My gx2 grandfather : Walter Albert Bourne (b1863)

WALTER ALBERT BOURNE was born circa 1863 in Arlington, Sussex (source : 1891 and 1901 censuses) (or Upper Dicker according to the 1881 census, which was filled in by his employer so probably less accurate), although the date of death recorded by Hastings cemetery would suggest he was born circa 1855/1856.

On the 1871 census, he was age 6, living with his mother and brothers in Arlington. On the 1881 census, WALTER ALBERT BOURNE was listed as a servant (cook and confectioner), age 17, for John DE GRUCHY, confectioner employing 3 men, at 33 Gensing Road, Hastings.

 He married ELLEN ELIZABETH BARNS in December quarter 1883 (Free BMD : district Hastings, vol 2b page 29). She was born circa 1854 in Hastings, Sussex (source : 1891 and 1901 censuses). There is a baptism for an ELLEN ELIZABETH BARNES on 11th November 1866 at All Saints, Hastings, Sussex, to parents John Barnes and Elizabeth Ann ?, which may or may not be her (source : IGI, Batch No.:C148073 Dates:1864 - 1881 Source Call No.: 1067173 Type:Film Printout Call No.:NONE) .

 On the 1891 census, Walter A Bourne, a 27-year-old baker (employee), his wife Ellen (25) and four children are all listed at 32 St George's Road, Hastings (St Mary in the Castle), Sussex (in two rooms).

He is listed as a baker on the 1901 census, living with his family at 84 St George's Road, Hastings.

 On the 1911 census, a 47-year-old baker journeyman, he is head of the household at 4 Bromgrove Road in Ore, Hastings, along with his wife of 27 years, four children (aged 17-25) and brother-in-law, 34-year-old painter JAMES WHITFIELD SELLINGS. The census record details that Ellen had had a total of 11 children born alive, of whom 6 were still living and 5 had died.

Broomgrove Road suffered from terrible conditions during the wet weather, as numerous letters of complaint and articles in The Hastings Observer report. In the February 2nd 1929 edition, for example, they report that "Indignation is rising fast among the residents in the Broomgrove council houses on the score of the disgraceful condition of Broomgrove Road, the only direct means of communication between them and the town. Some of them are keeping their children off school on the grounds that they cannot allow them to wade through mud and water and sit all day with wet feet; tradesmen threaten to cease supplying the district owing to the damage sustained by their vehicles; the residents are ashemed to visit the town with their mud-caked boots and splashed clothing."

 In a letter dated 22nd March 1938 : "Granny Bourne (= ELLEN ELIZABETH BOURNE nee BARNS) passed away. (I always thought the old chap (= WALTER ALBERT BOURNE) would go first. He's too weak to go to the funeral.) She died on the Saturday night at the Municipal hospital."

Ellen's death announcement was  in Hastings and St Leonards Observer on 26 Mar 1938.

Walter died, aged 78, in March 1940. According to Hastings cemetery, he was a retired barber (but I think this was a misprint for baker), aged 74 years, interred 12th March 1940 in grave LC T8. This is the same grave as ELLEN ELIZABETH BOURNE, buried 23rd March 1938, and their son ALBERT EDWARD BOURNE (whereas WALTER JOHN BOURNE has a common grave with no headstone - strange).

 The Children of WALTER ALBERT BOURNE and ELLEN ELIZABETH BARNS:

(NB : four missing children who had died before 1911 - source 1911 census)

 NELLIE C(AROLINE?) BOURNE was born circa 1885 in Hastings, Sussex (source : 1901 census) or St Leonards, Sussex (source : 1891 census). On the 1891 census, Nellie C, aged 6, is listed at 32 St George's Road, Hastings (St Mary in the Castle), Sussex with her parents and siblings. On the 1901 census, she is listed as a domestic servant, age 16, living with her parents at 84 St George's Road, Hastings, Sussex. There is a marriage listed in December quarter 1907 for NELLIE CAROLINE BOURNE and EDMUND GEORGE COALBRAN, which is probably her (source : Ancestry civil registration index, district Hastings, volume 2b, page30). On the 1911 census, 26-year-old Nellie Coalbran (born in 1885 in Hastings), no occupation listed, is at 240 Harold Road, Hastings, with her husband of 3 years, brake fitter EDMUND COALBRAN (born 1885 in Hastings) and their 1-year-old daughter, also called NELLIE COALBRAN (born 1910 in Hastings). They are mentioned on her parents' obituaries as Nell and Ted. Edmund later worked at South Eastern Gas Board. He died in 1952, at which time Nellie was still alive - they lived at 55 Bulverhythe Road.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer East Sussex, England

20 Sep 1952

WALTER JOHN BOURNE (click through to see his page) was born circa 1886 in Hastings, Sussex (source : 1901 census) or St Leonards, Sussex (source : 1891 census). On the 1891 census, Walter, aged 5, is listed at 32 St George's Road, Hastings (St Mary in the Castle), Sussex with his parents and siblings. On the 1901 census, a grocer's porter, he is aged 15, living with his parents at 84 St George's Road, Hastings, Sussex. On the 1911 census, aged 25, he is an unmarried grocer's porter, listed with his parents and siblings at 4 Bromgrove Road, Hastings.

FLORENCE M(AY?) BOURNE was born circa 1888 in Hastings, Sussex (source : 1901 census) or St Leonards, Sussex (source : 1891 census). There is a birth registered for FLORENCE MAY BOURNE in December quarter 1887 (source : Ancestry civil registration index, district Hastings, volume 2b, page 39). On the 1891 census, Florence, aged 3, is listed at 32 St George's Road, Hastings (St Mary in the Castle), Sussex with her parents and siblings. On the 1901 census, she is aged 13, living with her parents at 84 St George's Road, Hastings, Sussex. She married FREDERICK ARTHUR REEVES in 1906 in Hastings. On the 1911 census, Florence is at 4 Bromgrove Road Hastings with her husband, Frederick Arthur Reeves, a 25-year-old tramcar cleaner born in Redhill Surrey, and their 4-year-old daughter Florence Elizabeth May Reeves. They have two rooms in the same house as her parents. They are mentioned on her parents' obituaries as Floss and Fred.

JAMES HENRY BOURNE was born in December quarter 1889 in Hastings, Sussex (source : 1837online.com - district Hastings volume 2b page 43/49?). He was christened, to parents WALTER ALBERT BOURNE and ELLEN ELIZABETH, on 10th March 1889 in All Saints, Hastings, Sussex, with his name presumably wrongly registered as WILLIAM HENRY BOURNE (source : BVRI 2nd edition). On the 1891 census, HENRY, aged 2, is listed at 32 St George's Road, Hastings (St Mary in the Castle), Sussex with his parents and siblings. On the 1901 census, he is aged 12, living with his parents at 84 St George's Road, Hastings, Sussex. On the 1911 census, aged 22, he is an unmarried general labourer, listed with his parents and siblings at 4 Bromgrove Road, Hastings. He was present at his parent's funerals in 1938 and 1940.

EDITH ANNIE BOURNE was born circa 1891 in Hastings, Sussex (source : 1901 census). She was not yet born by the time of the 1891 census. There is a birth registered for EDITH ANNIE BOURNE in June quarter 1891 (source : Ancestry civil registration index, district Hastings, volume 2b, page 34). On the 1901 census, she is aged 10, living with her parents at 84 St George's Road, Hastings, Sussex. On the 1911 census, aged 20, she is an domestic servant general, listed with her parents and siblings at 4 Bromgrove Road, Hastings. She married GEORGE PAINE in 1913 in Hastings. They are mentioned on her parents' obituaries as Ede and George.

ALBERT EDWARD BOURNE was born in December quarter 1893 in Hastings, Sussex (source : Free BMD – district Hastings volume 2b page 37 ). On the 1901 census, he is aged 7, living with his parents at 84 St George’s Road, Hastings, Sussex. On the 1911 census, aged 17, he is unmarried and listed as having no occupation, at home with his parents and siblings at 4 Bromgrove Road, Hastings. He appears to have signed up for his country in 1916 and served in the H'hold Batn Res (ASC) (source : draft papers, see below). He gave his address as 3 Broomgrove Road, Hastings, his occupation as baker (like his father) and his age as 22 years and 5 months. He signed his own name and apparently wrote all the answers himself so he was literate - he was unmarried and had never served in the armed forces before. He died aged 28 and was buried on 17th August 1922 in grave LC T8 in Hastings cemetery (source : Hastings cemetery). He was a sign-writer (source : Hastings cemetery). His parents were later buried with him in the same grave.

 Census entries for WALTER ALBERT BOURNE 

 1881 census
FHL film 1341244 PRO ref RG11 piece 1028 folio 64 page 51
Dwelling  33 Gensing Road, Census place  Hastings St Mary Magdalen

 John DE GRUCHY head age 26 born London, Middlesex occ: confectioner employing 3 men
Jane F DE GRUCHY wife age 32 born Selmeston, Sussex
Albert J DE GRUCHY son age 2 born St Leonards on sea
Ruth V DE GRUCHY daur age 10 months born St Leonards on sea
Edwin YEO servant (cook and confectioner), age 18 born Kilburn, Middlesex
Eliza CATT servant (servant domestic) age 16 born M..... Sussex
Walter A BOURNE servant (cook and confectioner) age 17 born Upper Dicker, Sussex

 Census entries for WALTER ALBERT BOURNE and ELLEN ELIZABETH BARNS

 1901 census
address : 84 St George's Road, Hastings

 Walter A BOURNE age 38 born Arlington occupation baker
 Ellen BOURNE wife age 37 born Hastings
Nellie BOURNE dau age 16 born Hastings dom ser
Walter J BOURNE son age 15 born Hastings grocer's porter
 Florence M BOURNE dau age 13 born Hastings
 James H BOURNE age 12 born Hastings
Edith A BOURNE age 10 born Hastings
Albert E BOURNE age 7 born Hastings

 1911 census : Address: 4 Bromgrove Road HastingsCounty: Sussex

  BOURNE, Walter Albert Head Married M 47 1864 Baker Journeyman Sussex Arlington   BOURNE, Ellen Elizabeth Wife Married27 years F 46 1865 Sussex Hastings
 BOURNE, Walter John Son Single M 25 1886 Grocer's Porter Sussex Hastings
 BOURNE, James Henry Son Single M 22 1889 General Labourer Sussex Hastings
  BOURNE, Edith Annie Daughter Single F 20 1891 Domestic Servant General Sussex Hastings
BOURNE, Albert Edward Son Single M 17 1894 No Occupation Sussex Hastings
 SELLINGS, James Whitfield Brother In Law Single M 34 1877 Painter Sussex Hastings

 RG number: RG14Piece: 4722Reference: RG14PN4722 RG78PN202 RD69 SD1 ED5 SN128Registration District: HastingsSub District: OreEnumeration District: 5Parish: Hastings