Edward 1820

The youngest but one of the eight children of George and Rhoda, Edward was born on 6 March 1820 and was christened in Mendham on 21 May 1820. Family legend has it that he was the "runt of the litter" and not suited for a labouring job. He was therefore apprenticed to a tailor in Harleston and followed this trade for the rest of his life. This legend of frailty may be supported by the fact that he was virtually the only one of the eight children who did not move to London in the 1840s. However he grew to be a robust 6' 6" and died aged 86.  From looking at photographs I would say that the height grew with the telling.

Edward had a small tailor's shop on the corner of Chapel Yard which is now part of G Denny & Sons.

Edward’s tailor’s shop (left) can be seen on the far end of the building in the middle of the photo on the right.

Edward married Ann Colby on 8 December 1843 in Wortwell Meeting House when he was 23 and she was 20. His eldest brother Charles had moved to London between 1834 and 1837. His brother George married in London in June the same year.

Ann was the daughter of William Colby and Hannah Meek.  William was from Harleston and Hannah was a base born girl from Scottow, both are buried in Wortwell, 3 miles from Harleston Ann was the youngest of 11 children, her eldest brother being 23 years older than her.

Ann's brother James Colby, who had a number of ironmongers shops through Norfolk, gave the Harleston branch to Ann - this later became G Denny & Sons.

On the 1871 Census Ann and Edward are living in London Road, Harleston. This is the road which runs to the left of the shop towards Needham. We need to research which house they lived in.

Ann died in 1893 and Edward in 1906.

Edward and Ann had five children:  Mary Anne, James William, Harriet Euphemia, Edward James and George between 1844 and 1860.  I am descended from George.