Lynsted with Kingsdown Society - Documents

The Back Family Tree and Correspondence

The Back family in Lynsted generated an exchange of correspondence between David Bage, Nigel Heriz-Smith and family researcher Mrs Courtney (2005).

Our correspondence with Mrs Courtney has been added below as it helps place the transition from the old school-house to the "new" one that is used today.

Census-based tabular data

Thomas Back (1) B 1772? D 7 Sept 1829 Age 57 yrs	m by 1807?	Jane Back B 1786 D 2 Feb 1855 Buried Preston E of Faversham	m Sept 1839	2) Edmund Driver D 2 Jan 1855 Buried Lynsted
Children of Thomas
Thomas Back (2) B 4 April 1810 D 29 March 1812	William Back (1) B 10 April 1810 D 29 March	Stephen Back B 10 April 1813 D 24 June 1879	Jane Back B 2 Jan 1819 D 12 March 1819	Ann Back B 16 Sept? 1819 Died ?
Stephen Back Schoolmaster B 10 April 1813 D 24 June 1879	m 1) June 1831	1) Ann How D 6 Dec 1832 Teynham?		Thomas (2) Thomas B 1842	m Mary B 1847	Harriett Charles B 1853
	2) 17 Feb 1838	2) Mary Thurston D Mar 1841??
	3) 7 Feb 1842 St. George Southwark	3) Ann Sheard 17 July 1854 ??
	4) 1859 ??	4) Sarah
Children of Stephen
William Alfred (2) B 5 Feb 1843 D 1901 + Jan/Mar	(2) Emma B 24 Nov 1844 M John W Marshal 12 July 1863	George B3 Jan 1846 D Dec 1857 ?	Agnes B 30 April 1848 vol v,p182 M ? Greyath	Martha B 5 July 1850	John Sally B 1857 Stepchild?	Henry Sally B 1859 Stepchild?	Sarah B 1860 James B 1864
William Alfred (2) B 5 Feb 1843 D 1901 + Jan/Mar	m 1865	Martha Elizabeth nee Capp B 1843 ? D 21 May 1910
Children of William Alfred (2)
Amy Eleanor B 30 July 1866	Charles William B 29 March 1868	Herbert Alfred B 29 Sept 1869	Clara Elizabeth B 1843 ?	Edith Louisa B 14 Sept 187? M Sept 1901 Arthur Burnell	Arthur Charles B 22 Dec 1875 D 4 Feb 1894	Ernest William B 8 Feb 1877 D 1967+ July/Sept	William Octavious B 21 May 1879 Walter Henry B 10 May 1881 D 3 Sept 1881 Ethel Florence B 5 Aug 1884 D 12 Octo 1884

1841 Census			Kent born	1851 Census
William	29	ag lab	yes	John L	45	ag lab	Teynham
Sarah	23		yes	Mercey	41		Tong??
George	3		yes	James	14	ag lab	Teynham
Mary Ann	baby		yes	George Na	14	son in law*	Teynham
Mercy Shr	54		yes	Elizabeth	7	dau in law*	Teynham
Linstead Street				* stepchild??
				Stone Chimney, Lynsted

				1851 Census
				William	38	ag lab	Linsted
				Sarah	33		Faversham
				George	12	ag lab	Linsted
				Emma	6		Linsted
				William	6		Linsted
				Ann	1		Linsted
				Collyers Farm, Linsted

				1851 Census
				Henry	33	ag lab	Linsted
				Frances	24		Bapchild
				Mary	6		Teynham
				George	2		Teynham
				Barrow Green

Census analysis

1841 - No trace of Stephen on census so probably living in Southwark??

1861 - This shows an unnamed Back living as a boarder but born in Teynham. Looking at the places of birth of the host family members, they seemed to have moved around probably looking for work (Borden, Sittingbourne, Bredgar, Stockbury). Whose family does ? Back belong to ? Born about 1828.

1871 - From 1871 record Father & son have carpentry firm in Teynham with 1 helper. The siblings, Thomas, Charles & Mary live with their parents.

1881 - From the 1881 record, they still live in Teynham, Harriett has died & Thomas Snr is living with his son, & working as a carpenter The firm has grown to 3 men & 1 boy employed. Thomas Jnr was born in Southwark but Thomas Snr was born in Teynham so he came home to work from Southwark after 1842-ish.

The Henry Back on 1881 census may be a relation of Thomas and seems to work on the land & his son is in the brickfield.

1891 - Charles now has own family & is an agricultural labourer.

1901 - By 1901 Thomas Snr has died & Thomas Jnr still lives in Teynham with Mary Jane his wife, & son Charles working as Chemist/Druggist.

Charles (age 12 1881) now 32 appears on 1901, working in cement with Annie (wife) & 4 children.

By 1908 Thomas Jnr is an overseer of Lynsted parish. (Something to do with the church warden?)

1851 census
Stephen	37	schoolmaster	Teynham
Ann	38		Uffington, Berks
William A	8		Teynham
Agnes	2		Teynham
Martha	baby		Teynham
Thomas	9	nephew	Southwark
Henry Livic	12	nephew	Ramsgate
Mary Read	69	lodger	Stranscombe
Green Street, Linsted: so only been living in the area since 1843? (Date William born?)

NB On 1851 census at 49 Linstead Lane a boarding school with S Nickols, schoolmistress

1861 census: ? Back (23) unmarried ag lab, born Teynham. Boarding with Hurst family of Ag Labs at Old George Yard, Sittingbourne.

1861 census				1871 census
Thomas (2)	52	Carpenter		Thomas (2)	63	Carpenter	Teynham
Harriet	56			Harriett	64		Teynham
Thomas (2)	19			Harriett	26		Southwark
Mary Men	66	widow		Thomas (3)	29	Carpenter	Southwark
Linsted St, Linstead				Teynham Street Teynham
1881 census				1871 census
Thomas	72	Carpenter	Teynham	Thomas (2)	63	Carpenter	Teynham
Thomas (son)	39	Builder employing 3 men, 1 boy	Southwark	Harriett	64		Teynham
Mary (wife)	32		Sittingbourne	Harriett	26		Southwark
Linsted Street, Linsted				Thomas (3) (son)	29	Carpenter	Southwark
				Mary (dau. in law)	24		Sittingbourne
				Charles (g.son)	18 mths
				+ 1 helper		Carpenter
				Teynham Street, Teynham
1881 census				1871 census
Thomas (2)	52	Carpenter		Thomas (2)	63	Carpenter	Teynham
Harriet	56			Harriett	64		Teynham
Thomas (2)	19			Harriett	26		Southwark
Mary Men	66	widow		Thomas (3) (son)	29	Carpenter	Southwark
Linsted St, Linstead				Mary (dau. in law)	24		Sittingbourne
				Charles (g.son)	18 mths		Lynsted
				Teynham Street, Teynham
1881 census				1881 census
Thomas	72	Carpenter	Teynham	Henry	62	fm labour	Lynsted
Thomas (son)	39	Builder employing 3 men, 1 boy	Southwark	Fanny	54		Teynham
Mary	32	wife	Sittingbourne	Henry	15	brickfield labourer	Bapchild
+ 2 boarders				Martha Clement (dau.)	28		Teynham
Lynsted Street Green Teynham Kent				Charles	12	fm labour	Teynham
				William Clement (g.son)	2
				Barrow Green, Teynham NB is this a brother of Thomas (2) Back?? Martha married Edwin Clement 16 Oct 1869 also on the list same day is George Back marrying Emma Rains (was this a double wedding of brothers?)
1881 census
*Charles (son of Thomas age 39)	11	Boarder at Commercial School, Faversham

Other Facts

In Kellys directory 1855 & 1867: Thomas Back is a carpenter in Teynham and Stephen is the schoolmaster of the parochial school and the parish clerk. Mrs S Back is the schoolmistress. School serves Lynsted and Kingsdown. Population: 1851 - 977 people.

In Bagshaw 1867 directory Linsted Parochial (free) school was open in 1846. S Back i/c. For 23 boys 34 girls & 14 on Sunday. At Vicarage Meadow owned by Mr Tappenden. In Kelly 1872/4/1882: Thomas Back is the Lynsted parish clerk and builder. Stephen has left Lynsted. Population 1,165.

1891 census: Charles Back (22) farm labourer, born Teynham. Annie (20), born Great Chart. Percy (1), born Teynham. Living Teynham Cottages.

1901 census: Charles Back (32), cement maker, born Teynham. Annie (30), born Great Chart. Percy C (11), born Teynham. William F (4), born Teynham. Frederick J (2), born Teynham. Thomas L (5 mths), born Teynham. William J Clement Brother (21), agricultural labourer, born Teynham. Living in Marsh Lane, Teynham
NB Frederick & William were both killed in WW1 see below.

Stephen Back (my great great grandfather)

Born: 10 April 1813, Teynham
Died: 14 June 1879 v 2a p500
Schoolmaster in Lynsted: 1838 - 1865 at least. Listed as a greengrocer in Southwark on 1842 marriage certificate.
Married: (1) Ann How, June 1831; (2) Mary Thurston, 17 February 1838, Teynham. Daughter John Thurston bricklayer, she died March 1841 or September 1842; (3) Ann Sheard, 7 Feb 1842, St George Southwark. Died 1850??; (4) Sarah, 1859?, Died Faversham v2a p539?

(1) Stephen married Mary Thurston 1838 he is a widower so who was previous wife? Mary possibly died March 1841 v5 p129 Faversham.
(2) When Stephen marries Ann his father is shown as Thomas a Grocer, and Stephen is shown as a greengrocer. Ann's father is William Sheard, labourer of Uffington (1851 census) and mother Mary & was born on 10 May 1812 at Uffington. No siblings on IGI. William married Mary Priddy, West Hendred Berks on 4 Nov 1811. Stephen's address at marriage is Ken Street, Southwark. Stephen has been married before as he is a widower. Witnesses were Thomas Back and Rebecca Sheard (illiterate) who is ?? not found in IGI.

Family

William (b.1843) - my great grandfather - children of Ann
Emma (b. 1844) - children of Ann
George (b.1846) - children of Ann
Agnes (b.1848) - m. James Guyatt, September 1878, Faversham - children of Ann
Martha (b.1850) - children of Ann
John Solly (b.1857) - step child?
Henry Solly (b.1859) - step child?
Sarah (Solly?) (b.1860)
James (b.1864)

Note: Linstead (Lynsted) old English for a place marked by a lime tree. In 2005, it has 60 listed buildings, and is on the edge of the North Kent fruit belt, with orchards and farms. The freehold was held by Teynham Manor and the school was built in mid 1800s.

Population of Lynsted & Teynham

1801: 796 - 424
1831: 952 - 751
1851: 973 - 842
1871: 1165 - 1894
1901: 1213 - 1839

Teynham war memorial for WW1 has Frederick Back & William Frank Back. William Francis Back served with 7th Battalion Buffs (East Kent). He was born in Teynham and enlisted at Canterbury on 1 July 1917. He was a Lance Corporal and was killed in action in France and Flanders on 23 October 1918, aged 22. Frederick Back served in 1st/19th Battalion, London Regiment. He died at 21 years old on 16 September 1917, born 1894. His father, Harry, lived at No2 Frognal Lane, Teynham (thanks to John Cummins, family researcher). He is commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Census analysis

Stephen was born in Teynham but he married his wife Ann Sheard in Southwark. She was born in Uffington, Berks the daughter of William & Mary Sheard. Born 10 May 1812.

In 1861 census they are living at Church St West Hanney, Berks as ag labs. Next door is John & Ann Sheard also ag labs in their 30s. Mother of William Alfred, Emma, George & Agnes & possibly Martha but must have died about 1850. Mary was born in Uffington & William in Denchworth, Berks. By 1861, Stephen is married to Sarah & seems to be the step father of John & Henry. Sarah may be Stephen's child. William is working as a gardener perhaps waiting until he was 20 & could join the police. The dockyard police at Chatham were part of the Metropolitan police so this may be how he heard about them & then moved to London (Southwark in 1871!) to join. Stephen is the schoolmaster at Linstead school in 1861 & perhaps from 1848 as his younger children were born in Lynsted. He was perhaps living in Southwark at some point as his Mother (Harriet) and Ann Sheard came from there. Thos Snr & Jnr (Stephen's brother & nephew) also had a link with Southwark.

By 1871 William Alfred has left home & Stephen is living & working as a gardener in Faversham. Assuming the Schoolhouse was a tied house, once he stopped teaching he would have to live elsewhere. His wife Sarah, & 5 children live there too.

1861 Census: Stephen Back (48), head, schoolmaster, Born Teynham; Sarah (39), wife, Born St. Laurence; William Alfred (16), born Teynham; Agnes (13, dau.), born Lynsted; Martha (11, dau.), born Lynsted; John Sally (4, son), born Lynsted; Henry Sally (2, son), born Lynsted; Sarah (baby), born Lynsted; Elizabeth Sherlock (76, lodger), born Eastling. Living in School House, Linsted Street, Linsted.

1871 Census: Stephen (58) gardener; Sarah (50); Agnes (24); John (14), scholar; Henry (12), scholar; Sarah (10), scholar; James (7), scholar. Living in 46 Manor Place, Faversham.

Notes: Schoolmaster were paid about £120 per year and gardeners about £50-60 per year.

1881: Stephen died in 1879 and in 1881 Sarah is working as a Laundress and has Agnes (married to a Guyatt) and 3 other children with her. James is an apprentice draper. Henry is labouring at a large farm in Lynsted and living with the Bailiff's family.
1891: By 1891 Sarah is still in Faversham and still washing with the help from Sarah. John who was a gardener in 1881 is now a railway signalman.

1881 Census

Sarah Back (67), head, Laundress, b.St Lawrence, Ramsgate; Agnes Guyatt (30), daughter, b.Lynsted; John Back (24), son, gardener, b. Lynsted; Sarah S Back (20), dau, Ironer; James Back (17), son, drapers apprentice., b. Lynsted. Living in 18A Park Road, Faversham.

1891 Census

Sarah Back (68), laundress, b. St. Lawrence; John (35), railway signalman, b.Lynsted; Sarah Back (30) Assistant Laundress, born Lynsted. Living in 28 Park Road, Faversham.

1901 Census

By 1901 I could only find James and Henry. I assume Sarah, their Mother is dead. James is a draper in Purton Stoke, Wilts, with wife Elizabeth & 2 children. Henry is working in a brickyard, has wife Emily and 4 children and lives in Lynsted. I can find no trace of the others.

James Black (37), draper/shopkeeper, born Lynsted; Elizabeth (38), b. Ramsgate; James (9), born Wortham; Sydney (8), b. Faversham; and one servant. Living in High Street, Purton Stonke, Wilts. (Between Cricklade and Swindon).

Henry Back (35), moulder in brickyard, b.Teynham; Emily (34), b. Eastling; Harry (10), b. Greenwich; Albert (7), b. Greenwich; Frederick (5), b. Lynsted; Willie (2), b. Lynsted. Living in Wickins Cottages, Lynsted.

School inspection report for Lynsted school.

Sept 1853 in the deanery of Ospringe (inspected every 3 years). Lynsted mixed Master and mistress. Rev. J. Hamilton is vicar. 83 pupils on books 49 examined. Population on Lynsted 977. Inspector's comment: "The room is little adapted for separation of classes, which however is not attempted, the teachers having kept a private school in the village and continuing the methods of teaching usual in them. The mechanical instruction in reading, repetition, cyphering and writing is very imperfect. The religious knowledge is also defective in amount and in intelligence. The mistress seems to have been more successful in getting the younger girls forward in reading.
Master report: mixed school number 332
S. Back, 40 yrs, not trained.
Schoolroom 24x15x8.5 feet. No playground. Masters lodgings over school.
Pupils: <6yrs - boys 5 & girls 5; 7-9 years - boys 18 & girls 17; 10-12 years - boys 17 & 18; 13+ - girls only 3. Total: boys 40, girls 43.
Average attendance: boys 30, girls 31. Sunday pupils: boys 15, girls 18.
Yearly rental of buildings.
Prayers at start of day, daily register kept, no punishment book. No library or clothing club, visited by committee. Industrial teaching sewing and knitting.
Income: School pence £8 14s. 0d.; Other £39 2s. 0d.; Total £47 16s. 0d. Masters salary £31 4s. 0d. Total Cost: £44.
Marks: 'A' good, 'D' deficient.
At exam: No. present, 49. 23 age 11, 8 age 10, 9 age 9, 9 age 8.
Catechism - C/D - no pupils; Church catechism - C - 40 pupils
Liturgy - D - no pupils; Easy books - C (age 9) - 17 pupils
Old Testament - C/D - no pupils; Harder books - C (age 11) - 23 pupils
New Testament - C/D - no pupils; Slates - C - 9 pupils
Copy Books - B/C - 31 pupils
Memory dictation - B/C - 23
Addition easy - D - 8
Simple Rules - C - 17 pupils
Compound rules - B/C - 7 pupils

Good order, pupils deficient in intelligence, fair cleanliness of children.

William Alfred (2) - my Great great grandfather

Born: 5 February 1843 p.127/187 Teynham Kent
Died: March 1901, East Preston, Brighton v2b p235 Jan/Mar. Age 58, not on IGI
Family: Father - Stephen, b.10 April 1813, Died 24 June 1879. Mother, Ann Sheard.
Grandparents: Thomas and Jane Back. Jane married Edmund Driver, Sept 1839 so he became step grandfather. On IGI Edmund seems to marry Mary Fowler at Faversham on 26 Jan 1812. There is a death of Mary Ann Driver in Sept 1838. This is probably his first wife as Jane Back married him in Sept 1/4 1839. They both died in 1855.
Married: 4 May 1865, St. Mary, Newington, Surrey (now Brixton). Martha Elizabeth nee Capp, b.1843? on 1901 census, aka Mary. Witnesses: Matthew Morgan, Amelia Davies (possibly born May 1830, Stoke Newington; Dau Edward Henry Davies and Jane Elizabeth Smith; Harriet Jane Back.

Will: 3 February 1901, Willows, Upper High Street, Worthing; £1,474 left to Martha equal to £97,849 in 2002 money.

Work: Police Career:

Joined police, 20 April 1863, aged 20
PC when married (1865) until at least 1867
Police Sergeant in Surrey in 1869, Southwark
Inspector in 1881
Chief Inspector, Metropolitan Police K Division at Bow, London, 1888
Retired: 3 October 1888, age 46
Police Pension: £113 17s. 8d. Warrant number 43858

Retirement record from National archives, Kew, is shown below:

Pension number: 6948
K Bow division
4 October 1888
William Alfred Back, late a Police Chief Inspector resigned from the division on 3rd day of October 1888 with pay to 28 September 1888 to which day, inclusive, he has been paid and he is entitled to a pension of £113 17 8 per annum commencing on 29 September 1888 (equivalent to £7,756.90 in 2002 prices).

Description of pensioner:

Age on resignation: 45 year complete
Height: 5ft 8ins
Hair: Auburn
Eyes: Hazel
Complexion: Fresh
Particular marks: none
Where & when born: Teynham, Kent, 5 February 1843
Father: Stephen Back
Mother: Ann Back
Date of joining the police at Stones End (now Southward, nr South Bank University)
20th April 1863

Particulars of service:
M division - Constable - 20.4.63 to 12.12.67
K division - Sergeant - 13.12.67 to 6.1.69
M division - Sergeant - 7.1.69 to 2.12.75
K division - Inspector - 3.12.75 to 14.6.83
K division - Ch Inspector - 15.6.83 to 4.10.88

Injuries: none
Married
Next of kin: Martha Elizabeth Back
Address: 34 Lawrence Road, Bow

Have 1st aid certificate from St Johns dated Oct 1878 at Metropolitan centre. Family rumour says was involved in the "Jack the Ripper" investigation. 6 murders that took place in Whitechapel (next division to Bow) from August 1888 to November 1888.

Life Governor of the London Hospital, 1880 and paid fee of £31 10s. on 9 August 1880 which meant h could recommend 16 patients per year for treatment until 1896.

Lived: George Street, Newington - 1865; 65 St. Andrew Road, Newington in 1867; 377 Southwark Street (next to Imperial Hotel) Chistchurch, Surrey in 1871; 34 Laurence Road, Bow in 1881; 10 Market Place, Leytonstone Road, Wanstead in 1891; Leytonstone; Willows, Upper High Street, Worthing in 1901.

Children

Amy Eleanor, b. 30 July 1866, d. 9 March 1867 (teething convulsion fit immediate).

Herbert Alfred, b. 29 Sept 1869, d. 14 July 1933

Charles William, b. 29 March 1868, d. 4 August 1871 Southwark (cause, croup, aged 3year 4 months)

Clara Elizabeth, b. 15 December 1871 Surrey, d. 9 January 1925. Disabled

Edith Louisa, b. 14 September 1873 Surrey, M. 12 September 1901

Ernest William, b. 8 February 1877 Plaistow, d. 1968 Bournemouth

Arthur Charles, b. 22 December 1875 Poplar, d. 4 February 1894 West Ham. Age: 18 Grocer's assistant. Cause - Cardiac disease (morbus cardiac) and Oedema of lungs.

William Octavious (3), b. 21 May 1879, Bow.

Walter Henry, b. 10 May 1881, d. 3 September 1881, Bow.

Ethel Florence, b. 5 August 1884, d. 12 October 1884, Bow (age 10 weeks) - cause - Thrush and convulsions

The Back Family linked to Lynsted Parish and nearby

The Back family in Lynsted generated an exchange of correspondence between David Bage, Nigel Heriz-Smith and family researcher Mrs Courtney in 2005. Mrs Courtney also shared with us a copy of her family tree research notes (see above).

Stephen Back - Schoolmaster

Dear Mrs Courtney (copied to David Bage, who had the initial enquiry),

This is my best estimate of the location and some background (that I assume you have but was more or less ready to hand so is included here).

Taking the census of 1861 and the order of houses that moved north, the sequence was: series of unnamed cottages -> schoolhouse -> Lynsted Cottage -> Vicarage House -> Bogle House. So, in 1861, there were no houses between Vicarage House and Bogle, which is half way towards Greenstreet (A2).

Looking at the maps of 1872 and 1909, clearly there was a change in use of houses along the north end of The Street that reflects the construction of the new Primary School (1878) on land donated for that purpose by the Vallance family.

School postcard of 1912 In the map of 1872, the house now called Vicarage Farm appears to me to be the location of the school in question - now called "School (Boys and Girls)", followed by the lovely cottage next door with the "chapel-like" windows and then what is now known as "The Vicarage". You will notice from the detail of 1872, there was also a "Schoolhouse" marked further north, next to what is now called Berkeley House. However, given the order of the census, this is not the residence but may have been another school building.

We can speculate (I have no evidence) that the donation by Aymer Vallance of the land in 1878 may have reflected the dispersed sites and sought to bring everything into one site. Given that the site of the old "Schoolhouse" (1872) is now host to a modern house, it may be that the "Schoolhouse" was in a poor state?
[Note: Mrs Courtney responded - according to an 1853 Inspection Report there was only one school]

So, I believe that what we now know as Vicarage Farm, was the "School (Boys and Girls)" in 1861.

I have attached some details from our records that may be of interest and will help you make sense of my text.

I assume you have the entry for the 1861 Census, but just in case:

Name	Estimated Birth Year	Birthplace	Relationship	Age
Agnes Black	abt 1848	Linsted, Kent	Daughter	13 yrs old
Henry Lilly Back (could read "Solly" too - 1871 census gives "S"??)	abt 1859	Linsted, Kent	Son	2 yrs old
John Solly Back	abt 1857	Linsted, Kent	Son	4 yrs old
Martha Back	abt 1850	Linsted, Kent	Daughter	11 yrs old
Sarah Back	abt 1822	St Lawrence, Ramsgate	Wife	39 yrs old
Sarah Back	abt 1860	Linsted, Kent	Daughter	8 months
Stephen Back	abt 1813	Teynham	Head Schoolmaster	48 yrs old
William Alfred Back	abt 1843	Teynham, Kent	Son	18 yrs old, Gardener
Elizabeth Sherlock	abt 1785	Eastling, Kent	Lodger	Widow

1871 Census: The family appears to have decamped to No.1 Manor Place (off Ospringe Street), Faversham in the next census with Stephen Back (now 58) registered as - gardener "domestic service". Family members resident were: Sarah, Agnes, John S, Henry, Sarah and John S.

1881 Census: Sarah (57 - not unusual to see variations in reported ages) is now the head of household at 18A Park Road, Faversham and registered occupation as Laundress. Resident with her are Agnes "Greyath" (30), John (24 - gardener), Sarah S (20 - ironer), and James Back (17 - drapers apprentice). Further detectivework by Mrs Courtney discovered that Agnes's married name should have been registered as "Guyatt". The census of 1901 identifies Agnes as married to James Guyatt (Political Agent of Stoke next Guildford St Saviour, Guildford, Surrey, England - with three children. It does look like vagaries of spelling created the confusion? This goes to show how names and dates are fairly approximate.

1891 Census: Sarah (68) is now head of household in 27 Park Road. Now only with John S (36 - Railway Signalman), and Sarah (30 - Assistant Laundress). The Chatham to Faversham Railway line was opened on 25th January 1858, roughly the year after John was born in "Linsted".

I hope this is helpful - I found it an interesting family story!

Do you mind if I reproduce this snippet of research on our website as an example of how detective work can cast sidelights on our Parish history? If you have any of your family history on a website, I can then link through for those interested in following your story further?

Nigel Heriz-Smith
Lynsted with Kingsdown Society

Further research by Mrs Courtney has been supplied for connections made to date in the form of a family tree.

.... and some clarifications in a follow up e-mail of 16th June:

"Now some random notes -

I think Solly is Sally & Henry & John were stepsons of Stephen. No firm proof but a probability?

Agnes's name was not Gwyneth - I have a copy of her birth cert, but probably her married name - Guyatt, but have found no evidence to back this up. [Society research suggests that the 1881 Census was wrong (giving Greyath - our misreading of this as "Gwyneth", now corrected) and was correct by the time of the 1901 Census (giving Guyatt). There is plenty of ambiguity in family researches!]

The school was only on one site on 1853 inspection report so not dispersed on several sites then.

Harriott Back's grave (Stephen's sister in law) is in Lynsted churchyard first on the left as you go in the north gate. Thomas her husband was the builder.

As you can see - Stephen's eldest son became a Chief Inspector in the Metropolitan Police - not bad for a village lad. There seems to be a Southwark connection but I am a bit woolly on the exact truth.

Fragments brought to our attention - John Cummins, Family researcher

Ospringe Church Register: 1872, 23rd August - Burial in Ospringe of Henry Solly Back at the age of 14, having lived at Ospringe Street.
Lynsted Church Baptism Register: 1856, 12th November - Baptism in Lynsted of Henry Solly Back. "Born September 8th". Father, Stephen, mother, Sarah. Occupation School Master.
Lynsted Church Baptisms Register: 1858, 31st January - Baptism in Lynsted of Henry Solly Back. "Born November 30th, 1858." Father, Stephen, mother, Sarah. Occupaton School Master.

John has shared agricultural cherry-picking scenes of family members near to Sittingbourne - roughly 1880s:

CP1	"These are local to Sittingbourne. We believe that the lady in cps left of the tree holding the baby, and in cp1 the lady holding the baby in white is my Grand Aunt Beatrice Neaves born 1884. Her father George was baptised 1856 Doddington.
CPS

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