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Archibald William McKain, my 4 x Great Grandfather, was the son of James and Ann (nee Honeywood) McKain of Bungay, Norfolk, England and was baptised on 10th April 1789 at Holy Trinity, Bungay.
June 1 1814 - Handbill re the Bungay Festival * June 4 1814 to celebrate the downfall of Napoleon
A.McKain was appointed an "Assistant" to a President & Vice-President at Table 5 for the Dinner (prior to Sports & Fireworks on the Common). * An account of the Festival is given in "Elegance & Poverty (Bungay in the 18th Century)" by E.A.Goodwin.
Archibald married Phoebe Barnes Mills at St. Mary's, Bungay on 29th April 1816.
1816 - Entry in list of Bungay persons in John Scott's * diaries
McKain A. married to Miss Milles April 29th
* John Scott (1756-1836), Suffolk Record Office
1819-1840 - Schoolmaster at Heveningham and Beccles, Suffolk
Archibald followed in his father's footsteps in his chosen profession of schoolteacher. From c1819 to c1828 he was Schoolmaster at Heveningham, Suffolk and subsequently at Beccles, Suffolk from May 1829 (at a salary of 15s a week)* until 1840. His wife, Phoebe, became the Schoolmistress in 1833, at £20 per annum.* The following extracts from letters concerning a change of schoolmaster at Beccles indicate that Archibald's employers felt he was not giving the job his complete attention. Whatever distraction Archibald had from his work can only be guessed at. * "History of the National Schools of Beccles", East Suffolk Gazette 1887.
(Unless otherwise indicated, all the references that follow are taken from Ethel Mann's collection of Bungay material held by the Suffolk Record Office (Accession No. 187)).
March 1840 - From the Rectory, Beccles (Hugh Owen)
Re Wiseman's appointment: "the School is solely for Boys - the Girls School being under the charge of a Mistress - the wife of the present Master *. The number of Boys on the Books is ? the usual number in attendance from 40 to 50 - causes of absence either illness or work - which last must give way to when requested, the parents being so poor. If the Reputation of our School could be raised the numbers would be materially increased - perhaps doubled". * Phoebe & Archibald McKain
March 14 1840 - From the Rectory, Beccles (Hugh Owen) to Rev. William Blyth, Sedgeford, Snettisham, Lynn, Norfolk.
"P.S. I forgot to mention that there is a house attached to the School, which is occupied by the present Master and Mistress, but as the latter holds her situation it is uncertain when it will be vacant, but when it is, it will be appropriated to Mr. Wiseman in all probability with the salary of £40 a year or £45 without the cottage as stated in my letter".
"We are under the Impression that our School was injured by our present Master's time being divided in some degree by other Matters not connected Herewith, and therefore the new Master will be required to give his whole attention to the children".
April 6 1840 - Notice to Quit Cottage ( Suffolk Record Office, Archive document ref. 254/2/5 ED)
To Mr. Archibald McKain, Beccles.
"I do hereby give you notice to quit and resign up on 11th day of October next the quiet and peaceable possession of the Cottage with the appurtenances thereto belonging situate in Beccles in the County of Suffolk which you now occupy as Tenant to the Trustees of the Beccles New National School Rooms given under my hand this sixth day of April 1840. Richd. Bohun(?) on behalf of the trustees".
On the back of the notice is the following written reply:- "I accept this notice as good and sufficient and consent to comply with it", signed Archibald William McKain.
April 11 1840 - From the Rectory, Beccles
"....decided to discharge our present Master at the Middle of this Quarter.... Wiseman to start Monday 18th of next month"
Dec. 29 1840 Beccles - Letter from J.Day to Miss (Horoman?) relative to sending a Mistress for instruction in the National School System at the Norwich School
"Mrs. McKain gave notice at the Annual school meeting this day that she wished to give up her situation as Mistress at Lady Day, in consequence I take the liberty to request...."
1841-1861 - Schoolmaster at Stradbroke, Suffolk
By the time of the 1841 Census, Archibald and his family were resident in New Street, Stradbroke, where he continued his profession as a schoolmaster. In White's Directory of 1844, Archibald is listed under Academies. In 1851 and 1861 the McKains were living in Wilby Road, Stradbroke.
1871 London Census
In the 1871 Census, Archibald and wife Phoebe are recorded as visitors at Clarendon Villas, Brook Green, Hammersmith. A number of their children were living in the London area by this time, so perhaps they were visiting family.
Death and Burial
Archibald died in 1873 at Ipswich, Suffolk and was buried at St. Peter's, Ipswich on 14th August.( Source:- National Burial Index) (His wife Phoebe was still alive at the 1881 Census, living with her daughter-in-law Ann in Chelsea, London. Phoebe died there in 1883).
