Adam Weatherstone

The world was changing when Adam Weatherstone was born in Scotland in 1769. Captain James Cook was preparing to set out and explore the southern seas and to map the land that many of Adam’s children and future descendants would call home. For reasons we can’t be sure of, Adam set out on his own adventures to London sometime before 1809. The district of London he lived in was around the wharves and docks and his occupation as a watchman could give some clues to why he chose to live in London. [The London Docks were constructed between 1799 and 1815 so is not unreasonable to imagine Adam felt the lure of the growing prosperity in London and work as a labourer building the docks.]

Census and death records show Adam Weatherstone was born in around 1770 in Edinburgh, Scotland. There are many variants on the spelling of Weatherstone and the death certificate of his daughter, Sarah, indicates he was also known as John. The first records I have found for Adam, is when he married Elizabeth Butts on October 9, 1809 at the “St George in the East” Anglican Church in Ratcliffe, London. He was around 40 years old at the time, an old man by today’s standards (the average life expectancy being 40). One wonders what life he’d left behind in Scotland. His marriage record shows him to be a bachelor, but could the death of a loved one have helped him to make the decision to move to London?

Adam & Elizabeth had 8 children. Of these at least 3 (Samuel, Mary & Sarah) were transported to Australia. James is possibly the “John Williams alias Weatherstone” who was also sent to the penal colony (as he was using the name John we can assume that John Adam may have died as an infant). Thomas, the second youngest, died as an infant, Dinah, the youngest, married a John Everington and lived out her years in London. I know little about their eldest daughter Elizabeth, but through this blog have connected with one of her descendants, so would love to learn more!

Living conditions in London changed quickly during the 1820s, the Napolianic Wars and rioting had an effect on poverty, but one of the biggest factors was the growing population. London was the largest city in the world. Younger migrants, a growing birth rate and higher rates of infant mortality saw an increase in crowding. The industrial revolution initialially drew in people from all around the world to build infrustructure but once it was in place there was less and less employment available. Stepney and the areas along the Ratcliff Highway had high rates of poverty and crime rose. The area is said to be inspiration for Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. 

London Docks - St Dunstan's Church is in the middle left of the picture
Harris Court was directly infront of this building (behind the wharves)

Census records tell us that Adam was a labourer and in his later years, a watchman, probably on the docks. While his children, and even his wife Elizabeth, appeared before the courts, Adam’s one record was in relation to his attempted murder by a drunken neighbour!

On New Year’s Eve, 1839, Daniel Craven appeared at the Weatherstone’s Harris’ Court (Ratcliffe) home verbally abusing Adam. Although irritated, Adam told him to go away and they’d talk in the morning as he realised his friend was intoxicated and not his usual self. When Craven once again started his tirade, Adam, went to Craven’s home where Craven waited in the doorway with a two-clawed hammer.

In reporting the hammer attack Adam said, “The first blow almost knocked me senseless, the fire flew from my eyes and I thought they were knocked out of my head! The first blow was struck just at the top of my head and I said to him, "Craven, what do you mean by this? I thought you would have been the last man to use me in this form; do you mean to murder me?" and he said, "Yes, you Scotch bastard, I mean to murder you!"

Adam survived the 8-9 hammer blows to his head and died almost 14 years later on March 6, 1853 at the grand age of 84. He was buried in the St Dunstan, Stepney parish. Considering the times and the area of London he lived in, surely he had to be one of the area’s oldest residents.

Harris' Court, in the shadow of St George of the East Church.
It was demolished after becoming a victim of the Blitz.
The St George Pool now stands on this site.