Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1

    Default William G Waite (Woolwich Dockyard)

    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!

  2. #2
    Brick wall demolition expert!
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    3,693

    Default

    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:
    https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ce...es/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.

  3. #3
    Knowledgeable and helpful
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Parbold, Lancashire
    Posts
    822

    Default

    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

  4. #4

    Default

    withdrawn (info posted while typing!!)
    "dyfal donc a dyr y garreg"

  5. #5
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,766

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by elsinore View Post
    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. 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 ) 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
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  6. #6
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,766

    Default

    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
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  7. #7

    Default

    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.

  8. #8
    Name well known on Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    4,863

    Default

    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.....

  9. #9
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    May 2023
    Location
    london uk
    Posts
    1

    Default

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

  10. #10
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,766

    Default

    Hello libra lady,

    Welcome to British-Genealogy.

    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:
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: