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Brentford Families - DEAR

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Bob DEAR provided details of an earlier generation of DEARs including his ancestor, John DEAR, a fisherman of Chiswick in the late 1700s.

David DAUBNEY added details of a branch of the DAUBNEY branch that settled in the USA in the early 1900s.

Peter SALISBURY provided information about Elias DEAR (1898 - 1972) who emigrated to Australia in 1914; Carol LAKE added details of his descendants in Australia.

Dave PADBURY added information about JOHN Dear who was born in 1836.

Celia COTTON (webmaster with no DEAR ancestry) noted The British Newspaper Archive website (Morning Post Tue 03 Sep 1839) contains a reference which may relate to Bob DEAR's family: 'John Dear, a fisherman, residing at Brentford, stated that he was bred and born a fisherman' .

A composite family tree shows all branches of the DEAR family.

Alan Dear's dad, grandad and great grandad

When dad married mum, Julia (nee FARNDON ) first home after war was 17 Brentwick Gdns then 3 Plum Garth. Dads home was always 22 Boston Manor Road mums home, Netly Rd. with sisters Ena, Kath, brothers Bert, Eddie, Dougie later to move to 35 Chestnut Ave and adddition of Michael & Maureen (8 kids)

The Inverness Lodge connection

Dad's pastime in my youth was secretary to British Legion Club in Boston Manor Rd (Inverness Lodge). After years of decline in members he pioneered the purchase of that club from the British Legion, with the help of finance from Fuller SMITH Turner & Watney Mann and run the club as trustees which is still known as Inverness Lodge. (Did you know that property has lots of history connected to royals and Lily Langtree? See details of Inverness Lodge provided by Alan and others.)

Cycles, cars and a charabanc

Thomas DEAR the cycle maker later ventured in autos, see b/w photo of him in a motorized carriage ,it may be an early Daimler or de Deion reg no P 1279 which is a Surrey registration.

We also have a photo of another venture he dabbled in, a 30 seater charabanc with him and his father standing by it outside the Duke of York on the Gt West Rd with a full load of people, all male, probably off to "Sowfend"" for the day.

Now this next bit has also been verified by my 2 cousins of Ivy, dads sister. Dad was born in 1929 and when he was a boy sunday afternoon was spent at Thomas's house behind the cycle shop for family tea.

His wife used to hold court always dressed in black like Queen Victoria , children never spoke unless spoken to. The men would gather in the yard at the side in their bowler hats, long coats, starched collars and smoke pipes or cigars, and talk mens stuff of that time.

The USA connection

One of Thomas's brothers, went to USA to seek his fortune this bit confirmed by Ivy] got in with the wrong crowd, started bootlegging booze !!! ,got chased to other states by [F B I ?] got caught, sent back here, and at some point, either before or on arrival home ordered a car called a Graham Paige [I'm a petrol head and these cars were the Rolls of America ] he had it shipped home to Brentford.

Dad said when it was driven along the High St people would think royalty had arrived, when it was parked in the yard, kids would peer thru the cracks in the wood at this local marvel. Dad said the mens bragging point would be " the first American car to be shipped to England " and homed in Brentford.

DEAR family (Alan Dear's family)

As an example of circumstantial evidence, the family includes a Hugh DEAR born in 1870. He is the only person of this name whose birth was registered in the 1869 - 1872 period. The only Hugh DEAR I could find in the 1901 census of the right age was a patient in an infirmary on the Isle of Wight, he was born in Brentford, so fits perfectly. The census shows he was married and an omnibus conductor. There is a marriage in Fulham of a Hugh DEAR in 1896 in Fulham - not far from Brentford. His wife was either Phoebe GULLIVER or Rose Mary GULLIVER (sisters?).

The 1901 census shows a Phoebe DEAR living in Fulham with a two year old son Hugh - Hugh senior's wife? Her marital status was originally written 'Widow' but this was crossed out and changed to 'M'arried - perhaps she was not sure if he would survive his hospitalisation.

Phoebe had a visitors, an Edith SMITH and three children; Edith is possibly a sister to Phoebe as they are both Wiltshire born. Perhaps Edith was there to support her sister?

The final piece in the puzzle is the death of a Hugh DEAR in Fulham in 1908 aged 30. So it looks as if he recovered sufficiently to return home from the Isle of Wight but died seven years later. TB?

Bob Dear's family

My earliest known DEAR ancestor was John DEAR, a Thames fisherman in Chiswick in the late 1700's. He married Ann WALTERS there in 1792 and moved to Brentford.

The records for his brother, Charles, spell the name as DEER, so there are possible connections within all the name variants (DEAR, DEARE, DEER, DEERE).

John and Ann's son, my 3g/grandfather Thomas DEAR, also a Thames fisherman, was born in 1809 at Old Brentford, Ealing, Middlesex and lived there until after the 1881 census. His wife was Rachel BRUCAS and, according to census information, she was also born in Ealing, Middlesex, in about 1812-13, although I cannot find a baptism for her in St Mary's Ealing records.

This baptism at St Mary's Ealing is unusual because after 1828, I believe baptisms of those born in Old Brentford were performed in St George Old Brentford, Parish of Ealing. The first date is the date of birth and the second is the date of baptism.

1830 21/8 3/10 Rachel d of Thomas & Rachel DEER, fisherman, Old Brentford The entries below were recorded from the registers of baptisms in St George Old Brentford, Parish of Ealing held at the GLRO (now the LMA), London.

1832 26/8 Eliza Susannah d of Thomas & Rachel DEAR, fisherman, Old Brentford

1834 12/6 22/8 Thomas s of Thomas & Rachel DEAR, fisherman, Old Brentford

1836 16/5 12/6 John s of Thomas & Rachel DEAR, fisherman, Old Brentford

I did obtain a copy of the baptism certificate for Thomas, born 1834. It shows no additional information except for the minister's name, F E Thompson. We now know that Thomas and Rachel had a large family. In the 1851 Census they resided in Bull Lane, Old Brentford and their entries are:

Thomas DEAR Head Married Male 40 Fisherman born Ealing, Middlesex
Rachel Wife .. Female 38 Charwoman .. .. ..
Rachel Daug Un F 20 Needlewoman .. .. ..
John Son Un M 14 Scholar .. .. ..
Eliza Daug Un F 12 Servant .. .. ..
Henry Son Un M 10 Scholar .. .. ..
Ann Daug Un F 3 .. .. ..
Rosa Daug Un F 4 months .. .. ..

My direct ancestor, Thomas, was not at home. He was aged about 17 at the time and probably living and working somewhere else. Eliza in the census, aged 12, is not the Eliza Susannah in the baptism records. Eliza Susannah would have been about 19 but I suspect she died in infancy. I have read that it wasn't unusual then to use the same name again in a family.

After the 1850's, when it becoming harder to make a living as a fisherman, Thomas DEAR b1834 moved to Paddington, where I've found him in 1854 and after that my Dear's moved to North Kensington, Marylebone and other parts of London and overseas. But Thomas b1809 and Rachel were still alive and living in Pottery Road, Brentford, as in this excerpt from the 1881 census:

Dwelling: Pottery RD. 11
Census Place: Ealing, Middlesex, England
Source: FHL Film 1341328 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 1349 Folio 6 Page 6

Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Thomas DEER M 75 M Brentford, Middlesex, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Was A Fishmonger (No Occ.)
Rachel DEER M 70 F Brentford, Middlesex, England
Rel: Wife

I have gathered my information from St Mary's Ealing parish records, St Nicholas Chiswick parish records and census records. From the latter I have learned that my DEAR ancestors lived in Brook Lane, Bull Lane, High Street, Front Street, Running Horses Yard, Half Acre, The Alms Houses as well as Pottery Road in Brentford.

Linking Alan's and Bob's DEAR families

There is a baptism of a John DEAR in 1836, younger brother to Thomas baptised 1834, at the same church: St George Old Brentford. Thomas DEAR senior is a fisherman in 1836, as in 1834.

It seems likely that this John DEAR bn 1836 is the person who heads Alan Dear's family tree: he named his eldest son Thomas and was born in the right place at around the right time - not conclusive evidence but it is suggestive that this is the correct baptism.

Going back a generation, Ealing St Mary covered Old Brentford residents at the time Rachel BRUCAS was born, so I would have expected her to be baptised there. The following baptism in 1814 appears to tie in with Bob's family:

Thomas BRUCASS Baptism 6 Aug 1814 (son of) Elias BRUCASS, Rachel BRUCASS St Mary, Ealing

I think it is very likely that Rachel was baptised at the same church in 1812: using your ancestry subscription you should be able to browse the parish record for this year (the baptismal entries pre 1813 are not indexed as yet). The father's forename could also explain the instances of Elias occuring as a DEAR family forename in the 19th century. Finally, Elias and Rachel BRUCASS witnessed Rachel junior's marriage in 1830.

Composite DEAR family tree

• Thomas DEAR: born around 1809, Ealing; a fisherman of Old Brentford; married Rachel BRUCASS at St Mary Hanwell in 1830 (the marriage was witnessed by Elias & Rachel BRUCASS); in the 1851 census the family was living at Bull Lane, Old Brentford; in 1881 the couple were living at Pottery Road (Bull Lane was renamed Pottery Road), Old Brentford; children included:
  • Rachel DEAR: born 21/8 baptised 3/10/1830 at St Mary Ealing; in 1851 a needlewoman living with her parents; in the months before the census she had a daughter whose birth was registered Rosetta Dear ARMITAGE, suggesting the father's surname was ARMITAGE; in 1865 Rachel DEAR married James ARMITAGE at St Mary Ealing; why did they not marry sooner? no doubt an interesting story to be uncovered
    • Rosetta DEAR: baptised at St George Old Brentford in 1850 and appears in the 1851 census as a daughter of Thomas and Rachel, but it seems more likely she was their granddaughter;
  • Eliza Susannah DEAR: baptised 26/8/1832 at St George, Old Brentford; presumably died in infancy as a later daughter was named Eliza
  • Thomas DEAR: born 12/6 baptised 22/8/1834 at St George, Old Brentford (2g grandfather to Bob DEAR); married Susan CLEMENTS 1861, Paddington; children include Rachel DEAR (1854) who married James CAPP in 1872, Paddington
  • John DEAR: born 16/5 and baptised 12/6/1836 at St George, Old Brentford; married Elizabeth Betsey JAMES 1860 St.Mary Ealing; Elizabeth was born in 1842 at Cranford Middx; she was the daughter of William Henry JAMES and Eliza BISSELL (g.g.grandparents to Dave Padbury); John was a labourer living in Eatons Buildings in 1861; Elizabeth appears to have died between 1891 and 1901 as he was living with his wife 'Jane', born Brentford in 1901; he was a punnet maker at 355 High Street in 1881 & 1891 and 354 High Street in 1901 (which could be the same property, renumbered); children included:
    • Thomas DEAR (c 1861/2 - ): married Ellen Joyce WARD in 1879; he was a punnet maker living on Pottery Road in 1891; a lamplighter & cycle maker in 1901; children, all born in Brentford, included
      • Elias W DEAR (1879/80): married Emily BOWLES at St George's church, Brentford on Christmas day, 1898, both were aged 19, Elias was of 46 Distillery Road; John DEAR and Alice DEAR were witnesses; in 1901 Elias was a labourer at the gas works, living at 18 Brook Road, Brentford; they had one son by 1901:
        • Elias Bowles DEAR (1898 - 1972): born Brentford; Peter Salisbury has provided more details below
        • Horace DEAR (b 1902)
        • Emily Ellen DEAR (b 1905)
        • Maud Florence DEAR (b 1909)
        • Thomas DEAR (b 1911)
      • Reginald DEAR (1880/1): in 1901 Reginald was living with his elder brother Elias and his family; Reginald was a lamp lighter; these trade directory entries may be relevant: Reginald DEAR, cycle dealer at no. 212 in 1928; Reginald Thomas DEAR, motor engineer at no. 143 in 1933; Reginald DEAR, cycle dealer at 143 in 1940; he married Annie MARTIN at St George's church, Brentford in 1901 (Reginald DEAR was a lamplighter of 344 High Street at the time); their son Reginald Thomas DEAR was born in Brentford, 1905 and baptised at St George's church
      • Nelly DEAR (1882): birth registered as Ellen
      • Sarah DEAR (c 1885/6)
      • Mabel DEAR (1889)
      • Kathleen DEAR (c 1890/1)
      • Horace DEAR (1893 ): of 22 Boston Manor Road; 'cycle manufacturer' recorded in a 1913 trade directory at no. 272 High Street; married Elizabeth M HARMAN in Brentford in 1914; children included:
        • Edna A DEAR (1915 ): married Frank SNELLING; Alan adds they were "both living at 22 Boston Manor Rd from late 50s to their deaths. I don't know his d o b or if he was Brentford born. He did play football for Brentford F C for a short time,and then he was a builder for a co called Frank TUCK,who were based Brentford / Northfield border."
        • Cyril Horace DEAR (1925 ): married Julia FARNDON; father to Alan DEAR (1946)
      • Peter Nichols DEAR (1895)
      • Harry DEAR (c 1897): possible marriage at Brentford to Rose E Cripps in 1917; cycle dealer at no. 312 in 1928 & 1933; children included:
        • William H DEAR (1917 - )
    • Ann DEAR (1866/7): scholar in 1881
    • Elizabeth DEAR (9 Jan 1869): punnet maker in 1891; married Henry Thomas DAUBNEY at St Paul, Brentford in 1891 (younger brother Hugh DEAR was a witness); see DAUBNEY branch for details
    • Hugh DEAR (1870 - 1908): punnet maker in 1891; married Phoebe DEAR from Wiltshire in 1896, Fulham; omnibus conductor but a patient in the Isle of Wight Infirmary at Ryde in 1901; there is a death registration in Fulham of Hugh DEAR in 1908 aged 38; children included:
      • Hugh DEAR (1898/9): born in Hammersmith
    • Betsey DEAR (1872/3): punnet maker in 1891; married Jack HEATH; see DAUBNEY branch for details
    • John Elias DEAR (1875/6): punnet maker in 1891; married Alice STILL in 1895 (Christ Church, Turnham Green)
    • Sarah Maria DEAR (1877/8): punnet maker in 1891; married John Henry BATES in Brentford in 1895; he was a butcher and they were living at 39 Windmill Road, Brentford in 1901; (David Daubney provided updates to the BATES family,January 2014):
      • Sarah BATES (1896/7); died unmarried in 1938
      • Violet BATES (1900); married John FROST in Brentford 1918
      • Henry BATES (1902), born Brentford
      • Nellie BATES (1909), born Brentford, married Robert DILLON in Brentford 1943
    • Albert DEAR (1880 ): married Annie; lamplighter sharing 354 High Street with his parents in 1901; children included:
      • Albert DEAR (1900)
  • Eliza DEAR: born 1838 Brentford; baptised at St George's Old Brentford
  • Henry William DEAR: born 1840/1 Brentford; baptised at St George's Old Brentford
  • Ann DEAR: born 1848 Brentford; baptised at St George's Old Brentford 1849

DAUBNEY branch

Elizabeth DEAR daughter of John DEAR married Henry Thomas DAUBNEY. They had 4 sons. Henry, Claude, James, Leslie.

Henry Thomas DAUBNEY got a job taking care of horses for Alfred Gwynne VANDERBILT in Newport Rhode Island USA. This was the Vanderbilt that went down on the Lusitania. The ultra rich of the time participated in a sport called Coaching in which they would drive a 2 or 3 day predetermined course stopping at Inns along they way. Many times, these rich men would dress as coach men and drive the coach themselves. There has always been a rather vague family story as to how Henry Daubney met Alfred Vanderbilt, but now that I have learned of this sport of Coaching, it would appear most likely that they met during one of these Coaching excursions. It fits the family story that they met out on a roadway while driving coaches.

Henry, Elizabeth, and all 4 sons came to the US at different times between 1910 and 1920 and settled in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Henry Thomas DAUBNEY was my great grandfather and needless to say, with 4 sons to continue the name I there are more relatives than I care to imagine.

Should anyone doubt the story of Henry Thomas DAUBNEY working for Alfred Vanderbilt I would suggest they check the Ellis Island website.

If you search for Henry DAUBNEY you find two entries for my greatgrandfather and the ships manifest states his ticket was paid for by "Mr Vanderbilt". My great grandparents Henry and Elizabeth came through Ellis Island, as did my grandparents Henry and Ethel Culley DAUBNEY (of Malvern Rd. Kilburn), and my grandfather's three brothers Claude James, and Leslie. My father Henry also came through Ellis Island as a child.

I have more info on a daughter of John DEAR: Betsy DEAR married a man named Jack HEATH. They had eight children; Jack, Ivy, Thomas, Beatrice, Una, Percy, Lillian, Cyril, and Annie.

Annie HEATH emigrated to the US and lived with her aunt Elizabeth Dear DAUBNEY in Rhode Island. After a period of time she married Claude DAUBNEY, one of the sons of Elizabeth Dear DAUBNEY and Henry Thomas DAUBNEY. This was a marriage of first cousins. Claude DAUBNEY was for many years a butler for rich families in Rhode Island. Around 1940 he was a butler for another VANDERBILT who was the Governor of the State of Rhode Island. This VANDERBILT, after an election defeat, was activated as an officer in the US Navy during WW2 and Claude found himself unemployed.

Elias DEAR branch

Elias DEAR seemed to be a Territorial of some sort and at the outbreak of The Great War he joined the 8th Middlesex Regiment. Unfortunately Elias W Dear was killed in action on the 23rd April 1915 at a place called Zonnebeke in Belgium. He has no known grave but his name is listed with thousands of others on the Menin Gate. See a photo showing the inscription. His name is also listed on the Brentford War Memorial and the Brentford Gas & Coke Company Memorials which are both sited next to the Inverness Lodge.

I believe that Elias and Emily had the following children:( All data sourced via the Free BMD Index or baptism records)

• Elias Bowles DEAR (b 4th March 1898; d 1972); married Vera Loveday WARREN (1900-1977) in 1920; Carol LAKE added details of their descendants below and also mentioned that Mundia ancestory site has a large, Dear Family tree on it ,going back as far as Thomas Dear 1811; see more details of Elias's emigration and service record
  • Audry Joyce DEAR (4-1-1923 to 19-2-2000); married Gordon James LAKE, a fisherman from Crib Point, Victoria Australia, on 17-5-1947;one child:
    • Stephen Laurence LAKE (b 28-8-1951) M on 21-9-1981 Carol Anne THOMPSON (b 20-12-1961); two children:
      • James Wesley LAKE 21-2-1982 M on 7-7-2012 Nicole Lynn LOTT 14-5-19
      • Sandra Louise LAKE 31-3-1984 M on 12-11-2011 Adam Bruce COLLINSON 14-4-19
• Horace DEAR (b 1902)
• Emily Ellen DEAR (b 1905)
• Maud Florence DEAR (b 1909)
• Thomas DEAR (b 1911)

Elias Bowles DEAR (1898 - 1972): born Brentford. D Victoria, Australia:

16 Year old Elias Bowles DEAR (see above for how he fits into the DEAR family tree) seems to have emigrated to Australia on the SS Norseman, which left London for Melbourne in January 1914. Aged about 18 in July 1916 Elias joined the army, (the Australian army that is!!!) and sailed for England in October 1916. Elias was badly wounded during the course of his service in France and Flanders and was eventually returned to Australia where he was to remain for the rest of his life. Elias married a Vera Loveday WARREN in 1920.

You can view a copy of Elias Bowles Service record for free at this link: National Archives of Australia: search for Family Name 'Dear' and choose Category of Records 'World War 1'.

Part of the summary is pasted below.

• Regimental number 6734
• Religion Church of England
• Occupation Farmer
• Address St Albans, Victoria
• Marital status Single
• Age at embarkation 18
• Next of kin Grandparent, Mr T DEAR, 312 High Street, Brentford, Middlesex, England
• Enlistment date 1 July 1916
• Rank on enlistment Private
• Unit name 5th Battalion, 22nd Reinforcement
• AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/22/3
• Embarkation details Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 25 October 1916
• Rank from Nominal Roll Private
• Unit from Nominal Roll 5th Battalion
• Fate Returned to Australia 24 January 1918

And the units Nominal Roll here: Australian War Memorial : choose the 'People' tab.

Published December 2008, last updated March 2015