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Freeman

S

smithsquared

Brummie Once Removed
Hi all,
Searching a distant relative who was living at 5 Alfred Road, Sparkhill, in the 1911 census. His name was Charles Freeman (born around 1878) and he was married to Mary Harvey Clements in Aston in 1903. In the census he lists his place of birth as Lapworth, Worcestershire, but I cannot find where that is and I cannot trace him back through any of the earlier census'.
Any help would be appreciated.
Bob
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

Hi,Lapworth is better known as Hockley Heath area.
In 1901,Charles was living at 6, Back 92, Brunswick Road, Balsall Heath.He was a boarder with the Meadows family and his occupation was bricklayer.
1891 he is living in Back Lane, Tanworth, with parents Charles (1830) occupation of rake maker and Susannah (1839),brother Frederick (1876) occupation of rake maker.
Charles himself is an agricultural labourer.
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

Thought I'd give an update,
Charles Freeman (B 1878) appears in the 1881 Census (misspelt as Foreman) living at Hockley, Tanworth (sic), Warwickshire, with his parents Charles and Susannah and siblings William (B 1862), Ellen (B 1870), Fanny (B 1872), Hannah (B 1874), Frederick (B 1876) and Emily J (B 1871).
Found a possible birth for Charles in Solihull, would that district cover Tamworth?
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

It's not easy from a distance with varying names and boundary changes, still I am making progress. Thanks for the local knowledge
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

Carolina

Tamworth in part was Warwickshire at one time before it became Staffordshire. Very confusing.
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

There's a bit about Tanworth, here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanworth-in-Arden


There's also a good book
TANWORTH IN ARDEN: An Introduction to the History of the Ancient Parish
Published by Brewin Books of Studley
The ancient parish of Tanworth is extensive, extending from Shirley Heath in the north to the bottom of Liveridge Hill in the south; from Fulford Heath in the west to Hockley Heath in the east.
Besides Tanworth village, it includes much of what is modern Monkspath; and the villages of Cheswick Green, Dickens Heath, Earlswood, Hockley Heath and Illshaw Heath.
This book will throw light upon the following and many more aspects of the history of the parish.
On Sale in Solihull at W.H.Smiths, Waterstones and Books Etc. Also at W.H.Smiths at Redditch.
Or from the Author at 46 Coppice Walk, Cheswick Green.
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

Shortie, thanks as we know it is very confusing the original areas they were originally under. I wonder how the Tanworth and Tamworth names came about and how far apart they are. Pity the poor post office when sorting them 2 names out especially if the writing was not very good.
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

I think the proper name for Tanworth is" Tanworth in Arden "(or used to be). Dek
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

We have a forum member who lives in Lapworth a beautiful part of the Midlands.
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

I agree Carolina, the post office must have had a difficult time when things were posted from far off, but in those days there were local offices and they probably knew more about where towns were than they do today. I suppose they were sorted by county first and then the town, so that might have been easy if the address was correct. I once read on the Warwickshire Rootsweb list that a man actually had in his possession a letter sent in the 1600's to someone in Birmingham. It was addressed to the person, obviously, then the address was 'Birmingham, Near Bewdley'. Sounds odd now, but Bewdley was on the river and a very busy place and Birmingham was still very small, so perhaps letters continued to have clues in the address? We will never know.

I have no idea how Tanworth in Arden got its name, but Tamworth got its name because of the River Tame which flows through it, although the breakdown of how it was formed I have not got a clue.
 
Re: Finding a Freeman

If I remember right the Ardens were a wealthy family from the Stratford area around the time of Shakespeare. Dek
 
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