Blanche Gertrude Nixon 1883-1976

Blanche Gertrude Nixon was the third eldest child of John Nixon (1860-1921) and Elizabeth Julia Nixon (1859-1928). According to the GRO death register index she was born on the 25th November 1883.

The 1891 census finds her not with her family at 212 Cronnfield Road (or possibly, Crownfield Road) in Wanstead but with her maternal grandparents at 68 Pedro Street, Hackney. The household is recorded as Samuel Ball (aged 53), a wheelwright; his wife Charlotte Ball (aged 38), and six children: Charlotte Ball (aged 18), George Ball (aged 15), John Ball (aged 13), Walter Ball (aged 10), Albert Ball (aged seven) and Frederick Ball (aged 4). Blanche is the last person to be enumerated in this household and she is recorded as the seven year-old granddaughter of Samuel.

There are a couple of points to note about this census return. The correct family name was BALLS rather than BALL. Also, Charlotte Balls (nee Charlotte Reeve) was not 38 years old. Born in 1842 she would have been 48 or 49 when the 1891 census was taken.

By the time the 1901 census was taken, the Nixon family had moved to 49 Adelaide Road, Leyton. The census records John Nixon (a wheelwright's wheel-maker) and Elizabeth living with their ten children: Lily E Nixon (aged 20), Elizabeth J Nixon (aged 18 and working as a bookbinder's sewer), Blanche G Nixon (aged 17), Edgar A Nixon (aged 14), Mabel E Nixon (aged 12), John F Nixon (aged 10), Walter L Nixon (aged 8), Sidney H Nixon (aged 6), Alfred A Nixon (aged 4), and Ethel B Nixon (aged 1).

In 1905 Blanche married her uncle, her father's younger brother, Jesse Edward Nixon. Jesse and Blanche would have three sons and a daughter: Harold Jesse Nixon (1906-1992), Leonard Guy Nixon (1908-1990), George Sydney Nixon (1910-1913) and Blanche Jessie Nixon (1913-1987).

The photo at the top of this blog post was taken some time in 1916 and shows, left to right, back row: Jesse Edward Nixon, Blanche Gertrude Nixon, Elizabeth Julia Nixon (nee Balls), Edgar Albert Nixon, and Ethel May Nixon (nee Brown). In the front row are the children: Leonard Guy Nixon, Edgar and Ethel Nixon's daughter, Olive Nixon; Blanche Jessie Nixon and Harold Jesse Nixon.

For Jesse Edward Nixon, this was his second marriage. He had first married Winifred Alexander in 1884. There was no issue from this marriage and when she died in 1904, Jesse married his niece, Blanche, the following year. At least one of Jesse and Blanche's, Leonard Guy Nixon, suffered from albinism.

When the 1911 census was taken, Blanche and Jesse were living at 39 Harold Road, Leytonstone. Jesse's occupation is recorded as "bottling manager at spirit merchants". He is recorded as being 45 years old, and Blanche as 27 years old. With the couple are Harold (aged 4), Leonard (aged 2) and George (aged 11 months). There is also a servant at the house, Ada Turner, aged 16.

Fast forward 28 years and the 1939 Register sees Blanche living with Jesse and their daughter at Harley House, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. Jesse is recorded as a retired works' manager whilst for Blanche it's the usual, "unpaid domestic duties". Their daughter, Blanche, was working as a stenographer.

The following year, on the 11th July 1940, Jesse Nixon died. The National Probate Calendar reveals that hsi effects totalled just over £9,000.

Blanche Gertrude Nixon was a widow for thirty-six years before she died at Clacton-on-Sea on the 12th January 1976. She was 92 years old. The National Probate calendar records that her home address was 37 Thoroughgood Road, Clacton and that her estate was valued at over £37,000.

If you are related to Blanche Gertrude Nixon, who was my great aunt, or to any of the other people mentioned in this blog post, I would love to hear from you. Please contact me at paulcanixon@yahoo.co.uk.

Elizabeth Julia Nixon 1882-1951

Elizabeth Julia Nixon was the second eldest daughter of John Nixon (1860-1921) and Elizabeth Julia Nixon (1859-1928). She was born on the 17th October 1882 at Barnsbury, London and she appears on the 1891 census as an eight-year-old child living with her parents at 212 Cronnfield Road (or possibly, Crownfield Road) in Wanstead. John Nixon is recorded as a wheelwright and he and Elizabeth had five children living with them. In age order they are recorded as: Lily L Nixon(aged 10), Elizabeth Nixon (aged 8), Edgar A Nixon (aged 4), Mabel E Nixon (aged 2), and John F Nixon (aged eight months).

By the time the 1901 census was taken the family had moved to 49 Adelaide Road, Leyton. The census records John Nixon (a wheelwright's wheel-maker) and Elizabeth living with their ten children: Lily E Nixon (aged 20), Elizabeth J Nixon (aged 18 and working as a bookbinder's sewer), Blanche G Nixon (aged 17), Edgar A Nixon (aged 14), Mabel E Nixon (aged 12), John F Nixon (aged 10), Walter L Nixon (aged 8), Sidney H Nixon (aged 6), Alfred A Nixon (aged 4), and Ethel B Nixon (aged 1).

In 1904 Elizabeth married Ernest James (b.1882), their marriage recorded in the West Ham district in the third quarter of that year.

When the 1911 census was taken, Elizabeth and Ernest were living at 15 Esther Road, Leytonstone. Ernest's occupation is recorded as "bookbinder" and so it would seem possible that when the 1901 census was taken Elizabeth had, in fact, been Ernest's assistant. Also living at 15 Esther Road was a boarder, Miss Florence Barringham, aged 43, and two children: Florence and Lily Perring aged nine and seven. 

Ernest and Elizabeth, both aged 28 in 1911, had had no children by the time that census was taken, and I have found no evidence of any children from their marriage. She and Ernest both appear on the 1939 Register living at The Hermitage, Ongar, Essex. Ernest is recorded as a commercial traveller and also living at the same address is Richard James, born in 1861, who was possibly Ernest's father.

Elizabeth Julia James died, I believe, in 1951, her death registered at Epping in the third quarter of that year. She was 68 years old.

Get in touch

If you are related to Elizabeth Julia Nixon, who was my great aunt, or to any of the other people mentioned in this blog post, I would love to hear from you. Please contact me at paulcanixon@yahoo.co.uk.

Lily Elizabeth Nixon 1880-1968

Lily Elizabeth Nixon was the eldest daughter of John Nixon (1860-1921) and Elizabeth Julia Nixon (1859-1928). She was born on the 16th July 1880 at Bromley-by-Bow and she appears on the 1881 census as an eight-month-old infant living with her parents at 22 Merchant Street (below) in the civil parish of St Leonard which was within the municipal borough of Bromley and the parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets. John Nixon is recorded as a customs officer.

Merchant Street, "Mixed. Some comfortable, others poor." 
Charles Booth's poverty map of London 1898-1899

By the time the 1891 census was taken, the family had grown considerably and had moved further east to 212 Cronnfield Road (or possibly, Crownfield Road) in Wanstead. John Nixon is recorded as a wheelwright and he and Elizabeth now had five children living with them. In age order they are recorded as: Lily L Nixon (aged 10), Elizabeth Nixon (aged 8), Edgar A Nixon (aged 4), Mabel E Nixon (aged 2), and John F Nixon (aged eight months).

Ten years on and the family had moved again. The 1901 census records John Nixon (a wheelwright's wheel-maker) and Elizabeth living at 49 Adelaide Road, Leyton.  Lily E Nixon, aged 20, is recorded as a gentleman's tie-maker. Her siblings are recorded as Elizabeth J Nixon (aged 18), Blanche G Nixon (aged 17), Edgar A Nixon (aged 14), Mabel E Nixon (aged 12), John F Nixon (aged 10), Walter L Nixon (aged 8), Sidney H Nixon (aged 6), Alfred A Nixon (aged 4), and Ethel B Nixon (aged 1).

In 1903 Lily married Bartholomew George Maisey (1878-1950). For Bartholomew this was his second marriage. He had married Sarah Ann Nicholls (1877-1902) in the parish of St George, Camberwell on the 20th May 1899. Sarah died in 1902 and Bartholomew married Lily the following year, their marriage registered at West Ham in the fourth quarter of 1903.

Up until the 1911 census was taken, Lily would give birth to four sons: Walter Maisey (born 1904), Bartholomew George Maisey (born 1907), Ernest Maisey (born 1908) and Stanley Maisey (born 1909). The 1911 census shows the family living at Hillside, 72 Greenwich Road, West Croydon, Surrey. Bartholomew's trade is recorded as "gas apparatus fitter and expert". The census notes that the couple had been married for seven years and had had four children, two of whom had already died. Walter's death, aged 1 year, was registered at West Ham in the first quarter of 1906, whilst Bartholomew, whose birth had been registered at West Ham in the first quarter of 1907, died shortly afterwards as his death was registered in the second quarter of 1907.

When the 1939 Register was taken, Lily was living at 138 Forester's Drive, Beddington and Wallington Metropolitan Borough, Surrey. Bartholomew is noted as the works' superintendent of a gas company and their son, Ernest, is also recorded at the same address.

By 1963, Lily was living at Le Chateau, Chatsworth Road, Croydon and she appears at this address on electoral registers for 1963 and 1965. I am guessing that this was probably an old person's flat.

Lily Elizabeth Maisey died in 1968, her death registered at Croydon in the second quarter of that year. Her name is registered as Lilian E Maisey and her age recorded as 87.

Get in touch

If you are related to Lily Elizabeth Nixon, who was my great aunt, or to any of the other people mentioned in this blog post, I would love to hear from you. Please contact me at paulcanixon@yahoo.co.uk.