Victorian Script decipher............

[The Station Cat]

I imagine there would have been numerous coal wharves on both sides of the Thames at that time.

There was a William Bradley, a coal porter aged 66, living at 12, King Street in 1891. There was a family named Bone at no. 8.

That's interesting, not the smoking gun I'd hoped for, but certainly something to ponder. The fact that we've got somebody called Bradley living on King Street whose a coal porter, is certainly more than a mere coincidence and perhaps adds credence to the Bradley family being resident on King Street and as such why Henry has used this address on his wedding certificate?

The Bradley's are clearly from Deptford and given that William was a manager and Emma's father was a labourer I would hazard not particularly well off and as such could not pay for his daughters wedding, hence the Bradley's funded and arranged? Hence Deptford not Clapham? Whatever the reason I'm satisfied that the reason for being married at St Paul's was no because he was stationed in Deptford but that he was from there. His service history would support this as it gives service in W Division with no change of collar number for 10 years.

Thank you to everyone who has replied to my thread, it has all been most helpful and interesting.

Unfortunately Henry's service in Clapham doesn't make the local papers or warrant any hearings at the Old Bailey, so his first 10 years of service are lost to history. But once he becomes a Sergeant and is posted to Barnet he appears regularly in the local press, so I have been able to put together a snip it of what life was like for a Bobby in that part of London during the period. His service there was far from uneventful!!!

[MrBarnett]

I imagine there would have been numerous coal wharves on both sides of the Thames at that time.

There was a William Bradley, a coal porter aged 66, living at 12, King Street in 1891. There was a family named Bone at no. 8.

[DJA]

Might have been the North Greenwich Pier which serviced gasworks from 1880s until 1980s.

Hope that nails it. Prolly not

Do reckon we have the correct King Street and a coal wharf

6.04 am here in Oz.

Special thanks to MrBarnett for correcting me.

[The Station Cat]

Sorry Mr Barnett’s didn’t see your reply!

Not built till 1902, well that puts pay to that theory then, however, he was clearly a coal wharf manager somewhere in 1886.

If 8 King Street is the family home of the BRADLEY’S that would still give us the Deptford connection?

[DJA]

As MrBarnett points out,I have the name wrong and doubt it is Deptford East LP either.

Reckon we are thereabouts though.

[The Station Cat]

Greenwich Power Station ...... Coal Wharf Manager.

That is walking distance from 8 New King Street.
Fair chance the Payless is the same place.

It certainly is and not an unreasonable theory.

It would certainly make sense and account for the St Paul's connection.

[MrBarnett]

Greenwich Power Station ...... Coal Wharf Manager.

That is walking distance from 8 New King Street.
Fair chance the Payless is the same place.

Greenwich Power Station wasn’t built until 1902.

There was a King Street in Deptford New Town.

http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/__data/assets/image/0003/304860/map-01372-1421.jpg

[DJA]

Greenwich Power Station ...... Coal Wharf Manager.

That is walking distance from 8 New King Street.
Fair chance the Payless is the same place.

[The Station Cat]

Could have transferred "home" due to parents ill health or similar.

Wanna give us a peek at the rest of the marriage certificate?

You might be onto something here DJA.

I know, Henry Ilford BRADLEY was born 28th March 1861 Greenwich Kent.

His father was called William, there's a William Bradley living in Greenwich in 1891, who was born in 1825 could this be his father?

Perhaps he's put his parents home address down on his wedding certificate as apposed to the police station or section house he was in fact living at in Clapham?

Emma would certainly have been living with her parents at 38 St John's Road. Which is a 7 minute walk to Lavender Hill Police Station, perhaps he was stationed there and that's how they met? She lived on his beat?

Once their married they live at 338 Paradise Road, which is a 9 minute Walk to Clapham Police Station, so perhaps he moved stations?

Also there's a King Street at St Paul's Deptford that was renamed Harton Street pre 1921.

Would be interesting to see if William Bradley on the 1891 census is living at 8 King Street?

[DJA]

Could have transferred "home" due to parents ill health or similar.

Wanna give us a peek at the rest of the marriage certificate?

[The Station Cat]

Thanks guys, it would certainly appear to be New Town Deptford. This would also account for why they married at Deptford. The puzzle is that he served the first 10 years of his career in W Division, joining in 1886 and remaining there till 1896 when he was promoted to Sergeant and posted to S Division. Deptford is R Division?

His collar number was 142W before becoming 55S.

Henry certainly is a puzzle. Here’s a photograph of him as a Sergeant. Note he’s wearing two 1902 Coronation Medals!

[DJA]

Payless on New King Street - Grocers in Deptford, London SE8 3HS

[c.d.]

Interesting that Emma is described as a "Spinster" although her age is listed as 19.

c.d.

[MrBarnett]

Surely it’s New Town as in Deptford New Town.

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/deptford/c/008add000016945u00041000.html

[The Station Cat]

You are looking for either Old or New King Street,Deptford.

If there’s an Old or New King Street, in Departford that would make sense why they married there?

The only problem is would the marriage certificate not have included the Old Or New on the address?

Also Deptford isn’t on W Division? Certainly is a puzzler this?