Charles Randall (1784-1849) of Huntingdon, England, was an only child, rare for the Georgian era. His father Charles Randall (1757-1795) and mother Catherine Ross (1759-1809) were both born in Huntingdon to large families. The couple married on 14 Jul 1783 at St James Piccadilly church in London by banns.(1) I don’t know how long they had been in London or in what capacity. They returned to Huntingdon to have their first and only child. In 1795 Charles the elder was appointed keeper of the Huntingdon County gaol in the office vacated by the death of his older brother, but a few months later he died suddenly at the age of 38.(2) His wife Catherine never remarried and neither of them left a will.

Charles Randall was baptised at All Saints Church in Huntingdon on 31 August, 1784 (photo taken in September, 2022)

Career

Charles and his widowed mother had several family members close by to rely on, but nevertheless Charles went to work at a young age, first as a scrivener, or someone who wrote and copied legal documents. This excerpt from an indenture (contract) of apprenticeship shows his penmanship and work as a scrivener in 1800, when he was just 16 years old.(3)

An excerpt of Charles’s work as scrivener, from Huntingdon Borough records

Charles is later recorded as being a surveyor of taxes (a tax assessor) and a solicitor’s clerk (a law clerk). Recently, I discovered that he also sold lottery tickets and shares for Richardson, Goodluck, & Co. His name appears in multiple newspaper advertisements from 1812 to 1816 as the Huntingdon point-person for the London company.(4) I assume he earned a commission for each ticket or share sold.

For these lines of work, Charles must have been skilled in reading, writing, and arithmetic. I imagine he was detail-oriented, thorough, and very knowledgeable about the people and places around town.

Ad in the *Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, and Huntingdonshire Gazette,* 10 March, 1815

Family

Charles was married and widowed twice, first to Mary Pattison and then to Mary Ann Allpress. I wrote previously about these marriages and about the confusion between his two wives. I also covered his children in depth, as follows:

Henry Randall (1807-1876, died in Huntingdon)
Charles Randall (1814-?, joined the Royal Marines, death date and location unknown)
John H Randall (1817-1869, died in London)
Mary Ann Randall (1819-?, moved to Missouri then Illinois, USA, death date unknown)
Edward Randall (1821-?, moved to Australia, death date unknown)
Frederick Randall (1822-1885, died in Australia)
Alfred Randall (1823-1882, moved to another part of England then returned to Huntingdon, died in Huntingdon)
William Randall (1825-1843, died in Huntingdon)
Philip A Randall (1827-1895, died in Illinois, USA)

It seems that Huntingdon was a good place to raise a family in the early 19th century. In his book Rural Rides, published in 1830, William Cobbett wrote “Huntingdon is a very clean and nice place, contains many elegant houses, and the environs are beautiful. Above and below the bridge, under which the Ouse passes, are the most beautiful, and by far the most beautiful, meadows that I ever saw in my life. … All that I have yet seen of Huntingdon I like exceedingly. It is one of those pretty, clean, unstenched, unconfined places that tend to lengthen life and make it happy.”(5) This glowing review was based on observations made by Cobbett in 1822. By the middle of the century, many of the Randalls had left Huntingdon and moved elsewhere.

Civic Engagement

Throughout his life, Charles was active in town affairs, serving on juries and attending local government meetings. In 1805, at the age of 21, he was admitted as a burgess of Huntingdon.(6) A burgess was considered one of the freemen of the borough, and was one of a limited number of men allowed to vote in municipal and parliamentary elections. Other privileges included access to common lands (aka commons) for the grazing of livestock.

For centuries, Huntingdon was under the control of the Montagu family, who held the title Earl of Sandwich. By the late 1820s many freemen had become “disaffected” over town debts, misuse of funds, management of the commons, and the sale of freedoms (i.e., freemen status) to nonresidents.(7) The following newspaper report on a Borough meeting in 1827, at which Charles served as Chairman, highlights the concerns of the burgesses.(8)

From the *Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette,* 29 Sep, 1827 (This is a truncated version of the full article)

These tensions continued into 1829, when Charles chaired another meeting of the burgesses, in which committee members voiced their opposition to the non-resident burgesses newly admitted by the Lady Sandwich. The committee bemoaned the "corruption of the elective franchise" and "the misapplication of charity funds."(9) Charles took a leading role in addressing these perceived injustices, but I was not able to find much evidence of his involvement after this point. This may be due to the death of his wife in 1830 or to various national reforms passed in the 1830s.

From the *Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette,* 29 Aug, 1829

In 1835, Charles sought the appointment of Relieving Officer for the newly formed Huntingdon Poor Law Union.(10) The duties of such an officer were to receive applications from paupers seeking relief and to “examine the merits and circumstances of each case.” In cases of urgent need, the officer could grant temporary relief by giving the pauper “articles of absolute necessity” or by placing the pauper in the workhouse. The Relieving Officer reported weekly to the Board of Guardians. Charles was not selected; the role went to another gentleman.(11) But I enjoyed reading his “campaign ad” in the newspaper:

From the *Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette,* 21 Nov, 1835

A series of UnfortunAte Events

Although Charles was blessed with many children and seemed to be in good social standing, he undoubtedly suffered after the death of his wife Mary Ann (née Allpress) in 1830. The newspaper report of her death describes Charles as “disconsolate.”(12) He was left with 9 children to care for, ranging in age from 3 to 23. He did not remarry.

From *Drakard's Stamford News*, 14 May, 1830

The next year, Charles’s house was broken into. The thieves stole coins, a silk-lined coat, shawls, silver spoons, tea, and sugar.(13) Then, in 1843, Charles lost his teenage son William to suicide.(14)

Charles died in 1849 from a “diseased liver.”(15) This cause of death suggests (but does not confirm) that Charles was an alcoholic. He was buried in the parish of All Saints with St John. It does not seem that a headstone survives for him or for either of his wives.

His will, written in 1842 and proved soon after his death at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in London, was very short and anticlimactic.(16) He named his son John Randall as executor, but his son Henry ended up handling the sale of his estate. Henry posted a notice in the newspaper announcing the sale of one lot with two dwelling houses in Huntingdon, and two lots (well-planted with fruit trees) in the neighboring village of Brampton.(17) The properties sound lovely, but unfortunately I have not been able to figure out exactly where they were located.

From *Cambridge Weekly News*, 21 Apr, 1849

I am very lucky to have an ancestor who made it into the local paper on so many occasions, offering valuable insights into his life. I also appreciate the work of the Huntingdonshire Archives in preserving and making available the historic documents that mention my ancestors. I hope you have enjoyed this “deep dive” into my 4th great-grandfather Charles Randall and this peek into early 19th century Huntingdon.

Sources

Westminster, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, 21 Nov, 1795, pg 3
Records of Huntingdon Borough, 1350-1866 (Apprenticeship Indentures). FamilySearch.org Film #008869032 Item 23.
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, and Huntingdonshire Gazette, 10 Mar, 1815, pg 1
Corbett, William. (1830). Rural rides (Project Gutenberg ebook).
Huntingdon Court Records, 1797–1835 (Freemans Rolls). FamilySearch.org Film #008482829 Item 1.
The History of Parliament: Huntingdon (1820-1832) at https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/constituencies/huntingdon
Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette, 29 Sep, 1827, pg 3
Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette, 29 Aug, 1829, pg 3
Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette, 21 Nov, 1835, pg 3
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, and Huntingdonshire Gazette, 8 July, 1836, pg 3
Drakard's Stamford News, 14 May, 1830, pg 3
Huntingdon, Bedford, & Peterborough Gazette, 22 Jan, 1831, pg 3
General Record Office. Death certificate for William Randall, 10 July, 1843
General Record Office. Death certificate for Charles Randall, 1 April, 1849
England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858: Charles Randall, probate 14 April 1849.
Cambridge Weekly News, 21 Apr, 1849, pg 1

This is the final installment of a series on the children of Charles Randall (1784-1849) and Mary Ann Allpress (1786-1830) of Huntingdon, England. Their five youngest were all boys: Edward, Frederick, Alfred, William, and Philip. Some of these boys struggled, probably due in part to the death of their mother when they were very young. Most of the boys ended up leaving Huntingdon.

Ed and Fred Randall

Edward (1821 - ?) and Frederick (1822-1885) were two English peas in a pod. They were close in age and ended up working together as turnkeys (jailers) at the Huntingdon County Gaol (jail). In the 1851 England Census, Edward was recorded as 3rd Turnkey at the gaol while his brother Frederick was recorded as 4th Turnkey.(1)

This was not an easy job. In 1849, just a few weeks after his father died, Edward was assaulted while on duty by a prisoner named Frederick Shaw. On April 30, 1849, the Gaol Keeper wrote that Frederick Shaw “used obscene and disgusting language toward Edward Randall, the third Turnkey” and later “violently kicked Randall upon the left leg.”(2) Two and a half years later, Edward got into a physical fight with the 4th Turnkey (his own brother) and was fired. This incident was mentioned in the local newspaper (3) and in local court records (4), but details are lacking. The 1852 Epiphany (January) session minutes simply state that the visiting justices resolved that Edward “be dismissed from this office … in consequence of an assault committed by him in the Gaol on his brother Frederick Randall and that Frederick Randall be appointed Third Turnkey in his place.” This likely would have been quite embarrassing for the family.

After his dismissal, Edward decided to leave Huntingdon and sail to Australia. In October 1852 he arrived at Port Philip, near Melbourne, a journey that took over 4 months. Frederick followed a few months later.(5) The brothers settled in Maldon, Victoria, which was founded in 1854 as a Gold Rush town at the Tarrangower gold fields. I have only a few records of the Randall brothers once they arrived in Australia, as follows:

In 1859 Edward was fined for being drunk in Maldon.(6) I have no record of him after this date.

In 1876 Frederick was a plaintiff in an assault case in Maldon. Fred complained that the defendant hit him one night in his garden. The defendant claimed that Fred was very drunk and had chased his children with dogs. The case was dismissed.(6, 7)
In May 1884 Frederick put his property up for sale.(8)
In September 1885 Frederick died in Maldon.(9) I can’t find a will or probate for him. I don’t think he had any heirs.

Sale of Mr. F. Randall's property at Nuggetty Reef, from *The Tarrangower Times and Maldon Advertiser*, 7 May, 1884

Alfred Randall

Although Alfred (1823-1882) was close in age to his brothers Edward and Frederick, he chose a different path and pursued a career as an “inland revenue” or excise officer, meaning that he worked in tax collection and tax compliance. He was married and had one son, named Alfred Edmund Randall. After living for a while in Wellington, Shropshire, Alfred returned to Huntingdon with his family, where he was well-regarded. His sudden death was covered in the local papers.(10)

This article describes how Alfred’s body was found in a field in Huntingdon with his loyal greyhound dog by his dog. The body was then brought to a public house, in this case The Coach & Horses Inn, where the coroner held an inquest to determine the cause of death. It may sound strange to us today to hear that a dead body was brought into a pub, but that’s how it was often done in the past before towns had an official morgue or mortuary.

William Randall

This Randall brother sadly never made it to adulthood. William (1825-1843) took his own life at the age of 17, reportedly due to “melancholy” and unemployment.(11) The cause of death was recorded as “hanging in a fit of temporary insanity.”(12) At this point in time, his father Charles was still alive and all of his siblings (except his oldest brother Charles Jr) were still residing in Huntingdon. This would have been a very dark chapter for the family.

*The Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, and Huntingdonshire Gazette*, 15 July 1843

Philip Allpress Randall

The youngest brother, Philip (1827-1895), was just 3 years old when his mother died, so he probably had no memories of her. But he consistently used her maiden name (Allpress) as his middle name throughout his life.

Philip was a boot and shoe maker. He and his wife Eliza had 6 children who lived to adulthood.(13) In 1881 Philip sold his properties in the North End of Huntingdon and moved to Illinois with his son Edward Stephenson Randall (1860-1947), who became a farmer and raised a family in Nokomis.(14,15) Philip’s oldest daughter, Harriet Louisa Randall (1855-1892), arrived in the US the next year.(15) Philips’ other children remained in England.

Of all the places to go in America, why did the Randalls pick Nokomis? Presumably, farm land was plentiful here. But this decision must have been influenced by Philip’s older sister Mary Ann Shelton and her sons, who had settled in Nokomis by 1880. This shows that siblings Philip and Mary Ann were in contact even though they had not seen each other for many years - a heartwarming thought considering all the difficulties the family had been through.

The Randalls have a plot in Nokomis Cemetery with a very handsome headstone. Etched into the bottom of the stone are the words “Huntingdon, England” as a reminder to later generations of the family’s origins.

The Randall family plot in Nokomis Cemetery, Nokomis, IL, photographed in 2022

I paid a visit to the gravesite in 2022 on one of my regular Belleville to Chicago drives. If you are descended from Philip A Randall drop me a line! I have much more Randall information to share.

Sources

1851 England Census for Great Stukeley, Huntingdonshire.
Huntingdon County Gaol Keepers Journal (1847-1851). FamilySearch Image Group Number: 008179742, images 51-53 of 279.
Cambridge Weekly News, 10 Jan, 1852, pg 4.
Quarter Session Records of Huntingdon, Minute Books (1849-1863). FamilySearch Image Group Number: 008868600, image 165 of 224.
Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839–1923.
Victoria, Australia, Petty Session Records, 1854-1922.
The Tarrangower Times and Maldon Advertiser, 27 May, 1876, pg 2.
The Tarrangower Times and Maldon Advertiser, 7 May, 1884, pg 3.
Australia Death Index, 1787-1985.
Cambridge Weekly News, 9 Sep 1882, pg 7.
The Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, and Huntingdonshire Gazette. 15 July, 1843, pg 3.
General Register Office. Death certificate for William Randall, 10 July, 1843
1871 England Census for St John’s Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire.
1920 U.S. Federal Census for Nokomis Township, Montgomery County, Illinois.
New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.