Alan, who lives in Canvey Island, Essex, and who has several ancestors who lived in the Old Nichol, got in touch with me to point out that Britney Spears is another “child of the Jago” — someone whose forebears can be found in the East London district. Below, he reveals the results of his researches.

“Britney Spears has sold 100 million albums and 100 million singles worldwide. It is reported her earnings between 1998 and 2016 were a staggering US$670 million. What has this to do with the Old Nichol? Well, Britney Spears’ great-great-grandfather, James Lewis, was born at 8 Old Nichol Street, Bethnal Green, on 22 September 1872 to an impoverished family of former weavers.

“Britney Jean Spears was born 2 December 1981 in McComb, Mississippi, the second child of James Parnell Spears (born 1952) and Lynne Irene, née Bridges (born 1956). Her British connection to the Old Nichol comes via her maternal line. Her maternal grandparents were Barney O’Field Bridges (1919-1978) and Lilian Irene Bridges, née Portell (1924-1993). Barney Bridges was presumably a US serviceman in the Second World War as he married Lilian Portell at Hendon, north London, on 16 March 1945. Lilian’s surname (Portell) is a corruption of her Maltese grandfather’s surname, Portelli.

“Lilian Portell was born in Tottenham, north London, the daughter of George Anthony Portelli (1898-1953) and Lilian Esther Portelli, née Lewis (1897-1980), who had married at Tottenham on 29 July 1923 — Lilian was Britney’s great-grandmother. She was born at 10 Wellington Row, Bethnal Green, on 14 December 1897; and Lilian’s father, James Lewis, who worked as a barman, came from the Old Nichol.

“James Lewis (b.1872) was the son of another James Lewis (b.1849) and Sarah, née Isaacs (born c1850). Their marriage entry shows that James Lewis worked as a fishmonger, and gives his address 9 Old Nichol Street. He further stated that he was the son of Joseph Lewis, weaver.

“Sarah Isaacs lived at 12 Nichol Street, her father (James Isaacs) was also a fishmonger. James signed the marriage register with a strong hand, proving he was literate; Sarah, however, merely made her mark.

“James Lewis was born at 17 Half Nichol Street on 19 January 1849. His parents were Joseph Lewis and Mary (née Burn). Joseph worked as a weaver, who was also literate, though Mary was not. The 1851 census finds the Lewis family (recorded as Lewes) residing at 17 Half Nichol Street, where 36-year-old Joseph was described as a Silk Weaver HL (handloom). Mary was 35, and their children were listed as Mary (age 12, born Spitalfields), Emma (age 10, born Bethnal Green) and James (age 2, born Bethnal Green) (HO107 / 1539 / folio 65 / page 23).

“They had at least one other child — Edwin Lewis, born 12 July 1852 and christened at St Philip’s, Mount Street (today’s Swanfield Street) on 8 August 1852. The family address at the time was again 17 Half Nichol Street, with the father’s occupation stated as ‘weaver’.

“Joseph Lewis died some time between 1851 and 1861. The family were still living in the Nichol at the time of the 1861 census, with widow Mary Lewis (now employed as a basket maker) and her children James and Mary now residing at 9 Old Nichol Street (RG9 / 250 / folio 4 / page 7).

“So, there you have it. People on a subsistence wage in Bethnal Green during the 1870s, with their great, great, granddaughter earning an astronomical U$670 million a mere 140 years later. Just shows what a bit of hard work (and a mighty lot of luck) can do for you!”

 
 Old Nichol Street, above right, photographed circa 1888. Britney's ancestors lived at numbers 8, 9 and 12 and also in Half Nichol Street, between the 1850s and the 1880s.