Thomas Boyd

Clandestinely married, and charged 7/3 (7 shillings 3 pence) a few weeks later on 21st September 1789 - see marriage document.

Married Phillis Eve 14.2.1813, Saint Bride Fleet St

Christened about 29 Jan 1815, Old Church, Saint Pancras. On her death she left a Personal Estate of £562 14s. 5d. with Thomas Bearman sole executor.

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.

Thomas “was brought up as heir to his father’s business and took it over when he was only 22. His father had taken a lot of care over his education and used to take him travelling, including a tour of Ireland during which he actually kissed the Blarney Stone. Under Thomas Bearman III the shop prospered as a high class bakery and confectionary. Hackney had many wealthy inhabitants at that time and Bearmans catered for what was called "the carriage trade". It was also his practice to serve lunch daily to a select group of customers in the back room of the shop. Some blue-rimmed Wedgwood soup plates from this room have been passed down in both my family and Kate’s family.

“He married Keturah Sandell on 3rd June 1873 and for the first five years of their married life they lived in rooms at Fremont Street, Hackney. By 1878 he was able to buy a fine big house, Melbourne House, 8, Tudor Road, Hackney. His mother continued to live over the shop until her death in 1888. By about 1894 he was able to sell the shop and retire and during the next few years came to acquire property all over London, as well as "Beach Crest" (bought in 1897) and "The Moorings" both at Deal and a house in Sandwich Market Place. A photograph of Beach Crest, as it is now, is at the top of the Contents page of this website.

“He was a noted numismatist, specialising in mediaeval English and Scottish coins. Bernard Roth's book "Ancient Gaulish Coins" was dedicated to him. When he died, his collection was sold for £600, a considerable sum in those days. His whole estate was left to a family trust, the Bearman Trust. The original trustees were his sons-in-law, Tom Stutchbury, Charlie Carrington and Edward Middlemiss, with Tom as Secretary. On Tom's death in 1941 his son Tom became Secretary. Among many other things, the Trust administered Beach Crest as a holiday home for the family until 1975, when they sold it to Frank and Florence Middlemiss. Also in 1975 Donald Bearman, the last Tenant for Life of the Trust, died and the Trust was then broken up and the assets distributed among the family.”

Frank Middlemiss’s online notes

Probate records show Thomas left £16,079 14s 1d.

Christined 31.5.1818 Old church, St Pancras

Probate, Personal Estate £255 1s. 9d. Eliza of 10 Tudor Road, Hackney was proved by Nathaniel Kevan, collector of Rates the Son the sole Executor.

Probate records show Nathaniel leaving effects under £600. He lived at 147 Great-Cambridge Street Hackney Road but late of 31 Shrubland Grove Dalston., proved by Eliza Kevan of 31 Shrubland Grove, Widow the Relict the sole Executrix.

Birth record in non-conformist records at ancestry.

Nathaniel Kevan of 38 Blenheim Road, Deal, Probate London 31 December to Caroline Parsons (wife of Robert Henry Parsons). Effects £2777 8s 8d.

“Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Phoebe and Phyllis Kevan were all cousins of Thomas Bearman 111 on his mother's side and Nathaniel, in particular, was a life-long friend of his. In 1881 the Kevanfamily was living at 10, Tudor Road, Hackney, London next door to the Bearmans, where 20 years later, the Middlemiss family were living.

“Nathaniel Kevan (1844/45 - ?) settled at Deal, where he had a house in Blenheim Road. He became a well-known f igure in the town and can be seen on many old photographs taken on the beach, the pier or the Parade. He married his cook , Elizabeth (1841/42 - ?) who, I understand, was a shy person and always kept very much in the background. They had just one daughter, Caroline, generally known as Doris, who married but I never heard whether she had any children. The sisters Phoebe and Phyllis lived in the Blenheim Road house for many years after Nathaniel died.

“They also were a well-known sight in Deal - two old ladies in black, always together. The interior of their house was, in the 30s, still a cosy Victoriana museum, with big aspidistras and knick-knacks. Phoebe (1852/53- 1939) was an upright lady with a strong, somewhat gaunt face, a deep voice and a precise way of speaking. She appeared to be the dominant sister; Phyllis(1857/58- ?) was a round-faced, more compliant sort of person.”

Dr Frank Middlemiss’s online notes

Probate for Phebe Kevan of 38 Blenheim-road, Deal, spinster died 19 January 1939 Probate London 6 March to Phillis Catherine Kevan spinster. Effects £257 1s 11d

“Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Phoebe and Phyllis Kevan were all cousins of Thomas Bearman 111 on his mother's side and Nathaniel, in particular, was a life-long friend of his. In 1881 the Kevanfamily was living at 10, Tudor Road, Hackney, London next door to the Bearmans, where 20 years later, the Middlemiss family were living.

“Nathaniel Kevan (1844/45 - ?) settled at Deal, where he had a house in Blenheim Road. He became a well-known f igure in the town and can be seen on many old photographs taken on the beach, the pier or the Parade. He married his cook , Elizabeth (1841/42 - ?) who, I understand, was a shy person and always kept very much in the background. They had just one daughter, Caroline, generally known as Doris, who married but I never heard whether she had any children. The sisters Phoebe and Phyllis lived in the Blenheim Road house for many years after Nathaniel died.

“They also were a well-known sight in Deal - two old ladies in black, always together. The interior of their house was, in the 30s, still a cosy Victoriana museum, with big aspidistras and knick-knacks. Phoebe (1852/53- 1939) was an upright lady with a strong, somewhat gaunt face, a deep voice and a precise way of speaking. She appeared to be the dominant sister; Phyllis(1857/58- ?) was a round-faced, more compliant sort of person.”

Dr Frank Middlemiss’s online notes 

“Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Phoebe and Phyllis Kevan were all cousins of Thomas Bearman 111 on his mother's side and Nathaniel, in particular, was a life-long friend of his. In 1881 the Kevanfamily was living at 10, Tudor Road, Hackney, London next door to the Bearmans, where 20 years later, the Middlemiss family were living.

“Nathaniel Kevan (1844/45 - ?) settled at Deal, where he had a house in Blenheim Road. He became a well-known figure in the town and can be seen on many old photographs taken on the beach, the pier or the Parade. He married his cook, Elizabeth (1841/42 - ?) who, I understand, was a shy person and always kept very much in the background. They had just one daughter, Caroline, generally known as Doris, who married but I never heard whether she had any children. The sisters Phoebe and Phyllis lived in the Blenheim Road house for many years after Nathaniel died.

“They also were a well-known sight in Deal - two old ladies in black, always together. The interior of their house was, in the 30s, still a cosy Victoriana museum, with big aspidistras and knick-knacks. Phoebe (1852/53- 1939) was an upright lady with a strong, somewhat gaunt face, a deep voice and a precise way of speaking. She appeared to be the dominant sister; Phyllis(1857/58- ?) was a round-faced, more compliant sort of person.”

Dr Frank Middlemiss’s online notes

Ebenezer of 32 Sellons-avenue Willesden, probate London 25 October to Elizabeth Mary Kevan widow. Effects £1987 11s 10d

<p>“Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Phoebe and Phyllis Kevan were all cousins of Thomas Bearman 111 on his mother's side and Nathaniel, in particular, was a life-long friend of his. In 1881 the Kevanfamily was living at 10, Tudor Road, Hackney, London next door to the Bearmans, where 20 years later, the Middlemiss family were living.</p>

<p>“Nathaniel Kevan (1844/45 - ?) settled at Deal, where he had a house in Blenheim Road. He became a well-known f igure in the town and can be seen on many old photographs taken on the beach, the pier or the Parade. He married his cook , Elizabeth (1841/42 - ?) who, I understand, was a shy person and always kept very much in the background. They had just one daughter, Caroline, generally known as Doris, who married but I never heard whether she had any children. The sisters Phoebe and Phyllis lived in the Blenheim Road house for many years after Nathaniel died.</p>

<p>“They also were a well-known sight in Deal - two old ladies in black, always together. The interior of their house was, in the 30s, still a cosy Victoriana museum, with big aspidistras and knick-knacks. Phoebe (1852/53- 1939) was an upright lady with a strong, somewhat gaunt face, a deep voice and a precise way of speaking. She appeared to be the dominant sister; Phyllis(1857/58- ?) was a round-faced, more compliant sort of person.”</p>

<p><a href="http://www.sredburn.free-online.co.uk/bearman/bearman02_2008.html" target="_blank">Dr Frank Middlemiss’s online notes</a></p>

Died, leaving £145 19s 2d to sister Catherine Bearman as next of kin

See also Bedwin tree at awt.ancestry.co.uk

Married Rebecca Baldwin 1867 Father James Bedwin c: 12 Nov 1780 in North Leigh, Oxon Mother Ann ??? b: 1787 in Oxford Oxon Lived in 1854 2 John Street Islington 1855 7 Prospect Place South Hackney 1857 24 Great Cambridge Street Haggerstone East 1860 10 Helmsley Street South Hackney In 1871 Census living 328 Hackney? Road Shoreditch with wife Rebecca & 2 children In 1881 Census living 49 &50 Lichfield Road Mile End Old Town London with wife Rebecca & 1 daughter In 1891 Census living 29 Colville Terrace, Grove? Road Leyton Essex with wife & Niece See Bedwin tree at ancestry.co.uk

Burial Abney Park Cemetery, 14 Apr 1906, 78y, ref 110752, section G03, index 5S06

Burial Abney Park Cemetery, ref 049541 section G03, index 2S05

Below words and information from Paul Hammond:

In 1843, Essex Place was on the fringe of the countryside. The vicinity contained some small buildings and plenty of gardens and open spaces. Sarah lived about a mile to the north, with her parents in the village of Homerton.

On 21st December that year, Sarah Barclay Boyd was just fourteen years old. She was in Essex Place, where her sister (presumably Catherine) kept a confectionary shop.

Sarah served a female customer who bought 4¾d of bread and biscuits, for which she was paid with a counterfeit shilling. Consequently, on Wednesday, the 3rd of January, 1844, Sarah was required to appear as a witness in the New Court, at the Old Bailey; I imagine rather an intimidating experience for a fourteen year old Homerton girl.

Sarah’s words that January day were recorded; see attached images, from http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?path=sessionsPapers%2F18440101.xml. The great recoinage of 1816 determined that shillings be minted from 92.5% silver (Sterling silver).

A half-quartern loaf would weigh 2 lb (800g), (it would be made from 1 ¾ lb of flour). Such a loaf features in Oliver Twist.