Historical Context of the Pineapple Motif in London and Fulham The pineapple has long been a symbol of hospitality and prosperity in British culture. From the 17th century onwards, this exotic fruit was associated with wealth – nobles would pay extravagant sums to acquire a pineapple to impress their guests. As a result, pineapple finials […]

Family Background and Key Individuals The interwoven James, Coulson, and Coulston families of Fulham (and nearby Battersea, Chelsea, and Wandsworth) exemplify a complex tapestry of marriages, step-relationships, and evolving surnames in the early 20th century. The story centers on Ellen, a Battersea-born woman who married three times, and her son William Benjamin James Jr., who […]

Address and Census Reference In the 1871 England Census (taken 2 April 1871), John Acton’s family was recorded at 33a Testerton Street, Kensington, in west London. This address fell within the civil parish of Kensington and the ecclesiastical parish of St. Clement’s (Notting Hill). The official census reference is RG10/42, folio 45, page 83. Household […]

Family Background and Early Life (1785–1807) Thomas Acton was born in July 1785 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and baptized on 29 July 1785 at St. Chad’s Church in Lichfield. He was the son of John Acton and his wife Ann (née Whitbey). The Acton family had deep roots in Lichfield – Thomas’s father, John (b. 1765), […]

Incident at the Havelock Public-House (7 November 1893) On the night of 7 November 1893, a violent affray occurred at the Havelock public-house in Hammersmith (Masbro Road, West London). Two members of the City of London Artillery Volunteers – Henry Tovey and Arthur Bartley – assaulted a local man, George William Acton, using their sword […]