Edward (Edwin) Lant and His Family
1838-1901

Compiled by Jerry Faerber

Thomas and Ann (Pearce) Lant were living in or near Romsey in Hampshire. Their first seven children were born there. Thomas was employed by the railroad. The railroad was being built about that time in Ashton. Sometime after 1836 The Lant family moved to Denton Lane, Chadderton, Ashton, Lancashire. Edwin Lant was the last child born to Thomas and Ann Lant 26 Dec 1838 in Denton Lane, Chadderton, Oldham, Lancashire, England. His father was listed as railway overlooker. In 1840 the family moved to Alverthorpe, Wakefield, Yorkshire. His mother died August 20, 1840. The family was still in Alverthorpe for the 1841 British census. He is listed as Edwin in 1841.

Although he is listed as Edward on the marriage certificate, he is listed as Edwin on his birth certificate. Interestingly the registrar’s name is Edwin and Ann Pierce Lant did not read or write, but left her mark. Perhaps it was a slip on the part of the registrar and Ann was unable to detect it as she was illiterate. She also may have had a Hampshire accent, which may have confused the registrar.

Evidently Thomas was not able to take care of his young family by himself. In the 1851 census Edward was living with his aunt and uncle Robert and Mary Pointer in Eling, Hampshire. This was a small village south of Romsey. Mary was the older sister of his mother.

Edward’s father died in a Union poorhouse in Romsey the 1 August 1853. He was listed as an excavator age 75. The next information we have about Edward is his marriage to Charlotte Russell in Shirley, Hampshire. Edward Lant, bachelor, occupation was sailor, son of Thomas Lant railway contractor and Charlotte Russell, spinster daughter of James Russell laborer were married 6 Feb 1859 at the parish church new parish of Shirley, South Stoneham, county of Southampton. They were living in Shirley, South Stoneham, Hampshire. The witnesses were Charlotte Mason and William Clarke.

Charlotte Russell was from Millbrook. Her birth is recorded in the parish of Millbrook. She was baptized 22 Jan 1837. Her parents were James and Mary Russell. James was listed as a labourer. Their family has been located in the census record in 1841, 1851 and 1861. Her mother died before 1861. James Russell was listed as a widower in the 1861 census. He is not listed in the 1881 census.

In the 1861 census Edward and Charlotte Lant were living in Millbank with his sister Lydia Lant.

Edward and Charlotte had eight children. Their children: 

     Charlotte Lant was born 25 September 1859 in Millbrook. 
        She only lived 3 days.
     Edward Thomas Lant was born 21 April 1861 Millbrook.
     George Russell Lant was born 3 June 1863 Millbrook. 
        He died Spring 1864.
     John Pointer Lant was born 3 June 1866 South Stoneham.
     Lydia Elizabeth Lant was born 21 August 1868 Brighton, Sussex.
     William Henry Lant was born 27 February 1871 Brighton, Sussex.
     Alice Eliza Lant was born 2 February 1874 Greenwich, Kent.
     George James Lant was born 7 January 1877 15 Kender St Hatcham,
        St Paul, Deptford, Greenwich, Kent.
        George married Rose Caroline Jones on the 11th of Dec 1899
        in the parish church St Leonard, Shorditch, London. 
	The part of Greenwich in which they lived was called Hatcham. 
	George reportedly joked about the name as 
	" Hatch’m, Match’m and Dispatch’m."

In the 1861 Census they are listed as Lant. The birth records of the children use the name Lant. However in the census records for 1871, 1881 and 1891 they are listed as Pearce. With regard to names, why Edward and Charlotte changed their name to Pearce is difficult to understand. Audrey Ochiltree, a great grand daughter, recounts that her mother came across a book of her grandfather’s which he’d had as a prize for scholarship in the name of Pearce and she was mystified. The school was up north as her mother described it. They were living in London at the time.

The history of the Lant family at that time is inextricably tied up with the development of the railway. An interesting historical point is that in the early days of the railways, signals were used as in the navy. So ex naval men worked at this when leaving the navy. When Edward married Charlotte he was listed as a sailor. He became a signal fitter on the railways, hence moving to Greenwich. The first trains from London went to Deptford which is in the Greenwich area.

1871 Census:

Edward and Charlotte (Lant) Pearce with 4 children were living at 21 Crown Garden St Nicholas, Brighton, Sussex.

1881 Census:

Edward and Charlotte (Lant) Pearce with 6 children are at 15 Kender St. Deptford, London.

1891 Census:

Edward and Charlotte (Lant) Pearce with 2 sons were living at 15 Kender St., Deptford, London. Edward was listed as signal fitter R contractor.

1901 census:

Edward (Lant) Pearce lived at15 Kender Street Deptford, Greenwich, London.

Edward Lant died 21 Oct 1901 age 62 at Cold Blow works, just south of the Thames in the borough of Greewich, London. He was signal fitter of 15 Kender street. Cause of death was recorded as heart disease synapse. Death was registered by J. P. Lant, son.

Charlotte Lant died 23 September 1908 age 70 widow of Edward Lant an engine fitter. She lived at 1 Kender Street, Deptford Central, Greenwich , London. Cause of death was recorded as cerebral hemorrhage registered by W. H. Lant, son.

Information Compiled
by Jerry Faerber

INTERNET Adaptation
by Sandra Shuler Bray