The Barritts of the Fenlands - Page 9
Banyard, son of Robert and Sophia Barritt
Banyard was the eldest of the three sons of Robert and Sophia who left Feltwell Fen and went to East London. He was born 25th April 1844 at Feltwell and was baptised with his brothers Elijah and William and his Sister Sarah on 24th July, 1848 at Feltwell.
He left Feltwell when he was about 20 and went to East London in search of work. For a time he was employed as a labourer.
Banyard married Matilda Harvey on 28th April 1868 at the United Methodist Chapel in Bath Street, Poplar. His mother travelled from Feltwell to attend the wedding and she was a witness at the ceremony. Matilda, born 1846, was the daughter of Matthew Harvey of 40 New Street, Poplar. He was an excavator and probably worked on the construction of Blackwall or Rotherhithe tunnels.
The year after Banyard married he was a greengrocer living at 74 Rathbone Street, Canning Town, a street market. By 1878 he was a coal merchant of Poplar, later moving to 65 Greengate Street, Plaistow. This house, although in a terrace, had an entry through which Banyard could take his horse and coal cart.
He died 27th August 1911 and was buried in a private grave in East London Cemetery. Matilda died 13th April 1920 aged 74 and was buried in the same grave as Banyard.
Banyard and Matilda had two daughters and two sons, although the youngest son, Ebenezer, died young. Harriet married John William Dixon and the youngest daughter Tryphena married Frederick Brown and they spent their life together in the Off Licence business. As a widow, Tryphena retired to Herne Bay and embraced Catholicism. She died in May 1964.
The eldest son of Tryphena and Frederick was Frederick Barritt Brown who was born in 1906. He married Dorothy Perks in 1935 and they kept a general store in Battersea. Sadly, Frederick was found drowned at Brighton on 21st June 1939, his daughter not quite three years old and four months before his son was born. Dorothy died 9th August 1993.
Thomas Edward Barritt was the second child and eldest son of Banyard and Matilda. He was born at Poplar, 7th December 1872 and married Rosina Clara Kendal on 29th September 1898 at Bath Street Chapel, Poplar, where his parents had been married. They lived in Plaistow and Thomas, or Tim as he became known, worked in the family coal business.
Unfortunately, Tim began to frequent public houses and was gripped by the 'demon drink'. The family eventually disowned him and he moved with his wife to Hornsey where he took a job driving horse buses.
After about a year he returned to Plaistow, he had continued to drink but had been able to work at driving the horses he so loved. In 1910 whilst working for the County Borough of West Ham, Tim moved to 137 Plaistow Broadway and he was persuaded to become teetotal and occasionally attended chapel with other members of the family.
In 1914, World War One started and Tim volunteered and enlisted in the Royal Engineers although he was aged forty-two. He served in France for three and a half years and was greatly respected by the young soldiers with whom he served. It was during the early months of the war that Tim broke his pledge and again took to drink.
Many years passed during which Tim's family gradually began to part and in 1939, Tim, who had graduated to driving lorries for the Corporation, retired with a good record and a clean driving license.
During the years of the Second World War he served as a watchman, first in Slough and later for the United States Army. For several years after the war Tim enjoyed visiting local and West End Salvation Army Citadels and although, because of his drinking habits, he could not become a member, he nevertheless enjoyed the singing and band music and was always a welcome visitor.
From 1947 he suffered from asthma and bronchitis and was unable to go very far from home, but he was able to indulge his talent for carpentry which kept him interested until he died on 11th June 1954.
After his death his widow Rosina lived with their eldest daughter Iris and her husband John Percival at 38 Kent Street, Plaistow until she died on 8th March 1966.
Thomas Edward (Tim) and Rosina had two daughters and three sons of which the youngest two died in infancy.
© Ron Barritt - March 1995