Cobham And Sole Street History
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WHO LIVED IN SOLE STREET IN 1891?

In the summer of 1891, a census enumerator collected census forms from all the households in Cobham and collated the information from them into a book which was then sent to London to be incorporated into the national census. His book survives and is held in the National Archives reference RG12/651.  He listed all the people present in the village on the night of Sunday 5th. June 1891.

This article relates to the area known as Sole Street within the parish of Cobham.

Population
In Sole Street on that night there were 31 households consisting of 144 people (78 males and 66 females)

Age
The oldest person was 76 year old John RAPLEY who lived with his 72 year old wife Mary and 46 year old daughter Jessie.
17 boys and 13 girls were shown as ‘Scholars’ and 15 boys and 7 girls were below school age. The youngest person in Sole Street was 3 month old Ernest HAYMAN son of John, an agricultural labourer and his wife Jane.

Names
People with the following surnames were listed in Sole Street in 1891:

Accleton
Gilbert
Mungeam
Baker
Glover
Oldfield
Barnet
Grover
Pennyead
Bawkham
Hannan
Pink
Bridger
Hawkins
Rapley
Bye
Hayman
Rees
Chalk
Head
Russell
Chapman
Heaver
Savage
Clark
Humphries
Scratton
Colyer
Ingram
Seal
Crowhurst
Jarvis
Shalden
Davy
Jeannell
Skeley
Durling
Jenner
Stevens
Edmeades
Loft
Taylor
Ellis
Loveday
Thompson
Fielder
Luff
Tirrell
Gibson
Melling
Wickens

Household Composition
29 households were headed by married men, 1 by a single man and 1 by a widow. Most people (those in 21 out of the 31 households) lived in a two-parent family with children. Some of the children living with their parents were adults, but most were young. The largest family was at the Railway Inn where George and Mercy OLDFIELD lived with their 8 daughters and 1 son aged between 3 and 17 years. They were relatively recent arrivals as their 3 and 4 year olds had been born in Sussex.

6 people listed were visitors and therefore not permanent residents.

There were 9 men returned as ‘Lodgers’, 7 of them Agricultural Labourers, all in separate households and a General Labourer and a Domestic Gardener lodging in the same household. The term lodger denotes that they provided their own food and did not regularly eat with the family.

4 men were listed as ‘Boarders’ meaning they were provided with meals. 1 was an Agricultural labourer, 1 a Railway Signalman and 2 were Railway Porters.

There were also 7 children boarding in the village, 5 boys and 2 girls aged between 1 and 12 years. Among these were Dorcas, James and Albert LOFT who were living with two families in Sole Street and were described as ‘Scholars’. Research has shown that they were the children of John Robert and Charlotte Dorcas LOFT.  In 1881 the family had been in Higham and John worked in the cement industry. Charlotte’s death had been registered in early 1888 at the age of 33 years and it has not so far been possible to trace John in the 1891 census. He died in Medway in 1929.

Pubs and Shops

There was a pub – The Railway Inn, which was fully licensed and kept by George OLDFIELD and a Beerhouse – The Lion – which was allowed to sell beer only and whose keeper, Richard HEAD, also lists his occupation as shopkeeper. In addition there was a Baker and Shopkeeper, appropriately called Benjamin Baker.

The Railway

Sole Street station had opened in 1861 on the line to Chatham from London Victoria. The station master, two signalmen, two porters and two railway labourers all lived in Sole Street.

Occupations

Occupations were returned against 55 men, of these 22 were agricultural labourers, 2 railway labourers, 1 a general labourer, 1 a road labourer and 1 an Oddman.

There was 1 farmer in Sole Street, William Henry SAVAGE, who farmed about 100 acres. He only employed a small number of the labourers for at the census ten years earlier he had 4 men and a boy working for him.

 He was also a coal merchant. The railway facilitated the transport of coal and most stations had a coal merchant in the station yard or nearby. Before the railway most people in Cobham would have burnt wood; a cheaper option than coal which would probably have been transported across country from wharves on the Thames.

There was a Police Constable George TIRRELL living with his wife and 5 month old daughter. He was probably the Village Bobby.

One man Samuel MELLING was listed as ‘blacksmith working as an evangelist’. He originated in Lincolnshire, his 2 year old daughter had been born in Acton, Middlesex, but he had been in Cobham for at least a year since his one year old son had been born in the village.

The occupations of only 4 of the women were given; they were a schoolmistress, a matron, a cook and a housemaid. This reflects an acknowledged weakness in the nineteenth century censuses of large-scale under-reporting of female occupations, particularly those of married women, often because they were part-time or seasonal.

Only the household of 65 year old John SCRATTON kept servants – the cook and the housemaid. He was listed as ‘living on his own means’. Ten years earlier he was also in Sole Street and working as a Solicitor; presumably by 1891 he had retired.

List of all the occupations reported for Sole Street in 1891:

Agricultural Labourer
Licensed Victualler
Army Pensioner
Living on Own Means
Baker and Shopkeeper
Matron
Beerhouse & Shopkeeper
Painter etc.
Blacksmith working as an Evangelist
Oddman
Bricklayer
Police Constable
Cook
Railway Labourer
Farmer & Coal Merchant
Railway Porter
Farmer’s Son
Railway Signalman
Gardener
Road Labourer
General Dealer
Schoolmistress
General Labourer
Secretary C C
Housemaid
Station Master

Below is a transcription of the portion of the Census Enumerator’s Book 1891 relating to Sole Street made by Janet Cumner.

Respondents were asked to enter the number of rooms in their dwelling if they were less than 5. Room numbers, where given, are entered under ‘Notes’. Those households without room numbers against them either had more than 5 rooms or failed to fill in the relevant number.

Forename  -  Surname  -  Position - Status - Age - Occupation - Birthplace - Notes

George OLDFIELD - head - marr - 40 - licensed victualler (Railway Inn) - Norfolk
Mercy OLDFIELD - wife - marr - 44 - Kent Dover
Emma OLDFIELD - dau - single - 17 - Kent Dover
Kate E OLDFIELD - dau - 15 Surrey Reigate
Isabel OLDFIELD - dau - 13 - scholar - Surrey Reigate
Jane OLDFIELD - dau - 9 - scholar - Surrey Reigate
Harriet OLDFIELD - dau - 7 - scholar - London
Ruth OLDFIELD - dau - 5 - scholar - London
Florence OLDFIELD - dau - 4 - Sussex Eastbourne
Clara OLDFIELD - dau - 3 - Sussex Sadworth
George J OLDFIELD - son - 11 - Surrey Reigate

John PENNYEAD - visitor - marr - 45 - oil & lamp stores - Kent Woolwich
Jane PENNYEAD - visitor - marr - 37 - Southwark

George R DAVY - head - marr - 38 - railway station master - Suffolk Fakenham
Elizabeth DAVY - wife - marr - 40 - Kent Teynham 
Alfred J DAVY - son - 15 scholar - Surrey Battersea
Florence DAVY - dau - 12 scholar - Kent  Sibertswold (now Shepherdswell)
Annie M DAVY - dau - 10 scholar - Surrey Clapham
Edward J DAVY - son - 8 - scholar - Surrey Clapham
Lucy E DAVY - dau - 5 - Surrey Herne Hill
Frederick DAVY son  2 Kent Cobham
William DAVY son 11 Kent Cobham

Mark EDMEADES  head  marr  51  agricultural labourer Kent Longfield 4 rooms
Sarah Ann EDMEADES wife marr 45 Kent Dartford
William M EDMEADES  son  single  24  agricultural labourer  Kent Dartford
Alfred J EDMEADES  son  single  20  general dealer  Kent Meopham
Ernest E EDMEADES  son  10  scholar  Kent Cobham
George B EDMEADES  son  8  scholar  Kent Cobham
Emma M EDMEADES  dau  6  scholar  Kent Cobham
Charles F EDMEADES son  5  Kent Cobham
John A EDMEADES  son  7  Kent Cobham

George CHAPMAN head  marr  45  agricultural labourer  Kent Horton Kirby  4 rooms
Susan CHAPMAN wife  marr  45  Kent Stone
James H CHAPMAN  son  10  scholar  Kent Cobham
Arthur CHAPMAN son  7 scholar  Kent Cobham
Stephen CHAPMAN  son  4  scholar  Kent Cobham
Mary E CHAPMAN  dau  2  Kent Cobham

Sarah WICKENS head  widow  60  Kent Cobham 4 rooms
Maria WICKENS  dau  single  34  Kent Cobham
Walter  WICKENS  son  single  17  Kent Cobham

James CLARK  head  marr  68  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham  4 rooms
Esther CLARK wife  marr  66  Kent Swanscombe

Henry LOVEDAY  lodger  single  59  agricultural  labourer  Kent Bexley

Thomas JARVIS  head  marr  46  agricultural  labourer  Kent Luddesdon
Elizabeth  JARVIS   wife  marr  47  Kent Luddesdon
John JARVIS  son  single  17  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham
Mary JARVIS  dau  12  Kent Cobham
Harry  JARVIS son  7  Kent Cobham
Ethel JARVIS  dau  3  Kent Cobham

Joshua LUFF head  marr  63  agricultural  labourer  Kent Boughton
Ann LUFF  wife marr  60  Kent Tenterden
Alice  LUFF  dau  single  22  Kent Maidstone
Albert  LUFF  son  single  20  agricultural  labourer  Kent Maidstone

William GIBSON  lodger  single  23  agricultural  labourer  N K

James COLYER  lodger  wdwr  52  agricultural  labourer  N K

????  SKELEY  head  marr  34  railway signalman  Warwks Leamington
Marie SKELEY  wife  marr  36  Gloucs Cheltenham

Benjamin BAKER  head  marr  39  Baker & Shopkeeper  London Lambeth
Sarah BAKER  wife  marr  52  Suffolk Kesgrave
William R  BAKER  son  14  Kent Cobham
Thomas G BAKER  son  12  scholar  Kent Cobham
Henry J BAKER  son  10  scholar  Kent Cobham
Alice L BAKER  dau  5  scholar  Kent Cobham
Helena V BAKER  dau  3  Kent Cobham
Grace S HAWKINS  step dau  6  scholar  Kent Higham
Harold G  HAWKINS  step son  4  Kent Strood

George STEVENS  head  marr  50  agricultural  labourer  Kent Southfleet  4 rooms
Mary STEVENS  wife  marr  48  Kent Henhurst
John H STEVENS  son  single  24  agricultural  labourer  Kent Henhurst
Frederick STEVENS  son  single  16  scholar  Kent Sole Street
George STEVENS  father  wdwr  74  Kent Ash

Alfred G FIELDER  lodger  single  51  agricultural  labourer  Kent Shorne

John RAPLEY  head  marr  76  Kent Cobham  4 rooms
Mary RAPLEY  wife  marr  72  Kent Meopham
Jessie RAPLEY  dau  single  46  Kent Northfleet

William PINK  head  marr  71  agricultural  labourer  Kent Wrotham 3 rooms
Hannah  PINK  wife  marr  68  Kent Igtham

Alfred THOMPSON  visitor  marr  25  police constable  Kent Shorne

Hannah THOMPSON  visitor  marr  25  Kent Cobham
Herbert THOMPSON  visitor 2  Kent Greenhithe

George HEAVER  head  marr  66  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham  3 rooms
Jane HEAVER wife marr  64  Essex Rainham

Richard HEAD  head  marr  52  beerhouse/shopkeeper  Kent Sutton at Hone  The Lion
Mary Ann  HEAD  wife  marr  40  Essex Wickford
Richard HEAD  son  3  Kent Cobham

Henry CHALK  head  marr  64  painter etc  Southwark  4 rooms
Ann CHALK  wife  marr  63  Kent Southfleet
Ernest BAWKHAM  boarder  6  scholar  Kent Cliffe
William  BAWKHAM  boarder  10  scholar  Kent Cliffe

George INGRAM  head  marr  32  railway labourer  Kent Meopham
Caroline INGRAM  wife  marr  25  Kent Meopham
George J INGRAM  son  5  Kent Cobham
Emily C INGRAM  dau  2  Kent Cobham

William HUMPHRIES  head  marr  30  railway labourer  Kent Northfleet 4 rooms
Mary Jane  HUMPHRIES  wife  marr   25  Kent Meopham
Frederick  RUSSELL boarder 1 Kent Cobham
George BYE  lodger  wdwr  77  agricultural  labourer  Hants Winslete

Edward FIELDER  head  marr  29  oddman  Kent Cobham  4 rooms
Jane FIELDER  wife  marr  39  Norfolk Thetford
Alice FIELDER  dau  5  scholar  Kent Maidstone
Dorcas LOFT lodger  12  scholar  N K
Sarah SEAL  lodger  8  scholar  Kent Meopham

George W TIRRELL  head  marr  37  police constable  Surrey Brede
Mary Ann TIRRELL  wife  marr  36  Kent Minster  
Ida Alice TIRRELL  dau  5  Kent Cobham
James R LOFT  boarder  7  N K
Albert LOFT  boarder  5  N K

George WICKENS  head  marr  50  agricultural  labourer  Kent Meopham
Harriett WICKENS   wife   marr  46  Kent Hartley
Harriett Ann WICKENS  dau  2  Kent Cobham
Edward TAYLOR  lodger  wdwr  70 agricultural  labourer  Kent Meopham 1 room

Thomas REES  head  single  48  army pensioner  Essex Clacton  4 rooms

Samuel MELLING  head  marr  28  blacksmith/evangelist  Lincs Grantham  4 rooms
Emily E MELLING  wife  marr  32  Lincs Grantham
Jessie Grace MELLING  dau  2  Middx South Acton
Arthur L MELLING  son  1  Kent Cobham
Matilda HANNAN visitor  wid  34  matron  Ireland Cork

James HAYMAN  head  marr  28  agricultural  labourer  Kent Wrotham
Jane HAYMAN  wife  marr  27  Kent Cobham
Ernest HAYMAN  son  3m  Kent Cobham
Charles BRIDGER boarder  single  20  railway porter  Surrey Croydon
George GILBERT boarder  single  22  railway signalman  Kent Heathfield

James MUNGEAM  head  marr  58  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham
Ann MUNGEAM  wife  marr  58  Kent Frindsbury
Henry J  CROWHURST  boarder  21  railway porter  London Pimlico
Robert S HAYMAN  lodger  49  agricultural  labourer  Kent Wrotham

Aaron DURLING  head  marr  68  agricultural  labourer  Kent Ash
Charlotte DURLING  wife  marr  67  Kent Meopham
James GLOVER  boarder  11  scholar  Kent Northfleet
Edgar GLOVER  boarder  8  scholar  Kent Northfleet
George GROVER  lodger  51 gardener  Kent Boxley  
William JENNER  lodger  50  general labourer  Kent Chalk

William ACCLETON  head  marr  25  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham  3 rooms
Alice ACCLETON  wife  marr  26  Kent Bexley
William ACCLETON  son  4  Kent Cobham
Henry ACCLETON  son  2  Kent Cobham
William TAYLOR  boarder  single  26  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham  2 rooms

Henry ACCLETON  head  marr  70  agricultural  labourer  Kent Cobham
Elizabeth ACCLETON    wife  marr  65  Kent Cobham

John SCRATTON  head  marr  65  living on own means  Kent Maidstone  New House
Ellen SCRATTON  wife  marr  70  Essex Prittlewell
John  SCRATTON  son  single  34  secretary CC  Kent Tenterden
Ellen SCRATTON  dau  single  31  Kent Tenterden
Elizabeth  BARNETT  servant  single  36  cook  Cambs Cambridge
Maisie E  JEANELL  servant  single  16  housemaid  Notts Badly

William H  SAVAGE  head  marr  59   Farmer/coal merchant  Kent Cobham
Mary SAVAGE  wife  marr  61  Kent Stanstead
Laura M SAVAGE  dau  single  30  schoolmistress  Kent Cobham
Herbert W SAVAGE  son  single  26  farmer's son  Kent Cobham
Ernest W SAVAGE  son  single  24  farmer's son  Kent Cobham
Mary Jane SAVAGE  dau  single  20  Kent Cobham
Caroline  SAVAGE  sister  single  57  Kent Cobham

Edward SHALDEN  head  marr  57  road labourer  Norfolk Ormsby
Sarah SHALDEN  wife  marr  56  Norfolk  Cantly
George  SHALDEN  son  31  agricultural  labourer  Norfolk Cantly
Ernest J SHALDEN  Grandson  8  scholar  Kent Cobham
George S ELLIS  son inlaw  marr  22  bricklayer Suff Chelmondistone
Mary ELLIS  dau  marr  22  Kent Gravesend
Edward ELLIS  Grandson  1 

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