Home >> Honeyman-Bull

THE HONEYMAN-BULL FAMILY

Honeyman-Bull of Camberwell

All members of the Honeyman-Bull family descend, as far as we can tell, from one man. James Honeyman Bull was born in April 1831 and died in 1878. He was the son of James BULL and Mary Ann, possibly Mary Ann BROAD. The name Honeyman was undoubtedly at this time a middle name, but there was ambiguity as to its exact nature and usage. My grandmother, Gladys Adelaide HONEYMAN-BULL (1909-1989), was clear that the surname was double-barreled. Such clarity was not shared by those making the national records. The name is sometimes recorded as double barreled, but more commonly Honeyman is included a middle name to Bull as a surname. However, in some cases the Bull is lost entirely - there are cases where the family used simply HONEYMAN as a surname forgetting Bull. Indeed the family appears on both the 1901 and 1911 censuses as HONEYMAN.

The descendents of James Honeyman BULL are the only individuals we have traced using the Honeyman-Bull name. In 1851, James was in Coventry where he met his future wife Martha EAVES (1828-1874), the daughter of William EAVES and Harriet CHILWELL. They were married in Coventry Registry Office in 1855 and their first daughters Martha and Harriet were born there in 1856 and 1857 respectively. Strangely, Martha's birth certificate was entered with the surname 'Honeyman' - is this an error for Honeyman-Bull or an indication of ambiguity in the way that the surname was used?

The name Honeyman is a Fife name in Eastern Scotland. It is likely that somewhere there are links to Honeymans in this part of the world but as yet we are unable to track them.

HONEYMAN-BULL of Camberwell

James BULL, leatherdresser of St James Piccadilly, married Mary Ann, possibly corresponding to the marriage between James BULL and Mary Ann BROAD at Shoreditch in 1830. On son's marriage certificate in 1855 described as an innkeeper - otherwise no information about the family has been gleaned. They had a son:

James Honeyman BULL (1831-1878), Railway Clerk born in Eden Court (possibly meant to be Eaton Court?), Pimlico, Westminster April 1831. Whereabouts afterwards unclear but on the 1851 census was in Coventry at which time he worked as a clerk for Thomas FELTHOUSE, a tin merchant. On the 1 Sep 1851, James absconded with £21 of his master's funds, being arrested in Northampton in the summer of 1852. He was convicted of embezzlement at Coventry Assizes in July 1852 and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour. He married Martha EAVES (1828-1874), who had been a neighbour of Felthouse in 1851, in Coventry Registry Office in 23 Apr 1855. Worked as a clerk along the railway, being moved from post to post, before finally settling down in Cator Street in Camberwell, South London. Martha died in 25 Jun 1874. James had a seizure in 1878 during which he was paralyzed and died a few weeks later (23 Apr 1878) in the Surrey Lunatic Asylum in Battersea. They had children:

1. Martha HONEYMAN-BULL (1856-1936) birth entered as Martha HONEYMAN, born in Radford near Coventry, Warwickshire. Living with grandparents in 1861. Looked after family after the death of parents. Married 12 May 1880 William COATES at All Saints Church, Newington, South London and had issue.

2. Harriet Chilwell HONEYMAN-BULL (1857-?) born in Radford near Coventry, Warwickshire 22 Apr 1857. Married 25 Dec 1875 John BURDEN at St George, Camberwell, South London. Present in Camberwell on the 1881 census and then in Manhatten, New York in 1900 US census. Not present in the 1910 census - either died or returned to the UK. Died without children.

3. William James HONEYMAN-BULL of whom following.

4. Mary Ann HONEYMAN-BULL (1860-?) born Oddington, Gloucestershire 14 Jun 1860. Married 25 Dec 1881 Frank COATES, the brother of Martha's husband William John. They emigrated to Canada in 1882 but moved quickly on to Massachusetts in the USA where their son Frank Marmaduke COATES was born in 1883. Entry to the USA via Canada was common for emigrants from Britain since, by adopting Canadian citizenship, they circumvented the stricter entrance requirements imposed on British citizens. They are found in Somerville City, Massachusetts USA (on the outskirts of Boston) on the 1900, 1910 and 1920 censuses.

5. Clara Louise HONEYMAN-BULL (1862-1892). Born in Commercial Street, Camberwell, South London. After death of parents moved to boarding school in 1881. Married Edward WINCOTT in 1882 and had issue. Died whilst children were young.

6. Florence Julia HONEYMAN-BULL (1864->1911). Born in 4 Woodland Terrace, James Street, Camberwell, South London. Married 10 Mar 1889 at St Michael's Islington, Middx, Isaac John alias Frank JONES using the surname "HONEYMANBULL". Had issue at least two daughters and a son. Living at 8 Poplar Walk, Kings Cross in 1911.

7. James Walter HONEYMAN-BULL (1867-?). Born in Cator Street, Camberwell, South London. Not known after 1871.

William James HONEYMAN-BULL (1858-1926) Seaman and labourer, born in Shipton on Stour, Worcestershire. Joined the Merchant Navy in 1880 after the death of parents. Obtained scar on top lip from sabre cut received during military service in Egypt and therefore usually wore a bushy moustache. Left navy in 1887, married Mary Ellen AMISSON (1872-1946) in St Thomas the Apostle, Southwark. On 1901 and 1911 censuses as HONEYMAN. Died on 17 Jul 1926 and buried in Lewisham Cemetery in South London. Their children are:

1. William Thomas HONEYMAN-BULL (1890-1972). Soldier in the Royal House Guards. Fought in WW1 and was imprisoned for much of the war but escaped and returned to England. Married 1920 Winifred BOWMAN (d. 1943) and had issue two daughters. Married secondly 1950 Prudence May WAGHORN. Changed his name by deed poll to William Thomas BULL.

2. Ellen Jane HONEYMAN-BULL (1893-1968). Born in Hoxton, married David DALLAS from Edinburgh and had issue born 1920 in Joppa near Edinburgh, to which their grandmother Mary Ellen acted as midwife. Had issue four daughters and a son.

3. Walter Henry HONEYMAN-BULL (1894-1979). Lost contact with family during WW2. Married 1923 Margaret HEWITT, who died in 1932, and secondly Daisy Marion FORD in 1933. Died without issue.

4. Annie Louise HONEYMAN-BULL (1895-1964). Born in Rotherhithe, South London. Married first Harry PARKER and had daughter Gladys Amelia. Married second Jack EVANS and third William LLEWELLYN.

5. Florence Daisy HONEYMAN-BULL (1899-1956). Born Rotherhithe, South London. Married Frederick CARTWRIGHT and had issue four sons and a daughter.

6. Henry Baden HONEYMAN-BULL (1900-1980). Born Rotherhithe, South London. Married 1934 Ellen Louise PARMENTER (1901-2004) and had issue one daughter and one son.

7. Ivy Lilian Rose HONEYMAN-BULL (1904-1979). Married William CHAPMAN (1902-1986) and had issue two sons and two daughters.

8. Gladys Adelaide HONEYMAN-BULL (1909-1989), born Deptford, South London, Married 1939 Norman Charles Frederick WARD (1911-1982) and had issue one daughter.

Click to download a GEDCOM of the Honeyman-Bull tree