MITCHENALL FAMILY HISTORY

James was born in 1828 according to his baptism records - on the 29th June 1828. By the age of 22 he had moved to Streatham, living as a lodger at 11 Mill Lane. He is working as a journeyman Carpenter.

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He married, at the age of 30, to Catherine Harris - unusally for the family, at St Andrew's Chucrh in Islington, but his son William James, born barely 18 months later on 25 March 1860, was born in Brixton. The 1861 Census records the family were living  at 2 Raglan Lane in a household with one William Sales and his family, also from Edenbridge. William is incorrectly recorded as 14 - this must be 14 months?

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In 1862 what seem to have been twin daughters were born, Laura Elizabeth and Mary Ann. The 1871 census records a new address, 32 Victoria Street, Brixton, and William is not at home ( he was living with his Aunt Ann in Gipsy Road). He is still working as a carpenter, and maintains a sperate household in the home of one John Smith, and upholsterer.

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The electoral registers from 1879 record his address as 21 Brandon Road, Cornwall Road, Brixton. HIs wife Catherine died in 1880, and he followed her in 1881. 

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He married comparatively late, and his son living away from home at a young age may have been due to the health of Mary Ann. The 1891 Census, recording her as a patient at the Caterham Metropolitan District Asylum and noting that she was an "imbecile from childhood". Bringing her up would not have been easy for James and Catherine.

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James and Catherine have no surviving relatives today. Laura died in 1889 shortly after the death of her daughter Laura. Mary Ann died in an Asylum in 1894. William reached the age of 63, but no record of family has been found to date. 

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