The following presents an overview of my research into the West Ham branch of the Orley family.
The material used mainly consisted of Census and BDM records, as a result of there being very little "living evidence". The
names and dates of birth at the different Census points closely correspond.
100 years of the Orley's.
1902
George Orley born 15th September at Canning Town, West
Ham to John (Richard) Orley, a labourer in a rubber works (S.W. Silver & Co), and Mary
Ann Cooper. See tree.
1916
Edith Hoverd born 7th June at Gateshead to George Hoverd and Mary Bradshaw.
Edith had an elder sister and two brothers George and William who were to live in Australia.
1920
Mary Ann Orley (Cooper) died on 1st April at West Ham.
1938
Edith Hoverd married George Orley on 13th July at Woolwich.
1941
George Hoverd died on 3rd January at Belvedere in Kent.
1947
David Orley born to George Orley and Edith Hoverd on 30th April at Tunbridge Wells.
George and Edith's address was at Belvedere.Information
1958
George Orley died on 9th May at Belvedere.
1973
Mary Hoverd died on 10th July in South-East London.
2004
Edith Orley died on 31st May at Dartford Kent.
There is little demographic evidence so show that the Orleys were well established in the West Ham and Woolwich areas by 1881.
The address is Long Hill, Beer, Devon. Samuel's occupation was listed as an agricultural labourer.
John and Mary Ann Orley in 1891.
Name
Year of birth (approx.)
Age
Relation (notes)
Birth Place
Albert Orley
1886
5
Silvertown, West Ham
Elsie Orley
1889
2
....
Ethel Orley
1887
4
....
Florence Orley
1890
1
....
John Orley
1864
27
Father
....
Mary Ann Orley (Cooper)
1859
32
Mother
....
The address is 11 Parker Street, West Ham. John's occupation was listed as a gas fitter.
It would appear that John (Richard) Orley left Devon and settled at Silvertown, West Ham some time
between the census points for 1881 and 1891. The age of his eldest son, Albert, suggests that he might
have been in Silvertown by about 1885.
In 1904 Christiana (Christina?) Orley died, age 60 (and so b1844) at Axminster.
In 1916 a Samuel S. Orley died, age 76 (and so b1840) at Axminster.
On 1st April 1920 Mary Ann Orley died at West Ham; the informant was Ethel Read of Woolwich. Mary's husband
was John Richard Orley a labourer at a rubber works (S.W.Silver & Co?).
George Orley was born on 15th September 1902 at Canning Town, West Ham.
His parents were (Richard?) John Orley, a labourer in a rubber works and Mary Ann Cooper, both living at 11 Parker Street Silvertown, West Ham.
George served as able seaman in the Royal Navy from September 1920 to 1932.
George married Edith Hoverd on 13th July, 1938 at Woolwich. David was born at Moatlands, Tunbridge Wells, on 30th April 1947.
Edith left George shortly after April 1951 to go with another man, Arthur Maynard. It does not seem that George remarried, or had any other children.
George died on 8th May, 1958; Arthur died 31st August 1986, and Edith on 31st May 2004.
