Person    | Female  Born 23/11/1882  Died 31/10/1973

Nellie Cressall

Poplar councillor imprisoned during the 1921 rates protest, at which time she was 6 months pregnant.

Nellie Frances Wilson was born on 23 November 1882 in Kilburn, the eldest of the four children of John George Wilson (1858-1898) and Julia Wilson née Jennings. Her father was a carpenter. The 1891 census shows her living at 8 Eagle Terrace, Norman Road, Leyton, Essex with her parents, her sister Annie Edith Wilson (1885-1961) and brother John George Wilson (1887-1918). Her youngest brother, Thomas Henry Wilson was born in 1892.

In the 1901 census she is shown as a ironer at a laundry living at 87 Vansittart Road, Cann Hall, Leyton, with her widowed mother and her sister, who were also listed as ironers, together with both brothers.

On 17 January 1904 she married George Joseph Cressall (1880-1951) at St Dunstan's and All Saints Church, Stepney. The marriage register shows he was a labourer living at 127 White House Road whilst she had been residing at 3 York Square They had eight children: Walter Percival Cressall (1904-1942), Thomas William Cressall (1906-1938), Albert John Cressall (1907-1995), George Phillip Cressall (1910-1986), Charles Keir Cressall (1914-1979), Samuel Lawrence Cressall (1921-1974), Bessie Susan Cressall (1923-1995) and Edgar Frederick Cressall (1927-1983).

They initially lived at 15 Barnes Street, Limehouse, but moved in 1906 to 27 Tomlins Terrace, Limehouse, and the following year to 111 Rhodeswell Road, Stepney. The 1911 census shows her residing at 3 Lee Street, Limehouse with her husband and four sons. His occupation was given as a general labourer at an 'oil & color works'. By 1914 the family had moved to 82 Hind Street, Poplar. They finally settled at 15 Macquarie Way, Isle of Dogs in 1923.

Both she and husband were Labour Party councillors in the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar and were committed to prison for contempt of court on 5 September 1921 along with 28 other councillors and whilst she was released on 21 September 1921 her husband and the others were not released until 12 October 1921. The 1939 England and Wales Register confirms her still living with her family at 15 Macquarie Way and she served as the Mayor of Poplar for the 1943-1944 year of office.

She died, aged 90 years, on 31 October 1973 at St Andrew's Hospital, Devons Road, Bromley-by Bow, London, E3.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Nellie Cressall

Commemorated ati

Poplar Rate Rebels mural - 1

The mural refers to "30 councillors" but actually names only 29.  The count o...

Read More

Other Subjects

Arthur Lindo

Arthur Lindo

Chairman of the Building Committee for the Lauderdale Road Synagogue in 1895.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Captain John Bouchier

Captain John Bouchier

Naval officer.  On 15 February 1783 he was court-martialled, along with his officers and crew, on the Warspite in Portsmouth harbour for having lost the ship the Hector.  They were all honourably a...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
J. Chappell

J. Chappell

Churchwarden of St Mary Whitechapel parish in 1884.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Alderman Henry Edward Tate

Alderman Henry Edward Tate

Three times mayor of Bethnal Green (1934-6 and 1949-50), and the only Freeman of the Borough. Awarded an OBE in 1964. Housing Committee Parmiter Street, 1926. Alderman and member of Housing Commit...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
John Holland, JP, DL, Deputy

John Holland, JP, DL, Deputy

Chairman of the City Lands & Bridge House Estates Committee, 1994.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial