Page 1 - The Pettards of Bermondsey -- Early Days

Chapter 1         Early Days.

This story begins around 1840 with the marriage of Thomas Pettard and Annie Mackglew, the reason for this arbitrary start date being the extent so far researched into the family from Bermondsey, research first undertaken by Reginald Pettard now sadly deceased.

A lasting family presence was maintained in the general area of Bermondsey and Southwark up until the 1950’s, when the decentralization of the cities population and light industry begins to erode the local communities.  The family from its fundamental roots on the banks of the Thames drafts and merges into the outer areas of the newly defined borders of Surrey, Kent and Middlesex.

The reasons, no doubt that establish the family so firmly in this area of London is the river Thames, where its industries and warehouses grew to cater for an expanding population, set amidst the desires for trade of the British Empire and its people.

It’s no surprise that the first three generations of the family so far researched are connected to the river and its flow of trade.  Thomas Pettard is our start point for this short history, born in 1806 he set up home around 1840 with Annie Mackglew, fathering three children Jane Sarah 1842, Emma Elizabeth 1843 and Joseph Henry Pettard 1845.  Joseph will become one of, if not the most significant member of a family, from him the seeds were firmly cast so establishing the family for next 150 years and more.

But back to Thomas the first on our scene that we know about for sure, he was a Seal Skinner and no doubt worked the waterside factories that were fed animal carcasses from the Seal Trading ships.  These would have produced the hides to furnish the leather trade, and maybe a link to further afield family members, for both the family name spelled as we know it, plus an established leather goods industry were both encamped in the West Country county of Somerset.

This connection with the river runs through the early generations of the family, and here I am reminded of what Margaret Tomlin once told me, ‘my aunts on my mums side of the family worked the Skinning factory, although it was much reduced by their time’, I take this to be around 1930/40’s.

Thomas died in 1846 a year after the birth of his only son Joseph Henry, a year later in Lambeth his wife Emma Pettard is recorded remarrying a Robert Johnson a Lighterman; subsequently both daughters Jane and Emma are married in Lambeth 1862 and 1865 respectively.  Here I recall, before moving on, a posting on ancestry.co.uk under Public Members Tree.  A member surnamed Jennings list a Sarah Jane born 1841 spouse Martin Clements, father William and mother unknown.  This is far too close not to be our Jane Sarah Pettard, as she appears listed in the birth register daughter of William and Annie.  Further listings show marriage dates for both Sarah and Martin of 1862 with birth of offspring registered Bermondsey.  Also of interest is the fact that Martin Clements is also Lighterman being in the same trade as Sarah’s brother Joseph Henry.  It’s not hard to imagine Sarah and her brother being on close terms, both are living in Bermondsey with young families to care-for as well as relying on the river for their livelihood, but more of the river and its Lighterman later. 

				Early Days	1806 - 1866
	1846
Joseph	1806
Pettard
	Thomas	Pettard
							1908
			1841	Married	1841	1843	1845
			Emma	Macklew
					Jane	Emma	Joseph
					Sarah	Elizabeth	Henry
					Pettard	(or Eliza)	Pettard
						Pettard
					1865	Married
					G.	Richardson
			1862	Married			1866	Married
			Martin	Clements			Annie	Holland
Notes:
Joseph Pettard - To date only known reference is witness to son Thomas Pettard marriage to Emma Mackglew 1841.
Thomas Pettard (1806 to 1846) - A Seal Skinner by trade.
Emma Mackglew - Remarried Lambeth 1847 to Robert Johnson a Lighterman.
Jane Sarah Pettard - Married Lembeth 1862 to Martine Clements also a Lighterman.
Joseph Henry Pettard (1845 to 1908) - A Lighterman by trade in the light of his step-father Robert Johnson.
Annie Holland (1847 to 1928) -  Married Joseph Henry Pettard both of Bermondsey 1866.

                                          Map of Southwark 1846.