Gotts Surname Family History
George 2537 born in Reepham
George 2537 was born in Reepham, Norfolk in 1805-1811 who married Caroline and moved to St Pancras as a house and sign painter. There is some difference in the ages between baptism and censuses, so there is some doubt to be dispelled.
George & Caroline’s children were born in Reepham and St Pancras:
- John Thurston 2539 b 1837 Whitwell
- George 2544 b 1839 St Pancras
- Alice Frances 2553 b 1842 St Pancras
- Rebecca Ann 2554 b 1847 Reepham
- William James 3483 b 1847 Reepham (twin, not in 1851 census)
- Caroline 2555 b 1850 Reepham, m Frederick Walter Phillips 1870 Hoxton
John Thurston 2539 & three wives
John Thurston 2539 appears to have had three marriages:firstly he married Catherine Andrew Field in 1857 in Liverpool. They had two children in West Derby, Liverpool before moving to St Pancras:
After Catherine died in 1879 he married Emma 3450 Diaper in 1880 in London. We have not seen any children by Emma who died in 1890.
John then married Sarah 2540 Goss in 1891 in Marylebone, London and had four children:
- Frederick 2541 b 1892 Hampstead
- George 2542 b 1893 Kilburn
- Jessie 2543 b 1896 Kensal Rise, Hendon
- Martha 3896 b 1902 Hampstead district
John 3294 Gotts & Frances Smith
We first see John 3294 Gotts & Frances Smith marrying in 1803 in Whitwell St Michaels, just a few miles away from Reepham. John was shown as a painter in Elizabeth’s baptism, a trade carried on down the family, Their children were:
- Thomas 3484 bp 1804 Hackford
- James 3485 bp 1809 Hackford
- George 2537 bp 1811 Reepham d 1894 Poplar
- Elizabeth 3296 bp 1814 Reepham
Of these we only have further records for George.
In 1904, the family entered the Hampstead Workhouse on New End Road. Sarah had cancer. John Thurston was 67 years old and had lost a leg at some point previously. The girls were sent to a Barnado’s orphanage. George was sent to a non-Barnardo’s orphanage. George, Jessie and Martha were shipped to Canada in 1908 and 1909 under the British Home Children (BHC) program. George joined the Canadian Army during WWI and was sent to Europe. He survived the war and remained in London. John Thurston remained in the Hampstead workhouse until his death in 1915.
From Cathy Bridges
(PS It is now known it was the Self Help Emigration Society, not BHC)
Jessie 2543 and Charles Bridges
Jessie was born 1896 Kensal Rise, Hendon and married Charles Dewey Bridges. Cathy Bridges is their grand-daughter.
Thanks to Cathy Bridges for help with this tree
George 2542 in WW1 108 - John 3294 Gotts of Reepham
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