William Wells - Boscastle/Padstow

[JosiahS]

Hello there

I'm trying to find a William Wells who, according to his naval records, and a number of censuses was born in 1835 (25 July) in Boscastle.  He married twice and each time said his father was called George, who was a carpenter, marked as being deceased on the second marriage in 1889.  He was clearly quite an imposing chap for the day at 6'1".

I can find William in the 1861 for the first time - he is on board HMS Imperieuse in Hong Kong.  In that and the next two censuses he states his place of birth as Boscastle, but then in 1901 he states it as Padstow.

As it happens I can't find a baptism in either parish and I can't find him in the 1841 or 1851 censuses - he served on naval vessels from 1854.

Can anyone help with either of the censuses or a baptismal record please?

Thanks in advance

[AMBLY]

Hi Josiah,

This is a stab in the dusk - but perhaps worth looking at.......

When one looks up "Boscastle' on Genuki
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/indexpars#B

It doesn't have it's own Parish page; rather we are directed to Forrabury"
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/Forrabury

A lack of anyone called "WELLS" popping up with a pob around 1835 in or around Boscastle/Forrabury or even Padstow - makes me think: name change. From illegitimate birth to another surname on a marriage of the WELLS mother, or by a widow WELLS mother remarrying and her children's name assuming stepfather's name....that sort of thing.

Search for a "William", born about "1834", father named "George", living in "Forrabury*". A number of hits come up of folk  who live  in "Boscastle, Forrabury".  Then take the search to just the 1841.

Take a look at this 1841 Census:
http://www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

HO107 - Piece 140/ Book 5/ Page 5
Dunn Street, Parish of Forrabury, Hundred of Lesnewth, Cornwall
George JENKYN 35, Joiner
Mary JENKYN 30
John JENKYN 9 (born about 1832)
William JENKYN 7 (born abt 1834)
George JENKYN 4 (born abt 1837)
All born Cornwall

Then take a look at this marriage in 1856:
familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJHB-6C3W
(Image available to view)

10th April 1856, in Parish of Forrabury
John Wills JENKYN 25, bachelor, Master Mariner, of Forrabury.
Father: George JENKYN, Carpenter
Alice  RUNDLE 30, Spinster, of Forrabury
Father: William RUNDLE, Butcher
Witness:  Mary Ann JAMES, William GARD

The groom - whose age indicates he was born around 1831, clearly signs as John Wills Jenkyn. And definitely "Wills" too, not "Mills" !!

That's as far as I've gotten at this minute!

Just having a look now into John, where he might be in 1851 and to see if he could be the 1841 John with a brother named William.....

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Yes definitely - that 1841 Census is that of John Wills JENKYN who married in 1856.

Off to the Cornwall OPC - this is the baptisms of that same family:

http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database

BAPTISM : On 22 Feb 1832, Parish of Forrabury
John Mills JENKYN (sic)
Father: George
Mother: Mary
Residence: Boscastle
Father's profession:  Carpenter

BAPTISM : On 27 July 1834, Parish of Forrabury
William JENKYN
Father: George
Mother: Mary
Residence: Polly Cellars
Father's profession:  Carpenter

BAPTISM : On 15 Sep 1836, Parish of Forrabury
George JENKYN
Father: George
Mother: Mary
Residence: Polly Cellars
Father's profession:  Carpenter

BAPTISM : On 29 Mar 1839, Parish of Forrabury
Honour JENKYN
Father: George
Mother: Mary
Residence: Bridge
Father's profession:  Carpenter

BAPTISM : On 1 Sep 1841, Parish of Forrabury
Honor Maria JENKYN
Father: George
Mother: Mary
Residence: Dunn Street
Father's profession:  Carpenter

Now off to the GRO index, who index MMS on most of the Births:
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro:
1839:  Honour JENKIN, registered Jun Qtr Camelford, mms: WILLS
1841:  Honor Maria JENKIN, registered Sep Qtr Camelford, mms: WILLS

Hmm.....I'm feeling fairly confident this family may be that of your William?

Cheers
AMBLY

[philipsearching]

AMBLY - this piece of research is a thing of beauty.

It is tempting to wonder if William had a major disagreement with his father and changed his name as an act of revenge.  Such things do happen.

Philip

[AMBLY]

CORNWALL OPC:
The marriage of George JENKYN  and Mary WILLS at Forrubury on 23 November 1831 - so looks like all their children were legitimate JENKYN births.

CENSUS 1851: Village of Boscastle, Parish of Minster
HO107 / Piece 1898 / Folio 49 / Pg 8
Head: George JENKYN 46, Carpenter,  b Minster
Wife: Mary JENKYN 41, b Lanteglos
Son: William 16, Carpenter, b Forrabury
Son: George 11, Apprentice to Cordwainer, b Forrabury
Dau: Honor 10, b Forrabury
Dau: Mary 7, b Minster
Dau: Elizabeth England 3, b Minster
Dau: Celia 5mths, b Minster

1861: Boscastle Town, Parish of Forrabury
RG 9 / Piece 1515 /Folio 9 /Pg11
Head: George JENKYN 52, Joiner,  b Boscastle
Wife: Mary JENKYN 51, b Camelford
Dau: Honor 18, b Boscastle
Dau: Elizabeth 8, b Boscastle
Boarder: Mary JOLLOW, 70, widow, Sailors W, b Boscastle

Your William WELLS first married Amelia LONG in 1863 in Kent?
familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NN6T-FFV

Who were the witness' to this marriage?

Looking for a key clue to tie your William to the JENKYN's

Will follow through and see if George JENKYN Snr is deceased before 1889.

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

AMBLY - this piece of research is a thing of beauty.

I'm blushing    what a lovely thing to say - thank you! I hope it pans out. My intuition says it may well do!

PS: I agree, about the potential reason why there may have been a name change, too.

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

John Wills JENKINS is here:

1861 CENSUS: Vessel "INDUSTRY", in Hayle, Cornwall
RG 9 -  Piece 4494 / Folio 29
Master: John W JENKYN 28, married, b Boscastle
Mate: William RAW 23, married, b Boscastle
AB Seaman: Edwin RICHARDS, 51?, married, b Boscastle
AB Seaman: Thomas CALLAWAY, 19, unm, b Boscastle
Boy: Thomas FOORD 16,  in, b Boscastle

His wife is here, in the household of one of her marriage witness':
1861: Boscastle Town, Parish of Forrabury
RG 9/ Piece 1515 / Folio 8 /Pg 10
Head: William GARD 65, widower, Corker & Glazier, b Forrabury.
Cousin: Alice JENKYN 35, married, Sailor's wife, b Loswithiel, Cornwall

(Her JENKYNS in-laws, George & Mary, are 7 households away, on the next page)


This JENKYN daughter married in 1865 - in Padstow:

Honor Maria JENKYNS 24, spinster, resident of Padstow
Father: George JENKYNS, Joiner
to: Samuel LANDERY 23, a Ships Carpenter of Padstow
Witness Henry  HARDING, Mary RANDALL

The JENKYNS parents are here:

1871: Dunn Street, Boscastle Parish of Forrabury
RG10 / Piece 2218 / Folio: 7 / Pg7
Head: George JENKIN 67, Builder, b Minster
Wife: Mary JENKIN 61, b Langelos

1881: Dunn Street, Boscastle Parish of Forrabury
RG11 Piece 2272/ Folio 9; Pg12
Head: George JENKIN 77, Builder, b Minster
Wife: Mary JENKIN 71, b Minster
Boarder: Sarah Louisa ROWLETT 20, unm, Schoolmistress (Board School)

The Cornwall OPC, has
BURIAL:  of Mary JENKYNS of Boscastle,  in 1882, Minster, age 73.
BURIAL:  of George JENKYN of Boscastle,  in 1887, Minster, age 77.

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

George JENKYN died 1887 age 77,  & Mary JENKYN died 1881 age 73
Buried in Minster Saint Merteriana Cemetery , Boscastle
(Picture of Headstone)

So is their son, John Wills JENKYN , died 1869, age 37, Lost at Sea.
And his wife Alice who died 1874, aged 48.
(Picture of Headstone)

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GRid=144336146&CRid=2572907&

Cheers
AMBLY

[JosiahS]

Hi Ambly

I agree that is a fantastic and compelling piece of research.  I had already gone down the illegitimacy root but what you have pulled together is a brilliant narrative which fits perfectly with the dates.

William's first marriage was in Folkstone and the witnesses were Henry Brushwood and Eliza Griffiths, on the second in Fulham they were James Collins and what looks like (much crossed out) Hope Martha Andrew.

If this William Wells was William Jenkyn (and I am persuaded that he was) then he clearly still had contact with some of his family as he knew his father was dead when he married the second time.

Thank you so much for your help with this - you clearly know what you are doing!

All the best