Page 59 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

In the 1881 Census, Emily was recorded visiting a property in Anerley
Park, Penge, Surrey. Her husband, John was recorded living at 7 Balcombe
Lane, Balcombe, with Harry Blaker, his 7 year-old son. John was working
as an ‘Agricultural Labourer’ at that time. If this record were correct, then
Harry (possibly ‘Henry’) would have been born in 1873/4, some 2 to 3
years before John and Emily were married. Was Harry John’s son, or was
he a close relative incorrectly recorded as John’s son?

In 1883, John and Emily were living at 2 Beardman Street, Norwood.

By 1891, John and Emily were living at 64 Wellfield Road, Streatham, with
seven children, including nineteen year-old Henry, who was employed as
a ‘Gardener’. His father, John, was then working as a ‘Bricklayer’s
Labourer’.

Their children’s school records show that between 1893 and 1900, John
and Emily moved at least five times, living in:
• 38 Revisom Street, Streatham
• 30 Leverson Street, Streatham
• 21 Bensons Lane, Gypsy Hill, Norwood
• 110 Romany Road, West Norwood
• 11 Faiview Terrace, Auckland Hill, Norwood
• 71 Forsbrook Road

In the 1901 Census, John and Emily were living at 63 Eardley Road,
Streatham, together with their four youngest children. John was then
working as a ‘General Labourer’, whilst Emily was working as a
‘Charwoman’.

Between 1901 and 1908, John and Emily moved home at least twice,
living at:
• 120 Leverson Street, Streatham
• 40 Leverson Street, Streatham

120 Leverson Street, Streatham: Contemporary View

By the time of the 1911 Census, John and Emily were living at 9 Wellfield
Road, Streatham, together with their three youngest children. John was
then working as a 63 year-old ‘Night Watchman’ on a building site.

My father, ‘Joe’ Blaker (1916-2007) recalls his grandfather, John, as a
fairly short man who typically wore a grey trilby hat.

John and Emily were still living at the same street in Streatham in 1918,
but by 1921, had moved to Sunnyhill Road, Streatham. The last definitive
record of John is from 1923, when he and Emily were living at 17
Sunnyhill Road, Streatham. Thereafter, despite extensive searches, no
records have been found for John. Whilst it is not known when or where