henry arno + susanna martha walker
Henry was born on 30 December 1867 at 1 Sale Street in Bethnal Green and baptised at St James the Great on 28 August 1881 along with his younger sister Mary Ann. Henry was the son of Joseph Arno and Eliza Mallindine and worked as a Packer in a factory after finishing school.
He married Susannah Martha Walker at St Jude in Bethnal Green on 25 December 1892. Susannah was the daughter of Henry Walker, a Carman, and she lived at 11 Middle Walk in George Gardens while Henry lived at 51 Middleton Street.
Henry and Susanna had four children and their first, Susanna Martha, was born on 2 March 1894 at 7 Baker Street and baptised five days later at St James the Great. Henry’s occupation had changed from Packer to Cigar Maker but in later records, he consistently appears as a Packer.
Their son Henry, known as Harry, was born on 11 April 1895 followed by Eliza Isabella on 17 June 1896, and baptised at St James the Great on 5 July, and Charles Robert on 23 November 1900 and baptised at St James the Great on 16 December.
In early months of 1900, their three year old daughter Eliza died but the cause of death is not known. They were still on Baker Street in 1901, in only two rooms, while Susanna’s mother Susan, brother Henry and niece Esther lived in the other two rooms. The census also contains a bit more information on Henry’s occupation as he is listed as a Toy Packer.
Ten years later, they were still living in their two rooms at number 7 Baker Street and Susannah noted that she was born on the same street. Susanna’s mother was also living in the same house but her brother had left and sister Mary Ann and her family had moved in to share the three remaining rooms with her mother. Henry was still working as a Toy Packer, son Harry was a Labourer at a sawmill and 10 year old Robert was still at school. Their 17 year old daughter Susan was working as a French Polisher in the cabinet trade and although it was not a common occupation for women, it was not unheard of and in the late 19th century, several hundred women in Bethnal Green were working in the trade. Many were able to work at home on smaller pieces of furniture and decorative items and although it was still considered piece work, it paid far more than making buttons, fancy boxes or matches. Female French Polishers were also much sought after as wives due to wages they earned.
On 6 January 1912, Henry died at the London Chest Hospital as a result of emphysema and cardiac failure, he was only 44 years old. There is no further information on Susanna until her death in 1933 but it seems likely that she stayed on Baker Street after living there her whole life.
Their daughter Susan married Frederick Edwin Day at St Simon Zelotes in Bethnal Green on 12 April 1914. When they married, she was still working as a French Polisher and living at 9 Baker Street while Fred was living at 41 Digby Street and working as a Porter. They had eight children all born in Bethnal Green between 1915 and 1931 but lost one little girl, Jessie, shortly after birth. In 1939, the family was living at 54 Birchington House in Hackney and Fred was employed as a Registered Port Worker in a Tea Warehouse. Their son Frederick was still at home and working as a Labourer along with Henry who was a Lorry Driver’s Mate on the railway. Susan died in Bethnal Green in 1963.
Robert married Mary Newell in the summer of 1923 in Bethnal Green and they had three children. In 1939, they were living at 21 Morris House in Bethnal Green and he was working as a Railway Porter. Their eldest son, Robert, served in the army as a Driver with the Royal Signals but he died in 1948, aged only 21 years. Robert died in Hackney in January 1984 and Mary died in Waltham Forest the following year.
Harry married Mary McCarthy in the fall of 1925 in St George in the East but they did not have any children. In 1939, Henry was living alone at 21 Mont Morres Road in Stepney and working as Accumulator Maker, someone who made batteries particularly those used in radios, while wife Mary was living at Smugley Farm in Cranbrook, Kent. On 14 January 1945, a German bomb landed on Blake’s Corner, a busy commercial area in Barking, Essex where Henry was working in a shop that made, sold and recharged accumulators. He was severely injured and taken to the Oldchurch County Hospital in nearby Romford but he died the following day from his injuries and was buried at West Ham Cemetery on 22 January.