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Section 45
The Dartford Brickmakers

From at least the mid 18th century there were Brush and/or Brash families based in what is now South London but was then still part of Surrey and Kent, and in London.   An analysis of the known information is contained in a separate page.  There is considerable uncertainty about how the pre-1809 information fits together but from 1809 there seems to be a clear picture of an extended family beginning with Thomas Charles Brush.  My father, FWB, made his own analysis of the three previous generations, which I do not fully agree with.  His work is preserved in its own page.

Thomas Charles Brush

Thomas Charles Brush married Eliza Grub on 26 January 1829 at St Mary's, Newington.  The marriage was witnessed by Charles Brush and Eliza Wallis (possibly the sister in law or mother in law of Charles).

There seems little doubt that Thomas was born on 12 Oct 1809 and baptised at St Giles' Camberwell on 5 November 1809. His parents are named in the baptism register as Thomas and Jane.

Many researchers (including FWB) have concluded that his father was Charles Brush , who had married Jane Wallis in February that year.  The grounds for this are (1) that Thomas's birth fits neatly between the marriage of Charles at St Mary's Newington and the baptism of his four children also at St Giles' Camberwell and St Mary's Newington.  These two churches are just 1.8 miles apart (2) Charles being a witness at Thomas's marriage (3) The 1851 census refers to James Brush as a brother of Thomas - this could be James John, a son of Charles. There is clearly a close relationship between the two, but in order to reconcile these facts with the naming of Thomas as Thomas's father, it is asserted that Charles' full name was Thomas Charles or Charles Thomas. However these names are never used together.

Tempting as this is there could be other explanations that do not involve a completly incorrect register entry and Charles using, on just one occassion, another name.  Being a witness does not automatically signal being the father of the groom.  A Thomas was buried in 1810 at Wycliffe Chapel, Commercial Road - could this have been the father of Thomas Charles - possibly a brother of Charles?  Who might also have been Thomas, the son of Thomas and Francis who was baptised in 1780 in Deptford.  Or could father Thomas be the Thomas who was a Royal Navy Boatswain who died age 60 at Chatham. And was away at sea? In both these scenarios it is plausible that 'uncle' Charles brought Thomas up, that the adoption of the extra name Charles by Thomas at his marriage recognised this and that Thomas regarded his cousin James John as his brother.

Thomas Charles and Eliza had seven children:

Sarah Ann, baptised 31 October 1830 at Saint Mary, Newington
Eliza Jane, baptised 25 December 1832 at St Giles, Camberwell
James Thomas Charles baptised at Crayford 22 May 1836
Thomas Charles baptised at Crayford 20 May 1838
Charles Isaac George Keys baptised 7 June 1840 at Dartford
William James John, baptised 7 December 1845 at St George, Camberwell
one more ?

This sequence shows a move from Southwark/Camberwell to Crayford/Dartford between 1832 and 1836.  At 1841 Thomas and Eliza have not yet been found in the census but their daughter Eliza may be living with Charles Brush - although the age is not a perfect match.  However there is an entry in Dartford for Thomas, brickmaker, age 30, Sarah age 30 and Thomas age 3. This fits except for the absence of Eliza and Sara's age as 30. If it was 10 it would fit with the baptism of Sarah in 1830.

In the period 1844 to 1846 ( as shown by baptisms and burials of chidren) they are in again in Camberwell but by 1849 appear to be back in Kent as Eliza is imprisoned for four monhs for larceny as a servant.  At 1851 Thomas, Eliza and three children - Eliza, Thomas and Charles - are at White Hall, Crayford (near Dartford). He is a Brickmaker. He died on 25 August 1854, age 45 at 2 John Street, Commercial Road, Peckham of Pleuropneumonia (11 days). His occupation is given as Brickmaker. The death was notified by an Eliza Coulter (his daughter, who had married Edward Coulter in 1851) whose address is also given as 2 John Street. Banns are called for Eliza, Thomas's widow, in 1855 at St Mary Magdalene, Peckham to widower John Clarke. Yet there seems to be no marriage record to match this. Instead there is a marriage record for Eliza Brush and John Clark in 1862 at Shoreditch - in which Eliza;'s age is given as 46 and her father identified as James Grubb, labourer. 46 seems way too young - see below, it should be 50 or 51! The 1851 census had given her birthplace as Middlesex and her age as 36 though it seems highly unlikely that she married at 14. Ancestry transcribes the place as Raddington - but it is surely Paddington. There is a baptism of Eliza, daughter of James and Sarah Grubb on 25 August 1811 at St James,Paddington with her birth date given as June 13 1811. I have not clearly found Eliza either as Brush or Clark in the 1861 census, == Research notes ==

FWB also found entries relating to a Samuel in the records of the Merchant Taylors company (in records at the Guildhall?):

Samuel Brush. Son of John Brush of the Parish of St Saviour's, Southwark in the County of Surrey Brushmaker to William Tustin(5) in 1726 for 7 years £10.
Index. 1st September 1736 adm.   Admitted by serving.  In the same year Samuel takes on William Denny as an apprentice.

A baptism for Samuel,the son of John (a brushmaker) and Elizabeth,is recorded on 8 May 1712 at St Saviour's, Southwark.

If this was Samuel [B1] this takes the tree back one generation with the introduction of John [B0].  As far as I know John is the only Brush recorded as a brushmaker.  But, it seems unusual to find a marriage at age 22 while a man is still an apprentice.  Also, when Samuel and Susanna bury their first son James in 1744, Samuel is described as a cooper which is very different from being admitted as a merchant tailor.   Although we have no other records of Samuel, son of John and Elizabeth, we cannot simply assume the two Samuels were the same man.

In addition to the two sons identified by FWB there is a baptism of Susannah, daughter of Samuel and Susannah, on 30 January 1736 (born 22 January 1736 - old style?) at and of Samuel born on 10 September 1739 and baptised in October 1739, both at Christ Church, Newgate Street, Southwark.

The second son named James was born on 17 April 1747 and baptised on 8 May 1747 at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, the register helpfully gives birth date as well.   He is identifed as the son of Samuel Brush and Susanna.

As stated above, James [B4] is born in 1747 rather than 1744 as derived from his age given at death.   At some point before 1767 he married Mary, who died in the Bermondsey workhouse and was buried on 3 March 1820 at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey.  Her age was given as 77 which, if correct, puts her birth as 1742/43. This makes James quite young at marriage.

James died in 1815 in the Bermondsey workhouse and was buried at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey on 10 February 1815.  His age is given as 70, which from the baptism record overstates his age by 3 years,

FWB identifies three children.  I have not seen any baptism record for James [B6] or for Margaret [B7] - he derives their birth years from their given age at death, both from the workhouse. In two previous cases the age given by the workhouse is a bit overstated and I wonder if this applies also to James and Margaret.  I recall from somewhere else that workhouses differentaited between inmates of working age and elderly inmates who had a slightly less harsh time of it.

In any event I am not sure that the Margaret who died in 1851 was a daughter of James[B4] and Mary.  There is a marriage of a James Brush to a Margaret Anderson in 1793 at Deptford and a baptism of another James 'BRASH' son of James and Margaret in Deptford in March 1796. There was also the marriage of a Margaret Brush in 1795 in 'Borough' to a William Rainbow. If Margaret Brush[B7] became Mrs Rainbow and Margaret Anderson became Mrs Brush[B6a] then the death in 1851 probably relates to Margaret Anderson.

Identifying Charles Brush [B8] as a son of James [B4] and Mary seems a bit speculative. That a Charles Brush married Jane Wallis in 1809 is properly documented. But linking him back to any particular family is not clear. If he was in his 20s at marriage then a birth in the 1780s is reasonable and James and

1

1712:   Samuel son of John, a brushmaker, & Elizabeth Brush baptised at St Saviour's Borough High Street
1726:   Samuel son of John taken on as apprentice merchant tailor
1736:   Samuel Brush, merchant tailor takes on an apprentice.

1734: Samuel Brush marries Susanna Rice.   By the dates, this could be Samuel son of John but he is decscribed in the entries for one of his children as a cooper ,which is very different from being a master merchant tailor.

1736: Susannah, daughter of Samuel and Susannah, on 30 January 1736 (born 22 January 1736 - old style?)Christ Church, Newgate Street, Southwark.
1739 : Samuel son of Samuel and Susanna Brush born on 10 September 1739 and baptised in October 1739, both at Christ Church, Newgate Street, Southwark.
1747 : James Brush son of Samuel and Susanna Brush (in Bermondsey) in 1747.

1742-3 Imputed YOB of Mary, who died in the Bermondsey workhouse and was buried on 3 March 1820 at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey.  Her age was given as 77.  This information comes from FWB tree but I have not been able to find it in Ancestry. He suggests she was the wife of James 1747 (or 1744-45)

1744-5 Imputed YOB of James buried in 1815, age 70, resident of Bermondsey workhouse = YOB 1744-5.  This could be James 1747 if his age in workhouse records was overstated.

1754 :   A James appears as the father of Mary Brush who was buried in 1754 in Newington.  Mary could be anything from 0 to 18, and possibly older if unmarried. If we take an arbitrary YOB for Mary as 1744 the YOB for James could be in the range 1704-1724 . He cannot be James 1744-5 or 1747

1757 : Marriage of Susanna Brush to Henry Hill at St Mary Newington.  

1767-1768 : Imputed YOB of James who died 29 Sept 1846 in Lambeth workhouse . 1841 census showes James age of 70 = YOB 1768-71

1772 : Baptism of James son of James & Mary Brush at Chatham.

1776 : Bapt of James Brash son of Matthias Brash in Holborn.
1780 : Bapt of Matthias Brash 1780 St Saviour Southwark (FHL only) ( a Matthias Brash, son of Matthias, was also baptised in 1781 in Darlington)

1775-1781 : Imputed YOB of Margt Brash age given as 60 in 1841 census in Kennington district of St Mary Lambeth parish, livng alone Her birthplace is given as Scotland. In 1851 census at Lambeth workhouse her age is given 73 = YOB 1777-1778 and her birthplace as Fort George in Scotland .

1777-78 Imputed YOB of Margaret who died in Lambeth workhouse in 1851 .  This could be Margaret nee Anderson who married James in 1793 but that would make her just 16 at marriage

1786-7 : Imputed birth of Charles who married Jane Wallis in 1809. The 1851 census says he is 64, living Erith in Kent but born in Leigh, Essex. The 1841 census gives range of 1786-1791 . The 1871 census, Dartford work gives his age as

Marriage of James Brush to Margaret Anderson 1793 Deptford ( fairly sure it is Brush but also claimed as Brash). This could be James 1776 but it is rather young - just 17. It seems more likely to be could be James 1767-8 or James 1772

1796 : bapt of James Brash son of James, labourer and Margaret at Deptford
1798 Margaret Brash daughter of James, and Margaret at Deptford

1798 : Marriage of James Brash to Eleanor Burnett at Whitechapel

1799 Baptism of James , son of James and Eleanor Brash at Scots Church, Woolwich. Unlike most entries in this register James is not identified as military.

1795 : Marriage of Margaret Brush to William Rainbow,witnessed by James Brush (mark X) at St George the Martyr, Borough High Sreet 1795

1803 : Baptism of Maria, daughter of John and Maria Brush at St James, Piccadilly, Westminster. Could this John be the father of Margaret who married in 1839

1805-1811 Imputed birth of John living in Bethnal Green at 1841 census age 30 1808-09 Imputed birth of John in Lambeth, from 1861 census age 52

1809 : Marriage of Charles Brush to Jane Wallis 1809 St Mary Newington. The 1851 census has them living in Erith, Dartford (without chidren) and gives Charles' birthplace as Erith , and his occupation as a fishmonger with an imputed birth year as 1786-7

1810-1816 Imputed birth of James living in Bethnal Green at 1841 census age 25

1814 : Marriage of James Brash, labourer, to Jane Croney at St Mary Lambeth. Is this James 1796 age 18? Or James 1776? Jane's imputed YOB from 1841 census is1780-86

1815 : bapt of Margaret Brush daughter of James & Jane at St Mary Newington
1820 : Bapt of William James son of James and Jane (Brush or Brash) St Mary Newington. In 1841 census William ( age given as 20 = YOB 1820-21) with wife Ann is in St Mary Newington district. Jane age 55 (YOB = 1780-86) is in the same household. So are Louis and Margaret Heron. Margaret's age is given as 27 (=YOB 1813-14, unusual precise age for 1841 C.)
Bapt of James son of James and Jane (Brush or Brash)1820 St Mary Newington
Bapt of Mary Ann daughter of James and Jane (Brush or Brash) St Mary Islington born 1820, bapt Peckham 1830

1821 : Marriage of Margaret Brash to John Blackburn St Mary Newington.  This could be Margaret 1798

1839 Marriage of Margaret Brash Daughter of John Brash, decd, to Lewis Hearon on 19 May 1839 at Saint Mark's, Kennington - witnesses William Brush and Mary Brash.  The naming of John, decd, as father means this cannot be Margaret 1815 who was the daughter of James.Margaret is 35 at 1851 census so 1815/16. John decd must have been born sometime in the 1790s or earlier.

1841 census : John and Margaret Brush are listed in Brixton district of Lambeth. Margaret is given as age 26 ( unsually precise for 1841 C.) so YOB = 1815 , John is unclear.Possibly 30? or 70? If 30 then YOB is 1806-1811. Allso daughter Margaret age 2

1846 : Marriage of Mary Ann Brush Daughter of James Brush, brickmaker a St Giles Cripplegate - witnesses Lewis and Margaret Heron. Margaret Heron has to be Margaret the daughter of John, decd. So, not Mary Ann's sister but a cousin - the 1851 census uts her YOB as 1815-16.  If she was a cousin then James & John were brothers

Burials Will of Matthias Bras, ship steward leaving all to wife Elizabeth of Darlington, plus ref to brother John And a James who appears as the father of Mary Brush who was buried in 1754 in Newington. Who it was who married Margaret Anderson and Jane Croney I am less sure of but I'm fairly sure my father's tree misses out a generation.

(1) back to text    This rather overstates the overlap. My own ancestors only moved from Wiltshire to the London area in the early 19th century but by the mid 19th century some of them were living in the Lambeth area.

(2) back to text    St Catherine's House on the Aldwych was where the GRO index books used to be held - inthe dayss when information had to be extracted by looking at each of the enormous index books. My parents and I checked each one.

(3) back to text    Brush families in Austalasia will be considered in section 50 but it is not yet online.

(4) back to text    As explained elsewhere my father, FWB, worked for many decades on a detailed Brush one-name study - in the years before internet research.

(5) back to text   

(6) back to text   

(7) back to text   

(8) back to text    A phrase from More Irish families by Edward MacLysaght (not fully viewable online). Childs also says in General Percy Kirke and the Later Stuart Army that Crofton "had suffered the ….indignity of being purged by Tyrconnell in 1686".

(9) back to text    Burke's Irish Family Records. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976

(10)Coyle and Duffy include this tree showing the development of the family and expand on this in the text of their article on the Crane cousins.