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  1. #1

    Default Occupation Mystery 1840s-1850s Midlands

    I am trying to confirm a relationship between a father and a son from the Midlands area in the mid to late 1840/50s and have limited information available to ascertain correct parentage.

    My ancestor Richard Wallis Jnr was born in Bromsgrove Worcestershire 1831, moved to St Martin Warwickshire on 1841 census where his father Richard Wallis Snr was listed as a Carpenter, and on 1851 census my Richard Jnr was listed a "Stoker". By 1861 he had immigrated to New Zealand aged 28 as a Fellmonger.

    I understand researching occupations is a good way to identify relationships as children followed their parents into the same trades. It seems a long stretch to have a Carpenter for a father, then go and stoke a furnace somewhere, when it would have seemed more lucrative to have a carpentry trade? then move to Nottingham to become a Fellmonger. Would I have the wrong father or could this stretch of occupations be normal? I can not locate any details on my Richard Wallis Jnr in Nottingham to try and identify where he might have worked on a farm as a fellmonger. As a fellmonger would he more likely to have had a farmer for a father? Am I steering up the wrong tree? Any comments on occupations or steer in the right direction for Nottingham records would also be helpful. Thanks Lyn

  2. #2

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    You can't rely on children following their parents into a trade. Some did, especially where there was a business to be inherited, but it wasn't necessarily the rule.

    Did he have a lot of brothers? Presumably, Dad only had one set of tools... Or he had no interest or talent for carpentry...Also, in the 19th century, a lot of people were leaving the land and heading for the factories in the towns.

    It's frustrating that they don't say what sort of stoker he was...

  3. #3
    Famous for offering help & advice peter nicholl's Avatar
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    If he was an only child, or his siblings were girls, then he May have followed his father's trade/ profession. However, if he was lower down the pecking order, he may have had to try elsewhere. Or, he could have been, just Bolshie.
    Peter Nicholl
    Researching:Nicholl,Boater, Haselgrove & Vaughan

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lesley Robertson View Post

    It's frustrating that they don't say what sort of stoker he was...
    The Head of household and the other lodger were both tinplate workers, so possibly connected with that?

    Lyn, its not clear why you believe he was in Nottingham at some point - where is this information from?

  5. #5
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    This is your Richard Wallis?

    Richard Wallis
    Birth Date - about 1830
    Death Age - 57
    Died 4 May 1887
    At Eastern Southland, New Zealand
    Buried Southland, New Zealand
    Cemetery -Gore
    Spouse- Isabella Wallis
    Spouse Death - 90
    Spouse Death Date - 1 Dec 1927

    It appears his marriage certificate in NZ won't be any help to uou either as the information collected on certificates prior to 1880 didn't include parental information.

    According to an obit he came to NZ in 1855 on the ship Maori.
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  6. #6
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Richard Wallis' death certificate may help with father's details as from 1875 onward these were required or do you have this and the parents' details aren't known?
    Parents

    • Name and Surname of father
    • Name and if known maiden surname of mother
    • Rank or profession or occupation of father

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  7. #7

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    Hi Lesley thank you for your response. My Richard did have older brothers (if I have the correct family tree). The oldest was William Wallis who looks like he took up the same trade as his father as he owned Wallis Timber Mills in Birmingham. If there were tools to be inherited I would think that this brother received them. He was from a first marriage and much older than my relation. And yes, more information on the Stoker would have been helpful. I can only assume a factory, coal mine, or possibly the railways at that time. He lodged with a tin plate worker so potentially he could have worked in a tin plate factory.

  8. #8

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    He was one of 7 children (father married twice) and the oldest brother was William Wallis (1821-1881) who was a timber merchant. He probably inherited the tools from the father. My Richard being the youngest child is more likely to be the bolshie one (family trait! haha). His father died in 1849 and so I can only assume my Richard had to go and fend for himself as by 1851 census he was a stoker in Birmingham. His brother William Wallis was listed as living at 58 Dollman St aged 60 (1881 census) and this address is listed in a family bible in NZ so I know I am on the right track. Just want to confirm relationships to ensure I have the right parents for my Richard Wallis and why he didn't become a carpenter. Bolshie....

  9. #9

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    Yes I have thought he could have been working in a tin plate factory? going by who he lived with in 1851, but can I assume? I am wanting to print my family history publication and don't want to print anything that is incorrect or not factual. The Nottingham connection comes from his immigration records, where he states he was a Fellmonger from Mnasfield Nottingham. Came to NZ aboard the Maori in 1859. He started out by working on and then leasing a farm, and then ended up owning a fellmongery so it was certainly an interest of his. Could he have lied on his immigration papers? Did you have to prove your occupancy before departure? He sailed on the same ship as Joseph Ward whose farming family initially employed Richard when he got to NZ. Maybe he knew/worked with Joseph before departure or Joseph talked him into the adventure of a lifetime. ?? All questions that are hard to answer from 12,000 miles away. Lyn

  10. #10

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    Hi Chris, yes I have all the info at this end thank you. He arrived 1859. It is the English end I am trying to assimilate/corroborate as some family members in NZ think I have the connections wrong. His first child's birth certificate in NZ (registered by Richard himself) states he was born in Bromsgrove. While Richard Wallis appears to be a popular name back then...I could only find one Richard Wallis born Bromsgrove in 1831 parents Richard and Mary. Richard Senior was a "Sawyer" in 1822, Worcestor St Bromsgrove, then carpenter on the 1841 census. Richard Snr was married twice, both times in Kingswinford 1820 and 1830, so there were older step brothers for my Richard who probably inherited the father's tools as the oldest son was William Wallis who owned Wallis timber yard in Aston. On 1881 census William was living at 58 Dollman St Aston, Dudeston, which is an address listed in the family bible in NZ so I know I am close to the right family. Just need to prove it to the rellies in NZ!

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