Another intriguing aspect of his life is we seem to know very little of his family life, his marriage and early life, as no biography was written. He was born in Hoddesdon in 1832 and by the age of 18 he was married and managing the Railway Saloon in Chatham. Although he and his wife split up there must have been children as at least 3 of his descendants posted here the last time he was discussed. He had a daughter by his partner Fanny Edwards (also Fanny)but she died in infancy.

My own guess is that the split occurred in 1866, but this is solely based on the internal evidence in the 3 songs, My Old Wife, My Rattling Old Black Mare and My Mother in Law, all supposedly published in 1866 albeit by different publishers.