William Whitlock, Journeyman Tanner, Bermondsey

[benny1982]

Hi

Several of my ancestors came from the East End Of London. Most of them were of either French Huguenot of Norfolk descent. My Norfolk family, the Helsdon's originated in Norwich and moved to London in around 1780. They became weavers of Bethnal Green. My Shoreditch and Spitalfields ancestors were all silk weavers. Being so near the Thames, it is obvious why they were.

My ancestor John Auber was still a silk weaver in the 1841 census, and his widow Elizabeth Auber nee Helsdon was a cotton winder in the 1851 census.

Ben

[Thomasin]

I've discovered where William and Selina Whitlock were at the time of the 1861 census.

They were at the seaside - at Ore, leaving 2 year old Alfred William with granny Eliza Elliott in Bermondsey. Not only that, but with them was ...... Reuben, 9 months old, and a complete surprise to me.

This means that Edwin, born in 1864 and living with granny in Bermondsey in 1871, was the third child, not the second.

I think William died in 1864-65, and Selina definitely died in 1868 of TB. Some time ago I found Alfred William Whitlock in later years living north of London, married with a family, and today I found Reuben George's birth in Bermondsey (Sept quarter 1860) and probable marriage in 1887 to Minnie Jane Fletcher. The 1901 census shows a daughter, Olive.

I don't know what happened to Edwin.

The reason why I found William and Selina (and Reuben) today was that I spent the day at the National Archives, using A....y. When I got home I checked FMP and found that Whitlock has been transcribed as Whillock. Well! ..............

Thomasin

[Procat]

Not a bad error as far as transcriptions go though.

[Thomasin]

Not a bad error as far as transcriptions go though.

Maybe not, but it still prevented me from finding them using a 'variants' search. If I had tried Wh* and used a bit of imagination, it would have been a different matter!

Thomasin

[QueSera]

Hi Doug

Yes, I agree. I was Googling 'tannery Bermondsey' last night - I had no idea that tanning was such a major industry in that area, and didn't realize that for the last forty years or so, on frequent train journeys to London, I had probably been riding past my ancestors' workplaces.

Could you possibly have a look at the 1851 entry (HO107; 1563; 488; 3) and see if you agree with my reading of 'Furrier' for 'Emerson' (Emerlen)?

Thomasin

There is a link to the fur trade in Bermondsey and it's the Alaska Works founded in 1869 for processing seal fur etc. The factory building still stands in Grange Road and has recently been converted to flats but still retains the stone entrance with sculptured seals.

[Thomasin]

That's interesting - thank you. One of these days I shall actually have to get off the train and investigate this area properly by foot.

Thomasin

[Thomasin]

Could somebody please help me sort out these Whitlocks? To recap, the parents were William Whitlock, tanner, and Selina (nee Elliott) who married in 1856.

In the 1861 census William and Selina were at Ore (near Hastings) with 9 month old Reuben. Granny Eliza Elliott was looking after 2 year old Alfred William at Willow Walk, Bermondsey.

Selina died on 10th March 1868, and in 1871 Granny was looking after 7 year old Edwin in Bermondsey Buildings, Bermondsey.

There are baptisms at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, all on 30th July 1871, for William Alfred Whitlock, James Reuben Whitlock and Henry Thompson Whitlock. Parents William (leather dresser) and Selina, 12 Bermondsey Buildings. In the gutter of the book are their actual birthdates, which can only be partially seen because they are in shadow. It looks as if William Alfred was born in 1858, 21st March; James Reuben 1860, possibly 27th June; and Henry Thompson 1863, but the actual date is impossible to be sure about.

Now I find that in 1871 there are a Reuben and Alfred Whitlock, both 9, both born Dover, Kent, in an orphanage at Walthamstow, Church Hill Rectory Manor House, St Mary, Essex. There were no Whitlocks born in Dover in that timescale. Are these mine? I wondered if the 1871 baptisms were connected in some way with entry to the orphanage.

In 1881 I have found Reuben, now back as James Reuben, born Bermondsey 1861-ish, working at a biscuit factory and living at 12 Alice Street, Bermondsey with Granny Elizabeth Elliott, born 1805 Walworth.

In 1881 Alfred William seems to have become William, and is a Mattress Maker in Paddington. As William Alfred he married Angelina Fletcher in Hendon in 1882, and in 1891 they are living in Willesden with daughter Minnie. Now Alfred W, he is a Cabinet Mattress Maker. I haven’t found a death for him, but in 1901 Angelina is a widow with Minnie A (13) and Henry A (9). The three are still together in 1911 in Hackney, and the children’s names are given in full as Minnie Angelina (an ‘Infants Milliner’) and Henry Austin, (a Warehouseman).

FreeBMD has:
Alfred William born December quarter 1858, Bermondsey.
Reuben George born September quarter 1860, Bermondsey.
Henry Thomson born March quarter 1862, Hastings (remember the Ore connection). A Henry T Whitlock died in Bermondsey June quarter 1866.

This family seems to change their names around willy-nilly. The name Reuben seems to run through, either standing alone or as Reuben George or James Reuben. Alfred William uses either or both of his names at will. Who was Edwin?

Strangest of all, how could Henry Thompson Whitlock be baptised in 1871 if he died in 1866?

[Thomasin]

I discovered this morning that Reuben George married Minnie Jane Fletcher (the sister of Alfred's wife Angelina) in 1887, so it seems that those two brothers are definitely linked. By the way, in 1911 Reuben's name on the census is Reuben George, but he signed it 'George R Whitlock'.

Is there a smilie for 'tearing hair out'?

[Jellylegs]

Hi Thomasin

Looking at the baptisms on Ancestry, the birth date for Henry Thompson Whitlock looks like ?4 (31 has been crossed out) ?ec (Dec) 1863, so the registration on FreeBMD in Mch Q 1862 may just be a co-incidence, likewise the death registration. Maybe Edwin b. 1864 according to the 1871 census is actually Henry Thompson?

The only way to find out for sure would be to send for the birth and death certificates.

Jellylegs

(now off to watch the footie!)

[Thomasin]

Hi Jellylegs

You are probably right about the date. I find that 2 and 3 are easily misread, so perhaps this is what has happened, but why can't this family decide on their names and stick to them?

However, I have just found a son of Reuben who died when a few months old in 1895 - George Edwin Alfred Whitlock. Covers them all, doesn't it? Oh, except Henry.

What's footie? I'm darting in and out of the garden, watching the Biggin Hill Air Fair.