This page was last revised on 2009-02-02.
Emma Beck was born in White Waltham, Berks., and baptised as 'Emma Dennis Beck' on the 27th September 1835, in Hurley, Berks.1
In 1841 she was living with her grandparents Beck, in Littlewick Green, Hurley.2
In 1851 she was living with her father and stepmother in Littlewick; she is described as unmarried, working in the fields.3
In the week ending on the 18th October 1854, Emma entered the Cookham Union workhouse, in an advanced state of pregnancy. She remained there for 67 days. On the 8th November 1854, according to the minute book of the guardians of Cookham Union, it was "Ordered that the Overseers of the Poor of the parish of HURLEY do forthwith proceed against EMMA BECK for wilfully refusing or neglecting to work by which refusal or neglect she has become chargeable to the said Parish." She gave birth to her only known child, [A3] Reuben, in the workhouse, on the 25th November; marking her name with a cross on the birth registration.4
A bout the beginning of February 1860 Emma admitted Reuben into the workhouse on his own, and left him there for the next seven years. Throughout this time he is described as a "labourer's child," which probably refers to Emma's occupation rather than that of his unknown father. The 1861 census records her as a female ‘E.B.’, farm servant, an inmate of the Clifton Union workhouse, Stapleton, Gloucestershire (i.e Bristol).4A In October 1866 Emma returned to Cookham workhouse; she is described as an able-bodied, unmarried woman, "Church", a servant.5
It appears that her return to Cookham workhouse was caused by her increasing ill-health - she was suffering from tuberculosis. Described as a domestic servant, Emma died in the workhouse, of phthisis, on the 1st April 1868; phthisis has been defined as chronic bronchogenic tuberculosis. She was buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard at Knowl Hill, on the 5th April 1868.6
Emma Beck was the eldest child of [B2] William Beck and his first wife [B13] Ruth.7
*** For an exhaustive treatment of the life of Emma Beck, you are welcome to download this .pdf file. Note that it is a large file - over 5 Mb. {NB This was written prior to locating Emma in the 1861 census.) ***
1 1851 census returns; parish register. Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 9/4 & RO 3/2 give her year of birth as 1830; RO 3/6 gives a year of birth of 1831; Letter to me from Peter Newton, Vicar of Knowl Hill, would give a year of birth of 1831/2; census returns of 1841 and 1851 give a year of birth of 1834/5; TNA PRO RG 9/1741 shows ‘E.B.’s birthplace as ‘Whitewalton’, Berks. Given that her parents only married in October 1834, it is possible that the census entries disguise Emma's birth out of wedlock.
2-3 census returns
4 Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 9/4 & RO 3/2; Cookham Union records, Berkshire RO, minute book; son's birth certificate; parish register
4A PRO RG 9/1741. Ancestry.com’s online index to the 1861 census includes no other possible Emma Beck; given this entry’s close match with birth year and occupation, and especially the reference to her place of birth as ‘Whitewalton’, Berks. – surely ‘White Waltham’, spelt as heard – the identification seems reasonable. Regrettably, virtually all records of this workhouse, and of the Clifton Union, were destroyed by bombing in the Second World War.
5 Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 3/6
6 Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 3/6-7; death certificate; John Francis (1958) Tuberculosis in Animals and Man. (London): 296; Letter to me from Peter Newton, Vicar of Knowl Hill
7 parish register
William Beck was probably born in Littlewick, Berks. He was baptised in Hurley on the 14th June 1812.1
He married, first, [B13] Ruth Tuck, on the 19th October 1834, in Hurley. They had one child, [B1] Emma, in 1835, at which time William was described as a labourer of Hurley.2
In 1841 he was living in Littlewick Green, White Waltham, and working as an agricultural labourer. Living with him was a Jane Beck.3
On the 24th June 1849 he married, secondly, Jane Green, in Hurley; he was described as a labourer, of Littlewick.4
In 1851 he was a farm labourer in Littlewick; his household consisted of himself and Jane, Emma, Jane's two children from an earlier liaison, and a lodger.5
William and Jane had four children: William (1852), Emily (1853), Mary Ann (1858), and Samuel (1860). William was born in Littlewick, his father a labourer. The other children were born in Burnham, Bucks.6
On the 18th October 1854 the Cookham guardians' minute book records that it was "Ordered that the Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of HURLEY do forthwith proceed against WILLIAM BECK of LENT, nr. BURNHAM, for wilfully refusing or neglecting to maintain his daughter by reason of which refusal or neglect she has become chargeable to the said Parish." The guardians were evidently obliged to give ground before long, however, as in the first three months of the following year they gave out-relief to William Beck's family - three times they were issued with 40 oz of bread, once with 3½ oz of meat; William remained chargeable to Cookham parish.7
In 1861 he was an agricultural labourer, living at the Barracks, Burnham, Bucks; all his and Jane's children were still living with him, with the exception of Emma.8
On the 12th July 1863 William Beck, now a hay-binder, died of phthisis at Burnham. He was buried in Burnham parish churchyard on the 16th.9
William Beck was the eldest child traced of [B3] John and [B8] Dennis Beck.10
1 1861 census returns; parish register. 1851 census returns gives place of birth as Henley, Oxon, which I take to be a misreading by the enumerator.
2 parish register. But see note 1 to Emma's entry above, which suggests she may have been born earlier.
3 census returns. There are problems with the identification of this Jane Beck, which there isn't space to go into here; she may have been the Jane he later married, using his name in advance of the event, but there are arguments against this. These problems may cast doubt on the identity of William Beck himself.
4 marriage certificate; parish register
5 census returns
6 1861 census returns; William's birth certificate
7 Cookham Union records, Berkshire RO minute book; Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 9/4
8 census returns
9 death certificate; parish register. death certificate erroneously gives his age as 41; parish register has it correctly as 51.
10 parish register
John Beck was born in 1783-4, and baptised on the 18th January 1784 in Hurley, Berks.1
On the 26th March 1804 he married [B8] Dennis Manhood Russell at Hurley parish church, at which time he was a volunteer, resident in Hurley. Their known children, all baptised in Hurley, were: [B2] William (1812), Samuel (1814), Emma (1817), Reuben (1820), Maryann (1822), Leonard (1825), Caroline Rachel (1826), and David (1830).2
In 1841 he was an agricultural labourer in Littlewick Green, Hurley; his household included seven children and (?) grandchildren.3
The tithe map of 1843 shows John Beck as the owner and occupier of a cottage and garden in Littlewick Green, of a total area of 20 perches.4
In 1849 he was still described as a labourer. But in 1851, now a widower, he was described as a cow doctor, living in Littlewick Green with one daughter and a grandson. By November that year, however he was receiving poor relief. He appears as a cow doctor in the Post Office Directory for the Home Counties, in 1854. But on three occasions in late 1854 he was again given relief, in the form of one shilling and four ounces of bread. About October 1854, no longer able-bodied, he spent a week in the workhouse at Cookham. In March 1855 he was again given 1/- and 4 oz of bread, chargeable to Hurley parish.5
Over the winter of 1858/9 John spent two and half months in Cookham workhouse, where he was described as a labourer, his religion "Church". On the 27th February 1859 he died at Knowl Hill, Hurley, of old age; he was described as an agricultural labourer. He was buried in Knowl Hill churchyard on the 6th March; he was said to have been resident in Knowl Hill.6
John Beck was the youngest child traced of [B4] William and [B5] Anne Beck.7
1 death certificate; parish register. Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 3/2, give year of birth as 1782; RO 3/3 gives it as 1779.
2 parish register; 1841 census returns
3 census returns
4 BRO DP72/27A,B
5 son's 2nd marriage certificate; Cookham Union records, Berkshire RO; Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 9/4 & RO 3/2; Post Office Directory Home Counties
6 Maidenhead Guardians records, Berkshire RO 3/3; death certificate; Letter to me from Peter Newton, Vicar of Knowl Hill
7 parish register
William Beck was born in 1748-9. He married [B5] Anne Meads on the 30th December 1769, after banns, at White Waltham, Berks. Their known children were: Anne (1770), Elizabeth (1771), Dennis (1773), Anne Jerver (1781), [B3] John (1784), Thomas (1785), and Susannah (1792). The first three were baptised in White Waltham, the rest in Hurley. William Beck was buried in Hurley on the 2nd April 1834.1
1 Letter to me from Diane Woods; parish register
Anne Meads was born in 1750, and baptised in Hurley on the 29th May 1750.1
She married [B4] William Beck on the 30th December 1769, after banns, in White Waltham. Their known children were: Anne (1770), Elizabeth (1771), Dennis (1773), Anne Jerver (1781), [B3] John (1784), Thomas (1785), and Susannah (1792). The first three were baptised in White Waltham, the rest in Hurley.2
She was buried in Hurley on the 15th January 1837.3
Anne Meads was the daughter of [B6] John and [B7] Elizabeth Meads.4
1-2 Letter to me from Diane Woods; parish register
3 Letter to me from Diane Woods
4 parish register
John Meads married [B7] Elizabeth ____ before 1750, at which time he was living in Hurley.1
1 parish register. International Genealogical Index shows the baptism of a John Meads, son of John & Elizabeth
Meads, in Hurley, on the 17th September 1725.
Elizabeth ____ married [B6] John Meads before 1750, at which time she was living in Hurley.1
1 parish register
Dennis Russell was baptised in Hurley on the 11th July 1784, as 'Dennis Manhood Russell'.1
She married [B3] John Beck on the 26th March 1804, in Hurley, where she lived at that date. Their known children, all baptised in Hurley, were: [B2] William (1812), Samuel (1814), Emma (1817), Reuben (1820), Maryann (1822), Leonard (1825), Caroline Rachel (1826), and David (1830).2
In 1841 she was living in Littlewick Green, Hurley. She died some time between then and 1851.3
Dennis Manhood Russell was a daughter of [B9] Samuel and [B10] Dennis Russell.4
1 parish register
2 parish register; 1841 census returns
3 census returns. Not found in indexes of the General Register Office, 1841-51.
4 parish register
Samuel Russell married [B10] Dennis Manhood on the 30th March 1784, at Hurley, Berks.1
1 parish register
Denice Maynard was baptised on the 20th August 1758, in Hurley, Berks.1
As Dennis Manhood, she married [B9] Samuel Russell on the 30th March 1784, in Hurley.2
She was buried on the 7th September 1796, at Hurley.3
Denice Maynard was a daughter of [B11] Edward and [B12] Denice Maynard.4
1 parish register
2 parish register. The entry is cross-referenced to her baptism.
3-4 parish register
Edward Manhood of Hurley married [B12] Denis Steptoe on the 17th October 1754, in Hurley. His only known child was [B10] Denice Maynard.1
He was buried in Hurley on the 21st October 1785.2
1 parish register; name so spelled at this entry, but as Maynard for entry of daughter's baptism. International Genealogical Index has the baptism in Hurley of an Edward Menard, son of Edward and Sarah Menard, on the 5th August 1727; also the marriage of Edward Manhood and Sara Bartlet, on the 20th December 1706, at St George's Chapel, New Windsor; also the baptism of Edward, son of Edward and Letitia Manhood, on the 27th August 1683, at Hurley.
2 parish register
Denis Steptoe married [B11] Edward Manhood on the 17th October 1754, in Hurley. Her only known child was [B10] Denice Maynard. She was buried in Hurley on the 23rd June 1799.1
1 parish register
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