This table of data, compiled from the Saffron Walden town archives, provides a date, a brief entry from the record - often little more than a name, the amount of money involved (where appropriate), the PL number (the unique number that I have given to each of the Plucks on my database), and some brief notes or comments by me.
The PL number is used elsewhere by me, in both trees and census records. This is a unique identifier which is particularly useful in this table because, at different times, John Plucks referred to by the authorities as "Senior" and "Junior" could be the same or they could be different people. Someone known as "junior" early in life becomes "senior" when his father dies. I have identified which is which in the table. As far as I am concerned the three John Plucks in Saffron Walden during this period are PL 7: John Pluck Senior (1737-1778), his son PL 11 : John Pluck Junior (1765-1834) and has son PL 40 : John the Convict (1788-1845). If you want a better idea of who is involved then it is a good idea to refer to Trees 2 and 6 via the Tree Selection Page.
I have included a few records from Braintree where I think that they help to complete the picture.
Acknowledgements: I am indebted to Jacqueline Cooper and David Stacey for supplying most of the information that has gone into this compilation. Much of the data has been taken from the Saffron Walden Town Archives.
Jacqueline Cooper is the author of "The Well-Ordered Town - A Story of Saffron Walden, Essex, 1792-1862" (ISBN 1-873669-06-2 (pub. Cooper publications). This excellent book provides a valuable insight into the social history of Saffron Walden during this period. The following table provides just the bare bones, Jacqueline's book puts the flesh on these bones. It is well worth reading if you want to understand how your ancestors lived during this period.
| Date | Source | Record | Relief | PL No. | Notes and Comments |
| 1764 | SW archives | Edmund Page apprenticed to John Pluck 'cordwainer of Walden' | 7 | This is John Pluck Snr (1737-1778) | |
| 1770 | Erswell's charity | Wife of John Pluck | 2 x 10/- | 10 | This looks like relief for John Snr's first wife (Ann Auger) who was buried 4 Nov 1770. Perhaps it provided support during a terminal illness? |
| 19 Feb 1777 | Parish Register | John Pluck marries Ann Church | 7 | John hasn't rushed into remarriage. Ann is a spinster, but the marriage lasts less than one year. | |
| 5 Feb 1778 | Parish Register | John Pluck buried | 7 | Aged 40, leaving Ann, and 2 sons by 1st marriage, John Jnr aged 13 and Thomas aged 10. | |
| 1779 | SW Archives | John Pluck, poor child, apprenticed to Stephen Pluck, cordwainer | 11 | This is John Jnr who is apprenticed to his uncle (PL8) | |
| 1780 | Erswell's charity | Widow of John Pluck | 2 x 10/- | 401 | Ann Church. |
| 1795 | Erswell's charity | Widow of John Pluck | 2 x 10/- | 401 | ditto |
| 27 July 1795 | Essex Assizes | John Pluck Jnr and others indicted for 'riot and conspiracy' (Bread Riots) | 11 | Not sentenced - charges against John may have been dropped? | |
| 2 Oct 1810 | SW Quarter Sessions | John Pluck - assault on Samuel Day - case withdrawn due to lack of evidence | 40 | Either John Pluck Jnr (1765-1834) or John the Convict (1788-1845) probably the latter | |
| 27 Apr 1813 | SW Quarter Sessions | John Pluck the younger - obtaining money under false pretences - 1 month | 40 | John the Convict | |
| 22 Apr 1814 | SW Quarter Sessions | John Pluck Jnr - assault on the Constable - fined. | 40 | John the Convict | |
| 31 Jul 1815 | SW Town Sessions | James Wisbey v John Pluck younger - swearing, conviction, commitment 10 days, conviction John Pluck tippling at Greyhound this day, fine 5s. | 40 | John the Convict | |
| 6 Aug 1816 | SW Town Sessions | George Bainbridge v John Pluck - assault | 40 | John the Convict | |
| 1817 | SW Archives | John Pluck admitted to charity school | 64 | Son of John the Convict and Mary Mynott, (aged 10) | |
| 1818 | Erswell's charity | John Pluck Snr of East Street | 2 x 10/- | 11 | This is the John who we know as John Pluck Jnr (1765-1834) |
| 1822 | Edmund Turner's Charity | James Pluck of East Street | 5/- | 17 | This is probably the son of John Pluck Jnr. He married Ann Linton in SW in 1814 and must, at some time, have gone to work in Braintree because there is a removal order returning him (with wife and 2 children) to SW in 1826 |
| 1824 | Edmund Turner's Charity | John Pluck Jnr | 5/- | 11 | This is John the Convict |
| 1826 | Braintree Removal Order | James Pluck, with wife and two children, removed from Braintree to Saffron Walden | 17 | He must have returned fairly soon (his wife, Ann, dies there in July 1827). | |
| 6 Jun 1827 | Parish meeting book | John Pluck's family in distress | 5/- | 41 | John the Convict's family |
| 13 Jun 1827 | Parish meeting book | John Pluck's family in distress | 6/- | 41 | John the Convict's family |
| 20 Jun 1827 | Parish meeting book | Pluck's children 4@1/9 | 7/- | 41 | There were four children under 14 |
| 27 Jun 1827 | Parish meeting book | James Pluck in distress | nil | 17 | This is probably the son of John Pluck Jnr who was recently 'removed' from Braintree but has probably returned there. |
| 4 July 1827 | SW Archives | Bill from J Silk, constable, for 'Ironing Pluck' | 7/- | 40 | 'ironing' means placing in shackles |
| 9 July 1827 | Braintree Independent | James Pluck's first wife, Ann Linton, died. She was aged 46, about ten years older than James. | 439 | See record for 27 June 1827. | |
| 13 July 1827 | Chelmsford Chronicle | Reported the appearance of John Pluck before SW magistrates to answer a charge of burglary - committed to Quarter Sessions | 40 | ||
| 13 July 1827 | SW Quarter Sessions | John Pluck sentenced to 7 years transportation for burglary. | 40 | Leaving his wife with eight children, the eldest aged about 21 and the youngest under two. Mary 'went on the parish' receiving 7 shillings per week (1/9 per child under 14 - decreasing as the children reached 14). | |
| 5 Nov 1827 | Braintree Parish Records | James Pluck (widower) marries Ruth Kidds. | 17 440 | She was aged about 40, James was 36. | |
| 1828 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Pluck's children, Abbey Lane | 5/- | Almost certainly the children of John the Convict | |
| 23 Jan 1829 | Parish meeting book | James Pluck Braintree ill | 12/- | 17 | He is living in Braintree but is looking for support from his place of settlement |
| 12-19 Feb 1829 | Workhouse | Pluck. Wife and child admitted. | This could be John the Convict's wife, Mary Mynott, but where are the other children? - she had 3 under 14 - or is it George and his mother? | ||
| 19-26 Feb 1829 | Workhouse | Shoes to ... Pluck. Wife and child ... Sarah Pluck | ditto - Mary's Sarah was 17. Is this 'wife' the 'widow' referred to in the next entry? I haven't found a death for a possible husband. | ||
| 27 Mar 1829 | Parish meeting book | James Pluck Braintree still distressed | 10/- | 17 | |
| 17 Aug 1829 | Parish meeting book | James Pluck given assistance 'towards burying child' | £1 | 17 | No burial found in Braintree parish records (but known to be a non-conformist). This explains only 1 child in 1841 census. |
| 31 Aug 1829 | Overseers' Accounts | Stephen Pluck and Widow Pluck each receiving £1 on going from workhouse | 8 | The most likely Stephen was b.1771 SW son of Stephen P (d.1814) and Mary Richardson (d.1812) (age 58). | |
| 4 Dec 1829 | Parish meeting book | John Pluck's daughter service | 7/6 | 68 | Probably Mary, the 15 year old d. of John the Convict and Mary Mynott. The money was probably to provide her with decent clothes. |
| 1829 | Edmund Turner's Charity | James Pluck Snr of Castle Street | 5/- | 11 | This is probably an error. John Pluck Junior was living in Castle Street at the time and James in Braintree. |
| 1829 | SW Archives | William Pluck admitted to charity school | 225 | Son of John the Convict and Mary Mynott, (aged 10). | |
| 1829 | SW Overseers | Widow of Thomas Pluck, died in Bethnal Green, seeking assistance to bury him | ?? | ||
| 15 Jan 1830 | Parish meeting book | Tho Pluck, Braintree distressed | 10/- | 18 | ? James' brother. Presumably paid to stay in Braintree? |
| 30 Apr 1830 | Parish meeting book | Towards clothing George Pluck on going apprentice to James Pluck at Braintree | £2 | 195 | |
| 2 Dec 1830 | Parish meeting book | John Pluck's son for clothing | £1-10/- | 42 | Possibly Nehemiah Pluck Snr. (see next entry). |
| 28 Mar 1831 | Highway Surveyor's accounts | John Pluck Snr | 1/6 | 11 | For one day's work on roads (this is John Pluck Jnr) |
| 2-9 Dec 1831 | Workhouse | ... and Chas Pluck admitted | 224 | Mary Mynott's youngest. | |
| 1831 | SW Archives | Nehemiah, son of John Pluck, apprenticed | 42 | ||
| 20 Feb 1832 | SW Town Sessions | William Pluck v Samuel Barker - assault - 1 week house of correction. | Can't find an obvious candidate. It could be the son of John the convict, but the boy has only just turned 13. | ||
| 27 Feb 1832 | Parish church records | James Pluck marries Amelia Richardson and Sarah Pluck marries Charles Ketteridge | 66 67 | Children of John the Convict | |
| 20 Apr 1832 | Highway Surveyor's Account | John Pluck Snr | 6/- | 11 | He received six shillings per week until 13 Sep 1833. He died a year later, aged 69. |
| 2 May 1832 | SW Archives | George Pluck aged 15, son of Mary Pluck, widow, apprenticed to James Pluck, cordwainer of Braintree. | 195 | ||
| 5 Aug 1832 | Parish Church records | Mary Pluck marries John Pamphilon | 68 | Daughter of John the Convict | |
| 9 Dec 1832 | Braintree Independent | Baptised George Pluck, son of John and Mary Pluck, born SW 29 Sep 1832 | 195 | I am reasonably certain this birth date is a mistake because it recurs (no more believably) in the next register entry (James' son Henry - also a 'late' baptism). | |
| 1832 | Workhouse | Boy Pluck apprenticed to shoemaker at Braintree | 195 | This should be George since it is from the workhouse records | |
| 6 Nov 1834 | SW Town Sessions | Information John Salmon v Henry Pluck and three others stealing turnips, prop. of William Bailey | 441 21 | This looks like Henry, son of James Pluck and Ann Linton (aged 13) and Thomas son of Thomas Pluck and Jane Andrews (aged 10). They are first cousins and grandsons of John Jnr. | |
| 10 Nov 1834 | SW Town Sessions | Henry Pluck, Thomas Pluck, David Walls, Steven Barker convicted (turnip theft), fined 1s each, commit one month for non-payment | 441 21 | see previous entry | |
| 1834 | Edmund Turner's Charity | John Pluck, Old Foundry | 5/- | 11 | |
| 11 Dec 1834 | SW Parish Records | John Pluck Jnr buried | 11 | ||
| 1836 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Widow Pluck, Old Almshouse | 5/- | 197 | This is Elizabeth Ward, the widow of John Pluck Jnr. |
| 1838 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Widow Pluck, Old Almshouse | 5/- | 197 | see above |
| 30 May 1839 | GRO certificate | Thomas Pluck dies at Braintree. | 18 | Dies of a 'Decline' 4 months before birth of his daughter Louisa, leaving his wife with eight children, the oldest 17. | |
| 10 Feb 1840 | Braintree Parish Records | George Pluck, cordwainer, 23, son of John Pluck, cordwainer, married Emma Butcher. | 195 | ||
| May 1840 | Guardians' records | Widow Pluck, age 40, husband was journeyman shoemaker died in Braintree a year ago, leaving her with 6 children, oldest 13 years and a cripple, youngest 7 months, none earning anything - Union gave her 8s p.w. now discontinued because she lived outside the Union - had lived in Braintree 18 years and got work there but would have to go in the workhouse here, but desperately still needed the 8 shillings from Walden to survive - refer to Commissioners. | 20 | This is Jane Pluck, nee Andrews, who married Thomas, the younger brother of John the Convict, who died Q3 1839. Working as a charwoman in 1841 and 1851. The cripple must be James, who worked as an ostler in 1851 at the Boars Head Yard. Living with mother. There were 2 older children, Mary Ann (19) and Thomas (16) who was apprenticed to his uncle James. | |
| 12 June 1840 | Guardians' records | Widow Pluck not in 'urgent necessity' so her 8s discontinued from midsummer. | 20 | ||
| 1840 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Widow Pluck, Braintree | 5/- | 20 | Jane Pluck, neé Andrews |
| 1841 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Widow Pluck, Old Almshouse | 5/- | 197 | John Pluck Jnr's widow. |
| 16 March 1843 | GRO certificate | George Pluck dies at Braintree, aged 6 'from being accidentally burnt' | 26 | One of Thomas Pluck and Jane Andrews' children. | |
| 1843 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Widow Pluck, Old Almshouse | 5/- | 197 | John Pluck Jnr's widow. |
| 1846 | Edmund Turner's Charity | Widow Pluck, Old Almshouse | 5/- | 197 | John Pluck Jnr's widow. |
| 1849 | Edmund Turner's Charity | James Pluck, Foundry Lane | 5/- | 17 | This could be the James who went with his family to Braintree. His wife died in Braintree in 1845. He was aged about 58. |
| 1857 | Edmund Turner's Charity | James Pluck, Foundry Lane | 5/- | see above |
