Mary Ann
Brinsmead b. 1819
A Mary Ann Brinsmead died in
Stepney where Thomas was living, in 1848. We assume this was his sister,
but have not confirmed the fact.
Elizabeth
Caroline Brinsmead b. 1821
Elizabeth Caroline Brinsmead moved
to London and went into service. She worked at 3 Cadogan Place, Chelsea
where she died in 1884. She left a will and John Brinsmead, the piano
man, was one of her executors, which suggests she must have remained in
touch with that branch of the family.
This is the last Will and Testament of me Elizabeth Caroline Brinsmead I
give and bequeath to my executors and trustees
hereinafter named all my stock and interest in the London and North
western Railway Upon trust to pay the dividends and annual produce thereof
to my sister Susan Tancock for her use and benefit during her life and
after her decease direct my said executors and trustees to divide such
stock between the two children of my said sister I give and bequeath the
sum of fifty pounds to each of the daughters of my brother Thomas I give
and bequeath my Madras Railway stock to Alice the daughter of my brother
Hugh and to the two daughters of my said brother Hugh by his second
marriage I give and bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds each All the
rest residue and remainder of my estate and effects I give and bequeath to
my said sister Susan Tancock to and for her own use and benefit And I
nominate and appoint my two Cousins John Brinsmead
of Wigmore Street London and Ann Way of 14 Carlton Road Kentish
Town Executors and Trustees of this my Will.
John Brinsmead
b. 1824
As a young man, John Brinsmead
got into trouble with the law. He was with another youth in a bar in
Exeter. It appears, after the two left the bar, the attempted to rob the
brother of one of the women they had been drinking with; a Nathanial Bennett.
A fight ensued, as a result of which the man ended in the river and drowned.
John Brinsmead and William Pitts (age 18), were each charged with wilful murder.
After three days in custody, John Brinsmead turned Queen's evidence.
We have some newspaper accounts from the time. The
jury found Pitts guilty of robbery but not murder. A few weeks later Brinsmead
was convicted of the lesser offence. John Brinsmead was given a seven year
sentence and, two months later, was given a Ticket of Leave and left for Van
Diemens Land. He arrived in Hobart after a 112 day journey and was taken
to the hospital in New Norfolk, just up the river from Hobart. In 1853, after
his sentence was served, John Brinsmead married Catherine Lochead in Victoria in 1853.
They went on to have a family and left relatives living in Australia to this
day.
Susan Brinsmead
b. 1825
Susan Brinsmead lived with her
parents until at least 1851. In 1863 She married, in the Exeter registry
office, a Samuel Tancock. They had two children; Elizabeth C. B. Tancock
born 1864 and Hugh Tancock, born 1867.
William
Brinsmead b. 1828
In 1851 William is living in
Limehouse with his older brother Thomas. He is a joiner.
William left England for Australia.
Hugh Henry
Brinsmead b. 1830
In 1851 Hugh is living also living
in Limehouse, London with his older brother Thomas. He is shown as a
tailor.
Hugh married a Carolyn Perry in
1860 at the Exeter Wesleyan Chapel. They had at least one child, Alice
Elizabeth born 1862. Hugh also had Mary Susannah born 1869, Hugh
Henry born 1871 and George born 1874. Hugh appears to have remarried a
Hannah who presumable was the mother of the last three children.
All was clearly not well in the Brinsmead household as revealed by the
folowing account of an appearance in Exeter Magistrate's Court:
TUESDAY, - Present: H. Hooper
and W. Tombs, Esqrs.
HUGH BRINSMEAD was summoned by Mrs. Perry, a
butcher, in St. George's lane, for using threatening language towards her on
Thursday last. Mr. Floud appeared for the complainant and Mr. Fryer
for defendant. Complainant deposed to the defendant being her
son-in-law; that on the day in question he came to her house and said he
wished to see his child. (Brinsmead's wife and child lived with Mrs. Perry,
but defendant resided on St. David's Hill.) Complaintant, who had the
child in her arms, refused to let him have it and ran upstairs, taking the
child with her, and bolted the door at the bottom of the stairs. Defendant
then called out, "If you don't bring down the child I'll break everything in
the shop." witness then came down, unbolted the door, and came into the
shop. Defendant then put a knife to her throat and said "You ____I'll
kill you if you don't give up the child immediately." Witness screamed
"murder." He then went away saying he would be back in five minutes.
Witness sent for a man named Jack Adams to stay with her during that night.
Cross-examined by Mr. Fryer, - Did not take any drink that night. Did meet
Brinsmead at Greenslade's gin-shop the night before. Did not take a cleaver
in her hand and threaten to split Brinsmead's head open. Mr. Fryer said the
story told by Mrs. Perry was a mere fiction. Defendant only went to
see his child. Mrs. Perry went upstairs, bolted herself in, held the
child out of window and jeered Brinsmead saying "You shan't have the child".
George Greenslade, dairyman, stated that he lived opposite the prosecutor.
On the evening in question he was standing at his shop door. He heard
Brinsmead say to Mrs. Perry that he wanted to see his child and she refused
to let him. Mrs. Perry said, "Thank God, I have him under my thumb
once more." Defendant was bound over in his own surities of £20 to keep the
peace.
Hugh went north. He died in
1887 in Doncaster and Hannah died there the next year in 1878. Young
Hugh Henry died there age 3. George went to sea and died in 1891 on the
ship Per Ardua off Staten Island rounding Cape Horn.
(more to come - page under
construction)
