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Edward Solly was born about 1837 at Margate, Kent, England[1][2] and baptised 5th March 1837 at St. John the Baptist, Margate, Kent, England[3] the son of William Solly (Blacksmith) and Maria Solly.
Edward Solly married Hannah Doughty 28th October 1855 at St. John the Baptist, Margate, England. Edward SOLLY, 19, bachelor, blacksmith of Garlinge, son of William SOLLY (blacksmith) and Hannah DOUGHTY, 19, spinster of Garlinge, daughter of Thomas DOUGHTY (labourer). Witnessed by George DIXON & Harriet DUNKIN {parish clerks}[4]
Life as a blacksmith was probably hard, and the arrival of trains to Margate in the late 1840s meant there was less demand for a farrier's services. However Edward appeared to have had steady employment but was supposedly addicted to drinking[5].
In February 1855 Robert Solly and Edward Solly, blacksmiths were charged {at the Margate Petty Sessions} with stealing a widgeon {a medium sized duck}, from the shop of Mrs. Claggett, poulterer. The prosecutrix did not appear to press the charge against them, as it appeared to be a drunken frolic, and not with the intention of committing a felony; inconsequence of which, they were reprimanded by the bench and dismissed on paying the costs, 9s."[6]
On the 28th May 1860 Edward was charged with stealing 68 lb of lead, value 10s from Mr. Archer Watson (Coach builder with business in Mill Lane, Margate) and committed for trial, being sentenced on the 25th June {1860} to 6 months hard labour[7][8].
On Wednesday 18th December 1861 Edward stole timber {or more likely received stolen timber from Mr. Brown} of the value of 3s from the Mill Lane factory yard belonging to Mr. J. Staner, an auctioneer of High Street, Margate. Edward was apprehended after being seen unloading timber into the storehouse of his father William by P.C. Jarman, but made his escape from the police station while his details were being entered into the charge-book, chased by P.C. Jarman through Broad Street, King Street, Harley Street and lost P.C. Jarman in Gorse Street. Later the next day {Thursday 19th December} P.C. Jarman apprehended Edward at the "Prince of Wales" public house, after searching, and not finding Edward at home. On Friday 20th December Edward was remanded into custody and he was committed to trial on Saturday 21st December 1861, the charges "of being an accessory before the fact" against Edward's father William were dropped by the prosecution and Mr. Staner[8]
At the Dover quarter sessions on Wednesday 30th December 1861, "Edward Solly, 27, Blacksmith along with Harry Brown, 44, Porter" were charged with stealing the timber but plead "not guilty". Edward was defended my Mr. Poland. Mr {Arthur} Watson (owner of the premises in Mill Lane) identified the pieces of wood as coming from those he gave Mr. Staner to sell. The prison Solly was found guilty, but Brown was aquitted.
"Solly then pleaded guilty to a former conviction and it was a somewhat singular coincidence that he was then imprisoned for stealing lead from the roof of the very premises of which the timber in question had formed part.
Mr. Watson, in reply to the recorder could assign no reason for Solly's thievish propensities. He was in constant employ. He believed, however that he was addicted to drinking
The learned recorder, in sentencing him, said he had already been convicted of a felony committed on these very premises, and the punishment of 6 months imprisonment he had then received appeared to have worked no change in him. He was not like a great many who were driven to the same unfortunate position from want, but he was a person in steady work, and these acts of felony appear to arise from a wanton desire to indulge the filthy habit of drinking which was the cause of three fourths of crime that came before courts of that description.
The recorder the sentenced Solly to twelve months imprisonment, informing him that if he came before the courts again he would be sentenced to penal servitude and probably for a long time"[5]
Maybe the judges threat of penal servitude was enough to change Edward as afterwards Edward appeared to stay out of trouble (and out of the newspapers). With a constantly growing family he may have decided to settle down.
Edward's wife Hannah Elizabeth SOLLY died in 1880, aged 46 years[9] and was buried 5th October 1880 at St. John the Baptist, Margate, Kent[10]
Edward died 12th May 1890[11] [12] probably at the Union workhouse at Minster[11], Kent, England. The death announcement incorrectly records him as aged 70 formerly of Ramsgate[11]
1841 Census of England & Wales: 6th June 1841
Walmer Castle Yard, Margate, Kent, England
First Name | Last Name | Gender | Age | Occupation | Birth Place |
William | Solly | Male | 30 | Blacksmith | Kent |
Maria | Solly | Female | 30 | - | Kent |
Sarah | Solly | Female | 8 | - | Kent |
Mary | Solly | Female | 6 | - | Kent |
Edward | Solly | Male | 4 | - | Kent |
1851 Census of England & Wales: 30th March 1851
back of Cranbourne Alley, Margate, Kent, England
First Name | Last Name | Relationship | Marital Status | Gender | Age | Occupation | Birth Place |
William | Solly | Head | Widower | Male | 41 | Master Smith {employing} 1 man | Margate, Kent |
Sarah A. | Solly | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 18 | - | Margate, Kent |
Edward | Solly | Son | Unmarried | Male | 14 | Smith | Margate, Kent |
1861 Census of England & Wales: 7th April 1861
2 Panhill Row, Margate, Kent, England
First Name | Last Name | Relationship | Marital Status | Gender | Age | Occupation | Birth Place |
Edward | Solly | Head | Married | Male | 27 | Farrier | Margate, Kent |
Hanny {sic} | Solly | Wife | Married | Female | 28 | - | Margate, Kent |
Sarah | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 8 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
William | Solly | Son | - | Male | 5 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
Mary | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 4 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
Eliza | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 1 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
1871 Census of England & Wales: 2nd April 1871
3 Caroline Villas, King Street, Ramsgate, Kent, England
First Name | Last Name | Relationship | Marital Status | Gender | Age | Occupation | Birth Place |
Edward | Solley | Head | Married | Male | 35 | Smith | Margate, Kent |
Hannah | Solley | Wife | Married | Female | 35 | - | Margate, Kent |
William | Solley | Son | Unmarried | Male | 15 | labourer | Margate, Kent |
Mary | Solley | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 13 | - | Margate, Kent |
Eliza | Solley | Daughter | - | Female | 11 | - | Margate, Kent |
Lizzie | Solley | Daughter | - | Female | 9 | - | Margate, Kent |
Emily | Solley | Daughter | - | Female | 7 | - | Margate, Kent |
Edward | Solley | Son | - | Male | 5 | - | Margate, Kent |
Rosey | Solley | Daughter | - | Female | 2 | - | Margate, Kent |
1881 Census of England & Wales: 3rd April 1881
2 Wheatley's Place Margate, Kent, England
First Name | Last Name | Relationship | Marital Status | Gender | Age | Occupation | Birth Place |
Edward | Solly | Head | Widower | Male | 35 | Farrier | Margate, Kent |
Elizabeth | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 17 | - | Margate, Kent |
Emily | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 15 | Domestic Servant | Margate, Kent |
Rosa | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 12 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
Louisa | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 10 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
Ellen | Solly | Daughter | - | Female | 7 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
Thomas | Solly | Son | - | Female | 5 | Scholar | Margate, Kent |
Edward's cousin John Richard Solly (son of John) married Hannah Doughty's sister Caroline Doughty (daughter of Thomas) in the same year 1855, so it is impossible to tell from the birth Indexes, which children that are not recorded in the census (i.e. children who died in infancy) belong to which couple (only Rose Ellen d. Edward & Hannah appears to have been baptised).
There is only one Edward Soll(e)y whose death was registered in 1890 - so the newspaper announcement would suggest he died at Minster (probably workhouse) and not Margate. This would explain why he is not buried in St. John the Baptist churchyard with his wife Hannah Elizabeth.
This week's featured connections are Redheads: Edward is 23 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 24 degrees from Clara Bow, 25 degrees from Julia Gillard, 26 degrees from Nancy Hart, 23 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 26 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 28 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 28 degrees from Rose Leslie, 28 degrees from Damian Lewis, 27 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 28 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 39 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Categories: Margate, Kent