MACHEN Family and SMITH Family Letter 1873-1889 (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Saturday, September 10, 2016, 15:38 (3000 days ago) @ Mike Pinchin

Thanks Mike, yes that wedding does indeed look like a "society do", as was the impression I got with the Machen family when browsing their PRs.

Here's bride Amy and her family in earlier times,

1861 Census, 1 Bicknor House, English Bicknor

Given Name Surname Relationship Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth City Birth County Birth Country
James Bowen Woosnam Head 49 1812 Male Llanidloes Montgomeryshire Wales
Agnes Woosnam Wife 41 1820 Female Ireland
Elizabeth Woosnam Daughter 19 1842 Female Bombay British Subject
Kate Woosnam Daughter 9 1852 Female Bombay British Subject
James Bowen Woosnam Son 7 1854 Male Norfolk England
Amy Woosnam Daughter 6 1855 Female Bombay British Subject
Charles Maxwell Woosnam Son 4 1857 Male Bombay British Subject
Grace Woosnam Daughter 3 1858 Female Bombay British Subject
Elizabeth Fenwick Governess 27 1834 Female Ireland
Fanny Ralph Servant,cook 24 1837 Female Kent England
Emma Griffice Servant,nurse 23 1838 Female London England
Fanny Cooper Servant,housemaid 16 1845 Female Gloucestershire England

Hard to read but Head/father James is a "Lt Colonel in the ?? Bombay Army(or)Artillery"

1871 Census, Bicknor Court, English Bicknor
Given Name Surname Relationship Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth City Birth County Birth Country
James B Woosnam Head 59 1812 Male Llanidloes Montgomeryshire Wales
Agnes Woosnam Wife 51 1820 Female Queen Co Ireland
Elizabeth Woosnam Daughter 28 1843 Female Bombay
Esther Woosnam Daughter 22 Scholar at home 1849 Female Bombay
Ellen Woosnam Daughter 20 Sch at home 1851 Female Bombay
Kate Woosnam Daughter 19 Sch at home 1852 Female Bombay
Amy Woosnam Daughter 16 Sch at home 1855 Female Bombay
Grace Woosnam Daughter 13 Sch at home 1858 Female Bombay
Letitia G Watkin Servant 23 1848 Female Pintnewydd Monmouthshire Wales
Anne Kite Servant 20 1851 Female Ross Herefordshire England
Hannah Watts Servant 23 1848 Female Ilfracombe Devon England
George Little Servant 15 1856 Male English Bicknor Gloucestershire England

James is a "Major General Royal Artillery Retired list"

Record_ID: 126805
Entry_Number: 910
Year: 1856
Month: Mar
Day: 2
Parents_Surname: LITTLE
Child_Forenames: George
Fathers_Forenames: George
Mothers_Forenames: Hannah Maria
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Bicknor Street
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: J Burdon
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P138 in 1/5
Page_Number: 114
Parish_Chapel: English Bicknor
Soundex: L340

And here is Amy's own family with husband David Maxwell

1881 Census, 47 St Neots Rd, Sandy, Bedfordshire

Given Name Surname Relationship to Head Marital Status Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Occupation Birth City Birth County Birth Country
David A. Maxwell Head Married 35 1846 Male Curate Of Sandy Scotland
Amy Maxwell Wife Married 26 1855 Female India
Eustace G.D. Maxwell Son 5 1876 Leam Bore Staffordshire England
Herbert B. Maxwell Son 3 1878 Male Weston S Mare Somerset England
Winifred A. Maxwell Daughter 2 1879 Female Sandy Bedfordshire England
Maria A. Beck Servant 27 1854 Female Cook (Domestic) Bourne Cambridgeshire England
May A. Bottom Servant 20 1861 Female General Domestic Huntingdon

1891 The Rectory, Thorpe Constantine, Tamworth, Staffs.

Name Surname Relationship Gender Age Estimated Birth Year Birth City or District Birth County Birth Country
David A Maxwell Head Male 45 Clerk in Holy Orders 1846 Scotland
Amy Maxwell Wife Female 36 1855 India
Winifred A Maxwell Daughter Female 12 Scholar 1879 Sandy Bedfordshire England
Muriel A Maxwell Daughter Female 9 Sch 1882 Sandy Bedfordshire England
Gwendoline E Maxwell Daughter Female 6 Sch 1885 Thorpe Staffordshire England
Malcolm L Maxwell Son Male 3 1888 Thorpe Staffordshire England
Agnes D Maxwell Son 1 1890 Sydenham Kent England
Lizzie Orchard Cook,domestic servant Female 25 1866 Groby Leicestershire England
Agnes Ranes Servant,nurse Female 24 1867 Warwickshire England
Naomi Halley Servant,parlormaid Female 28 1863 Chalford Gloucestershire England
Mary C Maides Servant,housemaid Female 20 1871 Leamington Warwickshire England
John Briggs Servant,groom & gardener Male 38 1853 Pice London England

It seems the Rectory is neighbouring the even larger household (14 staff) at Thorpe Hall. Info and photo here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorpe_Constantine
This thread seems to suggest that the life of a Victorian Rector was quite a comfortable one.