Wooldridge, baker of Bexley Heath

[sgrollitt]

My ancestor William Wooldridge was born about 1801 not in Kent. He was a corn dealer and baker and, probably, latterly a farmer. He married Susanna Carter on 3 Jul 1819 in Bexley, Kent.

In the 1841 census for Bexley:
- William Wooldridge, 40, Baker, N (= "Not born in Kent")
- Susannah Wooldridge, 40, N
- Selina Wooldridge, 15, Y (= "Born in Kent")
- George Wooldridge, 13, Y
- Charles Wooldridge, 11, Y
- Alfred Wooldridge, 6, Y
- John Wooldridge, 4, Y
- Walter Wooldridge, 3, Y
- Henry Wooldridge, 1, Y
(There was another son William born the year after in 1842.)

In 1881, at 12 Frederick St, Deptford St Paul, Kent:
- William WOOLRICH, Head, 39, Buschurch, Shropshire, Railway Inspector (therefore b.1842)
- Elizabeth WOOLRICH, Wife, 38, Cotteridge, Warwicks
- William WOOLRICH, Son, 6, Hatcham, Kent
- William WOOLRICH, Visitor, W, 80, Old Marton, Shropshire, Retired Farmer
- Arthur WHITLOCK, Nephew, U, 16, Cotheridge, Worcs, Railway Booking Clerk
- George GUEGSWELL, Boarder, U, 20, b.Peckham, Surrey, Railway Porter

Old Marton is near Ellesmere in north Shropshire
Baschurch is just north of Shrewsbury in central Shropshire

I'd like to know whether the elder William Wooldridge in the 1841 census is the same man as in the 1881 census - so I can say for certain whether he came from Shropshire.

Any help much appreciated,
Simon

[Tati]

Hi Simon,

Not obvious at all, I'd say.

1851
HO107/1607 125 29
Bexley, Kent
London Road
William Wooldridge, head, 53, Baker & Corn dealer, b. Crayford (1861 says Surrey)
Susannah, wife, 43, b. Essex Colchester
John, son, 15, Assistant at home, b. Kent Bexley
Henry, son, 10, ditto, b. do.
Mary Carter, mother, wid, 73, Widow of Farmer, b. Essex Coggeshell
Robert Bean, serv, 35, Baker, b. Kent Dartford

and

1851
HO107/1994 472 10
Eyton, Shropshire
William Woolrich?, head, 52, Bailiff, b. Salop Ellesmere
Elizabeth, wife, 43, b. Montgomeryshire
William, son, 9, scholar, b. Salop Baschurch

In 1861, this young William is a Station Master at Domgay Montgomeryshire. Mother Elizabeth is staying with him while dad William (now born Whittington) is working at Little Ness, Shropshire.

 

[sgrollitt]

Thanks Tati, that's a great help. I think I can discount the family from Shropshire.

The other family in Bexley is definately my lot. You say that in the 1861 census, William Wooldridge is described as being from Surrey? Can you give me details of the family in 1861?

[Tati]

Sure 

1861
RG9/465 107 24
Bexley, Kent
Bexley Heath - North Side
Wm Wooldridge, head, 64, Baker & Corn Dealer, b. Surrey
Susannah, wife, 64, b. Essex
Henry, son, unm, 21, Assistant to Father, b. Kent Bexley
+ 2 servants (Journeymen bakers)

[Tati]

... and

1871
RG10/880 25 2
Bexley, Kent
Dover Road
William Wooldridge, head, mar, 73, Baker & Corn Dealer, b. Kent Crayford
Frances S, wife, 73, b. Kent Canterbury

[sgrollitt]

Thank you Tati. So quick, kind, and efficient.

However, now I'm confused!
The 1871 record looks like the William in the 1861 record because the ages are plus 10 years, but the wives are different. I think the William in the 1871 record is William junior born in 1842 in Crayford, Kent. He married in 1865 to Frances Esther Selman at St George, Southwark, Surrey. Note that William (junior's) brother Henry married Frances's sister Elizabeth Goulden Selman at St George, Southwark, Surrey in 1863.

Elizabeth Goulden Selman was christened on 15 Feb 1846 at Horton Kirby, Kent (district of Dartford). Her parents were William Selman and Frances Esther.

[Tati]

Puzzling indeed, but their ages are quite clearly 73 on the census.

We've never found William and Susannah with a son William born ca. 1842 on the censuses, have we? I'm having trouble identifying William 1842 on any census* - do you have a reference at all?     

*or even BMD

[Tati]

Are you sure Henry's brother married Elizabeth's sister instead of his father marrying her mother?

I can't see Elizabeth with a sister Frances on the censuses, but she does have a mother Frances age 63 in 1861, born Canterbury

 

[sgrollitt]

You are right! William marrried Frances Selman after his first wife Susannah died in 1864!

- Susannah Wooldridge died in the Mar quarter of 1864 in Dartford, Kent

Revised children of William and Susannah Wooldridge:

1. Selina Wooldridge bap.15 Oct 1822 in Crayford, Kent, m1.1846 to William Samuel Carter in Dartford, m2.1864 to John Harris in Stepney, d.1907 in Croydon

2. George Wooldridge b.1828 in Crayford

3. Charles Wooldridge b.1830 in Crayford

4 Alfred Wooldridge b.1834 in Crayford

5. John Wooldridge b.1836 in Crayford

6. Walter Wooldridge b.1838 in Crayford

7. Henry Wooldridge (my ancestor) b.1840 in Crayford. He was a corn dealer then coal merchant. Married 22 Jun 1863 to Elizabeth Goulden Selman at St George, Southwark, Surrey. This was the daughter of his step-mother Frances.

From the London Gazette:
- In 1882, Henry Wooldridge and Frederick William Clark were Wooldridge and Clark Coal Merchants at Eagle House, Woodford and Woodford
  Station, Essex.
- In 1888, Henry Wooldridge and Charles Henry Hogben were Wooldridge and Hogben Coal Merchants and Dealers in Creosote at Tonbridge, Kent.
- In 1895, Henry Wooldridge, Frank Edward Clark, and Frederick George Clark were H. Wooldridge and Co, Coal Merchants at Woodford
  Station, Woodford, Essex.

8. William Wooldridge b.about 1842 in Crayford. Married in 1865 to Frances Esther Selman at St George, Southwark, Surrey.

Summary:
William Wooldridge was born between 1797 and 1809 not in Kent. He was a corn dealer and baker. He first married Susanna Carter on 3 Jul 1819 in Bexley, Kent. Susannah died in 1864 and William then married in 1865 to Frances Esther Selman at St George, Southwark, Surrey.

- William Wooldridge died in the Dec quarter of 1885, aged 76, in Dartford, Kent (therefore b.1809)
- William Wooldridge died in the Mar quarter of 1877, aged 80, in Epping, Essex (therefore b.1797)

Which one is the correct William? I think it's the last one.

From the London Gazette:
In 1875, William Wooldridge and son John were partners in business as bakers and corn dealers on High Road, Bexley Heath, Kent.