In 1841, Hannah Laflin, aged 6, was living with her parents in Red House, Ringshall. She has not yet been found in 1851, but was not with her parents. In 1861, Hannah Laflin, an unmarried servant aged 26 and an "idiot" was living with her parents in Ringshall. In the same household was their grand-daughter Hellen Laflin, aged 2.

Although Hannah never married, she was said to "have had seven children by the local squire, Robert Makins". Baptisms of the seven children were found in Ringshall, but attempts to find Robert Makins were less successful. (A Robert Makens, aged 8, appeared in the 1841 census for Ringshall). The 1861 census showed Thomas Haywood and his family at Ringshall Hall. Jonathan and Elizabeth Cooper were farming Charles Hall. However Robert and Marianne Makens were farming 364 acres in Ringshall. Robert was 60 in 1861 and came from Combs, his wife Marianne was 50 and born in Ringshall while they had a son Robert, aged 27, who was probably Hannah's lover.

In 1871, her father Jonathan was widowed and Hannah and her four children were living in the same household in Ringshall. These were Helen (aged 12), Alice (aged 8), and Anna (aged 4), who were all at school, and Harry (aged 1).

Jonathan died in 1878 and in 1881, Hannah Laflin (aged 46) was living in Barking Road, Ringshall and working as a dressmaker. With her were three children, Harry (aged 11), Ada (aged 8) and William (aged 6), all of whom were at school.

In 1891, Hannah Laflin was still living in Barking Road, Ringshall. She was now accompanied by her two sons, Harry (aged 21) and Willy (aged 16) who were working as agricultural labourers.

Harry got married in 1895 and in 1901, Hannah was living in Barking Road, Ringshall with her son Willie (now 26 and working as a "shepherd on a farm").

Robert Makins died on 15th December 1912 in his 79th year. According to my aunts (grand-daughters of Hannah's brother Benjamin) Robert Makins was said to have set the children up in life, giving "the sons farms and the daughters fur coats". According to Pat Sullivan (descendant of Alice Emma), when Robert Makins died in 1912 he left each of the children £200.

Hannah herself had a cottage in Ringshall, next to her brother Benjamin and lived there for the rest of her life. She died in the last quarter of 1815 at the age of 80 and was buried in Ringshall. Her gravestone is there beside that of her brother Benjamin and has the inscription: HANNAH LAFLIN, DIED 29 NOV 1915 AGE 80.

HER CHILDREN

1. HELEN LAFLIN was born in the first quarter of 1859 and "Ellen daughter of Hannah Laflin, a domestic servant" was baptised in Ringshall on 29th July 1860. In 1861, Hellen Laflin, aged 2, was living with her grandparents and mother in Ringshall.
In 1871, Helen Laflin (now aged 12 and at school) was living in Ringshall with her widowed grandfather, her mother and siblings.
In 1881, she was living at Rose Cottage, Bures St Mary as domestic companion to Emma Cooper, a widow of independant means.
In 1891, Helen Laflin (age 32 and single) was a general shop keeper at 18 Orford Street, Ipswich. In the same household were two of her sisters, Ada Kate (single and aged 19) and Annie Elliston (aged 24) as well as Annie's husband Herbert Elliston (a plumber and gasfitter aged 24). Annie's two daughters (Mabel aged 4 and Ada aged 3 months) were also there.
Nearby in 20 Orford Street were William Scopes, a beer-house-keeper aged 26 and his wife Kate aged 23.
On 19 June 1898, Helen Laflin, age 39, married William Scopes a widower aged 35. The marriage was witnessed by Harry, Willie and Ada Kate Laflin.
In 1901, William and Helen Scopes were living at 20 Orford St with their daughter Florence Grace (born 1899).

2. ALICE EMMA LAFLIN was born in the first quarter of 1863 and baptised in Ringshall on 25th December 1864. In 1871, Alice (aged 8) was living in Ringshall with her mother and grandfather and attending school. She has not been found in 1881.
In the first quarter of 1886, Alice Emma Laflin and John Laws were married in the Ipswich district.
In 1891, John and Alice Em Laws were living at 3 Rose Cottages, Bramford Road, Ipswich and John was working as an agricultural labourer. With them were their three sons, Harry A.Laws (aged 4), Malcolm W. Laws (aged 2) and George E.Laws (aged 1).
According to their descendant Pat Sullivan, They had eight children including, Archie, Malcolm (Pat's grandfather), George Ernest and Stanley Robert (both killed in World War I), Cecil, Elsie and Eva.

3. ANNIE ELIZABETH LAFLIN was born on the 14th December 1866, her birth was registered in the first quarter of 1867, and baptised in Ringshall on 31st March 1871. In the 1871 census, Anna (aged 4) was living in Ringshall with her mother and grandfather and attending school. In 1881, Annie Laflin (aged 14) was living at The Rectory, Ipswich Road, Ringshall in the household of Edward W. Hawkins the rector of Ringshall and working as a domestic nursemaid.
In the second quarter of 1889, Annie Elizabeth Laflin and Herbert Elliston were married in the Ipswich district.
In 1891, Herbert and Annie Elliston were living at 18 Orford Street, Ipswich in the household of Annie's elder sister Helen Laflin and Herbert was working as a plumber and gasfitter. With them were their two daughters, Mabel (aged 4) and Ada (aged 3 months).
According to Molly Johansen, they had 5 children Mabel, Ada, Herbert, Arthur & Florence

4. HARRY LAFLIN was born on 14th December 1869, his birth was registered in the first quarter of 1879 and he was baptised in Ringshall on 31st March 1871. He was living with his mother in Ringshall in 1871, 1881 and 1891. On 3rd April 1895, Harry Laflin of Ringshall and Mabel Jane Flowerdew of Offton were married in Ringshall, witness Willie Laflin. 1896 Oct.17 Bertie William s.of Harry (lab) & Mabel Jane Laflin bap 1899 Aug.13 Annie May d.of Harry (lab) & Mabel Jane Laflin of Barking bap.

5. ADA KATE LAFLIN was born in June 1872, her birth was registered in the third quarter of 1872 and she was baptised in Ringshall on 6th March 1874. In 1881, Ada (aged 8) was living with her mother in Ringshall and attending school. In 1891, Ada K. Laflin (aged 19) was living at 18 Orford Street, Ipswich in the household of her elder sister Helen and working as an assistant shop keeper (probably in her sister's shop).

6. WILLIE LAFLIN was born in the first quarter of 1875 and baptised in Ringshall on 9th October 1881. He lived with his mother in Ringshall until his marriage in the last quarter of 1903. His bride was either Alice Elizabeth Fayers or Lilian Annie Welham.

7. ADELAIDE ROSETTA LAFLIN was born in the first quarter of 1880 and baptised in Ringshall on 21st March 1880. In 1881, 1891 and 1901 she was living with her mother’s cousin Adelaide Miriam Palmer. Miriam had married Jabez Palmer and they had no children, so it looks as though they “adopted” Adelaide Rosetta - the name “Adelaide” suggests that Miriam may have been her godmother.

Sources for this section.

Parish registers for Ringshall - available in Ipswich Record Office.
Civil Regsitration Indexes available online from FreeBMD
Civil Registration Indexes and Census Data available online from Findmypast
Various certificates purchased online.
Private communications from Molly Johansen, Pat Sullivan and various comments from my grandfather Arthur Laflin and other members of his family.

Page maintained by Susan Laflin. Last updated in December 2007.