William Archer

[DuncanFauvel]

Hey all,
I've been doing some research into my family history, but I've hit a bit of a brick wall.
My GGG Grandfather, William Archer, has proved very difficult to place. I had a record of him as a 79 yr old living in Peckham in the 1901 census, which would place his birthdate c.1822. Unfortunately I lost the record, but I wrote down that he listed his birthplace as 'Cradleigh/Crudleigh, Herefordshire' which I believe is CRADLEY? I also believe he was a Greengrocer at some point, as I remember seeing this as his occupation later in life somewhere on the records.
He married a lady named 'Emma Foyle' from Wiltshire and they had 7 children (I believe) one of whom was my GG Grandfather, Charles Archer.

What I'd ideally like to know is who his parents/family were, and when/why he moved to London!

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Duncan.

[DuncanFauvel]

Just some more info:

I believe their first child was a boy who they named William (naturally) and his birth is listed as 1849, Peckham.  The son's full name was William E Archer.

I'm not sure if this is of any help, but it illustrates they must have moved to London prior to this date.

[genjen]

Here they are in 1871:

Camberwell, Surrey
William Archer, head, age 49, Greengrocer, born Crudley, herefordshire
Emma, wife, 46, Wilts, Westbury
George, son 14, born Camberwell
Thomas 12,
Elizabeth, 10
William, 3
All born Camberwell so you know that they moved before the mid 1850s.

Jen

[genjen]

And 1861:

Camberwell, 11 East Surrey Grove

William Archer, 38, Greengrocer, Herts, Crudley
Emma, 35, Wilts, Westbury
William, 12, son, Peckham, Surrey
Charles, 10
John 7,
George,4
Thomas,2
Elizabeth 7months
Mary Foyle, visitor, unmarried, 39, Wilts, Westbury

So now you know that they were in Surrey before 1851!

Jen

[DuncanFauvel]

And 1861:

Camberwell, 11 East Surrey Grove

William Archer, 38, Greengrocer, Herts, Crudley
Emma, 35, Wilts, Westbury
William, 12, son, Peckham, Surrey
Charles, 10
John 7,
George,4
Thomas,2
Elizabeth 7months
Mary Foyle, visitor, unmarried, 39, Wilts, Westbury

So now you know that they were in Surrey before 1851!

Jen

Thank you! I believe that was the record I had lost. So in fact his birthplace was listed in 2 different counties?! It seems there are two villages by the name 'Cradley'? I remember now I had assumed that Emma's surname was Foyle, due the the visiting Mary Foyle who I had assumed was her sister.

So perhaps I have been searching in the wrong county altogether...

[genjen]

Just found them in 1851, wrongly transcribed as Arcker.

5, Park Place, Lambeth

William Archer, 28, Grocer, Hereford, Crudley
Emma, 28, Wilts, Westbury
William, 2 Surrey, Lambeth
Charles, 1month,   "

I will double check to see if I have given you the wrong county of birth on the 1861 - I thought it read Herts but that could just be me.

Jen

[genjen]

Hi again,

1861 definitely says Herts but as '51 and '71 are clearly Herefordshire, I should take it that Herts is just a mistake.

Jen

[DuncanFauvel]

Just found them in 1851, wrongly transcribed as Arcker.

5, Park Place, Lambeth

William Archer, 28, Grocer, Hereford, Crudley
Emma, 28, Wilts, Westbury
William, 2 Surrey, Lambeth
Charles, 1month,   "

I will double check to see if I have given you the wrong county of birth on the 1861 - I thought it read Herts but that could just be me.

Jen

Marvellous, thank you! You've been very helpful - I'm not very well versed in finding this type of information, so your help is very much appreciated.

As you say, I think Herts seems a mistake. This is the brick wall for me though, as I've never managed to get beyond their London census records. Even a further 10 years before would be very useful.

[genjen]

I can find no record, so far, of William marrying Emma Foyle in any county. The only Emma Foyle of the right age in 1841, isn't in Westbury but that doesn't really matter, it could still be her. But I think your best bet would be to send for your GG grandfather Charles's birth certificate, which will give you a definite maiden name for his mother. If you are basing the Foyle surname on that one census return, you could be on the wrong track altogether. I think that if Mary Foyle had been related to the family, it would have said "sister-in-law" on the form. Maybe she was a friend or a cousin? Or do you know for certain that Emma was a Foyle?

Jen