Divorce of Elizabeth Fanny and Herbert George Norris Confirmed in High Court Documents!

I now have in my possession copies of documents pertaining to the divorce of my maternal Great Grandparents, Herbert George Norris and Elizabeth Fanny Norris (nee Darby).

It is now clear that in 1924 Elizabeth Fanny Darby made application in the High Court of Justice to be admitted as a Poor Person under the 20 & 22 Rules of the Supreme Court for the purpose of prosecuting a suit of divorce. This application was successful and on 29th of January, 1925 made oath "In the Matter of the Petition of Elizabeth Fanny Norris the lawful wife of Herbert George Norris for the Dissolution of Marriage". Here, Elizabeth is stated to reside at "10, Richmond Terrace, Clapham in the County of London" and oath is made as to the veracity of statements that she had made in support of her petition. Elizabeth also makes oath to the effect "That there is not any collusion or connivance between me and my husband Herbert George Norris in any way whatever".

On the 4th of February  the following petition for dissolution was filed: "To the Right Honourable the President" "IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE PROBATE DIVORCE & ADMIRALTY DIVISION (DIVORCE)": 

"The Humble Petition of Elizabeth Fanny Norris suing as a Poor Person the lawful wife of Herbert George Norris SHEWETH: -

1. That on the 21st day of October 1894 at the Parish Church of St. James the Great in the County of Middlesex your Petitioner was lawfully married to Herbert George Norris.

2. That after the said marriage your Petitioner lived and cohabited with the said Herbert George Norris at 19, Cooks Road, Walworth in the County of London and at divers other places and there are now living issue of the said marriage eight children viz:- George Herbert born 11th April, 1896, William born 20th June 1899, Florence Elizabeth born 20th August, 1901 Herbert Albert born 22nd March, 1903, Cecil Charles born 7th June, 1906, Gladys Marie Maud born 28th March 1908, Oliver Leonard, born 3rd July, 1910, Doris Ivy born 30th June, 1912.

3. That your Petitioner is now living at 10, Richmond Terrace, Clapham in the County of London and the said Herbert George Norris is a decorator and is now living at 19, Cooks Road, Walforth, aforesaid and they are both domiciled in England.

4. That no previous proceedings with reference to the said marriage have been taken in the Divorce Division of this Honourable Court by or on behalf of any of the parties thereto.

5. That the said Herbert George Norris has frequently committed adultery with Sarah Rogers of 78 St Paul's Road.

6. That on divers occasions between the 12th day of August 1923 and in or about the middle of March, 1924 at 19, Cooks Road, Walworth aforesaid the said Herbert George Norris committed adultery with Sarah Rogers.

Your Petitioner therefore prays:-

1. That the said marriage of your Petitioner with the said Herbert George Norris may be dissolved.

2. That the Petitioner may have the custody of Oliver Leonard, Cecil Charles, Doris Ivy, Gladys Marie Maud children of the said marriage.

3. That your Petitioner may have such further and other relief as may be just".

According to the Court Minutes the petition was filed on 4th February 1925 and the Cause Set Down on 30th April 1926. The Petition was not contested and the Minutes go on to record that the Decree Nisi was issued on 30th July 1926 and the Decree Absolute on 14th March 1927; the whole process taking over two years.

Looking through the documents, I notice that:

1. the identification of the named woman, Sarah Rogers (who Herbert George Norris later married) was made by my Great Grandparent's son Herbert Albert Norris.

2. an order was made in the High Court of Justice - dated 1st of April 1925 - "that the respondent do pay to the Petitioner Alimony pendente lite at the rate of 15/- a week to include the maintenance of the child Ivy Doris". The Order went on "Arrears as from the 26th February 1925 to be paid off at the rate of 5/- per week. Payments to be made weekly. This Order to be without prejudice to any final Order".

3. an order was made in the High Court of Justice - dated 30th April 1925 that "the Respondent do, within seven days from the service of this Order lodge in Court the sum of £5 estimated ... to cover the Costs and Expenses of the Petitioner of and incidental to the Hearing of the Cause as a Poor Person".

4. on the 30th July 1926, the Judge - the Honourable Sir Rigby Swift -  "sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, in the county of Middlesex", "having taken the oral evidence of the Petitioner and of the Witness produced on her behalf in support of the Petition filed in this Cause, and having heard Counsel thereon, the Respondent not defending the Suit at the hearing pronounced that the Petitioner had sufficiently proved the contents of the said Petition, and decreed that the Marriage ... be dissolved by reason that since the celebration thereof the said Respondent has been guilty of adultery ... unless sufficient cause be shown to the court why this Decree should not be made absolute within Six Months from the making thereof, and condemned the said Respondent in the costs incurred and to be incurred on behalf of the said Petitioner in this cause". On the same occasion it was ordered that "Doris Norris youngest issue of the marriage between the Petitioner and the Respondent, do remain in the custody of the Petitioner until further order of the Court".

5. Dated 30th March 1927, the following Order was made in the High Court of Justice "that Herbert George Norris the Respondent do, out of his present income, and until further order of this Court, pay or cause to be paid to Elizabeth Fanny Norris the Petitioner during their joint lives Maintenance at and after the rate of £1.5.0 for herself and 5/- for the youngest child of the marriage, both sums per week, to commence from the date of the final decree in this Cause, to wit, 14 March 1927 and to be payable weekly".

The Trial of Jacob Norris

Jacob Norris was my great, great grandfather. In July 1879 he was in court accused of a violent assault on a woman at Frome ...

What follows is from the Western Daily Press, 26th July 1879; the comments in brackets are my own ...

"At the Frome petty session, on Thursday, Jacob Norris carter, aged 28, was brought up on remand charged with violently assaulting Mrs Targett, on Monday evening, at Marston Back Lane. The case was adjourned on Tuesday, the prosecutrix (victim / complainant - Ed.) being unable to attend in consequence of the severe injuries she had received. Mr W Dunn prosecuted, and Mr MCarthy defended the prisoner. The prosecutrix (i.e. the victim, Mrs Targett - Ed.) said she was 62 years of age and lodged with Mrs Hughes, occupying the first floor. (The) Prisoner (was) married (to) Mrs Hughes daughter (Elisabeth Hughes - Ed.). On Monday evening she was sitting in her room and heard the front door being broken open. Mrs Hughes and her granddaughter came running towards her. Just before she saw the prisoner cross the barton (yard - Ed.). As he came up the stairs he made use of bad language, and said that he would murder her, although she had never given him a misword. They tried to keep him out by putting some boxes against the door, but he got his knee between the door and the post, and hammered her fingers with his fist, and ground her right arm up and down the edge of the door, inflicting some severe scars. She then cried "Murder", and he knocked her in the mouth with his fist. When he got into the room he flung the boxes and furniture about, kicked her in the leg so violently that she had not been able since to put her boot on, and used violent language towards her. She then jumped out of the bedroom window which was eleven feet from the ground. Dr Sproule had attended her, and she had been unable to sit up until that day. In cross examination she denied that her arm was injured through striking at (the) prisoner round the door, and her leg scratched as she descended from the bedroom window. She did not know whether the prisoner's wife was in the house or not. (A strange thing not to know! - Ed). Mrs Hughes and Dennis Drew, neighbours, gave corroborative evidence. Dr Sproule who attended complainent, said her injuries were not very great. For the defence Mr E.J. Russell, builder, for whom the prisoner worked, and William Hillman were called. The former stated that he and (the) prisoner were going to Nunney with a load of timber. When they got to Marston Lane (the) prisoner's wife (Elisabeth Norris nee Hughes - Ed) brought out her two children and their clothes, and put them up into the waggon. He told (the) prisoner he had better go and see his wife, and induce her to take the children. As he was trying to get into the room he saw a woman put her hand round the edge  of the door and try to strike him. He was sure (the) prisoner did not strike anyone. One of the women in the room said (the) prisoner's wife was there. The bench said that they had come to the conclusion that (the) prisoner had used undue violence, and there was no doubt but that his treatment had induced (the) prosecutrix (the victim / complainant, Mrs Targett - Ed) to jump out of the window. The should commit him to prison for two months with hard labour, and at the expiration of that term require him to find sureties for his good behaviour for three months; in default to be further imprisoned for that period".

Perhaps this is the reason (or part of the reason) why the Norris family moved from Somerset to London. In the 1881 census (less than 2 years after these events) Jacob Norris is found living with his family in Lambeth - and these include two children, one in 1880 and one in 1881, who have been both born in Notting Hill! Perhaps Jacob went to prison in London and remained there after his release? Or perhaps the family wanted a fresh start somewhere new? As always, any help or thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Norris Cousins Meet For The First Time!

My maternal grandfather, William Norris, had many brothers and sisters. Most of them, however, do not seem to have kept in touch with each other. My mother, Dorothy, often wondered about the many aunts and uncles that she had occasionally met in her childhood or whom she had only heard of by name. It was, therefore, a great thrill to be able to tell her that I had recently discovered that she had a cousin whom she had never met and whom we would be seeing for the first time the following day!

Shirley Norris is the daughter of Herbert Albert Norris, who was the brother of my mother's father, William. Strangely, Shirley's family only knew their father as Herbert, whilst my mother's family only knew him as Albert; but that they were indeed one and the same person was soon evident from the memories that Shirley and mum were able to share and the respective records that I was able to examine.

Shirley (left) with my mum 

Shirley gave us a very warm welcome to her home and it was a joy to see her and mum exchanging memories and also providing each other with information about different members of the family, some of whom had only been known to one or the other of them. Their meeting reminds us, perhaps, that genealogical research is not just about distant ancestors who have died, it is about living relatives as well ...

Norris Family Photo

Norris Family Photo c 1940 

In this photo are William, Dorothy and Marjorie Norris, with their father William Norris and mother Lucy (nee Bristow)

Dorothy Norris is my mother, Marjorie my late aunt and William my Uncle Billy.

Norris Family

My grandfather was William Herbert Norris. I knew from my mother that he was born around 1900 and that he came from Southwark, London. She had also mentioned the names of some of his siblings so It should have been easy to have located him in the 1911 census. Strangely, however, he and his family remained elusive .... until I attempted alternative spellings of the name"Norris" ...

William Norris

(my grandfather)

In the 1911 census the family is found with the surname "Norriss" and my grandfather appears as "William" rather than "William Herbert". Here I discover that my grandfather is living at 71 Cook Road, St Mary Newington. He is 11 years old. 

Herbert George Norris

(my great grandfather)

William's father is given as Herbert George Norriss a house decorator from Frome, Somerset (aged 38 years). Herbert's wife is Elizabeth Norriss, from Ipswich (aged 32). In addition to my grandfather, the children living there are:

Lily Norriss - aged 16, a "General Servant" (born 1895, Lambeth, London)
George Norriss - aged 14, "Office Boy" (born 1897, Bermondsey, London)
Albert Norris - aged 8, (born 1903, Lambeth, London)
Cecil Norris - aged 5, (born 1906, Handsworth)
Gladdis Norris - aged 4 (born 1907, Tooteing (sic) Surrey)
Leonard Norriss - aged 9 months, (Tooteing (sic) Surrey)

From the variety of places where the children were born, it would seem likely that the family moved around a bit. Not surprising then to find the family (with their surname now spelt correctly) at a different address in the 1901 census. Now the family are living at 32 Marshall Street, Southwark (in the ecclesiastical parish of St Jude / civil parish of St George the Martyr). From the 1901 Census we find that the full name of George Norris is "George Albert John Norris" that "Lily Norris" is "Eliza Lillian Norris" and that my grandfather's place of birth was "Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey". This time, my great grandfather, Herbert George Norris is described as a "Journeyman Handy Man"

Going back still further, to the 1891 Census, Herbert Norris (my great grandfather) is living at yet another address, namely 54, Bonnington Square, Lambeth. Here Herbert is 19 years old with his occupation listed as "Machine Painter" and his place of birth as "Charlton" in Somerset (Charlton being near Frome, between Frome and Radstock). Also in the house are  ...

Jacob Norris

(my great, great grandfather)

1) Herbert's father, Jacob Norris (my great, great grandfather). 
We are told his occupation, "Mantelman Groom"; his age, 43 years; and his estimated date of birth, 1848.

2) Jacob's wife, Eliza Norris.
Her estimated date of birth is given as 1849 and her age 42 years; place of birth is "Charlton", Somerset.

Besides Herbert, there are several other children living in the house ...

Frederick Norris - aged 17, a "General Labourer" (born 1874, Charlton, Somerset)
Albert Norris - aged 16, a "Carmans Assistant" (born 1875, Charlton, Somerset)
Edith Norris - aged 11, (born 1880, Notting Hill)
Arthur Norris - aged 8, (born 1883, Notting Hill)
Harry Norris - aged 6, (born 1885, Notting Hill)

These are all given as the children of Jacob Norris.

Staying with my great great grandfather, in the 1881 census, we find that Jacob Norris is living as a lodger at 2, Lawn Lane, Lambeth. His occupation is given as "Labourer".  Going back still further, to 1871, Jacob is shown living alone at the Toll Gate, Buckland Dinham, Frome. His age is 23 and he is living alone.

Which brings us to 1861 when Jacob is 13 years old ...

John Norris

(my great, great, great grandfather)

The 1861 census tells us that Jacob's father (and my great, great, great grandfather) was John Norris, then a 42 year old "Agricultural Labourer". His place of birth is given as Road, Somerset and his estimated year of birth as 1819. In 1861 he is living at Port, Laverton, near Frome. Also in the house are his wife Ann (b.1820, Broughton, Wiltshire), Jacob and Jacob's brother James who is aged 17. (The occupation of both Jacob and James is given as that of "Agricultural Labourer")

The 1851 Census reveals more about the family. John Norris is living at Road Bridge, Frome. Jacob Norris is there, aged 2, and so is James aged 7. In addition there are other siblings: Sarah aged 11, George aged 9 and Mary aged 4. With the exception of George all were born at Road. George Norris, is said to have been born at "North Bradley, Southwick". 

At this point, perhaps I should sound a warning - what follows is a little speculative ... it is me trying to make senses of the documents that I currently have ... but ...

Comparing the 1861 and 1851 census suggests that sometime between these dates there may have been a crisis in the Norris household. The 1851 Census gives John's wife as "Mary Norris" (b. 1815 Wingfield). This is different to 1861 where it has "Ann Norris" (b. 1820, Broughton). The most likely explanation is that between 1851 and 1861 John's wife Mary died and that he afterward remarried. Looking at the death records, I find that in Frome in 1852 two people named Mary Ann Norris died. One in the 2nd quarter of that year and the other in the third. Their respective ages are not given but it is possible that one refers to John's wife and the other perhaps to their child Mary. (Interestingly the 1841 census has John living with "Mary Ann Norris". The nature of the relationship is not stated but at the moment I assume they are married (not brother-sister) and that she is the same person as the Mary Norris of 1851). That this might indeed be what happened  is suggested by the fact that I can find no trace of John's daughter Mary after the 1851 Census and also by the fact that in the fourth quarter of 1852 records indicate that a "John Norris" may have married "Ann Burge" in Frome, Somerset. All this needs further looking at and it may be that I have got it completely wrong. However, It is very easy to imagine a scenario where, with at least four children to support, John could not long manage without a wife and that he therefore remarried soon after their mother died!

PS ... since this post I have made contact with a living relative. Irene Norris is a descendant of John Norris' brother Thomas. She has kindly offered to look into her own records concerning the conundrum detailed above, but in the meantime I have been provided with the following information ...

James Norris

(my great, great, great, great grandfather)

The father of John Norris was James Norris, who was married to Ann (maiden name unknown). Apparently they had eight children,all registered at Rode in Somerset. The children were:

Elizabeth - born 1810

James - born 1813

Ann - born 1815

Thomas - born 1817 (my correspondent's great, great grandfather)

John - born 1819 (my great, great, great grandfather)

William - born 1821

Caroline - born 1824

Ann - born 1825

Irene tells me that Thomas Norris married Maria Coleman from North Bradley and that they had six children. She tells me that they went to Van Dieman's Land in July 1825. They sailed on the Northumberland in 1854 and went to Tasmania at the request of Maria's convict father, James Coleman. Irene also tells me that Thomas' brother James also went to Australia, going out to New South Wales and residing in Albury.

Click here to read about James Coleman and the Norris family in Australia

The picture below is that of the Northumberland encountering an iceberg on an earlier voyage, from Australia to London (from the Illustrated London News)

Frederick & Elizabeth Bristow

Frederick Bristow was born in 1859, Elizabeth (nee ???) in 1860.

Who were Frederick & Elizabeth?

Frederick & Elizabeth were my Great Grand Parents (via my mum's mother, Lucy Bristow).

Frederick & Elizabeth Bristow

What children did Frederick & Elizabeth have?

Elizabeth Bristow 
Born 1880 Chailey

In 1901 Elizabeth was a Kitchen Maid for Edith Dumbill, a teacher, at Seymour Lodge, 49 North Street, Ditchling, West Sussex.

Katherine Bristow
Born 1882 Chailey

Ellen Bristow 
Born 1884 Plumpton

William Bristow 
Born 1887 Chailey

In 1911 William was a Cowman, living at St Helena Cottage, Plumpton with his wife  Emma Sarah Bristow who was born in 1882 at Brighton, Sussex.

Albert Bristow 
Born 1890 Chailey

In 1911 was a Cow Man

Richard Bristow 
Born 1893 Chailey

In 1911, Richard was a Carter Lad

Henry Bristow 
Born 1895 Chailey

In 1911 Henry was a Carter Boy

Lucy Bristow 
Born 1899 Chailey

Lucy was my mum's mother and so my grand mother. Lucy married William Herbert Norris and had three children: Marjorie, Dorothy and William (Billy).

Where did Frederick & Elizabeth live?

In 1911 they lived at Old Farm, Chailey with Albert, Richard, Henry & Lucy; and John Funnel (a boarder).
In 1901 they lived at The Hole, Chailey with Albert, Richard, William, Henry & Lucy
In 1891 they lived at 2 North Common, Chailey with Elizabeth, Katharine, Ellen, William & Albert