Help! Can't find a Wiltshire birth

[hennie_g7]

Dear All,

I'm utterly flummoxed trying to find William George Watson who, according to the censuses was born c.1832 in either Wanborough, Wiltshire or Longbourghtown (Longborough?).

Other info I have is:

His father was Joseph Watson (a labourer)
He married Lydia Ballcomb in Clapham in 1866 (I have the certificate)
He lived in Bletchingly, Surrey in 1871 and 1881 and died there in 1891 acc. to censuses and GRO.

BUT! He doesn't seem to exist before 1866 - I can't find him or his father in the 1841-1861 censuses and I can't find his birth anywhere. It doesn't help that he sometimes goes under "William" and sometimes under "George" and has a very common surname (there's also another Wm Watson in Bletchingly which isn't him!)

I've searched the IGI records and looked in various places but he is impossible to find in the 3 censuses and his birth is too early for GRO...

If anyone can help I'd be extremely grateful as this has been driving me mad!
Many thanks,
Helen

[allibaker]

i see this family in westbury wiltshire in 1841-
joseph watson 49yrs looks like occ something minister?
ann 35yrs
william 7yrs
julia 2yrs
tryphenia 1yr
SOURCE INFO-H0107-1188
FOLIO-44
PAGE-21
regards
alli

[hennie_g7]

Interestingly it says "Dissenting Minister", but sadly I don't think it's them as he's on William's marriage certificate as "Labourer"...

Thanks for trying!
Helen

[Gadget]

I think the ones that ali have found are listed in Dr Williams Library of Non-conformist registers:

William Ellis Watson - bpt Westbury 10 Nov 1833. Father Joseph Spencer Watson and Ann Williams.

This is the only Joseph that I can find as a father around that time 

Gadget

[Gadget]

I've just looked through the 3 EDs for Wanborough in the 1841

Two families might be worth investigating:

HO107/1179/12 Folio 8 page 7

Joseph Weadson or som 30 labourer
Mary, 40
lots of children including a 12 year old William

and

HO1071179/12 Folio 29   Page 3

Elizabeth Watts, 35, ag lab
George , 12 ( BIVRI has Young!)
Joseph, 8

All are born county

I know the ages of the William/George are out but census ages are very often a few years out.

Gadget

Added - BIVRI has a Joseph Watts and a Hannah and a John Watts and Elizabeth having children in Wanborough around this time. No Watsons

[Gadget]

I've looked for Hannah Watts (known to have been married to a Joseph) in Wanborough.

Found this in 1841

Wanborough

HO107/1179/12 Folio 8 page 8

Elizabeth Sainsbury, 55. lab
Hannah Watts, 30, female servant
<unclear name>, 15, female servant
William Watts, 13, labourer
Thomas Watts, 11, labourer

all born county

Also in 1851 - William poss:

Wanborough HO107/1833 Folio 345 page 11

William Fox, 62, ag lab, b. Chiseldon
Mary, 62, b. Wanborough
Sarah lee, niece, 10, b. Wanborough
William Watts, lodger, 21, ag lab, b. Wanborough

I'm having trouble finding him after this 

[nahbois]

I've had death certificates that state "Labourer" - when it isnt so.   

[hennie_g7]

Thanks for all the hints from everyone. I'm pretty sure he must be a labourer though as all my family seem to have been fairly peasant - mostly agricultural labourers or working on the railways. I'll look into the hints from Gadget and see where they take me!

Thanks everyone!
Hx