George Steel, the last of 5 children of William & Anne Steel, was born one month before the 1841 Census (which was taken on 6/7 June).
He was baptised at St James, Emsworth on 23 May 1841 (entered in the Register of the Parish of St Thomas a Becket, Warblington as having taken place at St James, Emsworth, which had recently been built).
The family, comprising his parents and elder siblings Ann 17, Sarah 10 and John 7, lived at Havant Lane, Emsworth. William Long 6, probably the illegitimate son of his mother’s younger sister Rebecca, was with them on Census night and was possibly living with them.
In the 1851 Census, the family were at Havant Road, Emsworth.
William Steel (51) Bootmaker, born Bosham, SSX;
his wife Ann (51), born Westbourne, SSX;
son John (17), Ropemaker’s Apprentice, born Emsworth, HAM;
son George (9), Scholar, born Emsworth, HAM.
His two sisters were no longer living in the family home. Ann had married William Beach in Q4 1850 (Portsea 7 265) and was then living at Wingfield Street, Portsea. Sarah J Steel 20 was a housemaid at West Street, Fareham.
During the next decade, the family moved from Emsworth to Portsea. In the 1861 Census George is shown as, son 19, Carpenter, born Hants, with his parents at 4 King Street, Portsea. His brother John had died the previous winter and was buried in Kingston Cemetery, Portsea on 30 Dec 1860. His sister Sarah 30 was a servant at Commercial Road, Portsea.
His mother died on 25 June 1861 and was buried on 28 June 1861 in the same grave as John. His father lived another 4 years, dying a pauper at Union House, Portsea and buried in Pauper’s Section of Kingston Cemetery on 10 June 1865.
On 25 March 1866, George Steel married Margaret Combes at St James, Milton, in the Parish of Portsea, by Banns:-
George Steel, 24, B, Joiner, Southsea, father William Steel, Shoemaker,
Margaret Combes, 22, S, -, Southsea, father, William Combes, Bricklayer.
Both signed in the presence of Letitia Jane Beevis & William Combes (Margaret’s brother).
Margaret was the second child of William Combes (1813 Fareham – Q3 1864 Portsea) and Margaret Ashford (1809 Winchester – Q1 1880 Portsea) who were married at St Peter & St Paul, Fareham on 30 June 1842. Their 2 children were baptised at the same Church: William on 5 Oct 1842 and Margaret on 24 Apr 1844.
In the 1851 Census, Margaret age 7, scholar was at Maitland Street, Portsea with her parents & brother William.
In 1861 they were at 13 Church Street, Portsea (All Saints), Margaret 17 a tailoress, William 19 a bricklayer. Brother William married in 1864. Later in the same year Margaret’s father died.
George & Margaret Steel had 12 children :-
George William died 22 August 1867 aged 7 months
Margaret Louisa (Q1 1868 – 1964) married William Goldring Denyer born ca 1867 on 30 Jul 1892.
Alice died 2 Sept 1869 aged 3 months.
George John (Q4 1870 – Feb 1952) married Jessie Sabina White (1873 - Nov 1922) on 1st Feb 1896.
(They had a son Harold Arthur, born in Leicester in Jan 1904 and they all emigrated to Cleveland, Ohio in 1907/8).
Albert Edward (Q1 1873 - ?), married Martha Tyler b 1877 on Q2 1900.
Lucy Amelia (13 Jan 1875 – 1894). baptised 20 March 1888
Florence Beatrice (Q1 1879 - 1964).
Agnes Edith (Q2 1881 – after 1901) married Q3 1910
Frederick George William (12 Jan 1884 – 1 Nov 1926) married Annie Jelliffe (24 June 1883 - 16 Jun 1961) on 23 Dec 1907
Rosina Lilian (Q4 1885 – 1886), buried 25 Jan 1886, age 5 months in Kingston Cemetery.
Emily Kate (Q1 1887 – after 1911).
Ernest Alfred (Sept 1888 – Nov 1888), buried, age 5 weeks in Kingston Cemetery.
Margaret was buried in Kingston Cemetery 3 months after the birth of her last child on 29 Dec 1888, age 44, (Harveys 9th row, 10th grave, 6ft). Daughter Lucy was buried in the same grave. It never had a headstone and the grave was reclaimed in 1967.
The 1871 Census shows the family at 8 St Steven’s Road (Portsea Parish).
The 1881 Census shows the family at 25 Duke Street (St Mary’s Parish, Portsea).
When the birth of Frederick George William was registered in 1884 his mother’s address was 62 Duke Street.
At the burial of Rosina in 1886 the address was Binsteed Road.
The 1891 Census shows George at 77 Adames Road with his children Margaret Louisa, George John, Albert Edward, Lucy Amelia, Florence Beartice, Agnes Edith, Frederick George William and Emily Kate.
The 1901 Census shows George at 38 Washington Road with Florence, Agnes, Frederick & Emily.
From his Death Certificate, in 1908 George lived at 21 Whitworth Road, Copnor, Joiner HM Dockyard (retired). He died on 2 June 1908 in the Imbecile Ward, Parish of Portsmouth Infirmery UD, senile decay, informant F.G.W.Steel, son, 17 Power Road, Buckland.
George was buried in Kingston Cemetery on 6 June 1908. (Timpson’s 25th grave, 36th row, 8ft). The plot was reclaimed in 1938 and again in 1980.