Thomas Frederic Balls

Buried at Springfield Church, age 71. From handwritten memorial inscriptions of around 1867 held at CRO.

Left sizeable will, held at CRO Chelmsford. Catalogue D/ABW 129/1/36 - location HQ3C22C1. Dated August 1819 and proved 22nd July 1831.

“I Sarah Balls late of Springfield but now of Fraiting Hall in the Parish of Fraiting in the County of Essex Widow do make my last Will and Testament in manner following (that is to say / I do give and bequeath unto my Grand-daughter Sarah Elizabeth Bearman and Suzanna Bearman (the Children of my late Daughter Sarah Elizabeth Bearman deceased) the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds apiece of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid to them within six months after my decease in case they shall have then attained the age of twenty one years; but in case my said Grand-daughters or either of them shall not at the time of my decease have attained the said age, then I do direct her or their said Legacy or Legacies to be paid to her or them in immediately upon her or their attainment of that age with Interest thereon to be computed from the expiration of the said six months after my decease. I do also give and bequeath to my Grandson Thomas Frederick Balls (Son of my late Son Thomas Frederick Balls deceased) the sum of three hundred pounds of like lawful money to be paid to him within six months after my decease in case he shall have then attained the agge of twenty one years and if not then immediately upon his attainement of that age with Interest for the same to be computed from the expiration of the said six months after my decease. I give and bequeath unto Richard Haslar (the natural or reputed Child of my late Son Richard Warren Balls deceased) the Legacy or sum of One hundred and fifty pounds of like lawful money to be also paid to him within six months after my decease in case he shall have then attained the age of twenty one years and if not then immediately upon his attainment of that age and I do direct the Interest thereof in the mean time (which I intented to commence from the time of my decease) to be paid and applied by my executors herinafter named or the Survivor of them or the Executors or Administrators of such survivior for or towards his benefit maintenance and education and I emplower my said Executors upon the said Richard Haslar’s attaining a proper age to be placed out Apprentice to any Trade or profession to advance out of the said Legacy any sum not exceeding fifty pounds for that purpose And in case of the death of any or either of my said Grand-daughter Sarah Elizabeth Bearman and Susanna Bearman my said Grandson Thomas Frederick Balls and the said Richard Haslar before ....

“I give and bequeath unto my Grand-daughter Frances Balls Dawson ... my Daughter Judith Frances the wife of William Kendall Dawson of Fraiting Hall aforesaid Gentleman.”

Interestingly, no mention of grandson Thomas Bearman. Was Thomas Bearman not the son of Thomas Bearman coachmaker of Springfield. There was also no mention of Thomas Bearman her late daughter's husband who died in 1827 but who also had to sell his house and business not many years after writing this will.

Moved from Chelmsford the short distance to Springfield between 1785 and 1791 when his son Richard Warren was born. The rector recorded that he was patron of the 3 Cups. His long will confirms he was a victualer as well as confirming his children - the copy, unfortunately is not great...

Attached picture courtesy of http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/Springfield/threecup.shtml

Baptism record from seax, St Mary the Virgin, St Peter and St Cedd (Cathedral)

Marriage was signed in the presence of Thomas, Frances and Richard Balls

1911 description of grave at All Saints church Springfield (now unreadable):

Headstone, round top, lying flat. In memory of SARAH ELIZABETH [wife of Thomas Bearman] who died 9th October 1811 aged 37 [and infants who died young .. and above mentioned] Thomas who died 1(3) Sep (18_7) aged (59) years. From memorial transcriptions 1911.

From Springfield, Essex, Monumental Inscriptions, 1867, care of CRO:

In Memory of Sarah Elizabeth the Wife of Thomas Bearman who departed this life the 9 of Oct 1811 aged 37 years. Also of Four of their children who died Infants. Also of the above Thomas Bearman who died the 15 of Sept 1827 Aged 55 years.

Baptism record in Boreham for Thomas, son of Thomas and Susannah, born March 15, baptised 24th at Chelmsford Record Office. The birth date matches well with his grave inscription, see below. The place matches the will of Charles Bearman, victualer of Chelmsford his godfather see more below and attached images.

Thomas was identified initially from his son Thomas Bearman’s marriage certificate in 1845, where his occupation was given as a coach builder.

There is record of such coach building business in Springfield, near Chelmsford. Records held in Chelmsford, Essex Records Office:

Property of William Collings Wells of Chelmsford and Joseph Wells of Little Waltham.

D/DDw T178/14 1805-1833: Deeds of dwelling-house, workshops and smith's shop adjacent Chelmsford-Colchester road, Springfield. Including Abstracts of Title, 1718-1805; sale particulars, 1822 [refers to coachmaking business established on above property by THOMAS BEARMAN], and 1833; and fragment of membership card of Chelmsford New Temperance Association (established 16 November 1837), see D/DDw T179/15 for complete specimen.

Photos of the auction in December 1822 are attached. Thomas bought the property in 1805 under mortgage, and it was returned to its original owner, Robert Greenwood (and others) in 1823 when Thomas must have hit hard times, or for some other reason needed to pay off his creditors.

Thomas and his father is mentioned in the Will of Charles Bearman, victualler of Chelmsford in 1779 - see attached images. He is described as Charles’ Godson and his father as a wheelwright from Boreham, Essex.

There were two other Bearmans, William and Anne who died in 1806/8 Springfield at quite an advanced age, who may be some relation.

In 1808 Thomas and his wife Sarah were listed as beneficiaries in her sister Rebecca’s will. The year afterwards and they were listed in Thomas Balls’s will (Rebecca’s husband). See Essex wills beneficiaries online at FMP.

Thomas was buried on 20th September 1827, aged 55 years and he was living in Chelmsford, according to the parish records for All Saints Springfield on microfiche at the CRO.

He was buried with Sarah Elizabeth who died on 9th Oct 1811 aged 37 according to the 1911 memorial transcripts. Their grave is now undreadable.

1911 description of grave at All Saints church Springfield (now unreadable):

Headstone, round top, lying flat. In memory of SARAH ELIZABETH [wife of Thomas Bearman] who died 9th October 1811 aged 37 [and infants who died young .. above mentioned] Thomas who died 1(3) Sep (18_7) aged (59) years. From memorial transcriptions 1911. There is probably a better record of this carried out in the 1860s, available at the Chelmsford Record Office (as yet unseen by me). He was in fact 55 according to the Parish records for his burial, on microfiche at the CRO. Square brackets mine, rounded ones on transcript indicating lettering was unclear in 1911.

Thos Bearman was witness to Elizabeth’s Brother’s marriage in 1804

From Springfield, Essex, Monumental Inscriptions, 1867, care of CRO:

In Memory of Sarah Elizabeth the Wife of Thomas Bearman who departed this life the 9 of Oct 1811 aged 37 years. Also of Four of their children who died Infants. Also of the above Thomas Bearman who died the 15 of Sept 1827 Aged 55 years.

Died of the Hooping Cough, denomination Anglican and buried 8th April 1809 according to National Burial Index on FMP

Thomas was a baker, who ended life quite wealthy. He married Catherine Boyd in 1845 and the record of this shows his father to be Thomas, a coach builder.

The censuses show him as born 1812-13 Chelmsford but his death record shows he was born 1811-12. However, no birth or baptism record has so far been found for him. The person most likely to be his mother died in October 1811 and his father was buried with her 16 years later - so it must be presumed that she died in child-birth or soon after, and that Thomas was born on or before October 9th 1811

There is record of a coachbuilding business with substantial 'genteel' residence in Springfield, near Chelsmsford Essex run by a Thomas Bearman (see attached images and the comments attached to Thomas his father), who married Sarah Elizabeth Balls in Cheltenham and had several children in Springfield.

FMP have his death as 6th May 1868, at St Thomas’s, Hackney citing National Burial Index.

Probate record dated 9 June 1868 showed Thomas leaving Effects under £4,000 to wife Catherine Bearman of 101 Mare Street as sole Executrix.

FMP have record of burial of Judith Frances Dawson in Great Bentley, Essex. This is not far from Frating hall where she was a farmer's wife. Also on IGI, buried 24th September 1826.

Baptised 20th April 1786 according to IGI, Frating, Essex.

Mentioned in the will of Richard Warren Balls and named as brother. Presume he meant brother-in-law.

He must have had a daughter who married somebody called Cuddon as his grandson can be seen in 1851 census - born 1841.

There was a William Dawson buried at Springfield church from inscriptions held at Chelmsford who died 20 Nov 1841 aged 70. However, I don't think this was him.

William Kendall was an estate agent/auctioneer and some some records can be found on seax - D/DU 381/27 (1825) :

Assignment of Term to attend the Inheritance (Lease and Release)

(i)Jas. Pulham, gentleman (ii) Robert Cana, auctioneer, both of Woodbridge (co. suffolk) (iii) James Jermyn of Roydon (co. suffolk)esq., administrator of goods of Henry Jermyn of Sibton (co. Suffolk), esq. deceased (iv) George Nevil Adams of Gloucester Place, Portman Square (co. Middlessex), esq.(v) WILLIAM KENDALL DAWSON of Frating hall, farmer,and (vi) WILLIAM Sparling of Colchester, gent.

Property as in D/DU 381/16,17

The above references 1811 - /DU 381/16,17:

Conveyance (Lease and Release) for £1,000

(i) James Pulham of Woodbridge (co. Suffolk) gent., s.and h. of James Pulham of Harwich and W. Mary, formerly Mary Brook, both decd., and w. Frances (ii) William Pearson of Ipswich, gentleman (iii) James Garrard of Frating, farmer, and (iv) Wm, London of Woodbridge (co. Suffolk), land valuer

Messuage called Sayers, building called Slowhouse (66a., field-names) in Frating and Great Bentley

To the uses to extinguish right of dower of Frances w. of James Pulham

Baptism on IGI, 1807 no exact date, mother Eliz. Frances Dawson Death (freebmd, also see attached image) also announced in The Belfast News Letter November 14th 1890, so wonder if he had some Irish connections.

Burial Abney Park Cemetery 15 Nov 1890 aged 83, ref 085555, section C07, index 3S12

Baptised 28th February, on IGI - mother’s name Frances Dawson

Baptism 10th August 1812 on IGI, father Willm K, mother Frances

Edward was a high ranking Inspecting Veterinary Surgeon in India, achieving that rank on 25 May 1866 according to Hart’s Army Lists 1873 - see http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/1999-04/0925284047. He studied at the Madras Medical College and received an MBBS degree in 1853 - www.alumnimmc.com/members/mmcians?&page=163

Attached images show he arrived in Madras on 28th June 1845 and left service on 9th Sept 1872.

Electoral register shows him at Tower lodge, Clacton-on-Sea in 1909 and also, same year at Penfold Road. He was still on the register in 1912, but believe he died in latter quarter of 1911.

Richard’s baptism record confirms that his parents moved the short distance to Springfield sometime between 1785 and 1791, and that his father was proprietor of the 3 Cups.

Richard was buried at Springfield Church, aged 27, according to handwritten book of inscriptions from around 1867 held at CRO.

Buried Springfield Church age 30, inscription in handwritten book of around 1868 held at CRO:

“In Memory of Elizabeth the Wife of Thomas Frederick Balls who died the 13 of June 1808 Aged 30 years. Also of the above mentioned Thomas Frederick Balls who died the 12 of Nov 1809 aged 34 years and of Richard Balls who died an infant.

“When blooming youth and beauty is most grave death plucks us up and plants us in the grave take care young folk your precious time to spend your lives all short and quickly at an end.”

From the parish records (see attached burial record):

“True Copy from the Chelmsford Chronicle Friday June 17th 1808

“‘On Monday died of a decline, in the 30th year of her age, Mrs Elizabeth Balls, of the Three Cups Inn Springfield. She bore a very long affliction with great fortitude and resignation, and her loss will be sincerely lamented.’”

Father’s name was Joseph – according to Essex beneficiaries index of Thomas Balls’s will (and so was alive in 1809)