lighterman-charles reed

[deanC]

Good afternoon all,

my great grandfather Charles A (alexander or augustus ) Reed worked on the thames as a lighterman .
he had a son december 1910 born in deptford/woolwich area of london (robert ,i have some details but no address)
charles was married to Lilly (lillian) .
i believe 'lighterman' were licenced ,how do ifind this ?
i can not find the birth details for charles ,or marriage date to lilly ,can anyone help ?

thanks

dean

[Jan1954]

i believe 'lighterman' were licenced ,how do ifind this ?Hello Dean,

You may find this (http://www.parishchest.com/shop/index.php?cmd=viewproduct&cat=&id=P86086&pageOffset=0) to be of help. :)

[Mutley]

There is information regarding searching your watermen here http://www.watermenshall.org/history-main/

[Mutley]

Hello Dean, you really need to get the birth certificate for Robert, there is a Robert E Reed registered in Woolwich in March 1911. 1d/1155


Have you looked on the 1911 census?
There is a Robert Edwin Reed age 3 months and living in Woolwich. If you add Charles to the search for another person in the household he still pops up so he may well be your lad. It will cost you 30 credits to look at the original. That will also tell you how long Charles has been married for.

There is also a Lily Reed born 1882 possibly in the same household.

[Mutley]

The 1891 census has a James H Reed, he is a widower. He is also a waterman and lighterman born about 1849 in Greenwich.

Children,
Charlotte 1879, Deptford
Charles H 1881 do
Herbert W 1884 do
Alice E 1886 do
RG12; Piece: 497; Folio 115; Page 7

The trade is frequently followed down the family, the lads being apprenticed to father or uncle. The only thing that does not tie in is the middle name of Charles.

[Mutley]

In 1901 it looks like James has remarried to a Mary. He is now a Boatman for the Harbour Service.
Alice is still at home at 15 years and they have added Winnifred age 7 and Stanley age 5 to the family.
RG13/525; Folio: 9; Page: 9.

Charles might have moved out, I am struggling to find him but it is possible that he was working on the river that night and did not make the census.

[Mutley]

There is a marriage registration with a Charles Henry Reed and a Lily Green on the same page in Sept 1906 at Greenwich. 1d/2095