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Ellen HUDGELL

1836 - 1892
Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire

Parents:
Father: Stephen HUDGELL
Mother: Elizabeth Argent

Take a look at the trees of the family:

Ellen and her husbands

George William Attwood

Isabella Attwood

Henry James Lincoln

Thomas Lincoln

Henry Seffens

In the words of Laura Lincoln:

I had been looking for Ellen Lincoln (nee Hudgell), the mother of Thomas Lincoln, for quite a number of years and eventually found her in the 1891 census.

   I found Ellen Lincoln, a widowed mother living in Bow with her son George Attwood:

   Nothing tied in directly but it made me think, what if Ellen had remarried soon after Thomas Lincoln's father Henry Lincoln had died? That could be why I couldn't find either of his parents on the 1881 or 1891 census and Thomas might have been recorded with a different surname. Anyway I delved a bit deeper and found something a bit along these lines. But rather than Ellen having married someone after Henry, I found instead that she had been married to someone before him.

   Here are the facts:

An Ellen Hudgell, born around 1836 in Sawbridgeworth, married John Attwood, born around 1837 in Great Parndon, Essex. They married in Great Parndon (just across the border from Sawbridgeworth) on 8 November 1857. They were in Great Parndon in 1861 with 6 month old son George, born Parndon Essex.

In 1871 she was living with Henry Lincoln a labourer from Cheshunt and a 10 month old son Henry at Slades Green, Crayford, Kent:

Slades Green

Crayford

Kent

Henry Lincoln Head mar 36 Factory Labourer born Hertford
Ellen Lincoln wife mar 30 born Hertford
Henry Lincoln son 10 months born Islington London

They didn't actually marry until 1875 but she obviously took his name and married status before that.

I then assumed that John Attwood may be dead as he doesn't appear to be in the 1871 census but there are 3 Attwood children at the Children's Institution, Chase Side Edmonton Union. They are George (10), John (6) and Isabella (6) born Waltham. Isabella’s birth certificate confirms she is a child of Ellen and John Attwood. Ellen could have abandoned them for a new life with her new man and son.

In 1881 George Attwood is living in Bow as a young single man but no trace can be spotted as yet for her children, Isabella and John.

In the 1881 census Ellen is living in Edmonton Essex

15 Coles Avenue,

Edmonton,

Middlesex

Harry Linkin visitor 40 Cheshunt Herts

Ellen Linkin visitor 32 Sawbridgeworth Herts.
Harry (Henry James) Linkin visitor 13 Edmonton Middlesex
James (Thomas) Linkin visitor 7 scholar Bow Essex

In 1891 Ellen Lincoln (born 1842) of Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire is a widow, living in Bow with her son George of Gt Parndon, daughter in law Eliza and their children, all born Bow London.

As well as tracing Ellen around the Home Counties on the census, I managed to obtain a few certificates covering some key events in her life.

So based on known facts and making guesses in the blank areas, I think this may be the story of her life:

Ellen is a Hudgell, daughter of Stephen Hudgell and Elizabeth Argent. She grew up in Sawbridgeworth and was a servant for a local family in 1851. She married John Attwood in Great Parndon Essex in 1857 and had at least 3 children with him in that area. By 1871 either John had died, or they had separated from each other, or John may possibly have been locked away in a lunatic asylum.

She met a Henry Lincoln of Cheshunt, Herts. by 1871 and lived with him but they did not marry until 1875, in Bethnal Green, London when their son Thomas Lincoln was one year old.

Ellen had a son Henry James Attwood in May 1870 in Edmonton workhouse. He was registered as a son of John Attwood but from 1871 onwards appears to be only known as Henry James Lincoln. I wonder if he was ‘adopted’ by Henry Lincoln or whether Henry in fact was his real father?

Ellen had Thomas Lincoln in 1874 in Bow and registered him as Henry's legitimate child. The birth certificate uses her maiden name Hudgell and not her Attwood married name as it should have done. These are the 2 boys with them in 1881 even though ages are out for the older one and Thomas is recorded as ‘James’ in error. Henry Lincoln either died or left her by 1891. Ellen understated her age in 1881 by around 12 years and 1891 by 5 years.

After living with her son George Attwood in London for a time, later in 1891 Ellen Lincoln moved back to Slades Green in Kent. Her daughter Isabella Attwood was already living there and had married a local boy, Henry Seffens. Isabella is believed to have died young leaving 3 children and one of her grandsons still lives there today.

Son George Attwood appears to have stayed in Bow with his family. It is not known what happened to son John Attwood.

Son Henry Lincoln married Emma in West Ham and they were last known in the Bromley by Bow area in 1926.

Son Thomas Lincoln also moved to Slades Green around 1899 and he too has a grandson still living there.

Ellen seems to be an unusual character, she was living in Kent in 1871, unmarried with a new partner and baby, whilst her children were in an institute in Edmonton. The baby looks to be registered in her first husband's name even though he grew up with her second husband's name. Then when she had Thomas, she lied and said she was married to the father and never recorded that she had a previous married name.

In 1891 she was living as a widow with her Attwood son but not with her 17 year old son Thomas, whose father was apparently dead? Was she widowed both times or was there abandonment somewhere? Did she have to keep moving counties because of her relationship with Henry Lincoln?

Although we can only see snapshots into her life, we do at least know that despite living apart from her Attwood children, she was reconciled to George and Isabella as adults, living with them or near them near the end of her life.

Ellen died on 28th March 1892 and is buried in Crayford, Kent.