Sunday, July 15, 2018

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #25 The Name is the Same

In my family tree, I have three men named Emmanuel Iles. All three men were my uncles but from different generations. One I knew well. One, I am not sure if I ever met. One, I could not have met as he lived in England and lived long before I was born. 

The one I knew well was my uncle, Emmanuel Kenneth Iles (1923-1983). I always knew him as my Uncle Manny. In the business world, he was known as E.K., Kenneth or Ken Iles. Work took Manny to western Canada but he returned to this area for the latter years of his work in the banking industry. He died at the age of 60.

My great uncle Emmanuel James Iles (1895-1960) came to Canada from England with his mother and siblings in 1905. His father, George, had already emigrated. The family lived in the Owen Sound area. In 1913, he moved to Chesley, Ontario in the county to the west.  In World War I, he was in England with 118th Battalion of London. He was a gas victim in war and suffered with chronic asthma the rest of his life. Manny was a trombone soloist in the Chesley Citizen's Band. He was choirmaster at the Geneva Presbyterian Church for 20 years and was also on the board of management of the church. His trade was wood working. 

Some of my recent research has focused on Emmanuel Iles, (1864 - 1928) my 2nd great grand-uncle. I have not located a baptismal or birth registration for Emmanuel. Although the early census records indicate that his place of birth was Guiting, Gloucestershire, later census records and his pension record indicate he was born at West Field or Westfield, Gloucestershire. This gives a more precise location. Emmanuel was the tenth known child of James Iles and Louisa Belcher. James worked as a agricultural labourer with some of his records showing him as a shepherd.

According to his pension record, Emmanuel was born 17th February 1864, in West Field, Gloucestershire.[1]. By the time of the 1871 census, Emmanuel had already begun school and the family was enumerated in Guiting Power. [2] 

When the family was enumerated in 1881 at Ford, Temple Guiting, only two children remained at home-- Emmanuel and Timothy -- but a grandchild aged six and named William Hitchman was there. Emmanuel was working as an agricultural labourer. It is interesting that the place of birth for each member of the family is listed as unknown. The question is who gave the information to the enumerator. [3]

Emmanuel left Gloucestershire and went to London. On 6th August 1883, he joined the police force at Gipsy Hill, an area in south London.[4] Emmanuel met Elizabeth Child, daughter of James Child, from Upper Norwood, Surrey. He was living in Camberwell. They exchanged their marriage vows on 18 June 1887 at the Emmanuel Church in the Parish of Camberwell, Surrey after their intention to marry had been announced from the pulpit three times. [5] This beautiful church operated from 1843 to 1963, but unfortunately, it was demolished in 1968. [6] 

By the 1891 census, Emmanuel and Elizabeth had two children: Ethel (1 year) and Ernest (2 weeks). [7] The family continued to grow with the addition of Frederick, Alice and Sidney as shown in the 1901 census. [8] 

Before Emmanuel's retirement in 1908, his weekly remuneration included pay of 1 pound 13 shillings 6 pence; 4 pence for coal, aid for rent of 1 shilling 6 pence and reserve pay of 1 shilling 6 pence. When Emmanuel retired, he was entitled to a pension of 54 pounds, 3 shillings and 10 pence per annum after serving 25 years and 4 days with the O Division of the Metropolitan London Police. [9]

His pension record also gives a picture of Emmanuel's physical features. He stood 5 foot 9 1/4 inches. He had dark hair but was slightly bald on top. His eyes were hazel and his complexion dark.

The last publicly available census in England is the 1911 census. [at the time of writing] Each household has its own page. By this time, Emmanuel had retired from the police force and was receiving a pension. He was only 46 years old. Five children were still living at home. This included May E and Maude who were born since the last census.

 Also enumerated with the family in 1911 were Emily Child, sister-in-law to the head (Emmanuel) aged 34. Two of her children were also there: Sidney, 12, and Cyril, 8. All three are shown as having been born in South Africa. The children are shown as British Subjects by Parentage. [10]

Three men with the same name but of different times. 



[1] London, England, Metropolitan Police Pension Registers, 1852-1932 [database on-line], entry for Emmanuel Iles; digital image,  Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 10 July 2018),  citing Metropolitan Police Pension Registers MEPO 21.,The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England. 
[2] 1871 Census of England, Gloucestershire, Guiting Power,  RG10, Piece: 2656; Folio: 70; Page: 12, James Iles household; digital image, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 10 June 2015), citing microfilm 835337, Family History Library, Salt Lake City.
[3] 1881 Census of England, Gloucestershire, Temple Guiting, RG11; Piece: 2564; Folio: 44; Page: 6, James Iles household; digital image, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 10 June 2015), citing microfilm 1341618, Family History Library, Salt Lake City.
[4] London, England, Metropolitan Police Pension Registers, 1852-1932 [database on-line], entry for Emmanuel Iles.
[5] London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, entry for Emmanuel Iles and Elizabeth Child, 18 June 1887 [database on-line]; digital image, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 8 July 2018), citing  London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p73/emm/020
[6] Camberwell Churches, Emmanuel Parish Church, Camberwell, London, England (http://www.famloc.co.uk/towns-and-locations/camberwell-churches/ : accessed 8 July 2018).
[7] 1891 Census of England, London, Camberwell, RG12; Piece: 467; Folio: 11; Page: 16, Emmanuel Iles household; digital image, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 8 July 2018), citing National Archives of the UK.
[8] 1901 Census of England, London, Camberwell, RG13; Piece: 496; Folio: 140; Page: 30, Emmanuel Iles household; digital image, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 8 July 2018), citing National Archives of the UK 
[9] London, England, Metropolitan Police Pension Registers, 1852-1932 [database on-line], entry for Emmanuel Iles
[10] 1911 Census of England, London, Camberwell (district 27) Camberwell North (sub-district 26), RG14; Piece: 2510;, Emmanuel Iles household  digital image, Ancestry (Ancestry.ca : accessed 8 July 2018), citing Niational Archives of the UK


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