Patcham Windmill at sunset
From finding the articles on Charlotte Scrase, known by her friends and family as Lottie, I became intrigued and wanted to find out more about her and her family.
I started by looking at more old newspapers and found quite a lot of information about Lottie’s family. One such article I found I have transcribed part of it here:
Funeral of Miss C. Scrase.
The funeral took place on Thursday, at Buckland Churchyard, of Miss Charlotte Eleanor Scrase, of 80, Heathfield Avenue, the tram conductress who met her death in the tram disaster on Sunday last, at the age of 27 years. The first portion of the burial service was conducted in St. Barnabus’ Church, the Rev E J Hampspn officiating both there and at the graveside. The mourners present were Mr A Scrace (brother), Mrs E Kenning and Mrs G Paddock (sisters), Mr T Sayer, RN (fiance), Mr and Mrs D Hocking (Uncle and Aunt), Mr Paddock (brother-in-law), Mrs D Hocking (Aunt), Mr A Singleton (uncle), Corporal W Hocking, Mr Ward, Mrs Hopley, and Mrs Vaughan (Cousins), and Mrs Dawson. Amoungst the large number pre-at the church and the graveside were the Mayor of Dover (Councillor E Farley), Alderman W G Lweis, Mr Boices, Mr Worsfold and Tram Inspector Elgar. The coffin was bourne into the church by tram Drivers Blackman, H Brett, Pay and Miller; and the tramway employees were also represented by Checkers Mrs Cahall and Mrs Kilbey, Conductresses Regan, Brewster, Smith, Richardson, Perring and Ewer……………………….”
– Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday 24 August 1917
This article continued to list all the individuals that left floral tributes and monetary ones too, it was a very long list!
I wanted to reconstruct a family tree for Charlotte, using the vast amount of personal details I had taken from all the articles written about her. I first of all located the registration of Charlotte’s death on the BMD Indexes (Sept 1917 SCRASE Charlotte E Aged 27 Dover 2a 1150), this is highly likely to be her as the dates, age and place all correspond to what we know about her already and this is the only reference to a Charlotte Scrase in the time period (also as it is not a common name it is easier too!).
From these articles I then continued and tried to find Lottie on the 1911 UK Census, as this was only six years before her untimely death in Dover. I searched using the parameters I knew such as her full name, a rough date of birth of 1890 and her mothers name also being that of Charlotte and those of her brothers and sisters. I found her without much problem, living at 80 Heathfield Avenue, Dover, Kent, the same address she was living at the time she died!
“Charlotte Scrase, aged 20 . She was born in Fulham London, is Single and living with her mother and siblings. Other members of the household on this date are:
Charlotte Scrase, Aged 49 (she is the head of the household, married for 27 years, now a widow, she had 9 children six of whom are still alive, she was born in Dover, Kent) ;
Arthur Scrace, aged 24 (Charlotte’s son, he was born in Warley, Essex is Single and works as a Railway engine cleaner for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Company);
Maud Scrase, aged 16 (Charlotte’s daughter who is single and was born in Aldershot, Hampshire);
Edith Scrase, aged 12 (She is Charlotte’s daughter is single and born in Jamestown, St Helena, South Africa) and finally
Beatrice Eaton, aged 8 (who is described as a nurse child born in Tottenham, London).”
[Reg District: Dover; Reg Number 65; Sub-registration District: Dover; ED, institution or vessel: 19; Household schedule number: 385; Piece: 4609]
I then went back in time again and located Lottie and her family in the 1901 England Census still living in Dover at 3 Edith Cottages,Clements Road with her Mother and siblings (the family have been mis-transcribed as Sorace on Ancestry!).
“Charlotte E Scrase, head, widow, aged 39 born in Dover, Kent
Arthur Scrase, son, 14, a telegraph messenger for the GPO, born in Warley, Essex
Mabel Scrase, daughter, 13 born in Warley, Essex
William Scrase, son, 12 born in Warley, Essex
Charlotte Scrase. daughter, 10, born in Feltham, London
Maude Scrase, daughter, 6, born in Aldershot, Hampshire
Edith Scrase, daughter, 2, born in St Helena”
[Class: RG13; Piece: 844; Folio: 38; Page: 21.]
The 1891 England Census was just as easy to locate and this time I found them living in the Horsed Foot Barracks in Kensington, London, with her father. George William Scrase, a Sergeant in the Army, this explained the birth places of Charlotte and her Siblings as I knew from local knowledge that they had Army connections.
“George William Scrase, head of family, aged 31, Sergeant in the Army Service Corps, born in Portsmouth, Hants
Charlotte Helenor Scrase, wife, 29, born in Dover, Kent
Arthur Lawrence Scrace, son, 4, born in Worley, Essex
Isobel Mary Scrase, daughter, aged 3, born in Worley, Essex
Charlotte Helenor Scrase, daughter, aged 7 mths, born in London, Middlesex
William James Scrase, son, aged 2 born in Worley, Essex”
[Class: RG12; Piece: 29; Folio: 146; Page: 8; GSU roll: 6095139.]
As this would have been the first census that Charlotte would have been on I first of all located Charlotte’s Birth registration (SCRASE Charlotte Eleanor Fulham 1a 309, Fulham) and then started searching for details I could locate on George William, her father, who from the Censuses died at some point between 1891 and 1901 (He in fact died on 6th January 1900 whilst in Service in St Helena’s, with his wife at his side, he died due to an inflammation of the liver.) I soon located his Army records which gave me Charlotte’s birth date of 12 Aug 1890, along with that of her siblings and the date and place of marriage for her parents (George William Scrase and Charlotte Eleanor Hocking). The marriage was then easily located on the BMD Index- Dec qtr 1883 Dover district 2a 1835.
Next step was to see if I could locate George in the 1881 England Census, which I failed to do. I believe though, from his Army records that he may have been abroad at the time, having signed up on 8th March 1880. Back 10 years though to 1871 and George can be found living with his parents in Portsmouth at No 2 Quay Gate, Portsea Island.
“James Scrase, aged 44, head, pensioner military staff clerk, from Patcham, Sussex
Isabella Scrase, aged 33, wife, pensioners wife, from Ireland
George W Scrase, aged 12, son, Scholar, from Portsmouth, Hampshire
Elizabeth A Scrase, aged 7, daughter, scholar, from Portsmouth, Hampshire
William Henry Scrase, aged 5, son, scholar, from Portsmouth, Hampshire
Arthur E Scrase, aged 2, son, from Portsmouth, Hampshire
Matthew Gatherer, aged 57, a widower, father in law, General Porter, from Ireland”
[Class: RG10; Piece: 1136; Folio: 22; Page: 1; GSU roll: 827782.]
From this census, I found that George’s parents were James Scrase, from Patcham in Sussex and Isabella (whose maiden name was most likely that of Gatherer!). James is descibed in his Army pension records as 5ft 7 inches tall with a fair complextion, light blonde hair and hazel eyes.
A further step back in time to 1861 and George can once again be found with James and Isabella in Portsmouth, this time in Colewort Barracks.
“James Scrase, aged 34, Head, garrison staff sergeant from Patcham, Sussex
Isabella Scrase, aged 23, wife, from Scotland
George William Scrase, aged 2, son, from Portsmouth, Hampshire
Matthew Gatherer, aged 49, father-in-law, a chelsea pensioner, from Scotland”
[Class: RG 9; Piece: 639; Folio: 63; Page: ; GSU roll: 542675]
I then started to look for James further back, but failed to find him in the 1851 Census when he would have been 24. I then started to search for a marriage between James Scrase and Isabella Gatherer and found one in the transcript of Madras Marriages 1851-1870 – 31/275. On 7th Dec 1852, James Scrase married Isabella Gatherer in Bangalore, Madras, India. James father is named as Thomas Scrase and Isabella’s as Matthew Gatherer! So perhaps James was in India for a while before marrying Isabella, I will continue to research this one though.
Up until this point in time I am fairly certain that I have located the correct information, as I have several sources of for each piece of information to tie the links together.
I then tried to locate James aged 14, in the 1841 England Census, seeing if I could find a James from Patcham with a father called Thomas. The only one I was able to locate that seemed to correspond was living in Portslade Village in Sussex.
“Thomas Scrase, aged 54, from Sussex an agricultural labourer and other members of the same household are:
Jane Scrase, aged 53, from Sussex
James, aged 17, a labourer, from Sussex
Kezia, aged 19, from Sussex (married James Denyer White, as with father in 1851 Census, her husband and daughter Maria, then also in 1861)
Henry, aged 14, an agricultural labourer, from Sussex
Maria, aged 14, from Sussex
Fanny, aged 8, from Sussex”
[Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1112; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Portslade; County: Sussex; Enumeration District: 7; Folio: 7; Page: 8; Line: 22; GSU roll: 464160.]
IF this is in fact the correct family then a possible marriage of Thomas Scrase and Jane Walter took place on 17 Mar 1815 in Warbleton, East Sussex
“Extract from the Sussex Marriage Index:
Place: Archdeaconry of Lewes Marriage Licence, Date: 17 Mar 1815:
Subject: Thomas SCRACE, bach 28+ labr West Hoathly
Spouse: Jane WALTER, sp 30+ Warbleton
Extra Information: Sponsors ss: T.S. John WALTERS yeo Warbleton SRS 26
Extract from the Sussex Marriage Index:
Place: Warbleton, East Sussex, Date: 17 Mar 1815:
Subject: Thomas SCRACE, bach West Hoathly
Spouse: Jane WALTER, sp otp (lic)
Extra Information: w: Theophilus GOBLE Sarah HARMER”
Once again, if this is the correct Thomas Scrase it means he was about 28 in 1815, that would mean he was born in about 1786/87, using this as a starting point I searched parish records around this date and found the following in Patcham:
“Thomas Scrase baptised in Patcham, Sussex 15 Oct 1786 Parents William Scrase and Rachel.”
I then continued searching and found possible parents for William:
“William Scrase baptised in Patcham, Sussex 13 Jul 1763 parents Richard Scrase and Susannah” and then in the Sussex Marriage Index the following entry:
“Place: Patcham, East Sussex, Date: 20 Jul 1758:
Subject: Richard SCRASE, otp [SCRASE in pr]
Spouse: Susanna WEBB, St.Michael Lewes (lic)”
I intend to continue researching Charlotte’s line, to prove or disprove any connection between the individuals I have located on the early records and Charlotte! If anyone reading this is in fact related to Charlotte, George, James or Thomas I would just LOVE to hear from you with any findings you have made, as I do have more information on this line to share also.
RESEARCH UPDATE: I am slowing making my way through the Census records of England and Wales, so far I have the 1911, 1901 and 1891 Census transcribed for the surname Scrace. I have decided to use Legacy Deluxe for all family reconstructions that I produce (which I have used before and found easy to use).
I am also currently trying to set up a website for more detailed information on families and my research which I will make public one I have finished transcribing the census records and worked out how best to share the data. I have also entered a few details on families from 100+ years ago on both Ancestry and Wikitree. As you can see I have been busy! 
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Until next time (I will try not to leave it so long between posts this time though, where did that month just go!!!)………………………………..
Scrace-ONS 