Charles Willey (c1825 Gravesend -1905 Portsmouth)

[K Rees]

May I request a Gravesend lookup please!

Charles Willey was born c 1825 in Gravesend, Kent or that is what he had recorded 1871 to 1891 Census. In 1861 it was recorded as Islington.

I am unable to locate the birth or baptisms of Charles or his siblings: Frederick Willey c. 1832; Sarah Willey c 1835; and Horace Willey c 1837.

Their mother was Charlotte Banks of Spitalfields and their father was Richard Willey, a soliictor, of Wellclose Square, Shoreditch.

The Will of Richard Horatio Willey (1822-1844), a son of Richard Willey and Elizabeth Slipper tells all, well most. Charlotte Banks and the 4 Willey kids would live off the dividends/interest, for so long as she remained unmarried.
It is possible that Charlotte Banks went to a relative in Gravesend for the birth of the first of her children.

Keith

[casalguidi]

Hi Keith, you can browse the parish registers for Gravesend (I would check Milton too to start with) online at Medway Cityark.  Select Parish Registers Online from the left hand menu http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/

Casalguidi

[keyboard86]

Hi maybe this is Charlotte with family in abridged 1841?

Sophia Banks 80
Sophia Banks 50
Charlotte Williams 40 b Middx
Charles 15 occ Attorneys Clerk b Middx
Fredk 8 Not born in county
Sarah 6 Not born in county
Horace 3 and half Middx
Residing in Shoreditch
Census ref HO107/709/ 4/5 / 3
Keyboard86

PS just a ? when/where did Charlotte and Richard marry?

[keyboard86]

Hi again in 1851:-

Charlotte Willey 50 Widow b Eastham Sussex or Essex?
Charles 25 Married occ Solicitor Managing Clerk b Middx
Mary Ann 27 Married  b Bristol
Sarah 15 b Middx
Frances 13 Daughter ? b Middx
Sophia Bankes 90 b Deal Kent
Sophia Bankes 51? b Eastham Sussex or Essex
Residing in Shoreditch
Census Ref HO107/1533/54/43
Keyboard86

[K Rees]

Thank you Cas  for your suggestion and Keyboard for your Census info.

Yes, Williams was recorded by the 1841 Census collector as either he/she mis understood Williams for Willey or Charlotte didn't use the name.

No, she never married Richard Willey, the Younger. His father, a solicitor of William St died 1811; Richard Willey the Younger died  Wellclose Square 1838 (before the Census); and then his son Richard Horatio Willey died in 1844, aged 22 also at Wellclose Sq.  In 1844, Charlotte and the children were living at 11 Spital Street, Spitalfields close to the Banks family at 25 Spital Street. It is from the later's Will that clearly said the Charlotte Banks was not married to his father. I image Charlotte decided to call herself Willey after the death of RHW as that was the names of her kids and she was receiving sufficient money to live on and raise the Willey kids.

The Frances Willey, aged 13 in the 1851, I doubt was her child as the Will makes no mention of a fifth Willey child. My guess is that Charlotte Banks' younger sister Sarah Banks has had a child in 1837, and due to the financial situation of her sister, Charlotte has taken her into the Willey clan.

Keith

[keyboard86]

Hi given the difference in ages of the children, why could Charles not be a Banks?

So the Frances Willey in 1851 aged 13 could she be the 4 year old Frances Banks Not born in county with a John and Mary Evans in Lewisham Kent in 1841?
Census ref HO107/484/ 9/19 / 31
Keyboard86

[K Rees]

Hi Keyboard

Thank you for the reference to the Frances Banks in 1841 in Lewisham. (Lewisham Village does get a mention in this family later). So, I will look further into your record.

I know that you can not guess in this game; however, I will look for a Mrs. Elizabeth Willey who died post Oct 1822 to 1824 at Wellclose Square, as address was also given at the time of the baptism of Richard Horatio Willey. Thus, if she has died, and Charlotte was brought into the home to rare the baby (Richard Horatio Willey), Richard Willey, the Younger, now takes a fancy to the 22 year wet nurse/servant/housekeeper, and she falls pregnant in 1824/1825 with Charles Willey, followed by another 3 chn.

No doubt that he will be a Willey boy as he is only 3 years younger than Horatio. As I eluded to before, Horatio has grown up with these half siblings, so he would have included Frances Willey in the Will if she had been a "real"  a half sister. She was left out of the Will and entitlements, thus, she has to be a relative of the Banks family.

With the help of many contributors, we have well researched the Banks Family of East Ham/Bermondsey/East End, but as you can see, you can not take things for granted, that is Charlotte Banks and her relationship with Richard Willey, the Younger.

Another resource also gives the Clerkship papers for Richard Willey, the Younger and Richard Horatio Willey which are also invaluable in this research.

I meant to say that the Sophia Banks (nee Peak) from Deal, Kent/Thanet Is is Charlotte's mother and the Sophia Banks was her older sister. And the Frederic(k) Willey with Sarah Banks in 1851 and 1861 (Snow Hill) will be another sister and Charles' younger brother. My wife is a Banks anddescends from an older brother Henry Banks, a currier.

Regards,

Keith

[casalguidi]

Do you have Horace bc1838 in the 1851 census?  I only ask because I was wondering if "Frances" in 1851 is actually meant to be Horace?

Also, do you have baptisms for any of the children of Richard WILLEY and Charlotte BANKS?

Casalguidi

[K Rees]

Thank you Cas

I just took a look at the 1851 Census and it was written Frances Willey 13. If it was written as Francis, then his name might have been Horace Francis Willey.

You need to turn the page to see Sophia Banks x 2 - Charlotte's mother and sister.

No, I have not found Horace Willey  in 1851, yes, who would also have been 13. He could be at a boarding school or I might now check London School Admissions, or your suggestion.

No, I can not find any baptisms for the chn of Charlotte Banks and Richard Willey; only the bap for his son 1822 with Elizabeth {Slipper}

Keith