Harriett Minter

1871 - Yes, date unknown

• Name	Harriett Minter
  Birth	11 Jun 1871	Croyde, Devon   [1]
  Gender	Female
  _UID	885BD1D26EE34705B263D32CE8C447143E6A
  Death	Yes, date unknown
  Notes	1891 census: Harriett was living at 11 Rampart Street, South Shoebury Essex. The enumerator put her down as Harriett DRAY, GRAY or BRAY (the first letter is indistinct), age 19 and "Mar?". There is no sign of a marriage in the 1890s for her. Her sister Lily Minter (12, scholar) was living with her. There is no sign in 1901 of Harriett under any of the 4 possible names. See however a reference to a 'Mr Bray' in notes for Harriet's brothers Arthur and Walter. January 2009: 1901 census now found: in Friars Street, South Shoebury, Essex, Harriet DRAY (29), Leslie DRAY (8), Arthur DRAY (7), Eva DRAY (3) and Herbert DRAY (2). On the same page are Harriet's widowed mother Eliza Minter (with her son Walter) and her brother William J Minter (with his wife Eliza). January 2009. The above mystery has been resolved by the following, sent in an email by Heather McVicar from New York (and the 1890 marriage Heather refers to has been found, as well as the 1901 census entry): Charles Minter[Harriet's father] was my mother's great grandfather so my great, great grandfather. Charles' daughter, Harriett Minter married my great grandfather, James Arthur Harknett, aka Dray. Your notes next to Harriett's name references the 1891 census where it's unclear what her last name is. It is actually DRAY. She was married to James Arthur Harknett aka Dray on December 23rd, 1890 so she was newly married at the time of the census. The confusion with the last name is due to the fact that James Arthur was born illegitimate to Sarah Harknett and was given her last "Harknett" but most likely his father was Daniel Dray, a gunner in the Royal Artillery whom Sarah eventually married. I have found James Arthur listed both as Harknett and as Dray at various times. Eventually James Arthur Dray, Harriett Dray (nee Minter) and their 5 children all went back to using the Harknett name but it's unclear why. Harriet Minter is listed in the 1901 census under the name Harriett Dray living on Friars Street in Shoeburyness with her children Leslie Dray, Arthur Dray (my grandfather), Eva Dray and Herbert Richard Dray. She would have another child by the name of Ralph Minter Dray aka Minter Harknett in 1907. Eliza Minter (age 62), Harriet's mother and Walter Minter (Eliza's son) were also living on Friars Street during the time of the 1901 census. Under Walter Minter (ref 213M page 48) you have some notes about Walter & Arthur arriving in NY on their way to Toronto. Harriet's son Arthur (born in 1894) who was known as Arthur Dray before he changed his last name back to Harknett, left Shoeburyness at an unknown date and moved to Toronto. He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in 1916 at the age of 22 so I assume he must have emigrated to Toronto sometime between 1910 and 1916. It was interesting to see that his uncles Walter & Arthur had traveled to Toronto in 1907 to visit friends as I was not aware of this. I was also not aware that his Minter uncles moved to Toronto and joined the Canadian Expeditionary Forces which explains how Arthur, my grandfather, ended up in Toronto at such a young age. Until I read your info I couldn't figure out why he would have come over on his own to Toronto but now that I know he was with his uncles it all makes sense. 13 January 2009: in relation to the just-published 1911 census, Heather McVicar writes: I went on it this evening to see if I could find Harriett Dray / Harknett (nee Minter) and I found her living with 3 of her 6 children as well as her husband James Arthur Dray who had been missing from the 1891 & 1901 census. I found Evelyn Dray, age 13, living with her Aunt and Uncle, William James Minter & Eliza Minter, very close by on Wakering Circle - the same place they were living in the 1901 census I believe. They had been married for 21 years so that answers your question as to how long they were married. What's odd is that William James was living with his parents in 1871, he was not listed with them in 1881, he was then listed as being unmarried in 1891 and then he was listed as married in 1901. If he was married to Eliza for 21 years then that would mean they were married around around 1890. Not sure why he was listed as unmarried in 1891. Both William & Eliza were 51 at the time of the 1911 census and they had no children. I know it was quite common for children to live with relatives in those days especially when there wasn't much room in the home. Since they had no children of their own it also seems reasonable that Eliza [probably means Evelyn] would live with them much the same as when Lily Minter at age 12 was living with her sister Harriet Dray in 1891. The Drays (5 of them) were living in 5 rooms whereas The Minters and Evelyn had 6 rooms. I just discovered Harriet had another son that I was unaware of so the 1911 census proved to be very useful for me. My grandfather Arthur Dray is not listed in the household which leads me to believe he may have gone to Toronto by that time at the age of 17 to be with his uncles Walter & Arthur Minter since I was not able to find either of them in the 1911 census.
  Person ID	I423	Canterbury, Kent
  Last Modified	10 Nov 2014

  
  

  Father	Charles Minter,   b. 18 Jul 1826, Canterbury, Kent d. 22 Oct 1894, Rochford, Essex (Age 68 years)
  Mother	Eliza COTGROVE,   b. 24 Jul 1838, Leigh, Essex d. 11 Jul 1905, Rochford, Essex (Age 66 years)
  Marriage	9 Nov 1857	Leigh, Essex   [2]
  Family ID	F151	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	James Arthur HARKNETT aka DRAY,   b. 24 Jan 1862   d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	Dec 1890	Gravesend RD   [1]
  Children	1. Leslie HARKNETT,   b. 25 Apr 1893, Shoeburyness, Essex d. 17 Feb 1964, Prestatyn, Flintshire, N Wales (Age 70 years)   2. Arthur HARKNETT,   b. 10 Jun 1894, Shoeburyness, Essex d. 25 Jul 1961, 69 Chester Avenue, Toronto, Canada (Age 67 years)   3. Evelyn Lily HARKNETT,   b. 21 Sep 1897, Shoeburyness, Essex d. Yes, date unknown   4. Herbert Richard HARKNETT,   b. 10 Jan 1899, Shoeburyness, Essex d. Yes, date unknown   5. Alfred James HARKNETT,   b. 16 Sep 1901, Shoeburyness, Essex d. Yes, date unknown   6. Ralph Minter HARKNETT,   b. 16 Jun 1907, Shoeburyness, Essex d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F252	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Sep 2009

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 11 Jun 1871 - Croyde, Devon  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Harriett Minter born 1871, Croyde, Devon. Harriett married James Harknett (Dray) in 1890. This picture was taken at a family reunion in Shoeburyness, Kent in May 1949.

  
  

• Sources

  [S14] BMD index. [S14] BMD index, Q4 1857 Rochford 4a/272. Date from Lydia Freeman. Place from Paul Twyman, March 2010. (Reliability: 3).