Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Showing posts with label Outfitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outfitter. Show all posts

Friday 8 March 2024

Edwin Joseph Wilton and Maria Seaton

Buckingham Road, Brighton, BN1
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Mike Quinn - geograph.org.uk/p/3125000

Edwin Joseph Wilton (b. 1843), son of Joseph Wilton and Ann Thurlbourn, married Maria Seaton (b. 1851 in Holbeach, Lincolnshire), daughter of William Seaton and Ann Cook, in Hackney, London,  on 8 Mar 1877. The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury of 16 Mar 1877 reported on the marriage, "at the Victoria Park Tabernacle, London, Edwin J Wilton, of Dunmow, to Maria, youngest daughter of Mr. Wm. Seaton, Holbeach Drove, Crowland."

Edwin and Maria had seven children: 

  1. Sydney Edwin Wilton b. 1878 M Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 454
  2. Frederick William Wilton b. 1879 D Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 473
  3. Mabel Annie Wilton b. 1882 M Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 539. (Died 1882 M Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 330.)
  4. Reginald Wilton b. 1883 S Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 518
  5. Ethel Mary Wilton b. 1885 D Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 575. (Died 1886 M Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 388.)
  6. Dorothy Wilton b. 1888 J Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 621
  7. Frank Wilton b. 1891 M Qtr in BRIGHTON Vol 02B Page 234
(The 1911 Census confirms 7 children born, 5 surviving & 2 died.)

In 1871, Maria Seaton (19) had been a Draper's Assistant to James Scott (57) Grocer & Draper in Bridge Street, Downham Market, Norfolk.

After the death of his father in 1873, in 1881, Edwin Joseph Wilton (37) General Outfitter, employing 4 men and 1 boy, had taken over the Outfitters Shop, High Street, Great Dunmow, assisted by his brother, Arthur Thurlbourn Wilton (30), Clothier. In the household were Maria (28), sons Sydney Wilton (3) and Frederick Wilton (1) and Julia French (19), Domestic Servant. 

The Essex Weekly News of 28 Dec 1888 section on Great Dunmow reported on the "CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL. - A Christmas morning service has for the last five years been held at this place of worship. This year the attendance was good. Christmas hymns with great heartiness, and a sermon on "The Incarnate Word" (John i. 14) was preached by the Rev. J Barton Dadd. There were no decorations. In the absense of Miss Mackenzie, the musical arrangements were under the direction of Mr. Edwin J Wilton." Sidney Wilton, meanwhile, was one half of a violin duet at the annual Children's Christmas Entertainments at the Town Hall. In other news that year, the inmates of Great Dunmow Workhouse "were regaled at dinner of Christmas Day with prime roast beef and plum pudding." [...] "And Master Dadd presented each child with an orange, bought with his own pocket money." 

By 1891, Edwin Joseph Wilton (47), Clothier, and his wife Maria (39), Sydney E (13) and Frederic W (11), had moved to 26 & 27, North Road, Brighton, Sussex. They'd added three more children; Reginald (7), Dorothy (3) and Frank (0) and employed two assistants: John Jarris (21), Herbert Tapley (17) and two Domestic Servants: Mary Ruffle and Elizabeth Ruffle, both 13. 

In 1901, they had moved even more upmarket to 8, Buckingham Road, Brighton, with Edwin J Wilton (57), Clothier, wife Maria (49), Sydney E Wilton (23), had become an assistant in the business, Reginald (17), Dorothy (13) and Frank (10) were all still at home. Also listed are Albert Baker (19), Clothiers Assistant and Elizabeth Ruffle (23), General Domestic Servant.

In 1911, at 8, Buckingham Road, Brighton, were Edwin Joseph Wilton (67), Maria (59), Dorothy (23) and Elizabeth Ruffle (33), General Servant.

In 1921, Edwin Joseph Wilton (77) Retired Clothier and Maria Wilton (69) were still living at 8, Buckingham Road, Brighton, Sussex.

Edwin Joseph Wilton died in Brighton, aged 82, on 8 Dec 1925. 

Maria Wilton died on 23 Feb 1934, also aged 82. They are buried together at Brighton and Preston Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex.

Tuesday 19 January 2021

Joseph Wilton and Ann Thurlbourn

High Street, Great Dunmow
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © William Metcalfe - geograph.org.uk/p/388676

Joseph Wilton (b. 1815 in Royston, Hertfordshire), son of Stephen Wilton and Elizabeth Hankin, married Ann Thurlbourn (b. 9 Sep 1820 in Cambridge), daughter of John Thurlbourn and Rhoda Poarcher, in Cambridge in Q2 of 1841, and brought his new wife to Great Dunmow, where in 1841, we find Joseph Wilton (25) Tailor and Ann Wilton (20) in the High Street, where his uncle, eldest sister and two brothers already lived. If one could take a time-machine back to Great Dunmow in 1841, imagine how long it would take to get any shopping done after greeting all the family en route!

Joseph and Ann Wilton had thirteen children:
  1. Sarah Ann Wilton b. 1842 M Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 84 
  2. Edwin Joseph Wilton b. 1843 D Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 77
  3. Eleanor Wilton b. 1845 D Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 77
  4. Kate Wilton b. 1846 D Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 75 (d. 1870 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 294)
  5. Clara Jane Wilton b. 1848 D Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 67
  6. Arthur Thurlbourn Wilton b. 1850 J Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 87 
  7. Alice Maria Wilton b. 1852 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 316 (d. 1854 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A  Page 242)
  8. Lydia Ann Wilton b. 1853 D Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 273
  9. Alice Maria Wilton b. 1855 S Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 297
  10. Herbert Charles Wilton b. 1857 S Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 304 (d. 1858 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A  Page 261)
  11. Fanny Wilton b. 1859 M Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 372
  12. Marion Louisa Wilton b. 1860 D Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 308 (d. 1861 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 228)
  13. Frederic John Wilton b. 1862 S Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 334 (d. 1879 S Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 234)
Most of the registrations correctly spell the mother's maiden name as THURLBOURN, so someone in the family must have been literate.

Having often joked that I come from a long line of Essex girls (white stilettos optional), little did I know quite how much influence on 'Essex style' (stop thinking TOWIE), my relatives may have had, having served the clothing needs of the population in Great Dunmow for probably three centuries or more.

Robert Hockley (bap. 1775), who may also have been my relative, was listed as a tailor in Pigot's Directory of Essex 1823 and as a tailor and draper in the High Street in 1841. They may have been in competition, but as Robert Hockley was then 65, there also exists the possibility that my Wilton relatives took over the business from my Hockley ones. Joseph Wilton was once again listed in White's Directory of Essex 1848, as a Tailor and Draper.

The difference between tailor and draper is that tailor makes, repairs, or alters clothes professionally, especially suits and men's clothing while draper is one who sells cloths; a dealer in cloths; as, a draper and tailor. And a clothier is a person or company that makes or sells clothes or cloth, while an outfitter is a shop selling men's clothing.

As the census returns for 1851 in Great Dunmow are missing, we have to wait until 1861 - when Joseph's occupation is described as Tailor And Clothier - to encounter them again. That census locates Joseph's premises three-doors-down, on the same side of the road, from the The Saracen's Head Hotel, with a confectioner and a clockmaker between them and a draper and grocer on the other side, with eight of the nine then surviving children still at home.

In 1871, Joseph Wilton, Clothier, employing 3 men and 1 boy, was still in the same position with the Willis brothers next door (although the clockmaker had changed career to become an insurance agent) and then the Parker family, confectioners. In the Wilton household were Joseph (56), wife Ann (50), Edwin Joseph (27), Eleanor (25), Arthur (20), Lydia Ann (17), Alice Maria (15), Fanny (12) and Frederick (8). Clara Jane (21) was living with her sister, Sarah Ann Jarvis (28), also in the High Street, Great Dunmow.

Joseph Wilton died, aged 58, on 11 Aug 1873 (1873 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 242), leaving effects valued 'Under £600'. 

Ann Wilton died at 56 in 1876 D Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 248. 

Kate Wilton died, aged 23, in 1870 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 294; Sarah Ann Jarvis died at 31, in 1874 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A  Page 271 and Frederick John Wilton died, aged 17, in 1879 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 234. The level of loss in this family between the 1850's and 1870's is heart-breaking. 

In 1881, it fell to Edwin Joseph Wilton to carry on the Outfitters Shop, High Street, Great Dunmow, assisted by his brother Arthur Thurlbourn Wilton (30) Clothier. Eleanor Wilton (29 ish) Tobacconist; Clara Wilton (27) Tobacconist, Tom Jarvis (13) Cashier Clerk, Nephew born in Thaxted [William Thomas Jarvis son of Sarah Ann Jarvis] and a Lodger were at 3, Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex. Alice Marie Wilton (25) Governess and Fanny Wilton (22) Governess were elsewhere in the High Street, Great Dunmow.

In 1891, Alice Wilton (31) Schoolmistress; Fanny Wilton (28) Schoolmistress; Eleanor Wilton (38) Dressmaker; Clara Wilton (36) Dressmaker and Lillie Wilton [Lydia Ann] (32) Governess. The last three were visitors in the household of the first two in the High Street, Great Dunmow. 

In 1901, Eleanor Wilton (claiming to be 45) Dressmaker and Clara Wilton (42 ish) were living in Fairfield Road, Chelmsford; Arthur T Wilton (50) Clothiers Assistant, was a Lodger at The Brook, Great Dunmow. Lydia A Wilton (42), Alice M Wilton (41) and Fanny Wilton (37) were all listed as Teacher Private School and living together in New Street, Great Dunmow.

Alice Maria Wilton died at 51 in 1906 J Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A 385.

In 1911, Arthur Thurlbourn Wilton (60) Outfitter, was a Boarder in Market Street, Great Dunmow; Eleanor Wilton (55 ish) Dressmaker and Lets Apartments was still living in Chelmsford with sister Clara Jane Wilton (51) and two Boarders; Lydia Ann Wilton (47) School Mistress and Fanny Wilton (42 ish) Music Teacher were still in Great Dunmow. 

Clara Jane Wilton died at 70 in 1919 D Quarter in CHELMSFORD.

In 1921, Arthur Thurlbourn Wilton was in Colchester; Eleanor Wilton and Lydia Ann Wilton were still in Chelmsford.

Arthur Thurlbourn Wilton died at 72 in 1923 M Quarter in COLCHESTER Vol 04A Page 772; Fanny Wilton died at 67 in 1926 D Quarter in CHELMSFORD Vol 04A Page 620; Lily Wilton [Lydia Ann] died at 74 in 1928 M Quarter in CHELMSFORD Vol 04A Page 724 and Eleanor Wilton died at 82 in 1928 J Quarter in CHELMSFORD Vol 04A Page 684. 

None of them, other than Sarah Ann and Edwin Joseph, ever married.

Meanwhile, there is reportedly a gents outfitters in Great Dunmow today (I haven't yet located it), still owned by the Hockleys.