A serious case of job relocation

When looking at a census record, you will often find that someone has settled miles from where they were born – leading to the question - What caused them to move?

This was the case when I discovered Jacob Nicholls in 1881, living in Lambeth, London but having been born in 1833 in Bowness in Cumberland. On first consideration, you could put it down to “moving to the big city for better opportunities” but in fact, we have to go back a generation to his parents Jacob and Louisa Nicholls to find out the answer.

Jacob Nicolls (Snr) was born in 1797 in Bromley St Leonard, Essex and married Louisa Bullock in Gravesend, Kent in 1822. Their first child Richard Anderson Nicholls was baptised on 5 January 1825 in Gravesend.

The next detailed information found about the family is the 1841 and 1851 census records where they are living in Bowness in Cumberland. In 1841 there are 9 children listed. The eldest Richard is not living with them but is in Stepney, London with his uncle Richard Nicholls and aunt Priscilla Anderson (both Jacob’s siblings). Richard Nicholls (54) is also listed as a Customs Officer. Richard is 15 with no occupation yet.

By searching the birth registers, we find that Jacob and Louisa had 13 children from 1825 to 1845. 12 were born in Cumberland and all bar one were also baptised there. Their third daughter Honour Priscilla was baptised in St George in the East in London in 1831, indicating that they did return to London for a visit.

Jacob was a tide surveyor, employed by HM Customs and Excise to watch the water for smugglers, an occupation which he could have been involved in at both locations. Gravesend was established as a port on the River Thames and Bowness is on the Solway, the inlet separating Scotland from England on the east coast.

The National Archives at Kew, holds a collection of records associated with those employed in Customs and Excise and documents such as the minutes of Board meetings hold fascinating information about the career of Jacob Nicholls. It indicates that in May 1827, Jacob was a watchman working at the Port of London, he was ordered “forthwith to Bowness in Cumberland until further notice”. This appears to be an extreme case of job relocation.

We have no idea, whether this move was agreeable to him or his wife Louisa or even whether Richard Anderson went with them.

In 1830, the minute books further record that Jacob Nicholls is to be involved in a “special mission to the Borders of Scotland for the purpose of ascertaining what means it may be expedient to adopt for the better preventing the clandestine Removal of British Spirits from Scotland to England”. Jacob was employed as a boatman at Bowness on this mission for the next 17 years until the minute books then say on 1st February 1853

“It appearing to the Board from a recent Inspection of the business of the Officers stationed at the Border for the prevention of the clandestine removal of spirits from Scotland into England that, the general means of transit between countries being now the Railway and the quantity of spirits legally removable having been reduced from 80 to 20 gallons the illicit traffic in that article has been so much diminished as to render a revision of the Establishment necessary, whereby a considerable reduction thereof may, with due regard to the security of the Revenue be effected and ordered that the following stations be discontinued".

The roles discontinued included the Tide Surveyor and two Boatman at Bowness… so what happened to Jacob? The minute book on 15th July 1853 indicates that he is placed on the superannuation list and given an allowance of £111 per annum, this is the equivalent of around £14,000 in today's money (Source; https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inflation/1853?amount=111).

The family moves back to London soon after this and settles in Havering Street, East London. Jacob dies on 4th September 1860. His will indicates that he left effects of under £200 to his wife Louisa. He was buried in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery on the 8th September 1860.

It appears his son, George Stenteford Nicholls had died slightly before him on the 14th July. His obituary says it was after a lingering illness “borne with truly Christian patience”, aged 21 and 9 months. The news was reported across the country and appeared in the Carlisle Journal on Friday 20th July 1860.

Louisa survived Jacob by 16 years, in 1861 she lives with her brother-in-law Richard Nicholls and with three of her children, Richard, Elizabeth and Charlotte. She dies in 1876 and is buried also in Tower Hamlets Cemetery on 10th April 1876.

Elements to pick out from the family tree

There are a couple of elements to pick up from the family tree above which are common to many family trees

1. There are two appearances of children named Charlotte Catherine (being born in 1840 and 1841). If one were just to look at a census record, it could be assumed that this is the same record, however by examining the parish records of Cumberland, it can be seen that they are two different children, as the first Charlotte unfortunately died in infancy. It is often common to see this in a tree that a later child is named the same as one who has died

2. Secondly, the appearance of interesting middle names is key in this tree Richard Anderson Nicholls (where Anderson is the married name of his aunt Priscilla Nicholls) William Rodmell Nicholls (where Rodmell is the married name of his aunt Charlotte Bullock) George Stenteford Nicholls (where Stenteford is his grandmother's maiden name - Richard Nicholls married Honour Stenteford)

Have you spotted similar traits in your family tree?