My Girt Family

Jeremiah Girt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on June 12, 1814.

Jeremiah was an agricultural labourer in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England. Up until the ninteenth century, 75% of the total workforce were labourers. Before mechanisation, farming was labour intensive. The wages were low and in order to survive, all family members, including children from an early age (schooling not becoming compulsory until 1870), would be expected to help contribute to the family income. Usually labourers were hired on a daily basis, and the family would supplement their meagre earnings with produce from their own small garden.

He married twice. Jeremiah Girt married Maria Head at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on November 4, 1835. Maria Head was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on August 25, 1816. Maria died in 1848.

Jeremiah Girt married Martha Mary Fosker at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on November 15, 1857. Martha Mary Fosker was baptised at St Peter's Church in Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, England on August 10, 1839. In 1881, Martha was a charwoman.

After their marriage Jeremiah and Martha remained at Kettlebaston for the christening of their first two children, Frederick in 1858 and Frank in 1859. When Walter was christened in 1863, the family were in the neighbouring parish of Monks Eleigh. They moved again soon after to Bildeston where Charles was christened in 1864 and here the family appeared to remain.

Jeremiah died in Bildeston, Suffolk, England and was buried on January 28, 1882 at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

Jeremiah Girt and Maria Head had the following children:

• Mary Ann Girt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on March 13, 1836. In 1856 (when her daughter was baptised) Mary was a pauper in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England. She died in Bildeston, Suffolk, England and was buried on July 24, 1867 in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

• Samuel Girt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on April 15, 1838. Samuel was a farm labourer. In 1882 he was a shopkeeper in Kettlebaston. Samuel Girt married Emma Pitt at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on December 25, 1862. Emma Pitt was baptised in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on May 17, 1846.

• Sarah Girt was born in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England late in 1840 and was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on March 21, 1841. She married Henry Brooks at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on November 25, 1860. Henry Brooks was born circa 1838. He was a labourer.

• William Francis Girt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on August 18, 1844. He was an agricultural labourer. William was buried on February 13, 1892 in the Town Cemetery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.

• John Girt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on March 3, 1848. John Girt married Elizabeth Ann Pitt at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on October 21, 1882. Elizabeth Ann Pitt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on August 5, 1860. In 1891 John was an agricultural labourer in Brettenham.

Jeremiah Girt and Martha Mary Fosker had the following children:

• Frederick Girt was born before August 8, 1858 (when baptised).

• Frank Girt was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on July 31, 1859 and was buried on March 16, 1861 at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

• Charles Girt was born around October 1860 and was buried on April 12, 1862 at The Church of Saint Mary Magdelene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

• Walter Girt was born before February 16, 1863 (when baptised).

• George Girt was baptised in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on April 8, 1864. He lived in Bildeston, Suffolk, England before his death in 1888. George Girt was buried on October 1, 1888 at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

• Charles Girt was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on August 27, 1865 and was buried on February 26, 1870 in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

Families of Frederick and Walter Girt

Frederick Girt (father: Jeremiah) was baptised at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on August 8, 1858. He was a farmer. Frederick Girt married Sarah Ann Bull at Saint Mary the Virgin in Kettlebaston, Suffolk, England on December 25, 1876. Sarah Ann Bull was born on May 19, 1855 in Wix, Essex, England. She was the daughter of Robert Bull and Sarah Eunice Green. Frederick Girt was buried on March 30, 1886 at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England.

After Sarah became a widow in late March 1886, Sarah became the partner of Walter Girt. Sarah Ann Bull had first married Frederick Girt, brother of Walter Girt and together they had five children. After Frederick Girt's death, Sarah supposably married Walter Girt and they had a further seven children (although it is not clear who the father of the first two children born after Frederick's death).

Sarah died in Manor Park, Essex, England on November 28, 1935 and was buried in the Waltham Abbey Cemetery in Waltham Abbey, Essex, England.

Frederick Girt and Sarah Ann Bull had the following children:

• Charles Robert Girt was born in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on March 2, 1877 and was known as Robert. He was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on January 6, 1878. Charles Robert Girt married Emma Alice Wollard. She was known as Alice. Alice died on June 16, 1964. Robert died on August 14, 1965.

• Ernest Frederick Girt was born in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on July 11, 1878 and was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on November 16, 1879. Ernest lived in Eltham, London, England. Ernest Frederick Girt married Margaret Mary Codling. Margaret was born in Diss, Norfolk, England. She died in 1950. Ernest died on April 19, 1964.

• Kate Annie Maria Girt was born in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on August 22, 1880 and was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on October 3, 1880. Kate worked on a big property in Norfolk as the housekeeper. Later on, Kate lived at Manor Park in Essex, England. Kate died on August 12, 1926 and was buried in the churchyard in Bylaugh, Norfolk, England.

• Alice Rita Girt was born in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on October 25, 1882 and was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on July 4, 1883 in a private baptism. She was received into the Church on Trinity Sunday, June 8, 1884. Alice lived in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England. She died from a fatty heart on January 15, 1954.

• Walter Dennis Girt was born in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on March 30, 1884 and was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on June 8, 1884. Walter married May Daisy Faires at St Johns Parish Church in Clacton, Essex, England. Walter was a butler and had lived in Clacton since a child. He had been on active service in Egypt during World War One and was one of the first members of the Clacton Comrades' Club and British Legion. May died on February 28, 1929. Walter died suddenly in his sleep at 21, St Mary's Road in Clacton, Essex, England on June 2, 1932.

Walter Girt (father: Jeremiah) was baptised at The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on February 16, 1863. Walter was the partner of Sarah Ann Bull in Bildeston, Suffolk, England after 1886. The Girt family lived on a farm at Clacton-On-Sea in Essex. Walter Girt is remembered by his granddaughter, Grace Setford (nee Perrey) as a tall man who often wore a captains hat. He used to take his billy down the street each morning to get his beer. Sarah Ann Girt is remembered by Grace as being a strict and stern lady. Eva Perrey (nee Girt) and her family used to spend their holidays with Eva's parents before they emigrated to Australia in 1923. Walter died in London, England on February 5, 1927 and was buried in the City of London Cemetery in Manor Park, Essex, England.

Walter Girt and Sarah Ann Bull had the following children:

• Herbert Edward Girt was born in Bildeston, Suffolk, England on January 28, 1887 and was known as Ted. Ted lived at 79 Hope Street in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England before his marriage on September 4, 1915. He was a plate layer. He married Kate Scutt at St Pauls, Church of England in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England on September 4, 1915. Kate Scutt was born on January 8, 1883 in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England. Ted died on June 30, 1957. Kate died on December 14, 1959.

• Sarah Ann Elisabeth Girt was born in Holton St Marys, Suffolk, England on September 18, 1888. Sarah was head housekeeper at a big hotel in London and was Grace Setford's (nee Perrey) favourite aunt. Her friend worked at Buckingham Palace. It was a friend of Sarah's that nominated the Perrey family to come to Australia in 1923. Sarah died in London, England on November 26, 1969.

• Louisa Jane Girt was born in Holton St Marys, Suffolk, England on January 1, 1891 and was known as Jennie. Louisa Jane Girt married James Andrews. Jennie lived at 161 Browning Road in Manor Park, Essex, England in 1955. James died in Manor Park, Essex, England on November 25, 1957. Jennie lived at Browning Road in East Ham, London, England in 1966. Jennie died in London, England on Sunday, February 19, 1978 and was buried on February 28, 1978 at the City of London Cemetery in Manor Park, Essex, England.

• Eva Clara Girt was born in Henley, Suffolk, England on September 6, 1893. Eva grew up on her parent's farm at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex. She always blamed her large feet on having to run across the furrows. When young, she worked at a beach side sweet stall at Clacton. Eva died from a heart attack at 898 Waverley Road in Glen Waverley, Victoria, Australia on December 1, 1971.

  Eva Clara Girt married Harry Perrey at the Parish Church in Chingford, Essex, England on April 8, 1912. Harry and Eva had met at Church.

  At the time of their marriage, Harry was described as an oilman. After their marriage, they lived at 33 Alpha Road, Chingford, Essex.

  Before her marriage in 1912 Eva lived at Tanglis?, Station Road in Chingford, Essex, England. In the 1950s Eva was a housekeeper. Eva was cremated at The Necropolis in Springvale, Victoria, Australia on December 3, 1971. A wall niche plaque is at the Crematorium for Eva. At the time of her death, Eva left three children, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren to whom she was affectionately known as Maizer.

• Albert Henry Girt was born in Mendlesham, Aspel, Suffolk, England on February 12, 1895. He married twice. Albert Henry Girt married Bessie Florence ???? before 1945. Bessie died in St Pancras, London, England on November 27, 1946. Albert Henry Girt married Ethel Gladys Baillie on May 31, 1947. Ethel Gladys Baillie was born on October 28, 1918.

  In 1966 Albert worked for the railways. Albert lived at 76 Holmes Road in London, England in 1970. Albert died in Hampstead, Middlesex, England on October 11, 1972.

• Maud Ethel Girt was born in Holland on Sea, Essex, England on February 21, 1897. Maud married George Reginald Whisson. Maud died in West Clacton on Sea, Essex, England on October 11, 1965.

• Daisy Susannah Girt was born in Holland on Sea, Essex, England on March 10, 1899. Daisy married Frederick Saunders after 1923. He was known as Fred. Daisy died in Waltham Abbey, Essex, England on July 28, 1977.

• Grace Elizabeth Girt was born in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England on May 16, 1901. Grace married Leance Healey in 1922. Bridesmaids at their wedding were Grace's sister Daisy and her nieces Evelyn and Grace Perrey. They wore grey satin dresses and the wedding breakfast consisted of rabbit pie. Grace lived at 91 Groom Park in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England in 1978 and at Hillcrest Lodge in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, England on June 7, 1988. Grace died in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, England on August 4, 1989.

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© 1997-2003 Lauren Thomson, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
Last revised: April 17, 2003
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