Augustus Percival Bartley and Mary Henrietta Wilton

St Michael's Church Nave, Bray
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Len Williams - geograph.org.uk/p/4659618

Augustus Percival Bartley (b. 12 Jun 1865 in Paddington, London), son of Augustus Percival Bartley and Agnes Gallaway, married Mary Henrietta Wilton (b. 8 Feb 1871 in Bishop's Stortford), daughter of Henry Staines Wilton and Amelia Palmer of Stafferton Lodge, Maidenhead, on 11 Aug 1894 at St Michael's Church, Bray, by the Rev. T. H. Drake.

The Bartleys had seven children, all born in Marylebone:

1. Alexander Henry Bartley b. 4 Aug 1895 S Qtr Vol 01A Page 631
2. Esther Margaret Bartley b. 24 Nov 1896 D Quarter Vol 01A Page 616
3. Catherine Mary Bartley b. 1899 M Quarter Vol 01A Page 617. Died aged 5 in 1904 J Quarter in EAST PRESTON Vol 02B Page 217
4. Rosamund Agnes Bartley b. 1901 S Quarter Vol 01A Page 611
5. Marietta Augusta Bartley b. 3 Nov 1904 D Quarter Vol 01A Page 581
6. Edward Wilton Bartley b. 22 Jul 1907 S Qtr Vol 01A Page 555
7. Barbara Betty Bartley b. 21 Feb 1912 M Qtr Vol 01A Page 1076

In 1901, at 20, Hamilton Terrace, St Marylebone, were Augustus P Bartley (35) Hunting and Military Boot Maker, Mary H (30), Alexander H (5), Esther M (4) and Catherine M (2), employing three servants: Annie N Gillespie (23), Housemaid; Ellen E A Lodge (23), Nurse and Margaret Gillespie (21), Cook.

In 1911, still at 20, Hamilton Terrace, St Marylebone, we find Augustus Percival (45), Mary Henrietta (40), Esther Margaret (14), Rosamund Agnes (9), Marietta Augusta (6) and Edward Wilton (3); Lina Frances Green (14) Visitor, and the three servants: Annie Naomie Gillespie (33), Parlourmaid; Sarah Grace Gillespie (20), Nursemaid and Elizabeth Mayo (33) Cook. The the 1911 Census confirms that, by then, the couple had six children, of whom five were living, during their 16 year marriage. Alexander Henry Bartley (15) was a Boarder at a school in Tonbridge, Kent, one assumes Tonbridge School.

In 1921, again at 20, Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood, were Augustus Percival Bartley (56) Master Boot Maker; Mary Henrietta Bartley (50), Alexander Henry Bartley (25), Rosamond Agnes Bartley (19), Barbara Bartley (9) and three servants: Hannah Peacock (53) Cook; Elsie Edith Grey (20) Parlour Maid and Gertrude May Fillingham (19) Housemaid.

By 1939, the Bartleys had moved to 52 Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood, where there were Augustus P Bartley (74), Master Boot - Maker, Mary H (68), Alexander H (44), Esther M (43), Marietta A (35) and Barbara B (27) with two servants: Elsie E Grey (38) and Norah W Hyland (24).

Hampstead News of 17 Aug 1944, under GOLDEN WEDDING, announced that, "Mr & Mrs Augustus Percival Bartley, of Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood, celebrated their golden wedding on Friday. They were married at St Michael's, Bray, the bride being a Miss Mary Henrietta Wilton."

Mary Henrietta Bartley died, aged 75, on 13 Nov 1946 (1946 D Quarter in ST. MARYLEBONE Volume 05D Page 310).

Augustus Percival Bartley died on 14 Jan 1952, aged 86, at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington (1952 M Quarter in PADDINGTON Volume 05D Page 164). Probate was granted to their children, Alexander Henry Bartley, boot manufacturer and Esther Margaret Bartley, spinster. Augustus Percival Bartley left effects of £127,877 10s 9d (worth £4,611,534 in 2024).

In 1953 Peal & Co bought their Oxford Street neighbours, Bartley & Son.

Esther Margaret Bartley died in 1979 in Chichester, Sussex. Marietta Augusta Bartley died, in Sutton, Surrey, in April 2003 (DOR Q2/2003 in SUTTON (2541A) Reg A27B Entry Number 100). She will have been 98. Both had remained spinsters. Alexander H Bartley certainly married, but there are, unfortunately, several marriages to choose from. Rosamund appears to have married in 1929 and Barbara in 1939. Edward W Bartley married Mary Goldsmith in Marylebone in 1944, all of which require further research.

Augustus Percival Bartley inherited Bartley & Sons bootmakers in 1893

Henry Wilton and Sarah Staines

St Peter, Colchester, Essex - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/1862874

Henry Wilton (bap. 15 Jan 1809 in Royston, Hertfordshire), son of Stephen Wilton and Elizabeth Hankin, married Sarah Staines (bap. 23 Jul 1815 at St Giles, Mountnessing), daughter of Thomas Staines and Sally Hockley on 9 Aug 1838 at St Peter's Church, Colchester, Essex.

Henry and Sarah Wilton had at least nine children:

1. Henry Staines Wilton b. 14 Aug 1840 (1840 S Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 70), bap. 27 Sep 1840 at St Giles' Church, Mountnessing
2. Stephen Thomas Wilton b. 1841 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Vol 12 Page 68, bap. 29 May 1842 at St Giles, Mountnessing
3. Maria Wilton b. 19 Dec 1843 (reg. 1844 M Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 76), bap. 24 Mar 1844 at St Giles', Mountnessing
4. Mary Ann Wilton b. 7 Jan 1846 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 82, bap. 29 Oct 1848 at St Giles's Church, Mountnessing. Died at 27 in 1873 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 239
5. Laura Elizabeth Wilton b. 1848 M Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 12 Page 73. Died aged 1 in 1849 J Quarter in DUNMOW Vol 12 Page 58
6. Still Born Child of Henry and Sarah Wilton buried 7 Jan 1850
7. William Hankin Wilton b. 1851 M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 93 (at home on 1871 Census, found nothing since)
8. Still Born buried 24 Jul 1854 (Dissenters)
9. Sarah Wilton b. 1856 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 299. Death registered 1856 S Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 207. As 'Infant Wilton' buried 10 Jul 1856 (Dissenters)

All of the GRO birth registrations have the mother's maiden name STAINES.

The "Dissenters" or Non-Conformist Burials are listed at the Protestant Dissenters Burial Ground, which I assume to mean of the Independent Meeting House (Quaker Meeting House) in New Street, Great Dunmow, which is where his brother Richard Wilton was married and buried.

In 1841, Henry Wilton (25) Saddler, Sarah Wilton (20), Henry [Staines] Wilton (10 mts); Henry Prior (14) Apprentice Tailor; Henry Joice (17) Apprentice Saddler and Charlotte Lodge (14) Female Servant, were in the High Street, Great Dunmow. (Next door were Henry's uncle Henry Wilton and his wife, Mary Barton, who, in turn, were next door to George Saich (25) Ostler (and his wife, Charlotte Thorogood), who I'm sure kept the Saracen's Head Hotel. The other side of them was John Prior (55) Basket Maker, father-in-law of Henry's sister Mary.) White's Directory of Essex 1848, also lists Henry Wilton as a saddler in the High Street, Great Dunmow.

1851 Census returns for both Great and Little Dunmow are missing.

In 1861, Henry Wilton (50), Saddler; Sarah Wilton (42), Stephen Wilton (19) Cabinet maker; Mary Ann Wilton (15), William Wilton (10) and apprentices; Charles Gandey (18) and Charles Knight (14) were still in High Street, Great Dunmow. Henry Staines Wilton (20) was staying with his grandparents, Thomas Staines and Sally Hockley in Ingatestone, Chelmsford.

In 1871, Henry Wilton (62) Sadler employing 1 man and 1 boy was still in the High Street, Great Dunmow with Sarah Wilton (54), Stephen Thomas Wilton (29) Cabinet maker; Mary Ann Wilton (25), William H Wilton (20) and Edith Mary Fuller (6) Granddaughter (Daughter of Maria Wilton).

Sarah Wilton died, aged 56, 1872 J Qtr in DUNMOW Vol 04A Page 226.

The widowed Henry Wilton (63) Harness Maker, of Great Dunmow, Essex, son of Stephen Wilton (Deceased), Sadler (sic) then married Ann Staines (44) (bap. 31 Mar 1829 at St Giles, Mountnessing), Spinster, who was the younger sister of Henry's deceased wife, Sarah Staines, also the daughter of Thomas Staines and Sally Hockley, on 11 Sep 1873, by Licence, at the Independent Chapel, Ingatestone Street, Fryerning (GRO: 1873 Q3 Chelmsford Vol 4a Page 282). Witnesses were Elizabeth Staines (most likely Anne's niece, daughter of her brother William, who was then 26) and a John Joslin.

This marriage took place despite the fact that marrying the sister of a deceased wife was illegal in Victorian England and remained the case until the Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907. In England the list of forbidden marriages was drawn up by the Church of England in 1560 and from then a marriage between a widower and his wife’s sister was valid but voidable - on the grounds of a passage in Leviticus, which suggested that such a relationship was incestuous (the same biblical extract Henry VIII had used to cast doubt on his marriage to Catherine of Aragon). However, it was not explicitly illegal until the passing of the Marriage Act in 1835. The 1835 bill said that the marriages that had already happened could no longer be voided, but from then on, "such marriages could no longer take place in the United Kingdom and colonies at all". It went on to say that these marriages would have to take place abroad, a solution available only to the rich. Au contraire, Henry and Ann's marriage did take place in England, in 1873, and thus, was not lawful. If there had been the usual bit about "any lawful impediment", either they didn't know, or everybody kept schtum. Marrying this time in the Independent Chapel seems to have successfully avoided anyone in the Church of England seeing the connection. At least the legal implications end there, since the mature couple did not have any further children together. 

In 1881, Henry Wilton (69) Saddler, and his new wife, Annie Wilton (52), with Henry Fuller (14) Grandson; Charles Fuller (10) Grandson [both sons of Charles William Fuller and Maria Wilton]; Martha Palmer (52) Boarder [older sister of Henry Staines Wilton's wife, Amelia Palmer] and Mary Smith (14) General Servant from Good Easter, were living in High Street, Great Dunmow, where Henry Wilton had lived and carried on his business for many years.

Henry Wilton died on 9 May 1890, leaving a decent, but not large £180 (around £29,558 in 2025) to his eldest son, Henry Staines Wilton.

In 1891, Ann Wilton (62) Living On Own Means, Widowed, was living in New Street, Great Dunmow and still boarding with her was Martha Palmer (63).

In 1901, Ann Wilton (72) and Martha Palmer (72) were back living in the High Street, Great Dunmow and they had one General Domestic Servant looking after them, Emily E Lee (15) from Boston, Lincolnshire.

In 1911, Ann Wilton (82) was still in Great Dunmow with one General Domestic Servant, May Bird (19). (Martha Palmer had died in 1909.)

In 1921, Ann Wilton (92) was still in the High Street, Dunmow, Great Dunmow, Essex and still employing May Bird (29) Domestic Servant.

Ann Wilton, widow, died at the age of 93, on 13 Apr 1922 (1922 J Quarter in DUNMOW Volume 04A Page 839), leaving £757 19s 10d (around £54,971 in 2025), also to Henry Staines Wilton, who was, of course, both her nephew and her step-son (although he'd actually pre-deceased her in 1915.)

Henry Staines Wilton and Amelia Palmer

Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Bill Boaden - geograph.org.uk/p/6410237

Henry Staines Wilton (b. 14 Aug 1840 in Great Dunmow, Essex), son of Henry Wilton and Sarah Staines, Harness Maker, married Amelia Palmer (bap. 15 Oct 1841 in Bishop's Stortford), daughter of William Palmer and Henrietta Crabb of Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford at St Michael, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, on 4 Aug 1868. Witnesses were the bride's father, William Palmer; the bridegroom's parents, Henry and Sarah Wilton; and Martha Palmer, the bride's older sister. This looks like a 'beneficial match' for Henry, because Amelia's Great Western Railway shares passed to him on their marriage. (This was before the Married Women's Property Act 1882).

Henry Staines Wilton and Amelia Palmer had five children:

1. William Palmer Wilton b. 19 Sep 1869 (1869 D Quarter in THE BISHOP STORTFORD UNION Volume 03A Page 265), bap. 28 Nov 1869 at St Michael's, Bishop's Stortford. The Essex Herald of 28 Sep 1869 announced the birth, "WILTON: 19th inst, at Bridge Street, Bishop's Storford, the wife of Henry Staines Wilton, of a son."
2. Mary Henrietta Wilton b. 8 Feb 1871 (1871 M Quarter in OF THE BISHOP STORTFORD UNION Volume 03A Page 282), bap. 30 Apr 1871 in Bishop's Stortford. Her birth was announced in the press.
3. Olive Martha Wilton b. 25 Dec 1872 (1873 M Quarter in BISHOP'S STORTFORD Volume 03A Page 295), bap. 28 Feb 1873 in Bishop's Stortford. (Olive Martha Wilton, artist, died, aged 45, on 14 Apr 1918 in Ringwood, Hampshire. She is buried at Hampstead Cemetery.)
4. John Staines Wilton b. 17 Feb 1874 (1874 M Qtr in BISHOPS STORTFORD Vol 03A Page 295), bap. 24 Apr 1874 in Bishop's Stortford. (Died 6 May 1936 (1936 J Qtr in WESTMINSTER Vol 01A Page 521), at 62, buried on 11 May 1936 at Hampstead Cemetery.)
5. Margaret Staines Wilton b. 22 Dec 1876 (1877 M Quarter in SAINT GEORGE HANOVER SQUARE Volume 01A Page 365), daughter of Henry Staines Wilton, Saddler and Harness Maker of 261 Oxford Street, bap. 18 Mar 1877 at St Thomas, Portman Square, Marylebone. (Died aged 81 in 1957 D Quarter in CHAPEL EN LE FRITH Volume 10A Page 932. She was buried, on 31 Dec 1957, in Hampstead Cemetery.)

In 1861, Henry Staines Wilton (20) had been staying with his grandparents, Thomas Staines and Sally Hockley at Lord Peters (Sir William Petre) Alms Houses, Stone Field, Ingatestone, Chelmsford. He then set up business next door to his future father-in-law, in Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford.

By 1871, Henry Staines Wilton (30), Saddler and Harness Maker, Employing 2 men, 2 apprentices and 1 boy in Bridge Street, Bishop's Stortford; Amelia Wilton (29), William P Wilton (1), Mary H Wilton (0). The household was completed with William Thorman (15) Saddler Apprentice; Martha Cornell (24) General Servant and Elizabeth Kitchener (16) Nurse.

In 1875, Henry Staines Wilton bought into an established saddlery company in Oxford Street and became associated with Henry Champion, and from the merger, the Champion & Wilton brand officially appeared. [Source]

Champion & Wilton Saddlers and Harness Makers by Royal Appointment

Champion & Wilton were the successors to two old-established firms of Oxford Street saddlers. One started out under the name of Matthew Wilson, in South Molton Street, moved around 1806 to Oxford Street, and became successively Wilson, Wilkinson & Kidd, then Wilkinson, Champion & Frewer and finally Champion & Wilton. Neighbouring saddlers, Samuel Blackwell, also long-established, was taken over by Champion & Wilton in the 1880s.

"Champion and Wilton [its predecessors, clearly] were founded in 1780 and had premises in Oxford Street, opposite Selfridges, in London’s West End. At one time they employed over one hundred saddlers making saddles, harness and other saddlery items and became, as holders of the Royal Warrant, the most highly respected firm in the country and I don’t doubt that many a stately home will still have a Champion and Wilton saddle tucked away somewhere in their tack room." - Keith Jenkin, SMSQF of Minster Saddlery

In their time, it is said that Champion & Wilton held Royal Warrants to Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as to the German Emperor, Queen Maud of Norway and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. 

In The London Gazette of 4 January 1878, there was a notice regarding a Patent application: Henry Staines Wilton, of Bishop's Stortford, in the county of Herts, Saddler, for an invention of "improvements in the construction of saddles and saddle girths."—Dated 24th December, 1874. Then in 1879: 

In addition to the quality of the product, the main peculiarity that distinguished the saddles of this brand, owed much to the invention made in 1879 by Henry Wilton, who patented the well-known safety system, still in use and much appreciated today, which represented a technical revolution. 

This was but one of many Patents that Henry Staines Wilton applied for, including: "An Improvement in Side Saddles" in 1893; for "Improvements in and connected with Saddle Bars", in 1895; "Improvements in Trace and Pole Chain Attachments" in 1896; "Improvements in the Heads or Pommels of Side Saddles" in 1903 and "An Improved Machine for Centrally Punching and Spacing Holes in Leather Straps, and for like purposes" in 1905, are those I can find records for. The first was just in his name, the rest were applied for by Henry Staines Wilton in conjunction with Benjamin Samuel Weston.

Not found on the 1881 Census, the Hertford Mercury of 15 Oct 1881, reported on "DAMAGING A WALNUT TREE. Samuel Cowland, John Curtis, John Bush and Arthur Shorter, all young men of Bishop's Stortford, were charged with maliciously breaking part of a walnut tree, growing on enclosed land at Whitehall Farm, Bishop's Stortford, the property of Mr Henry Staines Wilton ..." Of course, owning the farm doesn't mean he lived there.

On 17 Feb 1881, Henry Staines Wilton, Saddler of 261 Oxford Street joined the Gihon Lodge (Freemasonry).

In 1891, the family were living at Braywick, High Town Road, Bray, Cookham, Berkshire with Henry S Wilton (50) Sadler & Harness Maker; Amelia Wilton (49), Olive Martha Wilton (18), John S Wilton (17) Saddlers Apprentice; Margaret Wilton (14), along with Sarah Asbridge (28) Cook from Margaret Roding and Kate Maydwell (23) Housemaid from Hornchurch, Essex. William P Wilton (21) Sadler, was that year [so far unaccountably] a Visitor in a household in Wanstead, Essex, along with three female servants. 

At the time of their daughter Mary Henrietta Wilton's marriage to Augustus Percival Bartley (of Bartley & Sons, Military and Hunting Bootmakers, of 493, Oxford Street), on 11 Aug 1894, at St Michael's Church, Bray, Berkshire, their address was then stately Stafferton Lodge, Braywick Road, Maidenhead. 

Fake news is not a new thing: Apparently, according to this document (PDF), in Vol IV No 5 of 'Saddlery and Harness' November 1894, a spurious claim appears, "p.101 Notable Members of the Trade: Mr H S Wilton (Champion and Wilton) Owner of Champion and Wilton. At 457/459 Oxford Street. One of the leading West End saddlery firms. Made Queen Victoria's first saddle when HSW was only 19 years old, some 63 years ago." [i.e. 1831] Complete and utter horse poop, of course, like so many family stories, and you have to laugh, as he wasn't even born until 1840! My feeling is the Oxford Street company that later became Champion & Wilton probably did make Queen Victoria's first saddle. It was Henry Staines Wilton's personal involvement that got tacked (pun intended) on as an embellishment to aggrandize himself.

In 1901, the family had moved back into town to 29, St Johns Wood Park, in the affluent community of Hampstead, where we find Henry S Wilton (60) Sadler & Harness Maker; Amelia Wilton (59), William P Wilton (31) Sadler & Harness Maker; Olive M Wilton (28), John S Wilton (27) Sadler & Harness Maker; Margaret S Wilton (24), along with Mary J Howlett (23) Cook from Norfolk and Annie Fosbury (21) Housemaid, from Maidenhead.

In 1911, still at 29, St Johns Wood Park, Hampstead, were Henry Staines Wilton (70) Sadler & Harness Maker; Amelia Wilton (69), Olive Martha Wilton (37) Artist; John Staines Wilton (36) Sadler & Harness Maker; Margaret Wilton (33) attended by three servants: Emma Fosbury (61) Widow, Cook Housekeeper; Ellen Gorey (37) Parlourmaid and Alice Fordham (24) Housemaid. The original census schedule also confirms that the couple had been married for 43 years and had five children, all then still living.

The Rebuilding of Oxford Street

"Nos. 453–459 (odd) Oxford Street and Nos. 22 and 23 North Audley Street, a small but elegant set of shops with flats over, were designed by Herbert Read and Robert Falconer Macdonald and built by Holloway Brothers in 1900–2 (Plate 46b). The client was E. H. Wilton of Champion and Wilton, saddlers, of Nos. 457 and 459 Oxford Street. (There was nobody with the initials  E. H. Wilton, so I assume this is H. S. Wilton and an error.) The building had three storeys towards North Audley Street and five on to Oxford Street. The ground floor was of Doulting stone, the upper storeys of red brick with stone dressings, and the style a picturesque and effective Arts and Crafts treatment." This tells us where the Champion and Wilton premises were, on the diagonally opposite corner to where Selfridges was later built. The building is long gone and replaced, with currently, a branch of Zara on that corner. 

Henry Staines Wilton (74) died on 31 May 1915 (1915 J Quarter in HAMPSTEAD Volume 01A Page 819) and his funeral took place on Thursday 3 Jun 1915. He is interred in Hampstead Cemetery (Camden) grave reference WE/222. He left his fortune to his two sons, William Palmer Wilton and John Staines Wilton, saddlers, and his son-in-law, Augustus Percival Bartley, bootmaker. The Probate record shows that Henry Staines Wilton left £57,256 11s 4d, which is now worth over seven million pounds (£7,376,323 in 2024).

Hampstead News of 10 Jun 1915, reported on the:

Death of Mr H Staines Wilton

The funeral of Mr H Staines Wilton, of 18 Fitzjohn's Avenue, took place on Thursday morning at St Paul's Church, Avenue Road. The deceased gentleman, who was much respected, had long been a resident in the neighbourhood and a member of St Paul's Church, where he was a sidesman and a generous supporter of the church. He had been in failing health, but was in church on Sunday morning and died the following day. The service was conducted by the Vicar (Rev W H T N Rainey) and the Rev P B Phelps, who together with the choir met the cortege at the entrance gate to the church. Psalm 39 was chanted, and the hymn "Blessed are the pure in heart" was sung during the service, and as the coffin was carried from the church, preceded by the clergy and choir, the "Nunc Dimittis" was sung. The coffin, upon which rested a few floral tributes, was of polished oak with brass fitting and plate, which was inscribed "Henry Staines Wilton, born 14th August, 1840; died 31st May, 1915." The immediate mourners at the church were the widow and family, but a large congregation included Mr Boyton MP, the Rev W H Wilkins (a former curate), the staff and employees from 457 & 459 Oxford Street, and the household servants. The coffin was conveyed in an open car, and was immediately followed by the deceased gentleman's carriage filled with numerous and beautiful floral tributes. The interment was made at Hampstead Cemetery, where the service at the graveside was concluded by the Vicar. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs J Nodes & Co (M Nodes Lello) of 193 High Road, Kilburn; 23 Church Street, Grove End Road, etc.

Amelia Wilton died four years later, aged 77 (1919 D Quarter in PADDINGTON Volume 01A Page 77), and was buried, on 17 Dec 1919, in Hampstead Cemetery, along with her late husband. 

Neither Olive, John, nor Margaret ever married. I can find neither John, nor Margaret in 1921, however, in 1939, Margaret S Wilton (b. 22 Dec 1876) Single Female of Private Means, was at Lilybank Hydro, Chesterfield Road, Darley Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire (the last Hydro in Matlock to close in 1962). Described in the 1930's, "The establishment is not exclusively a sanatorium; it affords accommodation to families and others who desire to spend a holiday amidst the beautiful scenery of the English Switzerland and it is also a delightful winter resort for those delicate individuals who dread the severities of our English climate." As Margaret also died in Derbyshire, in 1957, we may reasonably assume she was using Lilybank as a residential care home.

Edwin James Farr and Margaret Wilton

Streatham: Tower of Immanuel Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Dr Neil Clifton - geograph.org.uk/p/3051240

Edwin James Farr (b. 6 Feb 1896 (1896 M Quarter in WANDSWORTH Volume 01D Page 823)), son of Edwin James Farr and Julia Fellows, married Margaret Wilton (b. 21 Jul 1891 in Poplar, London), daughter of George Wilton and Susan Robinson at Immanuel Church, Streatham Common on 24 Jul 1919. At the time of this marriage, Edwin (23) was a Shunter on the LBSCR (London, Brighton and South Coast Railway), living at 18A Edgington Road, Streatham, while Margaret (27), a Domestic [Servant] gave her address as 10 Edgington Road and confirms her father as George Wilton, Carman, Deceased. Witnesses were Caroline Wilton (Margaret's older sister, Catherine) and William Farr, who was Edwin's older brother.

Edwin and Margaret had four sons:

1. Edwin James Farr b. 16 Feb 1921 in WANDSWORTH Vol 01D 1140
2. Arthur William Eric Farr b. 1924 S Qtr in WANDSWORTH Vol 01D Page 1016. Died, aged 2, at 4a Edgington Rd., Streatham, in 1927 J Qtr Vol 01D Page 488, buried on 7 Jun 1927 at Streatham St Leonard
3. Ronald Kenneth Farr b. 3 Apr 1927 in WANDSWORTH Vol 01D 891
4. Sidney Farr b. 9 Oct 1928 in WANDSWORTH Vol 01D Page 817

In all cases, their mother's maiden name is shown as WILTON.

Edwin James Farr had lived in that area all of his life and had been registered at Immanuel Church Of England Primary School, Streatham Common in 1900. His parents had also married at Immanuel Church on 22 Oct 1894, although his father was from Birmingham and his mother from Dudley. In 1913, aged 17½, when he was already 5ft 9in tall, Edwin James Farr had joined the Royal Field Artillery, 6th London Brigade. He appears to have been assessed as fit and accepted for training, but there are no further entries on this record, nor evidence of active service. Records in 1913 and again in 1927, show that Edwin was a member of the National Union of Railwaymen.

In 1921, Edwin James Farr (25) Railway Guard for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway at Victoria Station was living at 27, Edgington Road, Streatham with Margaret Farr (28) and Edwin James Farr (4 months).

In 1939, Edwin James Farr, Railway Guard, was living at 95 Eardley Road, Streatham with Margaret Farr and their three surviving sons: Edwin J Farr, Butcher's Errand Boy; Ronald K Farr and Sidney Farr, both At School.

Margaret Farr (née Wilton) died, aged 56, in 1947 D Quarter in WANDSWORTH Volume 05D Page 620.

Edwin J Farr died, aged 68, in 1964, in Westminster.

• An Edwin J Farr married Olive E Barnes in Westminster, in 1948. It's not clear whether this was father or son. It appears that son Edwin James Farr died, in Cheam, Surrey, on 19 Dec 1983.
• Ronald K Farr married Violet E Hammond, in Wandsworth, in 1950. Ronald Kenneth Farr died, in Lambeth, in 1987.
• Sidney Farr married Phyllis Ross, in Wandsworth, in 1951. Sidney Farr died in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, in 2005.

Herbert Greey Taylor and Henrietta Staines Wilton

Holy Trinity, South Woodford
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4815591

Herbert Greey Taylor (b. 18 Dec 1874 in Hackney), son of Robert William Taylor and Sarah Keene, married Henrietta Staines Wilton (bap. 16 Apr 1879 in Great Dunmow), daughter of Stephen Thomas Wilton and Sarah Anna Laver, at Holy Trinity South Woodford on 2 Jul 1900. 

Herbert and Henrietta had three children:

1. Herbert Leslie Taylor b. 25 Jun 1903 S Quarter in ROCHFORD Vol 04A 749, bap. 28 Aug 1903
2. Robert William Taylor b. 1907 M Quarter in ROCHFORD Vol 04A 728
3. Henrietta Thora Taylor b. 1 Dec 1909 (1910 M Quarter in ROCHFORD Vol 04A 684)

In 1901, Herbert G Taylor (26) Commercial Traveller (Cloth) and Henrietta S Taylor (22) were living at 7, Gordon Road, Wanstead, West Ham.

In 1911, at Summerfield, Burnham Road, Leigh-on-Sea, were Herbert Greey Taylor (36) Merchant Italian Cloth; Henrietta Staines Taylor (32), Herbert Leslie Taylor (7), Robert William Taylor (4), Henrietta Thora Taylor (1) & two servants: Louisa Ellen Sargent (23) and Annie Garnish Threadgold (16).

In 1921, Herbert Greey Taylor (46) Italian Cloth Merchant; Henrietta Staines Taylor (42), Herbert Leslie Taylor (18), Robert William Taylor (14), Henrietta Thora Taylor (11), Dora Ella Taylor (18) General Domestic Servant and Ethel Maud Taylor (38) Sister-in-law were living at Hurst Lodge, Hadley Road, Monken Hadley, New Barnet.

In 1939, living at "Terra Nore" Longdown Lane South, Ewell, Surrey were Herbert Greey Taylor, Textile Merchant & Agent; Henrietta Staines Taylor and Henrietta Thora Colley, Private Secretary. (Henrietta Thora Taylor had married Henry Colley, in Ewell, Surrey, on 29 Oct 1938.)

Henrietta Staines Taylor died, aged 77, in 1956 D Quarter in LEWES Volume 05H Page 433.

Herbert Greey Taylor also died in Lewes, in 1970, at 95.

Francis Henry Flint and Ellen Wilton

Old Poplar Town Hall Built 1870. Now the Lansbury Heritage Hotel.
Photo: Maggie Jones Generously released to the Public domain

Francis Henry Flint (b. 18 Jan 1859, bap. 6 Mar 1861 in Camden Town), son of Henry Obadiah Flint and Mary Ann Riley, married Ellen Wilton (b. 1857), daughter of Richard Wilton and Catherine Byatt, at the Register Office in Poplar, London, on 23 June 1878. (The Old Poplar Town Hall, located at 117 High Street, Poplar (E14), is a Grade II Listed Building dating back to 1870. This building likely served as the register office in 1878.) Witnesses to their marriage were Henry Flint and Mary A Flint, Francis' parents.

Registry office weddings, as we know them, became legally recognized in England and Wales with the Marriage Act of 1836, which came into effect on July 1, 1837, after the establishment of the General Register Office. 

Nevertheless, Register Office weddings were unusual and this is certainly the earliest that I've encountered in my research. Professor Rebecca Probert, Professor of Law at University of Exeter, who is definitely the go-to expert on marriage law, writes that, "before the start of the twentieth century it was very much a minority choice" and suggests that, for some, "the greater privacy of the register office would have been the main attraction". So, if a church marriage was likely quicker and cheaper, there needed to be a good reason for Francis Henry Flint and Ellen Wilton to choose this route. 

This couple had three children:

1. Francis Henry Flint b. 1879 S Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 686, who also died in 1879 S Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 422
2. Emily Flint b. 1882 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 623 with the mother's maiden name listed as FELTON. (Guess that's a bit like Wilton.)
3. Alice Flint b. 24 Jul 1883 in the Register of Births in the Poplar Union Workhouse (1883 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 676), bap. 10 Aug 1883 at All Saints Church, Poplar, daughter of Henry and Ellen

The 1st and 3rd GRO births show the mother's maiden name WILTON.

Henry Flint of the 2nd Dragoon Guards, aged 20, birthplace St Pancras, Middlesex, regimental number 2166, is listed among UK Military Deserters, having deserted at Dublin on 13 Sep 1879. This, unfortunately, looks to be him. Private Henry Finch #2166, who had enlisted in London, was, however, discharged from the 2nd Dragoon Guards on 22 Mar 1880 after what looks like only 114 days (about 16 weeks) in the service. The cause of discharge is 'Igny', which I think is shorthand for ignominy (public shame or disgrace).

The couple were not together in 1881 and were back with their respective families. Listed as Henry Flint (22) Labourer, purporting to be Single, was in the household of his parents at 34, Brunswick Road, Islington. While, listed as Ellen Wilton (mistake or deliberate?) (24) Match Maker, Married, was living back in her mother's household at 23, Powis Road, Bromley, Poplar. If these circumstances indicate a break up, one assumes the pair got back together again to have the two daughters as DNA links me to the younger of them. (Living little more than half a mile from the Bryant & May's match factory in Bow, it's probably reasonable to assume this was where Ellen was working. Conditions there at that time were so bad, it was dubbed "white slavery", which eventually motivated the London Matchgirls Strike of 1888.)

From seeing that Ellen's third child, Alice, although legitimate, was born in the Poplar Union Workhouse, leads me to suspect that Francis Henry Flint had again disappeared and that Ellen's mother, Catherine, had probably died.

Ellen then appears to have another two daughters with a John Finch:

1. Ellen Elizabeth Finch b. 1888 M Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 661
2. Jessie Finch b. 1890 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 608

Both are registered with the mother's maiden name as WILTON.

In 1891, John Finch (37) Carman was living at 4, Faronia Street, Bromley, Poplar, London, with Ellen Finch (35) from Dunmow, Essex; Emily Finch [Flint] (9); Alice Finch [Flint] (8); Ellen Finch (3) and Jessie Finch (1). They listed all of the children under the surname Finch. The five year gap between Alice and Ellen Elizabeth, does also suggest a different relationship, but clearly John is not Francis Henry; he's around five years older, born in a different place and has a different occupation. Originally, I'd found four of Alice's 12 children registered with the mother's maiden name as Finch and thought that was just a miss-hearing or misspelling of Flint, but now it becomes clear why there was this confusion. However, I can find no marriage between Ellen Flint, neither as Ellen Wilton, and John Finch so I'm sure they were just shacked up and Ellen thus avoided committing bigamy.

In 1901, Ellen Finch (listing herself as only 38, she was ~44), 'Widow', Charing (Charwoman) from Great Dunmow, Essex, was living at 17, Furze Street, Bromley, Poplar with Ellen Finch (13) and Jessie Finch (10).

Haven't been able to discover where John Finch came from, much less where he went, so I have no idea whether he really had died, or they had simply ended their relationship. There was a locally well-known John Finch, Carman & Contractor in Hackney, who advertised regularly in the Eastern Argus and Borough of Hackney Times around these dates, but I have no way of knowing if this is the same man. (Someone descended from one of these daughters might be able to confirm or refute the connection via DNA.)

Haven't been able to find Ellen, as Wilton, Flint, or Finch in 1911. There are, however, numerous records of an Ellen Finch being admitted and discharged into or out of Stepney Workhouse around this time and any one or all of them might relate to her. (Hardly a new experience: her first time was as an Inmate of Great Dunmow Union Workhouse at the age of four in 1861.)

In 1921, Ellen Finch (62) 'Widow' from Great Dunmow, Essex, was living alone at 3 Weston Street, Bow. She does not list any occupation.

Ellen Finch (formerly Flint, née Wilton) died aged 73, in 1929 M Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 143, it would appear.

Photo © John Salmon (cc-by-sa/2.0)

St Saviour, Markhouse Road, Walthamstow

Photo available for reuse under this Creative Commons licence.

However, the man Ellen Wilton was still married to (there is, unsurprisingly, nothing listed for them in the Divorce Index), Francis Henry Flint (35) calling himself a Batchelor (and misnaming his father), married Ellen Battershall (21) Spinster, daughter of John Edward Battershall (John Edward Battershall and Ann Rawlings), both giving their address as 22 Arkley Crescent, at the church of St Saviour (Formerly St James), Walthamstow, Essex on 15 Aug 1896.

This couple had one daughter:

1. Elsie Alice Flint b. 23 Mar 1897 (1897 J Quarter in WEST HAM Volume 04A Page 354), with her mother's maiden name BATTERSHALL.

In 1911, Ellen Flint (35) Married, Assistant caretaker schools, was at 114 Fleeming Road, Winns Avenue, Walthamstow with Elsie Alice Flint (14). This Ellen listed herself as having been married for 15 years and had one child.

Elsie Alice Flint married Walter James Welch, whose residence at the time was Birmingham, at St Mary's Church, Walthamstow, on 21 Nov 1915. In 1921, Walter James Welch (27) Compositor born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey and Elsie Alice Welch (24) were living with his parents, at 9, Chester Road, Walthamstow. While Ellen Flint (44) 'Widow' from Islington, London, Viewer of BSA Air rifles at the Birmingham Small Arms Factory, was living at 9, Labourer Villas, Poplar Road, Smethwick, Worcestershire. In 1939, Walter J Welch (b. James Walter Welch on 9 Feb 1894) Compositor and Elsie A Welch were living at 20 Whitethorn Gardens, Hornchurch, Essex.

Ellen Flint (née Battershall) died, aged 66, in 1941 D Quarter in ILFORD Volume 04A Page 569.

Elsie Alice Welch (née Flint) of 20 Whitethorn Gardens, Slewins Lane, Hornchurch, Essex (wife of James Walter Welch) died 13 June 1958 at Hornchurch Telephone Exchange Hornchurch Administration London 27 August to the said James Walter Welch printers compositor. Effects £1027 18s 6d. James Walter Welch died, in Romford, in 1962. It does not appear that this couple had children, so it looks as though the line ends here.

Meanwhile, the now doubly-errant Francis Henry Flint, it appears, earned a medal serving in South Africa in the Second Boer War with the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, in 1901. The address for him on the Medal Roll is 3 Rufford Street, York Road, Kings Cross, which is about 350 meters from where he grew up in Wellington Square, St Pancras, so I'm sure this has to be him. There was a record of a Henry Flint enlisting in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, in Durban on 11 Dec 1901, where he claims his previous regiment as the 5th Lancers (no record found); his period served 8⅓ Years and his occupation Bricklayer. Height 5 Feet 10 Inches, weight 168 lbs, with hazel eyes and brown hair are close enough to the descriptions we have later. There's a note suggesting the medal was reissued on 22 Mar 1907.

The following reports show he was in Australia, from at least 1908:

The South Australian Police Gazette of 9 Feb 1910 reports on "Francis Henry Flint, laborer, 45 years of age, 5ft 9in high, dark hair, dark moustache (turning grey), brown eyes, dark complexion, wore blue serge coat, blue dungaree trousers, and soft white shirt, for non payment on fine, 6s (including costs), on a charge of drunkenness in a public place, at Port Adelaide, on January 21st, 1910. In default of immediate payment to be arrested and lodged in the Adelaide Gaol for seven days."

From the South Australian Police Gazette of 5 Apr 1911, "Francis Henry Flint, described as a laborer, 45 years of age, 5ft 8in high, medium build, fair complexion, grey hair, grey or blue eyes, grey moustache, wore brown tweed suit and grey felt hat, for non payment of fine, 5s, on a charge of drunkenness in a public place, at Adelaide, on March 16th, 1911. In default of immediate payment to be warrant and lodged in the Adelaide Gaol for three days. Warrant filed at Detective Office, Adelaide."

In the South Australian Police Gazette of 10 Apr 1912, report of a theft, "Between 11 p.m. on the 6th an 8 a.m. on the 7th instant, from a bedroom of a dwelling-house, Lipson Street, Port Adelaide, an open-face Ansonia metal watch, ordinary hands, had attached a long Mexican silver chain, long and short links alternately, the property of Francis Henry Flint; identifiable."

From the South Australian Police Gazette of 7 Jul 1915, "Henry Flint (alias Harry Johnson), tried at Renmark on March 18th, 1915, for unlawful possession; sentenced to six months' hard labor; native of London, England, 55 years of age, 5 ft 8in high, fair complexion, dark hair (turning grey), grey eyes, large nose (bent and thick at point), medium mouth, broad square chin. Small mole inside shoulder, right hand has been knocked about and bent, two scars on right elbow, burn mark inside wrist, scar on left elbow, large scar outside left forearm an one on wrist, several moles on chest, large scar in centre of back (on spine), large mole to left of scar, hanging mole on right shoulder-blade and three near armpit, large brown mark at base of right shoulder blade, scar on small part of back, one on left shin outside left knee, outside left ankle, across right knee, and across front of right leg, mole behind left knee, large scar on left calf, and one between the eyes. Indistinct irregular tattoo mark on right wrist. Vide Police Gazette 1908, page 241. "Prisoners Discharged." Freedom due July 27th, 1915."

From the South Australian Police Gazette of 3 May 1916, "Francis Henry Flint, described as about 40 years of age, 5ft 9in high, well built, dark hair, grey eyes, right hand deformed, a laborer, wore dark-grey clothes and grey soft felt hat; for non-payment of fine and costs (6s. in all) on a charge of drunkenness at Adelaide on February 19th, 1916. In default of payment, to be arrested and lodged in the Adelaide Gaol for three days. Warrant filed at Detective Office, Adelaide."

The South Australian Police Gazette of 17 May 1916 reports that "Francis Henry Flint, for non-payment of fine and costs on a charge of drunkenness, at Adelaide, on February 19th, 1916, has been arrested at Hummocks Hill by M.C. Lally; fine and costs have been paid."

The South Australian Police Gazette of 28 Jun 1916, Apprehensions During the Week, "Francis Henry Flint, by Det. O'Sullivan and F.C. Kennedy, for unlawful possession of two rugs and two blankets, the property of the Associated Smelters at Port Pirie; fined £10, in default six months."

And again the South Australian Police Gazette of 13 Dec 1916, published the "Descriptions of prisoners to be discharged from H.M. Gaols during the week ending December 23rd, 1916", including: "Francis Henry Flint, native of England, laborer, 57 years of age, 5ft 9in high, fresh complexion, dark hair (going grey), blue eyes, right hand crippled, bullet wound in left thigh. Tried at Port Pirie on June 22nd, 1916, for unlawful possession; six months."

There is one last potential sighting of Francis Henry Flint, Railway Employee, in Merthyr, Queensland on the Australia Electoral Roll in 1931 (by then he would be 72, so it's reasonable), living at 226 Kent Street, Teneriffe (an inner suburb of Brisbane). Living at the same address were Amelia Ellen Flint, Home Duties; Eva Maud Flint, Home Duties; and Frank Reginald Flint, New Farm, Insurance Agent. Could it be that he had formed a third family there?

John Walter Harris and Alice Catherine Wilton

Kingsley Hall, Powis Road, Bromley-by-Bow

John Harris (21) Batchelor, Engineer, who listed his father as Charles Harris, Blacksmith, married Alice Wilton (20) Spinster, daughter of Elizabeth Wilton, at the Parish Church of Bromley St Leonard (St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's, more on this lost church here) on 25 Dec 1889. Witnesses at the wedding were W Wardley (there was a William Wardley lodging in her grandmother's household in 1881) and Hannah Smith. Alice had listed her father as "James Wilton, Carman", an invention, presumably "for appearances sake", which seems to be a portmanteau of James for James Hockley, her putative father; Wilton her mother's maiden name and her own birth surname; and Carman, which was the occupation of her half-uncle, George Wilton.

Because Alice was born on 12 Feb 1869 and her mother married James Hockley in 1870, it's generally assumed that James was Alice's biological father. In 1871, while James and Elizabeth Hockley were living on the Braintree Road, Great Dunmow, Alice (2) was next-door-but-one with her grandmother, Catherine Eldred, which made sense as Elizabeth was then about to have another baby. In 1881, Alice was on the census with James and Elizabeth Hockley, in Hornchurch, listed as Alice Hockley (14), leading many to assume she lived with them and used that surname thereafter, but I wonder if this was just a case of not challenging the use of dittos, nor wanting to explain why your kid had a different surname. Alice certainly didn't use that surname to marry and the fact that she married in the area her grandmother had lived, rather than where her mother lived, I feel, is also significant.

John and Alice Harris had ten children:

1. Elizabeth Harris b. 7 Mar 1890 (1890 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 578), mother's maiden name listed as WILTON. (No baptism found, which is not really surprising given her 'premature' arrival.)
2. Ellen Harris b. 28 Dec 1891 (1892 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 633) with her mother's maiden name listed as ALDRIDGE. Feeling that Aldridge could be a mis-hearing of ELDRIDGE and Ellen being the name of Alice's Aunt, this looked likely, so I obtained the birth record which confirms that she was the child of "John Harris, Boiler Maker and Alice Harris, formerly Aldridge, of 39 Egleton Road, Bromley", bap. 31 Dec 1891 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's. She did not survive and it looks likely she died 1896 J Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 364.
3. John Harris b. 25 Oct 1893 (1893 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 605) with his mother's maiden name listed as ELDRIDGE, bap. 30 Nov 1893 at St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's
4. Mary Catherine Harris b. 7 Dec 1895 (1896 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 597) with her mother's maiden name listed as WILTON, bap. 22 Dec 1895 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's
5. Charles Harris b. 1898 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 581, with his mother's maiden name listed as HOCKLEY. (No baptism record found.) Died 1898 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 394
6. Charles Harris b. 15 Oct 1899 (1899 D Qtr POPLAR Vol 01C Page 569) mother's maiden name WILTON. bap. 26 Oct 1899 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's. Died 1899 D Qtr in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 425
7. Albert George Harris b. 29 Sep 1901 (1901 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 578), mother's maiden name listed as WILTON, bap. 23 Oct 1901 at St Mary's Church, Bromley St Leonard's
8. Charles Douglas Harris b. 13 Jun 1903 (1903 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 575) with his mother's maiden name listed as WILTON, bap. 5 Jul 1903 at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's
9. Percy Harris b. 1905 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 579 with his mother's maiden name listed as ELDRIDGE. (No baptism record found.) Died 1905 S Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 349
10. Florence Hannah Harris b. 8 Apr 1912 (1912 J Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 972), mother's maiden name WILTON, bap. 28 Apr 1912 as Florence Anna Harris at St Mary's, Bromley St Leonard's. Died 1912 D Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 605

On the baptism for the 6th child, Charles Harris in 1899, John is listed as John Walter. It appears this is correct. It did seem that Charles was important and probably a family name, having used this for three sons, and this did also suggest this was indeed John's father's name. Hannah, used as the second name of the last child also seemed significant. Born John Walter Harris on 27 Apr 1868 (1868 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 499), bap. 25 Feb 1869 at St Anne's Limehouse, he was the son of Charles John Harris and Hannah Harriet Camp. There's no record of a Charles Harris, Blacksmith in the area, ever, but Charles John Harris, Mariner and Rigger, later became a Labourer and, if that was at an Iron Foundry (as were his son and grandson later), then this is just the sort of 'upgrade' that would be given him to make a marriage certificate appear more posh. There are also many similarities between the naming of John and Alice's children and of his siblings.

If we needed clues that this is indeed Alice Catherine Wilton, Elizabeth Wilton's daughter and Catherine Byatt's granddaughter, there are the names given to the first two girls. Using HOCKLEY on one of the birth registrations adds another, but the use of ELDRIDGE on some of the birth registrations is strange, but extremely useful in providing evidence of her connections. Alice's grandmother, Catherine Wilton (née Byatt), married a second time to John Eldred. However, in 1881, Catherine (living at 23, Powis Road, Bromley, Poplar), had listed herself as Catherine Eldridge, and her two step-children, John Eldred's son and daughter from his previous marriages, also later used this 'usefully wrong' surname. There is no logical reason that I can think of for Alice to use this surname, unless, as the clues seem to be pointing, she was actually brought up by her grandmother. It's almost as if Alice is leaving us a trail of clues, although I can't possibly imagine she did so consciously.

Haven't been able to find them in 1891 and think they eluded the census.

In 1901, John Harris (30) General Labourer from Limehouse, Middlesex was living at 14, Powis Road, Bromley, Poplar with Alice Harris (29ish), Elizabeth Harris (11), John Harris (7) and Mary Harris (5). On this census, Alice's birthplace is listed - curiously and wrongly - as Bromley, London.

In 1911, John Harriss (sic) (40) General Labourer at Iron Foundry from Limehouse was living (in 2 rooms) of 24 Norris Road, Bow, London, with Alice Harris (42) whose birthplace this time is listed as Rainham; Jack Harris [John Jnr] (17), Albert Harris (10), Charles Harris (8), Lizzie Harris (21) and Mary Harris (16). On this census they confirm that they had been married for 21 years and had 9 children of whom 5 were then still alive and 4 had died.

On 18 May 1920, Charles Douglas Harris, son of John Harris of 24 Norris Road, Bromley-by-Bow, London E3, enlisted in the Royal Tank Corps, the record saying he had previously served with the 5th Dragoon Guards. He was, however, discharged on 14 Jun 1920, "Having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment." He'd said he was 18, when he was only 17. (So many had done this during WWI and the services weren't so fussy about it then.)

In 1921, weirdly listed as John Alfred Harris (52) Labourer from Limehouse, Middlesex, still living at 24, Norris Road, Bromley, Poplar, with Alice Harris (53) who had finally remembered that she was born in Dunmow, Essex; and Charles Harris (18) Labourer. Also listed on the transcript is Albert Harris (20) Seafarer, although on the original census schedule, there is a line through his name as in the r/h column of the listing, in brackets states (away at sea).

Albert George Harris (right) born 29 Sep 1901 in Bromley-by-Bow, had indeed joined the Merchant Navy in 1918. On 1 Apr 1919, he had joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, described then as being 5ft 5in, with light brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion and a 34½ in chest, from which he was demobbed on 8 Apr 1920. It appears Albert had joined the ship "Woodarra" at Victoria Docks, London on 4 Feb 1921.

Alice Harris died, aged 61, in 1931 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 01C Page 479.

In 1939, John W Harris (b. 27 Apr 1868) Skilled Labourer (Pensioner), Widower, was living at 774 Old Ford Road, Bow, Tower Hamlets.

John Walter Harris died, aged 80, in 1949 M Quarter in POPLAR Volume 05D Page 322. It is reported that he died on 10 Mar 1949 at St Andrew's Hospital (St Andrew's Hospital, Devons Rd, Bow).

Henry Wilton and Maria Frogg

St Andrew, Stapleford, Cambridgeshire
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/334044

Henry Wilton (bap. 2 Sep 1733 in Stapleford, Cambridgeshire), son of Henry Wilton and Martha Douse, farmer, married Maria Frogg (bap. 21 May 1740 in Cambridge [1]), daughter of Thomas Frogg and Eleanor Foyson, on 12 Jun 1762, at St Andrew's Church, Stapleford, Cambridgeshire. 

Henry and Maria had 3 children, baptised in Stapleford:

1. Martha Wilton bap. May 1763
2. Henry Wilton bap. 24 Dec 1769
3. Maria Wilton bap. 29 May 1774 (Allegedly buried 27 May 1777)

[1] Although there is a baptism of Maria Frogg on 12 Jul 1738 in Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, there is also a baptism of a Maria Frogg, daughter of Thomas and Ellen Frogg, at Downing Street Or Church Of Christ-Independent, Cambridge, on 21 May 1740. Whilst I'm happy to accept that this was the same couple of parents, it suggests that either Maria was baptised again when her parents began attending the Independent church, or that Maria born 1738 died and they renamed their subsequent child Maria too. My feeling is that it's more likely these are two separate births, but I've found no death record for the child born in 1738, which would confirm the second scenario. Whilst records do say BRIDE OF BOTTISHAM at the time of the marriage, the record of Cambridgeshire, Ely Diocese Marriage Licences in 1762 lists Maria's year of birth as 1740, so I'm confident that the second baptism is relevant.

Maria Wilton was buried in Stapleford on 7 July 1786.

Henry Wilton was buried in Stapleford, on 25 Jun 1793.

James Wevell and Martha Wilton

Gill Street, Charters Towers, Australia - circa 1910 (Via)

James Wevell (b. 1861 M Quarter in BODMIN Volume 05C Page 92), son of William Wevell and Mary Searle, married Martha Wilton, daughter of Ann Wilton, at St George's Church, Wells Way, Camberwell, on 17 May 1884. As had her brother, Martha listed her father as an 'invented' John Wilton.

On 8 Oct 1884, James Wevell (23) and Martha Wevell (24) embarked on the SS Duke of Westminster at Gravesend, under Queensland Assisted Immigration, arriving in Brisbane on 8 Dec 1884. 

This very fulsome report in the Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), dated Wed 10 Dec 1884, under Vessels in Harbour, details the whole voyage: 

"The Duke of Westminster, under the command of Captain D C Long, left London on the 7th October, on her third voyage to Queensland, embarked her passengers at Gravesend next day and proceeded on her voyage the same night. On the following day, at noon when abreast the Isle of Wight she encountered a strong gale from the south west, which continued until she was nearly through the Bay of Biscay; passed through the Straights of Gibraltar at 7 am on the 14th; arrived at Malta at daylight on the 19th, where she coaled and took in fresh provisions, leaving at 5 pm the same day. 

Throughout the Mediterranean she experienced fine weather, with light wind and pleasant temperature; arrived in Port Said on October 22nd at noon, and commenced coaling immediately; she also took on board sixty tons of cargo for Queensland ports; entered the Canal on the following morning; had a successful passage through, arriving at Suez on the 24th at 1 pm, the passage through the Red Sea was hot and sultry, with light following breezes; arrived at Aden on the 31st October at 10 am, leaving same evening at 7 o'clock; arrived at Colombo on the 8th November at noon; filled up with coals, discharged and took in cargo, leaving the next morning at daylight; throughout the Indian Ocean had thick cloudy weather, accompanied by a considerable amount of rain, and experienced a continuance of contrary currents; arrived at Batavia [present-day Jakarta, Indonesia] on November 17th at 8 am, discharged 200 tons cargo; left again at dawn on the 18th; passed through Sunda Straights at 8 pm on the 20th, and arrived at Thursday Island on November 21st at 8 am; left again in the afternoon after discharging cargo into the hulk. 

She arrived in Cooktown November 30th, at noon; Townsville December 2nd, at daybreak; Bowen on the 4th, at 6 am; Mackay same day at 9 pm; left at midnight, and anchored in Port Alma at 6:30 pm on the 5th. The Duke of Westminster has had an exceedingly successful voyage from England and the health of the passengers has been exceptionally good. She had on board altogether 456 passengers for the Queensland Ports, and 3000 tons of cargo. She landed 67 passengers, and 400 tons of cargo for Rockhampton, and left at 5 am on the 7th for Brisbane." 

James and Martha had a son, John Henry Wevell, born in Queensland on 20 Apr 1885, so Martha was 2-3 months pregnant at the start of the voyage.

However, Martha Wevell died on 5 Oct 1885, from Typhoid. She is buried at the Charters Towers Pioneer Cemetery, Charters Towers, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia, Section 5, Grave 1409. John Henry Wevell died, at 8 months, on 25 Dec 1885, from Gastric Fever, and was also buried at Charters Towers Pioneer Cemetery, Section 5, Grave 1482. 

The town of Charters Towers was founded in the 1870s when gold was discovered by chance at Towers Hill on Christmas Eve 1871, so we can assume that James and Martha went there looking for gold and no surprise whatsoever to find a Cornishman in a mining town on the other side of the world. It looks like James Wevell returned to the UK and remarried, but astonishingly, there's more than one James Wevell in Cornwall, of his age, so further investigation is needed to untangle the records. One in particular however, later travels to South Africa, where he died in 1950. 

William Palmer Wilton and Dorothy Agnes Dickins

Fitzjohn's Avenue, Hampstead
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Derek Harper - geograph.org.uk/p/1916588

William Palmer Wilton (b. 19 Sep 1869), son of Henry Staines Wilton and Amelia Palmer, married at 40 (in quite some style), to Dorothy Agnes Dickins (b. 21 Jul 1884 in Hampstead), daughter of Henry Percy Tavener Dickins and Charlotte Rebecca Fase, a St Paul, Hampstead, on Saturday, 30 Apr 1910.

Major Henry Percy Tavener Dickins VD Victoria Rifles was a wine and spirit merchant in Philpot Lane, in partnership with his brother Wyndham. This family was the Dickins known for the department store Dickins & Jones.

The Hampsted News of Thursday, 5 May 1910 reported on the Marriage of Miss D. A. Dickins and Mr W. P. Wilton: A very large congregation assembled at St Paul's Church, Avenue Road, on Saturday, on the occasion of the marriage of Miss Dorothy Agnes Dickins, daughter of Mr H. P. T. Dickins, of "Atherstone", Eton Avenue, and Mr William Palmer Wilton, elder son of Mr  H. S. Wilton of "Cotswold House", St John's Wood Park.

        The chancel of the church was handsomely decorated with giant palms and white flowers, and during the assembling of the guests an organ recital was given by Mr E. G. Croager.

        The Service was conducted by the Rt. Rev. Bishop of British Honduras, assisted by the Ven. G. A. Ford (Vicar), and the Rev. A. Congreve-Pridgeon, who with the choir awaited the bridal party at the west door.

        The bride, who was given away by her father, wore an elegant gown of ivory white satin draped with ninon and trimmed with silver and silk embroidery, while the boddice was decorated with Brussels applique. Her veil of the same lace was arranged over a spray of orange blossoms, and she carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and white heather. Eight bridesmaids - the Misses O & M Wilton [Olive and Margaret - bridegroom's sisters]; B. Beozley, V. Hall, B. Thompson, Esther Rosamond, Molly Bartley [bridegroom's niece] and Eileen Norris - were in attendance. The four elder maids were attired in gowns of white satin, draped with ninon with silver trimming and large silver roses, and large mauve hats veiled with stretched chiffon, trimmed with pale pink roses, and finished with long mauve velvet ribbon tied in a knot at the left side. They carried mauve silk sun-shades, with bouquets of pink roses attached to the handles. The four children wore white muslin dresses, and silver and white lace caps finished with pink chiffon rosette. They carried mauve sticks mounted with pink roses. 

        Mrs H. F. Dickins [1] was attired in a handsome gown of Irish lace mounted with white satin draped with moule ninon and wore a toque of Irish lace trimmed with moule and gold embroidery, and a plume and white feather. She carried a bouquet of roses.

        The bridegroom was accompanied by his brother, Mr J. S. Wilton, who performed the duties of best man.

        The service was fully choral, and included the hymns "The Voice that breathed o'er Eden" (sung in procession), and "Now thank we all our God". An anthem was sung during the signing of the registers.

        Subsequently a reception was held at "Atherstone", and later the bride and bridegroom left Hampstead en route for the South of England, where the honeymoon is being spent."

[1] Mrs H. F. Dickins was the bride's father's step-mother, second wife of Henry Francis Dickens, the former Agnes Haines Fase, the bride's mother's sister. She was the bride's aunt AND her step-grandmother and, as the bride's mother had died in 1902, we can assume she was standing in for her.

William and Dorothy had three daughters, all born in Hampstead: 

1. Frances Mary Wilton b. 31 Aug 1911 D Quarter Vol 01A Page 984 
2. Agnes Joan Wilton b. 1916 M Quarter Volume 01A Page 963 
3. Helen Margaret Wilton b. 1919 J Quarter Volume 01A Page 724 

In 1911, living at 117 Fellows Road, Hampstead, London, were William Palmer Wilton (41) Saddler & Harness maker, and Dorothy Agnes Wilton (26), employing two servants to look after them: Elizabeth Anne Crouch (35), Cook General Domestic and Ellen Friend (29), House Parlourmaid.

William P Wilton inherited Champion & Wilton on his father's death in 1915.

In 1921, at 18 Fitzjohn's Avenue, Belsize Park were William Palmer Wilton (52) Sadler & Harness Maker, Employer, with his place of work listed as 457, 459 Oxford St, London; Dorothy Agnes Wilton (36), Frances Mary Wilton (9), Agnes Joan Wilton (5), Helen Margaret Wilton (2) and five servants: Lucy Esther Same (40) Nurse; Elizabeth Ann Crouch (46), Agnes Roe Jack (18), Florence May Bass (21) and Alice Rowsell (20). Other than the nurse, William hasn't bothered to list what jobs each of them performed, but I would guess that Elizabeth Ann Crouch was still Cook and the rest were housemaids.

In 1939, still at 18 Fitzjohn's Avenue, Belsize Park, William P and Dorothy A Wilton were reduced to three staff: Florence M Kemcock, Domestic Cook; Leticia M Labrook, Housemaid and Eilan M Brown, Housemaid.

William Palmer Wilton died at the end of 1957 D Quarter in HAMMERSMITH Volume 05C Page 955, at the age of 88. He was buried, on 3 Jan 1958, in the family plot at Hampstead Cemetery, along with his parents, his brother John and sister Margaret. On his death, Major William Palmer Wilton left the company, Champion & Wilton, to his shop manager Reginald Arkell.

Amusing comment here: "In the early 1950s I met William Wilton who was pretty old then and died soon after. He told me his shop was on Oxford Street and that he lived in Hampstead. From the top floor of his shop he told me that he could see his home “until that man Selfridge built in the way”."

Dorothy Agnes Wilton died on 25 Oct 1965, aged 81.

William and Dorothy's Daughters

Records show that Frances Mary Wilton (42) and Agnes Joan Wilton (37), embarked in Southampton at the end of July 1953 and arrived in Quebec on 4 Aug 1953, aboard the T.S.S. Columbia and then crossed the border into the United States. They gave the address - presumably of where they were going to be staying - as 1725 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, IL.

Frances Mary Wilton died in August 1986, aged 75 and Agnes Joan Wilton died, in 2014 at the grand old age of 98, both in London. Neither married.

Helen Margaret Wilton, married in Hampstead, in 1954 to Kenneth Graeme Todd (b. 1909). Records suggest they had two children (in 1957 and 1960). Kenneth Graeme Todd died, in Surrey in 1994. Helen Margaret Todd died in 2017, in Exeter, Devon. Like her sister, she will have been 98.