born 1810 in Croxton.
died 1882 Stone.
married.
born 1805 Whitmore.
died 1895 in Stone Union Workhouse.
Joseph was named afier his father and was the first child of Joseph and Mary .
Joseph appears on the 1851 census records still
presumably single aged 40 and living with
his parents
Joseph and Mary .
He must have met and married Sarah after 1851 and before 1861
and they seem to have
had no children that appear on the census records.
| Census Records for 1851 Dwelling Croxton | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Age | Relationship | Occupation | Where born |
| Joseph Austin | 71 | Head | Ag Lab | Croxton |
| Mary Austin | 72 | Wife | 0 | Croxton |
| Joseph Austin | 40 | Son | Charcoal burner | Croxton |
| John Austin | 30 | Son | Stone Mason | Croxton |
| Census records for 1861 Dwelling : Fair Oak, Croxton | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Age | Relationship | Occupation | Where born |
| Joseph Austin | 52 | Head | Wood Collier | Eccleshall |
| Sarah Austin | 46 | Wife | 0 | Whitmore |
| Census records for 1871 Dwelling : Cottage, Croxton ( in or around Fair Oak ) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Age | Relationship | Occupation | Where born |
| Joseph Austin | 61 | Head | Wood Collier | Eccleshall |
| Sarah Austin | 56 | Wife | 0 | Whitmore |
| Census records for 1871 Dwelling : Fair Oak | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Age | Relationship | Occupation | Where born |
| Joseph Austin | 70 | Head | Labourer | Eccleshall |
| Sarah Austin | 67 | Wife | 0 | Whitmore |
Looking at the 1891 Census records we find Sarah is a widow and living as an inmate of the Stone Union Workhouse, in Stone in Staffordshire.
It seems that after Sarah's husband Joseph died
in 1882, she was left a widow with no children
to help her, She would have been left with no alternative but to give up her home in Fair
Oak
and move into Stone Union Workhouse.
A sad reflection of these times it seems.
born 1821 in Croxton.
christened 13th January 1822 in Eccleshall Holy Trinity.
Died 1875 in Stone Staffordshire.
Married.
in 1860 at St Pauls in Croxton.
born 1829 in Offley Hay, Salop
Johns children.
John was the son of Joseph Walters Austin and Mary Butter. He appears on the 1851 census records aged 30 a stone mason and living with his parents in Croxton.
He married Martha Clark at St Paul's church in Croxton in 1860, he would have been aged around 39.
John and Martha went on to have seven recorded children.
| John Austin | born in 1854 in Bishop Offley before they were married . John had 4 children Edna, Ada, Jessie and Harriet . |
| Walter Austin | born 1861 in Croxton. |
| Henry Austin | born 1862 in Croxton. |
| Francis Austin | born 1867 in Chatcull. |
| Jesse Austin | born 1865 in Chatcull. Marries Harriet Bailey in Eutria in 1885 six children. |
| Ada Austin | born 1869 in Chatscull. Baptised 28 November 1869. Ada married Arthur Toft in 1905 at St Johns Church in Trent Vale. |
| Joseph Austin | born 1871 in Chatcull. |
| Census Records for 1851 Dwelling Croxton. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Age | Relationship | Occupation | Where born |
| Joseph Austin | 71 | Head | Ag Lab | Croxton |
| Mary Austin | 72 | Wife | 0 | Croxton |
| Joseph Austin | 40 | Son | Charcoal burner | Croxton |
| John Austin | 30 | Son | Stone Mason | Croxton |
| 1861 census record. Dwelling: Croxton. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Place of birth. |
| John Austin | Head | 40 | Bricklayer | Croxton |
| Martha Austin | Wife | 32 | 0 | Newport, Shropshire |
| John Austin | Son | 7 | 0 | Croxton |
From the above census record, son John appears to have been born in 1854 six years before the marriage in 1860 at Croxton St Pauls.
| 1871 Census record. Dwelling: Chatcull. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Place of birth |
| John Austin | Head | 50 | Bricklayer | Croxton |
| Martha Austin | Wife | 42 | 0 | Offley, Staffs |
| John Austin | Son | 17 | Apprentice Bricklayer | Bishop Offley |
| Walter Austin | Son | 10 | 0 | Croxton |
| Henry Austin | Son | 8 | 0 | Croxton |
| Jesse Austin | Son | 6 | 0 | Chatcull |
| Francis Austin | Son | 4 | 0 | Chatcull |
| Eda (?) Austin | Dau | 1 | 0 | Chatcull |
| 1881 Census record. Dwelling: 67 Pyrest St Hanley. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Place of birth |
| Martha Austin | Head | 57 | 0 | Salop Newport |
| Walter Austin | Son | 19 | Pottery slip Maker | Stafford Croxton |
| Henry Austin | Son | 18 | Potters ? houseman | Stafford Croxton |
| Jesse Austin | Son | 16 | Potters Thrower | Stafford Croxton |
| Francis Austin | Son | 14 | Mould Presser | Stafford Croxton |
| Ada Austin | Dau | 11 | Scholar | Chatcull |
| Herbert Austin | Son | 9 | Scholar | Chatcull |
| Joseph Austin | Son | 8 | Scholar | Chatcull |
From the above 1881 census record.
We can see that the family have moved
away from the rural life in Chatscull and now live in Hanley where the
children are working in the Pot Banks and John
seems to have died
leaving Martha to bring up the children
alone.
| 1891 Census record. Dwelling: 20 Mayo Street Hanley. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Condition | Occupation | Place of birth |
| Martha Austin | Head | 62 | Widow | 0 | Staffordshire Offley Hay |
| Henry Austin | Son | 28 | Single | Potters painter | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Frank Austin | Son | 24 | Single | Potter Holloware presser | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Ada Austin | Dau | 21 | Single | Potters painter | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Herbert Austin | Son | 19 | Single | Potter Holloware presser | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Joseph Austin | Son | 18 | Single | Potter Holloware presser | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Louisa Wagg | Boarder | 9 | Single | Warehouse woman | Staffordshire Hanley |
The census record above for 1891 sees Francis is now known as Frank and the family have moved to 20 Mayo Street in Hanley.
| 1901 Census record. Dwelling: 20 Mayo Street Hanley. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Condition | Occupation | Place of birth |
| Martha Austin | Head | 71 | Widow | 0 | Staffordshire Offley Hay |
| Henry Austin | Son | 38 | Single | Potters printer | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Frank Austin | Son | 34 | Single | Potter Holloware presser | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Ada Austin | Dau | 31 | Single | Potters sponger | Staffordshire Chatscull |
The 1901 census records show little change. Martha is still living in Mayo Street with Henry Frank and Ada who are still unmarried and working in the Pot Bank.
| 1911 Census record. Dwelling: 20 Mayo Street Hanley. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Condition | Occupation | Place of birth |
| Henry Austin | Head | 49 | Single | Potters printer | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Francis Austin | Brother | 45 | Single | Potter Holloware presser | Staffordshire Chatscull |
| Louisa Wagg | Servant | 51 | Single | Warehouse | Burslam |
The 1911 Census record show that Henry
and Francis are still living at
20 Mayo Street in Hanley with the same Boarder Louisa Wagg.
Presumably Martha has died as she is no
longer mentioned on this census record, and if living would now be
81 years old.
| 1911 Census record. Dwelling: 13 Gordon Street, Stoke on Trent. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Condition | Occupation | Place of birth |
| Arthur Toft | Head | 40 | Married | Pottery Modeler Artist | Hanley Staffordshire |
| Ada Toft | Wife | 41 | Married | 0 | Chatscull Staffordshire |
| Wifred Eric Toft | Son | 14 | 0 | 0 | Stoke Staffordshire |
| Reginald Charles Toft | Son | 12 | 0 | 0 | Longton Staffordshire |
| Doris Ellen Toft | Dau | 10 | 0 | 0 | Stoke Staffordshire |
The 1911 Census records also show that Ada
is now married to Arthur Toft
and living at 13 Gordon Street in Stoke on Trent with his children.
Ada married Arthur at St Johns in Trent Vale in 1905. Staffs BDM ref
32/03/161.
This is Arthur's second marriage the first was to
Florence E Wilbraham
at Holy Trinity church in Hartshill in 1894. Staffs BDM ref 16/03/161.
The children would be by Arthur's first wife
Florence who presumably has died.
born 1809 in Croxton.
died 1891 at Beech Dale in Stone.
married.
in 1841 at Stoke St Peters.
born 1822.
died 7th January 1863 in Cotes Heath.
then.
married.
in 1871 at Stoke St Peters.
born 1848 in Market Drayton.
Thomas was the third son born to Joseph Walters Austin and Mary Butters .
Thomas was christened at Eccleshall Holy Trinity church in 1809 although the IGI
records seem to pick up several christening records for a
Thomas Austin
including two for 1816.
Thomas was married twice and had a total of twelve recorded children, four by
his first wife Elizabeth and eight by his second wife
Emma.
Thomas's children.
Family tree view PDF
The 1841 census record shows Thomas living with Elizabeth in Mucklestone he was working as a agricultural labourer and they had no children.
| 1861 Census records Dwelling : Cotes Heath. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Place of birth |
| Thomas Austin | Head | 45 | Ag Lab | Croxton |
| Eliza Austin | Wife | 39 | 0 | Cotes Heath |
| John Austin | Son | 10 | Scholar | 0 |
| Joseph Austin | Son | 3 | 0 | Cotes Heath |
| 1881 Census record Dwelling : Beech Dale, Stone, Stafford. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Place of Birth |
| Thomas Austin | Head | 66 | Farm Labourer | Croxton |
| Emma Austin | Wife | 33 | Labourers Wife | Market Drayton |
| Hannah Tonkinson | Step Daughter | 10 | Scholar | Ashley, Stafford |
| George Austin | Son | 8 | Scholar | Shortwood, Stafford |
| William Austin | Son | 3 | Scholar | Marlpit, Stafford |
| Henry Austin | Son | 5 | Scholar | Cotes, Stafford |
| Ann Austin | Dau | 3 | 0 | Beech, Stafford |
| Eliza Austin | Dau | 2 | 0 | Beech,Stafford |
Note: William is recorded as a scholar although he is only aged 3.
| 1891 Census record Dwelling : Beech, Stone, Stafford. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Place of Birth |
| Emma Austin | Widow | 42 | Salop,Market Drayton | |
| George Austin | Son | 19 | Farm Labourer | Staffs, Eccleshall |
| William Austin | Son | 17 | do do | Staffs, Blacklake |
| Henry Austin | Son | 16 | do do | Staffs, Eccleshall |
| Ann Austin | Dau | 14 | 0 | Beech, Stafford |
| Eliza Austin | Dau | 12 | 0 | Beech,Stafford |
| Emma Austin | Dau | 2 | 0 | Beech,Stafford |
| George Gregory | Boarder | 26 | Farm Labourer | London |
| Thomas Martin | Boarder | 25 | Plasterer | London |
| James Austin | born 1842 in Cotes Heath and married Sarah Simkin. |
| Thomas Austin | born in 1848 at Marlpit House in Stone. |
| John Austin | born in 1851 at Marlpit House in Stone. |
| Joseph Austin | born in 1853 in Cotes Heath. |
| David Austin | born 1st Jan 1882 in Beech Dale, Stone. |
| George Austin | born 12th September 1872 in Shortwood, Stanton and worked as a farm labourer. |
| William Austin | born 1874, Blacklake, Shortwood and worked as a farm labourer. |
| Henry Austin | born 1876, Eccleshall. |
| Anne Austin | born 1877. |
| Eliza Austin | born 1879, Beech. |
| Ellen Austin | born 1884, Beech. |
| Emma Austin | born 1889 died 7 May 1889, Beech. |
born 2nd March 1842 in Cotes Heath,Stone.
died 1917 in Stone Staffs.
married 1863 in Cotes Heath.
born 1837.
died 1875.
then married 1876 in Stone Staffs .
born 1849.
Died 1886.
then married in 1886 in Swynerton Staffs.
born 1855.
James children.
Family tree view PDF
| William Austin | born 1863 in Cotes Heath. |
| Thomas Austin | born in1864 in Cotes Heath. |
| Eliza Sarah Austin | born 1866 in Cotes Heath. |
| John Austin | born 1868 in Cotes Heath. |
| Emma Austin | born 1870 in Cotes Heath. |
| William Austin | born in Cotes Heath. |
| Joseph Austin | 0 |
| James Austin | born in 1865. Died 12th August 1915 at Gallipoli. |
born 1865.
died 12th August 1915 at Gallipoli.
married 11th February 1879 in Farnham, Surrey.
born 28th March 1872.
died 21st February 1913.
James and Margaret Ellen Hole's seven children.
| Margaret E Austin | born 1897 and died 1989. |
| James A Austin | born 1900 and died 1966. |
| Alice Winifred Austin | born 1903 and died 1985. |
| Florence E Austin | born 1905 and died 1934. |
| Arthur W Austin | born 1906 and died 1919. |
| George Eric Austin | born 1908 and died 1980. |
| Eva Dorothy Austin | born 1910 and died 1993. |
James was born in 1865 and was the son of James and Sarah. By the time he was 30, he was living and working in Farnham in Surrey as a postman. He also got married when aged 30 to Margaret Ellen Hole .
James blagged his way into the army as a 16 year old and went to serve in India. By 1900 he was back in the army fighting in the Boer War. His peace time job was working as a postman in Farnham.It is asssumed that he must have been bored as a postman and hankered after the excitement of serving in the army because by 1914 James had enlisted again at the age of 49!!! even though his wife had died 2 years previously, and so off he went to war leaving his family of 7 children to fend for themselves. When he died in action the following year his daughter Margaret Ellen Austin had to bring the whole family up and she was only 18 years old.
James died at Gallipoli on 12th August 1915 and the following is taken from the Surrey Advertiser.
Mr G.E. Aldridge, J.P., Chairman of the Farnham Urban Council, has received the
following letter from Bugler W Kite, 2/4th, the Queen's, giving some
particualrs of the death of Pte. J. Austin, of Farnham, whose name appeared in
our casualty list recently. Writing from the Convalescent Camp at Malta,
Bugler
Kite says:
In reading the account of your Council's resolution of sympathy with the family
of Pte. J. Austin, in the Surrey Advertiser, it appeared evident to me that you
had not heard how our comrade met his death. On the last day of four days of
glorious fighting, there were four wounded comrades who had been lying a few
yards behind our line, who could not be removed for the time being. We had that
day had the luxury of milk and jam to accompany our biscuits, and Pte.
Austin's first thoughts were to give a share of his milk to the wounded. Word was sent to
our Captain, and he came down to Pte. Austin and told him to come up to his
dug-out for a larger supply for the wounded. He made a second journey for them,
although both journeys meant risking his life, as we were being terribly worried
by snipers. It was just as he was crawling back to his place in the firing line
that he was wounded. All the men of Platoon 16 saw him hit, and we hardly
expected him to survive, as he was so badly wounded. So when things were a bit
quiet his mates jumped out and laid him down with the ones he had just been
succoring (they were all lying in a bit of hollow ground), and at evening they
were able to bring up the stretcher bearers.
The Gallipolian Spring 1994
An article by Jim Fallon .
In April 1993, a letter in the Southern Echo publicising the Association struck
a very sympathetic chord with Mrs Margaret Samways of Southampton. She had just
learned, as she researched her family history, that her grandfather
James Austin
had died at Gallipoli. As a result she contacted me to learn more about her
grandfather and at the same time join the Association.
From this chance beginning she has successfully obtained pieces of the jigsaw on
her grandfather's life. It has led to contact with previously unknown cousins,
while developing an ever growing and fascinating story which shows what can be
achieved as a result of dedicated family research.
Investigations with the Records Department at the Duke of York's Military School
at Dover revealed that James Austin had served in the Boer War and in India for
a period of 7 years and 8 months. He worked at the Academy for a time and then
joined the Post Office at Farnham, Surrey, where he acted as a rural postman.
When war broke out he gave a false age to enlist, having reduced it by 4 years,
and was accepted in the 2/4 Battalion, The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment.
James Austin had married in 1897 and he and his wife initially lodged with a
very well known Farnham character, Harry Hole, who later became a Chelsea
Pensioner. They had 7 children. One son aged 13, saved the life of an Aunt from
under the hooves of a runaway artillery team (Dover) but was trampled to death
in the process. Mrs Austin died in 1913 and is buried in Farnham Churchyard. The
tombstone includes Also of Austin,
husband of the above, who died of war wounds received in action in the
Dardanelles, August 1915, aged 45 years.
James Austin is also commemorated in Farnham with 3 other Post Office employees
who lost their lives in the War, while his name also appears on the town War
Memorial.
The War Graves Register for Hill 10 Cemetery, Suvla records Pte
James Austin,
3249, 2/4 Bn. The Queens. Died of wounds 12th August 1915 Age 45. Son of the
late James Austin, of Stone, Staffs; husband of the late
Emily Maggie Austin.
A Farnham newspaper of the time reports a letter from Bugler
W. Kite of the 2/4
Bn. The Queens:
On the last of 4 days of glorious fighting there were 4 wounded comrades lying
in the open who could not be moved because of the intensity of enemy fire.
Rations were delivered and included milk and jam to accompany the usual
biscuits. Pte. Austin volunteered to go out to
the men with food and water and made 2 journeys and at all times he was the
subject of heavy sniping by the Turks. On the second trip he was crawling
back to the trench when he was hit. The men of his Platoon, Number 16, saw
him hit and hardly expected him to survive as he was so badly wounded. When
things went a bit quiet his mates jumped out and laid him down with the ones
he had been succouring and they were placed in a small hollow for
protection, and then stretcher bearers were able to come up at night, and
take them away.
The Queens Roll Of Honour and Soldiers Died In The Great War state:
J. Austin
[enlisted at Farnham], Died Of Wounds, HMT Transylvania: believed drowned
12 August 1915.
This last entry is a puzzle and Margaret Samways
would be pleased to hear from
anyone who might throw more light on her grandfather and of his service and
subsequent death in Gallipoli. Information please to Mrs
Margaret Samways, 35
Cedar Avenue, Shirley, Southampton, SO1 5GX.


Many thanks to Colin Graves for the photographs.