Edward Solly (1834 - 1890)

Born 1834 in Margate, Kent, England

Ancestors

Died 12 May 1890 at about age 56 in Minster, Kent, England

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Biography

Edward Solly was born in England.

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]

Children

1. Sarah SOLLY b. abt. 1853 Margate, Kent^[2]
2. William Thomas SOLLY b.1856^[13] Margate, Kent, England^[2][14]
3. Mary Ann SOLLY b. 1858^[15] Margate, Kent, England^[2][14]
4. Eliza Ann SOLLY b.1860^[16] Margate, Kent, England^[2][14]
5. Elizabeth (Lizzie) SOLLY b. 1864 Margate, Kent, England^[14][17]
6. Emily Maria SOLLY b. abt. 1866^[18] Margate, Kent, England^[14][17]
7. Edward SOLLY b. abt. 1866 Margate, Kent, England^[14]
8. Rosa Ellen (Rosey) SOLLY b. abt 1869^[19] Margate, Kent, England^[14][17] bapt. Ramsgate, Kent
9. Louisa Alice SOLLY b. 1871^[20] Margate, Kent, England^[17]
10. Ellen Jane SOLLY b.1873^[21] Margate, Kent, England^[17]
11. Thomas Charles SOLLY b. 1875^[22] Margate, Kent, England^[17]

Census

1841 Census of England & Wales: 6th June 1841
Walmer Castle Yard, Margate, Kent, England

1851 Census of England & Wales: 30th March 1851
back of Cranbourne Alley, Margate, Kent, England

1861 Census of England & Wales: 7th April 1861
2 Panhill Row, Margate, Kent, England

1871 Census of England & Wales: 2nd April 1871
3 Caroline Villas, King Street, Ramsgate, Kent, England

1881 Census of England & Wales: 3rd April 1881
2 Wheatley's Place Margate, Kent, England

Research Notes

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.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "1851 England and Wales Census" Class: HO107; Piece: 1629; Folio: 273; Page: 9 Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Image available at Ancestry.co.uk and FindMyPast
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} "1861 England and Wales Census" Class: RG 9; Piece: 535; Folio: 123; Page: 41 Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861. Image available at Ancestry.co.uk and FindMyPast
3. ↑ "St. John the Baptist, Margate, Kent, England Baptism Register Entry of Edward SOLLY" 1824-1847 U3/140/1/7 1837 Pg. 60 Entry No. 478. Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Image available at FindMyPast
4. ↑ "St. John the Baptist, Margate, England Marriage Register entry of Edward SOLLY & Hannah DOUGHTY" 1846-1857 U3/140/1/20 Canterbury Cathedral Archives 1855 Pg. 216 Entry No. 431 Image available at FindMyPast Accesed 16th February 2018
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Dover Express 04 January 1862" Pg. 4 Coumns 2-4 Image available at FindMypast Accessed 16th Feb 2018
6. ↑ "Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette 17 February 1855" Pg 4 Column 3. Image available at FindMyPast Accessed 16th Feb 2018
7. ↑ "Kentish Gazette 05 June 1860" Pg. 5 Column 2. Image available at FindMyPast Accessed 16th Feb 2018
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "Kentish Gazette 24 December 1861" Pg. 4 Columns 4 & 5. Image available at FindMyPast Accessed 16th Feb 2018
9. ↑ "General Register Office Death Index of Hannah Elizabeth SOLLY" 1880 December quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 479. Aged 46 years GRO Online Death Indexes
10. ↑ " Burial Register entry of Hannah Elizabeth SOLLY" 1880-1893 U3/140/1/29 Canterbury Cathedral Archives 1880 Pg.2 Entry No. 15 Image available at FindMyPast Accessed 16th Feb 2018
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} "Thanet Advertiser 17 May 1890" Pg. 5 Column 5. Image available at FindMypast Accessed 16th Feb 2018
12. ↑ "General Register Office Death Index of Edward SOLLY" 1890 June quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 502. Aged 60 years GRO Online Death Indexes
13. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of William Thomas SOLLY" 1856 June quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 575 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7} "1871 England and Wales Census" Class: RG10; Piece: 995; Folio: 77; Page: 28 Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1871. Image available at Ancestry.co.uk and FindMyPast
15. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Mary Ann SOLLY" 1858 June quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 578 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
16. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Eliza Ann SOLLY" 1860 June quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 603 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6} "1881 England and Wales Census" Class: RG11; Piece: 984; Folio: 72; Page: 18 Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1881. Image available at Ancestry.co.uk and FindMyPast
18. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Emily Maria SOLLY" 1866 March quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 754 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
19. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Rosa Ellen SOLLY" 1869 March quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 839 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
20. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Louisa Alice SOLLY" 1871 December quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 794 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
21. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Ellen Jane SOLLY" 1873 December quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 802 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
22. ↑ "General Register Office Birth Index of Thomas Charles SOLLY" 1875 December quarter, Thanet Registration District Volume 2a Page 803 Mother’s Maiden Name: DOUGHTY GRO Online Birth Indexes
23. ↑ "1841 England and Wales Census" Class: HO107; Piece: 468; Book: 6; Civil Parish: St John The Baptist Margate; County: Kent; Enumeration District: 19; Folio: 18; Page: 28 Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841.Image available at Ancestry.co.uk and FindMyPast