East Molesey, Surrey
East Molesey is a small town on the Surrey bank of the Thames, almost
opposite Hampton Court Palace. Our family's connection
with it was brief. My great, great grandparents, Willie and Sarah Eliza
TAYLOR were married there in 1873. Their first three children, including
my great grandfather, were born in East Molesey. They left before 1879.
Historically, the Thames was used to transport goods. Manufactured goods
went up river, timber and produce went down. East Molesey was an important
place for loading, unloading and distribution.
In the Victorian and Edwardian eras leisure use
of the Thames bacame more important. In Three Men in a Boat,
Jerome K Jerome (1889) describes Molesey Lock as being ... the busiest
lock on the river. I have stood and watched it, sometimes, when you could
not see any water at all, but only a brilliant tangle of bright blazers,
and gay caps, and saucy hats and many coloured ribbons, and dainty whites...
 Kent
Town
The London and South Western Railway arrived in East Molesey in 1849.
In the early years trains were horse drawn from Surbiton. During the Victorian
era the town expanded rapidly. The Surrey 1878 Post Office Directory lists
Francis Jackson Kent as a major landowner. He was responsible for one
of the newly built areas, Kent Town, which included Kent and Park Roads.
New buildings included the Molesey Park Pharmacy. Gold lettering on the
window reads Kents Chemists EST. 1869. The 1881 census shows
that it was then both a chemist and post office and was run by Frederick
W. Kent and his son William. The upper storey was added in '94.
St.
Paul's Church
As well as building houses and shops, in 1854, Kent built St. Paul's
church. A plaque at the foot of the spire tells us that: The foundation
stone of this tower and spire was laid by her Royal Highness the Princess
Frederica July 19 1887.
The 1881 census shows that Princess Frederica of HANOVER was living at
Hampton Court Palace. Paul
Zumwalt's site shows that she was King George III's grandaughter and
lived from 1848 to 1926.
The
Taylors and East Molesey
My great, great grandparents, William
and Sarah Eliza TAYLOR, got married (25 August 1873) at St. Paul's
church. The marriage certificate records Willie's occupation as 'labourer'.
Sarah was born in Bighton, Hampshire to Willie and Eliza WINDEBANK. The
1881 census shows that there were a family of WINDEBANKs living in Kingston
upon Thames. The father, James
W. WINDEBANK was also born in Bighton and one of the children was
born in East Molesey in about 1869, suggesting a connection with Sarah.
Willie and Sarah had three children while
living in East Molesey:
- William James TAYLOR - 18 September 1873 - was born in Park Road
- Eliza Alice TAYLOR - 23 December 1874 - was born in Hurst Road
- Maria TAYLOR - 25 March 1877 - was born at Lear's Cottages.
Willie's occupation was noted as 'carman' at William James' birth and
labourer for the others.
Park and Hurst Road are both lined with Victorian
Houses. Between Hurst Road and the Thames is an open space that used to
be Molesey Hurst Race Course.
They must have moved back to Hampshire between March 1877 and August
1879, when their next child, Sarah Ellen was born.
The
TAGGs
As far as I know, I am not related to the TAGGs of Taggs island. Dave
Raven explains that Thomas George TAGG leased the
island from 1841. In 1873 his son, Tom Tagg opened a new hotel on
the island. This was just part of a major boat building and hotel business.
On the Surrey side of the Thames, near Hampton Court bridge, a building
that was once the Tagg's Thameside Hotel is still standing but
is now The Streets of London bar and pizzeria. It has lost the
little tower room at the top.
The 1881 census shows that several families of TAGGs lived near the river
in the East Molesey and Thames Ditton area.
- Thomas G. TAGG (37), a boat builder, lived with his wife and daughter
at the Island Hotel on what is now known as Taggs island
- another Thomas TAGG (66), a waterman, lived with his wife and family
at Creek Road House Boat
- Harry TAGG (35), a boat builder, lived with his wife and family at
Bridge Road
- Mary TAGG (76), kept the tabacconist shop at Bridge Road
- Samuel TAGG (39), a boat builder, lived with his wife and family at
the Lodge.
References
Jerome, Jerome K. (1889) Three Men in a Boat
LDS CD-ROM 1881 census index:
- Francis J. KENT - East Molesey, Surrey - Piece 0840, folio 22, page
9
- Frederick W. KENT - East Molesey, Surrey - Piece 840, folio 72, page
25
- Fredrica PRINCESS OF HANOVERM - Hampton, Middlesex - Piece 0841, folio
106, page 1
- James W. WINDEBANK - Kingston on Thames, Surrey - Piece 0832, folio
114, page 18
- Jane TAGG - Hampton, Middlesex - Piece 0841, folio 119, page 8
- Thomas G. TAGG as a visitor - Cheam, Surrey - Piece 0757, folio 94,
page 15
- Harry TAGG - East Molesey, Surrey - Piece 0840, folio 18, page 1
- Mary TAGG - East Molesey, Surrey - Piece 0840, folio 62, page 6
- Samuel TAGG - East Molesey, Surrey - Piece 0840, folio 27, page 19
Notice at the Surrey end of Hampton Court Bridge - information about
the history of East Molesey.
Raven, Dave. Taggs Island, http://www.daveraven.co.uk/island.html
[accessed 29 Dec 2002]
Zumwalt, Paul (2002). Frederica HANOVER, http://www.zumwalts.com/200206/d0014/g0014281.html#I08596
[accessed 29 Dec 2002]
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