Great Ellingham born Harry Houchen 1870-1914.
Courtesy Christian Humphries. (Harry’s 1st cousin 3x removed)
I am always thrilled to hear from anyone with family connections to the past people of Great Ellingham. A recent email dropping into my inbox is no exception.
I learnt from the email that in 1869, Great Ellingham born James Houchen married Annie Bull. Annie – or rather Polly as she was known, is the 2nd great grand aunt of the sender of the email.
Polly Bull was born about 1845 in Fordham, Essex to Oliver and Susannah Bull. I am told that Polly Bull is a grand-niece of the renowned landscape painter Suffolk born John Constable (1776-1837).
James and Polly Houchen’s son, Harry, later became an artist. In 1913, he was appointed headmaster of the Londonderry School of Art.
This Houchen family connects to the large network of Houchen families in and around Great Ellingham. We take a look at three generations of this particular branch, beginning with James’s father, Stephen Houchen.
I would add that the surname Houchen has several variations including Houchin, Howchen and Howchin. For ease of reference, I will refer to the name as Houchen whether or not it is how it is written in a particular record.
Stephen Houchen
Stephen Houchen is the son of Edmund Houchen and his wife Mary nèe Taylor. He was baptised on the 4th June, 1820 in Little Ellingham.
1841 census
The 1841 census finds 55 year old farmer Edmund Houchen with his 55 year old wife Mary and sons John 20 and Stephen 20 living in Bow Street, Great Ellingham. Edmund is described as a farmer, John as a thatcher and Stephen an agricultural labourer.
Mill Farmhouse. Photograph 25 December 2023
Living in another part of the village is Sarah Ann Warren. She is with her 60 year old widowed father John Warren and two of her sisters. I believe they living at the dwelling later known as Mill Farmhouse in Church Street. Sarah Ann’s mother was the former Mary Towler.
Marriage to Sarah Ann Warren
Church of St James, Great Ellingham
On the 19th February, 1846, Stephen Houchen and Sarah Ann Warren married in St James’s Church, Great Ellingham.
I wonder whether Sarah Ann was pregnant at the time of the marriage. The birth of John Warren Houchin with mother’s maiden name Warren is registered in the June Qtr of 1846 in the registration district of the Wayland Union. The burial of two week old John Warren Houchin took place at St James’s Church, Great Ellingham on the 19th May, 1846.
Nevertheless, Stephen and Sarah Ann Houchen welcomed James in 1848.
1851 census
The national headcount of 1851 captures Stephen and Sarah Ann Houchen living in Town Green, Great Ellingham along with their two year old son James. Stephen is 29 and a shoemaker. Sarah Ann is 27. At this time, the Town Green area is a fairly well populated part of the village.
Death of Sarah Ann Houchen
Sadly, Stephen Houchen buried his 30 year old wife Sarah Ann in the churchyard of St James’s Church on the 22nd February, 1854.
Marriage to Sophia Brunton
On the 11th September, 1856, 33 year old widower Stephen Houchen marries 37 year old widow Sophia Brunton nèe Smith. The wedding took place in St James’s Church, Great Ellingham.
Young James Houchen was then around 8 years old. At some point after the marriage, Stephen, Sophia and young James moved to the nearby town of Attleborough.
1861 census
The 1861 census finds 38 year old boot & shoe maker Stephen Houchen with his 41 year old Attleborough born wife Sophia and 12 year old son James in Market Street, Attleborough.
Burial of Sophia Houchen & Marriage to Susan Smith
Sadly Stephen Houchen is once again widowed when he buried his second wife, Sophia, towards the end of 1864. However within just a few months, Stephen Houchen marries spinster Susan Smith in her home parish of Thurne with Ashby & Oby, Norfolk. Susan came to live at the Houchen’s family home in Market Street, Attleborough.
Death of Stephen Houchen
Nevertheless, the marriage was fairly short as Stephen Houchen died in Attleborough on the 13th May, 1869 at the age of 49.
James Houchen
Some three months’ later, on the 19th August, 1869, 21 year old James Houchen marries Ann (Polly) Bull in the parish church at Fordham, Essex. We can but wonder how the couple met given the distance of some 55 miles between Great Ellingham, Norfolk and Fordham, Essex.
Following the marriage, James brought Polly to live in Great Ellingham.
Annie (Polly) Bull later Houchen then Holtom 1845-1920.
Mother of Harry Houchen
Photograph taken in the 1870s. Courtesy Christian Humphries
Their son Harry was born in the village on the 23rd July, 1870.
1871 census
The 1871 census captures 23 year old grocer and draper, James Houchen, with his 24 year old wife Annie and their eight month old son, Harry, living in Church Street, Great Ellingham. James Houchen employs 18 year old Sarah Carter as the family’s domestic servant.
The Crown Inn with adjoining shops. Postcard courtesy Ewin Family
I think it likely that the Houchen’s shop and home is one of the two dwellings attached to the Crown Public House. However, I cannot be certain as there were other grocer and drapers shops in Church Street at that time.
Move from Great Ellingham
In 1872, Harry’s sister Alice Mary was born in Great Ellingham.
Nevertheless at some point before 1875, James and Polly along with Harry and Alice, left Great Ellingham and headed for the Poplar District of the East End of London.
Further Children
I believe that during the early part of 1875, Polly Houchen gave birth to another daughter, Jessie. Sadly, I found a corresponding registration of a burial for infant Jessie Houchen in the same district during July and September 1875,
By the latter part of 1876, James and Polly along with their children Harry and Alice moved to Islington. The birth of their son, Bertram Houchen, was registered between October and December 1876. Sadly, once again, I found a corresponding registration of death (in the next quarter in the same district) for the infant.
James Houchen dies of Phthisis
Tragically, commercial traveller James Houchen died on the 10th January, 1877, at the family’s home of 15 Back Road, Kingsland, Islington. He was 28 years old.
The registration details of James’s death confirms that the cause of death is Phthisis Pulmonalis, often referred to as tuberculosis or consumption. He had been living with the disease for 3 years.
Sadly this family is one of many affected by the disease. According to Simon Willis in his book How our Ancestors Died, at least one in six people died of tuberculosis during the Victorian period.
At the time of their father’s death, Harry Houchen is 6 years old and his sister Alice is 4.
Widow Ann Houchen Remarries
On the 19th May, 1878, widow Ann Houchen marries Arthur Joseph Holtam.
The 1881 census finds 10 year old Harry Houchen along with his sister 9 year old Alice with his 33 year old mother Annie and step-father Arthur Holtom in Southgate, Edmonton, London. 30 year old Hertfordshire born Arthur Holtom is a coach and cart wheelwright. Annie and Arthur Holtom have a one year old daughter Annie who was born in Islington.
Harry and his sister Alice are are still with their mother and step-father’s household at the time of the 1891 census. The family are still living in Southgate, Edmonton. Annie and Arthur Holtom have welcomed further children.
At 20, Harry is working as a coach painter. I presume he is working for his 39 year old coach buider step-father Arthur Holtom.
1901 census
30 year old Harry Houchen is still living with his mother and step-father’s household in Southgate, Edmonton at the time of the 1901 census. The census describes Harry Houchen as a general art student. However, I understand that there was some family objections to Harry’s choice of career path.
The census also captures 23 year old draper’s assistant Elinor (Eleanor) Warren as a visitor at the Holtom household.
Just four years later in 1905, Harry Houchen married Eleanor Warren in the Paddington District of London.
1911 census
By 1911, Harry Houchen and Eleanor had moved to Ireland. Harry had become an Art Master.
The 1911 census of Ireland finds 40 year old Harry Houchen with his 33 year old wife Eleanor at Gurteenaspig Townland, Co. Cork. The census confirms that the couple had been married for five years during which time, no children had been born.
Londonderry School of Art
In 1913, Harry was appointed headmaster of the Londonderry School of Art, Old Corporation Hall, The Diamond, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Death of Harry Houchen
Great Ellingham born Harry Houchen died at the age of 44 on the 23rd December, 1914. Probate of his will was granted to his widow Eleanor Houchen. Harry’s last address is recorded as St Lurachs, Northland Road, Londonderry.
He was laid to rest at the Deer City Cemetery, Londonderry. You can read Harry Houchen’s memorial on the Find a Grave website
Exhibition & Sale of Harry’s Work
The Derry Journal of the 19th February 1915 published the following notice:
An important sale of Academy pictures and sketches of local scenery, the work of the late Mr Harry Houchen, Headmaster, School of Art, Derry, is announced to be held at the Technical School on the 24th and 25th inst., from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day.
The Mayor of Derry will open the exhibition and sale on the first day, and Mrs Corscaden, Richmond, on the second day. This sale offers a fine opportunity to those of artistic temperament to acquire choice and well-executed subject. Mr Houchen was an artist of conspicuous ability and amiable personality. His versatile gifts are well reflected in his work, conscientiously and skilfully executed. Lovers of good paintings should have no difficulty in securing some nice specimens at this sale.
Sources:
1841 census HO107/781/8
1851 census HO107/1823/111
1861 census RG9/1237/45
1871 census RG10/1841/88
1881 census RG11/1390/94
1891 census RG12/1084/43
1901 census RG13/1268/81
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 609. Also available at www.familysearch.org
GRO Index. Also viewed via FreeBMD website
1911 census https://nationalarchives.ie/collections/search-the-census/census-record/#census_year=1911&surname__icontains=Houchen&firstname__icontains=Harry&limit=30&id=1869655
1915 Probate Harry Houchen who died 23 December 1915. Londonderry, Ireland. England & Wales National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills & Administrations 1858-1995. Principal Probate Registry; London, England; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Find a Grave website. Harry Houchen. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25160335/harry-houchen
Essex, England Church of England Marriages. 1754-1937. James Houchen & Ann Bull. 19 Aug 1869. Fordham All Saints, Essex. Essex Record Office; Chelmsford, Essex, England; Essex Church of England Parish Registers. Ancestry.com. Essex, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1937 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019. Original data: Essex Church of England Parish Registers, Essex County Council, Chelmsford, Essex, England.
London England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754-1941. Ann Houchen & Arthur Joseph Holtom. 19 May 1878. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England, UK; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P83/MRY1/1244. Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1941 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
19 February 1915 Derry Journal. Viewed via The British Newspaper Archive
Norfolk England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754-1938. Stephen Houchen & Susan Smith. 6 Apr 1865 Thurne with Ashby and Oby. Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers. Ancestry.com. Norfolk, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Church of England Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England.
10 January 1877. Death Registration Image James Houchen. Obtained online from GRO.