When I discovered that Charles Aldous’ father-in-law, Robert Sparrow, had married a woman with the surname of Horrix, I had to look it up.

Charles Aldous

Born: 3 MAR 1821 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England

Father: William Aldous (1796 to 1879)
Mother: Ann Botwright (1797 to 1833)

Spouse: Ann Sparrow (1825 to 1906)

Married: 1846 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England

Children:

Caroline Aldous (1851 to 1926)
Charles Aldous (1853 to 16 Jan 1904)
Harriet Aldous (1854 to 15 NOV 1900)
Frederick Aldous (1857 to 1931)
Emily Aldous (1861 to 1911)
Jane Aldous (1863 to 7 AUG 1950)
William Aldous (27 JUL 1865 to 1948)

Died: 1903 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England

Timeline:

1833 Death of mother, Ann
1846 Marriage to Ann
1851 Birth of daughter, Caroline
1851 Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England
1853 Birth of son, Charles
1854 Birth of daughter, Harriet
1857 Birth of son, Frederick
1861 Birth of daughter, Emily
1861 Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England
1863 Birth of daughter, Jane
1865 Birth of son, William
1871 Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England
1879 Death of father, William
1881 Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England
1891 Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England
1894 Death of sister, Charlotte
1900 Death of daughter, Harriet
1901 Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England
1903 Death and Burial

Occupation: agricultural laborer

Records:

1851 to 1901 England Census Records
England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915

Variations of Surname: none

Spouse:

Ann Sparrow:

Ann was born on 4 DEC 1825 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1906 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England.

Ann’s father was Robert Sparrow. He was born in 1795 in Mickfield, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1872 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England.

Ann’s mother was Mary Ann Hayward. She was born in 1795 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1851 in Stowmarket, Suffolk County, England.

Ann had six brothers and sisters, all born in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England:

Harriet Sparrow (1820)
Emma Sparrow (1821)
Caroline Sparrow (1824)
Maria Sparrow (1829)
Charles Sparrow (1832)
Catherine Sparrow (1835)

After Mary Ann’s death, Robert married Susan Lambert Horrix in 1864 in Earl Stoneham, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Susan Lambert was born in 1806 in Mendlesham, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1887 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England.

Susan had previously married John Horrix on 9 NOV 1824 in Earl Stoneham, Suffolk County, England. Four known children were born to this marriage:

Dorothy Horrix (1826)
Amelia Horrix (1828)
Susan Horrix (1830)
Elizabeth Horrix (1832)

John Horrix was born in 1801 in Hessett, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1862 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England.

After Robert Sparrow’s death, Susan married John Moore in 1873 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

John Moore was born in 1803 in Thwaite, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1882 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England.

John had previously married Mary Ann Perry in 1829 in Occold, Suffolk County, England. Seven known children were born to this marriage, all born in Wetheringsett, Suffolk, England:

Robert Moore (1832)
Harriet Moore (1834 to 1834)
George Moore (1835 to 1839)
Maria Moore (1838 to 1839)
William Moore (1839 to 1840)
John Moore (1840)
Emma Moore (1851 to 1851)

Mary Ann Perry was born in 1810 in Occold, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1872 in Wetheringsett, Suffolk County, England.

Daughters:

Caroline Aldous:

Caroline was born in 1851 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1926 in Occold, Suffolk County, England.

Caroline had two children out of wedlock, both born in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England:

Edwin Aldous (1868)
Alfred Harry Aldous (1871)

Caroline married James Daniel Clayton in 1882 in Wickham Market, Suffolk County, England. One known child was born to this marriage:

Henrietta Elizabeth Clayton (1883)

James Daniel Clayton was born in 1863 in Wickham Market, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1892 in West Ham, Essex County, England.

James’ father was William Clayton. He was born in 1836 in Wickham Market, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1905 in Ipswich, Suffolk County, England.

James’ mother was Phoebe Watson. She was born in 1833 in Kenton, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1901 in Wickham Market, Suffolk County, England.

What Happened Next:

Caroline and James separated before the 1891 England census was enumerated. It could be that James found out that Caroline had two illegitimate children.

On the 1891 England census, Caroline was living in Walton, Suffolk County, England. The document shows that she had reverted to her maiden name and claimed to be unmarried.

Another 1891 England census record shows that James had moved to Harwich, Essex County, England. The document also listed his new wife, Elizabeth, and one child:

Lily Violet Clayton (1889 Wickham Market, Suffolk County, England)

I could find no documentation to confirm James’ marriage to Elizabeth. This could mean that James and Caroline had not legally divorced.

Yet, through my research, I did find out that James’ second wife was Elizabeth Mary Ann Fuller. She was born in 1869 in Kesgrave, Suffolk County, England.

Her father was Arthur James Fuller. He was born in 1848 in Ispwich, Suffolk County, England. Death date unknown.

Her mother was Mary Ann Elizabeth Burr. She was born in 1846 in Rushmere, Suffolk County, England. Death date unknown.

After James’ death, Elizabeth married Charles Ward in 1893 in London, England. Three known children were born to this marriage, all born in Clerkenwell, London, England:

Frederick Ward (1894)
Edith Ward (1896)
Florence Ward (1898)

Harriet Aldous:

Harriet was born in 1854 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England. She died on 15 NOV 1900 in Tunstall, Suffolk County, England.

Harriet married William Hammond in 1875 in Tunstall, Suffolk County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage:

Gertrude Nelly Hammond (1879)
Minnie Hammond (1883)

William Hammond was born in 1855 in Framlingham, Suffolk County, England. He died on 7 MAY 1896 in Tunstall, Suffolk County, England.

Emily Aldous:

Emily was born in 1861 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England. She died in 1911 in Norwich, Norfolk County, England.

Emily married Samuel Warner in 1885 in Wingfield, Suffolk County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Samuel Warner was born in 1849 in Monk Soham, Suffolk County, England. He died in 1929 in North Bierley, Yorkshire West Riding, England.

Samuel had previously married Ellen McCann in 1871 in Gateshead, Durham County, England. Two known children were born to this marriage:

Alice Warner (1873 to 1874)
Mary Alice Warner (1875)

Ellen McCann was born on 25 JUL 1855 in Jarrow, Durham County, England. She died in 1887 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland County, England. Ellen was 32 years old when she died.

Samuel and Ellen must have separated shortly after the birth of their second child. The 1881 England census shows that Ellen was living as the “wife” of Andrew Rattery in Stockton on Tees, Durham County, England. Samuel and his daughter were living in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire County, England.

Ellen did not marry Andrew Rattery until 1885 in Gateshead, Durham County, England. No known children were born to this marriage.

Andrew Rattery was born in 1850 in Gateshead, Durham County, England. He died in 1896 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland County, England.

The 1891 England census shows that Andrew was again living with a woman before marriage.

Andrew did not marry Agnes Magee until a year later in 1892 in South Shields, Durham County, England.  One known child was born to this marriage:

Isabella Rattery (1896)

Andrew died shortly after the birth of his daughter. He was 46 years old when he died.

Agnes went on to marry Henry McLaren in 1899 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland County, England.

Jane Aldous:

Jane was born in 1863 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England. She died on 7 AUG 1950 in Eye, Suffolk County, England.

Jane married Samuel Jackson in 1881 in Bedingfield, Suffolk County, England. One known child was born to this marriage:

Daisy Gertrude Jackson (1892)

Samuel Jackson was born in 1859 in Occold, Suffolk County, England. He died on 21 FEB 1944 in Melton, Suffolk County, England.

Origins of the Surname of Horrix:

As I have mentioned in previous posts, whenever I find a unique surname, I try to find out where it came from or its “origins”. When I discovered that Charles Aldous’ father-in-law, Robert Sparrow, had married a woman with the surname of Horrix, I had to look it up.

I turned to the internet and found information on three different websites:

On the Surname Database, it is suggested that the surname Orricks means “a horse road or track”. Variations of the surname include “Horrocks, Horrox, Horray, Horrex and Orrock(s)”.

The House of Names website described the surname of Horrex as “a name for someone who worked as a shipwright or a sailor”.

Forebears showed me that the surname of Horrex appeared 194 times in England in 1881. That number was probably taken from England census records for that year.

All three of these sites agreed that the surname probably originated from residents of Horrocksford Hall in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England. I decided to search for information on the parish and was surprised to find that Horrocksford Hall had been in existence since the 14th Century.

The website, British History Online, used the word Horrocksford at least ten times. Here are some of the entries and dates mentioned:

“Horrocksford (Hurrocford) is named about 1330 in a lease by Adam son of Hugh de Clitheroe to Robert de Clitheroe.”

“Among lands of John Hoghton of Little Pendleton in 1515 was a tenement in Bradford in Bowland called Horrocksford in the occupation of Giles Parker.”

“Giles Parker of Edisford obtained leases of Horrocksford from the Talbots in 1542 and 1546; his mother Elizabeth was the occupier in the former year.”

“On the marriage of Christopher son of Christopher Anderton with Alethea Smith in 1638 Horrocksford was assigned as dower.”

“Thomas Blakey and three women were convicted recusants in 1626, and the Andertons of Horrocksford with four others about 1670.”

“As the Manor of Horrocksford, it was held by Francis Anderton of Lostock in 1715.”

The above information came from a book entitled “A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6”. It was originally published by Victoria County History, London, in 1911.

In the description for Clitheroe, Horrocksford is named two more times:

“At Castle Street the road continues till the open space called Market Street is gained. There it divides; one branch, as Church Street, goes past the old parochial chapel and by Pimlico (the ancient Greenlache) towards Horrocksford . . .”

“. . . further north another road turns off northwest to cross the river at Brungerley Bridge; yet more to the north there is a third bridge over the Ribble at Horrocksford.”

This means that Horrocksford was around in 1911. But in 2020, nothing came up in my search of the internet except the name Horrocksford Hall Barn. Historic England gave the address as West Bradford Road in Clitheroe.

I decided to look this up on Google Maps. I located Horrocksford Hall Barn close to the River Ribble off of West Bradford Road and next to the Hansen Cement Company.

Could this be the remnants of Horrocksford Hall? Maybe a local Clitheroe historian has the answer. I have sent an inquiry to the Clitheroe Civic Society and will update this post when I receive their response.

Notes:

Here are some links to websites that helped with my Aldous family research:

Aldous.net (Aldous family history and family tree)
Ancestors of Tim Farr, Descendants of Stephen Farr (family tree)
Reid-Schroeder Genealogies (family tree)
The Tree of Us (family tree)
Family Search (family tree website)
The Internet Surname Database (surname meaning and origins)
House of Names (coat of arms)

Creating Your Family Tree

Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:

Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also an excellent source for vital records.

Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory passed down from generation to generation.

Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.

When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. Records should include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestor.

If you have a unique surname, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are other websites on the internet for countries like Italy and Germany.

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty. They would then move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline to that famous person.

There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!