MITCHENALL FAMILY HISTORY

Amos Mitchenall is the sixth child of William and Mary Mitchenall, born as with all the children in Edenbridge. Amos was born in 1830.

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When Amos Mitchenall was born in 1830 in Edenbridge, Kent, his father, William, was 37 and his mother, Mary, was 39.

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He lived with his parents into his early teens. but he had moved to Brixton before the 1851 census. At the age of 21 he was living at the Royal Oak as a lodger and working as a Blacksmith.

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A year later, he married Laura Martin on 27 April 1852, who may well have been the daughter of the landlord and landlady at the Royal Oak. Their marriage certificate states Laura's father was a victuallor, the 1851 census shows Laura Martin in the Royal Oak with her mother, Brother James Mitchenall, also living in the area, was his witness at the marriage at St George the Martyr.

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They had one child during their marriage, Elizabeth Maryann (or Mary Ann) who was born in 1855 and baptised on the 3rd June in Streatham (Christ Church).

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The family remained in Brixton. In 1861 they are recorded together at Chalk Cottages, St Georges Place. However, the only further records of Amos, in the 1867 Post Office Directory, locate Amos Mitchenall, a farrier, at 24 Christchurch Road, between Vassal Road and Baker Street, or at Chrysell Road (very close by). 

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His wife Laura, however, seems to have had two further children before his death, both registered as Cook - Jennie, 1863, and Harry, or Henry, 1865.

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Amos seems to have died in September 1867 in Brixton, Surrey, at the age of 37, although the registers record Lewisham.

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After his death, Laura very quickly married one Frederick Cook. She a further child by Mr Cook, and lived into the 20th Century dying, I believe, in 1903 or 4.

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Amos would appear to have married the landlady's daughter, who then left him after 10 years of marriage. His daughter is called Cook in later census entries, although her marriage records record her as Mitchener. 

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And, as a footnote, his brother George had a baby shortly after Amos death whom he named Amos. The child died very shortly after his birth in early 1868. Amos (snr) is recorded beside his brother George in the 1867 trades directory. And then, in March 1868, George is up before the assizes accused of assaulting a constable in a charge also against a Mr Frederick Cook and a Mr William West. George could well have been upset - did the circumstances lead to his acquittal?   

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