James John Barnwell

  General Notes:

My great grandfather

In 1890, according to the marriage certificate, he worked as an ostler (stableman) and he lived at 5 Havelock St, Leicester. This may be where he lived after the marriage, because the parish register shows an address of: The Bull's Head, Market Place, Leicester, which has been crossed out in favour of the Havelock St address. Perhaps he was just staying there until the wedding or possibly he worked there? Later known to have lived at 34 Gordon St, Leicester, where his son William was born, at 58 Outram St, Leicester, where Charles was born, at 89 Walnut St, where my grandfather, Frank, was born and at 15 and/or 50 Laxton St, where Frederick and Frances were born.

Worked for Folwell's (pork butchers) as a carter (a carter typically drove a light two wheeled carriage) and appears to have lived with his family at the stables: 18 Clarence St, Leicester (listed in Wright's Leicester directory for 1912). Presumably he must have been responsible for the stables as he lived on site.

He had a total of at least 8 children, 9 if I can find documentary evidence of a daughter called Dot (Dorothy?), however my father assures me that she did exist. A family photograph shows James and Eleanor with 10 possible children but 3 may be step children, Frederick appears to have died very young which would conveniently leave 7 children remaining (if we ignore Dot).

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 7 Apr 1861, 9 East Union Street, Rugby, Warwickshire.

• Census, 2 Apr 1871, 13 Queen Street, Rugby, Warwickshire. Listed as: Age 15; Nephew; Occupation - Errand Boy. Living in the household of his uncle and aunt, William and Emma Hutchings.

• Census, 5 Apr 1891, 52 Guthlaxton Street, Leicester, Leicestershire. Listed as: Head; Age 32 (should be 34!); Occupation - Ostler.

• Census, 31 Mar 1901, 50 Laxton St, Leicester, Leicestershire. Name recorded as John J rather than James John as it appears on birth certificate. Listed as Pork Butchers Carter. Curiously place of birth is listed as Leicester when in fact he was born in Birmingham, also he was actually 44 years old at the time of the census, not 43 as listed.

• Census, 2 Apr 1911, 18 Clarence Street, Leicester, Leicestershire. Listed as: Age 53; Occupation - Carter Pork Butcher.

• Directory: Listing in 1912 Directory (Leicester), 1912, 18 Clarence Street, Leicester, Leicestershire. Barnwell, James John, carter. 18 Clarence Street.

• Directory: Listing in Kelly's Directory of Leicester 1928, 1928, 83 Oxenden Street, Leicester, Leicestershire. Barnwell, Jas. Jn. 83 Oxenden Street.

James married Eleanor Mary Turner, daughter of William Turner and Lucy Atkins, on 23 Mar 1890 in St Andrew's, Jarrom St, Leicester, Leicestershire. (Eleanor Mary Turner was born on 12 Aug 1860 in Nags Head Yard, Granby St, Leicester, Leicestershire.)