Bootmaker for Audley End

[Julie Wedlock]

I was wondering if there is anyway I can find out more about my husbands ancestor who was a bootmaker for the family in Audley End/Saffron Walden. I am not sure where I got that information but he was born in Bishop's Stortford but lived in & worked in Audley End and this was mentioned in censuses
So any info about this like how true, how much was he paid as I don't think he lived in the house so must have had enough to live in town with his own family
So his name is Frederick Wedlock 1858-1939, lived in Hadham Road in Saffron Walden with wife Sarah and 6 children
His son George (1882-1945) was also a shoemaker. Fredericks brother William (1852-1920)was a policeman

[JJen]

Hi Julie,

Just a bit of extra info -

Chelmsford Chronicle 12 October 1928

Funeral took place of Mrs Sarah Wedlock, age 76, wife of Frederick Wedlock, Hadham Road. Deceased died suddenly, was married 50 years ago at St Mary's Church, Stanstead.

JJ

[stanmapstone]

According to the 1911 census he was a self employed Bootmaker and Repairer working at home (he calls himself an employer) and his address was 55 Hadham, Road, which was about here on this map https://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html#/Map/548296/221474/12/100650 The Bricklayer's Arms was No. 41.

The house they were living in had 4 rooms.

I don't know what you mean by "a bootmaker for the family "

Stan

[trish1120]

1901 Census he worked at Home also and was self employed.

[stanmapstone]

Frederick Wedlock's death was registered March Quarter 1939 in Bishop Stortford.

Stan

[philipsearching]

The Rootschat thread http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=761707.0 suggests that finding an apprentice record is unlikely.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications3/newtoilers-23.htm cites an 1889 source which claims that: The annual output of boots and shoes from the factories of the United Kingdom is said to be no less than one hundred millions of pairs  and The editor of The Shoe and Leather Record says: "The factory system and the introduction of machinery is revolutionising all the old handicrafts, and boots and shoes are nowadays produced chiefly by manufacturers, who supply the retail shops."  .......    He proceeds to tell us a secret. "Even the bootmaker," he says, "who takes your measure for a pair of boots, presumably to make himself. hands over the order to the manufacturer, who supplies him with his ordinary stock."

This being the case, unless Frederick was employed by a factory (if there was one locally) as an outworker, the majority of his work was probably mending rather than manufacture.  If he was well-regarded, the local parson and gentry might have ordered hand-made footwear but wealthier people would have probably bought in London or Colchester.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/finance/money.htm under "family budgets for the poor" quotes the income for one entire family in 1895 as £2.3s9d with the cost of boots for a child as 2s11d.  In a bad week, the family wage was 15s8d and three pairs of children's boots cost 10s9d.

I have not found any information online for the cost of mending footwear, but if Frederick's customers were mainly working-class, spending around 2s6d to 8s on a pair of boots, I would suggest that the cost of repairs would have been between 10% and 25% of buying a new pair.  If this is accurate, then (depending on demand) Frederick would have probably made an adequate living - not poor but not well-off.

It would be interesting to know if Frederick left a will and, if so, what was the value of his estate.  This would be the best indicator of his success.

Philip

[Julie Wedlock]

Thanks to everyone with the information especially Philip. I suppose that would be right as to the family in Audley End buying their shoes and boots from London and Frederick just being a repairer. Its just its noted in one of the censuses (I thought) that he was living in the House but maybe I read it wrong. I now need to find wills and see if it can still be found so I can have a look

[jonw65]

he was born in Bishop's Stortford but lived in & worked in Audley End and this was mentioned in censuses

Looks like it was the other way round?
Possibly his baptism in Saffron Walden, 10 October 1858

[cuffie81]

I think there could be something to the reference 'bootmaker for the family in Audley End/Saffron Walden'. Or I could be reading way too much into a couple of references.

The Audley End Estate was owned by the Braybrooke family and walking up the Wedlock tree there are a couple of references which suggest Frederick's father and grandfather, Henry and John, may have worked for Lord Braybrooke. So could 'the family' be a reference to the Braybrookes and could Frederick have worked for them, in one capacity or another, his family already being known to the Braybrookes?

Obviously a lot of speculation without any proof. Essex Archives appear to have a number of records in their collection related to Audley End, may be they might hold some evidence.


Walking up the Wedlock tree, including the references others have already posted...


Frederick Wedlock and Sarah Wilson

GRO BMD references:

1853 Q3  Birth - Sarah Wilson (mmn: Cornell); Saffron Walden; 04a; 295
1858 Q3  Birth - Frederick Wedlock (mmn: Smith); Saffron Walden; 04a; 313
1878 Q4  Marriage - Frederick Wedlock & Sarah Smith; Bishop Stortford; 03a; 415
1928 Q4  Death - Sarah Wedlock; age 75 (born c1853); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 760
1939 Q1  Death - Frederick Wedlock; age 80 (born c1859); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 1289

1879 Q4 Birth - Charles Henry Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 347
1882 Q1 Birth - George Alfred Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 392
1884 Q1 Birth - Clara Ada Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 421
1886 Q2 Birth - Emily Louisa Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 457
1888 Q2 Birth - William Wilson Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 463
1893 Q3 Birth - Annie Eleanor Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 509
1896 Q3 Birth - Sarah Wedlock (mmn: Wilson); Bishop Stortford; 03a; 533


Baptism:
name: Frederick Wedlock
baptised: 10 Oct 1858; St Mary the Virgin, Saffron Walden
father: Henry, labourer
mother: Rebecca
abode: Saffron Walden

Marriage:
married: 17 Oct 1878; St Mary the Virgin, Stanstead Montfitchet; banns
groom: Frederick Wedlock; fa; bach; bootmaker; Stanstead
bride: Sarah Wilson; fa; spin; -; Croydon?
grooms father: Henry Wedlock, labourer
brides father: Simon Wilson (dec)
witnesses: Martin Wedlock, Rose Wisbey


Newspapers:

Chelmsford Chronicle
05 Apr 1907
Marriages
Marriage of Miss Wedlock
The wedding took place at St Michael's Church, on Saturday, of Miss Clara Ada Wedlock (eldest daughter of Mr F Wedlock, of Bishop Stortford, and niece of Police Inspector Wedlock, of Harlow) with Mr George Maskell, of Gilston. There were many presents.


Essex Newsman
27 Jun 1908
Marriages
Mr G A Wedlock and Miss M E Harris
The wedding of Mr George Alfred Wedlock, second son of Mr F Wedlock, of Bishop Stortford, and nephew of Police Inspector Wedlock, of Harlow, to Miss Mary E Harris, daughter of Mr Francis Harris, of Thorley, was solemised at Thorley Church by Canon Procter, assisted by the Rev J E I Procter.


Chelmsford Chronicle
14 Dec 1917
Personal War Notes
Mr F Wedlock, of Hadham Road, Bishop Stortford, has been officially informed that his youngest son, Pte Walter Wedlock, Herts Regt, has been invalided to an Essex hospital, suffering from illness contracted in the trenches.


Censuses:

1861 Audley End
Frederick with parents Henry and Rebecca.
Ref RG09; Piece 1122; Folio 71; Page 35;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7CD-53F

1861 Widdington
Sarah with father Simon and stepmother(?) Emma.
Ref RG09; Piece 1120; Folio 139; Page 19;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7CC-PHN

1871 Stansted
Frederick with parents Henry and Rebecca.
Ref RG10; Piece 1354; Folio 124; Page 4;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VF66-MMK

1871 Widdington
Probably Sarah, servant in Smith household.
Ref RG10; Piece 1707; Folio 141; Page 25;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFNS-HCC

1881 Bishop Stortford
Frederick and Sarah
Ref RG11; Piece 1406; Folio 102; Page 4;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27Z-K4VB

1891 Bishop Stortford
Frederick and Sarah
Ref RG12; Piece 1098; Folio 58; Page 29;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W8MN-WPZ

1901 Bishop Stortford
Frederick and Sarah
Ref RG13; Piece 1289; Folio 92; Page 4;
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS4Z-JRW

1911 Bishop Stortford
Frederick and Sarah
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X72B-Y5C