The Slaugham Archive
George and Emma Wenham and the Dame's School Even before the Council School was built in Handcross in 1878, there was a demand in Handcross for children to be educated and it was generally left to private individuals to satisfy the need.
George and Emma Wenham, pictured above, settled in the village in about 1855 with their three young children which they soon increased to five. Realising the need for schooling Mrs Wenham started a Dame’s School in the large kitchen of the house that stood on the site now occupied by Wind Hill House, home in the middle of the 20th century to Walter Shearlock’s newspaper, toy and tobacconist’s shop.
The old house can be seen in picture #92, and pupils, with probably Mrs Wenham in front, can be seen in picture #94.
Her fees were 1d per week for sums, 2d per week for reading, and 2d per week for manners!
Mr Wenham was a coal merchant and also the parish clerk. His coalyard was located next door, now the site of the present-day butcher’s shop.
The Large Version shows a close up of the couple.
View Large Version
Picture added on 11 January 2016 at 13:59
This picture is in the following groups
Schools - Handcross - Primary School and Dame's School
Schools - Handcross - Primary School and Dame's School
My great-great grandparents! So exciting to find out all this information.
Added by Wendy Boyd on 18 August 2019
George Wenham was my 2x great-grandfather. I believe he was also a schoolmaster according to the 1851 census, living in Worcester. By 1861 he was in Slaugham.
Do you know why he became a coal merchant (1871 census)? I know he later went to serve on the school board and was what is now known as an attendance officer prosecuting those who didn't send their children to school.
If you have any more information about George and Emma's lives. I'd love to see it.
Do you know why he became a coal merchant (1871 census)? I know he later went to serve on the school board and was what is now known as an attendance officer prosecuting those who didn't send their children to school.
If you have any more information about George and Emma's lives. I'd love to see it.
Added by Wendy Boyd on 04 August 2021
Wendy, you have made comments on three pages, this one and 95 and 496. You may have already found other pictures relating to your 2x great-grandparents. A search for “Wenham” will find others but most relevant are 805 and 990 where they lived in 1851 and 1861, 92 and 94 relating to the Dame’s School where they lived in 1871, 493, 494 and 495 where they lived in 1881, 1891, 1901 and perhaps 1911, and 1642 for their diamond wedding. Use the search facility for the page numbers.
In one of my father’s books he wrote of the Working Men’s Club, “In 1876 the Rev I. O. W. Haweis had pleaded for a men’s club for Handcross and after the toll house came into the possession of Mr Loder in 1877 he built a men’s club house on the site. In 1877 Mr Wenham was appointed custodian and the new rooms were opened on 11th January 1878.” I think it probable that your 2x great-grandparent lived upstairs leaving the ground floor for public usage.
It was a strange change of career for George when in the 1860s he changed from being a village schoolmaster to a coal merchant, but I fear that we shall never know the circumstances.
In one of my father’s books he wrote of the Working Men’s Club, “In 1876 the Rev I. O. W. Haweis had pleaded for a men’s club for Handcross and after the toll house came into the possession of Mr Loder in 1877 he built a men’s club house on the site. In 1877 Mr Wenham was appointed custodian and the new rooms were opened on 11th January 1878.” I think it probable that your 2x great-grandparent lived upstairs leaving the ground floor for public usage.
It was a strange change of career for George when in the 1860s he changed from being a village schoolmaster to a coal merchant, but I fear that we shall never know the circumstances.
Added by Barry Ray on 05 August 2021
George and Emma's grave is in the churchyard at St Mary's, Slaugham along with other Wenhams, presumably relatives.
Added by Brian Funnell on 05 August 2021
Thank you Brian and Barry. I hope to make a trip to Sussex and Kent (my dad's roots) so a visit to Slaugham is a must.
Added by Wendy Boyd on 06 August 2021
Apologies for the delay in replying to your posts, Wendy.
Emma Wenham (née Cousens) was the daughter of William Cousens and Rhoda.
William was a master millwright in Chichester. He is my 4x great-grandfather and your 3x great-grandfather so we have a common ancestor.
From which of George and Emma Wenham’s children are you descended?
Emma Wenham (née Cousens) was the daughter of William Cousens and Rhoda.
William was a master millwright in Chichester. He is my 4x great-grandfather and your 3x great-grandfather so we have a common ancestor.
From which of George and Emma Wenham’s children are you descended?
Added by Louise Green on 08 August 2021
I’m descended from George, his son Alfred George.
Alfred divorced his first wife ! and remarried Kate Ash. He had a child by his first wife who went to live with George and Emma. Alfred and Kate had two children: Frederick (my grandad) and Katie May (who married and moved to what was Rhodesia).
Frederick married Alice May Pardoe and had one daughter, Shirley May (my mum).
Are you on Ancestry? If so, we could link our trees.
Alfred divorced his first wife ! and remarried Kate Ash. He had a child by his first wife who went to live with George and Emma. Alfred and Kate had two children: Frederick (my grandad) and Katie May (who married and moved to what was Rhodesia).
Frederick married Alice May Pardoe and had one daughter, Shirley May (my mum).
Are you on Ancestry? If so, we could link our trees.
Added by Wendy Boyd on 09 August 2021
I’m sorry Wendy but I don’t have a family tree on Ancestry.
I’m also struggling to find Alfred George on any of the census returns for Emma and George. Do you know when he was born?
The extra information you’ve provided above is fascinating.
I’m also struggling to find Alfred George on any of the census returns for Emma and George. Do you know when he was born?
The extra information you’ve provided above is fascinating.
Added by Louise Green on 10 August 2021
We knew that they lived in Slaugham, and then Handcross, but have now found out so much more thanks to your fantastic website.
Is it possible to get a copy of the photo?
(I'll sort one out in the morning. Barry)