Flora Louisa Hatcher

BIRTH: Flora was born on 20 Oct 1870, at 43 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, Amwell, Middlesex County, England

BIOGRAPHY: 

        Florence came from old yeoman stock (landed gentry), which is older than the royal family.  Her family was from Coventry.  She married Charles Petitjean in about 1889.  After their marriage, she came to the United States to visit his family, on the S.S. Tower Hill, out of London, arriving at the Port of New York, on 3 Jun 1889.

        At the time of England's 1901 Census, the family: Charles (38), Florence (30), Charles (9), William (4), Flora (5), Bessie (3), Laura (1), and a nephew, William Hatcher (17), machine tool maker, were living at 19 Lower Ford Street, Coventry, Warwick County (Holy Trinity; District 23). Charles was an electrical engineer.  They later had three more children: Rosalie (b13 Feb 1902), George (b 30 Mar 1975), and Edna (b 1 Apr 1908).

        Charles and Florence came to visit his family in America in 1934, on the S. S. Berengeria, staying for about 3 months.  Upon arriving, Charles enjoyed some celebrity when it was discovered, that despite his forty-eight years in England, he was still an American citizen, traveling on a US passport.  Florence was a British subject with a British passport, so they were on separate lines as they processed off the ship.  When he returned to England, he had to be granted "permission" because of his American citizenship.

        For most of their later years, Charles and Florence's address in England was 102 Rosebery Avenue, London.  Florence loved to garden, but apparently wasn't very good at it.  She also liked to bet on the horse races, and would collect and place bets for her neighbors.  Charles died on 19 Jan 1936, in London, England.  During the 1940 blitzkrieg, WWII, Florence refused to go to the shelters at night, and took refuge under the stairs.

102 Roseberry Avenue, London

DEATH: Florence died at 351 Clapham Road, Clapham, England, on 21 Nov 1955.

Children

 

Charles William Petitjean

BIRTH: 23 Nov 1891, London, Middlesex County, England

BIOGRAPHY:  

        At the time of England's 1901 Census, Charles was 9 years old, and living with his family: Father, Charles (38), Mother, Florence (30), and siblings William (7), Flora (5), Bessie (3), Laura (1), and a cousin, William Hatcher (17)(machine tool maker), at 19 Lower Ford Street, Coventry, Warwick County (Holy Trinity; District 23). His Father, Charles, was an electrical engineer.

        Charles arrived in the USA in 1909, at the age of 18, on the ship, St. Paul, out of Southampton, Southamptonshire, England, UK.  The passenger list indicates that he was a resident of London, England, but a US citizen (he was able to claim citizenship since his father had been born here, in Otis, MA).  He  stayed with his Uncle, Octave Petitjean, at 143 Waterville Street, Waterbury, CT. Octave had visited London in 1907, coming back on the ship Baltic, out of Liverpool, England, UK, arriving on  30 Aug 1907.  

        At the time of the 1910 Census, Charles was 18 years old, a machinist, and living at 143 Waterville Street, Waterbury, New Haven County, CT (3-WD - Series: T624; Roll: 141; Page: 132; District: 481), with his Uncle, Octave Petitjean, and his family. 

Bessie Lilian Beesley

        Charles went back to England, in 1912, for the purpose of marrying Bessie Lilian Beesley (Charles Frederick Beesley Family).  They were married by William James Darch, Deputy Registrar of Marriages, for the District of Holborn, in the County of London, on 16 Aug 1912.  The certificate of marriage lists their residence at the time of marriage, as 4 Roberts Place, Clerkenwell.  Charles William was listed as being 23, and a Model Maker.  His Father was listed as Charles Petitjean, Tool Maker.  Bessie was listed as being 21, and a Stenographer.  Her Father was listed as Charles Frederick Beesley, Compositor.  The marriage witnesses were: F. Petitjean (Charles' Mother, or sister, Florence), E. A. Morcom (Bessie's Aunt, Elizabeth Ann), and Grace Beesley (Bessie's Mother).

        Charles returned to the United States, arriving on 5 Sept 1912, on the R.M.S. Olympic, out of Southampton, Southamptonshire, England, UK.  He was now listed as a resident of Waterbury, CT. His wife, Bessie, arrived in USA on 21 May 1913, on the R.M.S. Olympic, out of Southampton, Southamptonshire, England, UK. She was listed as being British, English, and a resident of Winslow, England.

        In the Waterbury, Naugatuck, and Watertown, Connecticut City Directory, 1914, Charles W., was listed as boarding at 70 Edin Street, Waterbury, CT, and employed by the Bristol Company.  Charles registered for the draft on 5 Jun 1917.  His cousin, Percy Petitjean was the registrar.  His registration card indicates that he had served for two weeks as a colonel's aide in the medical corps in England.  At the time he registered, Charles was married, with two children, an experimental instrument maker for the Bristol Company, and living at 70 Edin Street, Waterbury, CT.

        In about 1918, the family started renting at the Sokoloski Farm, on Wooster Street, Union City, CT.  [Joe Sokoloski was a Union City Barber, right up until the 1990's.  He cut the hair of four generations of Petitjeans: Charles, when he visited in 1934; Charles William; Charles Frederick, William and Robert, sons of Charles William; and, much later, Ross (his first hair cut), son of Charles Frederick.]  Joe's daughter, Helen Sokoloski became a teacher in the local schools.  

        At the time of the 1920 Census, Charles was 28 years old, an instrument maker at the Bristol Company, Platts Mills, Waterbury, CT, and living at 132 Wooster Street, Union City, New Haven County, CT (3-WD - Series: T625; Roll: 190; Page: 271; District: 305), with his wife, Bessie L. (28), and sons, Charles F. (4) and William G. (2 yrs 8 months).

        When Charles asked the Bristol Company for a month off to visit England, and they refused; he quit his job, put their furniture in storage and took the family on an extended trip to England.  They departed from the Port of New York on 15 May 1920, on the R.M.S. Mauretania (passport applications).  While there, Charles Frederick and William George were both baptized, on 5 Sep 1920, at the Wesleyan-Methodist Chapel, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell, in the County of  London,  by Edgar C. Barbon, Wesleyan-Methodist Minister. 

        The family arrived back in the United States, on 6 Oct 1920, on the R.M.S. Olympic, out of Southampton, Southhamptonshire, England. UK. Their address was listed as 143 Waterville Street, Waterbury, CT (home of Uncle, Octave Petitjean).  The Bristol Company gave Charles his job back, with a raise.  By 1922, the family was living at 490 North Main Street, Union City, CT (Waterbury and Naugatuck City Directory, 1924).

        Charles' job at the Bristol Company was as a "model maker".  He invented many devices while working there, the most well known (in industrial circles) being the "Pyromaster", a temperature recorder, for industrial level temperatures.  It sold for about $200.  He also invented a stress analyzer, for measuring the amount of stress that a submarine propeller could endure.  For that invention, he was awarded with a certificate of recognition, from the Office of Scientific Research and Development, of the United States of America, dated 1 Mar 1945.  He was also invited along on a submarine shakedown cruise, for the purpose of testing the device.

        When the Bristol Company decided to create a talking picture machine, they hired Alexander G. Penrod, a motion picture cameraman, who had done the cinematography for the silent film, "Down to the Sea in Ships", starring Clara Bow.  Charles and Alexander worked on the project together, and created a talking picture camera, that reached the testing stage (son, Charles Frederick, recalls being at the viewing).  When the Vitaphone system, developed by the Western Electric Company, was tested at the Warner Vitagraph Studios in Brooklyn, in 1926, the Bristol Company dropped their project.  (Alexander left the company to return to movie making.  He accompanied Mr. Varrick Frissel, director of the Grenfell Association of America in New York, to re-take scenes for the picture, "White Thunder", on the sealing ship, S. S. Viking.  The ship exploded on 14 Mar 1931, off the coast of Horse Islands, Newfoundland.  Fifty-eight people died, including Alexander.)  

        At the time of the 1930 Census, the Charles William Petitjean family was living at 71 Golden Hill Street, Naugatuck, New Haven County, CT (3-WD - Series: T626; Roll: 274; Page: 139; District: 186).  Charles W. was 40 years old, Bessie L. was 38 years old, Charles F. was 15 years old, William G. was 12 years old, and Robert J. was 5 years old.  They moved to 1425 Highland Av. Extension, Platts Mills, Waterbury, CT, in 1931.  

        In the Waterbury, Naugatuck, and Watertown, Connecticut City Directory, 1932, Charles was listed as an experimental engineer, working for the Bristol Company.  He lived with his wife, Bessie L., at their home on Highland Avenue Extention near Pear Street, in Platts Mills, Waterbury, CT.

        Charles was a member of the Shepherd Lodge of Masons, Naugatuck, and was a member of the musician's union. He played the piano and trombone.

DEATH: Charles died at the age of 54, at his home, on 5 Oct 1946, as the result of intestinal cancer. 

BURIAL: The Shepherd Lodge of Masons met at the Alderson Funeral Home at 8:00 P.M., on 7 Oct 1946, to conduct a Masonic service. Funeral services were held at 11:00 A.M., on 8 Oct 1946, from the funeral home, the Rev. B. Kenneth Anthony, of the First Congregational Church, officiating.  He was buried at Riverside Cemetery, Waterbury, CT.  Upon her death (12 Aug 1949), his wife, Bessie, was buried in the same plot. 

 

William Edmund Petitjean

BIRTH: 4 Sept 1893, London, Middlesex County, England

NICKNAME: Will

BIOGRAPHY:  

        At the time of England's 1901 Census, William was 7 years old, and living with his family: Father, Charles (38), Mother, Florence (30), and siblings, Charles (9), Flora (5), Bessie (3), Laura (1), and a cousin, William Hatcher (17) machine tool maker, at 19 Lower Ford Street, Coventry, Warwick County (Holy Trinity; District 23). His Father, Charles, was an electrical engineer.

        William was a World War I veteran, having served in France from about 1915-1917.  He then transferred to the Royal Air Force, and entered flight training.  He earned his wings in about 1918, but the war ended before he saw action as a pilot.  He married Winifred C. Lilly in 1921, in England. 

Winifred C. Lilly 

        William and his wife, Winifred, arrived in the United States on 22 Feb 1921, on the S. S. Aquitania, out of Southampton, Southamptonshire, England, UK.  William was 27 years, 4 months old, and Winifred was 24 years, 10 months old.  They lived with William's Aunt, Rose Beck, on Coe Street, Waterbury, CT, until moving to 14 Catherine Avenue in 1923.  In 1926, Winnie gave birth to twin daughters, Gwen and Joan.  Joan died a few days later. 

        At the time of the 1930 Census, William (36) was living with his wife, Winifred (32), and daughter, Gwen (3 yrs 11 months), at 14 Catherine Avenue, Waterbury, CT. (1-WD - Series: T626; Roll: 279; Page: 115; District: 209).  He was an estimator at a clock factory (Waterbury Clock Company).  His duties for the company (which  became the Timex Corporation), included being sent to Scotland in 1946 to set up and open the Timex Glasgow plant.  He worked for Timex until he retired, in 1967.

        William tried to get American citizenship at the beginning of WWII, but was denied repatriation (as the son of and American), and had to be naturalized, because of his service in a "foreign Army".  He took his Aunt, Rose Beck, to City Hall to testify that she had a brother, Charles, born in the U.S., but was still denied repatriation. 

         William and Winifred moved to 88 Woodland Avenue, Waterbury, CT in 1959, and continued to live there for the remainder of their married lives.  They were members of the First Congregational Church and the Harmony Lodge of Masons.

DEATH: William died, at the age of 80, on 8 Feb 1974, in Waterbury, CT.

BURIAL: William's funeral was held on Tuesday, 12 Feb 1974, at the Alderson Funeral Home, 70 Central Avenue, Waterbury, CT, with the Rev. David H. Eusden, officiating.  He is buried with his wife Winifred, at Pinegrove Cemetery, Waterbury, CT.

 

Florence Petitjean 

BIRTH: 13 Aug 1895 London, Middlesex County, England

NICKNAME: Florrie

BIOGRAPHY:  

        At the time of England's 1901 Census, Florence was listed as Flora (5), and was living with her family: Father, Charles (38), Mother, Florence (30), and siblings, Charles (9), William (7), Bessie (3), Laura (1), and a cousin, William Hatcher (17) machine tool maker, at 19 Lower Ford Street, Coventry, Warwick County (Holy Trinity; District 23). Her Father, Charles, was an electrical engineer.

        Florence married Alan Loney, an Australian soldier, in London, after WWI, and moved with him to West Australia, about 100 miles southeast of Perth, where they ran a sheep farm.  Their daughter, Joyce, eventually took over running the farm, and continued to do so until her death, on 18 Feb 2012.

Wedding of Florence's Granddaughter, Karen Loney

Others in picture: Jan (wife of Brett Loney – grandson of Florence),

Ronice (granddaughter of Florence), Joyce (daughter of Florence), 

bride, Florence, Mavis Loney (daughter-in-law of Florence).

DEATH: Florence died in 1992, in Perth, Australia.

 

Bessie Petitjean

BIRTH: 1897, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

NICKNAME: Brenda

BIOGRAPHY:  

        At the time of England's 1901 Census, Bessie was 3 years old, and was living with her family: Father, Charles (38), Mother, Florence (30), and siblings, Charles (9), William (7), Flora (5), Laura (1), and a cousin, William Hatcher (17) machine tool maker, at 19 Lower Ford Street, Coventry, Warwick County (Holy Trinity; District 23). Her Father, Charles, was an electrical engineer.

        Brenda married Guy Hughes, a British actor.  Their address in London was 351 Clapham Road, London, England. 

        Her last address was Brackenbridge House, Victoria Road, South Ruislip HA4-OSB. Her caregivers were Pat (possibly with Scotland Yard) and Louise Downes (Drowns).

DEATH: Brenda died on 2 Feb 1991, at the Brackenbridge House nursing home, Brackenhill Victoria Road, South Ruislip, Middlesex County, England, HA4 0JH.

BURIAL: Brenda was buried on 7 Feb 1991, in Ruislip, England.

Bessie & Guy Hughes home – Clapham - 1930

Back -  George’s wife, Rose; Bessie Hughes

Front – Florence; Guy; Rosalie Nicholson; Edna Petitjean

            

 

Bessie - 1919

 

Laura Petitjean 

BIRTH: 1900, Coventry, Warwickshire

BIOGRAPHY:  

        At the time of England's 1901 Census, Laura was 1 year old, and was living with her family: Father, Charles (38), Mother, Florence (30), and siblings, Charles (9), William (7), Flora (5), Bessie (3), and a cousin, William Hatcher (17) machine tool maker, at 19 Lower Ford Street, Coventry, Warwick County (Holy Trinity; District 23). Her Father, Charles, was an electrical engineer.

        Laura visited the United States, arriving on 2 Nov 1921, on the S. S. Olympic.  The ship manifest indicates that she was coming to visit her brother (William), at 490 North Main Street, Union City, CT.  She was 5' 3" tall, pale, brown eyes and hair, and her mental and physical health was "good".  Her occupation was listed as ledger clerk.  His closest relative in England was her Mother, living at 102 Rosebery Avenue, London.

        On the trip back to England, Laura's ship stopped for three days, in cold weather,  to help a sinking freighter, with 30 or 40 men aboard.  She caught pneumonia and died after returning home to London.  She was twenty-two years old.

Laura - 1921

DEATH: Laura died in 1922, in London, England.

 

Rosalie Violet Petitjean

BIRTH: 13 Feb 1902, London, Middlesex County, England

BIOGRAPHY:  

        Rosalie married Oscar Nicholson, chief engineer on the U.S. Leviathan, and moved to Jersey City, New Jersey.

Rosalie - 1920

        At the time of the 1930 Census, Rosalie (listed as Rose) was 28 years old, and living at 40 Prospect Street, Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey (11-WD; Series: T626; Roll: 1356; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 162), with her husband, Oscar (listed as Thomas) (28), her daughters: Rose (7), and Peggy (5), and her son, George (3 years and two months).  Her husband, Oscar, was listed as having been born in Oklahoma (parents born in Texas), and employed as an engineer on a tug boat.  Rosalie was listed as having been born in CT, but was really born in London, England.  Her father was listed as having been born in CT, but was actually born in MA.

Lee, Peggy, and George

         After her divorce, Rosalie lived in Teaneck and then Englewood Cliffs, NJ, moving to Florida in her later years.  Her daughter, Rosalie Lee, married Stanley L. Biedron and had two sons: Mark, and Scott Parker (b 1955).  Her daughter, Margaret, married George M. Baroody and had two sons: Theodore G. (b 1964), and Matthew Nicholson (b 1965).  Her son, George, married Avril C. and had two daughters: Christina (b 1963), and Laura (b 1965); and two sons: James (b 1966), and Jeffrey John (b 1974).

DEATH: Rosalie died on 8 Sep 1990, in Florida.

 

George Stanley Petitjean

BIRTH: 10 Feb 1906, London, England

BIOGRAPHY:  

        George married Rose Wallace (b 10 Feb 1907; d Jul 1997) and lived in London.  They inherited the home at 102 Roseberry Avenue, after the death of Florence Petitjean.

Rose and George Petitjean

DEATH: George died on 30 Mar 1975, in London, England.

 

 

Edna Mary Petitjean

BIRTH: 1 Apr 1908, London, England

NICKNAME: Eddie

BIOGRAPHY:  

        Edna lived in London, and remained single.  In her later years, she lived with her sister, Brenda, at 351 Clapham Road, London, England.

Florence, Bessie (holding Ross), Brenda, George

Edna and Rose - Brenda's Home

DEATH: Edna died at the age of 81, in Dec1989, at Kings College Hospital, London, England.

Rosalie Petitjean Nicholson, Florence, Edna Petitjean

"Cozy Corner" at 102 Rosebery Avenue, London England

Top of Page

Back to Marriage of George Petitjean

Back to Main Page

Other Links:

Marriage of Charles William Petitjean

Marriage of William Edmund Petitjean

Charles Frederick Beesley Family