William West - a Napoleonic Hero :

[UKgirl]

Lucky find:

This Internet page gives details of the 1840 Will of father Thomas West:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~bruceoz/genealogy/west.html

It is quite detailed.
There is nothing left to son William, which suggests that he has already died before 1840.

BUT, there is something left to William's 2 children!

Mary Charlotte West
&
Lewis Harry West.

Further investigation should lead to verification as to whether this William West is yours or not!

UKgirl

[UKgirl]

BINGO!!!!!!!

Free Reg:

Baptism;
Mary Charlotte West
1833

Please enjoy:
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_queries/605f5a11f493fd2a33286176?locale=en

UKgirl

[Iain...]

OMGoodness…  Absolutely incredible…, lol…, not surprising it took me years to find my Gr grandparents.  How do you all do it !?

In the meantime, I’d like to mention that I’m in contact with my Publisher, (to print Vol-2) and RootsChat&Members will be given a very special thank you.
In addition…, there’s a screenplay in the making and all this info will certainly be included.

If it wasn’t for Covid, I’d hug you all !   

[UKgirl]

Update - daughter's details:

1841 Census ?

1851 Census
Mary C West
Aged 17 born Bath
Student
Abode = Whitelands House (Whitelands College), Kings Road, Chelsea

According to Wikipedia:
Whitelands College was the first college of further education in the UK to admit women!
It was founded in 1841 by the Church of England's National Society as a teacher training college for women.

Sadly…..died:
Mary Charlotte West
1851 Dec qtr
Reg. District, St. Luke Chelsea,
Aged 18

This means that the poor girl didn’t live long enough to inherit her ½ share of her grandfather’s capital, due when she became 21.

*****
Which leaves her mystery brother: Lewis Harry West.
Born when & where?
Died when & where?
Is he in any census?
Did he marry?

UKgirl

[bearkat]

Hmm

There is a Frances West, schoolmistress, with 2 children Mary aged 8 and Lewis aged 5 (all born out of county), living in Newby cum Mulwith near Ripon in 1841.

It looks like she's in Chelsea in 1861 & 1871

There is a death in 1880 for Frances Maggie West,  Islington registration district.

[mckha489]

The Lewis Henry West who married Frances Ratcliffe, parish of Ash, Eastry, Kent 22 Dec 1860 names his father as William West, a soldier.

[mckha489]

1871. In St Mary Newington Children are

William Stephen age 9
Ernest age 8
Sidney Ratcliffe age 5
Lewis age 3.   

First three born Kensington/Kennington. Lewis  might be Weston-Super-Mare. (Confirmed with baptism)

[UKgirl]

Bearkat:

Excellent - a great fit!

Ages match:
1841 Frances West aged 35 (born 1802-1806)
1880 death Frances Maggie West aged 78.

And daughter training to be a teacher like her mother.

I think that you have definitely cracked it.

[Also in Chelsea, 1851 states that she is a Widow.]

Very good indeed!

[UKgirl]

Mckha489

Thanks!

Well found! father William = soldier!

1861 - Lewis Henry born Easthampstead, Berkshire around 1837
1871 - Lewis Henry born Little Berkhampstead, Berkshire around 1838 (actually Hertfordshire?)

So, father William died 1837-1840?

Possible death:
William West 1837 Dec qtr
age = 47
Easthampstead
Vol 06 Page 114

That matches birth of William in 1790.

UKgirl