I know when Mary Ann Collins was born; but what happened to her after the 1881 census? My 3xgrandparents James Stocking and Mary Ann Collins married on 22 November 1849 at St Mary Newington, South London and lived in Southwark for the following 30 years. They had a total of eleven children, all of whom lived to maturity. My research shows that they were both born within the same area, so Londoners through and through. James Stocking died of kidney disease in 1883, at St Thomas Street, Southwark. However, the later life and death of Mary Ann Stocking is a mystery after her last known appearance in the 1881 census. What can the official records tell us?

Early life around Kent Street

On their marriage certificate, James’ father is shown as Thomas Stocking, a Rope Mat Maker like his son. Mary Ann’s father is recorded as Daniel Collins, a Plasterer. Bride and groom are both shown as ‘minor’, ie under 21 years of age, which suggests their latest birth years are likely to be between 1829-1833. This would mean that they were born before the establishment of the civil registration of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales (July 1837), so a birth certificate will not exist for them. James Stocking was baptised with two of his younger siblings, eight years after he was born. It seems that Mary Ann Collins‘ family were slightly more prompt at baptising their children.

They had two of their children baptised on the same day – 27 April 1828 – at St George the Martyr, Southwark, and their birth dates are helpfully recorded: Mary Ann Collins was born on 22 April 1828, her two year old brother Thomas Henry Collins, was born on 17 April 1826. Her father’s name and occupation help identify the family. If the birth year is correct, it does, however, mean that Mary Ann was not under 21 (‘a minor’) when she married James Stocking, but was 21 years and seven months.

At the time of the baptism, the family is living at Wycomb Place, Kent Street (see map – it lies under what is now Tabard Gardens).

Later baptisms for their children simply give their address as ‘Kent Street’, which was renamed Tabard Street in 1877, and later Old Kent Road, to distinguish it from the New Kent Road. It is supposed to follow an old Roman road heading to Greenwich and Dover. The building of Great Dover Street in parallel in 1814 meant that most through traffic used that, leaving Kent Street to fall into decay. British History Online notes:

Early in the 19th century the part of Kent Street south of the Lock Hospital, or Stone’s End as it was sometimes called, became known as the Old Kent Road to differentiate it from the New Kent Road. Terraces of three-storey brick houses were built along the Southwark section of it between 1785 and 1820, but these were gradually converted to commercial use.

British History Online: Kent Street/Tabard Street/Old Kent Road

St George the Martyr, Southwark, where the children were baptised, was rebuilt in 1736 in an elegant Classical style; there had been a church on the site since medieval days. Much of the church’s interior has changed over time, as the history of St George’s shows; the box pews were installed in 1808, just twenty years before the Collins children were baptised. Elsewhere on the St George’s website, it is noted that a new circular, marble font was installed in the new 18^th century building. This font was described as still being in the church in 1828. The present font, which is different from the circular marble font, must be of a later date than 1828. I wonder if the children were baptised in the current font, or its predecessor?

By the 1841 census, they have moved to Little Britain, off Kent Road (not to be confused with Little Britain near St Bartholomew’s Hospital, which still exists). Mary Ann Collins is recorded as 12 years old (b1829), with her parents Daniel Collins, Plasterer, and his wife Mary. The couple is shown with eight children including Mary Ann, ranging in age from 6 months to 20 years.

Little Britain was very close to Castle Street (now Thrale Street), where James Stocking‘s family were living, and her home for a while after marriage. Castle Street itself ran parallel to Wycombe Place, off Kent Street (see map above).

Mary Ann Collins’ parents had nine children altogether. Their youngest children were born after civil registration began. Jane Collins and Ann Collins‘ births were registered in 1838 and 1840 in the St George the Martyr district, mother’s maiden name Hall.

It seems that Mary Ann Collins‘ parents were Daniel Collins, who married Mary Hall at St Mary Newington on 2 April 1820, and therefore my 4xgreat grandparents.

When did she die?

Mary Ann Collins is enumerated on the 1861 census with her husband and five children at 26 John Street, Southwark, shown on the map above; they were still there ten years later on 1871 census night, having added five more children to the family. By 1881, they have moved a short distance away, to St Thomas Street. She and James are shown as 53 years old, and they have seven children, the youngest aged 10, still at home with them. James Stocking died two years later at 24 St Thomas Street, of kidney disease, on 30 September 1883. He had been suffering from chronic nephritis, or Brights Disease, for five years. His son, my 2xgreat grandfather James Stocking registered his father’s death.

Rather oddly, two weeks later, their youngest son, Prince Arthur Stocking, was christened simply as Arthur at St Mark’s, Cobourg Road, Camberwell, aged 13 years. His address is 24 St Thomas Street. St Mark’s was a relatively new church, which closed in the 1960s. It is now the New Peckham Mosque. So what happened to Mary Ann Stocking after 1881? Did she stay on at 24 St Thomas Street? Or had she died between 1881-1883?

A search for the death of a Mary Ann Stocking (with phonetic variations) at FreeBMD between March 1881-December 1883 returns no likely results. I double-checked this on the GRO’s own site for the same period, but drew a similar blank. A broad search for Mary Ann Stocking or just Mary Stocking – again with surname variations – at Ancestry, FindMyPast and The Genealogist failed to find her in later censuses, death or burial records. I ordered the death certificate for a Mary Ann Stocking who died in Brentford in 1907, but this was for the wife of Barnabas Stocking, She does not appear to have remarried – although it is feasible that she took another man’s name and lived with him as his wife. It seems unlikely, though, as all their children married in church, as did she. A mystery still to solve.