Descendants of John Burgar (1742-1797)
Joseph Burgar (1794-1854)
- son of John Burgar (1742-1797)
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Joseph Burgar is a direct
ancestor of Bill Burgar the author of this history. He was born on 25
Jan 1794 in Bishopsgate, London.51
He was baptized on 16 Feb 1794 in St Botolphs, Bishopsgate, London.51 The Baptism Register for St Botolphs Bishopsgate states:
Joseph, born 25th January 1794, son of John and Catherine Burgar, was baptised
on 16th February 1794.
He died in1854 at St Bartholomews
Hospital, London.17,37 Civil Registration of Death reference is Sept 1854
V 1c p 55 - West London.16
His Death certificate states:
On 14th September 1854 Joseph Burger, aged 62 years, Shoemaker,died of an abcess
in the thigh at St Bartholomews Hospital. The death was certified by John Westray,
Occupier, at St Bartholomews Hospital.
The Hospital Register states that he was admitted to hospital on the 19th August
and died on the 14th September 1854. He was living at 7 Pleydell St, Bouverie
St, Fleet St, London prior to being admitted to hospital.
He was buried on 14 Sep 1854 in St Bartholomews Hospital, London.79 He was a widower when he died.
Tree showing the children of Joseph Burgar and Caroline Cooper
Joseph seems to have had many tribulations in his life. Life started badly when
his father died when he was 3 years old. His mother died when he was about 6
years old.
One of the first records that we have found concerning Joseph is an entry in
the Register of Parish apprentices for St Leonards, Shoredtitch.
28th September 1809, Joseph Burgar male age 15 years 9 months, Orphan, is bound to his brother John Burgar Boot and Shoe Maker of No 26, Land of Promise in the Parish of St. Leonards, until he is 21 years at a fee of £4-2-0.
Joseph is removed from the Workhouse by his brother, John (the Methodist) Burgar, to become an apprentice. He was apprenticed as a shoemaker and that remained his trade for his life time.
After the unfortunate start to his childhood Joseph married Susannah Pearce in
1828 at St Sepulchre,
London.80 The following
is a summary of the entry in the Marriage Register:
Joseph Burgar bachelor and Susannah Pearce spinster, both of this Parish
married on 4th February 1828. The witnesses were Sarah Boddy and Christopher
Garlick. Joseph signed laboriously but Susannah's signature was well formed.
At the time of his marriage he was 34 years old.
Susannah Pearse was born in 1800, she was 29 years old
when she died in 1829. The Burial Register of St Giles,
Cripplegate, London 61
states: Susannah Burgar, aged 29 years, was buried on
the 25/10/1829.
After the death of Susannah, Joseph married Caroline Cooper at Christchurch,
Southwark,
Surrey.42
The following is a summary of the entry in the Marriage Register:
Joseph Burgar, bachelor of the Parish and Caroline Cooper, spinster of the
Parish were married on the 9th January 1832 at Christchurch, South London.
Joseph signed his name but Caroline put her mark. The witnesses were Christopher Garlick and Jane Garlick.
In this second marriage the word “bachelor” was entered
in the Marriage Register, but strictly it should have been 'Widower'. A witness
at both marriages was Christopher Garlick.
In 1836, Joseph appears in a Pigots Commercial Directory:
Joseph Burgar, Boot and Shoemaker of 31 Water Lane, Fleet Street
This suggests that Joseph was doing relatively well, and was running his own
business.
The 1841 census shows the family living at 11, Water Lane, Fleet Street.
This address is in the City of London, and for census purposes this is regarded
as a county. This shows that Joseph was born in London. This 1841 Census
correctly lists all the children born prior to 1841.
The family was living at 11, Water Lane in the above census. This was the same
address where his son, Joseph Charles, was born in 1832. However, Joseph was
listed as a Boot and Shoemaker in the 1836 Directory as being at 31 Water lane.
This suggests that he may have had separate premises for the Shoe business,
which would confirm that he wasn't too badly off.
In 1849, Caroline died of the dreaded cholera. To catch cholera in this area
of London may not be surprising since this was the point where the River Fleet
issued into the Thames. The surprising thing is that the rest of the family
did not die at the same time.
It would seem that Joseph was not very literate since he had lost the ability
to sign his name on his wife's Death Certificate. At the time of his first marriage,
his signature looked as if he had been coached for the occasion.
In the 1851 census we have Joseph and his children living just round the corner
in the same locality
See 1851 Census.
The baptisms of most of the children have not been located at the time of writing. However, this Census suggests that they may have been born and baptised at The City Road Hospital.
It thus appears that Joseph was struggling by himself to bring up his children.
It is likely that Susan, who was “at home”, was doing most of the
house keeping. All seemed to be going well until Joseph was admitted to St Bartholomew's
hospital with an abscess on the thigh in 1854. Without antibiotics there was
no easy way of curing simple complaints such as abscesses. At the time of his
death the family were living at 7 Pleydell Street, Bouverie Street, Fleet Street.
It seems that Joseph, like many people at that time moved frequently. This was
usually a result of economic circumstances; if they improved you moved to better
premises at higher rent, but if you were on the down, you would move to cheaper
accommodation.
Caroline Cooper was born in 1811.17,20
She died of cholera on 3 Oct 1849 at 28 White Friars St, St Brides, London.17 Civil Registration of Death reference
is Dec 1849 V 2 p 201. - West London.16
The Death Certificate states:
On the Third October 1849, Caroline Burgar, Female, aged 38, wife of Joseph
Burgar, Shoe-maker, died of cholera in 20 hours. The address is given as 28
White Friars Street, St Brides Parish. Joseph Burgar, who was present at the
death, made his mark.
The Register for Golden Lane statesCaroline Burgar, aged 38 years, was buried at Golden Lane on 7th October
1849. Her address at death was White Friars Street, Fleet Street
London.
112
The Burgar family lived close to the River Fleet, which was reputed to be one of the filthiest
rivers flowing into the Thames. Water born diseases were common at the time
and Caroline had the misfortune to catch cholera in one of the outbreaks.
Tree showing the children of Joseph Burgar and Caroline Cooper
Joseph Burgar and Caroline Cooper had the following children:
| i. | Joseph Charles Burgar was born on 4 Nov
1832 in 11 Water Lane Fleet St, City of London.52 He was baptized on 30 Dec 1832 in St Brides, Fleet St,
London.52 Register for St
Brides Fleet Street reads:
Joseph Charles, born 4th November 1832, son of Joseph and Caroline Burgar, Shoemaker, of 11 Water lane, was baptised on the 30th December 1832 at St Brides, Fleet Street He died in 1845 at Crown Ct Fleet St.52 Civil Registration of Death reference is June 1844 V 2 p 174 - West London.16 He was buried on 8 Jun 1845 in St Brides, Fleet St, London.52 Joseph Charles is recorded in the St Brides Burial Register as follows: Joseph Charles, aged 12 years 7 months, of Crown Court, Fleet Street, was buried on the 8th June 1845 at St. Brides Fleet Street. In the Day Burial Book the following appears Cause of death: Inflammation of the Lungs. Interment in the Lower Ground at St Brides church in Fleet Street |
| ii. | Walter Burgar. |
| iii. | Susan Burgar. |
| iv. | Alfred Burgar. |
| v. | John Burgar. |
| vi. | Caroline Burgar. |