Jane Howe in London and Essex 1791 - 1889

Jane Howe was born in Clerkenwell, London about 1791.  Jane consistently stated this birthplace in two census records.  The previous discovery of a baptism on 11 December 1792 in Stretton under Fosse (Monks Kirby), Warwickshire, 1787-1794 seems unlikely, unless this was Jane's family place.

 

Jane's marriage to John Fitzpatrick is in the Shearman Fitzpatrick family tree, which noted that Jane Howe was a niece of General Gardiner.  General Sir Robert Gardiner (1781-1864) was the youngest son of Captain John Gardiner of the 3rd Buffs Regiment and brother of Lieutenant Sir John Gardiner of the 61st Foot Regiment.  Colonel William Gardiner was in the 88th Foot in 1782, before promotion to Lieutenant General.  It is not known which was Jane's uncle.  She was part of a military family.

John and Jane’s children were John, Thomas, Mary, Grace and Jane.  John E. Fitzpatrick was in the 14th Hussars, another military career.  He died in about 1874, according to the family tree.  Thomas died in the Crimea in 1855, on military service.  There is a record of Mary’s baptism on 16 March 1822 at St Martin in the Fields (FamilySearch) and Mary married Thomas Howe on 30 August 1841.  Grace's baptism in London in 1825 recorded her birth in France in 1823.  Grace married Henry Tewksbury Goodfellow in 1847; he died in 1882.  Their youngest daughter, Jane was recorded as deceased on the Shearman Fitzpatrick family tree [dated1878]. 

Jane (Howe) Fitzpatrick, London residence 1791-1871
England and Wales Census, Family Tree Maker map, dates added in PowerPoint

In the 1841 Census, Jane aged 50, of independent means, was living at 5B, Brunswick Place, Finsbury, Islington in London.  Her birthplace was in the same County [presumably Middlesex].  Grace aged 17 (born in France, about 1824) and Jane aged 8 (not born in Islington Parish, about 1833).  Mary was married on 30 August 1841.  The 1841 Census was on 6 June, so Jane was born between June 1790 and June 1791.

Extract from England and Wales Census 1841, Islington Parish
FindMyPast,

The 1851, 1861 and 1881 Census records her birthplace as Clerkenwell, Middlesex.

In the 1851 Census, Jane age 60, widow, birthplace Clerkenwell, was a visitor in Hardings Terrace, Newington, Surrey.  This is south of the Thames River, in the Ecclesiastic District of St Mary's, Borough of Lambeth in County Surrey.  The church is on Kennington Park Road, opposite Mansionhouse Street.  I could not find Harding Terrace in  Google maps, but in the Booth maps there is a faint name on the north side of Penton Place which could be Hardings Terrace.  Jane was in the household of Richard and Mary Woolcock. Richard was born in Finsbury, so perhaps Jane knew him from Brunswick Place.

In the 1861 Census, Jane, age 65, widow, birthplace Clerkenwell, Middlesex, was a pensioner and lodger in the household of Peter Jervis at 3 Bark Place, Paddington.  This is in the Ecclesiastic District of St Matthew, Borough of Marylebone. Her birth year was estimated to be 1796.

Jane Fitzpatrick could not be found in the 1871 Census index in Family Search.  I presumed she had died, but could not find any death record between 1861 and 1871.  Later, I found her in the FindMyPast index - at 48 Judd Street, St Pancras.  The Ecclesiastic Parish was St Pancras, but previously St Jude.

When I could not find Jane in 1871, I searched for her daughter Mary Howe in 1881; there was Jane, age 86, a widow and annuitant.  Her birthplace was still recorded as Clerkenwell, Middlesex and birth year estimate as 1795.  She was living at Brentwood Essex with her daughter and son-in-law, Mary J and Thos A Howe.  Mary and Thomas’ marriage was on 30 August 1841 at Saint Mary, Islington.  This was three years after Jane’s husband John died.  In 1871, Mary, age 60, born 1821 was a teacher of music.  Thomas, age 70, born 1811 at Cheshunt Hampshire, was a professor of languages.

Jane (Howe) Fitzpatrick, London and Essex residence 1791-1889
England and Wales Census, Family Tree Maker map, dates added in PowerPoint.

Finally, by the 1881 Census, Jane had moved to Back Street, 3 Stamford House, Brentwood, County of Essex.  This place was called a "hamlet", but is now a town and this address could not be found in 2024 Google Maps.

Searching now for Jane in the 1891 Census, there was her death age 95 in 1889.  Jane died at the home of her daughter Mary and son-in-law Thomas Howe in Billericay, Essex.  The Probate record stated her death on 5 March 1889 at Essex, with probate granted on 26 March to beneficiaries Mary Howe and Thomas Aspinall Howe.  If Jane was aged 50 in 1841 and 60 in 1851, her birthdate was between June 1790 and June 1791, rather than 1794-95.  In FamilySearch Genealogies there is an incorrect record for Jane Howe, 1793-1853, parents Susannah and George Howe, died Somerset.  This includes the Brentwood Essex residence.

Jane had lived more than fifty years after the death of her husband John.  Her annuity was probably a military widow’s pension.  She consistently stated her birthplace Clerkenwell in London – between Marylebone and Islington - and lived all this time just north of the Thames River and the City of London, east and south of Regent’s Park.