The Family of Charles Elliot and Lydia Bayley of Hayes, Middlesex, Part 2: Apprenticeship Records

Here are the apprenticeship records I have been able to find for the children of Charles and Lydia.

The first record, for Charles Elliot,  may not be for Charles the son of Charles and Lydia;  but it is the right location (London) and around the right date.  I'm keeping it here while I investigate further.  Charles Jr. was one of the only sons that Charles Sr. did not identify by trade in his will.

1779.  Possibly an apprenticeship dues record for Charles Elliot, apprenticing to James Norton, Citizen and Coachmaker of London.

The records below are reliably ours;  we know that William, John and Robert all became curriers.

1781.  William Elliot apprenticeship dues paid to John Halliwell, Citizen and Currier of London. UK, Register of Duties Paid for Apprentice's Indentures, 1710-1811.

Thomas Burton, Currier, takes on two of the Elliot sons as apprentices in the 1780s.  The apprenticeships would have lasted for seven years. 

1783.  UK, Register of Duties Paid for Apprentice's Indentures, 1710-1811.  Thomas Burton, Citizen and Currier of London, apprentice John Elliot. 

1785.  Freedom of the City of London Paper, for Robert Elliot, son of Charles Elliot in Hayes, Victualler, apprenticing to Thomas Burton of Newport Street, Currier. 

July 1792.  Robert Elliot still apprenticing to Thomas Burton. 

I can't find records for Thomas (who became an organ builder) or Josiah (who ran a public house in Hayes).  It's possible that Thomas may have gone overseas to learn his trade.  Perhaps Josiah apprenticed with his father Charles?

The Family of Charles Elliot and Lydia Bayley of Hayes, Middlesex, England, Part 1: Birth Records

We know from Charles Elliot's will that he and his wife had at least nine children:   Martha, Mary, Lydia, Charles,John,  Robert, William, Josiah, and Thomas Elliot.  An examination of the Hayes parish records shows that they actually had ten:  a son, Edward, lived for only a year.  Here are the christening records I have been able to find for their family.  Four children are missing:  Charles, Thomas, William, and Lydia.  Some of the Hayes parish records are very badly faded;  it could be that the records for these children have deteriorated. 

31 July 1760.  St. Mary's Church, Hayes, Middlesex.  Martha Elliot christened.

Christening record for Martha Elliot, St. Mary's Church, Hayes, 1760.  Note her parents names are not given. 

May 12, 1769.  St. Mary's Church, Hayes, Middlesex.  John Elliot christened.

Christening record for John Elliot, 1769, St. Mary's Church, Hayes.

10 April, 1771.  St. Mary's Church, Hayes, Middlesex.  Robert Elliot christened. 

Christening record for Robert Elliot, April 10, 1771.  St. Mary's Church, Hayes.

13 October 1775.  St. Mary's Church, Hayes, Middlesex.  Mary Elliot christened.

Christening record of Mary Elliot, St. Mary's Church, Hayes.

 November 17, 1777.  St. Mary's Church,  Hayes, Middlesex.  Edward Elliot christened.

Christening record of Edward Elliot, St. Mary's Church, Hayes.

Unfortunately Edward died at approximately a year old.  Here is his burial record: 

Burial record for Edward Elliot, "an infant", August? 28, 1778, St. Mary's Church, Hayes.

27 October 1779.  St. Mary's Church, Hayes, Middlesex.  Josiah Elliot christened.

Christening record for Josiah Elliot, 1779, St. Mary's Church, Hayes.

There is a big time gap between the births of Martha and John.  Probably some of the other children were born during this period.

While going through the parish records, I found some Elliot burial records I could not identify.  Here they are:

St. Mary's Church, Hayes, records 1773 death of Robert Elliot of Harrow-who is this?



St. Mary's Church, Hayes, 1774 burial of Ann Elliot of Uxbridge--who is she?

St. Mary's Church, Hayes, May 12, 1775.  Burial of Joseph Elliot--could he be another Elliot child?



Will of Charles Elliot, Gentleman of Hayes.

Here are some excerpts from the will of Charles Elliot, husband of Lydia Bayley and father of our ancestor Robert Elliot.  In his will he refers to himself as a "Gentleman", although as far as we know his career was spent as a cook and victualler.

"This is the last will and testament of me Charles Elliot of the parish of Hayes in the County of Middlesex Gentleman first I give and bequeath to my loving wife Lydia Elliot all my household goods furniture and Effects plate linen and china to and for her sole use and benefit during the term of her natural life...

...and whereas I am possessed of two messuages or tenements with the Barns Stables Yards Gardens and appurts and about two acres of (???) and about one acre of arable land....and also of a malt house and mill now being in the possession of my son Josiah Elliot...being in the parish of Hayes aforesaid and one of which said messuages or tenements is known by the name or sign of the Adam and Eve part of which is freehold and part copyhold  (*note the Adam and Eve was a pub run by Charles' son Josiah Elliot) and the other wherein I now reside...    

...I give and bequeath [all of the above]...to my said wife Lydia Elliot...during the course of her natural life...and from and immediately after her death I give and devise the said freehold and copyhold messuages or tenements Lands ... and premises with the appurts unto my son William Elliot of the Town of Uxbridge in the County of Middlesex Currier and John Elliot of Hampton Wick of the County of Middlesex Currier and Robert Elliot of Hammersmith of the county of Middlesex Currier their heirs and assigns upon trust that they....immediately after my said wife's demise, cause the same to be sold by public auction for the most money that can be had...and the money arising from the sale of my said estate...shall...become part of my personal Estate for the purpose of paying the several [bequests that follow]...

...I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Elliot of Tottenham Row Court Road in the County of Middlesex Organ Builder the sum of six pounds I give and bequeath to my son Charles Elliot of S???? Town in the County of Middlesex the sum of one hundred pounds I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha Hilton the wife of Henry Hilton late of the parish of Hayes Carpenter fifty pounds also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Lydia Burton the wife of the late Thomas Burton now of Hammersmith in the county of Middlesex the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds also I give and bequeath unto my said son William Elliot....the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds also I give and bequeath to my son John Elliot...two hundred pounds also I give and bequeath to my son Robert Elliot...the sum of one hundred pounds also I give and bequeath to my said son Robert Elliot all my right estate and Interest of and in a certain part and parcel of ground with the chapel and premises thereon...this land built with the appurts situate....lying in the Parish of Hayes...and adjoining the Garden...of Mr. Edmund Bayley...

...also I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Maxwell wife of Alexander Maxwell of ? Yard aforesaid two hundred and fifty pounds also I give and bequeath unto my son Josiah Elliot two hundred and fifty pounds...

...and as to all the (rest?)...of my personal estate...after the demise of my said Wife I give and bequeath the same unto the said Charles Elliot Lydia Buxton William Elliot John Elliot Robert Elliot Mary Maxwell and Josiah Elliot to be equally divided between them share and share alike...

....and lastly...I do....nominate and appoint the said William Elliot John Elliot and Robert Elliot executors of this my will...this fifteenth day of October in the fiftieth year of King George..."

Charles died February 16, 1813 in Hayes, where he spent the last half of his life.  His wife Lydia survived until 1827, at which point the children would have received their legacies.  It can't be a coincidence that Robert and Josiah brought their families to Canada in 1827;  perhaps the money prompted them to invest in new opportunities, or perhaps they didn't want to leave an aged parent.

Some archaic vocabulary is used in this will.  A messuage with appurtanences means a house with all the outhouses belonging to it (stables etc), yards, gardens, orchards, and so on (sometimes even an associated pew in the local church).  Freehold and copyhold land are feudal terms referring to types of land tenure.  Copyhold land was land where the title deed received by the tenant was a copy of an entry in the manorial court roll.  Copyhold land entailed services due to the lord of the manor, and some copyhold land could be sold or inherited (this seems to be the case here).    

In terms of the value of the estate, I put the sums that Charles leaves his children directly (100 pounds to 250 pounds) through a historic currency converter on the web.  As you can imagine, converting value between historical periods is a tricky business.  According to the website Measuring Worth, 250 pounds in 1813 converts to 13,800.00 pounds if you convert using the retail price index (that's about $25,279.00 CAD), or 170,000.00 if you calculate using average earnings of each period (that's a whopping 311,408.00 CAD).  So it's very hard to be sure exactly how wealthy Charles Elliot was at the end of his life, and how much wealth he passed on to his seven children.  Any historians reading this care to help me out with that?         

Robert Elliot's Death Record

I have tracked down a death record for our ancestor Robert Elliot, first of our Elliot ancestors (along with his wife Ann Bland) to come to Canada.  He died on February 5, 1854 at the respectable age of 82. 

Toronto Globe, February 9, 1854, p.3:
"On Sunday the 5th inst., at the residence of his son Mr. Wm. Elliot, Jarvis Street Toronto, Mr. Robert Elliot, age 82, formerly of Hammersmith, in the county of Middlesex, England." 

He is buried in the Necropolis Cemetery, Toronto, plot O 227, on a plot belonging to his son John Elliot. The cause of death is listed as "natural decay".  

John and his wife are also buried in the same cemetery. 

"In Memory of Robert D. Elliot ob 20 March 1844 Aged 18 Yrs 7 Mo.

"it is sown in weakness, 

it is raised in power"

In Memory of John  Elliot / Born in England 1796 / Died in Toronto Dec 12th 1883.

Also Harriet Pontifex / wife of the above / Born in England 1794 /Died in Toronto March 26, 1883."

The Marriage Record of Robert Elliot and Ann Bland

Here is the marriage record of Robert and Ann, from the parish wedding registers of St. Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London, 1794.  They are marriage number 2120.

Robert Elliot, of this Parish, Batchelor (sic) and Ann Bland, spinster, of the same, were Married in this Church by Banns this Sixteenth Day of January in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Four by me John Priddon...This Marriage was solemnized between Us Robert Elliot Ann Bland In the Presence of William Pontifex, Stephn Bland, Mary Elliot, John Pontifex.

It's exciting to see actual signatures.  I believe that Stephen Bland was Ann's father.  Mary Elliot is probably Robert's sister,  but who are William and John?

Here is a marriage record between a Daniel Pontifex and a Harriot Bland, the year previous, again at St. Bride Fleet Street Church.  Stephen and Ann Bland are witnesses--the signatures match.  The Pontifex and Bland families seem to be related.  In fact, Ann and Harriot are sisters, as I found out when I saw a copy of the will of their father Stephen Bland. He leaves two copyhold houses to Ann which appear to be rented out, and two "houses or tenements in short laws" to Harriot "wife of Daniel Pontifex silversmith of St. John's Square in the parish of St. James Clerkenwell".  The will also lists several brothers:  a son, "John Thomas Bland son of my first wife Elizabeth Bland" (who also gets two houses "in short laws", one of whom is occupied by his brother James, who is not, Stephen instructs in his will, to be turned out of it),  Edward Bland, and James Bland.  Everyone gets two houses.  Stephen Bland was obviously quite prosperous.  The will was proved in January 1811, so Ann would have received her inheritance around that time.  I wonder what happened to the land once she and Robert moved to Canada? 

I have found two baptismal records for Harriot and Daniel's children:  Julia, born May 7 and baptized June 4, 1809, and Robert, born June 15 and baptized August 21, 1811, both at St. James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex.