Frederick William Keywood
Born: 1842
Died: 1884
Author: Tony McGarry
Frederick’s Life
Frederick’s parents were James Keywood and Mary (nee Hughes). They were married on 18th November 1835 in St. Dunstan’s in the West Church, Fleet Street, London.
The 1841 Census for the High Street, Littlehampton, West Sussex records:
- James Keywood, age 25, Plumber (mistranscribed as Kaywood)
- His wife Mary, age 25
Their children:
- Jane, age 3 years 6 months
- James, age 2
The couple’s son Frederick was baptised on 9th December 1842 in St. Mary’s Church, Littlehampton.
In the 1848/9 edition of The West Sussex Electoral Register there was an entry for a James Keywood living in Surrey Street, Littlehampton.
The 1851 Census for the High Street, Littlehampton records:
- James Keywood, (mistranscribed as Heywood), age 35, Plumber, employing one man
- Mary Keywood, age 36
- Sarah Richardson, age 18, Servant, born in Littlehampton, Sussex.
James and Mary’s children:
- Jane, age 13
- James, age 11,
- Frederick, age 8
- Sarah, age 6
- Arthur, age 3
- Charles, age 1
In the 1861 Census, the family had moved to Waterloo Square, Bognor, West Sussex. Bognor is 7 miles from Littlehampton.
The Census recorded:
- James Keywood, age 47, Painter (mis transcribed as Kywoods)
- Mary Keywood, 47, born Long Compton Warwickshire
- James and Mary’s children:
- Frederick, age 18
- Sarah, age 16
- Charles, age 11
- Clara, age 9
- Walter, age 7.
In the 1866 Sussex Post Office Directory, James junior was shown as an Appraiser in Waterloo Square.
By the time of the 1871 Census, Frederick’s parents had moved back to Littlehampton and Frederick was with them. The family were in the Bedford Hotel, High Street, Littlehampton. Recorded in the Census as:
- James Keywood, age 55, Hotel Keeper (mis transcribed as Heywood). Presumably he was the Hotel Keeper of the Bedford Hotel.
- Mary Keywood, age 57
James and Mary’s children:
- Jane, age 32
- Frederick, age 28, Painter
- Clara, age 19
- Walter, age 17
Sussex County Asylum
Frederick was admitted to the Sussex County Asylum on 17th September 1872. There has been no hint in the records up to this point that Frederick had been suffering from Epilepsy since he was 17.
Frederick’s Admission Record tells us that his given age is 28 (when in fact he was closer to 30). His occupation is listed as Painter, and he was living at 8 Belmont Street, Bognor.
Frederick’s Admission Record also tells us that his form of mental disorder was “Acute Epileptic Mania” and his cause of insanity was “Fits”. Frederick’s first attack had occurred when he was 17 (about 1859), so he had been suffering from epilepsy for at least 13 years. His family members must have been affected by his suffering.
Frederick died, age 42, in the Sussex County Asylum on 12th March 1884, and his body was not claimed by family members for burial closer to them, which was about 40 miles away in West Sussex, so Frederick was buried as a pauper with an unnamed grave in Sussex County Asylum cemetery. He was buried on 17th March.
Frederick’s Parents
At the time of the 1881 Census, James (age 65) and Mary (age 66) were back in Bognor, living on Lyon Street.
Mary died in 1888, age 73. She was buried on 16th December in South Bersted which is one mile north of Bognor.
James died in 1892, age 74. He was buried on 6th January in South Bersted.
Frederick’s Siblings
Jane
Jane was baptised Jane Elizabeth on 5th November 1837 in St. Mary’s Church, Littlehampton.
In the Census of 1841 and 1851 she was with her parents in Littlehampton. I could not find her in the 1861 Census. At the time of the 1871 Census she was back living with her parents in Littlehampton.
I was unable to find her in the Censuses of 1881, 1891, and 1901.
In 1901 the population of Littlehampton was 5900.
The National Probate Calendar of December 1910 recorded that Jane Elizabeth Keywood, Spinster, of 20 New Road, Littlehampton, died on 19th November 1910.
She left an Estate of £178. She was 73. Her death was registered in the district of East Preston (which covered Littlehampton) in the December quarter of 1910.
James
James was baptised 19th May 1839 in St. Mary’s Church, Littlehampton.
In the Censuses of 1841 and 1851, he was at home with his parents in Littlehampton. I could not find James in the 1861 Census.
On 29th January 1862, aged about 22, he married Mary Harriet Shipton in St. John’s Church, Penge. Penge is a suburb in south east London.
The 1871 Census records the family living on Coombe Road, Lewisham, South East London:
- James Keywood, age 31, House Painter (Keywood was mistranscribed as “Kaywood”)
- Mary Harriet (his wife), age 34, born in Bognor, Sussex
The couple’s children:
- Arthur, age 8, born Bognor, Sussex
- Annie, age 6, born Peckham, Surrey
- Percy, age 2, born Pimlico, Middlesex
- Florence, age 1, Born Peckham.
In 1881 and 1901 the Census records James and his family living in the Penge area (the 1901 Census mistranscribes Keywood as “Kenwood”). In the 1911 Census they were living a bit further south in Anerley.
I could not find a record of James’s death.
Sarah
Sarah was baptised on 5th January 1845 in St. Mary’s Church, Littlehampton. She was at home with her parents in the Censuses of 1851 and 1861.
In 1864 Sarah married Thomas Pacy. The marriage was registered in the Chichester Registration District in the June quarter. Chichester is 7 miles from Bognor.
The 1871 Census at 35 West Street, Bognor “The Berkeley Arms” records:
- Thomas Pacy, age 26, Publican, born in Portsea, Hampshire
- Sarah Pacy, age 26, born Littlehampton
- Charles Keywood, age 23, Boarder, Painter, born Littlehampton.
Charles was Sarah’s brother. The Berkeley Arms is now the Bognor Regis Town Museum.
The death of Thomas Pacy, age 29, was registered in the district of Westhampnett in the June quarter of 1874.
On 29th May 1880, Sarah Pacy, age 30, Widow, married William Walter Randall, age 24, a Draper. They married in St. Mary’s Church, Littlehampton.
In the 1881 Census, Sarah, age 30, was living in New Road, Littlehampton, recorded with:
- William Randall, age 28
- A visitor named Ethel Hughes, a Music Teacher born in Scotland
- Kate Redman, age 15, a Domestic General Servant, born in East Preston, Sussex.
Sarah died in 1893, age 48. She was buried in Littlehampton Cemetery on 13th February.
Arthur
Arthur was baptised on 24th October 1847 in St. Mary’s Church, Littlehampton.
Unfortunately he died aged 6 in 1853. He was buried on 18th August in St. Mary’s Churchyard.
Charles
Charles Edward was baptised on 10th March 1850 at St. Mary’s Church.
In the Censuses of 1851, 1861 and 1871 he was living with family members.
On 19th April 1874, Charles, a Painter, married Annie Hamlin in St. Peter’s Church, Eaton Square, London.
In the Censuses between 1881 and 1921 Charles lived with his family in the Croydon area of South London. He died in 1925 aged 75. His death was registered in the Croydon Registration District in the June quarter.
Clara
Clara was baptised on 11th April 1852 in St. Mary’s Church.
In the Censuses of 1861 and 1871 she was with her parents. The 1871 Census was taken on 2nd April. Unfortunately she died aged 19, shortly after the Census was taken. Her death was registered in Westhampnett district in the June quarter of 1871.
Walter
Walter was baptised on 5th February 1854 in St. Mary’s Church.
When the 1861 and 1871 Censuses were taken Walter was living with his parents.
He was a Lodger in the 1881 Census, living with the Suter family at 45 Steyne Street, South Bersted, Sussex, and employed as a House Painter.
Walter, age 32, married Mary Jane Catchlove, age 31, on 6th July 1885 in the parish church of South Bersted.
When the 1891 Census was taken, Walter and his family were living with Mary’s mother in South Bersted.
The Census of 1901 was taken on 31st March. Walter and his family were still living in South Bersted. Keywood was mistranscribed as “Heywood”.
Walter died aged 47 in 1901. He was buried in South Bersted Cemetery on 21st November. His address was given as Nywood Lane, Bognor.
I live in a turning off Nywood Lane.
Author’s Thoughts.
Epilepsy is often inherited but I could not find another case in the family. However, apart from Frederick the family also suffered the loss of 2 children at an early age. Clara died at 19 and Arthur died at the age of 6.
The average age of death of the 6 Keywood children whose deaths can be found (of 7 children) is just under 45, so they did not have great longevity.
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