Number 3 Southey Road 1881 – Henry Cornelius, Decorator

Please note Southey Road was called St Ann’s Road in 1881 – see here.

Kelly’s Directory 1881 tells us that at 3 Southey Road was Henry Cornelius, a Decorator.

Click here to see where this property would have stood on a modern day map.

Expanding on the info taken from Kelly’s Directory and looking at the Census we find out a little more…

Mr Cornelius can be seen living at this property on the Census of 1881, the same year that the Kelly’s Directory 1881 was published (this is the initial source of the information on my map.

1881

NameRelation to head of householdAgeYear bornTown of birthCity of birthCountry of birthProfession
Henry CorneliusHead32abt 1848DewlishDevonEnglandHouse Painter
Hannah CorneliusWife40abt 1841DewlishDevonEngland/
William CorneliusSon7abt 1874LambethLondonEngland/

The household is somewhat fuller ten years later on the 1891 Census with two nieces staying with the Cornelius family, one of which was born in Devon, it is unclear whether they are the children of Hannah’s brother or sister or whether they are the children of Henry’s sister which would explain them having a different surname (that of their father) What became of their parents is unclear however by the 1901 Census Mabel has changed her name to Cornelius.

1891 

NameRelation to head of householdAgeYear bornTown of birthCity of birthCountry of birthProfession
Henry CorneliusHead43abt 1848DewlishDevonEnglandHouse Painter
Hannah CorneliusWife50abt 1841DewlishDevonEngland/
William CorneliusSon17abt 1874LambethLondonEngland/
Maud HarrisNiece12abt 1879DawlishDevonEnglandScholar
Mabel HarrisNiece9abt 1882IslingtonLondonEnglandScholar

By the census of 1901 it seems their son William and their niece Maud has left home, only Mabel remaining only this time her surname has changed from Harris to Cornelius, it is unclear how this came about.

1901

NameRelation to head of householdAgeYear bornTown of birthCity of birthCountry of birthProfession
Henry CorneliusHead53abt 1848DewlishDevonEnglandHouse Decorator and Painter
Hannah CorneliusWife60abt 1841DewlishDevonEngland/
Mabel CorneliusNiece19abt 1882IslingtonLondonEngland/

The home of the Cornelius family is one of the few remaining original buildings on Southey Road

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