CHAMBERS

ARTHUR GEORGE CHAMBERS

Arthur George Chambers born September 15, 1879 in Wivenhoe, Essex to Eliza Elizabeth (Baker) and George Alfred Chambers. He is the second born child of a family of 10 children. He is listed on the 1881 census as a 2 year old living with his parents and older 3 year old brother Willie on East Street in Wivenhoe, Essex. His father was listed on this census as a Railway Porter. On the 1891 census, Arthur is listed as living at 3, Cardinal Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk with his parents and 5 younger brothers. His father was listed again as a railway porter. I do not have him on the 1901 census so I don't know his whereabouts yet at that time. However, on a letter from Barnardos in 1899, he is listed as an 18 year old, earning 10 shilling a week as a porter at G.E.R. I would gather from the  photographs that this was in Stowmarket. On February 18, 1905 in Ipswich, Suffolk, he married Sarah (Nellie) Kedge. Arthur died on March 22, 1952, but I do not yet have the location of death or burial. He and Nellie had two children that I am aware of, May Ellen Jane Chambers born May 2, 1906 (married October 17, 1931 to Stanley John Chittock) and Eva Chambers born June 1, 1907 (Married Fred Gray). 

GEORGE ALFRED AND ELIZA CHAMBERS

My great-grandfather George Alfred Chambers was born January 1, 1856 in Iken Suffolk to Harriet (Borrett) and John Chambers who owned and operated the Chambers Pottery and general store and post office in Iken. George was the third child born of a family of seven. On the 1881 census at the age of 25 years he is listed as living on East Street, Wivenhoe Essex with his wife, 23 years, and his two young sons. His occupation is a Railway porter. On the 1891 census, George (36 years) and Eliza (34 years) are living at 3, Cardinal Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk with six of their children. George's occupation is a railway porter and the children are all scholars. On the 1901 census, Eliza (44 years) is listed as living at 10 Regent Street, Stowmarket with three of her children. Her occupation is a shirtmaker. George and Eliza were married July 4, 1878 in Brightlingsea, Essex. Eliza Elizabeth Baker was the first child of six born to Captain George Baker (a master mariner) and Susannah Scott on August 22, 1858 in Wivenhoe, Essex. George died September 8, 1897 in a London Hospital at the age of 41 years, of cancer. He was buried September 14, 1897 in Stowmarket cemetery. The family was apparently told that George was killed in a train shunting accident and I discovered in my research that this was not the case and it was cancer. So if he was involved in a train accident, it did not take his life. Eliza being left on her own with her children, became down, out and destitute. She did needlework and received parish relief to make ends meet but was not successful. She placed one of the older boys with a hawker and sent two of the younger boys to Barnardos. One of the boys sent to Barnardos was my Grandfather, Frank Ernest Chambers at the age of almost 12 years along with his younger brother, Ernest Richard Chambers at the age of 10-1/2 years.

[I am grateful to Wenda Pickles, great granddaughter of George Alfred Chambers for the photos and text]

STOWMARKET HISTORY AND HERITAGE
2007
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