupation as a “general labourer” but on one of his children’s birth certificates he is called a “bricklayer.”  His first child, a son, was born August 7, 1884.  His name was Jack, and he was my great grandfather.

George had a nephew, Edward Standing (son of George’s sister Mary), who came to live for a time with William and Sarah Lock due to some difficulty in his own family.  It becomes apparent that George and Edward must have spent some time getting into mischief together, as they were both arrested in 1884 during the Worthing Riots, not too long after the birth of his son, Jack.  The Salvation Army came to Worthing in 1883, encouraging the villagers to abandon the demon drink and other vices like gambling. Local hooligans committed to harassing the Salvationists eventually created full blown riots to stop their preaching. The protestors were known as the Skeleton Army. George was not heavily involved and was only fined and bound over to keep the peace.  Edward’s crimes, however,  were more serious, and he was sentenced to 4 months hard labour.

Alice Saunders was born September 22, 1865 to Thomas Saunders and Sarah Ann Phillips in Betchworth, Surrey.  She also had a bit of rebel in her, as she was arrested at age 15 for receiving stolen goods, and sentenced to one month of hard labour.  She was 18 years old when she married George Lock in Broadwater Parish, Sussex.

George and Alice had nine children and no miscarriages.  Only three of their children lived to old age.  Three died during World War I, one during World War II, one of cancer, and one of tuberculosis.  George purchased the ground that his parents were buried in, and erected a headstone with a memorial to 4 of the children who preceded him in death.  He died at age 87 in Worthing in 1948.  Ten years later, Alice would pass away at the age of 92.  George is buried in the same plot as his father, William, and his wife Alice is buried with George’s mother, Sarah. 

The coming posts will go into more detail regarding the events that brought tragedy and joy to George and Alice Lock.

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The Workhouse

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Anita Renaud

In the south of England near the coast is a village and civil parish named Albourne, located in the county of West Sussex.  This was the birthplace of many of my maternal ancestors, including my fourth great grandfather, Philip Phillips.  Just reading his name makes me smile, as I try to imagine what his parents were thinking when they named him.  He was born circa 1800, and was one of at least three children (I have seen as many as ten in some family trees) born to Thomas Phillips and Mary Baley.

The first we learn of Philip’s adult life is his marriage circa 1826 to Sarah Sanders, born in Henfield, Sussex.  He is 26, and she is 21.  They begin having children right away, and their first child, Priscilla Ellinor is born in 1827.  Six more children were to come – but this is where the tale quickly becomes tragic.  Sarah Sanders dies in the same year as the birth of her last child, Caroline, in 1841.  I assume her death is a direct result of this birth.  The child, however, survives.  Philip Phillips finds himself suddenly a widower with seven children, one a newborn infant.

1841 Albourne, Sussex, England Census

1841 Hurstpierpoint, Sussex Workhouse Census

The 1841 Albourne, Sussex Census reveals that 41 year old Philip has moved in with his mother, Mary, age 72, his older brother, James, age 44, and only three of his children.  Probably overwhelmed with responsibility and grief at the loss of his wife, Philip finds himself unable to care for all of his children.  He has sent four of his children – Alfred, age 12, Philip Jr., age 10, Sarah Ann, age 8, and Frederick, age 6 -  to live in the workhouse located in nearby Hurstpierpoint.  His oldest daughter Priscilla, now 14 years old, remains with her father, presumably to care for his two youngest children:  Jonathan, age 2, and newborn Caroline, age 3 months.

What anguish and desperation there must have been in this family as the still-grieving children are removed from their home and placed in the cruel environs of the workhouse!  Conditions of the 1841 workhouse were purposefully intended to deter individuals from becoming a resident, otherwise known as an “inmate.”  Children were separated from their parents, and the boys separated from the girls.  Upon entering, they were stripped of their clothing and bathed, then issued a uniform.  Their new living companions included those of all ages who were mentally ill, elderly, diseased, orphaned, and crippled.  In many of the workhouses in this period, over half of the inmates were children.

Life in the workhouse was regimented with a tight schedule and strict enforcement of the many rules.  Punishments included flogging, solitary confinement, and limited bread and water.  Abuse was rampant.  Work was required of everyone who was able, and the children were supposed to receive some education. Though many were able to keep their stay in the workhouse temporary, many more lived out their entire lives there.  The conditions of the workhouse were common knowledge to those living in the local villages, and I am sure that Philip was eager to bring his children home as soon as possible.  To add more sorrow to this difficult time, infant daughter Caroline dies within a few months after the family had been divided.

Jump ahead ten years to the 1851 Hurstpierpoint, Sussex Census, and Philip is reunited with his children, thankfully no longer in the workhouse.  Unfortunately, I have not yet found records that document how long Philip was apart from his family.  Oldest daughter Priscilla is living as a servant in a large household in nearby Brighton.  Oldest son Albert has moved away and is residing as a boarder, still in Sussex, and working as an agricultural laborer.  Philip Jr., Sarah Ann, Frederick and Jonathan are all living with their father.

Another ten years pass, and Philip’s children have all moved on.  He is living as a boarder, working still as a labourer at the age of 61.  A sad twist of fate finds Philip himself living in the Brighton workhouse in 1871, now 72 years old.  Though I have not found documentation to prove it, several family trees say that Philip died in 1880, still in Brighton.  It is possible his stay in the workhouse was temporary, but also very probable that he remained there until his death.

It was Philip’s daughter, Sarah Ann Phillips, that gave birth to my great great grandmother, Alice Saunders.

Alice Saunders Lock

I’d like to think that Sarah Ann’s difficult childhood made her a good mother – cherishing the fragility of family, extending a compassion for those who suffer, bearing up under all things with a hard-earned spirit of endurance.  Photographs of Alice Saunders reflect an easy-going countenance and a lovely smile.  Maybe she looked like her mother.

 

A further postscript for those interested in more details on life in an English workhouse:  an excellent website with lots of photos and information is The Workhouse.

 

 

 

 

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