Alfred Dimes

  General Notes:

In 1851, Alfred (13, errand boy) was living in Dippenhall Street, Crondall with his father George (49, gardener) and mother Elizabeth (47) and sisters Ann (11), Harriett (8), Emma (7) and Louisa (5).

He later worked at the newly established Aldershot Camp for a plasterer called Allen of the Royal Arms, Heath End and joined the Surrey police as a constable third class, on 30th August 1857 aged 20.

By the middle of the 19th century, each county and borough had a police force responsible to the Home Office and it was the Surrey Constabulary that Alfred Dimes joined. He was 5ft and 10 ins tall, with brown hair grey eyes and a fair complexion. He was first stationed at Ash, but then moved to Oatlands Park near Weybridge in October 1857. His conduct on the police records was described as 'generally good'! A year later he married Julia Reed at Hersham Independent Chapel on 28th September and a month later resigned from the Surrey Police. It seemed that the newly married couple moved to London as their son George William Dimes was born at Seacoal Lane near Ludgate on 18th June 1859.

However in January 1861 Alfred died of typhoid fever in the London Fever Hospital.

His policeman's cloak probably came back to Crondall with his son George William, because Daniel George his Alfred's great grandson remembers Alfred's son George William wearing 'a large black policemans cloak that his grandchildren used to get hide under in bad weather.

His wife Julia left young George William with his grandparents, George and Elizabeth Dimes in Crondall while she made a living for herself in London as a housekeeper. She died of smallpox on 2nd November 1871.

Below is an excerpt from Dimes family of Crondall by Wendy Cope:
ALFRED DIMES (1837'961861)

Alfred was born in Crondall in September 1837, the sixth child of George and Elizabeth, who was commonly known as Betsy. They decided to try out the new government scheme for issuing birth certificates and registered Alfred's birth, although they never registered any of the later children. Perhaps it was too much trouble to get to the registrar or perhaps they found it too expensive. Next, following family practice, Alfred was christened at Crondall church on 15th October.

In 1851, aged 13, he was the eldest child at home and was working as an errand boy. Later he worked as a gardener for a plasterer, Mr Allen of Royal Arms, Heath End, at Aldershot camp. On 30th August 1857 he joined the Surrey Police as a 3rd class constable with the collar number 90. He was described as being 5ft 10ins tall, with brown hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion. He was first stationed at Ash and in October 1857 moved to Oatlands Park.

A year later, on 10th September 1858 he married Julia Reed at the Independent Chapel at Hersham. Both were recorded as living at Walton-on-Thames. A month later Alfred resigned from the Surrey police. The newly married couple moved to London where Alfred joined either the Metropolitan or the City police force. Their son, George William was born on 18th June 1859 at Seacoal Lane near Ludgate Circus and he was baptised on 10th July at St Sepulchre.

At the beginning of 1861 Alfred succumbed to typhoid fever and died at the London Fever Hospital on 19th January 1861. His death was registered by George Reed, possibly a relation of Julia's. Julia was about to give birth again and a daughter Isabella Elizabeth was born and registered in the first quarter of the year. Later that year when the census was taken Julia had moved to Rehoboth Cottages, Townshend Road, Marylebone, and was working as a laundress. Two month old Isabella was with her but George William was now living with his grandparents in Crondall and he grew up in their care. Conditions would have been very hard for a widow with a baby. Sadly Isabella died in the latter part of 1862. Julia then went to earn a living as a housekeeper. In 1871 she was housekeeper to a widower, Francis Harrison, and his three young children, at 38 Dukes Terrace, Kentish Town. Later that year smallpox broke out in the family and Julia caught it, suffered for four days and died of it on 2nd November. Her death certificate remarks sadly that she had not been revaccinated. Francis Harrison registered her death but his knowledge of her life was limited. He did not know her husband's Christian name but thought he had been a master butcher. She must have talked of her son and his being in Crondall with his grandparents, for it was grandfather George who was the butcher. Perhaps she was able to visit occasionally.

Alfred married Juliet Jane Reed, daughter of James Reed and Elizabeth Ann Taylor, on 10 Sep 1858 in Hersham, Surrey, England. (Juliet Jane Reed was born on 24 Dec 1822 in Walton on Thames, Surrey, England, England, christened on 2 Feb 1823 in St. Mary, Walton on Thames, Surrey, England and died on 2 Nov 1871 in Kentish Town, London, England.)