Wilcox, help please?

[RachelK]

Ok, I'm starting again on my great x2 grandad Thomas Wilcox, who married and lived in Shrewsbury but I think was born Montgomery. I would like help in finding out definitely where he was born and who his parents were if possible. I have some theories lol, but might be wrong.

The marriage certificate gives the following details:

30th Jan 1881 register office, atcham-

Thomas Wilcox - 27yrs - bachelor - labourer - 7 longden coleham - father:Thomas Wilcox (decd), labourer
Elizabeth Silver - 24yrs - spinster - cook - 52 abbey foregate - father:William Silver, baker
witnesses - Samuel Wilcox/Mary Wilcox

So from this we assume he was born around 1854? (I'll go backwards with what I have on him, for definite now..)

1911 census 2 Cross Row, Shrewsbury
Thomas Wilcox 59 head widow labourer Marton, Shropshire
William Wilcox 28 son single labourer Shrewsbury
Samuel Wilcox 21 son single labourer Shrewsbury

1901 5 Cross Row, Shrewsbury
Thomas Wilcox h widow 48 farm labourer Welshpool, Montgomery
Elizabeth Wilcox daug 20
William Wilcox son 17
Edward Wilcox son 12
Samuel Wilcox son 11
(all rest born shrewsbury)

more to follow

1891 Gladston Farm? Shrewsbury
Thomas Wilcox h 41 Farm Bailiff Salop, Stanton (Marton?)
Elizabeth Wilcox w 33 Cheshire, New Brighton
Elizabeth Wilcox daug 9
William T Wilcox son 8
Charles E Wilcox son 3
Samuel J Wilcox son 1
(rest born shrewsbury)

1881 6 Church Terrace, Shrewsbury
Thomas Leeke h 22 malster Berwick, Salop
Mary Ann Leeke w 22 Bilston, Staffordshire
Richard Leeke s 10mths shrewsbury
Eliza Howells visitor 25 housemaid Bishops Castle
Thomas Wilcox 28 lodger bricklayers labourer Welshpool
Elizabeth Wilcox wife 24 Liverpool

1871 West Farm, Chirbury
Edward H Morris h unmarried 36 farmer Church Stoke
Thomas Wilcox servant un 18 farm serv Welshpool
Margaret Jones servant un 23 housekeeper Welshpool

and before this I am not really sure!

[CaroleW]

but I think was born Montgomery

Is this because of the 1855 birth entry on freebmd?

You could order that birth cert but put a condition on your application that you only want it if his father was Thomas.  If it's the wrong one - the GRO will only charge a £3 search fee

[RachelK]

Hi Carole, thank you for that advice. Yes I had seen that birth reg and wondered if it's my Thomas, just difficult as he's sketchy on place of birth. I hadn't thought of using the father's name as a checking point!

Will order the cert and saves me paying the whole £7 if it's wrong.

My theory is, the following family (Samuel and Mary) might have been the witnesses at Thomas' marriage:

1881 Burr's boat house, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury
Samuel Wilcox h 24 ferryman Salop, Marton
Mary Wilcox w 23 Montgomery, Welshpool
Nathan Wilcox cousin 16 labourer Salop, Marton
Samuel P Wilcox son 2 shrewsbury
Sarah J Wilcox daug 9mths shrewsbury

I then traced back the cousin Nathan

1871 Rhydygroes Gate, Wroxton, Montgomeryshire
Thomas Wilcox h ag lab 56
Jane Wilcox w 44
Sarah Jane Wilcox 12
Elizabeth Wilcox 9
Nathan Wilcox 7
James Wilcox 4
(all born Chirbury)

I am wondering if my Thomas is a son of this Thomas and Jane. Annoyingly I can't find this family on the 1861 census, and can't find my Thomas either, so the census can't help me much until I get that certificate! I live in London so am not very familiar with the local area, but as far as I know Marton and Chirbury were near each other?

[CaroleW]

I can't find them in 1861 either so I tried the 1851 - no joy there on either England or Wales for Thomas snr.

Good luck with the birth cert

[RachelK]

Found Jane

1881 12 Pitchford Village, Pitchford, Shropshire
Edward Wilcox h widower 31 ag lab Welshpool Montgomery
Jane Wilcox mother widow 54 housekeeper Oswestry Salop
Edward Wilcox son 7 scholar Forden Salop
Agnes Wilcox daug 2 scholar Forden Salop

and her and Thomas

1851 Back Rd, Welshtown, Welshpool
Thomas Wilcox h 36 ag lab Forden, Montgomery
Jane Wilcox w 25 housekeeper Whittingdon, Salop
Edward Wilcox son 9mths Welshpool

still no 1861 though and they all seem to keep changing their minds where they were born. Best order that cert asap.

[Delwilliams]

Dear Rachel,
I think I can assist you and also put you in touch with another person who has done some detailed research into the Wilcox family. My mother was a Wilcox and her mother was Harriet Oliver. Her father was John Wilcox and Nathan Wilcox was related to him in some way and lived at the Finger post Forden. Please feel free to get in touch. I have a photo of John Wilcox. I live in Guilsfield Powys. At one time the family lived at Pentrenant Trelystan, I think, before moving to the Little Stubb Forden in or about 1910. Kind regards. D Williams

[JillyH]

Hi Rachel

We (that is myself and my grandson) have just started to research the Wilcox family. I think he is the gg grandson of the 7 year old Nathan in your 1871 census, through his son Ernest, then Eric Nathan, Robert Nathan and Jacob Nathan my grandson. I would be interested to know more.

[Mike Wilcox]

Hi
My name is Mike Wilcox and I have been tracing my past.
Fingerpost Cottage has always been known in my family by word of mouth and I have been documenting my family tree on 'findmypast' website.
The names that you have quoted are familiar and are linked to my family tree somewhere but I don't have a direct link as yet.
I think that you should be able to see what I have done if you log in to the website - I don't think that you have to pay to register.
Best Regards
Mike Wilcox

[Mike Wilcox]

Dear Rachel,
I think I can assist you and also put you in touch with another person who has done some detailed research into the Wilcox family. My mother was a Wilcox and her mother was Harriet Oliver. Her father was John Wilcox and Nathan Wilcox was related to him in some way and lived at the Finger post Forden. Please feel free to get in touch. I have a photo of John Wilcox. I live in Guilsfield Powys. At one time the family lived at Pentrenant Trelystan, I think, before moving to the Little Stubb Forden in or about 1910. Kind regards. D Williams