Illustration Christine Fuller
The illustration is creative interpretation and intended for humour only. No offence is intended or implied.
Traditional historical records are heavily biased towards men, leaving women sidelined. Early records with few exceptions, will record the names of men but rarely women. For example, electoral registers (pre 1918), apprenticeships, property ownership etc. Accordingly, it can be challenging to piece together some of the lives of the women of our village.
Having said that, newspaper reports are just as likely to name women as men in criminal cases!
I found the following report in the Bury Free Press published on the 27th July, 1872:
East Harling Petty Sessions
Hannah, the wife of John Long of Gt. Ellingham, labourer, was charged by Deborah the wife of Alfred Lincoln Great Ellingham labourer with using words tending to provoke her to commit a breach of the peace at Gt. Ellingham., July 3rd. Bound in the sum of £5 to keep the peace for 2 months and to pay costs 24s [Twenty four shillings]
‘Falling Out’
It is obvious that the court case resulted from a ‘slanging match’ between Hannah Long and Deborah Lincoln. What may have provoked the altercation?
Causes for the falling out between the working-class in rural villages, could include arguments over shared infrastructure such as wells, gardens or washing areas. It can also be over borrowed pots, pans or tools which have not been returned. People’s behaviour can also be a source of neighbourly friction.
Nonetheless, the newspaper report does not provide details of the cause of the animosity between the two women.
What do we know about Deborah Lincoln and Hannah Long?
Lived in Close Proximity
The 1871 census finds both 38 year old Hannah Long and 19 year old Deborah Lincoln living with their respective husbands, John Long and Alfred Lincoln, in Bow Street, Great Ellingham.
I have previously come across Alfred Lincoln (aka Alfred Chaplin) and his wife Deborah. You can read more about them here.
Hannah Long nèe Beales
Hannah Long is a daughter of George Beales (Bales) and his wife Mary nèe Hewett. She was baptised in the Church of St James, Great Ellingham on the 17th March, 1833.
Bow Street Cottage. Courtesy Martin Jeffery
1841 census
The 1841 census captures 8 year old Hannah with her parents and siblings living in Bow Street. It may be that Hannah was born in a cottage similar to the one depicted in the above photograph.
The same census finds Hannah’s future husband, 7 year old John Long, with his parents and siblings living in the ‘Port Wood’ area of the village.
1851 census
In 1851, Hannah is a 19 year old ‘live-in’ house servant for John and Dinah Edwards in Bow Street.
16 year old John Long is still with his parents, Benjamin and Hannah Long.
The Long family are now living at Stalling Common (Stalland Common) – not far from Bow Street. The Long household includes John’s 3 year old sister Mariah and his 74 year old maternal grandfather, widower Henry Balls. Henry once owned a properties in Swamp Lane and Hingham Road.
Marriage
On the 2nd December, 1856, John Long marries Hannah Beales in the Parish Church at Great Ellingham. John is 21 and Hannah is 23. They both put their mark ‘X” in the marriage register. This suggests that they both had limited (or no) literary skills.
Bow Street
The couple made their home in Bow Street – the very street in which Hannah had been born some 23 years earlier.
John and Hannah lived in Bow Street for the next thirty years or so. However, at some point during the 1880s, the couple decided to move away from Great Ellingham.
Given that they had both been born and bred in the village, it may have been a hard decision to make. However, the move may have been prompted by hardship and the lack of employment.
Ramsay, Essex
The 1891 census finds John and Hannah living in Princess Street, Ramsay, Essex. For some reason, their respective ages of 47 and 48 is mistaken as they would then have been 57 and 58! Did they give their incorrect ages or is this a mistake by the enumerator?
With the couple is Hannah’s 28 year old nephew, Joseph Beales, the son of her sister, Sarah. Joseph may well have been living with his aunt and uncle since he was at least 7 years old. In addition, John and Hannah have a lodger, William Moulden.
All three men of the household are working as general labourers. Along with the wages of John and Joseph, the income from the lodger for his board and lodgings may have been a welcome addition to the household purse.
1901 census
John and Hannah Long are still living in Ramsey at the time of the 1901 census. Both are now said to be 67 years of age. At this time, there is no state pension. Accordingly, there is no option for John but to continue to work. He is now working as a quay or dock labourer.
Their household in Ramsey also includes four male boarders. These men are also working at the docks.
Ramsey is 3-5 miles from Harwich. I assume that the men are making the daily journey to Harwich docks for work.
Death of Hannah Long
Great Ellingham born Hannah Long nèe Beales died in October 1904 aged 71. She was buried in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Michael, Ramsey.
I have not yet been able to discover whether John Long survived his wife and, if so, for how long.
I do not believe that John and Hannah Long had any children. Accordingly, they have no direct descendants.
Sources:
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office. PD609. Also available familysearch.org and subscription websites including ancestry.co.uk
Little Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office. PD 568. Viewed via ancestry.co.uk
1841 census HO107/781/8
1851 census HO107/1823/117; HO107/1823/113
1861 census RG9/1237/84
1871 census RG10/1841/79-80
1881 census RG11/1974/84
1891 census RG12/1403/16
1901 census RG13/1700/11
Burial Hannah Long. Essex England Church of England Deaths & Burials 1813-1996. Ramsey St Michael Essex. Essex Record Office; Chelmsford, Essex, England; Essex Church of England Parish RegistersAncestry.com. Essex, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813-1996 [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.
27 July 1872 Bury Free Press. The British Newspaper Archive