Author: Linda Miles-Cartwright

Born: 13 March 1833

Died: 2 Jan 1873

Buried: 6 Jan 1873 St Francis Hospital Burial Ground

Silas has such a wonderful name and it’s sad to find he died at the age of 40 and is buried in the burial ground of St. Francis Hospital.ospital

Silas was born on 13 March 1833 in the village of Newick the son of Michael and Elizabeth Siffleet nee Hills. He was baptised alongside his siblings Trayton, Herbert, Martha, Laban and Ruth in the parish church of Newick on 3 July 1842. His father was described as a farmer although further records suggest that this may be slightly fanciful.

Silas’s Parents

Silas’s parents Michael and Elizabeth married on 26 December 1825 at Chailey in Sussex. Michael aged 23 was the son of Thomas and Ann Siffleet and Elizabeth aged 19 the daughter of Thomas and Ann Hills from Fletching in Sussex.

The couple settled in Newick and soon started a very large family. Before long the following children had been born: Elizabeth born on 21 May 1826, Eliza born in 1827, Trayton on 2 April 1829, Herbert on 5 March 1831 and the Silas in 1833.

After Silas and before the 1841 census, the couple had a further three children: Martha born on 26 March 1835, Laban on 27 March 1837 and Ruth born on 1 June 1839. These dates have all been sourced from their baptism records.

The picture above shows a scene from Newick possibly in the 1840’s.

The 1841 census records the Siffleet family were living at Newick Rough with his parents Michael aged 39 who is an Agricultural Labourer and Elizabeth aged 35. The children of the family are Eliza aged 14, Trayton aged 12, Herbert aged 10, Silas aged 8, Martha aged 6, Laban aged 4 and Ruth aged 2.

The couple went on the have more children in the next decade. Twins Jonah and Tamer born in April 1842, Louisa born in 1845, Isaac in 1847 and Naomi in 1850.

In 1851 the family are still living in Newick and shows Michael now aged 48 an Agricultural Labourer, Elizabeth his wife aged 44 from Fletching in Sussex. The children at the family home are Silas aged 18 working as an Agricultural Labourer, Martha aged 16, Ruth aged 10, Jonah aged 8, Tamar aged 8, Louisa aged 6, Isaac aged 3 and Naomi aged 1 all born in Newick.

Michael became a Toll collector at the Toll Gate in Newick and he moved to Brighton after Silas’s death. Elizabeth died in 1877 followed by Michael in May 1884 at Brighton Workhouse..

Silas

On 26 June 1856 Silas married Sarah Anne Pointing at St Nicholas Church in Brighton. Sarah was aged 23 the daughter of James Pointing a builder. Silas’s address was recorded as 3 Fleet Street and Sarah’s address was 14 Crescent Place in Brighton.  The witnesses were James Pointing the bride’s father or brother and Thirza Worsley.

Sarah Ann Pointing

Sarah Ann was baptised 17 April 1831 at St Nicholas’s church in Brighton. Her father James was a carpenter at the time living in Upper Edward Street.  Sarah would be the eldest child of a family of 7 children. Edwin Innott who was born in 1833 died in April 1834.  In 1843 both her brothers William and John died within weeks of each other aged 8 and 3 respectively. In 1851 Sarah Ann aged 20 was still living with her parents at 1 Eastern Street. She was working as a Milliner. Her younger brothers James, Albert and Edwin all lived into adulthood.

In 1854 the trade directory shows Sarah Ann had a business at 14 Crescent Place in Brighton as a Milliner and Dressmaker. So, it seems Sarah Ann was doing quite well for herself.

Early married life

Silas’s places of residence can be tracked through the Electoral Rolls, Census Returns and his children’s baptisms. It appears that the couple lived at 14 Crescent Place to start with.

Their first child named after her mother was born in the December quarter of 1856 in Brighton.

1858 14 Crescent Place – Electoral Roll

In 1858 a newspaper article appears showing that Sarah’s brother was living at the Siffleet household and a dramatic scene unfolded. The Brighton Gazette dated 6 May 1858 gives the details.

Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive

James luckily did survive this mental health crisis and went on to marry and have a large family of 12 children and settled in south London. One of his sons led quite a colourful life and amassed a great deal of money.

In the December quarter of 1859 the couple’s second daughter Clara was born, and she was baptised on 5 February 1860 at All Souls church in Brighton. The family address is given as Bloomsbury Place and Silas’s occupation was that of a Valet.

1860’s

Melville and Co’s Directory and Gazetteer of Sussex of 1860 has Silas’s business as “Furnished Apartments” at 14 Crescent Place in Brighton. It’s more likely the couple were living in furnished apartments.

The 1861 census shows a George Silas Siffleet a married man aged 28 working as a Porter at the Royal Oak Hotel, Old Steine in Brighton. This hotel was originally opened in 1819 and was one of the first large scale hotels in Brighton. A source suggests that Charles Dickens read David Copperfield to an audience there. I have not been able to substantiate this although Newspaper articles do show Dickens was in Brighton in October and November 1861 giving readings of his works. Is it possible Silas met the great writer?

The Royal York Hotel today

If Silas was living in at the Royal York Hotel in 1861 where could his wife and children be found? They were living at 21 St George’s Road, Brighton just down the road from Sarah’s parents and brothers who are living at 28, St George’s Road. Sarah is still working as a Milliner with her two daughters Sarah aged 4 and Clara aged 1.

In the September quarter of 1861 the couple’s third daughter Alice was born and she was baptised on 15 September 1861 at St John, Carlton Hill in Brighton. The family address is given as High Street and Silas’s occupation as that of a Valet.

Emma was born in the last quarter of 1864 and George in the last quarter of 1867.

All this time the Electoral Roll has Silas living at 32 St George’s Road in Brighton.

In 1869 Silas moved to 23 Dorset Gardens and remained there for a couple of years.

1870’s

By 1871 the census shows Silas’s family are still living together at 23 Dorset Gardens in Brighton. Silas aged 37 is now a Cab proprietor, Sarah Ann aged 39 is described as a Lodging Housekeeper – that is probably because the family have taken in Lodgers. The children are Sarah Ann aged 14, Clara aged 11 is described as a Milliners Apprentice but I am inclined to think this is Sarah who is working rather than Clara, due to her age. Alice aged 9, Emma aged 6 and George aged 5 all born in Brighton. The Lodgers were Edmund Kidd aged 63 a retired Corn Merchant from Ireland, His wife aged 60 also from Ireland and their daughter Ellen aged ? Born in Lancashire.

By 1872 the Electoral Roll shows Silas living at 42 Montreal Road in Brighton. I presume it is from here he started his journey into the asylum.

The UK Lunacy Register shows that Silas was admitted to Sussex Asylum on 17 August 1872.  This admission date seemed straightforward enough until I unearthed the birth of Ada Siffleet on 15 June 1873. Ada’s birth certificate is below. If she was full term that would put her conception around September 1872 just after Silas entered the Asylum. Either she was very overdue, or Silas came out of the asylum after his initial admission (Highly unlikely given his state of health) or Ada is not Silas’s daughter at all and his wife was having a relationship with someone else either ongoing or very short term. Silas is the given father on the certificate which is not surprising, and I have acknowledged this on Silas’s family tree.

Silas sadly died on 2 January 1873 at Sussex Lunatic Asylum.  His death certificate below reveals he died of “progressive paralysis”. This was a term for what was also known as General Paralysis of the Insane or GPI for short. It was a form of neurosyphilis caused by the late-stage infection of syphilis. The physical and psychological symptoms were devastating and at the time there was no cure.

Silas was buried in St Francis Burial Ground on 6 January 1873.

Life after Silas for his family

As we have already seen Sarah Ann gave birth to a daughter Ada 6 months after his death and she already had 5 children under the age of 15. How she coped in the intervening years is unknown but the 1881 census shows she is living at 44 Over Street in Brighton living in a multiple occupancy house with her daughter Ada. By this time Sarah is aged 50 working as a Dressmaker and Ada is aged 7. The other children from her marriage are elsewhere. Clara and George were living at 6 Sudeley Place, Brighton with their maternal grandparents James and Ann Pointing. Sarah Ann was married, and her story will be told below. Alice was in service working as a Kitchen Maid in a Convalescent Hospital in Seaford. The census records her surname as Sifflit and her age and place of birth is not correct, but I am pretty sure this is Alice. Emma cannot be found in the 1881 census. She was 17 years old at this point, but she seems to have been separated from the rest of her family.

Silas’s mother-in-law Ann Pointing died on 20 December 1885 at 6 Sudeley Place.

The obituary from the Eastbourne Chronicle dated 26 December 1885. Courtesy of British Newspaper Archives.

Sarah Ann died two years later aged 56 in the third quarter of the year in Brighton.

Silas’s children

Sarah Ann

Sarah married Richard Smith on 6 April 1879 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Richard was a House Painter and Decorator. They went on to live in the Southborough area of Tunbridge Wells and had 6 children.  Richard died in 1892 leaving Sarah with the 6 children. Sadly, Charlotte Mabel died in 1896 aged 5. The remainder Richard Samuel, George William, Milly Sarah Ann, Henry Nevill and Clara Ethel survived into adulthood. It appears only Richard and Henry married. After 1891 George lived with his Uncle George Siffleet and trained as a watch repairer. George Smith may have died in 1915 but with such a common name it is difficult to substantiate. Both Milly and Clara never married and in their old age lived together in Speldhurst, Kent and they are buried together in the local churchyard.

Henry emigrated to America and died there in 1952.

Clara

Clara was living with her Grandparents James and Ann Pointing in 1881 and went into service. In 1891 she was working as a General Servant for a Mr Henry Bonnick in Lewes. By 1901 she was working at Wavertree House in Hove for a Physican/Surgeon John Caldwell Unthoff and his family. She was one of 11 domestic staff looking after a family of 5.  By 1911 Clara was living with her brother George and his wife Grace in Brighton. Their nephew George Smith was also living with them.

Clara died aged in March 1912 and was buried on 11 March 1912 in Brighton.

Alice

On 2 August 1882 Alice married Walter Philpott at St Peters church in Brighton. Walter is a Labourer the son of a shoemaker. Both parties record their address as 36, Over Street, Brighton. They lived all their lives in Brighton. Walter worked as a Draper’s Porter and seemed to have regular employment. The couple state on the 1911 census that they had 11 children, 3 of whom have died. I have only been able to trace 10 children and 2 deaths. Two sons William and Walter born in 1883 and 1886 died as infants. The remainder lived into adulthood, married and all had  lives.

Emma

Emma was only 8 years old when her father died. In 1881 she was living at 4 Albert Road, Brighton and her occupation was that of a Servant. On 26 November 1882 she married Francis Measor or Meanor a 20-year-old Brewer from Brighton at St John’s Carlton Hill in Brighton, a New England Mission church. Her sister Alice and her husband Walter Philpott were the witnesses. The couple lived at 28 Oxford Street in Brighton for at least 30 years living next door to George Siffleet, Emma’s brother.

The couple had 4 children and Francis was briefly a Policeman according to his daughter’s baptism records in 1883. Francis then became a Yeast Merchant and finally a Market Gardener. The couple seem to have emigrated to Canada on 28 April 1912 with their 4 children Emma, Clara, Francis and Herbert where they lived out the rest of their days. Emma died in 1942.

George

George being only 5 years old when his father died seems to have at some point gone into the care of his maternal Grandparents James and Ann Pointing. By the time of the 1891 census his mother had died too as well as his Grandparents. He was residing at 29 Oxford Street in Brighton with his younger sister Ada. Next door to his sister Emma and her family. George is now working as a Watch Repairer.

In the July quarter of 1892 George married his first cousin Grace Siffleet who was the daughter of Laban – his uncle.

By 1901 he was still living at 29 Oxford Street with Grace and their nephew George Smith who was the son of George’s sister Sarah Ann. Both George’s were working as Watch Repairers. George continued living at the same address and working as a Watchmaker for many years. Although the 1906 -7 telephone directory listed George as having a business at 29 Oxford Street as an Optician, Watchmaker and Jeweller with the telephone number of 4468y. Interestingly Google Maps reveals that 29 Oxford Street is still a Jeweller and Watch Repair shop.

The 1911 census shows the couple had not moved but it shows they did have one child in their marriage who had died. A search revealed the couple did have a son called George born in the April quarter of 1898. Sadly, baby George died after a few months in the Sept quarter of the same year. He was less than 6 months old.  Perhaps this is why George Smith, their nephew was living with them as was George’s unmarried sister Clara aged 50.

An advertisement dated 20 February 1915 from the London Chronicle

There are several advertisements throughout 1915 where George continues to look for staff. As World War 1 is raging it shows there must have been a shortage of skilled men available,

In 1921 George and Grace had moved to The Lilacs, Reynolds Avenue in Patcham. They continue to support family members as Clara Smith their 38 unmarried niece was living with them.

George died on 4 August 1921 leaving effects of £2279 9s 6d. Probate was granted to Grace.

Ada

Ada who lived with her mother never knew Silas and by the time she was 14 years old her mother had died. It looks as if her siblings looked after her as by 1891, she is living next door to Emma and living with her unmarried brother George acting as his Housekeeper. Indeed, she continued to live at 29 Oxford Street with her brother until her marriage on 25 July 1897. Her husband was John Upton aged 21 who worked on the railways.

By 1901 Ada and John were living at 17 Glen Cottages in Tunbridge Wells. Ada’s sister Sarah Ann and family also lived in the area. So, it seems the family remained close to each other.

In 1911 the couple were living in Portsmouth with a nephew named William Philpott aged 4. They declare there are no children of their own marriage. Could William be the illegitimate child of her nieces Alice or Clara Philpott? In 1921 the mystery deepens when Ada and John declare they have a son called John Upton aged 14 years and 6 months. This was after declaring in 1911 they had no children. Did they choose to look after William Barton Philpott, so he was kept within the family and change his name? This is possible as legal adoption did not come into play until 1926. I can find no trace of a John Upton being born to the couple around 1906/7. I did find a record of a William Matthew Barton Philpott born in the January quarter of 1907, but no mothers name was recorded. His trail disappears so I cannot conclusively say who this child is.

Ada died in 1955 and is buried at Whyteleafe in Surrey aged 81.

Silas’s siblings

Silas was one of 13 children who surprisingly all survived into adulthood. I will keep their stories brief.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth was the eldest child of the family having been born on 21 May 1826. She became a servant and married William Albert Streeter on 21 May 1856 in Brighton. William was a house painter, and they lived in Ship Street Gardens in Brighton. They went on to have 5 children. William died in 1890 leaving Elizabeth a widow who died herself in 1893 aged 67.

Eliza

Eliza was born in 1827 and followed her sister into service. Eliza did not marry until she was 48 when she married Henry Martin who was a widower 6 years her junior. Henry worked as a furniture dealer. They lived in Lewes alongside Henry’s children from his first marriage. Henry died in 1896 aged 60 and Eliza lived with her stepson Henry and stepdaughter Alice until she died in 1902 aged 75.

Trayton

Trayton was born 2 April 1821 and lived in Newick where he became an agricultural labourer and married on 16 November 1856 a Frances Williams from Lindfield. Trayton remained living in the Sussex countryside working as a Gardener living in Lindfield over 20 years. Trayton and Frances went on to have 3 children and were married for 47 years before Trayton died in August 1903 aged 74 years. He is buried at Cuckfield in Sussex.

Herbert

Born on 5 March 1831 in Newick Herbert married at the age of 19 on 18 January 1852 in Brighton. His bride was an Eliza Hall. They settled in Brighton where Herbert worked as a Fly Driver (carriage diver).  They went on to have 6 children and Herbert died in 1904 aged 73 years old.

Martha

Martha born on 26 March 1835 was working as a Servant in 1861 in Brighton and on 27 August 1862 she married a Fruiterer named William Henry Bishop a bachelor who was 9 years older than her. Within the first three years of her marriage, they had two daughters Kate and Annie and the whole family assisted in the Greengrocery business. They also lived in Ship Street Gardens where her older sister Elizabeth lived. William Bishop died in 1897, and Martha survived him by a further 10 years dying in 1907.Her obituary from the Brighton Gazette dated 10 October 1907 reveals that she was a well-respected resident of the area.

Laban

Laban born on 27 March 1837 was given a Hebrew name meaning “white” led an interesting life. Laban married in Newick on 29 December 1856 a young widow named Sarah Ann Briggs nee Sargeant. Her father was a Butcher which would prove to be significant for Laban. Sarah Ann had only been married to her first husband for just over 12 months when George Briggs died leaving her with a young son named John. The couple first set up home in Brighton where Laban worked as a Fly Driver like his brother Herbert.

In June 1863 Laban, Sarah Ann and their three children set sail on a ship named “Antarctic” for America. They arrived in New York ironically on Independence Day (4 July) of that year. Searches within Family Search show that Laban signed documents to become a citizen of the USA on 17 July 1866. His son William Siffleet was born in Utah on 14 February 1867. However, things must not have gone to plan and Newspaper articles in November 1867 place Silas in Horsham, Sussex working as a Butcher with his father-in-law John Sargeant. After his adventure across the Atlantic Laban stayed firmly in Sussex for the rest of his life raising 7 children including Sarah’s son John. Laban’s daughter Grace went on to marry her cousin George Siffleet who was the son of Silas. Curiously only one of Laban’s children – his youngest daughter Louisa would give Laban and Sarah Grandchildren.

Laban died in 1915 aged 78 years of age.

Ruth

Born in Newick on 1 June 1839 I have been able to trace little about her. Found in the 1841 and 1851 censuses living with her parents she disappears for over 30 years. Her death certificate reveals she died an unmarried dressmaker aged 43 on 14 May 1883 of Chronic Alcoholism .

The Twins Jonah and Tamer or Tamar

Born in April 1842 they were both baptised together on 23 April 1842 in Newick.

Jonah

Jonah went on to be an agricultural labourer but he died in May 1871 aged 29. His burial of 19 May 1871 took place at Victoria Park Cemetery in Hackney, this revealed he had been a patient at Atkinson Morley’s Hospital in Wimbledon. This hospital had only been opened in 1869 to receive, maintain and assist convalescent poor patients recovering from treatment received at St George’s Hospital at Hyde Park in London. Presumably Jonah had been unwell and did not respond to treatment.

Tamer

After leaving home was working as a servant in 1861. She went on to marry Ephrain Stevenson on 6 December 1866. Ephraim was an agricultural labourer and the couple had two children Ephraim James and Martha Elizabeth before Ephraim died in January 1881. Tamer married again on 9 February 1884 this time to George Lockyer a 58-year-old widowed Grinder/Miller from Uckfield. The couple lived in Uckfield before George died in Brighton in 1909. Tamer died in 1915.

Tamer’s son Ephraim Stevenson married his first cousin Louisa Newnham daughter of his aunt Louisa Siffleet and her husband Joseph Newnham. They did not have any children.

Louisa

Born in 1844 in Newick. Louisa went into service like some of her older sisters and in 1861 can be found working as a Servant in Uckfield. On 25 February 1868 she married Joseph Newnham a labourer in Fletching. The couple had a large family of nine children. Strangely as far as I can tell only one of their daughters had any children and she only had one daughter. Like Laban it was the youngest child who produced another generation.

Isaac

Isaac was born on 2 January 1847 in Newick. On 8 October 1888 aged 40 he married an Emma Hodges who was nearly 20 years his junior in Eastbourne. Emma already had a daughter who was baptised Naomi Siffleet Hodges in 1885. This suggests to me that she was the daughter of Isaac. By 1891 Isaac was working as a Cab Driver in Eastbourne. The couple had three children. By the time of Isaac’s death in 1900 this had increased to six children.

On 31 May 1903 Emma went on to marry Arthur Henry Towner a bachelor 10 years her junior. She then moved to Lancashire,

Naomi

Silas’s youngest sister was born in 1850 in Newick. In 1871 aged 21 she was the only child living with her parents working as a Dressmaker. By 1881 Naomi had moved to London and was working in 1881 and 1891 for a Mary Ann Watson as a Drapers Assistant at 95 Brompton Road in Kensington. After this point she disappears.

Author’s Thoughts

I was intrigued by the Siffleet surname having never come across it before. Ancestry tells us it is from the Middle English female name of Sifled meaning victory and beauty. It is therefore a relationship name meaning it is related to someone of that name. The highest density of people with this surname around the late 19^th century did came from Sussex. So, it appears that Silas’s family probably originated in the area since possibly in medieval times.

Silas appears to have worked in service most of his working life which is supported by his children’s baptism and marriage records but in 1871 he had become a Cab Proprietor. Could he no longer carry out his duties? It is difficult to say. Surely, by this time his symptoms would have been obvious.

While researching both the large Siffleet and the Pointing families I was struck of how most of them lived nearby and probably supported each other. Some of the Siffleet’s marrying their Siffleet first cousins. Silas’s family repeated this with Emma and George living next door to each other and George in particular supporting various relatives. Ada also may have taken on a relative too. They must have been a caring family who had sadly lost their father at a relatively young age.