John Windell and Mary Tubb

Church of St Mary's, Portsea
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk/p/6667290

John Windell (b. 29 Jun 1805), son of John Windel and Mary Smith, first married Sarah Exell (bap. 22 Apr 1804), daughter of Joseph Exell and Jane Hawks, at St Mary's Church, Portsea, on 6 Feb 1831.

John and Sarah had two daughters:

1. Sarah Anne Windell bap. 21 Aug 1831
2. Mary Jane Windell bap. 13 Apr 1834. Died at 3M on 8 Jul 1834, buried 13 Jul 1834, of John & Sarah Windell of Spring Gardens, Landport

Both baptised at St Mary's, Portsea, with John's occupation listed as Joiner.

Sarah Windell (30), wife of John Windell of Spring Gardens, Landport, died on 28 Mar 1834 and was buried on 6 Apr 1834, at Portsea Cemetery.

Meanwhile, Mary Tubb (b. 1814) daughter of William Tubb and Sarah Chard, had married John Fleming (b. 1810), Mariner, at St Mary's Church, Alverstoke, on 20 Feb 1832. Only six months later, John Fleming (22), Midshipman died at Haslar Hospital (Royal Hospital Haslar), Alverstoke and was buried from St Luke's Chapel, Haslar, on 22 Aug 1832. Mary was six months pregnant.

John and Mary Fleming had one daughter:

1. Mary Ann Fleming b. 6 Nov 1832, obviously, her father's posthumous child, bap. 15 May 1836 at St Mary's, Portsea

Therefore, it was Mary Fleming, widow, who married widower, John Windell at St Mary's, Portsea on 8 Aug 1835. Witnesses to this marriage were Eliza Windell and a Benjamin Franklin (probably not this one).

John and Mary Windell produced another eight children:

1. John William Windell bap. 15 May 1836 at St Mary's, Portsea
2. Eliza Emma Windell b. 1838 J Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 124
3. Henry Alfred Windell b. 1842 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 144
4. Ellen Windell b. 1844 J Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 141
5. Louisa Elizabeth Windell b. 1846 J Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 152. Died, aged 6 in 1852 S Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION  Volume 02B  Page 241 and buried on 8 Aug 1852 at St Mary's
6. Amelia Windell b. 1848 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 Page 149. Died aged 8M, in 1848 D Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION Volume 07 Page 110 and was buried on 17 Oct 1848 at St Mary's, Portsea
7. Thomas Edward Windell b. 1850 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 07 153. Died at 2M in 1850 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION Volume 07 Page 118 and was buried on 17 Feb 1850 at St Mary's, Portsea
8. Edward Charles Windell reg. 1855 M Qtr in PORTSEA Vol 02B 388.

Baptisms were abandoned once Civil Registration is introduced.

In 1841, John Windell (37) Joiner, was living in Bow Street, Portsea, with Mary Windell (27), Sarah Windell (9), Mary Windell (8)*, John Windell (6), Eliza Windell (3), William Tubb (54) Ropemaker (Mary's widowed father); Henry Tubb (15) and Edward Tubb (13) - Mary's brothers.

In 1851, at 21, Bow Street, Portsea, were John Windell (46) Joiner H M D Y; Mary Windell (37), Sarah Windell (19), Mary Windell (17)*, John Windell (15), Eliza Windell (13), Henry Windell (9), Ellen Windell (6), Elizabeth Windell (4), William Tubb (64) Ropemaker; Henry Tubb (25) Ropemaker.

* Listed as Mary Windell, this is actually Mary Ann Fleming (b. 1832).

John Windell, age estimated as 58, of Bow Street, Landport, died on 4 Jan 1861 and was buried on 13 Jan 1861 at Portsea Cemetery.

In 1861, Mary Windell (48) widow, was living at 33, Bow Street, Portsea, with her father William Tubb (76), then the head of the family after her husband's death, with Ellen Windell (17) and Edward Windell (6).

Mary Windell, Widow, of Bow Street, Landport, died aged 53 on 15 Sep 1867 and was buried on 19 Sep 1867, at Portsea Cemetery.

• Youngest son, Edward Windell, joined the Royal Navy as a stoker on 7 Apr 1873, giving his date of birth as 25 Dec 1851, making himself three years older than he was. He was assigned to HMS Asia (1824) then and on several other occasions throughout his career. In 1881, Edward Windell (29) Leading Stoker, Royal Navy At Sea, Ships and Overseas Establishments was with HMS London (1840) in Zanzibar, East Indies. He was with HMS London from 1 Sep 1880 to 22 Jan 1883, during which time she was involved in the suppression of the slave trade in the area. The London Evening Standard on Sat, 6 Sep 1884 reported, "The Lords Commissioners for the Admiralty have awarded medals for long service and good conduct to the following men:-  Edward Windell leading stoker of the Asia ..." Edward was shore pensioned in 1891 and discharged in 1893. In 1891, Edward Windell (36) Brass moulder, was living with his sister, Ellen Rees at 125, Wingfield Street, Portsea. Edward Windell, aged 48, died on 21 Feb 1903 and was buried from St Mary's, Portsea on 26 Feb 1903, having never married.

Herbert Boase and Ruby Beatrice Shotter

Holy Trinity Church in Gosport (Built 1696)
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Barry Shimmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1753325

Herbert Boase (b. 1880) married Ruby Beatrice Shotter (b. 10 May 1886), daughter of William Thomas Shotter and Hannah Jane Bussey, at St Mark's Church, North End on 10 Dec 1907. Ruby was then resident at 102 London Road, Portsmouth, while Herbert Boase, a clerk, address was 115 South Street, Gosport. Witnesses were W Phillips and W G Shotter. 

In 1901, Herbert Boase (21) Ironmongers assistant from Forest Gate, Essex, had been a boarder in the household of Charles Gorman (63) in Alverstoke.

Herbert Boase b 1880 S Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 47, bap. 22 Sep 1880, at Emmanuel Church, Forest Gate, was the son of William Henry Boase and Mary Anna Stephens, although I've been unable to find his parents marriage or they or Herbert on the censuses of 1881 or 1891. 

Herbert and Ruby had at least five children:

1. Olive Ruby Boase b. 14 Mar 1909 in ALVERSTOKE Vol 02B Page 551, bap. 1 Apr 1909 at Gosport, Holy Trinity.
2. Anthony Richard Boase b. 10 Sep 1910 in ALVERSTOKE Vol 02B Page 502, bap. 19 Oct 1910 at Christ Church, Stoke Road, Gosport.
3. Philip Edgar Boase b. 1916 M Qtr in BRENTFORD Vol 03A Page 267
4. Daphne Beatrice Boase b. 20 Aug 1917 in BRENTFORD Vol 03A P 174
5. Laurence Jack Boase b. 18 Mar 1919 in SOUTHAMPTON Vol 02C P 83

On the birth registrations for Daphne and Laurence, the mother's maiden name was SHORTER. I've also seen it mis-transcribed as Trotter. :)

Herbert Boase died, aged 50, in 1930 in EASTLEIGH Vol 02C Page 115.

In 1939, Ruby B Boase, widowed, was living at Perranporth, Woodfalls, Morgan's Vale, Redlynch, Wiltshire, in the household of her married daughter, Olive Ruby Green, along with younger daughter, Daphne B Boase, Bookkeeper. Laurence J Boase, Motor Mechanic now Lcc Ambulance Driver was then boarding in Kilravock Street, Queens Park, Paddington, London.

Ruby Beatrice Boase died in Bromley, Kent in 1984 in her 98th year.

• Olive R Boase married Philip George Green (born in Salisbury, Wiltshire in 1908), Merchant Navy Seaman, in Southampton, in 1932. Olive Ruby Green died, at 68, in Morgan's Vale Nr Redlynch, Salisbury, Wiltshire, on 19 Sep 1977. 
• Anthony Richard Boase died, aged 23, in 1934 S Quarter in BRENTFORD Volume 03A Page 179.
• Philip Edgar Boase, Merchant Navy, Steward on RMS Empress of Russia, son of Herbert and Ruby Beatrice Boase, of Upper Norwood, Surrey, died, aged 31, on 9 July 1947 in King George's Sanitorium for Sailors, Bramshott, and is buried in Bramshott (St. Mary) Churchyard, Sec. E, Grave 2111.
• Daphne B Boase married Victor E Staff in Surrey North Eastern, in 1942. Daphne B Staff then remarried to Bernard A Bowdery in Wandsworth in 1953. As Victor E Staff died in 1960, one assumes - hopes - their marriage was disolved. Bernard Arthur Bowdery (b. 1908 in Wandsworth), died in Sutton, Surrey in 1995. Daphne Beatrice Bowdery died, in Sussex, in 2007.
• Laurence J Boase married Mavis W Dainton in Surrey Mid Eastern in 1947. Mavis Winifred Boase (b. 1924) died in 1951. Laurence J Boase then remarried to Lucia Michalak (a Polish surname) in 1952. Laurence Jack Boase died in Canterbury, Kent in 1989 and Lucia Boase (b. 1924), in Bexley, Kent in 1996.

Job Thomas Sweeney and Elizabeth Fuller

St Helen & St Giles, Rainham - Sanctuary
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4530086

Job Thomas Sweeney (b. 27 Aug 1897 in Mile End, London), son of Job Sweeney and Eliza Louisa Tompson, married Elizabeth Fuller (b. 22 Mar 1901 in Rainham, Essex), daughter of George Fuller and Eliza Ellen Hockley, at St Helen and St Giles, Rainham, 100 years ago today on 9 Dec 1923.

There were no wedding photos, I was told, because of the obviously expected arrival of their only child, Ivy Elizabeth Sweeney b. 5 Mar 1924. My mother didn't have her birth certificate, the original having been lost when their home was bombed in WWII and she'd always been adamant that she was born in one of the Peabody Buildings. Had she ever obtained a copy, then she'd have discovered that she was, in fact, born at 35 Gladstone Buildings, Willow Street, Shoreditch. (And therefore missed out on a historical 'claim to fame' too, because Police Sergeant James George Byfield, witness in one of the Jack the Ripper murders, had lived in Gladstone Buildings, Shoreditch in 1881.)

Built in 1868, the Gladstone Buildings, were demolished in 1977. The site today is, ironically, the location of the Luxury Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch. The previous building on that site certainly wasn't luxury, however, as the Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch in 1879 details:

GLADSTONE BUILDINGS, WILLOW STREET.—"In these model dwellings there are 168 suites of apartments, each suite having a separate water supply, and closet accommodation, situate in the scullery. None of the closets were properly supplied with water, so as to flush the pans effectually. The cisterns in which drinking water was stored were all uncovered, placed over the closets close to the ceilings, and immediately under the closet of the apartments above. Several of the tenants complained that their drinking water was polluted with foul liquids dripping from the ceilings, by reason of defective closet arrangements, and many of the ceilings bore evidence as to the fact."

This Charabanc excursion must presumably date to 1924 or 1925.
Joe and Bet, with baby Ivy on her lap, are in the rear seats of the vehicle.

It must have been after the death of Job's father on 6 Dec 1924, that they moved back to 102, Fore Street, City of London, where Eliza Louisa Sweeney, continued as Housekeeper for Hoffnung & Co Shipping Merchants. 

My mother frequently claimed she was Confirmed at St Paul's Cathedral, but I've been unable to confirm (pun intended) if this is true. And even if it were, it should have been unlikely, as there's no record of her ever being baptised - a not-at-all uncommon omission with a baby's such 'premature' arrival. 

They were still in Fore Street in 1939, with Eliza L Sweeney, Housekeeper; Job Thomas Sweeney, Supervisor Tobacco Packing (employed by W.D. & H.O. Wills); Elizabeth Sweeney; Ivy E Sweeney, Shop Assistant and James Edward Bird, Police Constable (who I can only assume was lodging with them) and remained until their home was destroyed in WWII, thought to have been on or around the night of 29–30 Dec 1940, during the so-called Second Great Fire of London. They were away from home that day, so suffered no physical injury, but lost their home and every material possession they'd owned. 

They then moved out to Hornchurch and in the 1960's, Bet & Joe 'retired' to Pitstone, in the countryside of Bedfordshire. There, granddad carried on his hobby of fishing and was a bailiff on the nearby Grand Union Canal; he did detailed woodwork, inlay and marquetry; embroidered hassocks that were (maybe still are) in the church of St Mary the Virgin in Ivinghoe and grew very tidy rows of vegetables in his garden.

(Right: Bet and Joe on the seafront at Weymouth in the early 1960's.)

Bet Sweeney died on 22 Dec 1980. 

It was absolutely no surprise that, without his lifelong love, Job Thomas Sweeney died eight months later to the day, on 22 Aug 1981.

William Thomas Shotter and Hannah Jane Bussey

Portsea, Kings Bench Alley
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Faherty - geograph.org.uk/p/5440082
Footpath from Queen Street to Kent Street.

William Thomas Shotter (b. 20 May 1845, bap. 15 Jun 1845 at St Mary's, Portsea), Purveyor of Kent Street, son of William Shotter and Elizabeth Taylor, married Hannah Jane Bussey (b. 1847), daughter of James Wilmot Bussey and Ellen Jane Munday, at St Mary's, Portsea on 8 Dec 1867.

Witnesses to this marriage were Sarah Ann Bussey, the bride's elder sister and James Bussey, who will have been either her father or younger brother.

William's father, William Shotter, was a butcher at 31, Kent Street, Portsea in 1851 and at 55, Queen Street, Portsea in 1861. Hannah's father, James Wilmot Bussey, listed as a Cattle Dealer on the marriage certificate, at 213-215 Commercial Road, in 1861 was listed as a Pork Butcher. All are listed in Portsmouth Local History, list of Butchers, Meat Dealers (PDF). This must have been a marriage of Portsmouth meat royalty, with extra sausage!

William and Hannah had nine children:

1. Elizabeth Alice Shotter b. 1868 D Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 433, died, aged 22, on 3 Sep 1891 and was buried on 7 Sep 1891 at Portsea Cemetery (Kingston Cemetery)
2. Ellen Jane Shotter b. 1870 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 465, died aged 1, buried, on 15 Oct 1871, at Portsmouth, Kingston Cemetery
3. Emma Shotter b. 1871 D Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 414
4. Kate Shotter b. Dec 1874, reg. 1875 M Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 435, died aged 1, buried, on 17 Dec 1875, at Kingston Cemetery
5. William George Shotter b. 21 May 1876 in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 447
6. Mabel Shotter b. 23 May 1879 in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 459
7. Alfred Shotter b. 1882 S Quarter in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 486
8. George Shotter b. 1884 J Quarter in ALVERSTOKE Vol 02B Page 583
9. Ruby Beatrice Shotter b. 10 May 1886 in PORTSEA Vol 02B Page 479

In 1871, at 31, Kent Street, were William Shotter (25) Master Butcher, Jane Shotter (24), Elizabeth (2), Ellen (1) and Charlotte Dadd (21) Servant.

In 1881, at 24, Butcher Street, Portsea (aptly named), were William Shotter (36) Master butcher; wife listed as Anna J (34), Elizabeth A (12), Emma (9), Mabel (1) and Alice E Booker (16) Servant. William (5) was staying with his aunt, Susan Baker, Hannah's sister, at at 37, North Street, Portsea.

In 1891, at 334, Fratton Road, Portsea: William T Shotter (46) Butcher, Jane Shotter (44), Lizzie (22), Mabel (11), Alfie (8), George (6), Rose (Ruby Beatrice) (4) and Anne Tolfrey (20) Servant. 

In 1901, William T Shotter (56) was 'Living on own means' (retired) at Laureldene, London Road, Portsmouth, with Anna J Shotter (53), Mabel Shotter (21), Alfred Shotter (18) Engineer Fitter and Ruby B Shotter (14).

Hannah Jane Shotter, wife of William Shotter, of Queen's Road, Buckland, died on 7 Jul 1902 and was buried on 9 Jul 1902 at Portsea Cemetery.

Then William Thomas Shotter (59), Cattle Dealer, widower of 161 Victoria Road North, Southsea, son of William Shotter, Butcher, married Rosina Jane Nash (45), widow, reputedly the daughter of Alfred George Dorman, Builder on 8 Sep 1904 at St Peter's Church, Southsea. (I can find no record, anywhere, of any marriage between Dorman and Nash; no birth of a Rosina Jane Dorman around 1859 and nobody named Alfred George Dorman of an appropriate age. Nor any records of a Rosina Jane Shotter after this.)

William Thomas Shotter of Queens Road, Portsea, died aged 62, on 15 Mar 1907 and was buried on 19 Mar 1907 at Portsea Cemetery.

William Ball and Sarah Jane Tubb & Joseph Leach

St Mary's Portsea
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Basher Eyre - geograph.org.uk/p/692863

William Ball (b. 1806), Bachelor, married Sarah Jane Tubb (b. 1812), daughter of William Tubb and Sarah Chard, at St Mary's Church, Portsea on 24 Apr 1832. Witnesses were Mary Ann Ball and William John Long.

William and Sarah Jane Ball had one daughter:

1. Sarah Louisa Ball bap. 29 Sep 1833 at St Mary's, daughter of William Ball, Seaman and Sarah of Lake Lane, Portsea.

The next time we find them is in 1851, when William Ball (45) Shipwright Greenwich Pensioner from Portsea, Hampshire; Sarah Ball (39) and Sarah Louisa Coombs (18) were living in Church Path, Portsea.

Sarah Louisa Ball (18) of Church Road, Portsea, daughter of William Ball, Carpenter, had married William Coombes (26) Seaman, HMS Illustrious, listed as son of John Coombs, Shipwright, also at St Mary's Church, Portsea on 11 Jan 1850. Witnesses to their marriage were Mary Ann Horner and William Ball. William and Sarah Louisa Coombes appear to have two children: William Coombs b. 1852 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION Volume 02B Page 415 and Louisa Coombs b. 1853 D Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND UNION Volume 02B Page 359. I can find no further records for any of them.

William Ball, we must assume, must have died between 1851 and 1853.

In 1853-54 Sarah Jane Ball appears to receive payment related to Greenwich Hospital out-pensioners - a final pension payment perhaps. 

On 24 Apr 1853, again at St Mary's Church, Portsea, Sarah Jane Ball, Widow, daughter of William Tubb, Ropemaker, married Joseph Leach, Blacksmith, Widower of Havant Street, listed as son of John Leach, Farmer. Witnesses were Mary Windel and Henry Tubb, Sarah Jane's sister and brother.

Once more, there don't seem to be any further records for them.