See also
| Husband: | Mark HARRIS (1836-1904) | |
| Wife: | Rose Elizabeth MOBBS (1849- ) | |
| Marriage | 16 Dec 1884 | St John, Horseleydown |
| Name: | Mark HARRIS | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Daniel HARRIS (1807- ) | |
| Mother: | Maria BAILEY (1811- ) | |
| Birth | 1836 | Hanham, Gloucester |
| Christening | 26 Feb 1837 (age 0-1) | Oldland, Gloucester |
| Death | 12 Apr 1904 (age 67-68) | |
| Burial | 19 Apr 1904 | Nunhead Cemetary |
| Name: | Rose Elizabeth MOBBS | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | - | |
| Mother: | - | |
| Birth | 1849 | Bedford |
1. There is a record of his christening at St. Anne, Oldland, Gloucs on 26 Feb 1837, with parents Daniel and Maria. The christening date is the same as for his brother James (but no date is given for his actual birth).
2. It is then fairly easy to link him to the family of a Daniel and Maria Harris in Hanham, near Bristol, in the 1851 census. (Hanham is right next door to Oldland.) The Mark in this family, aged 15 and a Labourer, is the only Mark Harris in Gloucestershire in the 1851 census within 8 years of the right age (BUT NOTE : the census I am looking at does not include Bristol itself). A transcript of the census record can be seen at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen51_008.htm
3. I have a copy of the certificate for his marriage to Elezabeth Walden. Profession could be 'Labourer'. Address given as 'St. Pauls' which is simply the name of the parish in which they were married. This gives his father's name as Daniel Harris. A transcription of the certificate can be seen at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/MarHW_01.htm
4. I have a copy of the birth certificate of his daughter Ann Elizabeth. His address is 1 Parkers Buildings, Bermondsey, and his profession appears to be 'Dairymans Labourer'.
5. In the 1861 census the family are living at Guildford Place, Bermondsey, Surrey.
Mark Harris 24, b Gloster (sic) is living with his wife Elizabeth Harris 29, b. Guildford Surrey and 2 of their children. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen61_007.htm
6. The 1871 census gives the family at 11 Goat Street: (interestingly, Charlotte Scutt was living at 9 Goat Street in 1861. Their children Edward Pettit and Ann Elizabeth Harris married in 1879). The household consists of Mark Harris and 6 children but his wife Elizabeth is missing (died 1870). Two of her sisters, Sarah and Annie have evidently moved in to help out. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen71_003.htm
This makes clear the relationship between Sarah Walden and Mark's first wife Elizabeth. He never married Sarah, but I helieve that, at that time, it was illegal to marry your sister-in-law.
7. I have a copy of the marriage certificate of his daughter Ann in 1879 at which time his address is Blackman Street, Newington and his profession is Dairyman.
8. In the 1881 Census the only obvious candidate is Mark Harris, Dairyman, age 45. He lives at 63, Queen Elizabeth St. Horselydown and was born in Bristol. This time Sarah is described as his wife, whereas she was buried as Sarah Walden - so presumably they never actually married. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen81_006.htm
9. Confirmation of the 1881 Census entry comes from a grave in Nunhead Cemetery in which Mark Harris and 4 others of his family are buried. The location is Grave No. 11056, Square 66. According to the cemetery records these 5 burials were
Elizabeth Harris (date not known)
Sarah Walden buried 1884
Mark Harris buried April 19, 1904
Louisa Maria Harris buried June 6, 1913
Annie Elizabeth Pettit buried April 4, 1933 aged 74 years
The last of these appears to confirm that this really is the right family, since this is Uncle Frank's grandmother, and he knows that she was buried at Nunhead in 1933. (The only discrepancy is that Frank believed that the grave was a 'family vault' built to hold 26, and that Annie Pettit was the 13th to go in ! Presumably this is a story which has grown over the years.)
10. The grave in Nunhead Cemetery can still be found (March 2002) although it is somewhat overgrown. The secret is to look for the tomb of Charles Fox, Engineer on the main path in Square 67 (on the left as you go up the hill, 20 yards before the path forks). There is a footpath leading inwards immediately behind Charles Fox's tomb - take this path and count approximately 14 rows in. The Harris/Pettit grave is about 4 places to the left of this footpath.
The inscription is as follows (The '/' character indicates line breaks) :
The Memory of / Elizabeth Harris / who died August 28th 1870 / aged 37 years
We laid her in the hallowed grave / with hope in him who died to save
Also of Sarah Walden / who died February 16th 1884 / in her 45th year
Also of Mark Harris / who died April 12th 1904 / aged 68 years
Eternal rest grant to his soul oh lord
Also of Louisa Maria / daughter of the above / who died June 2nd 1913 / aged 50 years
Also of Ann Elizabeth Pettit / daughter of the above Mark Harris
Who died March 28th 1933 / aged 74 years
Gone but not forgotten
11. When Mark Harris bought the burial rights to the Nunhead grave his address was 11 Goat Street, Horsleydown. By the 1881 Census, he had moved to 63 Queen Elizabeth St. but his eldest daugher Annie was living at 11 Goat Street (ie. with Edward Pettit and her family). By 1892 Edward and Annie had moved to 65 Queen Elizabeth Street where their son Victor Ernest was born.
12. Sarah Walden died in 1884 and the same year he married Rose Elizabeth Anderson, Widow,
13. In the 1891 census Mark and his family are still living at 63 Quuen Elizabeth Street. His wife is Rose E Harris. He still has 8 of his children living with him - they are Louisa M and Henry M from his first marriage, together with all 6 of Sarah Walden's children. His profession is given as 'Dairyman and Provisions' with the word 'Milk' added above. Of the children 5 are down as 'Assistant in Shop', with the word 'Milk' added for Louisa and the word 'Provs' added for Grace, Minnie, Edward and Emily. This suggests that they are all working in his own shop and the distinction between the two parts of the shop was added as an afterthought. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen91_008.htm
14. The 1901 census shows Mark Harris, aged 66, Dairyman, living at 19, Marine Street, Bermondsey. His 'Employment status' is given as 'Employer working at home'. He is living with his third wife Rose E Harris and a daughter Louisa M Harris. Unfortunately this 'daughter' is aged 26, so either the age is very wrong, or she is not the Lousia Maria Harris in the 1881 census. In 1901 Mark Harris is more specific about his birthplace which he gives as Hanham, Gloucestershire. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen01_011.htm
15. He appears in th 1899 Electoral Roll as living at 18 Queen Elizabeth Street.
16. The entry in the 1905 National Probate Index is "Mark Harris of 5e Peabody Buildings East Lane Bermondsey Surrey died 12 April 1904. Probate London 27 April 1905 to Rose Elizabeth Harris, widow. Effects £5. (Oh dear - and I was beginning to think that he was quite a substantial citizen. But it took a year for probate to be granted - maybe his affairs weren't as simple as all that ?)
17. Ancestry.com provides London Land Tax records for this period and Mark Harris generally occupies 2 properties, one as a house+shop and the other as cowshed or stables. See the full land tax records at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Land_Tax.htm
1. The 1901 census lists her as Rose Harris. She is aged 52 and born in Bedford.
2. There is a marriage register entry dated 16/12/1884 for the marriage of Rose Elizabeth Anderson, widow age 36, to Mark Harris. Her father's name is given as William Mobbs (deceased).