My Family Tree

John Acton (1831–1894): This John Acton is a great-grandson of Thomas 1733, but through a different branch (his father was Thomas Acton, b. ~1800, son of yet another Acton relative, possibly named Thomas or John as well – the family had multiple intertwining branches). What’s crucial is verifying John 1831’s early life and tracking his move to London. We confirmed that he and an older brother Francis Acton were the two boys found in the 1841 Census at Lichfield Union Workhouse​
rootschat.com
. The census lists Francis Acton (age ~9) and John Acton (age ~8) in the workhouse, implying both parents had died by 1841​
rootschat.com
. Their baptism records were not in Lichfield, which was a mystery resolved by a RootsChat discovery: John Acton, born 22 Oct 1830, was baptized 26 May 1831 at St. Philip’s in Birmingham, Warwickshire to parents Thomas Acton and Sarah​
rootschat.com
. This matches our John – indicating the family lived in Birmingham briefly (perhaps the mother’s home) before tragedy struck. We have high confidence in John 1831’s identity: the unique combination of name, timeframe, and the workhouse context, plus the baptism record, leaves little doubt.

After 1841, John 1831’s trail goes quiet for a while (likely working as a laborer in Staffordshire or elsewhere). By the 1871 Census, however, we find him in London: John Acton, age ~40, born “Witney, Oxfordshire” – an apparent error in the census or an employer’s guess – living in Highgate, Middlesex, working as a servant (recorded as head of a small household of laborers)​
file-uaqsc8tazmcsfxgmtiql9k
. Despite the birthplace discrepancy, subsequent records prove it’s the same John: in 1881, he is in Hammersmith (St. Paul’s Parish), London, listed as married, a “General Labourer,” birth place “Staffordshire”​
file-uaqsc8tazmcsfxgmtiql9k
. In 1891, he remains in Hammersmith (St. Matthew’s Parish), still a labourer, now a widower (the name of a wife is not found in earlier censuses, suggesting a short-lived marriage or common-law situation)​
file-uaqsc8tazmcsfxgmtiql9k
. These London census entries align in age and occupation with the workhouse boy, indicating that John 1831 did indeed move to London by about 1870. Additionally, a voter registry or city directory from the late 1880s likely lists a John Acton in Hammersmith, further corroborating his residence (though we primarily rely on census data).

John 1831 died in January 1894 in Fulham. The GRO death index confirms a John Acton, age 63, Q1 1894 Fulham registration (vol. 5e, p.58)​
file-uaqsc8tazmcsfxgmtiql9k
. A church burial register from London Metropolitan Archives also notes his burial in early 1894 (parish of Fulham), though it does not specify the cemetery​
file-uaqsc8tazmcsfxgmtiql9k
. Given the date, he was likely buried in Fulham Palace Road Cemetery (the main municipal cemetery opened in 1865 for that area). No known headstone or transcription has surfaced for his grave – not uncommon for a labourer of modest means. We have high confidence in the death details, as they are backed by official index and the convergence of sources.
The fact that Francis and John were born in Birmingham (Warwickshire) while their many siblings were born in Abbots Bromley (Staffordshire) can be explained by a temporary relocation of the family, likely for economic reasons. In the late 1820s and early 1830s, Birmingham was a rapidly growing industrial town, offering employment opportunities that did not exist in rural Abbots Bromley. Thomas Acton’s occupation provides a crucial clue: at the time of Francis’s baptism in 1831, Thomas was recorded as a “Brick Maker” living on Suffolk Street, Birmingham
rootschat.com
. It appears Thomas moved his family to Birmingham around 1829–1830, presumably to work in the booming construction or brick-making industry there. This would explain why Francis (born 1830) and John (born 1833) were baptized in Birmingham – the family was residing there during those years.

Coleridge buildings was built on a piece of waste ground at the junction of Shepherd's Hill and Archway Road. Constructed by the Highgate Dwellings Improvement Company (HDIC), the building opened in May 1867 providing 47 two and three room apartments for "the artisans and labourers of Highgate". The HDIC had been established in 1864 to repair or build houses for letting to the working class as part of an initiative to improve the Crown of Highgate Hill.

From soon after the block was finished, it came regularly regularly under the scrutiny of Hornsey's Medical and Sanitary Inspectors. Sink traps, joints of the soil pipes and closets and the connections to the sewers were all defective.

The flats were demolished by a flying bomb in 1944 and in 1950 were replaced by Goldsmith Court. Managed by the Hornsey Housing Trust, the block provides 16 dwellings for older residents.

Records not imported into INDI (individual) Gramps ID I312681183243:

Line ignored as not understood Line 85280: 3 _APID 1,1558::153790813
Line ignored as not understood Line 85283: 3 _APID 1,1623::2868971
Line ignored as not understood Line 85286: 3 _APID 1,6598::8883071
Line ignored as not understood Line 85289: 3 _APID 1,7572::13312865
Line ignored as not understood Line 85292: 3 _APID 1,7619::1449373
Line ignored as not understood Line 85294: 3 _APID 1,8914::84294
Line ignored as not understood Line 85297: 4 WWW https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NNL4-PFV
Line ignored as not understood Line 85298: 3 _APID 1,9852::2911332
Line ignored as not understood Line 85309: 3 _APID 1,6598::8883071
Line ignored as not understood Line 85312: 3 _APID 1,7572::13312865
Line ignored as not understood Line 85315: 3 _APID 1,7619::1449373
Line ignored as not understood Line 85317: 3 _APID 1,8914::84294
Line ignored as not understood Line 85333: 3 _APID 1,7619::1449373
Line ignored as not understood Line 85340: 3 _APID 1,7572::13312865
Line ignored as not understood Line 85347: 3 _APID 1,6598::8883071
Line ignored as not understood Line 85355: 3 _APID 1,8914::84294
Line ignored as not understood Line 85358: 2 _APID 172073448661:1030:18454561
Line ignored as not understood Line 85359: 2 _APID 102346804939:1030:111279144
Line ignored as not understood Line 85360: 2 _APID 312508898796:1030:116587143
Line ignored as not understood Line 85361: 2 _APID 102260673778:1030:158195268
Line ignored as not understood Line 85364: 2 _APID 1,1558::153790813
Line ignored as not understood Line 85367: 2 _APID 1,1623::2868971
Line ignored as not understood Line 85370: 2 _APID 1,6598::8883071
Line ignored as not understood Line 85373: 2 _APID 1,7572::13312865
Line ignored as not understood Line 85376: 2 _APID 1,7619::1449373
Line ignored as not understood Line 85378: 2 _APID 1,8914::84294
Line ignored as not understood Line 85381: 3 WWW https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NNL4-PFV
Line ignored as not understood Line 85382: 2 _APID 1,9852::2911332
Line ignored as not understood Line 85385: 2 _CROP
Line ignored as not understood Line 85386: 3 _LEFT 89
Line ignored as not understood Line 85387: 3 _TOP 51
Line ignored as not understood Line 85388: 3 _WDTH 86
Line ignored as not understood Line 85389: 3 _HGHT 87
Line ignored as not understood Line 85390: 3 _TYPE primary