Charles Walters (I) b 1789
Charles Walters (II) b 1815
James Walters b 1857
James was my mother’s grandfather.
James
Benjamin Charles Walters was born in 1857 at 12 Russell Cottages, Brixton Road
and was baptised at Christ Church on the Brixton Road. He then moved with his
parents to 26 Alfred Place.
James’ older
brother, Charlie, had followed in their father’s and grandfather’s footsteps
and had become a gardener. Charlie and his live-in girlfriend, Elizabeth
Tompson (10 years his senior), lived at 46 Beckett Street, Camberwell. Elizabeth already had a illegitimate daughter from a previous relationship.
Charlie and Elizabeth had two children together (Sarah & Charles Jnr)
before deciding to get married in 1868. Shortly after this James’ parents moved
out to Brixton. James then moved in with Charlie and Elizabeth, working with Charlie as an assistant gardener.
The Medical
Officer of Health in his report on Beckett Street said:
The overcrowding in this district, and the sad state in which the
inhabitants have for many years been compelled to subsist, have been a source
of the deepest pain to the clergy and others brought into contact with the poor
people dwelling in this neglected area.
In many of the houses five or six families reside, and scores of
instances can be shown where a family
(sometimes embracing several adults of both sexes) exist in a single room. Such
a state of things cannot be conducive to public morality, nor be advantageous
to the public health. The neighbourhood is a black spot in the midst of a
comparatively well-to-do, well-ordered Parish. It is, as it were, shut in with
its vice and wretchedness, having practically no thoroughfare connecting it
with the main roads.
Certain statements have been made, especially in regard to Beckett
Street, that people keep donkeys in their back room. I am bound to say that in
the whole of Beckett Street I found but one instance of this, and the people
assured me that the donkey was only there temporarily. The donkeys are usually
kept in the back yards, and it is true that in order to get them into the
street they have to bring them through the living rooms. This is, of course,
not a healthy state of affairs; but we are met by this fact, that if we do not
allow these people to keep donkeys under these conditions we are practically
doing away with their means of livelihood, and I should certainly say that it
is better for them to be allowed to keep the animals under existing conditions
and be able to earn their living, than that the keeping should be prohibited on
sanitary grounds, and the people consequently thrown into great want and
distress.
The roadway of Beckett Street is almost invariably dirty, but I think it
can well be maintained that the cleansing of the street is rendered practically
impossible by the fact that the costermonger barrows arc stored in it, there
being no other place where they can keep their vehicles.
gentlemen,—In accordance with the instructions of the Committee, I have
made a personal inspection of all the houses in Beckett Street, directing my
attention especially to defects of building, and as to the sufficiency or
otherwise of the light and ventilation that they can receive. The width of the
street, which runs pretty nearly in a straight line from east to west, is about
17 feet, and by far the greater number of houses abut directly on it. The
block, however, from 20A-2G, which comprises fourteen houses, is set back to an
extent of 11 feet; 27, 28, 29, 30, 32 and 33, stand in a double row at right angles
to Beckett Street, the backs of the houses being separated by a yard. This
block also includes 31, which fronts into the main street; 34, 35 and 36 have
no backs, and are connected with 37 and 38, thus forming a block of
back-to-back houses. Nos. 54, 55, 56 and 57 form another group of somewhat
recent construction, these four houses, however, have back yards.
Practically the remaining houses in the street will come under the same
description of property, They are for the most part brick-built, and contain
three rooms, one being generally used as a sort of wash-house. Some are level
with the street in front, while to enter others, it is necessary to go down a
step; almost invariably at the back, however, the approach to the yard is up a
step. The flooring is in many cases defective, having probably rotted through
the lack of proper ventilation underneath. The walls are damp and the roof
defective in a few instances. The upstairs rooms are, generally speaking,
approached by a room leading from the living room downstairs, which
consequently acts as a ventilator to the lower apartment. Some of the houses
possess two bed-rooms, and in these there is not sufficient light and
ventilation, as there is only one small window provided.
The yards are almost invariably well paved. In many instances there is a
stable at the end of the yard, the access to it being through the house. These
stables are kept in a condition which much varies, according to the cleanliness
or otherwise of the tenant. A certain number of houses have smoke holes for
smoking haddocks.
Throughout the street the water-closets are outside, but their condition
varied much according to the occupier. The water is, in every instance, taken
off the main. The dust receptacles are far from satisfactory; in some there are
none at all, while others have an old dilapidated box. But here again the
character of the inmates was shown, a clean house almost certainly promised a
satisfactory dust-bin.
The chief defects that exist in the street, apart from those clearly
attributable to the tenants, are:-
Dampness of certain of the houses. Insufficient ventilation under the
floors. Insufficient light and ventilation to staircases and to certain rooms.
I have made no mention of the light and ventilation to the street considered
collectively, for I am satisfied with the amount of air that would be given
both to the front and back of the houses provided that obstructions in the
shape of smoke-holes to the current were removed. The newer buildings, 54-57
and 20-26, to a certain extent, cut off the light and air from their immediate
neighbours, but not to an amount which would render them unfit for habitation.
The back-to-back block, Nos. 34-38, it is impossible to light and ventilate,
and standing as they do at right angles to the street they cannot fail to
exercise a prejudicial effect on the circulation of air.
As another
writer commented, this was a “rough area”. An understatement! The area
providing little opportunity to pursue a career in gardening, so it comes as no
surprise that James abandoned the occupation of his forefathers to pursue a more
urban occupation as a “Carman”, i.e. a delivery driver. Carmen were usually
employed by the Railways to deliver parcels, driving a horse and cart.
On the 19
Jun 1878 the 21 year old James married Mary Ann Esther Hopkins in St. Paul's
Church, Westminster Bridge Road, Southwark.
Mary was the
daughter of William and Mary Ann Hopkins (Nee Pockson). Both of whom were by
profession, Taylors. Both of Mary’s grandparents Pockson, were by profession,
chair makers. Mary Ann continued to work
as a Tayloress for the rest of her life. Although Mary Ann died before my mother was
born, my mum clearly inherited her grandmother’s genes!
James’ and
Mary’s marriage certificate contains a strange anomaly. The groom’s name is stated as “Charles
Walters”, and the vicar has squeezed the name “James” in front of
“Charles”. It appears that
sometimes James called himself “Charles”.
On their marriage James and Mary Ann moved to 20 Charles Street, Elephant and Castle. (Although no longer there, Fat Granny Ward had lived next door at 22) This was a step up from Beckett Street, but it was still a poor area. James also took a step down from being a delivery man and became a potman in a local Public House. This job involved being a general dogsbody and jack of all trades: collecting dirty glasses, plates, cutlery and washing them. He was basically a dishwasher in a Boozer.
Two years after they were married, Mary Ann, gave birth to their first child, a daughter also named, Mary Ann (b 27/3/1880). Mary Ann Jnr will appear later in our story as “Aunt Min” and she forms the first link between The Walters side of the family and Fat Granny Ward.
A year
later, in 1881, James’ fortunes take another dip when he has lost his job a potman.
Now unemployed and unable to pay the rent,
he is forced to move in with his in-laws: the Hopkins at 74 Webber Row. James’
wife, Mary Ann, was now the main bread winner, working as a Tailoress.
By 1883,
James is on the move again and living at 3 Mary Place in Webber Row. He was now
employed as a labourer, a job he remain in for the rest of his life. In 1885
his second daughter, Amelia, was born
James continued the nomadic way of life exemplified by my mother and moved house every couple of years. Each time within a few minutes’ walk of each other and all
within sight of Bedlam, the mental hospital.
1885: 14
North Street, (Eldest son Charles was born)
1887: 12
Hayles Street, (My grandfather,
Henry was born)
1889: 19
Burman Street, (Son William was born)
1891: 29 Gloucester Street, Southwark.
Gloucester
Street bisects Pearman Street, where Fat Granny (Sarah Ward) lived. An unseen
hand was at work drawing the “The Wards” and “The
Walters” together. 30 years later my mother was born: the product of the Wards and
Walters union.
Still a young man in his 30s, James died in the mid-1890s. As we shall see, death spelt disaster for his
family.
Coming soon:
Chapter 4 - Mint Condition
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