Charles Nix (1831 - abt. 1920)

Born 1831 in Lincolnshire, England

Ancestors

Died about Jan 1920 at about age 89 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Fred Nix [send private message]

Biography

Charles Nix is born most likely in the summer of 1831 in the tiny hamlet of Azeby, Lincolnshire, England. His parents are John Nix (1789-1846) and Mary Bee (1793-1867). John Nix is an agricultural labourer. Azeby is a close to several other hamlets all lying near the village of Heydour (often spelt “Haydor”) where the church is located. And Azeby is variously spelt as “Aseby,” or “Aisby.” The modern spelling is Aisby and it is 12 kilometres southwest of Sleaford. Charles is baptised in St Michael’s and All Angels church in the village (and parish) of Heydour on September 14, 1831 [1].

Charles is in the 1841 census records at the age of nine, living with his parents and two siblings in the hamlet of Aisby [2]. While positive identification is difficult, we think we have found Charles in the 1851 census records [3]. He is 19 years old, working as a servant (which probably means “farm labourer”) in Heckington. The problem with positive identification is that the census record shows his place of birth as “Haceby” which may just be a missepelling of “Azeby.” The record also shows that he is married (but it shows no spouse). Heckington is about 16 kilometres by road east of Azeby.

In the fourth quarter of 1856, Charles marries Charlotte Broughton in Grantham [4]. Charlotte is from Great Gonerby and she sometimes goes by the name “Elizabeth.” Gratham, about 15 kilmetres west of Azeby, is the major market town in the area. ‘Charles’s grandparents were from Gratham.

In the 1861 census records, Charles and Charlotte (“Elizabeth”) are living in Culverthorpe and Charles is working as a farm labourer [5]. Culverthorpe is about half a kilometre north of Azeby. The couple is still in Culverthorp in the 1871 census records and Charles is still a farm labourer [7].

The 1881 census records show Charles and Charlotte in Haydor and Charles is now a stone quarry man and a Methodist preacher. “Heydour” is often spelt “Haydor in early records and, since Culverthorpe is within the Heydour parish, we assume that Charles and Chalotte are still living in that hamlet. There is a 9-year-old Charlotte Wright living with them. We don’t know the relationship of the young girl to Charles or the older Charlotte. The only clue is that the young girl is from Great Gonerby, so she might be a relative.

Charles and Charlotte (”Elizabeth”) are shown in the 1891 census still living in Culverthorpe and Charles is now a foreman in a stone quarry [8]. In this 1901 census records, they are still living in Culverthorpe and Charles is now a grocer [9]. At this point, Charles is 69 years old and Charlotte is 66. The 1911 census records shows them in the same place and shows Charles is still a grocer [10].

While positive identification is difficult, we think Charles dies in 1920 at the age of 88 [11]. We know that an 88-year-old Charles Nix dies in 1920 in the Sleaford Registration district. Culverthorpe is in the Sleaford district --.the hamlet of Culverthorpe is 4.5 kilometres by road south of Sleaford. And, given that the 1911 census shows only five people with the name “Charles Nix” in all of Lincolnshire and only one “Charles Nix” anywhere close to Sleaford (the one of interest here) we are fairly confident that this 88-year-old Charles is the one who is the subject of this biography.

Also, and again while positive identification is difficult, we think Charlotte lives on until 1924 and dies in Yorkshire.

. This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

[1] www.freereg.org.uk Baptism Record: “County, Lincolnshire / Place, Heydour / Church, St Michael / Register Number, 314 / Date Of Birth, [blank] / Baptism Date, 14 Sep 1831 / Forename, Charles / Sex, M / Father Forename, Jno / Mother Forename, Mary / Father Surname, NIX / Mother Surname, [blank] / Abode, Aseby / Father Occupation, Labourer / Notes, / File Number, 17926”

[2] "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ1R-L1R : accessed 25 February 2016), John Nix, Aisby In Haydor, Lincolnshire, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. The 1841 census record shows John Nix (60) living in Aisby In Haydor, Lincolnshire, England. His wife is Mary (45). They have 3 children living with them: Joseph (11), Charles (9) & Alice (6). In addition there is a 20-yr old Ann Beat living with the family.

[3] "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGNL-6F9 : 20 October 2017), Charles Nix in household of Benjn Liensley, Heckington, Lincolnshire, England; citing Heckington, Lincolnshire, England, p. 65, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey. The 1851 census record shows a Charles Nix (19) working as a servant in the household of Benjn Liensley in Heckington, Lincolnshire, England. The record shows he is married and that he was born in Haceby, Lincolnshire. There are two other servants in the household (?but it doesn’t appear that the other, female, servant is Charles’ wife?) It is suspected that this Charles Nix is actually more like 21 years old and that he was born in Aisby, not in Haceby – Aisby and Haceby are about a kilometre apart and it is likely that the person who gave the census taker the information was inaccurate or, quite possibly, was not sure of Charles’ true age or birth place. Also, this Charles Nix – the one born in 1830 in Aisby – did not marry until 1856. So again, the person giving the census taker the information quite likely just didn’t know the marital status of Charles

[4] "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DQ5-W8G : 13 December 2014), Charles Nix, 1856; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1856, quarter 4, vol. 7A, p. 913, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. The record shows that a Charles Nix was married in 1856 in Grantham, Lincolnshire. It lists 3 possible people for the name of the spouse but, since one of the names is male, the only two possibilities are: (1) Charlotte Broughton and (2) Mary Jarvis. Since Charles can be found in census records with a spouse named “Charlotte” who was born in Great Gonerby, it is pretty clear that this marriage record is showing that Charles Nix married Charlotte Broughton in Grantham in the 4th quarter of 1856.

[5] www.freecen.org.uk Piece: RG9/2343 Place: Sleaford -Lincolnshire Enumeration District: 12, Civil Parish: Culverthorpe Ecclesiastical Parish: Lincoln, Folio: 101 Page: 10 Schedule: 34, Address: - The 1861 census record shows Charles Nix (29) and his wife, Elizabeth (26) living in Culverthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. Charles is a farm labourer and was born in Azeby, Lincolnshire. Elizabeth was born in Great Gonerby, Lincolnshire.

[6] www.freecen.org.uk -1871 census record, Lincolnshire, Sleaford, civil parish of Culverthorpe, ecclesiastical parish of Culverthorpe: This shows a Charles Nix (39) living with a Charlotte Nix (36). Charles was born in Heydour; Charlotte was born in Great Gonerby. Charles is an agricultural labourer.

[7] "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27V-5MMB : 12 December 2017), Charles Nix, Haydor, Lincolnshire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 10, Piece/Folio 3234/92, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,951. The record shows Charles Nix (49) living in Haydor. He was born in Azeby and his occupation is a “stonequarry man and Methodist preacher.” His wife is Charlotte (46) who was born in Gt Gonerby. They have a 9-yr old Charlotte J. Wright living with them (this Charlotte was also born in Gt Gonerby.)

[8] www.freecen.org.uk Piece: RG12/2578 Place: Sleaford -Lincolnshire Enumeration District: 6, Civil Parish:Cha Culverthorpe Ecclesiastical Parish: Heydour, Folio: 102 Page: 4 Schedule: 19, Address: The 1891 census record shows Charles Nix (59) and his wife, Elizabeth (56) living in Culverthorpe, Lincolnshire. Charles was born in Haydor (Heydor) and Elizabeth was born in Great Gonerby. Charles is a foreman at a stone quarry.

[9] "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSDS-2ZB : 16 August 2022), Charles Nix, Culverthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. The census record shows Charles Nix (69) living in Culverthorpe. He was born in Azeby and his occupation is a grocer. Hiss wife is Charlotte (66) who was born in Great Gonerby.

[10] "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7YH-683 : accessed 19 January 2016), Charles Nix, Culverthorpe, Culverthorpe Grantham, Lincolnshire, England; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey. The record shows the 79-yr old Charles Nix living in Culverthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. He was born in Haydon [Haydor or Heydour parish]. His occupation is a grocer. His wife is the 76-yr old Charlotte who was born in G. Gonerby.

[11] "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2J42-WHJ : 31 December 2014), Charles Nix, 1920; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. Charles Nix (88) died in the first quarter of 1920 in the Sleaford registration district. Also: England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 - Volume 7a, Page 12.

Acknowledgements

This biography was prepared by Fred Nix in August, 2023. Fred is the gg grand nephew of Charles. Helen Blow helped with the research.