William G Waite (Woolwich Dockyard)

[Llamatic]

William G Waite was born in Hong Kong, China around 1851. He was the son of John and Sarah Waite who are married.

John Waite
Born: Bermondsey, London in 1813
Died: Woolwich, London in December 1898

Sarah Waite
Born: Dublin, Ireland in 1827
Died: Woolwich, London in January 1910

William G Waite grew up to become a Carpenter/Joiner at Woolwich Dockyard. As William was born in Hong Kong to British parents it gets really confusing. I could only find very little about his dad John. Maybe he also worked at Woolwich Dockyard or in the Services and somehow got to Hong Kong where William was then born. It could be to do with the Opium Wars which where around this time which started in Hong Kong. I have no proof of this!

William also had a brother called Joseph J. Waite who states to be born in South America around 1860 which also makes things interesting.

This is as far as I've got and am stuck trying to find out any more information. I can also give out the Ancestry family tree which all of this is on if needed. Thanks for reading!

[Megan Roberts]

His birth is registered in 1850 in "GRO Regimental Birth Indices (1761 to 1924)" which Findmypast have. Volume 658 Page 208

You should be able to order a birth certificate from the GRO:
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

I can't see a registration for a Joseph J, but there is one for a John H in Hong Kong in 1847.

[elsinore]

Hi Llamatic,

findmypast also has a record of a John WAITE born 1814 in their British Army Service Records. He was a sergeant in the Royal Sappers and Miners and served five years and eleven months in China as a carpenter.

Peter

[helachau]

withdrawn (info posted while typing!!)

[Pam Downes]

Hi Llamatic,

findmypast also has a record of a John WAITE born 1814 in their British Army Service Records. He was a sergeant in the Royal Sappers and Miners and served five years and eleven months in China as a carpenter.

Peter
In the 1881 census Joseph's occupation is given as 'Sapper R E' so I thought I'd check FMP to see if they had a record for Joseph. And they have one in spades. :smile5: Think I counted eight pages. He enrolled in Dublin in 1873, so the family may have been in Ireland in 1871 which is why 'we' (I :biggrin:) can't find them in the 1871 census. It confirms his birthplace as South America - exact place given. Also has details of his marriage, and where he served and when. (OK, you're probably not that interested in Joseph, but even if he's only a great-great uncle of something not as direct as a grandparent, his service record is still an interesting read.)

The bad news is that your Joseph is not going to be the one baptised in Yeadon in 1861. I think you will find that one is the plain Joseph whose birth was registered in June quarter 1861, Otley registration district.

Pam

[Pam Downes]

For reference:

1881 census
RG11/743 folio 88 page 58
5 Elgin Terrace, Woolwich

John Waite, 66, carpenter & joiner, Surrey
Sarah, 54, Ireland
Joseph J, 21, sapper RE, South America
Henrietta, 14, Middlesex

William's census entries
1871
RG10/791 folio 13 page 19
4 Downs Place, Plumstead
William G Waite, 20, joiner (followed by something that may be an abbreviated form of Royal Arsenal), Hong Kong China (British subject)
Elizabeth, wife, 26, Woolwich, Kent
Elizabeth Henderson, stepdaughter, 3, scholar, New Brompton, Kent
Caroline Smallacombe, sister-in-law, unm, 24, cartridge maker, Drypool Yorkshire
(I've found Caroline's birth registration in 1848 but have no idea how she fits into the sister-in-law category. My theory is the census enumerator made a mistake when he wrote that.)


1881
RG11/743 folio 10 page 12
8 North Kent Grove,
William G Waite, 30, carpenter & joiner, China
Eliabeth A, 35, Woolwich
Jane, 13, scholar, Chatham (she was Elizabeth Henderson in 1871)
Sarah, 9, scholar, Woolwich
William J, 8, scholar, Woolwich
Joseph J, 7, scholar, Woolwich
Walter F, 2, Woolwich
Josephine J, 7 months, Woolwich

1891
RG12/529 folio 95 page 14
5 Cambridge House, Woolwich
William J (sic), 40, clerk, China
Elizabeth A, 45, Woolwich
James Jos, 16, general labourer,
Walter F, 12, scholar
Josephine J, 10, scholar
Frederick, 8, scholar
Daisy M, 6, scholar
Lilian L, 4, scholar
Gwendoline, 1,
All children born Woolwich

1901
RG13/562 folio 120 page 10
508, Woolwich Road, Charlton
William Waite, 50, clerk in cable factory, China
Elizabeth, 54, Woolwich
Walter F, 21, laborer in cable factory
Henry F, 18, skilled laborer in arsenal
Daisy M, 16,
Lilian L, 14
Gwendoline, 11
All children born Woolwich.

1911
RG14/2851 SN58
19 Nadine Street, Charlton
William George Waite, 60, clerk cable factory, Hong Kong China
Elizabeth Ann, 65, Woolwich
Walter Francis, 32, window cleaner,
Fredk Henry, 29, labourer cable factory
Gwendoline, 21, domestic home
Daisy Chappell, daur, mar, 25,
William Chappell, grandson, 4, Birmingham
Children all born Woolwich
William and Elizabeth have been married 42 years, had 12 children, 3 of whom are now deceased
Daisy has been married 5 years, with one child.

William Waite (no middle name) married Elizabeth Henderson (no middle name) at St James Bethnal Green on 19 Dec 1870. His father William (sic) Waite, joiner. Hers William Henderson, clerk. Marriage on Ancestry's London marriages.

Can only see baptisms for Josephine, Daisy, and Lilian on Ancestry's baptisms. (Greenwich borough.)

Pam

[Llamatic]

Thanks for all the support. Its been really interesting knowing all of this. I did find a military discharge document on the "UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Registers of Soldiers Who Served in Canada" for John Waite

Name: John Waite
Birth Year: abt 1814
Birth Place: Southwark, Surrey
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment: Royal Sappers and Miners
Regimental Number: 61
Age at enlistment: 18
Attestation Date: 22 Dec 1832
Attestation Place: London, Middlesex
Document Type: Soldier's Service Documents

He served 4 years and 5 months in Canada then 5 years and 11 months in China. They allowed family to go with them which probably explains why his son was born in China. It also has his reason for discharge as he was classed as being unfit for further military intervention from shortness of vision. I would also love to hear more about Joseph. He did the same job as his dad did in the army as a Sapper and Miner. The Sapper and Miners later turned into the Royal Engineers of which I live down the road to the RE Museum so I might be able to find out more about them.

[geneius]

British nationals born overseas 1818-2005 has this entry

WAITE Joseph James 1855-1859 vol 2 page 665 Paraguay

There is an attestation record on Findmypast. The T&C of the site prevent us from posting the info here.....

[libra lady]

hello im interested in this post as my grandfather was john joseph waite married to my nan mary

[Pam Downes]

Hello libra lady,

Welcome to British-Genealogy. :smile5:

Although John Joseph Waite isn't a particularly common name, there are more than one of them, so when was yours born and married? Bonus points if you know where. :smiles: