What happened to the lovely Angelina?

[barbara lee]

Can anyone find Angelina for me? I know her only from a will, where she was left an annuity by a wealthy bachelor, so was his “significant other”. It was a PCC will, so it’s hard to make out her surname, but I think her name was Angelina Martha Willicroft.

Two bits of the will are attached, so if anyone can make anything else of her surname, I’d appreciate it.

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The bachelor was this fellow
“The will of William Reynold Deere Salmon late of the Inner Temple in the City of London barrister at law deceased who died 26 Nov 1858 at West-street Brighton in the County of Sussex was proved at the Principal Registry by the oath of Thomas Deere Salmon of 10 New-square Lincoln's Inn in the county of Middlesex barrister-at-law the Brother and the sole Executor. Effects under £1,500”.

William mentioned Angelina twice in his will. “I direct my executor to expend and apply (at his discretion) the sum of fifty pounds in the course of the first year after my death in providing mourning for Angelina Martha (Willicroft?) of Brighton spinster and in maintaining her during the first year after my death … to pay the interest of every our investment to the said Angelina Martha (Willicroft?) during her life for her separate use without power to anticipate the continuing payments thereof, for which her receipt alone notwithstanding (----------?) shall be an effectual discharge.”

William (WRDS) had been born in November 1817 at Penlline Glamorgan. He died unmarried on 26 Nov 1858 at Brighton, aged 41. The executor was his younger brother Thomas. I know all I need to know about WRDS (he was my ancestor’s cousin), but I’d like to know more about Angelina

When brother Thomas wrote his own will on 17th May 1876 he appointed another lawyer to be the next executor of WRDS's will, which suggests to me that Angelina was then still alive and collecting her annuity. That was eighteen years later, and she might still have been only in her forties or perhaps fifties.

I haven’t been able to find a convincing candidate for Angelina’s birth or death (or later marriage?) and only one possible census appearance (see below). I suspect I have her surname wrong and she wasn’t a Willicroft at all.

She and William may be this couple on the 1851 census HO107/1594; F 111, P 33 (Bottom of the page).

1851 census Goldsworth High Street, Grove Cottage, Woking, Surrey
William Palman (looks like Salmon), head (mar?) 33, Lodger, fundholder, born Glamorgan.
Unnamed wife, 30, born Middlesex, Paddington. (Is this Angelina?)

So Angelina (if that is her, and it looks like it) was born 1820-ish and should be on the 1841 census and at least as late as the 1871, as she appears to have been alive in 1876 and still collecting her annuity. Can anyone find her?

[christanel]

Hi
Like you can't find anything for an Angelina Martha Willicroft using lots of abbreviations and *.
Came back to it just now and have started experimenting with the first letter of the surname being an 'R' as in roilli* and got a few hits with different endings to the name but none that look like croft. I will keep experimenting even though I am not very good at deciphering old handwriting - too many flourishes for me! Others will be along to help I'm sure when they have recovered from their New Year celebrations.
Christina

[almach]

if anyone can make anything else of her surname, I’d appreciate it.

Hi Barbara, not much help but I wonder if Angelina's surname is WilliScroft as there does seem to be an S in there, also looking for surname Willicroft doesn't throw up many, if any, whereas Williscroft does.

This site gives variants of the name https://
sites.rootsweb.com/~williscroftonename/surname/index.html

[christanel]

In the 1851 census there is a Samuel Wright age 27, a mariner, born St Martin? in the Fields living with William Salmon and his unnamed wife. He is listed as the head of the household's brother-in-law and is unmarried, so not married to one of William's sisters. So is he the brother of the unnamed wife age 30? I can't see a marriage of a Salmon to a Wright on FreeBMD 1839-1851
Christina

[barbara lee]

Good spot Christina.
I'm pretty sure William didn't marry Angelina, whatever her surname. There were definitely no legitimate heirs to their father's estate through William. There was a Salmon sister, but she was married with a couple of children, and listed elsewhere on 1851 census night.
But it doesn't look like Angelina is a "Wright" in the will. How curious!

[barbara lee]

Hi Barbara, not much help but I wonder if Angelina's surname is WilliScroft as there does seem to be an S in there, also looking for surname Willicroft doesn't throw up many, if any, whereas Williscroft does.

This site gives variants of the name https://
sites.rootsweb.com/~williscroftonename/surname/index.html

Interesting! Thanks Alma. I had a quick look through the Williscroft database, no Angelas (of that century) or Angelinas. Several Marthas but none that looked obvious, lots of Anns, which I didn't delve into.

[helachau]

Good spot Christina.
I'm pretty sure William didn't marry Angelina, whatever her surname.

https://newspapers.library.wales/vie...20AND%20salmon

This article states that neither William nor brother Thomas married. They are together on the '41 Census in London (William starting life as a surgeon). I can see a Thomas Salmon on the '51 Census, age 34, unmarried, barrister, but birth place is Framlingham, Suffolk! William was buried not far from Framlingham (Wickham Market).
Sadly, Angelina Martha proving very, very elusive!

[barbara lee]

Thanks everyone, and I'm glad it wasn't just me that found her elusive.
I imagine her, before William Salmon took her up, in the demi-world of the stage or in a medium- to high-class brothel, and that the name Angelina was made up, perhaps to enhance her prettiness / availability. Maybe her real name was Martha something after all, although Willicroft or Williscroft sounds genuine enough.
Barbara

[helachau]

Might she have posed for him?
https://newspapers.library.wales/vie...09/3091514/30/

See end column.

[helachau]

Post #7 mentions Thomas Salmon, barrister, born Framlingham. Have confirmed his father, William Salmon, of Penllyne, was born in the Parish of Wickham Market, Suffolk, 16 Mar 1790.