Henry WILSON in London

[cdnsctgirl]

I'm having a hard time finding any information on Henry Wilson. I thought that since it's such a popular name, perhaps someone out there has come across him in their research!

He appears on the 1851 census with his wife, Harriet Shepherd (daughter of William) in Bethnal Green, London. He was a toll collector at that time. His birth was listed as c1821 in St. Albans, Hertfordshire.

By 1861 Harriet is widowed and has a young child: William Henry Wilson, born c1859 (I can't find a birth/baptism record, but I know he existed because he was my ancestor). So I'm guessing Henry Wilson died sometime between 1859 and 1861... not a large time frame. Nevertheless, I have been unable to locate a death for Henry. There is a Henry Wilson buried on 23 Jan 1861 in South Hackney, but I don't know if it is the right one.

I can't find any record of Henry's birth or baptism, nor can I find a marriage (which is odd, considering that it would've been after 1837). The closest I've come is a William Henry Wilson (son of George) who married a Harriet Shepard (daughter of William) on 14 Mar 1861 in Whitechapel. This man, however, was born about 10 years too late, according to the marriage record. Also, if Henry died in or before 1861, it is unlikely that this is him.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I could find out more about Henry?

[Waitabit]

William Wilson bapt. Nov. 18 1860 at St.John of Jerusalum, Sth. Hackney. Father Henry a Toll collector & Mother Harriet. East St.

Another burial for a Henry-age a bit out- 35 yrs, 13 Aug 1854. Bethnal Green St.James the Less. Tower Hamlets
Res different also: 26 Peter St. Southwark unless that was a Hospital etc.

[malcolm99]

By 1861 Harriet is widowed and has a young child: William Henry Wilson

Have you got the census ref for this please?

[Peter Goodey]

There is a Henry Wilson buried on 23 Jan 1861 in South Hackney, but I don't know if it is the right one.

Abode - East Street which ties up with the baptism Wendy found.

[Peter Goodey]

Have you got the census ref for this please?

The National Archives; RG 9/154 f 6

[cdnsctgirl]

William Wilson bapt. Nov. 18 1860 at St.John of Jerusalum, Sth. Hackney. Father Henry a Toll collector & Mother Harriet. East St.

Another burial for a Henry-age a bit out- 35 yrs, 13 Aug 1854. Bethnal Green St.James the Less. Tower Hamlets
Res different also: 26 Peter St. Southwark unless that was a Hospital etc.

Thank you for that! The baptism looks like the right one. The burial probably isn't right, though... unless Henry somehow fathered a child six years after his death.

Is there some reason why I can't find the marriage or death registrations for Henry? I thought they were pretty much mandatory after 1837 in England. And even if there is no government registration... shouldn't there at least be a church record of the marriage?

[Waitabit]

It begins to look possible that they may have not married or their names have been altered, the marriage in 1861 did look promising but that couple are still together in 1871-81

1871
: RG10; Piece: 1310; Folio: 47; Page: 4; paper hanger

1881
RG11; Piece: 1267; Folio: 27; Page: 16 house decorator

May A. Faulkner 86 M-i-Law..Perhaps remarried. :

Mary Shepard 21 Apr 1851 Benjamin Faulkner Great Stanmore St John the Evangelist

It's difficult also to pick an Henry from Hertfordshire in early censuses, as the ones I saw match up elsewhere later. Perhaps his family moved to London area in his early years but he knew he was born in Herts.?

Peters post suggest that you had the correct death for Henry, maybe Mar.1/4 1861 Whitechapel 1c 317 only a few miles from Hackney - Abney Park Cemetery?

[cdnsctgirl]

It begins to look possible that they may have not married or their names have been altered...

I don't think their names have been altered. Harriet remarried in 1883 (to her son's wife's aunt's widower... confused yet?) and she was still Harriet at that time. In fact, she and her son can be found together on the 1861, 1871, and 1881 censuses (and with her son's family in 1891 and 1901)... and she's always just Harriet.

As far as Henry is concerned, perhaps that was his middle name... but if that's the case and his middle name wasn't written on his baptism record, it will be impossible to find.

Maybe they weren't married at all... but the evidence suggests (to me, anyway) that they were. They were together for at least 9 years before they had their one and only child. The only other cases I've come across where people lived as if they were married were where children were involved, presumably to give them legitimacy (or at least the impression of it).

Peters post suggest that you had the correct death for Henry, maybe Mar.1/4 1861 Whitechapel 1c 317 only a few miles from Hackney - Abney Park Cemetery?

I thought that might be the right one, but I wasn't sure. I'm not 100% clear on the geography of London or how common or easy it was to move around within it back then.

[Waitabit]

http://maps.familysearch.org/

click on Historical maps.
Enter 'South Hackney' in search box.

'South Hackney [St John of Jerusalem], Middlesex' will appear click on that.
A map will appear & you'll see in the lower half that Mile End old Town is just a wee distance away. A bit over 2 miles I think it was.