William Albert George Thicknesse - Where are you?

[Thudnut]

Hi everyone.  A friend of me has asked if I can try to help her find a missing relative.  I thought it would be fairly easy with it being an unusual name, but it’s got me stumped too!  So, over to my chums on Rootschat!

I’m looking for any information relating to William Albert George Thicknesse.  The information I have on him so far is as follows:

Born about 1845 somewhere in Dorset.
On 25 Jun 1875 he marries Annie Hughes in the Independent Chapel In Uttoxeter, Staffs & Derbs.  His occupation is given as Lay Deacon.  His father is given as Benjamin, a deceased farmer.  Annie is from Hadley Road, Southampton and her father is given as Robert a deceased soldier.

The first census I can find William on is the 1881 Census.  He is living in the Missionary House in Broadminch, Tiverton with his wife Annie.  His occupation is given as Missionary Preacher.  Others listed at the address are daughter Maude age 4, daughter Annie aged 2, daughter Alberta aged 10 months and his 23 year old brother Frederick.

The next Census is the 1891 Census.  William is missing, but Annie is listed in Cross Park, Heavitree, Exeter with the 3 daughters plus new sons, William aged 9 and Robert aged 3.

William returns in the 1901 census at Cross Park, Heavitree, Exeter.  This time, his occupation is shown as Builder.  Annie is still with him, as is Maud, William and Robert.

The final piece I have is William’s death certificate.  He died on 22 Jan 1922 aged 78 years, in Knowle Mental Hospital, Fareham, Southampton.  Unfortunately, the informant is listed as the Hospital Medical Officer.

I’ve tried several variations of the surname Thicknesse (Thickness, Thickens, Thick) but can’t seem to find any of the missing pieces.  His role as a Lay Preacher probably took him far and wide, but would there be any centralised records of Lay Preachers that I could check out?  In addition, does anyone have any ideas where William is hiding in 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891?  All help and guidance, gratefully received.

Thanks, in advance,
Thudders

[Sisterjane]

Hi Thudders.......Been looking for ages and cant find zippo..

Have you any idea what that word is on the 1881 cencus next to where it says "Place not Known" its possible it could at least be the County but I cant make it out 

Jane

[Dave Francis]

Intriguing!

You will have probably realised that the surname "Thicknesse" was quite rare in the 19th Century. In theory, it should be fairly easy to reconstruct the Thicknesse family tree based on census returns, BMDs and other records.

Looking William's entry in the 1881 Census, it think it might say "England, place not known". (If not "England" then another country!) This is of course not very helpful, but it makes me wonder why he stated "Dorset" in the 1901 Census.

I've searched the National Burials Index to get a feel for the distribution of the surname. This reveals a number of Thicknesse burials in Staffordshire up to 1730 followed by four more in Somerset in 1748-48. Then there is nothing at all until the entry for Ralph Thicknesse who died at age 66, buried on 30 April 1923 at St James (Shaftesbury) in Dorset.

This is the only Dorset link I have found and it is completely misleading because Ralph wasn't from Dorset - he was one of the sons of Francis Henry Thicknesse and was born in Lancashire in about 1856. Indeed virtually all of the Census returns are concerned with F H Thicknesse and his family.

According to his obituary Francis Henry Thicknesse (born May 1829) was Suffragan Bishop of Leicester from 1888 to 1902 and Canon of Peterborough from 1875 until his retirement in in September 1920. The interesting point is this: his real surname was Coldwell. "He had married Anne, daughter of Ralph Anthony Thicknesse, MP for Wigan, the last of her race, whose name (which would otherwise have died out) he took." [Source: The Times Thursday, Nov 03, 1921; pg. 13] The same point is made in his entry in the Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886.

In the circumstances, I think it is highly unlikely that William's real surname was Thicknesse. (He was born before the Bishop took the surname in 1859.) The same applies to his putative father, Benjamin.

My theory is that William was adopted at an early age and that he later took the surname "Thicknesse" out of deference to the Bishop. The 1881 Census says that he was a missionary preacher at the time, so that may have been the occupation of his adoptive father as well. Putting two and two together, he may have been out of the country prior to his marriage to Annie in 1875. Taking this one step further, he may not have even been born in England.

This is of course just speculation on my part!

Dave

[Sisterjane]

I totally agree with you Dave..I spent a good few hours looking at this last night and although I didnt look at the distribution of the name etc the way you did I did come to the conclusion that William was not a Thicknesse by birth and without a genuine birthplace this is a difficult one.

Jane

[Sisterjane]

Just another little scrap of info here .....

In the 1851 cencus there is an Augusta Thicknesse b 1781 widow in Walcot Somerset...and William called one of his children Augusta...

In the 1841 cencus Augusta is Sarah with her husband John living in the same house as she was in 1851..

Jane

[O1dgobbo]

Hi

Bit of a problem here.  Quick look at 1851 census threw up about 900 Williams with father Benjamin but no Thickness or very obvious mistranscription.

Freebmd has no William Albert George born between 1843 and 1847.  There are 11 William Alberts born in Dorset between 1843 and 1847: I have not found any of them in the 1851 census with a father Benjamin but I cannot trace all of them in that census.

Augusta Thicknesse looks like an interesting lead.  In 1841 her husband, John, was described as Naval H.P. which I guess means on Half Pay.

Have to give up for now - sorry to know so little

Gobbo

[Thudnut]

Thank you everyone for the time you have given.  I'm glad it's not just me who's struggling.  I'm going to have a look at passenger records when I get time, to see if he went off travelling (? Preaching).

I'll try to progress Augusta too.  Perhaps the early years were spent somewhere overseas on a military posting.

Thudders 

[O1dgobbo]

Hi Thudders

If John Thicknesse was Navy on half pay he ought to appear in a navy list somewhere but I have never looked for these so cannot help you.

Good luck

Gobbo

[Thudnut]

Thanks Gobbo,
I've just searched the PCC wills section of the documents on line on the National Archive site and found a will for John Thicknesse, Commander in Her Majesty's Royal Navy of Bath, Somerset.  It's dated 17 Aug 1846.

Think we might have to have a look at that (after I've spoken to my friend!)
Thudders