Request for assistance with "Wheeler" - Twickenham

[SteveBeer]

Hi guys, first time here so hello!

My family is from Devon, but I have researched back and found that my great great nan married a man called William M Wheeler who was born in Twickenham, Middlesex on 28th Sept 1853.

He married Sarah Ann Hellier on 13th January 1876 at the Holy Trinity Church, Twickenham Green.

He died on 11/07/1913 and is buried in Whipton Churchyard, Exeter, Devon

Can anyone please provide assistance with this man, as I cannot find any info relating to his parents/siblings etc.

All I know is what's above, plus he was a railway watchman on the 1891 census and a railway shunter on the 1901 census, where he was the house head.

I would like to find some info on his parents if anyone can help please?

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[AnnB]

Hello Steve

I may be telling you something you already know, but have you seen the entry for William and Sarah on the 1881 census? from the LDS Family Search site at http://www.familysearch.org/

William WHEELER Head M Male 27 Twickenham, Middlesex, England Licensed Victualer
Sarah A. WHEELER Wife M Female 27 Cullompton, Devon, England
William WHEELER Son Male 4 Sidbury, Devon, England
Emily VINEY Sister M Female 29 Twickenham, Middlesex, England
William DARKE Boarder M Male 32 Sidbury, Devon, England Bricklayer
Charlotte DARKE Boarder M Female 32 Sidbury, Devon, England Lace Maker
Louisa PALMER Serv U Female 16 Crediton, Devon, England Servant
Ann VINEY Niece Female 1 Twickenham, Middlesex, England

Dwelling Mill St Crediton Inn
Census Place Crediton, Devon, England
Family History Library Film 1341537
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 2230 / 16
Page Number 10

Presumably Emily is William's married sister, so at least you have the name of one of his siblings!

Best wishes
Ann

[SteveBeer]

Wow Thanks!... Some info there I didn't have before...

Basically what I know from my research is:

William Wheeler, b. 28/09/1853 Twickenham, d. 11/07/1913
married Sarah Ann Hellier b. 02/03/1855, Cullompton, d 27/03/1938

They had 9 children:
William Jr 1876
Henry 1877
Mary Ann 1879 (died age 2 years)
Sarah 1881 (born at the Crediton Inn)
Bessie 1883 (dies age 2 days)
Ellen 1884
Amy 1888
Emily 1891
Annie 1894

Obviously the fact Sarah was born at the Crediton Inn pretty much cements the fact that the resource you found is them.

So now I know he had a sister too!

However, some of the dates are out. Either the census is wrong, or our family bible is wrong. I guess the census is more likely to be the correct version...

[AnnB]

However, some of the dates are out. Either the census is wrong, or our family bible is wrong. I guess the census is more likely to be the correct version...
I think I would rather believe the family Bible ;)
Best wishes
Ann

[SteveBeer]

Really?
Oh. Okay.
Well the birth/death certificates will help.

[SteveBeer]

Well I'm getting somewhere now! I signed up to the 14 day free trial at ancestry.co.uk, and have found his mother and grandparents on the original census image.

However, his father is not listed for some reason, and their address is "private" so I don't know where they lived.

[Peter Goodey]

"...on the original census image. However, his father is not listed for some reason, and their address is "private" "

Interesting. I've never come across that before. Any chance of giving us sight of the image?

[SteveBeer]

Yeah sure.
His father isnt on the 1871 census but he is on the 1861 one, and oddly enough he's also called william!

Heres' the image from the 1871 census. It's split over 2 pages.
I've just noticed, page 1 says private, page 2 has an address.

[Peter Goodey]

Thanks for the image.

I've never seen a dwelling designated that way before. I wonder what we're supposed to read into it - private as opposed to commercial premises presumably. Anyway It's obvious where it is and the preceding page may also help.

[Peter Goodey]

BTW The 1851 PO directory has a William Wheeler, carpenter at Back Road, Twickenham.

[Procat]

Thanks for the image.

I've never seen a dwelling designated that way before. I wonder what we're supposed to read into it - private as opposed to commercial premises presumably. Anyway It's obvious where it is and the preceding page may also help.

I have seen it on a number of census entries and have not worked out what it definately means.

I have taken it as being a privately owned home.

From memory the times I have encounted it in my family the occupiers were in a trade or profession that made it likely they could afford to own their home. And this seems to fit in with the occupations on the image in this thread.

[AnnB]

Went there several years ago, had I but known...... ;) Crediton is a no-go area at the moment, I believe they have dug up the middle of the High Street - yes, right in the middle of the tourist season :rolleyes:
Best wishes
Ann

[SteveBeer]

Yeah Crediton is a no go area at the best of times!!!
It's just up the road from me actually...

Peter: Thanks for the info!

I've really started to get somwhere thanks to ancestry now, and will have more of a delve later.

[SteveBeer]

Ok I've got a little stuck now, as I have found records that don't seem to correspond...

The 1861 census lists:
William Wheeler - B.1824 - Head
Mary Wheeler - B.1826 - Wife
William Wheeler - B.1854 - Son (this was as far as I originally got)
Emily Wheeler - B.1852 - Daughter

Then on the 1871 census the head from above - William Wheeler B.1824 suddenly disappears, and the rest of the family are living with William Wheeler B.1854's grandfather:
Mary Ann Wheeler - B.1827 - Daughter (in law I guess)
William Wheeler - B.1854 - Grandson
Emily Wheeler - B.1852 - Granddaughter
Willm Wheeler - B.1803 - Head
Ann Wheeler - B.1799 - Wife

So from that I'd assume William Wheeler B.1824 died or left for some reason between 1861 and 1871, and the family as listed in 1861 moved in with his parents.

So that ties up.

Then, to throw a spanner in the works, searching for the grandfather "Willm wheeler" shows no results but shows an entry in the 1861 census of a William Wheeler with the same birth year and birth place, and all his wife's details are also the same as the above entry for 1871, so it's a fairly safe bet to say that's them, before the rest of the family moved in.

However, on that particular census there are also the following people:
Ellen Wheeler - B.1832 - Daughter
Robert Wheeler - B.1839 - Son

So suddenly they have appeared out of nowhere! The places of birth are consistent with the rest of the family - Twickenham but the two names haven't been seen before.

Can anyone suggest a reason for this as I don't want to end up with the wrong family...

[SteveBeer]

OK, just thinking in text, do you think it could be:

Willm Wheeler 1803 had a son William in 1824, and then another son Robert in 1839.

On the 1861 Census:
William-1824 has his own house, Mary ann is his wife.
Robert marries a lady called Ellen, and they still live at home with Roberts parents.
Then for some reason, Robert, Ellen and William all go missing or die, leaving Mary Ann with the kids Emily-1852 and William-1854, at which point she moves back in with her husband's parents - William-1803 and Ann-1799 hence why they are on the 1871 census together...

Meaning the census' would look like this:

1861: House 1:
Willm Wheeler 1803 Head
Ann Wheeler 1799 Wife
Ellen Wheeler 1832 (daughter in law)
Robert Wheeler 1839 Son

House 2:
William Wheeler 1824 Head
Mary Wheeler - B.1826 - Wife
William Wheeler - B.1854 - Son
Emily Wheeler - B.1852 - Daughter (who later marries as Viney as previously discussed).

Then in 1871:

House 1:
Willm Wheeler 1803 Head
Ann Wheeler 1799 Wife
Mary Wheeler - B.1826 - Daughter in law
William Wheeler - B.1854 - Grandson
Emily Wheeler - B.1852 - Granddaughter

House 2:
Dissolved.

Confused? I am!