Albert Prior was was born 13 January 1862 in Toppesfield Essex UK, the first born child of Eliza Prior, a 22 year old straw plaiter living with her parents and siblings in the village. Almost 4 years later his mother Eliza would marry Edward Argent in Toppesfield on Christmas Day 1865.
The family legend or story is that Edward Argent was Albert Prior's father. Our own father, who is Albert's great grandson, believes that our surname should in fact be Argent. As Edward was also an illegitimate child, perhaps he was compassionate towards Eliza's son, or he was in fact Albert's father. And we have no clues as to the identity of Edward's father or his name.
This story is meaningful given that in the 1871 census Albert, age 9 and a scholar, was listed as a son living with Edward & Eliza Argent in Yeldham Rd. His occupation was Plaiter along with his 6 year old sister Elizabeth (more is said about straw plaiting schools in another post). This is the only record I have found that gives Albert the surname Argent, as the 1881 census listed Albert as a Prior, age 19 and an Agricultural Labourer living with his grandparents Thomas & Harriet Prior in The Street. Also in the household were Albert's aunt Emma age 30, who remained a spinster, uncle Lewis age 21, who also worked as an Ag Lab, and cousin Frederick age 1 (see blog about Thomas & Harriet).
Albert left Toppesfield to work with the contractors building the railway to Southminster and Southend Victoria. In 1883 at age of 21 he joined the Great Eastern Railway (GER) * as a Platelayer for eighteen shillings a week. This brought him to the village of Hockley in Essex, where he would marry and live our the remainder of his life.
On Christmas Day * 1885, Albert Prior married Eliza Jane Pinnock Jarvis in the Hockley parish church. Eliza Jane was only 15 years old but already in service receiving one shilling a week and keep.
Albert & Eliza Prior lived in a cottage in Spa Road Hockley which they named 'China Cottage' as the external walls were decorated with a multitude of broken china pieces. All their children were born in China Cottage:
- Ethel Eliza b.28 July 1886
- Elizabeth Emily b.22 January 1888
- Albert John b.12 January 1891
- Edward Thomas b.12 December 1892
- Henry Arthur b.4 February 1895
- Annie Maud b.1 August 1898
Copies of all birth certificates can be found in the back of the book Millenium Hockley, compiled by F.C.Prior 1999
Some details of their children's marriages & deaths:
- Ethel Eliza ... m. Ernest Baker 1905, m. Robert Stoddart 1925,
- Elizabeth Emily ... m. Cathcart 1910(?)
- Albert John ... m. Edith Honour 1911, m. Alice Louisa Blunson(?)
- Edward Thomas ... m. Viola Ellen Warren 1914, d. 6 Aug 1915 Gallipoli
- Henry Arthur ... m. Harriet Rose Whillier 1919, d.1975 Gidea Park
- Annie Maud ... m. Alfred Henry (Harry) Munro 1917, d. 1963
Albert & Eliza:
Biography of Albert Prior
by E.H.Prior (April 1990)
Albert Prior was born on the 13th January 1862 and was registered on 14th February 1862 in the Sub-district of Hedingham Essex. His mother was Eliza Prior of Toppesfield and the father’s name was not given, Eliza signed with the mark of a cross. In the 1861 census Eliza gave her occupation as Straw Plaiter. Albert always maintained that he was really an ‘Argent’, this is proved to a certain extent by the census of 1881, Thomas Prior age 64 Agricultural Labourer living at “the Street” Toppesfield along with his wife Harriet age 62, Emma daughter age 30, Lewis son age 21 and Albert grandson age 21. Eliza Prior married Edward Argent about 1863 (sic) and Albert had step brothers Thomas, Harry, Freddy and John.
This was in the days of the Railway Builder and Albert left home to join the railway navvies and helped to build the railway from Wickford to Southend Victoria and after the completion of the line, joined the Great Eastern Railway as a platelayer at Hockley. He married Eliza Jane Jarvis age 15 on the 25th December 1886 (sic). They lived in a small thatched cottage which they called “China Cottage” in Spa Road near Hockley Station. A coin was found under a floor of the cottage which indicated it could have been built about 1635.
On the 14th December 1914 Albert bought the cottage from a Mr Anson Fulcher for the sum of one hundred and ten pounds, the transaction was conducted by Patterson & Brewer, solicitors to the National Union and Railwaymen.
Albert was quite a handyman, village lamplighter, local barber and acting Postman during the 1914-18 war, he was also a good gardener and wine maker, an active member of “The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants” and the “Ancient Order of Foresters Rochford Branch (1883).
His wife Eliza was the village midwife and a good needlewoman and was one of those that rode on the first train from Wickford to Southend. They had six children, Ethel, Elizabeth, Ann, Albert, Edward and Henry, the three boys served in the Army during the 1914-18 war, Edward did not return. Albert became the first Telegraph lad in Hockley, then became a postman. Henry became a lad Porter on Hockley Station and after the war became a Goods Guard. Ethel and Elizabeth both married Railway Signalmen.
Albert retired from the G.E.R as a Sub-Ganger at Hockley on 8th August 1927, he died in 1945 age 83 and was buried in the churchyard of St Peter & St Paul Hockley Essex.
Albert belonged to the Ancient Order of Forresters *, Rochford branch, and The Amalgamated Society of a Railway Servants. He was the local Barber and Lamplighter.
Eliza Jane was the unqualified midwife for Hockley. She remembered Hockley when there was no railway or bus service.
- photos of Albert Prior at China Cottage Hockley Essex; copies & biography courtesy of Snippets booklets created by Ernest Henry Prior, grandson of Albert Prior, and our great uncle "Uncle Ernie".
Twig Talk - I note that Albert & Eliza gave their first born daughter the middle name Eliza, also the name of Albert's mother; named their first born son Albert with middle name John, possibly after Eliza's great grandfather John Jarvis who died in Hockley 7 years earlier; named their second son Edward Thomas, probably after Albert's father/stepfather Edward Argent and his grandfather Thomas Prior, with whom Albert had lived; and named their third son Henry Arthur, possibly after Eliza's stepgrandfather Henry Warner ... or at a guess her biological father?, a search for the name Pinnock in Essex census records of the time reveal a Henry Pinnock b.1852 of Wiltshire, residing in Barking Eesex at time of Eliza's birth; he later married in 1874 & lived his life in Ilford Essex, is he related?
* historical information:
1. Marriages on Christmas Day
Our family tree has at least a dozen couples who married on Christmas Day in the late 1800's, especially within the parish of Toppesfield, and most notably Albert's mother Eliza Prior & Edward Argent in 1865. Then Albert Prior married his Eliza Jane Jarvis in Hockley on Christmas Day 1885, which happened to be the 20th wedding anniversary of his mother to Edward.
Marriages on Christmas Day were common in the 19th century, perhaps due to Christmas Day being the only work holiday for many (weddings were not usually held on Sundays), and the only day the family could all get together, while reducing the cost for working class families by combining family celebrations.
This could very well apply to a rural farming village such as Toppesfield which relied heavily on its Agricultural Labourers.
2. Building the Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was incorporated on the 7th August 1862, a formal amalgamation of several existing railway companies.
The Great Eastern Railway (GER) built the line from Wickford to Southend Victoria in 1889, which was first opened for goods transport only.
- link containing detail of the history of the GER:
http://web.archive.org/web/20040331014645/http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pstoog/trains/company/g/company_ger.htm
Opening of Essex Railways:
Witham to Maldon - 15 August 1848
Bhenfield to Wickford - 19 March 1888
Wickford to Southminster - 1 June 1889
Wickford to Southend - 1 October 1889
Woodham Ferrero to Maldon - 1 October 1889
Keveldon to Tiptree - 1 October 1904
3. The Ancient Order of Forresters
The Ancient Order of Foresters was established in 1834, now known as Foresters Friendly Society, and originated from the Royal Foresters formed around 1745.
Their main purpose was the duty to assist their fellow men who fell into need "as they walked through the forests of life". This 'need' arose principally when a breadwinner fell ill, could not work and received no wages. Illness and death left families financially distressed and often destitute. Members would pay into a common fund, which would be used to offer sick pay and funeral grants when needed.
