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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Hampshire & Isle of Wight => England => Hampshire & IOW Lookup Requests => Topic started by: boscoe on Friday 07 April 17 22:43 BST (UK)
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The person I am searching is William Horace Wickens. Born 1869 in Kingston-on-Thames and lived in Southampton, he disappears off public records after the 1881 Southampton Census. But he recently was found in the Masonic records of Southampton as a member 1892-99, cited as a marine engineer. The English marine engineer society claims that old records are not kept. Do you have any idea on where to look to see if he is listed? 1899 is the start of the Boer War and years ago someone on RootsChat looked up armed services for me and found nothing. That means he might have been in the merchant marine. Are there records there?
This fellow's parents were Israel Wickens [d.1890] and Elizabeth Wickens [d.1902], Southampton.
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Have you got Elizabeth Wickens' will, to see if he is mentioned there?
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No. That's a good idea to 1902. She's in the 1901 Census; he's not. Someone else iss in the house in 1911. Are probated wills available on line? I doubt that she left anything, being poor. Both I found and uncovered in the 1980s in a paupers' grave. But, maybe. What do you suggest the next step is?
The question remains, what kind of merchant marine records are there?
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The Elizabeth Wickens of Southampton who died 11 April 1902 left over £1000 - so suggest you look it up and order:
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills
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Well, she didn't really leave that amount. The L 1075 was "gross" value. Net was 203. Which means that 800+ was owed. To whom? Why? Really strange.
Yes, Wm. Horace is given L 50 to pay for all costs/debts. The rest went to my grandfather, L 153.
After this document, probated in 1902, Wm. Horace disappears from records.
Thanks for the suggestion.
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Have you considered this death :-\
William H Wickens
Age 70
Mar qtr1937
Wokingham RD
2c / 621
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As William Horace is the only William H Wickens born between 1866 and 1873, that does look like a very possible death.
Though there is this one:
Births March quarter 1865
William Henry Wickens Westminster 1a 328
Ages out for either of them.
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A tree on Ancestry (Yours?) has his brother as dying in Canada.
Have you looked for William Horace there?
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There's a William Horace Wickens who married in Durban, South Africa, in 1899.
Age 30, Mechanical Engineer
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DTY9-XV7?i=531&cc=2063749
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That is an interesting one.
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First, many thanks for your attention to a decades and longstanding problem: my grand uncle.
No, Horace was never in Canada. Only my grandfather and father were. And, I've wondered about the 1937 death, but someone on RootsChat once said it was Henry not Horace.
Wow! Jonw65
I've wondered at that idea for years. Long story short: in 1885 I bumped into a fellow of the same last name in a youth hostel card mix up. Referring to my research, he said that he'd been in South Africa and saw the name here and there. Appreciative, I shrugged it off going to Reading County Office to look at its Parish record books. I never came across [though little searched] the name in my 1991 S.A. visit there.
Your dates, Jon, do fit in very well. W.H. left the Masons as a marine engineer in 1899 and disappears. The will in 1902 naming him doesn't mean that he lives in England, does it. Maybe he came home for the death. She made the will out the month earlier. Your idea is intriguing.
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Fanny Elizabeth's maiden name was Moses:
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?20170818075923080C4068&DN=00000110
Added: Bother, wrong link, and did not check immediately
A possible reference also:
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?20170818080211080C4068
death?
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?20170818080647080C4068&DN=00000002
Added:
Sorry those links have timed out, will transcribe on new post when I have time.
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I've wondered about the 1937 death, but someone on RootsChat once said it was Henry not Horace.
You have discounted the Dec 1937 one with no middle name - probate 1938
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=594341.
I can't see any sign of this one being discounted
You have had other threads on WHW
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=584504.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=588248.
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Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository NAAIRS
DEPOT NAB Source MJPW Type Leer Volume No.109 System 01 Reference LW 803/1904 Part 1
W H Wickens First Engineer, Richard King, apples for fourteen days leave of Absence from first proximo Starting 1904 Ending 1904
Remarks PCD78/1904 CSO1371/1904.
Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository NAAIRS
DEPOT NAB Source NT Type Leer Volume No 111 System 01
Reference T1052/1906 Part 1
Description: Port Captain W H Wickens First Engineering 'Richard King' Off duty sick from 26th Instant, Medical Certificate Put Up. Death of W H Wickens
Starting 1906 Ending 1906
Remarks CSO3100/1906 R AND H535/1906 AG883/1906 PCD287/1906.
Database: Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository NAAIRS
DEPOT NAB Source MSCE Type Leer Volume No 0 System 01
Reference 26/10 Part 1 Starting 1906 Ending 1906
Description Wickens William Horace (S/S Fanny Elizabeth - Born Moses)
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Great finds, chempat.
The 1899 marriage record said that the widowed Fanny Elizabeth Fell was 31. But could she have been older?
There's a Fanny Elizabeth Moses in Southampton in the 1871 census, age 10, born France. Mother Frances.
In 1881 in Poplar, Fanny E Moses, 20, born France, parents William R + Fanny B
(William Robert Moses + Frances Bridget Casey married in 1853 in Southampton)
In 1882 at All Saints Poplar, Fanny Moses married Thomas Reidy.
Then there is a marriage at St Ann Limehouse, 1886, Frederick William Fell + Fanny Elizabeth Reidy (father William Robert Moses)
In 1891 in Shoreditch, Fanny E Fell, 29, born France, wife of Frederick W Fell. 31. Son Frederick W, 3 (but he was registered 1887 Islington, with mmn Reidy)
Not finding them later!
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Although there is a death in Islington in 1908 of a Frederick William Fell, age 48.
Buried at Abney Park Cemetery, 12 November. Of 64 Essex Road, Islington.
That's gone and spoilt it.
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That's gone and spoilt it.
Maybe not.
Divorce 1893 (Wife's petition)
Appellant: Fanny Elizabeth Fell.
Respondent: Frederick William Fell.
TNA (Kew) ref: J 77/522/15934
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Just about to post that divorce.
Her Father, William Robert Moses was a mariner.
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Well, it's a possibility. There can't have been many ladies called Fanny Elizabeth Moses who became a Fell.
If she had come to SA from England, it might strengthen the case for that William Horace Wickens being the right one (can't have been many of them either!)
John
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well Frederick William Fell b 1888 makes a couple of visits from South Africa after WWII
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Bingo
Departure 20 Dec 1902, London
Destination Port: Port Natal, South Africa
Ship Name: Umgeni
Master F W Fell, age 12
Immediately above him is a Mrs Wickens. Not sure what the initials are (Ancestry has JH but I'm not so sure). Says aged 30
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Departure 1 Dec 1904, London
Destination Port Natal, South Africa
Ship Name: Umoote
Mr WH Wickens, 40 and Mrs Wickens, 37
However, Mrs JM Wickens b c1872 pops up regularly to confuse matters - she seems to be Jesse Maud, and once she's with a William Henry Wickens. One occasion they have an address in Liverpool
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Frederick William Fell was born 11th November 1887 and baptised 11th December. Parents Frederick William and Fanny Elizabeth, he is a wholesale milliner and they were living at 11 Barnsbury Street.
Just to rule out, there is a Frederick William Fell who dies in New Zealand on 27th September 1974 age 87 (assuming they have got his age correct). He was born in NZ in 1886.
There is a Frederick William Fell arriving in Southampton (from South Africa) in June 1948 age 59 (so not him also) with wife Constance Ruth age 48, previously living in England, and intending to stay there. He is 'retired'.
There is a Frederick William Fell arriving in Southampton in September 1953 age 65 last living in South Africa and not intending to stay in England but intending to go to other parts of the British Empire. So this could be him. (His proposed address in England is c/o English football Association, and he is retired.)
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The 1902 passenger list Mabel found looks good. I can't be certain what those initials are either. Her age would be well out of course for the Fanny Moses born France, but she may just have been coy about it.
There's also the Southampton connection.
William and Frances Moses went back to Southampton, and were living in Commercial Street, Bitterne, which is the address Fanny Fell gives in the divorce petition.
There's an 1892 electoral register appearance - possibly a one off - for William Horace Wickens at 30 Rochester Street, Southampton.
Head of household at that address in the 1891 census was a 19 year old Eric(?) Wickens, born Kingston, a Railway Porter.
John
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Your remarkable find of someone's life that I personally believe was unknown even to his brother after 1902, was greatly appreciated and ends a mystery of mine for decades. His mother's death then might have brought him to England briefly. A newspaper obituary might say, but I doubt there was one for the working class. [My mother's side in Derbyshire would have a death as a big story].
It occurred to me [a slow thinker] as to what happened to Horace upon his death. That is, where was he buried? What happened to his widow? Did either return to England? Is there an obituary?
One of you found his probable stepson's story, and that's good enough for me. Any suggestions?