Full notes on Charles Cross/Lechmere

[Fisherman]

Many thanks, Chris! Since he is under discussion right now, this is very useful information! Whether Lechmere deliberately used false information or not, however, is something we cannot establish, just as we cannot say that he took the name Cross - we only know that he was listed as Charles Cross in 1861, but since he was only eleven at that stage, his stepfather could well have been the one that signed for him.

All the best,
Fisherman

[Chris Scott]

I was doing some "housekeeping" on my backup PC and came across the set of my full notes on Charles Cross. To have all the info in one place, here it is:-

Charles Allen Lechmere / Charles Cross



Charles Cross and Charles Lechmere were indeed one and the same person. And he wasn't deliberately lying or using a false name. Cross was his stepfather's name which was adopted in one census and after he married and set up his own household he reverted to the name Lechmere in the census records. he may have used the name in a murder inquiry as his stepfather was actually a police officer.

Cross was born in 1849 in St Anns, Soho. He was the son of John Allen Lechmere and his mother's maiden name was Maria Louisa Roulson. His parents married in 1846 in Hereford. This is listed as follows:
1846 Quarter 2
Hereford
John Allen Lechmere married Maria Louisa Roulson
His family were from Herefordshire. He had one sister named Emily, three years older than him.
In the 1851 census, his father is absent but his mother is listed as married as follows:
1851:
Blue School Lane, Hereford
Head: Maria Lechmere (Married) aged 25 born Hereford - Straw bonnet maker
Children:
Emily aged 4 born St Peters, Hereford
Charles aged 1 born St Anns, London

In 1858, however, his mother had moved to Whitechapel and was remarried to Thomas Cross, a police constable.
1858 Quarter 1
Whitechapel
Maria Louisa Lechmere married Thomas Cross

The family is listed in 1861 as followsm with Charles taking the name Cross:
1861:
13 Thomas Street, St George East
Head: Thomas Cross aged 36 born Burnton, Hereford - Police constable
Wife: Maria Louisa Cross aged 34 born Hereford
Children:
Emily Cross aged 14 born St Peters, Hereford
Charles Cross aged 11 born St Anns, London

The full listings for later census returns are as follows:
1871:
11 Mary Ann Street, St George in the East
Head: Charles A Lechmere aged 21 born Soho - Carman
Wife: Elizabeth Lechmere aged 21 born St George East
1881:
20 James Street, St George Street
Head: Chas. Allen Lechmere aged 31 born Soho - Carman
Wife: Elizabeth Lechmere aged 31 born East London
Children:
Elizabeth Emily aged 7
Thomas Allen aged 4
George William aged 2
James Alfred aged 1
All born in Mile End
1891:
22 Doveton Street, Mile End
Head: Charles A Lechmere aged 41 born Soho - Carman
Wife: Elizabeth Lechmere aged 41 born Wapping
Children:
Elizabeth E aged 17 born Mile End - Purse maker
Thomas A aged 14 - Vanguard (Carman)
George W aged 12
James A aged 11
Louisa A aged 8
Charles A aged 7
Albert E aged 5
Above children born in St Georges
Harriet E aged 12 months born Mile End

Other records:
Death:
1920 Quarter 4
Charles A Lechmere aged 71
Poplar
Marriage:
1871 Quarter 3
St George East
Charles Allen Lechmere married Elizabeth Bostock

Charles's wife Elizabeth survived him and lived until 1940.
She died on 12 September 1940 in Stratford and is buried in Bow Cemetery.

By 1871, Charles's mother, Maria Louisa Cross, was a widow as follows:
11 Mary Ann, St George in the East
Head: Maria L Cross (Widow) aged 45 born Whitfield, Hereford
Boarder:
George Blencowe aged 23 born Bethnal Green - Carman
A Thomas Cross died in St George in the East in 1869 but his age as given at the time of death is 34, which does not fit with that given in the 1861 census
Charles's mother remarried again in 1872 as follows:
1872 Quarter 3
Bethnal Green
Maria Louisa Cross
The others listed under the same reference are:
Joseph Forsdike
Robert Frogley
Elizabeth Nicholson
By looking forward to the 1881 census, we can see that Maria married Joseph Forsdike:
1881
23 Pinchin Street, St George in the East
Head: Joseph Forsdike aged 65 born Suffolk - Shoemaker
Wife: Maria Forsdike aged 55 born Herts (sic) - Dressmaker
Grand daughter:
Mary Lechmere aged 6 born St George East
Who this child is is not clear
Joseph Forsdike died as follows:
1889 Quarter 4
Joseph Forsdike
St George East
Aged 74
Maria Forsdike's death is listed as follows:
1901 Quarter 4
St George in the East
Maria Louisa Forsdike
Aged 77
Maria is listed in 1891 as follows:
18 St George Street, St George in the East
Head: Maria L Forsdike aged 65 born Hereford - Horse flesh dealer (Cat)
Grandchild:
Mary Jane Lechmere aged 16 born St George East
and in 1901 as follows:
18 Old Gravel Lane, St George in the East
Head: Maria L Forsdike aged 76 born Hereford - Corn chandler
Servant:
Jessie Furnell aged 14 born St George East