Thomas Wells

[seventyplus]

On my gr. grandfather's marriage cert. (William Wells, b. around 1833/1838) his father is quoted as Thomas Wells.  I can find a Thomas Wells b. 1817 but I can find no record of a son, William.   Thomas could be from Isleham, Cambs., elsewhere in Cambs. or Farnham, Surrey.  Depends upon which census is consulted.

Can someone please help in untangling this?  Thanks.

[rosie99]

Hi  seventyplus 

Where was William born and when/where did he marry

Rosie

[seventyplus]

Hi Rosie

William was born in Cambridgeshire, I think.  May have been one of the many 'Wells of Isleham'.

He married, late in life, in Kensington, London.  Jan. 3rd 1892; father, Thomas (deceased), labourer.
He married Sarah Ann King, widow. Her father was Thomas Fisher (deceased), chimney sweeper.

[rosie99]

Do you have William on any census prior to his marriage.   

The 1901 gives his place of birth as Farnham.
I see that the marriage states he is a bachelor and Sarah was a widow,  I can see possibilites for William prior to the marriage but they are married, there is also a William with father Thomas in Farnham in 1841 but he wasn't born in the county.  Thomas was a tailor.

Rosie

[Milliepede]

There's a large family of Wells in Isleham 1841 including a William born 1833.  Address looks like Windy Hall.  Edward and Hannah not old enough to be his parents though.

Edward 25
Hannah 20
William 8
John 6
Mary 4
Enos 1
Thomas 20
Elizabeth 15
then
Joseph 65
Sarah 55
James 15

[Spidermonkey]

There's a large family of Wells in Isleham 1841 including a William born 1833. Address looks like Windy Hall. Edward and Hannah not old enough to be his parents though.

Edward 25
Hannah 20
William 8
John 6
Mary 4
Enos 1
Thomas 20
Elizabeth 15
then
Joseph 65
Sarah 55
James 15

On the 1841, ages are rounded down to the nearest 5 years, so Edward could be 29 (and so had William aged 21) and Hannah could be 24, so had William aged 16 - young but not impossible!!

[rosie99]

Hi Rosie

William was born in Cambridgeshire, I think.  May have been one of the many 'Wells of Isleham'.

What evidence do you have that he was born in Cambridgeshire   
Where is he living in 1911?

ADDED  You say he married late in life, the 1892 marriage certificate says he was a bachelor but is he the William who was in Kensington in 1891 bn Cambridgeshire with wife Sarah A (Batten).

[Milliepede]

Yes Edward could be 29 but we don't want him to be the father as Williams father was called Thomas!

[Milliepede]

1851 Farnham has a father Thomas mother Elizabeth with son William.  William is down as 8 but it looks more like 18 plus he has an occupation listed tailors apprentice so 18 sounds more like it.

Born Farnham so a possibility.  Thomas occupation tailor.  Doesn't sound right does it but I guess they could both have gone back to labouring