Party time - Dave is 11 at 542 Main Road, Harwich, 1961.
John Bramill of Gibraltar St
"John the carter"
John is son of Thomas the blacksmith and the 3x gt grandfather of Jack and Alexander.
Researchers: Will Bramhill (see contact link) Harry Stephens Lorraine Smith Patsy McCormack patsy_mccormack at hotmail.com
SIXTH GENERATION
According to the censuses, John BRAMILL Snr was born in either 1819 or 1827, the son of Thomas BRAMILL "the blacksmith". The 1861 census throws doubt on his age, and the most likely of the two birthdates is c 1819.
However, the only IGI record or a John, son of Thomas, is for April 18, 1806, in Huyton. The IGI also records a marriage date of 1805 for Thomas and his wife Sarah.
There is doubt about this. The baptism of Margaret Bramhill, a witness to John Bramhill Snr's marriage, is Margaret Bramill, bapt Nov 24, 1816, St Peter's Liverpool, recorded as the daughter of a Thomas and Elizabeth. This would point to the census estimate of 1819 being correct.
Although we call him John the carter, he was later a boatman on the Mersey.
His birthplace is unknown at present, but it is likely to be Huyton or, possibly, Childwall. To date we haven't found John and his father Thomas in the 1841 census. By 1845, however, the family are in Gibraltar Street, also known as Gibraltar Row - and they stayed in that area for nigh on 50 years. While they lived in near poverty it is quite likely they were relatively clean: the legendary Kitty Wilkinson ran her school for orphans and wash-house (the first-ever public wash-house) in Denison Street from the 1840s. You can read more on Kitty in The Life and Times of Kitty Wilkinson by Michael Kelly, published by Countyvise, ISBN 1 871201 08 X
John married Elizabeth (Betty) CHEETHAM on July 16, 1845. John and Elizabeth's marriage certificate states that John is a bachelor and Elizabeth is a spinster; that their ages are Full, and that he is a carter. John appears to have signed his own name, while Elizabeth makes a cross. The certificate is witnessed by Edward CLIMIE and Margaret BRAMILL who signed with crosses. You can find Edward Climie as an old man on the 1881 census. Margret is likely to have been a sister.
John and Elizabeth's known children are John jnr, Elizabeth jnr, and William.
We have still to find John Jnr's birth certificate, but these are the likely dates: 1 John Bramill Oct 1849, Liverpool 2 John Bramhill July 1847 Prescot 3 John Bramil Jan 1850, Liverpool (John Bramhill Oct 1846 L'pool - ruled out, son of a James Bramhill and Mary Ferguson)
Censuses
In 1851, the family are at 2 Gibraltar Place, just north of the Pier Head. Listed are John and Elizabeth (aged 32 and 33, he's a cart owner) and their son John; the enumerator's mark obscures John's age - the figure could be 1, 2, 4 or 6.
In 1861, the family are 2 Gibraltar Street (presumably the same house as 1851). The surname is spelled BREMELL. Listed are John and Elizabeth (aged 34 and 35, he's a boatman), with children John, 12, Elizabeth, 8, and William, 5.
By 1871, the family are living at 1 House, 12 Court, Denison Street, the next street to Gibraltar Row. The surname is spelled BRAMALL. Listed are John and Elizabeth (ages 52 and 53, he's a boatman). The only child at home is at home is William, aged 16, and a dock labourer.
Also in 1871 John jnr is a carter, married to Catherine (Tickell?) and living in his own home. Assuming that Elizabeth Jnr lived, there are two possible marriages for her, one in the July quarter of 1870 (Elizabeth Bramhall, Liverpool), and the other in July 1871 (Elizabeth Brammell, W Derby).
There were almost certainly more children, although they might have died in infancy. Can you fill in any gaps?
FOURTH GENERATION (Descendants of John Bramhill, born 1849)
JOHN jnr and his wife CATHERINE (nee Tickle) had at least eight children: :: JOHN AUGUSTINE b 1872 (Harry Stephens's great grandfather) :: PETER b 1878 :: ELIZABETH b 1880 :: MARY ANN :: WILLIAM b 1882 :: LUCY b 1888 :: CATHERINE b 1892 :: JOSEPHINE b 1900.
THIRD GENERATION
JOHN AUGUSTINE (John, John jnr) married Eleanor Clarke in 1893. and their sons were: :: JOHN EDWARD, born 1893, :: JOSEPH, born Nov 13, 1900, died 1964. In the 1901 Census, the family is living at 47 Buckingham Street, Everton. Eleanor is listed as Ellen, a self-employed fruit and fish seller; she is living with baby Joseph, her brother Edward Clarke, 21, a foundry labourer, and domestic nurse Mary Sweeney, 21.
SECOND GENERATION
JOHN EDWARD (John, John jnr, John Augustine) married ELIZABETH MONROE and they lived in Rosevale off Great Homer Street. John Edward died c1931; Elizabeth Monroe died in the Liverpool blitz at age 47. Apparently she had gone to a family "do" but the house where it was being held was hit by an aerial mine and all the occupants were killed (nb Harry Stephens parents were advised against going and luckily followed that advice). That night 500 people were killed in that area and are all buried in a mass grave in Anfield cemetery. John Edward and Elizabeth had five children: Daniel, Nellie, Elizabeth (aka Lily), Lydia and Edna.
Joseph (John, John jnr, John Augustine) married an Elizabeth Robinson, and they had seven children: Joyce, Liverpool; John, USA; Patricia, Liverpool; Frank, Liverpool, (died 2002); Kenneth, Liverpool; Brian, former marine chief engineer (died 1999), Joseph, Liverpool (married to Lorraine, nee Smith).
FIRST GENERATION
DANIEL BRAMHILL (John, John jnr, John Augustine, John Edward) married Annie Moore. Daniel died 1989 aged 71. Annie died 1997 aged 75. They had seven children: John, Colchester, d2002; Danny, Liverpool;Gary, Liverpool, Maureen, the Wirral; Lorraine, Canada; Carol, Liverpool.; Terrence -
LYDIA BRAMHILL (John, John jnr, John Augustine, John Edward) married Harold Stephens in 1941. Their children are Harry, Phillip, Eileen, Angela and Debra. Patsy McCormack is Lydia's granddaughter.
JOHN BRAMHILLwent on to form a successful restaurant chain in the USA, and his descendants live there.
