Augustus CHRISTOPHER was born at Chatham around 1821/3, according to the census returns. Augustus's father was called Daniel CHRISTOPHER, described on his son's marriage certificate as a ropemaker. He might well have been employed at the Royal Dockyard towards the end of the Napoleonic Wars. But as a young man, Augustus made his way to London, or more precisely, to Middlesex.
Augustus married Caroline Emma GUTHRIE at the Congregationalist chapel at Westminster, Middlesex, in 1847. Caroline was supposed to have been descended from the famous Scottish philanthropist, Dr Thomas Guthrie, but you know family stories!!
At this time, Augustus was employed as a journeyman baker at 7 Albion Place, end of Albion Street, Hyde Park Square, a stone's throw from Hyde Park. His employer was James Geddes and later Mrs Jane Geddes. By 1881, the Geddes business had moved to 46 Connaught Street West and was being run by Miss Eliza Donaldson.
At the time of her wedding, Caroline was living at 88 Lillington Street, Vauxhall Bridge Road. Her father, Andrew Guthrie, was also a baker. Perhaps this is how the couple met.
Augustus and Caroline lived at Titchborne Street in Paddington and at Queens Road in 1850/1 and in 1860 were staying at 9 York Mews South, near Baker Street (now known as Sherlock Mews). In 1881, Augustus was described as a biscuit baker and his wife an ice wafer maker. By 1894, Augustus was described as a"head baker", but at 70 plus years of age, perhaps he had stopped working by then.
What must Victorian London have been like to live and work in for people such as these? As the century passed, the family had moved from Westminster outwards to Alma Terrace and Eversholt Street, Camden Town, where Augustus was "knocked down and run over by a cart on 5 October 1898, when crossing the road". He died some three weeks later on 24 October, aged 75. His death certificate described the cause of death as, "exhaustion, gangrene following injury to leg, shock".
Caroline had died at the Metropolitan Imbecile Asylum at Darenth, near Dartford, Kent on 7 November 1894 of "apoplexy, paralysis". She was 69. Their life must have been difficult, working and bringing up their surviving children in cramped accommodation as Victorian London, its streets, factories and transport systems developed all about them.
Until we started researching our ancestors, we had never heard of them!
For further information about Augustus, please see "Understanding the Census".
| Family Tales | Home |