The Family of Jessica Sophia BEALJessica Sophia BEAL - only daughter of Susan KEITHJessica Sophia BEAL was the only daughter of Susan KEITH and John BEAL. Her parents married in Simon's Town, near Cape Town, South Africa on 23 August 1825. Susan was on her way to Australia with her two sisters and her brother on board the sailing ship Mountaineer. John BEAL was the Purser on board HMS Owen Glendower that had recently been based in Cape Town. After John and Susan BEAL returned to England they lived in Exeter. John was pensioned off from the Navy on half pay. He later found work as an inspector of factories in Rochdale, Lancashire. He later returned to Exeter. Susan and John had one child, which they had baptised as Sophia Jesse BEAL in 1829.
It is not clear why Sophia (Jessica) was baptised at Southwark, when the BEAL family were resident in Exeter. We know that Susan's sister Fanny was living with Robert MARTIN in The Strand, London (before she eloped with John SHERIDAN in 1831), and her widowed sister-in-law Anne KEITH was also living in London. On 11 June 1829 John BEAL signed on to HMS Sparrowhawk for a tour of about 2 years, so he was overseas when his daughter was baptised. Susan probably travelled to London to visit her sister and to have her daughter baptised with her family as witnesses.
The family tree of Jessica Sophia BEAL
The Descendents of Jessica Sophia BEAL
Census recordsIn 1841 Jessica Sophia was living with her parents at Rochdale, Lancashire. By 1851 she and John were back in Exeter, but her mother Susan was absent. Her mother Susan died in London in 1852.
Marriage to Frederick HELMORETwo years after her mother died in London, Jessica married Frederick HELMORE at All Saints Church, West Ham, London on 1 March 1854. Her address at the time of marriage was St James, Clerkenwell, London, which is the location of her sister-in-law Ann KEITH in the 1851 census.
Frederick HELMORE is listed in the census records as a Surveyor and Land Agent. His occupation on the parish registers for the births of their children is "yeoman", generally meaning a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder. In fact, Frederick HELMORE was a well-known identity in Crediton. He inherited a business started in 1699 and still trading under the HELMORE name today, although the last Helmore sold the business some years ago as he did not have any children. In 1881 Frederick Helmore moved the business from Shobrooke to Crediton as recorded in the newspaper of the time: "Notice of Removal - Messrs Helmore and Son beg to inform their Friends and the Public generally that MR FREDERICK HELMORE has removed from Lower Rew, Shobrooke, to Fordton, Crediton, and take this opportunity of thanking them for the liberal patronage bestowed upon them hitherto, which they hope to merit for the future. Dated Cowley-hill, Exeter, and Fordton, Crediton." Children of Jessica and FrederickThere is confusion in the offical records over the children of Jessica and Frederick. The GRO indexes have a birth for Jessica Sophia in both 1856 and 1859. According to the census and baptism records the 1856 birth was for Mary Ann and the 1859 was for Jessica Sophia. So piecing the various records together I get:
The only baptisms I cannot find are for John Beal HELMORE in 1855 and for George Beal HELMORE in 1857. Similarly I cannot find a burial for either John or George at either Shobrooke or St Cyres in Crediton (or elsewhere in Devon).
Census records: If we look at the 1861 census, Jessica and Frederick had Mary Ann aged 4¾ and Jessica Sophia aged 2¼. In 1871 they also had Frederick, George and Elizabeth. These names agree with the birth index pages but not the GRO index entries, which appear to be wrong. Strange that there is no baptism or burial for John Beal in 1855/56 and no baptism or burial for George Beal in 1856/57
Death of Frederick HELMORE Frederick died in August 1887 and was buried at Crediton on 16 August 1887. By 1891 Jessica was living with her youngest daughter Elizabeth, now married to Albert NEVILLE and living at 52 Queen Close, St Pancras, London.
Death of Jessica Sophia HELMORE (née KEITH) Jessica died on Christmas Day, 25 December 1902. The death was registered at Bromley in central London, suggesting she died at The Knoll, Beckenham where she was living at the time of the 1901 census. The Children of Jessica Sophia and Frederick HELMOREMary Ann HELMOREMary Ann was born 8 June 1856 at Shobrooke and baptised there on 29 September 1856. She is recorded in the 1861 census with her family, aged 4¾. In 1871 she is at a boarding school in Teignmouth. Mary Ann is not easy to find in the 1881 census (she was recorded as Marian DELMORE) but by this time she was living in London, with her uncle Thomas HAKEWILL and her cousin Jane HAKEWILL. She lived with Jane for the rest of her life. Jane HAKEWILL was born at 18 Welbeck St, Marylebone, London on 19 November 1844 to Thomas and Elizabeth HAKEWILL. (Elizabeth's maiden name was HELMORE, Frederick's sister). In the census records Jane is listed as "living on own means". By 1891 Mary Ann is an opera singer and later a singing teacher as well.
Death of Jane HAKEWILL: Mary Ann's cousin Jane never married. She was of independent means and lived most of her life with her cousin Mary Ann. Jane died on 11 March 1919 at Springdale, Sands Road, Paignton, Devon. She left her estate of £1590 to Mary Ann. Death of Mary Ann HELMORE: Mary Ann never married. She was an opera singer and teacher. She lived most of her life with her cousin Jane HAKEWELL. Mary Ann died on 31 March 1932 at La Casita Nursing Home, Polsham Park, Paignton, Devon. Probate on her Will was granted to her nephew John HAKEWILL.
Jessica Sophia HELMOREJessica Sophia was born 18 December 1858 at Shobrooke and baptised there on 25 January 1859. She is recorded in the 1861, 1871 and 1881 censuses living with her parents Frederick and Jessica. Jessica married Constantine Cecil CLAREMONT on 9 March 1885. The Banns and marriage record Constantine as being a surgeon from St Pancras, London which is where Jessica's sister Mary Ann was living from 1881 onwards.
In the 1891 census, Jessica and Cecil were living at 42 Chapel Field Rd, Norwich. Cecil was a General Medical Practitioner.
Death of Jessica Sophia: Jessica died in December 1894 at 66 Unthank Rd, Norwich and was buried at the Stoke Holy Cross Church on 21 December 1894. I have not found any children for Jessica and Cecil.
Constantine Cecil CLAREMONT continued to live in Norwich. In the 1901 census he is a widower living at 141 Dereham Rd. Cecil married Amy Frances HILLS on 23 December 1909 at St Matthew's Church, Upper Clapton, Hackney. Amy was a Spinster living at 75 Mt Pleasant Lane. In 1911 the couple were living at 149 Dereham Rd, Norwich.
Constantine Cecil CLAREMONT died at 9 Alexandra Rd, Norwich on 19 April 1920. Probate was granted to William CLAREMONT (a solicitor) and Osborn HILLS (Surveyor). Effects valued at £1917/12/2. His second wife Amy Frances died in Dec 1946 in London, aged 79. Frederick John HELMOREFrederick John was born 5 November 1861 at Shobrooke and baptised there on 26 December 1861. He is recorded in the 1871 and 1881 censuses living with his parents Jessica and Frederick. Frederick John married Annie BIDEN at the Parish Church, Crediton on 3 December 1887. Annie was baptised at St Philips, Kensington, London on 12 October 1862, to Edward Lavender and Caroline Talbet BIDEN.
Frederick John took over the Auctioneering business from his father. In the company history there is a photograph of Frederick John standing outside his offices in Crediton along with his wife and a small child - probably his first - Frederick Sydney. The second photo is of Frederick at work as an auctioneer in Union St, Crediton in 1900.
Children of Frederick and Annie HELMORE: Frederick and Annie had 5 children:
In the 1891 census Frederick and Annie were living at "Parkview", Union Rd. with children Frederick Sydney and Helen Florence. By 1901 they had their 5 children with them at 110 High St.
Frederick John died in Crediton on 28 November 1935. Probate was granted to his son Herbert Mark, his estate valued at £3745. Frederick is buried at Crediton along with his wife Annie who died on 23 March 1946.
Annie outlived Frederick John by just over 10 years. She was recorded in the 1939 register living at 3 Grove Terrace, a block of three apartments on Union Rd, Crediton. She shared the property with her daughter and son-in-law Margaret and Robert CORNISH and her two grandchildren Frederick and Margaret.
George Beal HELMOREGeorge Beal was born 29 June 1864 at Shobrooke and baptised there on 25 July 1864. He is recorded in the 1871 census living with his parents Jessica and Frederick. By 1881 George had been apprenticed to a master Brewer in Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset.
After George finished as an apprentice he moved to Folkestone where he married Ada Lilly SPURRIER on 28 July 1887. Ada was 17 years old and the daughter of Charles William and Caroline SPURRIER, a hotel keeper. Shortly after their marriage, George and Ada emigrated to Canada, as they are in the 1891 census living at Winnipeg, Manitoba. George was a brewer.
Ada Lilly HELMORE died in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 15 October 1891. She was only 21 years old and does not appear to have had any children. After Ada's death, George Beal eventually moved to Oakland, California where he spent the rest of his life working as a janitor and watchman. According to his naturalization application he emigrated to California on 1 March 1903. Marriage to Mary SANDHAM: Seven years after his arrival in California George married Mary SANDHAM in Oakham on 20 October 1910. They do not appear to have had any children. Mary was a nurse and later a chiropractor. Mary was born in Stacksteads, Lancashire on 18 March 1872. She arrived in California on the ship SS Campania having departed from Liverpool on 19 September 1908. Her mother was living at 212 Copper St, Oldham at the time.
Census records: George and Mary lived at 3732 38th Ave, Oakland, California, but later moved to 1738 Third Ave, Alameda County. In 1940 Mary was a physician but George was presumably retired (no occupation shown).
George Beal HELMORE died at Oakland on 26 July 1945. Cause of death was haemorrhage of stomach and sclerosis of liver. George is buried at the Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland. His obituary in the local paper is interesting for the people it mentions, especially his grandfather John BEAL. Bessie NEVILLE was his younger sister and the only one of his siblings still alive.
Mary HELMORE (née SANDHAM) died on 3 August 1971 at Santa Cruz, California, aged 99. Elizabeth Hannaford HELMOREElizabeth Hannaford was born 22 March 1867 at Shobrooke and baptised at St Swithun's on 23 April 1867. She was named after her paternal grandmother (Elizabeth Hannaford STONE). She is recorded in the 1871 census living with her parents Jessica and Frederick. By 1881 Elizabeth was a pupil at a school in Lambeth, London. At age 19, Elizabeth married Albert Gartside NEVILLE, a stockbroker and son of an actor, at Crediton on 3 November 1886. The witnesses included Frederick Helmore, Elizabeth's father and Marian Helmore.
Elizabeth and Albert had two children:
Census records: In 1891 Elizabeth and Albert were living at 52 Queens Cres, Belsize, London with their daughter Dorothy and Elizabeth's mother Jessica Sophia HELMORE. In 1901 the family had moved to 11 The Knoll, Beckenham.
Albert died 4 February 1930 leaving an estate valued at £14,222. His daughter and son-in-law (Dorothy and Lionel HARBORD) were appointed executors.
By 1939 Elizabeth was living with her bachelor son Henry at 169 Farnaby Rd Bromley. Henry was a clerk with the Royal Ordnance at Woolwich, having been demobbed from the Army as a captain in 1919.
Elizabeth died in early 1952 (Jun quarter Surrey 5g/803). Elizabeth and Albert's daughter Dorothy married Lionel Berkley HARBORD in late 1915 in Paddington, London. Lionel was in the Indian Army and had been born 17 May 1886 in Bermuda. They had one daughter, Betty Angela HARBORD, born in Simla, India on 16 Septemberv 1916. Betty came to England in 1934 where she married Anthony Harvey ALDRIDGE on 11 February 1939 at St James's, Westminster. They had two children: Simon and Annabel. Their son Henry Albert Gartside NEVILLE was born 2 Dec 1892 in Pancras, London. He served in the British Army rising to Captain, before being demobbed in 1919. In 1921 he was working for his father as a stock and share dealer on the London Exchange. He spent some time in America, returning from Los Angeles on 23 February 1937 onboard the Pacific Enterprise.According to the 1939 Register, he continued with the Army as a clerk at Woolwich. I cannot find any more information about Henry. He should not be confused with the Albert Henry Garside NEVILLE who features in the BMD records. Although the names are very similar, the latter was born in 1898 to different parents. Return to the Daniel Keith Family Index Page Return to the Benton Family Index Page Last updated: 19 March 2024 |
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