Speculum Gregis Pages 1 to 9 Annotated


	Speculum Gregis 1843 'An Account of all the Inhabitants of the Parish of Croydon in the County of Cambridgeshire commencing from 1 January 1843' by Reverend Francis Fulford 1803-1868 (Rector at Croydon 1841-1845). Additional notes by Reverend R S B Sandilands (Rector 1845-1864).

Pages 1 to 9 (Annotated)

This is the annotated text of the "Speculum Gregis" pages 1 to 9 inclusive. This annotated version includes additional background material, family research contributions from readers, excerpts from the 1841 census, and some related photographs.

Also available is the basic text of the same 9 pages as an uninterrupted transcription and an alphabetical Index of Names.

The wording used in both versions was originally a distillation of three separate transcriptions of the original hand-written text. Where the texts differed, I followed the majority unless historical evidence suggests I should do otherwise. I have subsequently transcribed the text direct from the original document so the corrected transcription used on this website (currently pages 1 to 29 inclusive) is therefore my own.

Explanatory notes are given at the foot of each page.


2013 Rebuild: Everything from the original "Speculum Gregis" is shown in the left hand column and displayed in black text. Round brackets are original. [Any information additional to the original wording is shown within square brackets and in grey text.]		Further information, census, contributions and commentary additional to the original "Speculum Gregis" text is shown in the right hand column. Please note this new format is a 'work in progress' and will be rolled out over coming months..


	Return to Preface (Annotated Text)		Forward to Page 10 (Annotated Text)

Page 1
[In Pencil] I have begun the list at the Arrington End and then gone straight up the road.
Richard Carter
Formerly kept the "Carpenter's Arms" [also known as the "Axe and Compasses"], has been in penury difficulties - is a carpenter [wheelwright] - and now lives in the Yard adjoining the "Queen Adelaide" Public House [p18]; his wife [Eliza] is sister to Mrs Thomas Larkins [Elizabeth] [p14]. He has three daughters and two sons.
Samuel Bartel and Mary his wife.
They have been keeping the public house for about 1 year. He wants to get a licence from the Magistrates - but failed this year (1845) owing to an informality in his notices. I refused to sign his petition this year - and should do so again - as a girl, his servant, complained to me of his improper treatment of her, and his character (entrè nous) is notorious in that line. His wife is a dawdle, and his children unruly.

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

Page 1: Annotations and genealogy here

Page 2
Near the "Carpenter's Arms" or "Axe and Compasses".
James Thacker and Jane [Titmus, nee Hagger]
Aged people, can both read. He attends Croydon Church: she says she attends Wendy Church, having long been used to it. She is mother by her first husband (Titmus) to William, John and James Titmus, Jane Chapman (Jonathan's wife) and Mary Blowes. He has child[dren] ~~by her first husband~~ by a former wife [Jane Wormer 1788-1825], [including] Martha Spencer [p51], and William Thacker (page 16).
Lives in the same house [:]
James Titmus and Elizabeth his wife
Can both read. She was a servant living at Mrs George's. They were married in Croydon Church on October 14 1842. They have one infant [Jane].
[in pencil] I believe James Titmus and his family are just going to move up to the middle of the village.
Richard Hagger,
aged and disabled in one hand, brother to John Hagger, has his meals here but sleeps at John and Sarah Pedler's [Pedley] [p8].

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

Page 2: Annotations and genealogy here

Page 3
The next house towards the village.
William Pearce and Anne
Both can read. He works for Mr Merry.
1. William Pearce, aged 14. ~~In the Sunday~~ School.
2. Isaac Pearce, aged 12. Can read.
Both christened at Croydon Church. I was obliged to turn Isaac out of the Sunday School, he was so unruly and turbulent. William is the same at times. There are also some daughters older than the two sons. Lydia, aged about 19, was married in Croydon Church to Richard Barton of Hinxworth, Hertfordshire, October 31 1842. There is another daughter Mary, out at Service, who has had a baseborn child, which lives with its grandfather. It is aged 4 years and is called Arthur, but has not been Christened.
They all attend Church very regularly. Anne Pearce seems to be of a peevish temper [pencilled insert] but they have great trials.
[Darker ink - later?] Pearce has been obliged to give over work from infirmity.

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

At Church Farm? Cottage no longer in existence. Site believed to be located somewhere within the modern development by the war memorial.

Pearce = ?	? = ?
(?-?) (?-?)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

William Pearce (c1791-?) = Anne (c1796-?)
	m = ?
	\|
	Lydia Pearce (c1823-?) = Richard Barton Mary Pearce (?-?)* William Pearce (c1827-?) Isaac Pearce (c1829-?) [* + Arthur Pearce (c1839-?) - son of Mary]
Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis 'names' shown in bold.

William and Isaac Pearce dismissed from Sunday School 1843. "These were very disorderly boys who had been used always to do as they pleased before I came, and would not submit to discipline and disturbed the school." - Rev Francis Fulford.

1841 Census:
William Pearce (aged 50), agricultural labourer,
Ann Pearce (45) wife,
Lydia Pearce (15)
Arthur Pearce (2).

The Rectory
Reverend F Fulford [with wife Mary and daughter(?)]
RSBS: (The good shepherd, to whom his successor feels greatly obliged for this 'Speculum Gregis'.)

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

Francis Fulford married, 1830, Mary, eldest daughter. of Andrew Berkeley Drummond, Esq., and Lady Mary (Perceval).

The Rectory, in the lea of the West Tower
© Steve Odell 2013.

The Old Rectory, in the lea of the West Tower of All Saints Parish Church. The Rectory is now a private residence.

Rectory, of white brick with tiled and slated hippedroofs, of two storeys and attics, is of the early 19th century.The house is planned in double depth and is entered at the North end. The principal, garden, elevation is to the West, in four bayswith glazed doors on the ground floor and hung sashes over. Some interior detail, including the staircase, is original. From: 'Croydon', An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the County of Cambridgeshire, Volume 1: West Cambridgshire (1968).

1841 Census:
Rev George Dealtry (aged 54), Clergyman of Independent Means.

[Had Fulford been consistant with his listings, this is where Church Farm and farmer William Ellis would have appeared. William Ellis is on page 88 - a late entry added in 1845 before the Speculum Gregis was handed over to the Revd Sandilands.]

Page 5
House next to Mr Ellis's garden, by the Horse pond.
William Titmus and Lydia
He is son to Jane Thacker (page 2). He can't read, she can. He works for Mr Haydon of Arrington.
Samuel Richardson, grandson to Widow [Mary] Edwards (page 52 [+p64!]), [by] her son [William?] by her former husband, lives with them, aged 22. Both Titmus and Richardson are given to drinking, but Titmus has of late begun to attend Church very regularly. Lydia and Samuel Richardson also attend church regularly.
RSBS: (Samuel Richardson is gone to Canada. Lydia Titmus is a great talker.)

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

Cottage believed demolished prior to1905. Croydon Reading Rooms was built on the site, dedicated in 1906

Note: Alternative local spellings: Titmus, Titmas and Titmarsh.

See Page 2 for a list of William's brothers and sisters.

William Titmus = Jane Hagger	? = ?
(?-?) (c1784-1863)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

William Titmus (c1806-?) = Lydia (c1806-?)
	m = ?
	\|

Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis names shown in bold.

(1st) ? Richardson = Mary ?	? = ?
(?-?) (c1776-?)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

(William?) Richardson (c1800-?) = ? (c?-?)
	m = ?
	\|
	Samuel Richardson (c1819-?)
Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis 'names' shown in bold.

1841 Census:
William Titmus (aged 35), agricultural labourer
Lydia Titmus (35) wife.

Proposed locations of the cottages covered page 5 to page 13 of the 'Speculum Gregis'

The above is a 'best guess' pending further information. Apart from the unknown location of the cottage (p3) near Church Farm , the above layout fits Fulford's page-by-page descriptions reasonably comfortably. The Rectory, Horse Pond and the 'Queen Adelaide' (p14) still exist and provide the basic framework.

Page 6
Next door to the former.
John Titmus and Eunice [also Eunicia and Unais]
Brother to the last [John p5 and son of Jane Thacker [p2]]. She is daughter of John Simpson [p50] the RSBS: (late) Clerk. They both read a very little.
   1. Mary Titmus, aged 13. Can't read.
   2. Jane Titmus, aged 10. In the Sunday school
   3. Eliza Titmus, aged 8. In the Sunday school.
   4. William Titmus, aged 5.
   5. Is[a]iah Titmus, aged 3.
All christened at Croydon Church, where they were married. He works for Mr Ellis, is given to drinking and rarely attends Church - she only occasionally. She says she can't manage to send her eldest girl to the Sunday School. Jane was dangerously ill with a fever August 1842.
RSBS: (Eunice has attended church pretty regularly of late. John is very ill, a good deal brought on by drinking. He is a member of the Odd Fellows' Club.)
RSBS: (Later: John has profited much by his late illness and I have a good hope it will be a blessing to him.)

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

Cottage believed demolished prior to1905. Croydon Reading Rooms was built on the site, dedicated in 1906

Note: Alternative local spellings: Titmus, Titmas and Titmarsh.
Also note Eunice/Eunicia and Isiah/Isaiah.

See Page 2 for a list of John's brothers and sisters.

[It is understood "Eunice and her Titmus family went to Australia". The death records from the Queensland government are available at https://www.bdm.qld.gov.au/IndexSearch/BirIndexQry.m - ref for Eunice is 1863/C285 which may also indicate date of death. Thanks to Carmel]

(1st) ? Titmus = Jane ? [p2]	John Simpson=Elizabeth Lenton
(?-?) (c1796-?)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

John Titmus (c1806-?) = Eunice (c1806-1863?)
	m ?
	\|
	Mary Titmus (c1828-?) Jane Titmus (c1830-?) Eliza Titmus (c1832-?) William Titmus (c1835-?) Isaiah Titmus (1840-?) Rebecca Titmus (1843 ?)
Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis 'names' shown in bold.

1841 Census:
John Titmus (aged 30), agricultural labourer,
wife Eunice (spelt 'Unais'!) (30),
Mary Titmus (12),
Jane Titmus (9),
Eliza Titmus (7),
William Titmus (3)
Isaiah Titmus (10 months).

Croydon Parish Baptisms 1840-1845:
16 August 1840, Isaiah Titmarsh, son of John and Eunice, labourer, 17 September 1843 Rebecca Titmarsh, daughter of John and Eunice, labourer].

Proposed locations of the cottages covered page 5 to page 13 of the 'Speculum Gregis'

Page 7
First New Cottage at the bottom of the village.
Joseph Purser and Anne
Aged people. Dissenters. They generally attend Bassingbourn Independent Meeting, and he expounds etc in the village on Thursday evenings. She acts as a midwife.
RSBS: (Joseph Purser has attended Church constantly twice every Sunday for more than a year, and she very often. I believe them to be good sort of people.)
Live in the same house with the above.
Jacob Wooten and Jessie (alias Mahala)
He is son of Joseph and Honor Wootton, works for Mr Ellis, can read little. She can read. They were married at Swaffam. They attend church very regularly.
   1. Ada Maria Wootton, aged 3. Christened in Croydon Church.
   2. Charlotte Wootton, aged 2. Christened in Croydon Church.
   (3. ------------------) [Emma - see baptisms right]
Mahala dropt down dead suddenly in a dancing booth at the Feast 1844. [!]
RSBS: ( Jacob Wootton married again in October 1846; his wife's name is Lydia [Hardscomb], some [14] years older than himself. He maintains a good character, and she seems a very respectable person.)

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

Cottage still exists. Described as 'new' in 1843.

? = ?	? = ?
(?-?) (?-?)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

Joseph Purser (c?-?) = Ann ? (?-?)
	m = ?
	\|
Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis 'names' shown in bold.

1841 Census:
Joseph Purser (aged 65), agricultural labourer
Ann Purser (65) wife
Jacob Wootten (25), agricultural labourer
Haillay [Hayley?] Wootten (20) wife
Maria Wootten (1).

Note: Alternative local spellings: Wooton and Wooten.

Joseph Wooten = Honor ?	? = ?
(?-?) (?-?)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

Jacob Wooton (?-?) = Jessie/Mahala ? (?-1844)
	m = 1839 at Swaffam?
	\|
	Ada Maria Wooton (c1839-?) Chartotte Wooton (c1841-?) Emma Wooton (c1844-?)
Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis 'names' shown in bold.

Jacob Wooton was born in Orwell c1816. His second wife was Lydia Hardscomb some 14 years his elder. In the 1881 census Jacob aged 65 was the Licensed Victuallar for the "Axe and Compasses" public house. He died in 1890.

Croydon Parish Baptisms 1840-1845:
24 July 1842, Ada Maria Wootton, daughter of Jacob and Mahala, labourer.
24 July 1842, Charlotte Wootton, daughter of Jacob and Mahala, labourer,
28 January 1844, Emma Wootton, daughter of Jacob and Mahala, labourer.

A Speculum Gregis Mystery!
"Mahala dropt down dead suddenly in a dancing booth at the Feast 1844." is my favourite line from the Speculum Gregis. But it does introduce something of a puzzle. Parish registers refer to her as Mahala but Jacob's wife's name in the 1841 census is indecipherable - it doesn't look like Mahala or even Fulford's 'Jessie' (see below). Haillay? Very confusing. However, the 1839 Marriage Register for Newmarket has both a Jacob Wootten and a Mahalath Cook showing in the Oct/Nov/Dec quarter, Ref 14 227. Can anyone confirm this is the relevant marriage?

From the 1841 Census

Proposed locations of the cottages covered page 5 to page 13 of the 'Speculum Gregis'

Page 8
Next door
John and Sarah Pedley
Aged. He works at present for Mr Elliston. Can't read either of them. She is sister to Ann Miller, very orderly old people.
1. William Pedley, aged 20. Sleeps at Miss White's.
He can't read, was Christened at Croydon.
They all attend Church very constantly.
William has left the parish.
Richard Hagger
Sleeps in the same house, but has his meals with James and Jane Thacker [p2]. He is aged and disabled in one hand, RSBS: (very rarely) attends church, and is a rough subject.
RSBS: (I find him regular at Church now, and generally civil. December 1848)

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

Cottage still exists. Described as 'new' in 1843

1841 Census: John Pedley (aged 55), agricultural labourer, and wife Sarah Pedley (55). William Pedley (15), agricultural labourer, is at Charles King's farm.

1841 Census: Richard Hagger (aged 40), agricultural labourer, is staying at James and Jane Thacker's.

Proposed locations of the cottages covered page 5 to page 13 of the 'Speculum Gregis'

Page 9
Next door.
Simeon and Susan Titmus
Can read. She can't read. ~~He sings at Church and works for Mr C King~~. He is son to Charles and Kitty Titmus, and Susan is sister to Thomas Nash.
1. Jane Titmus, aged 8. Attends the Sunday School.
2. Anne Titmus, aged 4. Attends the Sunday School.
3. Rebecca Titmus, aged 2.
They were married in Croydon Church and all their children Christened there. They attend Church very regularly, and are very steady respectable people.
Susan is one of our washerwomen.
~~Sleeps here~~
William Graves
Aged about 30, is cousin to Catherine Lee [p35], and has his meals at her house. He can read, attends Church constantly, is rather out of his mind at times. Has no near kindred.
I think he has left and lodges elsewhere. He is a very simple, harmless fellow. He lodges with John Green, the Clerk.

[Above transcription corrected against original document on
28 August 2008]

[View as Basic Text]
Additional information:

Cottage still exists. Described as 'new' in 1843.

Note: Alternative local spellings: Titmus, Titmas and Titmarsh

[Simeon Titmarsh had taken part in the 1832 Croydon Riot and was sentenced to six month's imprisonment]

Charles Titmus = Kitty	Nash = ?
(?-?) (?-?)	(?-?) (?-?)
\|	\|

Simeon Titmus (?-?) = Susan (?-?)
	m = ?
	\|
	Jane Titmus (c1832-?) Anne Titmus (c1836-?) Rebecca Titmus (c1839-?)
Tree: Deduced (additional information greatly appreciated) Speculum Gregis names shown in bold.

William Greaves had taken part in the 1832 Croydon Riot and was sentenced to three month's imprisonment.

William may be also known as Samuel Graves as per page 35. Some confusion here?

Proposed locations of the cottages covered page 5 to page 13 of the 'Speculum Gregis'


	Return to Preface (Annotated Text)		Forward to Page 10 (Annotated Text)

Explanatory Notes:

Fulford generally devoted one page to each property; and I have retained his page numbers as serials for the entries. Crossings out shown are as in the original document. Information, footnotes and commentary additional to the original "Speculum Gregis" texts are shown as [grey text in square brackets].

In the pages of the original "Speculum Gregis", two handwritings are apparent, that of Francis Fulford (entries from 1843 to 1845) and that of his successor, the Rev Sandilands (entries from 1845 to 1848). The notes by the Rev Sandilands have been shown in this online edition as RSBS: (dark blue text within round brackets) and sometimes identified as a later entry.

However, having taken the opportunity to check the first 30 pages of the original manuscript, I found that quite a number of comments attributed to Sandilands in "The Rector and his Flock" were actually in Fulford's handwriting. I assume from the chronology of entries in the later 61 pages that there will be further attributions falling into this category.

A national Census was taken on the 6 June 1841, three weeks before Fulford's arrival in Cambridgeshire and eighteen months before the "Speculum Gregis" was started. Details from the Croydon-cum-Clopton census have been added to page entries where appropriate. Note that the ages of adults were generally rounded to the nearest five years by the census enumerator and therefore they should not be taken as a reliable indication of age.

The enumerator also reported that 26 Croydon labourers were "having left the district for the hay harvest in the neighbourhood of London", which would explain the absence of a number of the known heads of households.

I want this site to be as accurate and as informative as possible - please let me know if something is wrong, however trivial the correction. I would also welcome additional information to add to the annotated text - especially from those with 'family' in Croydon between 1840 and 1850.

In the first instance please contact the website with details.

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No responsibility can be taken for errors or omissions.
This site does not use cookies.