20C Diary Vincent Line

Emma Vincent - 7^th July 1847 - 1934

Emma Vincent was born in Hyde Street Winchester, Hampshire on 7^th July 1847. Hyde Street is a central main road now the B3047 and there is no house number given on the birth certificate.

She was the third daughter to Henry Vincent, a carpenter, and his wife Athaliah (nee Young). Henry was born in 1821 in Easton, Hampshire and Athaliah had been born in 1823 in Kings Worthy, Hampshire. These places are within a few miles of each other just north of Winchester.

Henry & Athaliah were married on 25^th April 1844 at Winnall Parish Church. Interestingly in the 1841 census – before Emma or any of her sisters were born, Henry and Athaliah were living at the same house in King's Worthy – at the home of Henry’s brother Noah Vincent (25), his wife Mary (25) and their daughter Mary (2). Henry and Athaliah (both shown on the census form as aged 15?) are not married – Athaliah’s surname is Young. At this stage Henry is listed as Carpenter’s Assistant. Noah is a Carpenter so Henry is presumably assistant to his brother.

I wondered what Athaliah was doing there. She isn't given an occupation - if she had been a maid or some such that would presumably have been recorded. However, there is no baby and the 1851 census shows that the first child of Henry and Athaliah (Elizabeth) was not born for another 4 years. The data from Family Search also shows their marriage in 1844, which fits well with Elizabeth’s birth in 1845. It seems that there was no 'hanky-panky' between H & A in those intervening years - a curiosity - especially as they were living under the same roof. I wondered if perhaps they weren't originally an item – was Athaliah maybe sister to Mary Vincent?

Information from Family Search shows that Mary Vincent was indeed originally Mary Frances Young born 10^th February 1812 in Kings Worthy Hampshire and married to Noah in 1838. Her parents were Charles & Mary Young – as were the parents of Athaliah.

 

 

1851 census data

The 1851 shows Emma Vincent, aged 3, to be living with her father Henry (aged 29), mother, Athaliah (28) and three sisters Elizabeth (6), Zillah (5) and Mary Frances (1). They lived in Headbourne Worthy in Hampshire (no street name or house number given). Over the next 15 years the family was to grow considerably – Emma was one of eleven children.

1861 census data

This census shows how the family has grown. Elizabeth and Zillah have left home but Emma, now the eldest at 13, has six younger siblings.

 

 

The address is Private House, East Stratton – no street name is given. The other properties are Farm House and Cottage - they sound rather like different properties on some large estate. Perhaps Henry's occupation of House Carpenter means that he is carpenter to that estate?

1871 census data

the 1871 census shows that Emma (aged 23) is now living as a lodger with George and Elizabeth Saunders at 80 Larkhall Lane  in Lambeth. It is interesting that she is lodging in Lambeth with a family whose head was born in Brighthelmstone - the birthplace of her future (second) husband, William Hamshar. Perhaps she was later to meet William through the Sanders?

 

 

Why has Emma left home and come to London? Perhaps looking for work. Henry Vincent and his family are now living at 16 Union Street, Winchester. Emma (23), Mary (21), George (19) and Letitia (15) have left home. The child who was called Henry in 1861 is now Edward H and there are two more children Cecily (8) and Ada (6).

 

 

On 31st July 1871 Emma Vincent Married William Thomas Hoare  

a house decorator (painter) who fathered two of Emma’s children.

 

 

However, the marriage was to prove short lived as William died of Phthisis (T.B.) at 40 Camellia Street, Wandsworth Road, Lambeth on 24^th November 1876, aged 26. Emma who was present at the death, registered it the following day. Emma was left with two small children, William, aged 2, and Ada, aged 1. 

It is likely that Emma met William Hoare in London as he is London born. In the 1871 census a 21-year-old William Hoare is to be found lodging in a multiple occupancy house at 5 love Lane, Stockwell. The other residents have come from a wide variety of places. I cannot find Love Lane, Stockwell on modern maps but as Larkhall lane cuts right through the middle of Stockwell it could not have been far away.

 

 

By 1881 Emma was married to William Guilford Hamshar and they were living at 26, Effra Parade with their four children and William Guilford’s father William. - see Hamshar Line for details.

 

Emma Vincent Pen Portrait

Emma Vincent was remembered by Helen, her granddaughter, who had no great affection for her.  She was noted as somewhat of a tartar when she ran the laundry at 3, Effra Parade and later at 7 High Street, West Norwood and around 1905 she sacked her own son Ernest for lateness. He had been working as a deliveryman for the family firm (which involved looking after the horses which drew the van) but after he was sacked got work as a milkman. Emma also fell out with, and disowned her daughter, Lettie, because she married a Welshman. See Ernest's Story for details.

Emma died in 1934 when Helen was 23.