Ernest (or Ernst) JAHN was my 2g grandfather born 1851 in the Harz Mountains (Kingdom of Hanover), Germany. It is not known when he emigrated to England but he married my 2g grandmother 16 May 1875 St.Lukes Church, St.James, Westminster, England, Elizabeth Mary HANSFORD born 8 Jun 1854 47 Great Peter Street, Westminster, England died aged 71yrs 26 Apr 1923 at 34 Racton Road, Fulham, London, England from acute bronchitis. Elizabeth was the daughter of Alfred HANSFORD 1824-1858 and Ellen MCFARLANE born 1820 Harwich, Essex, England.

Another family member has supplied parents names of Ernest - August JAHN and Emma RUEPING. However I do not have any supporting documentation to back this up.

It is thought by several branches of JAHN descendants in England and also Australia that one of the JAHNs (who were bootmakers) made the shoes for Prince Albert upon his marriage to Queen Victoria.


Ernest and Elizabeth JAHN had 6 children:-

1.Louisa JAHN born 1 Aug 1876 37 Princes St, Westminster, died 4 Feb 1956 married 4 Aug 1895 Charles WOODCOCK born 18 Mar 1873 28 Wilton Street, Westminster, and had 9 children: Louise, Daisy, Macey, Margaret, Gladys, Charles, Isabella, Beatrice and Pauline. Louisa died aged 80yrs 4 Feb 1956 at 24 Pownall Place, Fulham, London, England. Charlie died aged 79yrs 3 Dec 1952 Fulham, London, England.

2.Mary JAHN born 12 Jun 1878 37A Princes Street, Westminster. Birth: GRO Sept 1878 Westminster 1a 482; Occupation: Tailoress. Note: She may be 'Aunt Polly' that is mentioned of by other family tree researchers. Polly is another form of Mary. If this is so, then she married and went to live in Switzerland and is believed to have had three sons.

3.Annie Elizabeth JAHN (my g grandmother) born 5 Oct 1879 59 Wardour Street, Westminster, England married my g grandfather 12 Apr 1903 Parish Church of St. Anne, Soho, Westminster, England Alexander WOODCOCK born 19 Jun 1877 16 Vincent Street, Westminster, England. Annie's occupation: Tailoress. Alexander's occupation: Electric Light Wireman. Annie & Alexander had 8 children: Annie, Bertha, Dorothy, Alexander, Edgar (my grandfather), Stanley, Phyllis and Betty.

4.Emily JAHN born 17 May 1885 chr. 10 Feb 1904 Soho St. Annes

5.Ellen JAHN born 14 Jan 1888 23 Great Windmill Street, Westminster, London, England chr. 10 Feb 1904 Soho St. Annes married Sept Quarter 1913 Fulham, London, England to Edward BANGETER born 1890 Sweden.

6.Ernest Alfred JAHN born 28 Jan 1892 33 Great Windmill Street, Westminster, London, England. Occupation: Bootmaker. According to family members, Ernest changed his name to Ernest JOHNS and became a singer (musical hall?).

My Genealogy Notations:-

*Two JAHN sisters married two WOODCOCK brothers. Louise married Charles WOODCOCK, occupation a lithographic printer; and Annie Elizabeth married Alexander WOODCOCK occupation an electric light wire man. They were the sons of George James WOODCOCK occupation Butcher and Isabella BUCHAN.

I have the WOODCOCK line back to 1777 Winfarthing, and the BUCHAN line back to 1600s Aberdeenshire.

Ernest Jahn - born abt 1849 Harz Mountains, Germany. Family legend has it that he came to England from Germany with his brother to escape conscription. It is said that he came from the Harz Mountains area but, in the 1891 Census for 33 Great Windmill Street, Westminster, London, his place of birth is stated to be Hamburg though this may just have been his point of departure. (Jan 1998 - not yet found in Shipping Lists for Hamburg departures). He is reputed to have made boots and shoes for the British Royal Family. His daughter, Louisa, was apprenticed to him and sewed the buckles and the gemstones on the shoes of Princess Alexandra (wife to Edward VII) and Princess Mary of Teck.

DEATH: Certified Copy of an Entry of Death, given at the GRO, Application No.G00593/B, Registration District Fulham, 1908 Death in the Sub-District of North East Fulham, in the County of London, No.307, When and Where Died: 11 Nov 1908 at 31 Racton Road, Fulham, London; Name and Surname: Ernest Jahn; Sex Male; Age 58yrs; Occupation: Shoemaker; Cause of Death: Found dead, syncope, Pneumonia, natural pm; Signature, description and residence of informant: Certificate received from C.Lusmoore, Drew Coroner for London, Inquest held 13 Nov 1908; When registered: 14 Nov 1908.

OBITUARY/INQUEST: RACTON ROAD MAN'S PEACEABLE END - The sudden decease of Ernest Jahn, aged 58, a bootmaker, of 31 Racton-road, Fulham, was inquired into at the Fulham Coroner's Court on Friday. - Elizabeth Jahn, wife of the deceased, said that her husband was a sober man. He had had a cold a fortnight before. Deceased was worried over losing his work after being constantly employed for thirty years. - The Coroner: Hadn't he a pension? - Witness: Oh, no - Proceeding, she said that on the Wednesday previously, she went to her work at a quarter to seven in the morning and did not return till eleven o'clock in the evening. She was surprised to hear of her husband's death. - Ernest Alfred Jahn, son of the deceased, said that on the Wednesday he got up at eight o'clock and called his father. He heard him stirring in his room. He had his breakfast and read the paper, and about ten o'clock went up to his father's room and found him dead, lying on his back - Mrs Deane, a neighbour, of 22 Racton-road, said she had known Mr Jahn for three years, and always thought him cheerful and healthy. - Dr A C Shaw-Mackenzie, of 2 Racton-road, said he was called to the house and found the man dead. He had made a post-mortem examination, and found that the deceased had acute congestion of the lungs and pneumonia. The cause of death was heart failure, consequent on the congestion of the lungs. - A verdict of "Death from natural causes" was returned. [Source: COPY OF THE FULHAM CHRONICLE dated 20th November 1908]


Photograph below is of Ernest JAHN, my gg grandfather. I'd only just received this portrait from another of his gg granddaughters in England via our mutual trees at Genes Reunited. The photo was in poor condition and I had it professionally restored for free RootsChat.com - Photograph Restoration.

I might add that I'm delighted to be able to find out more on my JAHN and HANSFORD ancestors and hope to get in contact with descendants of Mary, Emily, Ellen and Ernest JAHN wherever they may be.

Alison QLD Australia.