Mark the Dairyman

This blog article describes the life of my greatx2 grandfather, Mark Harris. Mark was the son of Daniel and Maria Harris and was born in the Gloucestershire village of Hanham in around 1836. Hanham is located six miles to the east of Bristol and stands on the River Avon. In those days, people in the village were either employed in agriculture or worked in one of the local coal mines. Mark’s father was agricultural labourer. Daniel and Maria had the baby Mark christened at the parish church in the nearby village of Oldland on 26^th February 1837. Later that same year, Queen Victoria ascended to the throne.

By the time of the first comprehensive census, taken on 6^th June 1841, the five-year-old Mark was living with his parents and siblings Mary (11), James (9), George (7), Ann (3) and Eliza (1). Mark’s father was still employed as an agricultural labourer and it must have been a financial struggle bringing up a young growing family.

For most children there was little or no school education and as Mark and the other boys grew up they would have been expected to work to contribute to the family coffers.  Indeed by the time Mark was 15, he was working as a labourer with his Dad. Mark’s older brother George was working next door as a servant at the house of a certain Moses Brain, a yeoman.

Mark must have grown tired of the rural life and dreamed of broadening his horizons. The construction of the Great Western Railway connected Bristol and the rest of the West Country to London. Mark took advantage of the growing railway network and decided to seek his fortune in London. He ended up in Bermondsey which was an overcrowded working class area. It was known as the larder of London thanks to the many food related industries. 

Whilst living in Bermondsey, Mark met a young woman named Elizabeth Walden, who was originally from near Guildford in Surrey. Mark and Elizabeth got married on 25^th December 1857 at St Paul’s parish church. Their first child, a daughter whom they named Ann Elizabeth Harris, was born at their home, 1 Parker’s Buildings in Bermondsey, on 4^th October 1858. They had a son two years later in the autumn whom they named William Harris. The census taken in the spring of 1861 showed the family were living at Guildford Place in Bermondsey. They shared the property with five members of the Nook family so it must have felt rather overcrowded. Mark was working as a dairyman’s labourer at this stage in his life.

In the early 1860s, Mark and his family moved to the nearby area of Horsleydown. At this time the area was a hardworking community whose livelihood depended on the wharves and docks of the Pool of London. At the steps leading down to the Thames there were ferrymen who earned a living rowing people across to the north bank of the river or taking sailors to their vessels. Every summer there was a regatta at Horsleydown. This was quite an event and the streets were decorated with flags and bunting. The watermen competed for a new skiff and prizes varying from 30s to £5 would be given. This would have provided an enjoyable day out for the Harris family.

During the 1860s Mark and Elizabeth had four more children: Louisa (b1862), Alice (b1866), Florence Louisa (b1867) and Henry (b1868). The constant cycle of pregnancy and childbirth must have taken its toll on Elizabeth’s health as in the early months of 1870 she developed cancer of the uterus. As her illness worsened, her sister moved in with the family at 11 Goat Street to help look after her and the children. Mark apparently had to work to support the family and could not care for her. Sadly, Elizabeth died on 28^th August 1870 and she was buried at Nunhead cemetery. She was just 37 years old. The census taken during the spring of the following year shows that Mark and his children were still living at 11 Goat Street in Horsleydown. They shared the address with Mark’s two sisters-in-law; Sarah Walden and Annie Walden; Annie’s two month old baby son, Frederick and a fifteen year old servant by the name of John Rilly. By this time Mark was working as a dairyman.

Mark and his sister-in-law, Sarah, had grown close following his wife’s death and their relationship developed. They had 6 children together:  Marie (b1872), Grace Helena (b1873), Minnie (b1874), Edward (b1875), Emily (b1877), Ethel (b1879) and finally Nellie in 1881. Mark’s eldest daughter, Ann Elizabeth Harris, was married in 1879 to Edward Pettit. At the time of the wedding, the Harris family were living at Blackman Street, Newington.

In the census of spring 1881, Mark described Sarah Walden as his wife, even though they had never actually got married. By this time Mark and Sarah were living at 63 Queen Elizabeth Street with eleven of the children. Mark was still working as a dairyman and his eldest son, William, was apparently working with him. The post office directory of 1882 describes a chandlers shop at 63 Queen Elizabeth Street, so it is reasonable to assume they were living above the shop.

Once again tragedy struck the family. Sarah died of tuberculosis, on 16^th February 1884. Sarah was buried alongside her sister in Nunhead cemetery. She was just 45 years old at the time of her death. Mark had to somehow feed and care for his family on his own. He did not have to wait too long for help to arrive and developed a close friendship with a widow named Rose Anderson. They married on 16^th December 1884, exactly 10 months after Sarah’s death.

In 1886 construction began on a project which would have a profound effect on the future of Horsleydown. There were five major contractors involved: Sir John Jackson (foundations), Baron Armstrong (hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H. H. Bartlett and Sir William Arrol and Co. The construction site employed 432 workers. Two massive piers containing 70,000 tons of concrete were sunk into the bed of the Thames to support the new structure. Over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways. This was then clad with Cornish granite and Portland stone, both to protect the underlying steelwork and to give a pleasing appearance. Tower Bridge was officially opened on 30^th June 1894 by the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark, to much fanfare. This would have been quite a spectacle for Mark and his family. A new southern approach road to the bridge was constructed. Tower Bridge Road was 60ft wide and cut a swathe through the middle of Horsleydown. The construction of the road displaced homes and businesses.

 As the bridge was being constructed, Mark continued his work as a dairyman. In 1891 Mark, his wife Rose and 8 of his children were still living at 63 Queen Elizabeth Street. There is some evidence that his chandlery business was doing well, probably due to all the construction workers in the area. His daughter Louisa is listed in the census as working as an assistant in the milk shop. His son Henry was working as a telegraphist and his children Grace, Minnie, Edward and Emily, were all working as assistants in the shop. The two youngest children, Ethel and Nelly were at school.

By 1895, Mark’s business had moved the short distance to 18a and 25 Queen Elizabeth Street, possibly due to the construction of Tower Bridge Road. Four years later and by then in his sixties, Mark had scaled back his business and was trading as a dairyman out of 18 Queen Elizabeth Street. A further two years later and Mark had moved to 19 Marine Street, Bermondsey with his wife and daughter Louisa. Louisa was working as an assistant in the milk shop while he was still heading up the business. T


Three years later Mark was living at 5e Peabody Buildings on East Lane in Bermondsey. The Peabody Buildings were blocks of Improved Model Dwellings for the “respectable working class”, which replaced the slummiest homes with neat, weatherproof, clean, much sought after small flats. The living accommodation was self-contained, though kitchen areas tended to be communal for all but the most basic cooking, and sanitary provision was also in sets. All they lacked were bathrooms (nobody but the extremely rich had them). The tenants were carefully selected, and were generally in steady work and not (therefore) the poorest folk. The Estates were carefully managed and supervised and there were rules about conduct, as well as the use and abuse of the property: no wallpaper [might harbour vermin], no nails on the walls, no drunkenness. There was a resident superintendent at each estate. Rents varied from 2s 6d for a single room to 5s for three, but most families would have had just 2 rooms, with a communal W.C. and sink on the landing, shared with 1/2 other families. The Bermondsey Estate, which had been built in 1875, comprised 6 blocks, A-F and only had 3 floors. In total it accommodated 71 families, plus superintendent's accommodation.  (Lyonsfamily.co.uk, date unknown)

Mark died of pneumonia at his flat in Peabody Buildings on 12^th April 1904. From humble beginnings in the West Country, he had become a dairyman and built up his own business. He was by no means wealthy but managed to earn enough money to support his thirteen children. His personal life had been marked by tragedy, losing two wives to illness. Perhaps it was his work that helped him to overcome the grief caused by their deaths and ultimately his greatest triumph was ensuring that his family avoided the depths of poverty. Mark was buried in the family tomb in Nunhead cemetery on 19^th April 1904 alongside his two earlier wives. The inscription on the headstone reads:

The Memory of Elizabeth Harris who died August 28^th 1870 aged 37 years. We laid her in the hallowed grave with hope in him who died to save. Also of Sarah Walden who died February 16^th 1884 in her 45^th year. Also of Mark Harris who died on April12^th 1904 aged 68 years. Eternal rest grant to his soul oh lord. Also of Louisa Maria daughter of the above who died June 2^nd 1913 aged 50 years. Also of Ann Elizabeth Pettit daughter of the above Mark Harris who died March 28^th 1933 aged 74 years gone but not forgotten.

So, two of his daughters were interred with him as well. As a post-script to this story, probate for Mark’s death was not granted to his widow Rose until 27^th April 1905. The fact it took over a year to sort out his affairs suggests there was some wrangling. After all that, poor Rose only received £5 in the will, which is equivalent to £57 in today’s money. 

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