Baker of Portsea

Jack and Alexander are related to the Bakers via their grandfather William Frank Bramhill, his maternal grandfather Henry Prossor, whose mother was Mary Ann Baker.

Our oldest confirmed Baker family member to date is GEORGE BAKER (b 1775, d Jun 26, 1861) who lived in Portsea, Hants. If you know more about the George Baker family, please contact us.

We are currently working on the theory that George's father was WILLIAM BAKER, (1758-1833) and his father was also WILLIAM BAKER, both of Portsea and the Isle of Wight. We have a copy of a will for William Baker senior which matches the family holdings in George Baker's time. William's will (proved Jan 1816) could indicate that the family originated in Newchurch, Isle of Wight. William Snr had two sons, William and NATHANIEL, and a daughter JANE, who married Capt CHARLES RYDER, RN. Please contact us if you would like details of this will. We have a legal document for another William Baker, grocer, of Portsea, who died intestate. The date would fit William Jnr, but the properties and the family wealth do not coincide.

Portsea directory listings include a William Baker as a grocer and agent to Sun Fire Office in Bailey's Western and Midland Directory, 1783, and in Sadler's Directory in 1784. In 1798, the Universal British Directory records a Baker and Son, grocer and agent to Sun Fire Office, and in 1823, the London and Provincial New Commercial Directory records a William Baker, grocer, at 69, Queen Street.

On the 1834 voters' list, a George Baker is listed as living at Landport Terrace, Southsea. In 1851 " our George" lived in Mile End, Portsea, and in 1861 at 395 Commercial Road, Portsea.

George ran a provisions merchant at 28 Queen Street, Portsea, which was later taken on by ANTHONY PROSSOR and SAMUEL PROSSOR, his sons in law. You can glimpse George's life from his lengthy will, in which he reveals the existence of a brother, ISAAC.

George and his wife MARY (b 1794, Portsea) had nine children, of which two, Mary Ann and Harriett Hannah, married the Prossors (See Prossor section of website). It would appear that the Prossors came from Co Tipperary or Co Cork in 1829/30. The first mention of them is in the London and Provincial New Commercial Directory of 1830, in which Samuel is listed as a merchant; the same booklet has George Baker and Son as grocers and tea dealers at 28 Queen Street. By 1859, there has been a merger of the Baker family interests: Baker, Prossor and Masterman are recorded as Wholesale Grocers and Provision Merchants at 28 Queen Street; and George Senior's grandson George Baker Prossor is listed separately as a grocer at the same address (NB: George Baker Prossor is listed in 1865 as living at Ashlar Villas, Kingston Road, with a business at 284 Commercial Road).

George Senior and Mary's children were:

MARY ANN, my gt gt grandmother, pictured above, (b Jun 1805, Portsea, d Sept 22, 1895, Southampton; bpt Aug 4, 1805 at St Mary's Portsea). Mary Ann married Anthony Prossor of Cashel, Ireland. To follow this line, see Prossor family link and Mary Ann Prossor's will

GEORGE (b Sept 7, 1807), married Elizabeth of Chichester, Sussex. Three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary and Ann; Ann was born 1850 in Portsea. By the 1850s, George junior is recorded as a shipping agent, wharfinger and corn factor in Broad Street.

HARRIETT HANNAH (b Sept 15 1809, bpt Nov 27 1810, St John's Portsea). Harriett married Samuel Prossor on June 18 1831 at St Clement, Westminster, and seemingly again on Oct 15 1831 at St Mary's, Portsea. Their first child George Baker Prossor was born on July 8, 1831 in Portsea. They also had a daughter, Harriet Pyne Prossor, b Oct 8 1833 in Portsea; she died on May 7, 1884. Samuel was known to have conducted business throughout the British Isles, especially Scotland.

ELIZA (b Dec 11, 1811, bpt Jun 7, 1812, St John, Portsea)

ELIZA SARAH (b May 13, 1814, bpt July 3, 1814, St John, Portsea)

ELIZABETH GRACE (bpt March 14, 1816, St John, Portsea)

GRACE (bpt July 19, 1818, St John, Portsea). Living with her father, and unmarried, in 1861. Main benefactor in his will.

JOHN THOMAS (bpt Christmas Day, 1821, St John, Portsea). Married Rebecca Chalkley on Sept 18, 1843 at St Mary's Portsea. Two children, Douglas, born London 1847, and Helen, born Little Bredy, Dorset, 1849. John Thomas then remarried to Elizabeth S, b1818, and they had a daughter Lizzy Baker, b Southwark St, St George, London, in 1860. It is possible that John Thomas was later mayor of Portsmouth; there is a Sir George Baker public house in London Road, Portsmouth, and we are investigating to see if there is a connection.

CHARLOTTE GRANT (bpt Aug 26 1823, St John, Portsea). Married William Thomas Carpenter on Feb 13, 1844, in St Mary's Portsea. Living in Queen Street, Portsea in 1844. Daughter Alice Carpenter born 1846 in Alresford, Hampshire.

Footnote: in 1875, a William Baker is listed in Kelly Post Office Directory 1875 as grocer and provision merchant at 28 Queen Street; we are unsure whose son he is, but the first name strengthens the probability of a link to the earlier Williams.