Family of George Hilton KENNETT and Eleanor LAWRENCE

Additional Information

Husband: George Hilton KENNETT

Additional Information

Wife: Eleanor LAWRENCE

Child 1: Ester (Hester) Emma KENNETT

Additional Information

Child 2: Unknown KENNETT

Note on Husband: George Hilton KENNETT

In 1861 he was a crew member on board 'Her Majesty's Ship James Watts'. He was 18 years old and 'Boy 1st.Class'.

In 1866, the year of his wedding to Eleanor, he was living at 15 Little Knight Rider Sreet and working as a clerk.

In 1867 the family were living at 20 Arthur St, North St. Giles, then 25 Foley Street, Marylebone, New Oxford St. Later they lived in Bow St., Covent Garden, Elizabeth St., Hackney Rd., and Aldersgate, all in London.

On the 1871 census George was living at 42 Deverill Street, Newington, Southwark with Elizabeth Margaret aged 21.

In 1872, on a daughter’s birth certificate George was with Elizabeth Margaret. They were living at 1 Roberts Place, Newington and George was a commercial clerk. Elizabeth’s maiden name was Kerr. However Elizabeth Margaret Kerr had married Amos Edward Chandler in the spring of 1867 in London. There is no record of Amos dying between 1867 and 1872, so it looks as if George and Elizabeth just ran off together and lived as man and wife.

In 1881 lived at Thatched Cottage, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol with his wife 4 children. He was a Dock Labourer. He died that year.

Another researcher provides these comments -

George Hilton Kennett first married Eleanor Lawrence at the Parish at the Parish Church of St. Mary Magdelene, London on 16 October 1866, four days after his sister Charlotte's wedding. Eleanors father was an umbrella manufacturer. George was living at 15 Little Knight Rider Sreet at the time and working as a clerk. John Kennett witnessed the wedding.

In 1867 the family were living at 25 Foley Street, Marylebone, London.

In 1872, on a daughters birth certificate, George was living with Elizabeth Margaret Kerr, not to Eleanor, and they were living at 1 Roberts Place, Newington. George was a commercial clerk.

Elizabeth was born in Poole, Dorset.

A further researcher gives these notes -

Eleanor, George Hilton Kennett's wife, now living at 41 St. Andrews Hale, Carter Lane, in the city of London, divorced George in 1875 on the grounds of cruelty and adultery. Apparently she had left him once before because of his abusive behaviour, then returned, but he did not mend his ways and she left again to seek the protection of friends because of his threats. (She also claimed he had willfully given her VD - according to a side note made by one of the judges). The adultery was supposed to have been committed by him with a Lucy Palethorpe at 242 Bute St., Cardiff. The address of Bute St., Cardiff was given for the birth of his son Frank, and listed on the census as one of George and Elizabeth’s sons, born in 1875. This son does not appear in the birth registers. There seems to be no record of a marriage for George and Elizabeth Margaret after 1875 (the year of his divorce from Eleanor) so the 4 children he had with Elizabeth (and/or possibly with Lucy Palethorpe), were therefore illigitimate.

The court ordered George to pay Eleanor £26 costs. Alimony of £30 a year. The costs then seemed to rise to £42 in 1876. In January 1877 there was an order for George to pay 10/- a month. It looks like George and Elizabeth just moved to Westbury-on-Trym so they could not be found as he did not obey the court order.

In 1881 the couple were living at Thatched Cottage, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. Elizabeth was 29 years old. George was working as a dock labourer at Bristol Docks according to the census, but he could still actually have been a clerk checking goods etc. In 1891 Elizabeth, recorded as Margaret on the census, was a widow and working as a milliner and dressmaker.