As for the second question what can be said of my Raynhams, they are not of Royal blood or descended from the landed gentry. Whatever the reasons I had no idea that my research would uncover the farming Raynham family who were of some substance in the late 1500s and their Raynham descendant who took himself from the countryside to the squalor of 1820's Stepney, Middlesex [2] .

Before I begin just a few words to explain the use of Raynham reference numbers , these unique numbers are given to each related Raynham, as an example I am R1. The use of such a system of numbering is not usual in family history but the sheer volume of Raynham first names that are identical would cause confusion for the reader and to myself in carrying out the Raynham research.

Any Raynhams that are not related have not been given a number, using these unique numbers cross-referencing can be done against the Raynham family tree. This tree is referred to as the Raynham Tree, [3] due to the volume of Raynham ancestors the latest chart [4] to be produced is likely to be the last hardcopy version. A copy of the Tree will be shortly available for viewing but has to be downloaded as a zip file from the Raynham website.

So where shall I begin, not with the modern day Raynhams but my g, g, g, great grandfather Robert Raynham R20 a son of Suffolk, who left the countryside around 1820 to find employment and possibly marriage in East London. Robert was an elusive Raynham whose name first came to my attention from the birth certificate of Robert's son, Robert Partridge Raynham R19.

From the 1851 census [5] surname index I was able to locate Robert Raynham R20 and his family, as well as the origins of his birthplace. A photocopy of the census microfilm [6] can be seen below and a full extract of the census entry for Robert and his family is also shown to assist in the interpretation.

"10 Catherine Street
Robert Raynham Head Mar 52 Carpenter Suffolk Chelsworth
Sarah do Wife Mar 48 Middlesex Bow
Sarah do daur U  20 Dressmaker do Limehouse
Emma do daur U 16 do
Thomas do Son U 9 Scholar do
Robert do  Son U 6 do do
Harriet Mulley daur Mar 24 Dressmaker Middlesex Bromley
Robert do Grandson 2  do Limehouse" 

From the return, which was taken on the night of Sunday 30 March 1851, it confirms Robert's birthplace as Chelsworth , Suffolk and details his family. His wife Sarah would appear to have born around 1803, the father of Robert, their grandson is not listed. At the time of the 1851 census  Robert and his family were residing at 10 Catherine Street, Limehouse , marked with an X on the illustration below from a contemporary map.

Robert and the family were also at this address ten years later, when the 1861 census was taken.

Robert was born in the Suffolk parish of Chelsworth and would appear to be the fourth child and first known son born to Sarah and Robert Raynham R32 . Chelsworth is located approximately 7 miles north east of Sudbury; further details of the village are contained in later chapters.

Robert was born at a time when births of children were not formally recorded, however I was lucky and the parish baptism records indicated that Robert was baptised on Sunday 4 November 1798 [7] and a footnote entry was made for his birth date on Monday 8 October 1798. Thus he was just over 3 weeks old at his baptism, the baptism would have been in the Church of All Saints, Chelsworth . [8]  A postcard picture of the church can be seen below.

Life for Robert would have been tough, in addition to his three elder sisters his mother had at least three further children, because baptisms are the only source of registration it does not allow for those babies that may have died before being baptised. The known brothers and sisters Robert are detailed in the two generation extract of the Raynham Tree below.

Robert was born during the reign of George III (1760 -1820) with Britain in the middle of the Napoleonic Wars, Bonaparte was at war in Egypt and Nelson had defeated the French in the Battle of the Nile. Those able were required to pay 10% income tax on all incomes over ?200 [9] , this was introduced to pay for the wars.

Nothing is known of Robert's childhood years, his father died in 1803 when Robert was just 4 years old, and thus he would have been brought up within the community of the parish. It is surmised that he was a childhood friend of Robert Partridge who was himself baptised at Chelsworth  in 1799. Robert Partridge later married Sarah Raynham R38 , an older sister of Robert's.

This marriage in 1839 would have occurred when Sarah was at least 45 years of age and possibly beyond childbearing age. No children of this marriage have been found and in 1844 Robert Raynham and his wife Sarah named their last child Robert Partridge Raynham R19. This is a remarkable coincidence and is explored later in this chapter.

At present no details are known as to how Robert's father made a living, almost certainly he would have been connected with farming, either as an agriculture labourer or one of the many associated trades.

The Napoleonic Wars continued until 1814 when Napoleon was exiled to Elba, the farmers and landowners of Suffolk would have experienced prosperity from the selling of their produce during these wartime years.

By 1815 Robert would have been 16 years of age and the start of two decades of agricultural depression. The lack of work or the desire to better himself may well be the reason why Robert left Chelsworth and went to East London, possibly sometime in the early 1820s. This was an 80-mile journey before the railway was established and it is assumed he either walked, got a lift on one of the horse drawn vehicles that would have been taking farming produce to London.

Walking such distances was not unknown, there is reference to a middle-aged woman walking 75 miles from Great Coggeshall in Essex to Soulbury, Buckinghamshire around1821. After a few days stay she made the return journey. [10]

However if he had money he could have been a passenger on one of the stagecoaches returning to The Bull, Aldgate, from their twice-daily journeys to Ipswich and East Anglia. [11]  Robert was just one of many thousands, who over the previous 250 years had taken to the road and became another country East Ender. He could have met with many Irish people who were escaping from the Irish Famine of 1822.

Robert's marriage to Sarah Susannah Emberson Webb has not yet been located, Sarah was born around 1803 in Bow , Middlesex, according to the 1851 census . Drawn to East London, possibly for work on the railways or the docks, the St Katherine's was being built from 1825. The East London of the 1820s was not today's urban sprawl running from Aldgate to all points east, but was confined to the traditional areas of Hackney and Tower Hamlets.

Robert and Sarah had seven children baptised between 1824 and 1844. The first five children were known to have been baptised at the Saint Mary's Church, Bromley Saint Leonard , Bromley High Street, Bow, Middlesex, the information concerning these children was located on a visit to the Greater London Record Office [12] .

Laurie and Writtle's New Map of London1819  locates Saint Mary's Church, the extract below shows the church on the far right, note open areas and clear views surround the church and down to the River Lee.

The first of the children baptised was Sarah Grenfield Raynham R79 the entry in the baptismal register indicated that she was baptised on Friday 9 January 1825, the year when trade unions were recognised. Her birth year was entered as 1824.

The second child baptised was Harriet Ann Raynham R33 on Sunday 25 June 1826, unfortunately no birth date was entered, Ambrose Cornelius Raynham R80 was baptised on Sunday 28 September 1828 and the birth date was given as the 28 August.

The fourth child baptised was Sarah Glanfield Raynham R34 on Sunday 22 January 1832 with the birth date Thursday 19 January 1832. In the following year of 1833 slaves were freed in British colonies. The fifth child baptised at Saint Mary's Church was Emma Caroline Raynham R35 on Sunday 26 October 1834, birth date was not clear but was in late July 1834.

From these entries it is very fortunate that the full dates of birth were entered into the register by the curate for Ambrose, Sarah Glandfield and Emma. This was not always the case as can be seen by the remaining children, the use of very unusual second given names for the two Sarahs' is worth noting. It is possible that the first child, Sarah Grenfield, died before the birth of the fourth child Sarah Glanfield in 1832 and the parents named this new daughter after the first Sarah.

Evidence to suggest this rests with the 1851 census which does not list Sarah Grenfield. There is the possibility that the curate misheard the second given name either at the first or fourth baptism cannot be overlooked. This coupled with the very unusual names given to their third child; Ambrose Cornelius does raise some interesting thoughts on Robert and Sarah's reasons for choosing such names.

Robert's occupation was given as carpenter when the first four children were baptised however by 1834 this had changed to labourer and his and Sarah's address was given as either Bow or Bromley. This part of East London was the last to become a slum, however although many poverty stricken streets existed there would have been some areas of reasonable residential housing in the 1820 to 1840 period. The large houses in Tredegar Square, and very fashionable, are dated before the arrival of the Eastern Countries Railway in 1839.

For Robert and his family life would have been hard, the standard family accommodation was very small houses, blackened with soot, one up one down privately rented. [13]  He probably worked from morning to midnight when work was available, the passing of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act acted against anyone who was unemployed. Any relief had to be earned within the confines of the dreaded workhouse, and in order to claim he would have to prove that he was a pauper. [14]

Of the remaining two children I was able to obtain copies of their original birth certificate entries from St. Catherine's House, [15] London, as they were both born after central records were introduced in July 1837.

The sixth child born was John Thomas Raynham R36 on Wednesday 17 November 1841 at 4 Burn Street, Limehouse , Middlesex. The last child born to Sarah was Robert Partridge Raynham R19 on Thursday 27 August 1844 at the same address as for John Thomas. Sarah, the mother registered both babies and gave the occupation of her husband as a carpenter.

Extract of Raynham Tree showing Robert's immediate family can be seen below, the reference to "circa" denotes that the date is around that period. Prior to July 1837, before central records were established, the only known date was the baptism date and not a birth date. On the Raynham Tree such baptism dates have been entered where birth dates are not known.

Pressure on employment and housing would have increased in the following years with further Irish famines of 1845 to 1847, bringing with it an increase in Irish immigration.

Communication within the East End was improving with the Great Eastern Railways being constructed from 1837 and various dockland railways in the 1840s. [16]  Employment opportunities were changing, furniture making, the traditional riverside crafts and trades were giving way to cement, chemical soap making, matches, confectionery and shipbuilding industries.

The open landscape of Isle of Dogs and the marshy pastureland of the River Lee at Bromley-by-Bow were being taken over by these industries.

By 1851, from the census , we know that Robert, his wife and five of his children were at 10 Catherine Street, Limehouse . This included his married daughter Harriet Mulley and her son Robert Mulley, of his father there is no listing.

In 1854 the Crimean War started, Robert would have been 55 years old his son Ambrose 26 years, there is no evidence that his son went to war. Towards the end of his life the Suez Canal was opened for trade in 1869 a project that took 10 years to complete.

Robert clearly would appear to have practised his trade as a carpenter before he died, on the 5 September 1875 at a grand age of 76 years, just a month from his 77th birthday. His cause of death was from diarrhoea and he died at 1 West Street, Limehouse , Middlesex. His eldest son Ambrose was present at his death and he also registered the event. This and other information can be seen on Robert's copy death certificate below, you will note confirmation of his trade as a carpenter.

Robert had been born during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 to 1799 with the Act of Union between Ireland and Britain in 1800. During his life Robert would have experienced life under four House of Hanover Rulers, George III (1760 -1820) at his birth, George IV (1820 -1830) in his early days in Bow, Middlesex, William IV (1830 -1837) and Victoria (1837 -1901) in his middle age and until death.