The Martin Generations… so far

GENERATION 1: Frederick MARTIN ?

Frederick Martin:

d before 1871

GENERATION 2: Charles Frederick MARTIN & Emma/Emily RICHARDSON

Charles Martin:

  • b 1849, Lambeth
  • Worked as coal porter for much of career
  • Known as ‘Black Dad’ in the family, because of the coal dust

Emma (or Emily) Richardson:

  • b 1851, Lambeth
  • d between 1891 and 1901
  • Charles Frederick MARTIN & Emily RICHARDSON married 11 July 1871, St Thomas’ Church, Lambeth.
  • William RICHARDSON (deceased) is cited as Emily’s father.
  • One witness shows the ‘mark’ of Mary RICHARDSON (who may have been Emily’s mother or sister, perhaps)
  • Charles’ father, Frederick, was also deceased at the time of the wedding.
  • Emily was about 6 months pregnant at the wedding. The absence of other Martin family members as signatories may mean that this was something of a ’shotgun wedding’!

GENERATION 3: Charles’ & Emma’s Children:

  • Emma - b 1871
  • Mary - b 1873 (envelope folder in 1891)
  • Katy - b 1875 (sweet maker/confectioner in 1891)*
  • Annie - b 1877 (domestic servant in 1891)
  • Lizzie - b 1879 (still at school in 1891)
  • Charles - b 1881 (worked as a carman in 1901)
  • William (1) - b 1884 (painter in 1901 - presumably decorator rather than artist)
  • Frederick - age given as 4 in 1881. On the 1901 census his age could either be 15 or 18 (poor handwriting) so, b either 1887 or 1883
  • John (Jack) - b 1891. He was 1 month old at the time of the 1891 census, which puts his DOB in March 1891.

GENERATION 3: William MARTIN (1) = Emily Sarah COOPER & their children

  • William MARTIN (1) & Emily COOPER married in Aug 1903 at Parish Church, Christ Church, Southwark
  • Emily’s father, Henry, is cited on the marriage certificate as a soldier, deceased.
  • Emily’s mother, Sarah, had already re-married, to Thomas Pratt and she was a witness at the wedding (Sarah Pratt).
  • The other witness was one George Trouse, whi was a neighbour in Goding Street at the time of the 1901 census.
  • The ages that William and Emily gave were 21 & 20 respectively. These ages are at odds with other sources - William’s birth certificate gives his DOB as Dec 1884, making him 18 when he married. Emily’s death certificate tells us she was born in 1887, making her 15 or 16 when she married.
  • William 1 & Emily moved to 43 Engleheart Rd, Catford, in Nov 1905. William’s brother, Jack (John) was working as a window cleaner’s assistant in William’s window cleaning business, at the time of the 1911 census, when he was also lodging as a single man in William/Emily’s house.

Their children:

  • William Charles MARTIN (2) - b 5th Jan 1906, Cory Square, Lambeth. d Faversham, 1996
  • Emily, b 1906, Catford, d Feb 1989
  • Harry, b 1908, Catford, d 1997, Worcester Park
  • Violet, b 1910, Catford, d 2002, Brighton

GENERATION 4: William MARTIN (2) = Emily Rose BELCHEM & their children

William Charles MARTIN & Emily BELCHEM married 30 May 1925, Parish Church, Brompton, Kent

  • William was a Sapper, Royal Engineers, living in Brompton presumably being stationed there.
  • Emily was b 5 May 1899, Clapham. Her address at the time of the wedding was given as St Andrews, Stockwell Green.

Their children:

  • William Charles MARTIN (3) - b 43 Engleheart Rd*, Catford, 23 July 1926
  • Pete MARTIN - b 43 Engleheart Rd, Catford

* The MARTIN family had been in Catford since November 1905, possibly at 43 Engleheart Road since that time. William 3’s sisters, Emily & Violet, and his brother, Harry, were all born there.