The Winder family from Bray

[alan.h]

I am researching the Winder family who lived in Bray - although many of them also had links with London. I'd be interested in any information about them.

At present I am particularly interested in who owned the family 'estate' at Bullock's Hatch in Bray at various times. There seem to be several gaps in the infomation that I have, especially from the 1700s. (c 1738-1772). John Winder was an apothecary in London and I believe that he retired to Bullock's Hatch in c1772, but I'm not sure who had it between the years following his father's death (in 1738) and John's return to Bray.

[IMBER]

I expect you have seen the very, very brief references to the Winders in Hundred of Bray by Kerry?

Imber

[alan.h]

Thanks. No, I haven't come across that. I'll have a look!

[DebbieG]

Hi Alan

It looks as though John's mother Elizabeth didn't die until 1754, and she had two unmarried daughters - Grace & Elizabeth,  it could be that they were all living at the old estate, they were certainly in Bray,  Grace didn't die until 1770 (in Bray) - perhaps John owned it but the others lived there whilst he had his career in London.

[alan.h]

Thanks, Debbie,

That's quite possible. I just wonder why he stayed in London when he could have been living a more comfortable life on the estate back in Bray! I was wondering if he had to wait to inherit it. His brother, Carswell,  looks to have died in 1770. If he'd inherited from the father, then why did John wait another 12 years before moving back? I'm not sure that I have all the available details for his siblings. He left the estate to another brother, William, but I can't find out when William died!

I'm interested in your comments about the two sisters. You say they lived in Bray - are then any records of that?

Thanks again for your help.
Alan

[DebbieG]

Hi Alan

Grace & Elizabeth are mentioned in their mothers will (along with others).

Grace left a will dated 1770 proved 1773, in it she is given as Grace Winder spinster of Bray - she mentions brother Thomas and brother and sister William & Elizabeth Winder - it looks as though Thomas may have been the only one of the siblings to have any children.

[alan.h]

Hi Debbie,

That's a big help -thanks.

I could only find a burial for a (Mrs) Grace Winder in Bray on 13 March 1773, and that says she's from Wokingham!

She certainly had two other brothers: (Rev) Carswell Winder (1704-1770) and John Winder (1709-1782)

I've also got a querry about another sister, Abigail, as I found a baptism record for 31 March 1718. but I'm not sure about her - maybe she died as a child, or I have the wrong parents?

Thanks very much for that

[alan.h]

.... possibly Carswell and John aren't mentioned as they lived away from Bray? Carswell was a vicar in Kent and John an apothecary in London.

[DebbieG]

Ahh that burial would be for Grace (d/o John) then,  will made 1770 proved 1773,  it looks as though between 1770 and 1773 she moved from Bray to Wokingham.  Just to check - you do realise that the use of the term Mrs at this time didn't mean that the person was married,  it was used to signify that the person was gentry.

There is another will made 1791 proved 1800 for Elizabeth Winder of Wokingham - this is most likely for the other sister.

The children mentioned in John (the elder) 1738 will are John, Thomas, Samuel, William Carswell, Grace, Elizabeth and Mary - no mention of an Abigail so as you say she may have died young.