Life History

Notes

• Harriet Dyson - Fact or Fiction
  
  When I commenced researching the Family History I inherited some details from my father in the 1990's but this had stalled in tracing the birth of my Great Grandfather Joseph Henry Dyson who was believed to have been born on Worcestershire in the 1840's.
  
  A search of the GRO records failed to trace the birth. Following a discussion with the Registrar for the Malvern District and some lateral thinking the birth was eventually traced. I new that Joseph was of agricultural stock and that his parents were probably illiterate so there was the likelihood of a phonetic spelling of the surname, particularly bearing in mind the local accent. This proved to be the case and the record was traced as being on 22 November 1841 at Croome D'Abitot Wor, Joseph the son of Harriet DIZON. His baptism is recorded in the Parish records of Croome D'Abitot Wor as 9 January 1842, Joseph Henry Dyson the son of Harriet Dyson, single woman.
  
  As the result I began to research Harriet Dyson, the same Parish records revealed that Harriet was Baptised on 26 November 1821 at Croome D'Abitot Wor the daughter of  Joseph and Elizabeth Dyson. It was also established that Harriet had the following siblings; Joice, baptised 8 March 1820; Mary Anne, baptised 11 December 1823; Sarah, baptised 29 January 1826; Anne, baptised 7 December 1828; Eliza, baptised 19 September 1830; Martha, baptised 27 November 1831; William, baptised 11 May 1833; and Elizabeth, baptised 12 August 1838, all baptisims being at Croome D'Abitot Wor.
  
  The 1841 census for High Green, Croome D'Abitot Wor shows a Household as follows;
  
  DysonJosephMale30yrsAg Labourer
  DysonElizabethFemale35
  DysonSarahFemale13
  DysonAnneFemale11
  DysonElizaFemale11
  DysonMarthaFemale10
  DysonWilliamMale7
  DysonElizabethFemale2
  
  The 1851 census for the same address shows the following details;
  
  DysonJosephHeadMale50Croome D'Abitot WorLabourer
  DysonElizabethWifeFemale 50Welland
  DysonAnneDaughterFemale 25Croome D'Abitot Wor
  DysonWilliamSonMale17Croome D'Abitot WorLabourer
  DysonElizabethDaughterFemale12Croome D'Abitot Wor
  DysonJosephGrandsonMale   9Croome D'Abitot Wor
  JeanisSarahGranddaughter Female  3Earle Croome
  Jeanis CarolineGranddaughterFemale   4Earle Croome
  BubbHenryLodgerMale     42Upton on SevernLabourer
  DysonThomasGrandsonMale   1Upton on Severn
  
  High Green is a hamlet of about 15 - 20 famlies within the grounds of Croome Park, the then home of Lord Coventry. Without doubt the majority of the inhabitants worked on the estate. In a Directory of 1873 Lord Coventry's estate was of 18021 acres with an annual income of £22,367. This equates to the sum of £964,397 today. Croome Park House is a Listed Building currently unoccupied and owned by English Heritage. The park was the first landscaped garden completed by Capability Brown and the 670 acres are now managed by the National Trust as is Croome D'Abitot Wor Church which are both open to the public.
  
  None of my research has identified Joseph Henry's father however on his marriage certificate on 30 December 1864 at Beckenham Kent he shows his father as Joseph Dyson, Farmer, his grandfather.
  
  Harriet Dyson married George Matty an Agricultural Labourer on 15 May 1845 at Severn Stoke, situated a mile west of High Green. The following children were the issue of this marriage; James born about 1845 (no trace found of a baptism) Jane, baptised 17 May 1846; George, baptised 20 May 1849; William, baptised 11 May 1851; Louise, baptised 9 December 1855; Charles, baptised 1 April 1857; Amelia, baptised 25 February 1859; Edward, baptised 4 February 1860; Susanna, baptised 24 March 1863, all the baptisms were at Severn Stoke.
  
  George Matty was buried on 20th May 1866 at Severn Stoke. I can find no trace of a death or burial of Harriet Matty so I assumed that she had remarried. A search of the 1881 census revealed the following entry;
  
  Hooper WilsonHeadMale42Severn StokeWheelwright
  Hooper  HarrietWifeFemale 45HallowAg Labourer
  Matty    SusannahStep DaughterFemale 18Severn Stoke   General Servant
  Matty  EdwardGrand SonMale6mWorcester
  
  I suspect that Harriet Hooper is Harriet Dyson as Susannah Matty's details are correct for the last child from her marriage with George Matty, notwithstanding that she has chosen to conceal age by some 15 years. As a result I traced the marriage between Wilson James Hooper and Harriet. I can confirm that this occurred on 5 September 1869 at the Register Office Worcester between Wilson James Hooper aged 30 years a journeyman Carpenter, of College Street St Michaels Worcester. His father is listed as George Hooper deceased. And Harriet Matty 33 years a widow, Charwoman of the same address, her father is listed as Edward Mowbray deceased Agricultural labourer. The witnesses to the marriage were James Mitchell and Thomas Gunnington.
  
  It will be noted that Harriet Hooper on the 1881 census gives her place of birth as Hallow Worcester. A search of the 1851 census shows an Edward Mowbray aged 50 years a widow and a pauper/Ag Labourer residing at Hallow. Living in the same household are the following children. Susanna aged 20 years, Thomas aged 18 years, Louisa aged 12 years, and Amelia aged 9 years. If the details given by Harriet in the 1881 census correct in 1851 she would have been 15 years old. She does not appear in the family home or any other address in Worcesterhire on the 1851 census.
  
  Was Wilson James Hooper aware of these facts because he was related to Harriet she being his Second Cousin once removed. Wilson is the illegitimate daughter of Jane Hooper baptised on 30 December 1838 at Pirton Worcester. Jane was baptised on 24 February 1822 at Pirton the daughter of George Hooper and Elizabeth Dyson. Elizabeth Dyson was baptised on 22 October 1786 at Norton Juxta Kempsey the daugther of John Dyson and Mary Pritchet. John Dyson was the son of John Dyson and Ann Stinton and brother to Thomas Dyson, Harriet's  grandfather
  
  I have traced the death certificate for Harriet Hooper who died on 21 September 1899 at Severn Stoke of Pernicious Pneumonia aged 63 years, the widow of Wilson Hooper. The death was registered by her daughter, A Grimes of 12 Great Francis Street Birmingham. There is no trace on either name or address in the 1901 Census.
  
  I believe Harriet took her age deception to her grave
  
  
  

Sources

• 1. Croome D'Abitot Wor PR
• 2. GRO Index
• 3. Death Certificate
• 4. Birth Certificate
  • Copy Attached
• 5. Severn Stoke PR
• 6. Marriage Certificate
  • Copy Attached
• 7. Marriage Certificate
  • Copy on File
• 8. Marriage Certificate