Wilkins of Kent

Family tree: Irene Wilkins ancestors

My beloved Nan on Mum’s side of the family was Irene Maud (how she hated that name) Wilkins.

A day out in Skegness involved everyone dressing in their Sunday best, including hats. A popular advert at the time says: ‘Skegness is SO bracing’, which might explain the need for coats. Bessie (in the front of the photo on the right) had written on the back: ‘Nice family snap. I was 14 and had daisies in my bonnet - it came from London’.

Irene’s father was Charles Wilkins, born in 1867 in Crayford Kent. He started work as a grocer’s assistant, but progressed as an engineering machinist, and he was a gun maker’s labourer for a time.

Charles’ father was Charles W. Wilkins, born in Bexley Kent in 1842 – he became a brick maker and labourer, living in Duke’s Head Yard, close to the local pub. His wife was Jane Sim Shepherd of Crayford, Kent; her middle name derived from her father who was a baker – for some reason William Sim never married her mother Anne Shepherd, though his name appeared on Jane’s birth certificate. Jane was only 36 when she died of cancer.

Anne Shepherd was born in 1818 in Crayford Kent. She probably died young, as there is no sign of her after 1841. Her two girls lived with her father, James Edward Shepherd, who was born in 1783 in Mitcham in Surrey. He was a print works labourer, but this obviously did not bring in enough money to keep the family into old age, because he is recorded as almsman in 1861, dependent on charity for their keep. His wife Elizabeth was from Devon and their granddaughter Jane was their housekeeper in Crayford before her marriage to Charles.

Irene (left) on a day out
with the family at Skegness

Clark & Short of Lincolnshire

Louisa’s father was George Clark, born in 1833 in Holland Fen in Lincolnshire, a village north-west of Boston. His mother was Sarah Jane Short, one of eight children born in Bardney to Samuel Hazard (or Haggard) Short and Elizabeth. Walker Short was one of their sons; maybe this was a clue to Elizabeth’s maiden name, but this has not been proved. Sam and Elizabeth ended their days in Horncastle, which was the venue of the world’s largest horse fair in the 1800s. Sam’s parents William and Ann née West married in Huttoft near the coast north of Skegness in 1793.

George Clark’s father John was born in Fosdyke Fen, a marshland village half-a-mile from the River Welland which widens out towards The Wash. The Parish Church and Chapel were built in the latter half of the 19th century in a 13th century style. Relics from an earlier church can be found inside, including the 14th century font. John married Eleanor Rooke in Washingborough near Lincoln in 1830. Their second son was called Joseph Rook Clark. Most of the men in the fen worked as agricultural labourers or farmers.

Sybil Marshall's novels are good background
reading about life in the fens