Phil’s History:

William Wells, 1848 - 1916, Chrysanthemum grower and exhibitor, of Merstham, Surrey:

Curriculum Vitae:

William Wells (‘junior’), 1848 - 1916, Rosa Wells.Penfold’s father, who went from ‘agricultural-labourer- carter-boy’ in 1861, age 13, to gardener, horticulturalist and Chrysanthemum grower, father of 5 girls and 2 boys, and finally was known internationally in Chrysanthemum circles, when he died in 1916, age 69.

Names: 

William Wells (junior), born 1848, Rosa Wells.Penfold’s father, and my great-grandfather.

Dates:     

Born 1848 (93 years before me); died 1916 (25 years before I was born) of cancer, thus aged 68 or 67. See obituary in Wells/Penfold photo albums (now transcribed below) ie born not long before the Great Exhibition of 1851, when the British Empire was at its height, and lived until well into the Great War of 1914 -1918 which was the beginning of the end of that empire.

INTRODUCTION:

(But before I get into details about Wm. Wells): a Reminder (to me) of the Raison d’etre for this Curriculum Vitae:

From the preface to Simon Schama’s ‘A history of Britain’ (BBC published 2000), slightly editorially adapted and condensed for inclusion here: History (including family history – per pba, and Schama is talking about history as seen by Churchill and Macaulay) is a living instruction, not a spare-time luxury, and a requirement of informed citizenship. And (page 16 of the preface), Schama refers to ‘Cicero’s warning that cultures without history doom themselves to remain trapped in the most illusory tense of all, the present, akin to small children who know neither whence they come nor whither they go’. And Schama goes on to ‘Imagine a history in which alteration, mutation and flux …. are the norm, a history that sees the period (in my case, the period of the 19^thth and early 20 century growth of the family) as just one epoch among many in the evolution of (our island nation)/(in my  case: our tiny part of humanity).

And a reminder to me to make haste to make progress with this project:

(From Simon Schama’s ‘A history of Britain’, page 52, a quote from Bede’s ‘Ecclesiastical History of England’, a speech by one of the Saxon nobles, summoned by Edwin of Northumbria to advise him on the adoption or rejection of the New Church (Christianity):

‘Much seemeth to me, my lord, the present life of men here on earth ….as if a sparrow should come to the house and very swiftly flit through….. which entereth in at one window and straightway passeth out through another while you sit at dinner with your captains and servants in wintertime, the parlour being then made warm with the fire kindled in the midst thereof, but all places being troubled with raging tempests of winter rain and snow. Right for the time it be within the house it feeleth no smart of the winter storm, but after a very short space of fair weather, it soon passeth again from winter to winter and escapeth your sight. So the life of man here appeareth for a little season, but what followeth or what hath gone before, that surely we know not.  Wherefore, if this new learning hath brought us any better surety, methinks it is worthy to be followed.’

And a reminder to me to rejoice in the heterogeneity of my family, including (especially) those whose lot in life was not amongst the elite:

(Schama, ibid, page 16, bottom paragraph):  ‘Imagine instead a British history in which alteration, mutation, and flux, rather than continuity and bedrock solidity, are the norm; a history that does not lead inexorably to a consummation in the unitary state of Great Britain but that sees that period – only, after all, three centuries old, barely as long as Roman Britannia – as just one epoch among many in the evolution of our island nation. This would be a history in which national identity – not just in Britain, or in England, but in Scotland, Ireland and Wales – was not a fixed but a decidedly shifting and fluid quality; a history in which the allegiance that mattered might, from generation to generation, from place to place, be a matter of clan or class, town or manor,  language or dialect, church or club, guild or family, rather than of flag or dynasty. It would be a history in which the ragged frontiers of regions might count for a lot more than the fixed borders of countries; in which north-south divisions within Scotland and Wales could be as profound as those between either of them and their English neighbour. It would be an elastic history of nationhood, with England or Scotland sometimes closer in spirit and interest to France and even to Rome than to each other; but at other times genuinely and wholeheartedly (for good or ill) bound together within the British union. But it would also be a history which does not try to abandon the necessary impurity of Britishness for some cleaner, tidier, smaller concept of nationality, but instead embraces that historical impurity as our great strength. The unity presupposed by a ‘united kingdom’ may be no more coherent, in the end, than the unity of a ‘united states’, and no less worth defending, for precisely its generous heterogeneity. Finally, this history might be history respectful of contingency, mistrustful of inevitability, indifferent to any predetermined route or destination; a history refusing to take for granted (as the victors’ texts always want) that the way things turned out was the way they were always meant to be; a history that can see, but for a happenstance – Harold not falling out with his brother; Anne Boleyn giving birth to a healthy son; Oliver Cromwell not dying when he did – an altogether different outcome. How likely, after all, was it, for a clairvoyant of the 1750s to prophecy that, by the century’s close, Britain would end up, not with colonies that spoke, for the most part, English, but with colonies that spoke, for the most  part, Bengali and Urdu?

There is a risk, of course, of lost moorings in these kinds of British histories, of the familiarity of the bulldog breed, island race story going astray, amid countless competing alternatives, a risk of the consoling simplicity of the old story being traded in for the bewildering confusion of the new.  But Clio, properly respected, is the least straightforward of the muses. Her beauty lies in the complexity, not the simplicity, of her truth. Which is why her votaries, attentive to the sometimes difficult and winding path they must follow, are sworn to tell stories in order to make the journey easier. For in the end, history, especially British history with its succession of thrilling illuminations, should be, as all her most accomplished narrators have promised, not just instruction, but pleasure. 

And, finally, that well-known quote from George Eliot’s Middlemarch, on the same theme:

But we insignificant people with our daily words and acts are preparing the lives of many Dorotheas, some of which may present a far sadder sacrifice than that of the Dorothea whose story we know. Her finely touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature, like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growinggood of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

Not to mention a quote by Simon Schama from Colin McInnes:

(Schama ibid, vol 3, page 550, para 3, discussing British nationality): “Suppose, instead of listening to the paranoid rant of an Enoch Powell prophesying that a multi-racial Britain would end like Rome with the ‘River Tiber foaming with blood’, a multi-racial Britain actually took pride in what Colin MacInnes, the  ‘rebel’ writer of the 1950s, called even then its ‘mongrel glory’.”

(re the above quote, from ‘The Oxford Companion to English Literature’ ed: Margaret Drabble, 6^th edition: 

“MacInnes, Colin: 1914 – 1976, novelist, son of singer James McInnes (sic) and Angela Thirkell, brought up partly in Australia; on his return to England after a period in art school and (during the war) in the army, he embarked on a career as a writer and journalist. (Then a list of his novels including ‘To the Victor the Spoils’ (1950), ‘June in her Spring’ (1952), and the novels for which he is best remembered, ‘City of Spades’ (1957) and ‘Absolute Beginners’ (1959)). These describe teenage black immigrant culture and the new bohemian underworld of Notting Hill, of coffee bars, jazz clubs, drink, and homosexuality. MacInnes called himself an ‘anarchist sympathizer’ and defended several of the causes of the 1960s, including Black Power and the writers of Oz”(sic). 

And my own take on the celebration idea:

1. This whole family history is a celebration of the lives of those who gave me life and their families;
2. Such a celebration is closely connected in my mind with the feeling I have now, in place of the religious feeling that, perhaps, I used to have, that it is a duty to celebrate life itself, if you can;
3. So this family history is really, for me, a very significant part of that celebration of life which I try to do. Heigh-ho, I hope I can complete it! (pba.25.10.2009);

And a further thought or two of my own on the subject:

1. This family history is all about reality;
2. What I mean by that will emerge from the following notes;
3. Firstly, we enter the world as children and leave it, if we grow old, or at least many old people do (not me I hope and trust), likewise as children, mentally;
4. So our first and last years are not fully in touch with reality. The extent of these ‘missing years’ no doubt varies greatly from person to person, but it seems to me that, potentially, only the middle years, not excluded by the above, are where ‘real reality’ can strike home properly;
5. And likewise, for many people, as a matter of choice, religion provides them with a ‘never-never land’ (or heaven) to which they will go when they die, so this provides a reason for not fully engaging with the reality of life here on earth, because everything will be different and perfect when they  reach the Kingdom of Heaven; 
6. And, as stated in various ways above, many people know very little about their own family history nor even generally, and so (it seems to me) there is a great need for a dose of reality in our lives, ie an awareness of the lives of the people who gave us life – and this need (it seems to me) is of an awareness that includes all’warts’ in their lives, as well as the good bits. It greatly appeals to me to try to be in touch with this ‘real’ reality – to have the strength of mind not to opt for make-believe worlds that are so widely available, but to live this life and to love this life, as if it were all that we had on offer. It seem to me that this life is wonderfully miraculous. Despite our scientific knowledge to-date, it is still absolutely clear to me, from the Reith Lectures 2010 by The Astronomer Royal and President of The Royal Society, Martin Rees (Reece?) that we absolutely do not know how life started here on earth, nor whether it was a miraculous chance event or some other equally improbable happening, but he thinks we may come to know these things during the coming century. But we do know that we ourselves are part of that miracle and this is totally undeniable, so we ourselves are miraculous beyond belief, so there is no need for make believe or heaven or any of those man-made ideas. All we need is awareness of our own miraculous existence – about which our own family history provides immensely illuminating information, and without which, I can now readily see, we are vey much like those children mentioned by Cicero, who know neither (roughly) “whence the came nor whither they go”. (pba.7.9.10). 

William Wells’ Birth Certificate:

1. 1848, Registration district Reigate, in the county of Surrey, sub-district Horley;
2. 2^nd (family bible says 3^rd) January 1848, name: William, Name of father: William Wells; Name of mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale (pba: quite hard to read);
3. Location: Charlwood, Surrey (close to Horley and Reigate and [now] Gatwick Airport);
4. Occupation of father: ‘Labourer’ (not really ‘read’ as such, but fits with what I have [clearly] read in the census returns, and it just somewhat ‘looks like’ labourer’;
5. Signature, description and residence of informant: ‘The mark’ (a cross is placed between the lines of text, between ‘Jane’ and ‘Wells’of Jane Wells) ‘of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood, Surrey;
6. So, (notes by pba), we now know (probably already did from censuses) that William Wells’father was William Wells (senior), married to Jane Wells (hence ‘Aunty Janey’), formerly Nightingale. And William Wells (senior) lived at Charlwood, and was a labourer, probably an agricultural labourer, probably employed at a particular farm in the area;

Contemporaneous events (at the time of Wm Wells’ birth): 1845 – 51, the Irish potato famine: (Schama’s ‘A history of Britain’, vol 3, p.307): “One way out of despair remained: emigration. Between 1845 and 1851 nearly a million and a half took it. At least 300,000 went to Britain itself, congregating either in port cities like Liverpool, or in the industrial centres like Birmingham and Manchester, where they were most likely to find work.”

William Wells’ Parents and grandparents:

William Wells (senior), born circa 1820, and his wife Jane Nightingale. This is presumably the “Grandfather Wells” of the (rather faded) photograph of Rosa Wells.Penfold (my grandmother)’s paternal grandfather.

(29.6.2010: Now got online copy of 1823 baptism certificate of William Wells, baptized 5^th January 1823, son of (very hard to read) Job and Jane Wells, he being of ‘quality/trade/profession: ‘bailiff’ and both  residing at Charlwood.

William Wells (senior)’s death certificate shows that he died on 30th March 1895 at Hooley Road, Earlswood, Reigate US (not sure about the “US”, it might be “USD” - believe it is a district of Reigate), aged 72 years (so born 1823), that his occupation was: “of independent means”, and that he died of “disease of the heart, congestion of the liver and jaundice”. The death was registered by his son James Wells, who was present at the death, and who resided at “Asylum Farm, Earlswood, Reigate”. That address is the one referred-to by Gwen Penfold.Archer (my mother) in her account of meeting ‘Uncle James’, and having wonderful teas at Asylum Farm. 

(20.4.2010): I also have a death certificate for “Job Wells” who died on 5^th March 1860 (could be 1850, but looks more like 1860) at Charlwood, aged 58 years, of ‘Natural Decay’, the informant being Jane Wells (his wife) of Charlwood, who was present at the death, the death being registered on 7^th March 1860, and Job Wells’ profession being stated as “Late a farmer”. It now appears that he was the grandfather of Wm. Wells (jnr), ie Wm Wells (snr)’s father.

See Sarah Wells’ cv for data about (her life as) the 2^nd wife of novelist Harrison Ainsworth. She may have been (I now believe she was) sister of William Wells (snr) [who married Jane Nightingale]

According to an Ancestry family tree, found online, and done by a 3^rd party: 

1. Jane Nightingale’s dates were 1825 – 1893; she was born at Charlwood and died at East Grinstead;
2. She was the youngest of 5 siblings;
3. Those siblings were: (i) Mary (Nightingale) (1822 - ?), (ii) James  (Nightingale) (1820 – 1899), (iii) Ann  (Nightingale) (1817 – 1861) (iv) Joseph  (Nightingale) (1817 – 1818) and (v) Jane  (Nightingale) herself (1825 – 1893); 
4. All five were the children of: William Nightingale (born 11.6.1780 in Charlwood), and Ann Horley (born 1777, no death date shown), who were married on 20^th April 1817, at Burstow, Surrey, he being then aged 36;
5. Further possible tasks: to investigate census data on Jane Nightingale’s siblings and their parents; (pba.29.1.2010);

Siblings of William Wells (jnr): 

1. (this item, No.1 in this list, is) according to Gwen Penfold.Archer (GPA), my mother, and the people listed in this item are her great-aunts and uncles, and it is interesting to me to know how much she knew about these members of her family):

Emily;

George (see 1851 census);

John (who married (?) – daughter: Marjorie);

Lily;

Tom;

Jane (*) (who married ‘Sim Shaw’, children: Cyril, Harold, Eva) – see 1851 census;

Mary; (see 1851 census);

Jim; (*)

Sarah (*) (the youngest, who married Fred King, lived ‘Lewisham way’, and had no children);  

Re: (*) these ones are those of William Wells’s siblings whom pba’s mother, Gwen Penfold.Archer actually met (and spoke of – see her reminiscences elsewhere.

1. Data on siblings from certificates: a) Birth certificate of Mary Wells (not listed by GPA, but I wonder whether she was actually Emily/Mary or Mary/Emily, with the second name not mentioned on the birth certificate?): (i) born “eleventh” (looks like) October 1845 at Charlwood (so 2 years and about 3 months older than brother William); (ii) girl; (iii) Father: William Wells;  (iv) Mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale; (v) Occupation of father: Labourer; (vi) (vi) Signature, description and residence of informant: “The Mark (shows a crosss: + ) of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood, Surrey”; (vii) Registered 5^th November 1845; (viii) Signature of registrar: Richard Wood; So: in 1845, William Wells  (jnr)’s father saw himself as a labourer, just as he did in 1853, and his mother was likewise unable to sign her name in 1845 as in 1853;
2. Data on siblings from certificates: a) Birth certificate of George Wells (yes, mentioned by GPA in her list at item 1 above): (i) born “Second March 1850 at Charlwood (so 2 years and about 2 months younger than brother William); (ii) boy; (iii) Father: William Wells;  (iv) Mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale; (v) Occupation of father: Labourer; (vi) (vi) Signature, description and residence of informant: “The Mark (shows a crosss: + ) of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood, Surrey”; (vii) Registered 17^th March 1850; (viii) Signature of registrar: Richard Wood; So: in 1850, William Wells  (jnr)’s father saw himself as a labourer, just as he did in 1845 and 1853, and his mother was likewise unable to sign her name in 1850 as in 1845 and 1853; 
3. Data on siblings from certificates: a) Birth certificate of Thomas Wells (not listed by GPA in her list at item 1 above, but, as in the case of Mary, there’s the possibility of one of two names being used in the census, and the other being the one by whom the person became known) : (i) born 17^th June 1853 at Charlwood (5.5 years younger than his brother William); (ii) Boy; (iii) Father: William Wells; (iv) Mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale; (v) Occupation of father: Labourer; (vi) Signature, description and residence of informant: “The Mark of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood”; (vii) Registered 24^th June 1853; (viii) Signature of registrar (can’t read); So: in 1853, William Wells  (jnr)’s father still saw himself as a labourer, and his mother was still unable to sign her name;

Note on limited aims/objectives: (Wed.16.6.2010 at 2.20 pm): this cv is an evolving document. Its content has been entered/added-to/amended/etc over a long period. It is not complete. It probably never can be complete. And consistency is almost equally hard to achieve. Equally, this cv is not ‘the story of the person in question’s life’. No, it is a storehouse of information about that person and his/her family. There may be included an item such as a ‘summary’,  intended to make a start on telling the story of that person’s life in a more readable way (than this cv does), and I very much hope to be able to do that for at least some of my forebears. But it is not done yet. After more than 8 years of retirement during which this family history has been my main ‘spare time’ (whatever that means) objective, it has become clear to me that I have to ‘force the pace’ of progress, otherwise it is very likely that the project will never be completed in my lifetime. So I have decided to go ahead with printing soon, and (to some extent) regardless of whether I feel that the document(s) are ready for it. They can be re-printed in updated/improved format later. 

Wm Wells’ Education:      

Not yet known. Likely to have been from age 6 or 7 to age 14 at most.  (To do: insert general data about education as it would have been at WW’s years 7 to 14 ie 1855 to 1862.pba.30.1.2010 – this might be simply a copy of a relevant document from the internet, and this can be done at the stage of making up the ‘InDesign’ document for this cv).

Married twice: 

His first wife was Mary Ann Hamilton, dates not indicated on WPFT (Wells Penfold Family Tree), who is there indicated to be ‘well educated’ and ‘wrote  poetry’ (recollections of Gwen Penfold.Archer, but now [pba.30.1.2010] seems unlikely to be accurate). From Wells Family register (see below) her dates are: 2^nd October 1841 to 28^th October 1884.

The marriage was (from the Wells Family Register) on 29^th March 1869. The register of marriages in Jan/Feb/Mar 1869 shows: Mary Ann Hamilton married in the district of Croydon, Vol 2a, page 240. A cross-check against William Wells in the same register of marriages for Jan/Feb/Mar 1969 confirms Croydon, Vol 2a, page 240. Certificate ordered 23.3.07 – see data entered below with censuses, in date-order, for 1869.

Mary Ann Hamilton.Wells died in childbirth aged 43, giving birth to twins. They died also.

William Wells married again, to the midwife concerned, surname Manwaring (known to Rosa Wells.Penfold as ‘the old girl’. They had a son, known (presumably to Rosa) as ‘little Frank’ who died aged about 12, from tuberculosis.

William Wells’ second wife was a widow, Rose Lewry.Manwaring, a few years older than himself, born in Brighton, the daughter of a ‘fly-man’ (who drove a fly), but who (the father) had evidently also (according to the marriage certificate) been the manager of a coal wharf, and Rose had supported herself by working in Tunbridge Wells as a staymaker’s assistant (in 1871) and who had married (in Westminster) a butler (Manwaring) in 1875, but six years later in 1881 was a widow living in lodgings in Marylebone, London, and was a ‘pupil midwife’. She presumably must have become a midwife proper, as she presided at Mary Ann Wells’s last deliveries in 1884 where Rose (Manwaring) had to tackle the (perhaps) impossible challenge of (according to the death certificate) twins with difficult arms presentation and an adherent placenta (which in the case of Mary Wolstonecraft led to haemorrhaging). The result was that one of the twins and Mary Ann died that day, and the other twin (George) 29 days later. Nevertheless William married Rose Manwaring two years later in 1886 and they lived together 30 years, (having one child, Frankie, in 1887, who died of consumption on 25.3.1899), until William Wells died in 1916 – at the height of the Great War of 1914 – 1918;

First wife, Mary Ann Hamilton:

1. Daughter of Charles Hamilton and Augusta Spong.Hamilton;
2. Mary Ann’s parents, the Hamiltons were in service together as man and wife in Croydon in 1841 in the service of Joan Brown, age 25, widow, and (presumably) her daughter Harriet Brown, age 1, when Mary Ann was conceived and they presumably had to leave, as, by 2^nd October 1841 (MAH’s d.o.b) they are no longer living in the Brown household, but at Union Street, Croydon, and Charles Hamilton’s profession is by then ‘groom’;
3. Ten years later, in 1851, Charles and Augusta Hamilton are living at ‘Barrack Field, Myrtle Street, West’, in the parish and town of Croydon, (which address ties-up well with Mary Ann’s address on the wedding certificate in 1869, so apparently that address became a settled address for the family for a good many years) and both parents are aged 33, and are accompanied by their sons Alfred age 5 (so year of birth approx 1846), born in Croydon, Surrey, and Charles, age 4 (so year of birth: approx: 1847), born at Holborn, Middlesex. 
4. So, it appears that Alfred and Charles are younger brothers of Mary Ann (born 1841), and that the family moved: (i) in 1841 from in service, at Croydon, to their own place in Croydon (for MAH’s birth), and remained in Croydon (where Alfred was born in 1846); then (ii) moved from Croydon to Holborn where Charles was born in about 1847; but by 1851 they are back in Croydon at the Myrtle Street, West, address where they apparently remain at least until Mary Ann is married in 1869. Apparently by chance, Mary Ann is not actually there at the family home, Myrtle Street, West, on the night of the census in 1851, she is 9 years old, and staying with her ‘grandma Elizabeth’ (Spong) at Egham. By the time of the next census in 1861, when MAH is 19 years old, she is in service in the home of Theodore Lloyd, stockbroker, in Croydon, and 8 years later in 1869 (age 28/9) she is married to William Wells. And 15 years after that, she has died in childbirth, age 44;
5. So, Mary Ann Hamilton.Wells, 1841 to 1884, was the daughter of Charles Hamilton and Augusta Spong.Hamilton of Croydon and Egham, who worked in service in Croydon as a married couple and then started a family, of which Mary Ann was the eldest child, born in Croydon, and likewise (born in Croydon) her younger brother Alfred. Then apparently the family may have lived at least briefly in Holborn, where their second son, Charles, was born, before moving back to Croydon. Mary Ann’s father became a groom and then a cab-driver after leaving service. Her maternal grandfather (deceased husband of her grandmother Elizabeth Spong, of Egham), is recorded in the 1851 census as a ‘gardener’, as indeed was (but in 1871) William Wells whom Mary Ann married in 1869, and who went on to become a noted grower of Chrysanthemums. 
6. Mary Ann’s married life (1869 to 1884) looks to me now to have been fifteen years of unremitting servitude to child-bearing. Twelve  births in fifteen years, including two still-births and three subsequent fatalities in early youth and her own (MAH’s) death in 1884. Not much fun, it would seem. Much hard work. And not much if any leisure. The censuses show that the family apparently never had any servant living with them, either during Mary Ann  (Hamilton.Wells)’s life, or during Rose (Lewry.Manwaring.Wells)’s marriage to William Wells. Presumably there must, presumably, have been some domestic help with running the household, but presumably because no such persons stayed overnight in the household, it does not show on the official records. 
7. Because the connection with the Hamilton and Spong families commenced only with Mary Ann Hamilton, 1841–1884, (1841 being the very first year of accessible censuses), the relevant censuses do not show very much about those families in a general way. So I plan to follow-up to some extent, via the censuses, on Charles and Augusta Hamilton themselves and on others of their children to see a) whether the family remained centred on Croydon; or b) whether the brief connection with Holborn in the late 1840s signified anything; and c) what Mary Ann’s brothers and cousins did with themselves – so far I know that her mother (Augusta)’s brother William was and apparently remained (at least until 1861, a painter; (pba.18.5.10).

Wm Wells’ (and Mary Ann Hamilton)’s (seven) Children: 

• (No. 1). Jane Wells, eldest child, (known as ‘Janie’), who married Arthur Milne-Redhead, and had children: Otho, John, Richard (Dicky), Elizabeth, and Cecil. See 1911 census information below – where Jane is living with her husband Arthur and her three boys: Otho (8), Richard (‘Dickie’) (6), and John (5), in Bolton-by-Bowland, which (wrongly of course) is clearly indicated by the handwritten text on the page, to be in Yorkshire. I don’t think I ever met Janie; Note: Jane’s daughter Elizabeth married Robert Kirkby and their daughter Jonnet Kirkby married Ruth Garner.Archer’s brother Andrew Garner;  Note: family bible register says: “Jane Wells born April 17^th 1870 (died 1965) entered in the margin of the next page;”;
• (No. 2). William Wells, horticulturalist, who (according to Gwen Penfold.Archer) married Clara Jeale, had a son Ben (see 1911 census below), and possibly other children, and Ben (who was killed in WWII in the navy) had children: Josephine, Jante, and J......(?); below; [pba: 30.1.2010: I recall that ‘Jante Wells’ was said to be the name of a chrysanthemum – presumably developed by WW(jnrII) and named after one of his daughters]; Note: family bible register says: “William Wells born March 23^rd 1872”;
• (No. 2a). (Didn’t survive): Family bible register says: “Charles Wells born March 22^nd 1873, died aged one month and 14 days;
• (No. 3). Kate (Kit), who married William Westlake and had a son, Guy. I knew (my great aunt) Kit as ‘Aunty Kit’, as a little boy, aged about 6 onwards for at least a few years, and she was a dear, always smiling and my abiding memory of her is (bizarrely) as the ‘witch’ in the outdoor game of ‘grandmother’s footsteps’ (pba.30.1.2010); Note: family bible register says: “Kate Wells born May 22^nd 1874”;
• (No. 4). Carrie, who married in 1904 Charles Dando, an artist who ran an art shop, and emigrated to South Africa. Lorna was born in 1905 and died in 1939 in an accident on a level crossing in South Africa, see obituaries in vol III, page 37, of the Wells/Penfold photo albums. Unsurprisingly, I never met ‘Aunty Carrie’; Notes: (i) Family bible register says: “Caroline Wells born October 22^nd 1875”; (ii) the Dandos left behind in England when they emigrated (presumably because it was thought unlikely to survive well in the climate in S. Africa) the old bible (which looked as though it had gone through the Fire of London), which Gwen Penfold.Archer and her husband Fred and family had in Oxford for many years, and which Gwen herself apparently discovered was a ‘wicked’ bible (saying ‘thou shalt commit adultery’), and which sold in auction as Sotheby’s in about 1991 for £11,000 (or was it £17,000, must look it up in my diary);
• (No. 5). Mary (known as ‘May’) who married in 1905 William Morgan (‘Uncle Billy’ to Gwen Penfold.Archer), and died in 1936. They lived in Petworth, Sussex, and had children Owen and Gwenda. Owen died aged about 19 in a motoring accident, and Gwenda (Gwen’s cousin and friend) became a (now) well recognized wood-engraving artist with her own very characteristic style; Note: Family bible register says: “Mary Wells born January 12^th 1877”;
• (No. 6). Rosa, my grandmother, (the youngest of 5 girls), born 1878, died 1968, a Quaker, who married in 1905 Frank Penfold, a free-thinker and estate agent, and had children Vincent, and Gwendoline (Molly), born 1909 and died 2009, and Raymond, born 1922. I knew ‘Gran’ Rosa  Penfold, the best of my 4 grandparents, until she died when I was about 27. My stays at her home in Kingston-on-Thames are very memorable to me; Note: Family bible register says: “Rose Wells born February 6^th 1879 (died 1968/9)” entered in the margin of the next page; 
  (No. 6a). (didn’t survive): Family bible register says: “Emily Wells born May 4^th 1880 died aged 4 months and 16 days”; buried at St John’s Redhill, died September 20^th 1880;
• (No. 7). Harold, youngest of 7 surviving children, horticulturalist, who married Hetty, and had children Kathleen and William; Note: Family bible register says: “Harold Wells born June 9^th 1882”; 
• (No.7a) (Didn’t survive): George Wells (a twin) born October 28^th 1884 died aged 29 days;(see Deaths register, 1884, Oct/Nov/Dec vol: 2a, page 102); buried at St John’s Redhill, died November 26^th 1884 (aged 29 days.pba);
• (No. 7 b). (Didn’t survive): Family bible register says: “George Wells’ twin born dead 28^th October 1884”;

Notes: (i) of these 7 children, my (maternal, Wells) great aunts and uncles, I met/knew only 2: Rosa and Kit.  Of my (maternal, Penfold) great aunts and uncles, I knew only ‘Grandad’ (Frank Penfold, husband of Rosa Wells.Penfold) and his sister Rosalind (‘Aunty Roz’ – I think we spelt is with a ‘z’ in our birthday/Christmas thank-you letters). Total 4, out of 7 + 5 = 12. In comparison: my (paternal) great aunts and uncles: Archers, I met and/or knew: (i) ‘grandpa’ William; (ii) his sister Rose; (iii) his sister ‘Lena’ (Helena); Gilders: none (grandma ‘Lizzie’ died in 1938 and all the rest had moved to Hinckley in 1886. Total: 3 out of 12 + 5 (need to check those numbers);  (ii) in the above list of children (of Wm. Wells and Mary Ann Hamilton), the data is mainly from the Wells.Penfold family tree and Gwen Penfold.Archer and the family bible register; 

Occupation(s):  

  (i) (From the 1861 census): William Wells, at age 13, is: “Agricultural-labourer-carter-boy”, at a time when his father, William Wells is likewise “Agricultural-labourer-carter”, in Charlwood, Surrey; 

(ii) (From the marriage certificate in 1869): he is entered as “groom”;

(ii) (From the 1871 census): William Wells, age 23, is “gardener – domestic” at Worth, Crawley Down, Sussex, living with his wife Mary and their first child Jane, age 11 months;

(iii) (From the 1881 census): William Wells, age 33, is now a seedsman and florist, living with his wife Mary and daughters Jane, Katie, Carrie, Mary, and Rose (11, 6, 5, 4, 2) and son William (9), at Earlswood Nurseries, Reigate, Surrey; 

(iv) (From 1891 census): William Wells (43) and (2^nd wife) Rose Wells, plus stepdaughter Mabel (14), daughters ‘May’ (14), and sons Harold (8) and Frank(ie) (4), are still living at Earlswood Nurseries, Reigate, and he is still indicated as ‘florist and seedsman’;

(v) (From 1901 census): William Wells (53) is ‘Nurseryman’ and living with 2^nd wife Rose Wells, plus stepdaughter Mabel (24), daughters ‘Carrie’ (25) and ‘May’ (24), and son Harold (18), and they have moved to Earlsbrook Road, Reigate, Surrey;

(vi) (From 1911 census): William Wells (63)’s occupation is indicated as “Floral Nurseries” and he and Rose Wells, are living on their own at Battle Bridge nurseries, Merstham, and apparently running the nurseries themselves (but from the 1911 census data on sons William and Harold, either or both of them may well also be working at the nurseries); (he died in 1916 and it was at the Merstham nurseries that my mother, Gwen Penfold.Archer (born 1909) became aware of the family nursery business. Note her story about hearing about ‘The Germans crossing the Marne’ (1915) at the Merstham nurseries, and, thinking that the danger was imminent and near, she fled, and was found (in some actual danger by the sound of it) near or on the railway line that passed near the nurseries; (note that 1915 was the year before William Wells actually died);

(vii) see also William Wells’ obituaries in the Wells/Penfold photo albums with commentary by Gwen Penfold.Archer (GMA), and her reminiscences about him – some of these to be inserted in this cv in due course; (pba.30.1.2010);

(ix) Summary: So, in the course of a life of about 68 years, William Wells moved from agricultural labourer-carter-boy, through groom (perhaps at a stables?), gardener (domestic), to seedsman and florist, nurseryman, and (proprietor of) floral nurseries (in 1911), with, according to his obituaries a considerable reputation in the field of chrysanthemum growing, probably without the benefit of much more than a very few years’ formal education.

Lived:      

See above “Occupations” data, from which I paste the following details:

1. Born Larkings Farm, Charlwood, Surrey, 3^rd January 1848; (Charlwood was a village/hamlet which (now) is extremely close to one end of the runway of Gatwick Airport, one of London’s 3 main airports);
2. (1851 census), age 3, Page Wood, Charlwood, Surrey;
3. (1861 census), age 13, Larkins (Larkings?) Farm, Charlwood, Surrey; (not clear yet whether Page Wood of item 2 above is or not a different place, and thus represented a move of home;
4. (1871 census), age 23, Worth, Crawley Down, Sussex, living with his first wife Mary; Note: Crawley Down is near East Grinstead, about 10 miles east of Charlwood;
5. (1881 census), age 33, Earlswood Nurseries, Reigate, Surrey;
6. (1891 census), age 43, Earlswood Nurseries, Reigate, Surrey;
7. (1901 census), age 53, Earlsbrook Road, Reigate, Surrey;
8. (1911 census), age 63, Battle Bridge nurseries, Merstham, Surrey;
9. Summary: his whole life was apparently spent within a radius of not-many-miles from his birthplace at Charlwood, Surrey - though his obituaries indicate that he travelled at least to Paris on business and exhibited there, so it must be expected that he travelled much more widely than that, and his daughter Jane’s connection with a flower selling business in Frankfurt tends to support this;

Life Summary: 

Born in 1848, at the height of the Empire, the son of an agricultural labourer, into a Surrey agricultural labouring family, he advanced from carter boy at 13, through groom at 21, to gardener at 23, to seedsman and florist at 33, and nurseryman, horticulturalist, and international exhibitor, in the prime and later years of his life. He married in 1869 at age 21, Mary Ann Hamilton, age about 28, the daughter of a Croydon cab-driver who was working as a domestic servant in a stockbroker’s home in Croydon. Her family connections were with Croydon and Egham. William may have met her through his gardening work. In 15 years of marriage there were 12 births and Mary died in the last in 1884. Of the 12 births, 7 children (5 girls, 2 boys) lived into adulthood, and 5 did not (two born dead, plus Charles, Emily and George, who died young). William Wells remarried in 1886, 2 years after Mary died, to Rose Manwaring, the midwife who had presided at the latter of his wife Mary’s births, who appears to have been the widow of George Manwaring, about whom it will be easier to search after the marriage certificate details are to hand. She had been (1871) a ‘staymaker’s assistant’, and (1881) a pupil midwife, and apparently married George Manwaring in 1875, but was a widow by 1881. William and Rose were married for 30 years (1886 to his death in 1916), exactly double the 15 years of his first marriage to Mary Ann, but, whereas there were 12 births in those first 15 years, there was but one to William and Rose – a son Frank (‘Frankie’, whom his half-sister, my grandmother Rose Wells.Penfold, apparently loved very much). Frankie died age 12 (from consumption, apparently – will check via the death certificate), as recorded in the family bible. 

2^nd wife, Rose Lewry/Lowry.Manwaring.Wells:

1. Rose Manwaring was (from the family bible record) a widow (maiden name Rose Lawry or Lowry), born 1846 (so 5 years younger than Mary Ann Hamilton.Wells;

2. In the 1881 census, (3 years before she presided at the births which caused the death of Wm.Wells’s first wife Mary Ann), Rose Manwaring is living/lodging at 2a Chapel Street, Marylebone, London (municipal ward: ‘New Church’). She is shown as age 36, “W” (widow), and of occupation: “midwife pupil”. In the same lodging house is ‘Frances M. White, age 35, (also) midwife pupil”, along with a general servant, a letter sorter, a coachmaker, an umbrella maker, a dressmaker, a nurse, a sadler, a midwife (perhaps to whom Rose and Frances are pupils), and a scholar – from all over the country.

3. In the 1871 census Rose Lowry (may be “Lewry”) is age 26, a “staymaker’s assistant”, (note: Thomas Paine, in the 18^th century, was a maker of stays and corsets!) residing in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and boarding at Alexandra House, London Road, along with other boarders in the home of one Elizabeth Heasman, unmarried, age 52, “staymaker employing 9 persons”, and the other boarders include John Manning, nephew of Miss Heasman who is (occupation) “presses and bones”, Frank Manning who is (occupation) “carver and gilder (out of employment)”, and at least 5 other “staymaker’s assistants”;

4. Cannot find her in the 1861 census;

5. In the 1851 census she is age 7, living with her parents, John and Susan Lewry (clearly not “Lawry”), at No.3 Seymour Street, Kemp Town, Brighton, and he is a “coachman”, head, married, age 38, born Hurst, Sussex, and she is wife, married, age 38, born Newtimber, Sussex. Rose is shown as born at Brighton, but her surname, strangely, is fairly clearly shown as “Lawry”, not “Lewry”;

6. (6.2.2010): have noted details of her birth and (probable) first marriage in 1875, and will enter these and follow-up in due course, meanwhile:

7. Rose Lewry seems to have been born in Brighton in 1844. From her birth certificate, she was born at 20 Upper Edward Street, Kemp Town (just east of Brighton proper, on the coast), Brighton, Sussex, on 2^nd August 1844 (so actually only 3 years younger than Mary Ann Hamilton.Wells), the daughter of Henry Lewry, ‘Fly-man’ (meaning presumably that he drove a fly), and Susan Lewry (formerly Goddard). In 1851 she is age 7 and living in Kemp Town, Brighton with her parents and no siblings are there on the census night. I cannot yet find her in 1861, but in 1871 she is working as a staymaker in Tunbridge Wells, and is just a boarder. In 1875  (subject to seeing the marriage certificate[*]  - see below) she married and became Mrs Manwaring, but by 1881 she is a widow and lodging in Marylebone, London, and is a pupil midwife. In 1884 (at the latest) she attended Mary Ann Hamilton in her fatal last deliveries) and then married William Wells in 1886. (NB: copies have been made and saved of all the relevant censuses etc relating to Rose.Lewry.Manwaring.Wells’s life);

7a. The marriage certificate shows that on 13^th March 1875, Rose Lewry (not ‘Lawry’) of ‘full’ age, married George Manwaring, also of ‘full’age, at “The Church” in the parish of St James, Westminster, in the county of Middlesex, that she was a spinster living at 49 Great Marlborough Street, whose father was Henry Lewry, Manager of a Coal Wharf, deceased, and he was a bachelor,  and a butler, residing at 34 Poland Street, whose father was James Manwaring, Gardener, that the marriage was after banns, conducted by George N. Minns, curate, in the presence of JM Sweeney and Mary Piddock, witnesses. So, having married in March 1875 a butler, within 6 years, by March/April 1881 she is a widow and having to fend for herself again and has become a pupil midwife;

8. I have not yet (6.2.2010) been able to find her death certificate;
Other biographical details:

William Wells, Rosa Wells.Penfold’s grandfather, was, in common with his brothers/sisters: Jane, Jim, Sarah, someone whom Gwen Penfold.Archer actually met – see “(*)” above under ‘Siblings’;

Sources of this data:

1. ‘Wells/Penfold Family Tree (‘WPFT’), ‘Mk II’ by REA/GMA, which is marked: ‘Put together in Summer 2000 by R.Edward Archer from information supplied by Gwen Archer, nee Penfold;
2. Online data from pba’s ‘Ancestry’ (a US firm) subscriptions, and follow-up copy documents ordered from official sources;
3. William Wells’ family bible;

The Family Register of: William Wells:

Copied from William Wells’ Family Bible (‘WWFB’) which is in my possession (pba/22.01.2010) having come, I believe, from my second cousin, Jonnet Kirkby.Garner, daughter of Elizabeth Milne-Redhead.Kirkby, daughter of Jane Wells.Milne-Redhead), first child of William and Mary Ann Wells

William Wells: (from ‘WWFB’)

Born at Larkings Farm, Charlwood, January 3^rd (definitely 3^rd not 2^nd )1848

And

Mary Ann Hamilton: (from ‘WWFB’)

Born at: Croydon on (not sure about this word) Apr October 2^nd 1841

Married at Christ Church Croydon

By the: Rev B. Bryson

March 29^th 1869

Passed away to his rest February 28^th, 1916

Family Register (from ‘WWFB’)

Births:

1. Jane Wells born April 17^th 1870 (died 1965) entered in the margin of the next page; 

2. William Wells born March 23^rd 1872;

3. Charles Wells born March 22^nd 1873, died aged one month and 14 days;

4. Kate Wells born May 22^nd 1874

5. Caroline Wells born October 22^nd 1875; 

6. Mary Wells born January 12^th 1877;

7. Rose Wells born February 6^th 1879 (died 1968/9) entered in the margin of the next page;

8. Emily Wells born May 4^th 1880 died aged 4 months and 16 days;

9. Harold Wells born June 9^th 1882;

10. (Un-named child): born dead September (no day given) 1883;

11. George Wells (a twin) born October 28^th 1884 died aged 29 days;(see Deaths register, 1884, Oct/Nov/Dec vol: 2a, page 102);

12. (Un-named) twin of George Wells  born dead 28^th October 1884;

And, Mary Ann Wells died also on 28^th October 1884. (presumably in childbirth or soon after.pba.).

Deaths: (from ‘WWFB’)

Mary Ann Wells, ‘Beloved Mother’ of all the above died October 28^th 1884, (see Deaths register, 1884, Oct/Nov/Dec vol: 2a, page 100);

(‘Not Dead’, but gone before to prepare the way);

Buried in St John’s churchyard (south side), in Family Grave;

By whom this book is left as a loving remembrance;

Never to go out of the family. (W.W.)

Family Events (from ‘WWFB’)

Marriages and Deaths etc

Charles Wells, see birth No.3 above, buried at Crawley Down, died May 5^th 1873 (aged 1 month and 14 days.pba); (not in deaths for Apr/May/Jun, nor Jun/Jul/Aug 1873; pba/20.2.07);

Emily Wells, see birth No.8 above, buried at St John’s Redhill, died September 20^th 1880 (aged 4 months and 16 days.pba);

George Wells, see birth No.10 above, buried at St John’s Redhill, died November 26^th 1884 (aged 29 days.pba);

Both buried in St John’s churchyard Redhill;

Emily and George, buried both in one grave, north side;

Six deaths in 11 years, including the mother:

So, the statistics are: (pba): of 12 births:
(i) the two un-named children of births Nos. 10 and 12 were born dead;
(ii) the child, Charles, of birth No.3 died aged 1 month and 14 days;

(iii) the child of birth No.8, Emily, died aged 4 months and 16 days;

(iv) the child of birth No.11, George, died aged 29 days; and
(v) the mother, Mary Ann, of all the children died aged 43 years and 26 days, in the course of births 11 and 12 (twins);

(v) so: two children were born dead and the three others lived only: 1 month, 1.5 months, and 4.5 months; so five out of 12 births led to no real life of any appreciable duration, and the last two (twins) led to the mother’s death. Or 6 deaths associated with 12 births, or 50% mortality, from one point of view. This left 7 living children (5 girls and 2 boys), some of whom went on to live a long life, like Rose Wells.Penfold, who was in the region of 90 when she died, and sisters Kit and Jane who likewise lived into quite old age;

Family Events (cont’d): (from ‘WWFB’)

Second Marriage with:

Rose Manwaring, not Mainwaring, (maiden name Rose Lawry (may be ‘Lowry’(**));

Born at Brighton, August 2^nd, 1844

May 11^th 1886 at St John’s church Redhill, by the Rev H. Gosse

Frank Wells born March 23^rd 1887

Died March 25^th 1899 (aged 12 years and 2 days.pba)

‘Will never be forgotten by his sorrowing mother’

(ends.pba.15.12.2006).

Re (**) about 9 lines above: now that I know that Rose Manwaring’s maiden name may have been “Lewry” (rather than Lawry), because her parents’s names are very clearly Lewry in the 1851 census, it is easy to see that in the family bible the name may indeed be “Lewry” rather than Lowry. (pba.6.2.2010). 

Time Line (Wm.Wells):

1. (1841): 2^nd October 1841: birth of his wife-to-be, Mary Ann Hamilton in Croydon;
2. (1840s): Irish potato famine and Railway Mania;
3. (1848) William Wells born at Larkings Farm, Charlwood, January 3^rd (definitely 3^rd not 2^nd) 1848;
4. (13.7.10) Continue time line from here with birth years of his siblings etc.

1851 Census: (mainly re Wm.Wells.jnr):

William Wells, age 3, is living with his parents, William (27) and Jane Wells (26), (agricultural labouring family) at Page Wood, Charlwood (where both parents were born), Surrey, with his elder sister Mary (5) and younger brother George (1):

1. Parish of Charlwood, Ecclesiastical District of Winchester;
2. Name of street place or road, and name or number of house: ‘Page Wood’ (same for the adjoining families);
3. William Wells, head of house, married, age 27, agricultural labourer, born Surrey, Charlwood;
4. Jane Wells, wife, married, age 26, born Surrey, Charlwood;
5. Mary Wells, daughter, age 5 (so born approx 1846), born Surrey, Charlwood; (from Birth certificate of Mary Wells: (i) born “eleventh” (looks like) October 1845 at Charlwood (so 2 years and about 3 months older than brother William); (ii) girl; (iii) Father: William Wells;  (iv) Mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale; (v) Occupation of father: Labourer; (vi) (vi) Signature, description and residence of informant: “The Mark (shows a crosss: + ) of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood, Surrey”; (vii) Registered 5^th November 1845; (viii) Signature of registrar: Richard Wood; So: in 1845, William Wells  (jnr)’s father saw himself as a labourer, just as he did in 1853, and his mother was likewise unable to sign her name in 1845 as in 1853;
6. William Wells, son, age 3 (born 1848), born Surrey, Charlwood;
7. George Wells, son, age 1 (so born approx 1850), born Surrey, Charlwood; [from: Birth certificate of George Wells: (i) born “Second March 1850 at Charlwood (so 2 years and about 2 months younger than brother William); (ii) boy; (iii) Father: William Wells;  (iv) Mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale; (v) Occupation of father: Labourer; (vi) Signature, description and residence of informant: “The Mark (shows a crosss: + ) of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood, Surrey”; (vii) Registered 17^th March 1850; (viii) Signature of registrar: Richard Wood; So: in 1850, William Wells  (jnr)’s father saw himself as a labourer, just as he did in 1845 and 1853, and his mother was likewise unable to sign her name in 1850 as in 1845 and 1853;

(pba:12.9.07: these names didn’t at first seem to be right (with respect to Gwen Penfold.Archer’s information). But, yes, William, born 1848, yes, Mary and George. The other names, according to Gwen are: Emily, John, Lily, Tom, Jane, Jim, Sarah. Of these names, in the 1861 census (can’t find the 1871 one) there are: Thomas (Tom), James (Jim), Louise (could be Lily). So, there is commonality in relation to William, Mary, George, Tom, Jim, and possibly Louise (=5 or 6), which is quite a high degree of correspondence). So, I conclude that yes, this IS the right family and yes, William Wells, my mother’s grandfather, was the son of William Wells, agricultural labourer, and Jane Nightingale, both born in Charlwood, now very close to Gatwick Airport.

1861 Census: (mainly re Wm.Wells.jnr):
William Wells, age 13, is an agricultural labourer-carter-boy, living with his parents, William (38) and Jane Wells (36), (in an agricultural labouring/carting family) at Larkins Farm, Charlwood, Surrey, his elder sister Mary (15) is not there and may have gone into service, and his younger brother George is now 11, and he has new brothers & sisters Thomas (7), James (5) and Louise (3):

1. Larkins (‘Larkings’? – per family bible) farm, Charlwood, Surrey;
2. William Wells, head of house, married, age 38, Agricultural-Labourer-Carter, born Charlwood, Surrey;
3. Jane Wells, married, wife, age 36, born Surrey, Charlwood;
4. William Wells, son, age 13 (born 1848), agricultural labourer-carter-boy, born Charlwood, Surrey;
5. George Wells, son, age 11, born Charlwood, Surrey;
6. Thomas Wells, son, age 7 (so born approx 1854), scholar, born Charlwood, Surrey; [from: Birth certificate of Thomas Wells: (i) born 17^th June 1853 at Charlwood (5.5 years younger than his brother William); (ii) Boy; (iii) Father: William Wells; (iv) Mother: Jane Wells, formerly Nightingale; (v) Occupation of father: Labourer; (vi) Signature, description and residence of informant: “The Mark of Jane Wells, Mother, Charlwood”; (vii) Registered 24^th June 1853; (viii) Signature of registrar (can’t read); So: in 1853, William Wells  (jnr)’s father still saw himself as a labourer, and his mother was still unable to sign her name];
7. James (not sure of the name) Wells, son, age 5 (so born approx 1856), born Charlwood, Surrey; 
8. Louise(pba: can’t really read the name. There are more letters than for Louise) L Wells, daughter, age 3 (so born approx 1858), born Charlwood, Surrey; 

(1869) Marriage Certificate:

Marriage of William Wells to Mary Ann Hamilton

1. 1869, at Christ Church, Croydon, in the county of Surrey;
2. March 29^th, 1869; William Wells, and Mary Ann Hamilton; both of ‘full’ age, and bachelor and spinster respectively (pba: actually 21 and 27);
3. Rank or profession of groom and bride: ‘Groom’ and (blank) respectively;
4. Residence at date of marriage: (Groom): ‘Worth’  (which probably means ‘Crawley Down’ on a modern map – pba), Sussex; and ‘Myrtle Street, West’ (no town mentioned, presumably the local town, ie Croydon);
5. Father of Groom: William Wells, Bailiff;
6. Father of bride: Charles Hamilton, Cab Driver;
7. In the presence of: Alfred Hamilton (brother of the bride, born 1851, so 10 years younger than his sister Mary Ann) and Elizabeth Evans;
8. So (pba/22.01.2010): William Wells has, in the eight years since the census of 1861 risen from agricultural labourer/carter to ‘groom’(caring for horses – could be on the farm where his father is now bailiff, or elsewhere at all in a world where, apart from the railways, the horse was still supreme for transport). William Wells’bride lived at the time of the wedding, in Croydon,and her family had worked and lived there since at least 1841, the year of her birth and the first year of the censuses);
   (Before continuing  the story of Wm. Wells (jnr), we continue briefly with his father, Wm. Wells (snr) through the 1871/1881/1891 censuses):

CHECKED TO HERE FOR PRINTING 15.6.2010;

1871 Census (mainly re Wm.Wells snr): (found at last – for William Wells, father of William Wells - Rosa. Wells. Penfold’s father, living in Surrey): William Wells (jun’r) has married and left home, and William Wells (sen’r) (48) has now risen to be a farm bailiff, and lives at Burley House Farm, Turner’s Hill, with his wife Jane Nightingale.Wells) (46), son James (15), daughters Louisa (13), Rosa (7), Jane (5), Emily (4), and son John (2);

1. Civil parish of ‘Worth’, District of Crawley Down, Ecclesiastical Parish of All Saints;
2. Road/Street and No. or name of house: ‘Turners Hill, East Grinstead Road’;
3. ‘Burley House Farm in part thereof’ (difficult to read, but appears to be so), and further down same page a name, identifying William Wells’s part of that farm, which seems to be: ‘Nearing’, but I’m not sure;
4. William Wells, head, married, age 48, farm bailiff, born Charlwood;
5. Jane Wells, wife, married, age 46, born Charlwood;
6. James Wells, son, unmarried, age 15, agricultural labourer, born Surrey, Charlwood;
7. Louisa L. Wells, daughter, age 13, scholar, born Charlwood, Surrey;
8. Rosa Wells, daughter, age 7, born Surrey, Charlwood; (so apparently the family moved from Charlwood to Worth/Crawley Down somewhere between 13 and 7 years before ie between 1858 and 1864);
9. Jane Wells, daughter, age 5, born Sussex, Worth;
10. Emily Wells, daughter, age 4, born Sussex, Worth;
11. John Wells, son, age 2, born Sussex, Worth;
12. (Note by pba 23.1.2010): The above James Wells was my mother Gwen.Penfold.Archer’s great uncle, and in her commentary on the Wells/Penfold photo albums she identifies a picture of ‘Uncle Jim’ and talks about him being the bailiff at the farm at the Earlswood Intitute, and of the wonderful teas Aunty Emma used to provide when they visited in the days when they lived at Merstham. So, clearly, he left home, married, and went on (like his father) to become a bailiff;

1881 Census (mainly re Wm.Wells snr): (at Turners Hill):
William Wells (jun’r) married and left home 12 years ago, and William Wells (sen’r) (58) continues as a farm bailiff, (but at a different farm) at Worth, Turner’s Hill, with his wife Jane (56), daughters Rosa (17), Jane (15), Emily (14), Sarah (9) and son John (12);

1. ‘Rheeding’ (it looks like) Farm, Worth, Turners Hill, East Grinstead; 
2. William Wells, head, married, age 58, bailiff, born Surrey, Charlwood;
3. Jane Wells, wife, married, age 56, born Surrey, Charlwood;
4. Rosa, unmarried, daughter, age 17, born Surrey, Charlwood;
5. Jane, unmarried, daughter, age 15, born Worth, Sussex, Turners Hill;
6. Emily, unmarried, daughter, age 14, scholar, born ditto ditto;
7. John, son, age 12, ditto, ditto;
8. Sarah, daughter, age 9, ditto ditto; NB: So Sarah was born at Turners Hill, East Grinstead in about 1872, when her mother was about 47 (born in about 1825); so it cannot possibly have been this Sarah Wells who was married to Harrison Ainsworth in the census of 1881 and said she was 46. That person must have been of the generation of this Sarah’s mother;
9. However: the above list of names corresponds very closely with the list of names provided by Gwen.Archer.

1891 Census (mainly re Wm.Wells snr): (at Rheeding Farm, Turners Hill): Wm.Wells snr is still employed as a bailiff at age 68, at the same farm, and lives there with his wife and 3 daughters Rosa, Emily and Sarah, (27, 24, and 19) and son John (22) who probably works on the same farm:

1. William Wells, head, married, age 68  (so born approx 1823), farm bailiff, employed, born Surrey, Charlwood;
2. Jane Wells, married, wife, age 66, born Surrey, Charlwood;
3. Rosa Wells, daughter, single, age 27, born Surrey, Charlwood;
4. Emily Wells, daughter, single, age 24, born Sussex, Worth;
5. John Wells, son, single, age 22, farm servant, employed, born Sussex, Worth;
6. Sarah Wells, daughter, single, age 19,  born Sussex, Worth;
7. END OF (this portion of the account of ) WILLIAM WELLS SENIOR: William Wells (senior)’s death certificate shows that he died on 30th March 1895, about 4 years after the above 1891 census, at Hooley Road, Earlswood, Reigate US (not sure about the “US”, it might be “USD” - believe it is a district of Reigate), aged 72 years (so born 1823), that his occupation was: “of independent means”, and that he died of “disease of the heart, congestion of the liver and jaundice”. The death was registered by his son James Wells, who was present at the death, and who resided at “Asylum Farm, Earlswood, Reigate”. That address is the one referred-to by Gwen Penfold.Archer (my mother) in her account of meeting ‘Uncle James’, and having wonderful teas at Asylum Farm.  

(Continuing now with Wm.Wells jnr):

1870 Birth of William and Mary Ann Wells’ 1^st child, Jane Wells: 

1. Wm Wells and Mary Ann Hamilton were married on 29^th March 1869;
2. (Family bible shows): Jane Wells born April 17^th 1870 (died 1965);
3. Jane is the name of Wm Wells’ mother, Jane Nightingale;
4. (From the certificate for Registration District: East Grinstead, birth in the sub-district of Worth, County of Sussex): (i) on 17^th April1870; (ii) at Worth; (iii) Name: Jane; (iv) Sex: Girl: (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Mary Ann Wells, formerly Hamilton; (vii) Occupation of father: “Gardener Domestic”; (viii) Informant: W.Wells, Father, Worth; (ix) Registered: 28^th May 1870; (x) James Fillery, Registrar;
5. So (pba): William and Jane are still living at Worth, which is his place of residence at the time of the marriage in 1869, and their first child is born 12 months and 19 days after their marriage,  and William is now a gardener instead of a groom as entered on the marriage certificate;
6. And eldest child Jane, who is to live to the grand old age of 95, and to live most of her life in Lancashire, a long way north of Sussex, to marry Arthur Milne-Redhead, from a family where wealth is inherited, has arrived into the home of Mary, former domestic servant, and William, now a gardener and to become a florist, and whose mother is to be involved in almost annual childbirth throughout the rest of her (Mary Ann’s) life, until she died (in childbirth) in 1884, the year that Jane would be 14;

1871 Census (Wm.Wells.jnr):
Wm.Wells.jnr is a gardener, living with his wife Mary Ann and eldest daughter Jane, age 11 months at Crawley Down, Worth, Sussex:

1. No. 5 East Grinstead Rd, civil parish of Worth, village or hamlet of Crawley Down, Ecclesiastical District of All Saints, Sussex;
2. William Wells (formerly indexed as [and looks like] ‘Delis’), head, married, age 23, Gardener, domestic, born Surrey, Charlwood;
3. Mary A. Wells, wife, married, age 27, born Surrey, Croydon; 
4. Jane Wells, daughter, 11 months, born Sussex, Worth; (no other children);

1872 Birth of 2^nd child, William Wells: (birth certificate ordered and data entered):

1. (Family bible shows): William Wells born March 23^rd 1872;
2. (From the certificate for Registration District: East Grinstead, birth in the sub-district of Worth, County of Sussex): (i) on 23^rd March 1872; (ii) at Worth; (iii) Name: William; (iv) Sex: Boy: (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Mary Ann Wells, formerly Hamilton; (vii) Occupation of father: “Gardener Domestic”; (viii) Informant: M.A. Wells, Mother, Worth; (ix) Registered: 22^nd March 1872; (x) James Fillery, Registrar;
3. So, second child William war born slightly under 2 years after his elder sister Jane, and everything else on the birth certificate is very much the same as for Jane, except that Mary Ann informed the registrar instead of William;
   

1873 Birth and death of 3^rd child, Charles Wells: (birth and death certificates searched-for but not found):

1. (Family bible shows): Charles Wells born March 22^nd 1873, died aged one month and 14 days;
2. So, this birth was one year less one day after the birth of second child William;
3. I could find no record in the official record of births and deaths of this particular child. It was the same with the other such births and deaths in the family. I wonder whether, if the child was clearly not well and thought likely to die, perhaps no steps were taken to register the birth, pending the final outcome;

1874 Birth of 4^th child, Kate Wells – my ‘Aunty Kit’: (birth certificate ordered and data entered):

1. (Family bible shows): Kate Wells born May 22^nd 1874;
2. (From the certificate for Registration District: East Grinstead, birth in the sub-district of Worth, County of Sussex): (i) on 22^nd May 1874; (ii) at Worth; (iii) Name: Kate; (iv) Sex: Girl: (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Mary Ann Wells, formerly Hamilton; (vii) Occupation of father: “Gardener Domestic”; (viii) Informant: M.A. Wells, Mother, Worth; (ix) Registered: 20^th June 1874; (x) James Fillery, Registrar;
3. So, fourth child Kate (or ‘Kit’) was born exactly 14 months after 3^rd child George, who died; and everything seems to be exactly as with George, including the stated occupation of William Wells, as ‘Gardener domestic’;

1875 Birth of 5^th child, Caroline Wells: (birth certificate ordered and data entered):

1. (Family bible shows): Caroline Wells born October 22^nd 1875;
2. (From the certificate for Registration District: East Grinstead, birth in the sub-district of Worth, County of Sussex): (i) on 22^nd October 1875; (ii) at Worth; (iii) Name: Caroline; (iv) Sex: Girl: (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Mary Ann Wells, formerly Hamilton; (vii) Occupation of father: “Gardener” (no mention this time of ‘Domestic’; (viii) Informant: William Wells, Father;  (x) Residence of informant: “Fen Place”, Worth”; (ix) Registered: 24^th November 1875; (x) (looks like): Hymer Hobbs, Registrar;
3. So, it appears that by October 1875, William Wells has moved from ‘Gardener Domestic’ to ‘Gardener’ and has perhaps moved house within Worth, to Fen Place;

1877 Birth of 6^th child, Mary/May Wells: (birth certificate ordered and data entered):

1. (Family bible shows): Mary Wells born January 12^th 1877;
2. (From the certificate for Registration District: East Grinstead, birth in the sub-district of ‘North’ (sic), County of Sussex): (i) on12th January 1877; (ii) at Fen Place, Worth; (iii) Name: Mary; (iv) Sex: Girl: (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Mary Ann Wells, formerly Hamilton; (vii) Occupation of father: “Gardener”; (viii) Informant: William Wells, Father, Fen Place, Worth; (ix) Registered: 11^th February 1877; (x) Hymer George Hobbs, Registrar;
3. I note the several mentions of ‘Fen Place’ at Worth, where (Fen Place) William and his family now resided, and which, possibly may have been where he worked also;

1879 Birth of 7^th child, Rose Wells: (birth certificate to be ordered and data entered IDC):

1. (Family bible shows): Rose Wells born February 6^th 1879
2. Had difficulty finding this birth, but now (12.7.2010) got it at: 1879/Jan-Mar/Reigate /Surrey/vol 2a/page 157;

1880 Birth & Death of 8^th child, Emily Wells: (birth and death certificates searched-for but not found):

1. (Family bible shows): Emily Wells born May 4^th 1880 died aged 4 months and 16 days;
2. I could find no record in the official record of births and deaths of this particular child. It was the same with the other such births and deaths in the family. I wonder whether, if the child was clearly not well and thought likely to die, perhaps no steps were taken to register the birth, pending the final outcome;

1881 Census (3 years before wife, Mary, dies): Wm.Wells.jnr is now a seedsman and florist, living with his wife Mary and daughters Jane, Katie, Carrie, Mary, and Rose (11, 6, 5, 4, 2) and son William (9), at Earlswood Nurseries, Reigate:

1. Reigate ‘Foreign’ (whatever that means), Reigate, Surrey, Ecclesiastical District of St. Johns;
2. Earlswood Nurseries, William Wells, head, married, age 33, Seedsman and florist, born Surrey, Charlwood;
3. Mary A. Wells, wife, married, age 39, born Surrey, Croydon;
4. Jane Wells, daughter, age 10 (could be 11), scholar, born Sussex. Turners Hill;
5. William Wells, son, age 9, scholar, born Sussex, Turners Hill;
6. Katie, daughter, age 6, born Sussex, Turners Hill;
7. Carrie, daughter, age 5, born Sussex, Turners Hill;
8. Mary, daughter, age 4, born Sussex, Turners Hill;
9. Rose, daughter, age 2, born Surrey, Earlswood; (so – pba – they moved to Earlswood between Mary and Rose ie about 3 years before this census, ie about 1878);
10. So in 1881, 3 years before the death of the mother of the family in 1884, the family comprised: father and mother plus children aged 10, 9, 6, 5,4, 2, and a seventh child, Harold, was to be born in June 1882;

1882 Birth of 9^th child, Harold Wells: (birth certificate ordered and data entered):

1. (Family bible shows): Harold Wells born June 9^th 1882;
2. (From the certificate for Registration District: ‘Reigate’ (as opposed to the previous ones from East Grinstead), birth in the sub-district of ‘Reigate’ (sic ie repeated), County of Surrey): (i) on 9th June 1882; (ii) at Earlsbrook Road, Redhill, Reigate ‘USD’ (looks like); (iii) Name: Harold; (iv) Sex: Boy; (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Mary Ann Wells, formerly Hamilton; (vii) Occupation of father: “Florist” (as opposed to previous term: “Gardener”); (viii) Informant: Mary Ann Wells, Mother, Earlsbrook Road, Red Hill (sic: two words), Reigate; (ix) Registered: 11^th July 1882; (x) John Robert Sheppard: Registrar;

1883 Birth of 10^th child, (un-named) Wells: (no birth certificate available to be ordered so no data to be entered IDC):

(Family bible shows): (Un-named child): born dead September (no day given) 1883;

1884 Birth & Death of 11^th child, George Wells (a twin): (birth and death certificates searched-for but not found):

(Family bible shows): George Wells (a twin) born October 28^th 1884 died aged 29 days;(see Deaths register, 1884, Oct/Nov/Dec vol: 2a, page 102);

1884 Birth & Death of 12^th child, (un-named) Wells (a twin): (no birth certificate available to be ordered so no data to be entered IDC):

(Family bible shows): George Wells’ (un-named) twin born dead 28^th October 1884;

1884 Death Certificate (Mary Ann Wells):

1. 1884: Death in the sub-district of Reigate, in the county of Surrey; (No. 45 – presumably some registration reference No.);
2. When and where died: 28^th October 1884; The Nurseries, Earlswood, Reigate, Surrey;
3. Name and surname: Mary Ann Wells;
4. Sex: female;
5. Age: 42 years;
6. Occupation: wife of William Wells, a Nurseryman;
7. Cause of death: Parturition (childbirth). Twins arms presentation; adherent placenta. Syncops (not understood). Certified by WA Berridge, MRCS;
8. Signature, description and residence of the informant: William Wells, widower of the deceased, present at the death. The Nurseries, Earlswood, Reigate; 
9. When registered: 30^th October 1884 – registrar: George Groom.
10. So (pba.8.2.2010): (i) the death certificate agrees with the family bible data, that Mary Ann died on 28^th October, the same day that the twins were born, which is of some relevance to the next point;  (ii) there is a, possibly apocryphal, tale that I think my mother Gwen passed on to me - obviously from her mother Rosa. The story was that the reason for the death of Rosa’s mother (Mary Ann) was that the midwife allowed Mary Ann to get up from her bed, after the births, much too soon, rather than allowing the longish (some days, do I recall?) period that was usual at that time. And this was done or allowed by the midwife, so the story ran, all with a view to the midwife marrying the William Wells, which indeed she did do, two years later in 1886. (iii) presumably my ‘gran’ Rosa Wells.Penfold may well not have known (because her mother died when she was about 6) what I now know about the details of what happened and the background. (iv) Come to think of it, it’s quite likely actually that no one knew Rose Lewry.Manwaring.Wells’s background (meaning relatively little experience in midwifery), because she would very naturally be reticent about that after two deaths of her charges on the same day, and another 29 days later. (v) So, the ‘getting her up too soon’ story may well have been a well-intentioned fiction, created to account for the tragic events of 28^thth October 1884 (coincidentally occurring simultaneously with Walter Gilder’s trials and tribulations in Oxford (ending with release after 3 months’ hard labour on 14 November 1884) 

1886 2^nd Marriage: to Rose Lewry.Manwaring: (from certificate):

1. Marriage solemnized at St John’s church, Redhill, in the parish of Reigate, on May 11^th 1886;
2. Between William Wells, age 38, widower, Florist, residing at Redhill, and Rose Manwaring, age 41, widow, Nurse, residing at Redhill;
3. His father’s name and surname and profession: William Wells, Steward;
4. Her father’s name and surname and profession: Harry Lewry, deceased, Livery Stables Keeper;
5. Married in The Church of St John, Redhill, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church, after banns, by me, Henry Gorse, ‘Off. Min’ (official minister?), in the presence of Miss (looks like) Robinson and James Wells;

1887 Birth of 13^th child: Frank Wells:

1. (Family bible shows): Frank Wells born March 23^rd 1887; and died March 25^th 1899 (aged 12 years and 2 days.pba)
2. (From the certificate for Registration District: Reigate, birth in the sub-district of Reigate, County of Surrey): (i) on 23^rd March 1887; (ii) at The Nurseries, Earlswood, Reigate; (iii) Name: Frank; (iv) Sex: Boy: (v) Father: William Wells; (vi) Mother: Rose Wells, “late Manwaring, formerly Lawry” (not Lewry); (vii) Occupation of father: Florist (viii) Informant: William Wells, Father; (x) Residence of informant: The Nurseries, Earlswood, Reigate; (ix) Registered:3^rd May 1887; (x) George Groom, Registrar;

1891 Census:
William and (2^nd wife) Rose Wells, plus stepdaughter Mabel (14), daughter ‘May’ (14), and sons Harold (8) and Frank(ie) (4), still living at Earlswood Nurseries, Reigate:

1. Same location as 1881 census, Earlswood Nurseries;
2. William Wells, age 43, florist and seedsman, employer, born Surrey, Charlwood;
3. Rose Wells, wife, married, age (can’t read, might be 46, but it’s a guess), born Sussex, Brighton;
4. Mary Wells, daughter, single, age 14, born Surrey, Turners Hill;
5. Mabel Rose Manwaring, step-daughter, single, age 14, pupil teacher, born London-Marylebone;
6. Harold Wells, son, age (can’t really read it because it is so heavily crossed-out) but may be ‘8’, born Surrey, Redhill;
7. Frank Wells, son, age (can’t really read it because it is so heavily crossed-out) but may be ‘4’ (if so he was born in 1887), born Surrey, Redhill;

1901 Census:

William and Rose Wells, plus stepdaughter Mabel (24), daughters ‘Carrie’ (25) and ‘May’ (24), and son Harold (18), have moved to Earlsbrook Road, Reigate:

1. Administrative county of Surrey;
2. Civil parish of Reigate (part of);
3. Ecclesiastical parish of St. Johns;
4. Reigate Municipal borough;
5. Part of South East ward of the Municipal Borough;
6. Parliamentary Division: South East Surrey;
7. 115 Earlsbrook Road (looks like .... ‘brook’, but slightly unsure);
8. William Wells, head of family, married, age 53, Nurseryman, Employer, working at home, born Charlwood, Surrey (pba: extremely close to Gatwick airport);
9. Rose Wells, married, wife, age 56, born Brighton, Sussex;
10. Mabel R Manwaring  (NB: spelling definitely clear), step-daughter, single, age 24, book-keeper, worker, working at home, born: London;
11. Caroline Wells, daughter, single, age 25, clerk, worker, (no indication of working at home, so presumably didn’t), born: Turner (not ‘Turners’) Hill (but there isn’t now a ‘Turner Hill’, only a ‘Turners Hill’, between Crawley and East Grinstead, some way south of Reigate;
12. Mary Wells, daughter, single, age 24, book keeper, single, worker working at home, born at Turners (written ‘Turner’) Hill;
13. Harold Wells, son, single, age 18, ‘Engineer Apprentice’, worker, born at Earlswood, Surrey.                                                                                        

1911 Census data:

William Wells (jnr) and Rose Wells, aged 63 and 66 living on their own at Battle Bridge nurseries, Merstham, and apparently  running the nurseries themselves:

1. William Wells, head, married, age 63, occupation: “Floral Nurseries”, born Charlwood, Surrey;
2. Rose Wells, wife, age 66, occupation: “Opens letters”, born Brighton, Sussex;
3. Address: Battle Bridge Nurseries, Merstham, Surrey (District: Reigate, subdistrict: Bletchworth, enumeration district: 10);
4. In the column for ‘whether employer, worker or working on own account’, there has been entered “both”, so perhaps WW did some employed work and some self-employed work at this late stage in his career, about 5 years before he died in 1916;
5. In the column for ‘Whether working at home’, there has been entered ‘yes’;

1911 Census:

Their elder sonWilliam Wells (jnr.II) is living with his wife Clara.Jeale.Wells and son Ben at Battlebridge Road, Reigate:

1. Reigate, Surrey, rural district of Merstham;
2. “Mr W. Wells (jr)” (sic) on enumerator’s record, “Bradley, Battlebridge Road, S. Merstham”, ecclesiastical district: All Saints;
3. William Wells, age 39, married, worker, born Worth, Sussex; (pba: so perhaps he was working with and for his father at the Battle Bridge Nurseries, and perhaps took them over when his father died 5 years later);
4. Clara Wells, age 36, wife, married, 13 completed years of marriage, 1 child born alive and still living, 0 children have died, born Redhill, Surrey;
5. Ben Wells, son, age 11 (so born 1900), born Earlswood, Surrey; (died 31 years later Dec 1942 in WWII, at sea, Captain in Royal Artillery – see military record);

1911 Census:

(Their eldest daughter) Jane Wells.Milne-Redhead (40) and husband Arthur (45) have been married 10 years and are living with sons Otho (8), Richard (6) and John (5), at Holden Clough, Bolton by Bowland, near Clitheroe, Lancashire, and are living on his ‘private means’:

1. Relevant dates: Sunday night/Monday morning April 2^nd/3^rd 1911;
2. Arthur Cecil Milne-Redhead, head, age 45, married, children born alive 3, still living 3, who have died 0, Personal Occupation: ‘private means’, birthplace: Lancashire: Hedley (could be Kedley, as the 1911 transcription has it, but neither appears to exist in a gazetteer now – pba.30.1.2010);
3. Jane Milne-Redhead, wife, age 40, married, children born alive 3, still living 3, who have died 0, born Sussex,Turners Hill;
4. Thomas Otho Milne-Redhead, son, age 8, born Bolton-by-Bowland, Yorkshire (yes ‘Yorkshire’ – pba.30.1.2010);
5. Richard Milne-Redhead, son, age 6, born Bolton-by-Bowland, Yorkshire (yes ‘Yorkshire’ – pba.30.1.2010);
6. John Milne-Redhead, son, age 5, born Bolton-by-Bowland, Yorkshire (yes ‘Yorkshire’ – pba.30.1.2010); (ends). 

1911 Census:

Harold Wells and his wife Hetty and daughter Kathleen (1) are living at Battlebridge Rd, Reigate:

1. Address: “Marzoe” (could be “Mazoe”, anyway, is presumably the name of the house), Battlebridge Lane, S.Merstham, parish of All Saints, Reigate;
2. Harold Wells, head, age 28, married, 5 years of completed marriage, profession or occupation: ‘nursery gardens’; business carried on by employer: ‘Chrysanthemum Specialists’, worker, born Earlswood, Surrey; Briton;
3. Hetty (thought at first it was ‘Kathy’, but noticed the name Gwen Penfold.Archer gave and then could see that it was indeed ‘Hetty’ [pba]) Wells, wife, age 28, married, 5 years of completed marriage, 1 child born alive, 1 child living, no child has died, born Shirley, Hants; Briton;
4. Kathleen Wells, daughter, age 1, born Merstham; Briton;
5. Keith Luxford, boarder, age 20, single, foreman of nurseries, worker, born Hailsham, Sussex; Briton;
6. So (pba.4.2.2010): Youngest child Harold is probably helping his dad William at the nurseries nearby in Battlebridge Road, as an employee; he has (according to Gwen Penfold.Archer one more child. This is all in-line with what I already know;

Miscellaneous:

1. Important (to me – pba) question: did Wm.Wells(jnr) meet his wife Mary in the course of his gardening work in the 1860s? She was (in 1861, aged 19) working as one of two servants in a stockbroker’s home in Croydon, while he was in in 1861, age 13, in the family ‘carting’ business, soon (perhaps) to switch to the gardening which he was doing in 1871 two years after they have married, and have their first child, Jane, and are living at Crawley Down.
2. In 1869 in their marriage certificate he puts himself down as ‘Groom’, which is connected to carting, but not to gardening, so this suggests that the switch to gardening (and thus towards horticulture, where he was to spend the rest of his life) took place after they married, and indeed after 1871;

Death of William Wells (jnr): February 1916:

Certificate data:

1. Death in the sub-district of Betchworth, in the County of Surrey, on 28^th February 1916 at The Nurseries, Merstham, ‘RD’ (looks like – Reigate District?);
2. William Wells, male, age 68 years, Chrysanthemum Specialist;
3. Cause of death: (i) Sarcoma of kidney; (ii) Exhaustion – Certified by Francis Gayner MD;
4. Informant: Harold Wells, son, present at the death, residing at The Nurseries, Merstham;
5. Registered: 29^th February 1916, by Beatrice L. Marsh, deputy registrar;
6. So: William Wells died of (from Oxford English Reference dictionary): ‘Sarcoma: a malignant tumour of connective or other non-epithelial tissue’ on the kidney; (pba.18.2.2010). 

Obituary:

Two paper cuttings relating to the death of Willliam Wells (jnr), from (probably both):
“Surrey Mirror and County Post”:
(Fridays March 3^rdth & 10 , 1916):

“Death of Mr W. Wells:”
World-renowned fame”:
(*) died 28^th February 1916 according to the family bible, so, the Monday before Friday 3.3.1916 was 28.2.1916 if 1916 was a leap year (which it probably was, being divisible by 4 – pba.13.2.2010)

“The horticultural world, by the death of Mr W. Wells, of South Mersttham, has lost a chrysanthemum enthusiast whose name was  universally-known and respected, and the villagers of Merstham a true and generous friend. His death took place on Monday night (*), after a prolonged illness, at the age of sixty-eight. He leaves a widow, two sons, and five daughters to mourn his loss. Early last summer he was taken ill, and an operation was necessary. For some time he was in Redhill Nursing Home, and afterwards was seen driving about the district, when it was hoped he was on the high road to recovery. Complications set-in, and for a time he was a patient at the Radium Institute, London. He was last seen out of doors about three weeks ago. Shortly afterwards he took to his bed, and peacefully passed away.

Mr Wells was a keen and intelligent horticulturist. For several years he was head gardener at Worth, Sussex (*), and in 1877 he started a business at Earlswood as a chrysanthemum grower and exhibitor. Eleven or twelve years ago (so that was in 1904/5 – pba)he removed to South Merstham, his business having grown, and he developed it to such an extent that he was regarded as one of the largest producers of chrysanthemums and carnations in the South of England. He made a reputation for himself in a few years which was phenomenal. In all parts of the world horticultural enthusiasts knew the name of “Wells, Merstham”. He was held in such high esteem and his fame was so universal that even The Emperor of Germany recognized him. In fact, he patronized Mr Wells and gave him a substantial order for plants. The goods were supplied, but alas! There was no payment for the same. The commission was treated as a mere scrap of paper. The writer of this notice on several occasions chatted with Mr Wells upon the Kaiser’s lack of business principles, and he spoke out in his characteristic manner of what he thought of the War Lord of Germany. It was as a successful exhibitor of chrysanthemums that he made his name famous. He was winner of over 250 gold medals, and in addition to diplomas at the RHS, NCS, and other shows in various parts of the country. In America, France, Germany, and Austria his products were staged and won the premier awards. It was in 1912 Mr Wells sent a lovely basket of chrysanthemum blooms to the Queen, (George the V’s queen – Mary of Teck, pba), and received a letter of acknowledgement. They were specimens of a pure white ‘mum, “The Queen Mary” made a name. The award of merit was given at the NHS for the bloom, and there was nothing to beat it that season at the principal shows. The “Daily Mail” a Japanese incurved yellow bloom  the following year swept the board. There were many other ‘mums produced at the South Merstham nurseries which won for the firm of W.Wells & Company fame. Mr Wells originated the early-flowering single bloom suitable for outside growth, which was a particular favourite for small but keen floriculturists. He visited all the principal chrysanthemum growers in France and bought up everything of interest, and then travelled on to Italy where he introduced the early chrysanthemum into (can’t read it, a place presumably - pba 12.02.2010) Gardens. 

On two occasions Mr Wells visited America with the object of establishing a new feature in carnation-growing in this country. America is the home of carnations. Mr Wells returned with much valuable information. In 1910 he commenced to specialize in carnations and with “The Champion”, a scarlet bloom, “Pink Sensation”, “Aviator”, “Mrs GL Wiss”, and “Good Cheer”, picked up a number of gold medals at the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition at Chelsea and other places. It is worthy of note (that) on one occasion when he visited America he was entrusted by Sir Jeremiah Colman Bart., with an orchid. It was exhibited at a show in New York, and Mr Wells returned with the silver cup, to add to those on Sir Jeremiah Colman’s sideboard. The largest gold medal Mr Wells received, and the one he valued most, was for sending real flowers for exhibition at New York. Indeed, he made a special feature of packing flowers for transit. A quarter of a century ago he sent flowers to Vienna, which, after being fourteen days on the journey, took the highest award at the exhibition there. The same year he was awarded a diploma and silver medal for twenty-seven distinct varieties of chrysanthemums at Frankfort-on-Main. He likewise, as a trial, sent three blooms packed in ice to Australia and gained an award at the Melbourne exhibition. 

Mr Wells took a great interest in local affairs. Prior to his illness he was a regular attendant at the meetings of The Reigate Rural District Council and The Board of Guardians and not infrequently took part in the debates. He loved children and the youngfolk of South Merstham loved him. They always looked forward to Christmas. They were his guests at The Nurseries and right-royally he entertained them. In a quiet and unostentatious manner he did a great deal. He never let his right hand know what the left hand did, and the public have but a poor idea of his many kindly and benevolent acts. Right up to his death he helped to support many families in his village whose husbands were in His Majesty’s Forces. It can truly be said of him he was an institution in himself. He was one of those rapidly disappearing type of hearty, healthy, honest human beings who are straight forward in everything they do, who care little for the fine polish in speech or writing, but who take hold of things with a manly grip. He was a man with a clear vision and a robust conviction, and one who would go forward and perform excellent services. He was looked up to affectionately and trustfully all round. Merstham has lost a man she was proud to claim as a villager.

The funeral is fixed for today (Friday) [10.3.1916] at St John’s, Earlswood. 

(After the funeral)

The late Mr W. Wells:

Funeral at Redhill: 

The funeral  of the late Mr W. Wells, the world-famed chrysanthemum grower, whose death at his residence at Merstham was announced in our columns of last week, took place at St John’s church on Friday afternoon [10.3.1916]. The weather was bitterly cold, and during the committal portion of the service a blizzard swept over the churchyard. The inclement conditions that prevailed, however, did not prevent a very large number of friends of the deceased gentleman from attending the obsequies. The tribute was a remarkable one, and demonstrated the affection and esteem with which Mr Wells was held, and more particularly by his friends in the horticultural world. There were representatives present of The Reigate Board of Guardians and Rural District Council, of which the deceased was a member, the Merstham Parish Council, the National Chrysanthemum Society, Redhill Reigate and District Gardeners’Mutual Improvement Society, the Reigate Borough Horticultural Society, and the Reigate Borough Chrysanthemum Society. It is a long time since so many horticulturists were brought together to do honour to the memory of one of their members, and it was pleasing to see a number of Mr Wells’ competitors in business at the graveside. Local gardeners were present in large numbers, and Mr WP Bound received many letters from other gardeners expressing regret that owing to indisposition and other causes they were unable to be present.

The mourners:

The service was simple but impressive and was conducted by the Rev W. London (vicar of South Merstham). 

The mourners were: 

1. Mrs W. Wells (widow);
2. Mr and Mrs W. Wells (son and daughter-in-law); (William Wells (jnr II), and Clara, whose son, Ben, was 11 in 1911, so must have been 16 now, and at some risk of being called-up – or possibly had been already. Note the only reference to The Great War (1914 -18) in the obituary and report is to The Kaiser being a ‘War Lord’ – pba.16.2.2010);
3. Mr and Mrs H. Wells (son and daughter-in-law); (Harold Wells and and Hetty, whose daughter Kathleen was age 1 in the 1911 census [above]);
4. Mr and Mrs WH Westlake (son-in-law and daughter); (my [great]’Aunty Kit’and her husband [whom I never met]William, parents of Guy);
5. Mr and Mrs W. Morgan (son-in-law and daughter); (my [great]’Aunty May’and her husband [whom I never met]’Uncle Billy’, parents of Owen and Gwenda);
6. Mrs Penfold (daughter); (Rosa Wells.Penfold, my ‘Gran’[mother of Vincent and Gwen] - so my ‘Grandad’, Frank Penfold wasn’t able to go – pba.13.2.2010);
7. Mrs H. Barnes (stepdaughter); (pba 13.2.2010: This is Mabel R. Manwaring, who was age 24 in 1901, so is 39 now, the daughter of Rose Lewry.Manwaring.Wells. So she had married by 1916, and in view of the floral tribute text: “With love and kindest remembrance from Mabel, Harry and Peter”, it seems that her husband is Harry and they have a son, Peter”; 

So (summary so far): of the 2 sons and 5 daughters and one step-daughter, only Carrie (in S.Africa) and Janie (at Holden Clough, Lancs) were not able to be there;

1. Mr James Wells (brother);
2. Mr George Wells (brother);
3. Mr John Wells (brother);
4. Mrs and Mr S. Shaw (sister and brother-in-law); (this must be William Wells’s sister Jane [who according to Gwen Penfold.Archer, married ‘Sim Shaw’, and had children: Cyril, Harold, Eva) – see 1851 census);
5. Mrs and Mr F. King (sister and brother-in-law); (this must be Sarah, the youngest of William Wells’s siblings, who [according to Gwen Penfold.Archer] married Fred King, and lived ‘Lewisham way’, and had no children – pba.16.2.2010);
   So, summary, three brothers and two sisters and one sister-in-law were able to be there;
6. Miss C. Hamilton (sister-in-law); (could be Caroline Hamilton who was 10 at Myrtle Street West, Croydon, in the 1871 census, sister of Mary Ann Hamilton, and who thus would have been 55 in 1916, and thus who, perhaps, did not marry – no particular  question depends on this – pba.13.2.2010);
7. Mrs G Webb (niece); (not sure who this is, as no ‘Webb’ name in the family is yet known to me, I think – pba.16.2.2010);
8. Miss Kathleen Wells; (daughter of Harold and Hetty Wells);
9. Mr Ben Wells (son of William Wells [jnr II] and Clara) and and Mr Guy Westlake (son of Mr and Mrs WH Westlake), (grandchildren); and 
10. Nurse Hunter;
    Others present included:
11. Messrs H Stevens;
12. JS Peters and S Joyce (members of the Reigate Board of Guardians);
13. GA Reed (Master of the Guardians’ Institution, Redhill);
14. JH Marsh (Relieving Officer);
15. AJ Furnival (sanitary inspector, Reigate Rural District); 
16. RS Nicol (member of the Merstham  Parish Council); and 
17. T. Langridge (clerk of the Merstham Parish Council);
18. Mrs Peter Stephens, Messrs AJ Slogrove, F.Francis, T. Tucker, J. Jinks, C.Ison, T.Bacon Philips, EH Gillham, J.Cowen, GW Pook, W. Carter, CD Outen, etc;
19. The National Chrysanthemum Society were represented by Messrs Thomas Bevan (Chairman of Committee), RA Witty (secretary), FF Hawes (Vice Chairman), DB Crane  (Chairman of the Floral Committee), HJ Jones and Norman Davies (Chrysanthemum specialists), R Ballantine, George Prickett, D Ingamells, RB Leech, and Thomas Stevenson. 
20. There were also present Messrs EG Quick (Editor of “The Garden”), RF Felton (Court Florists, Hannover Square) and WE Wallace (noted Carnation specialist, Eaton Bray). 
21. Other bodies were represented as follows:
    a) Redhill, Reigate and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association, Messrs WP Bound (Chairman), J Collier (Vice-Chairman), and W Kemp (Hon. Secretary);
    b) Reigate Borough Horticultural Society: Messrs J Mead (Chairman) and F Phillips (Hon Secretary);
    c) Reigate Chrysanthemum Society: Mr F Cordell (Hon Secretary). 
22. The following head gardeners who belong to the above societies were also present among others: Messrs W Rose (Frenches), JW Barks (The Castle, Blechingley),  J Duncan (Merstham House),  (–) Sargant (Rockshaw), J Weekes (Godstone Court), G White (High Beeches), WA Dobson (Stone House), L Hancock (Librarian to Gardener’s Mutual), AR Bashford, W Cooper – Kent, F Lane  (Shermanbury), C Washington, W Prouting (Reigate Priory), P Sherlock, W Scutt, J Whiting and E Walker.
23. Mr K Luxford and the employees of Messrs  Wells & Co were also present.

The Floral Tributes:

The floral tributes were lovely, many of them being choice specimens of the florist’s art. Rarely has such a large or magnificent collection of flowers been seen in the district. The complete list is appended: 

1. “From his loving and sorrowing wife – ‘Perfect Peace’”;
2. “In loving memory from Will, Clara and Ben”; (pba: this is his eldest son William, and his family);
3. “Father, Harold and Hetty”;  (this is his second son, Harold, who was the youngest of his children, since his child, Frank, with his 2^nd wife died in 1912, and his family);
4. “With fond love from Kate, Will and Guy”; (pba: this is his 2^nd daughter, my ‘Aunty Kit’, and her husband William Westlake, and son Guy);
5. “In loving remembrance and deep sorrow from his daughter Janie, and all at HC”; (pba: this is his eldest child, Jane, named after his mother Jane Nightingale, who lived at Holden Clough (hence ‘HC’), Bolton-by-Bowland, Lancs, and was married to Arthur Milne-Redhead, who had been her patient in her nursing days);
6. “With fond love from Carrie, Charles and Lorna (Pietermaritzburg)”; (pba: these are his daughter Caroline and husband and daughter Lorna (who was to die in a level-crossing accident just before she married), who, the parents, had emigrated to S.Africa a few years before);
7. “With love to dear father, from May and Billy”; (pba: this is his daughter Mary/May, who had married William Morgan and lived in Petworth);
8. “With fondest love from Rose, Frank and kiddies”; (pba: this is my grandmother, his daughter Rose, and her husband Frank Penfold, and ‘the kiddies’ are their son Vincent and daughter (my mother) Gwen. Their second son, Raymond, was not born until 1922);
9. “With love and kindest remembrance from Mabel, Harry and Peter”; (pba: this is his step-daughter Mabel and, presumably, her busband and son);
10. “In loving memory and deep regret from Jim and Pen (Pem?)”;
11. “In loving memory from John and Rose”;
12. “To dear William in loving memory from Sarah and Fred”;
13. “Dear Grandad from little Kathleen and Willy”;
14. “With deepest sympathy and great respect for a good master from K Luxford and the employees at The Nursery”;
15. “With deepest sympathy from the members of The National Chrysanthemum Society”;
16. “With deepest sympathy and regret for the loss of a most valued member from The Committee of the Reigate Borough Horticultural Society”;
17. “As a last tribute to one whom we all respected and with deepest sympathy from the committee and members of the Reigate, Redhill and District Improvement Association – his loss will be keenly felt by all horiculturists”;
18. “With deepest sympathy from Mr and Mrs T Langridge and family”;
19. “Mrs Andrew Walker  with sincere sympathy”;
20. “With loving sympathy and in memory of a beautiful life, LS”;
21. “With sincere sympathy and regret. Mr and Mrs Rose, The Frenches”;
22. “With deepest sympathy from Mr and Mrs Sargent (Rockshaw)”;
23. “With deepest sympathy, Norman Davies”;
24. “Mr and Mrs Duncan in loving memory”;
25. “With deepest sympathy – Mr and Mrs Alman(Orman?)”;
26. “With sincere sympathy from Mr and Mrs FH Thompson (Hazleton)”;
27. “Peace Perfect Peace, MA”;
28. “With deepest regret – Mrs George Beckwith”;
29. “With sincere sympathy – Frank Ladds”;
30. “With heartfelt sympathy and deepest condolence – Mr and Mrs Charles H Totty (New Jersey, USA)”;
31. “With deepest sympathy and remembrances from T Stevenson”;
32. “With deepest sympathy from J. Collier (Gatton)”;
33. “With sincere sympathy from Mr and Mrs WP Bound and George”;
34. “With deepest sympathy from Mr Wicking and family”;
35. “In loving memory of a dear friend, from Mr and Mrs Blackwood and family”;
36. “With sincere sympathy, Dr  and Mrs WM Baker”;
37. “In remembrance with deep regret, from Mr and Mrs WA Dobson”;
38. “From Nurse”;
39. “With deepest sympathy from Mr and Mrs Jeal”;
40. “Mr and Mrs Pook, Mr and Mrs Carter”;
41. “With sincere sympathy C Engelmann”;

The funeral arrangements were satisfactorily carried out by Messrs G Comber & Son, Hatchlands Road, Redhill. Public tributes: at the meeting of the Reigate Board of Guardians on Wednesday, the chairman, Mr (looks like) Walsh Wrightson CMG, CC made a sympathetic reference to the death of the late Mr Wells. In  proposing a sincere vote of condolence with the members of the family, he said he was sure the members of the Board deeply regretted the absence of Mr Wells from that building (here, here). They would miss his very genial presence, his sound common sense, his integrity and his kindness of heart, which, he thought, was proverbial. He was one of those (of) whom it might be emphatically said, he tried to do his best to leave the world somewhat better than he found it. He had always shown a desire to improve the conditions under which the people in that building dwelt, and every effort made in that direction received his hearty support. While in Canada he visited the children who had gone out from that institution and presented a valuable report, which was remembered and appreciated by the Board. He proposed that the Guardians desired to place on record that an expression of their regret at the loss they had sustained by the death of their valued colleague, Mr William Wells, and their sincere sympathy with his widow and family in their bereavement. 

Mr Joyce seconded, remarking, that Merstham had lost a good representative and he had lost a good colleague. 

The motion was carried, the members rising in their seats as a mark of respect. 

At the meeting of the Reigate Rural District Council, held later in the day, the chairman (Mr BW Parsons) also made a sympathetic reference to the loss the council had sustained in the death of Mr Wells. (ends.pba.16.2.2010).

Dates of entry of data: 

26.11.06; 27.11.06; 28.11.06; 15.12.06; 27.1.07; 28.1.07;

Continue updating from Family register to CV. Ditto from 1901 census to CV. 

Worth:

Re (*) above: What does the writer of the obituary mean? Worth was a village. Does he/she mean Worth House/stately home etc?  Perhaps the meaning was clear at the time. A quick Google search suggests it may have meant “Worth Abbey” – see text pasted here: 

Worth has now almost been swallowed up by the surrounding town of Crawley. It’s famous for Worth Abbey, which is a combination of Roman Catholic monastery and public school. The house itself was built in the 19th century by Robert Whitehead, the industrialist and inventor of the torpedo and converted to its current use later.

(which comes from the text accompanying a photograph and text, saved as: ‘where. Wm. Wells.came.from?’ or something like that)pba.12.2.2010.

Will of William Wells:

1. (21.6.2010): The following is not a transcription of the will. Such is not needed as I will provide, as an exhibit to this cv, a scanned copy of the will;
2. There is a covering letter (doubtless it has an official name that I do not know), that announces the death in “Be it known” terms, and which states that “William Wells of Merstham in the County of Surrey died on 28^th February 1916 at Merstham aforesaid” and that “on (can’t read the month very well as it is very faint) 4^th March 1916, the last will and testament of the deceased was proved and registered in the Principal Probate Registry of His Majesty’s High Court of Justice… etc etc, and that administration of the estate was given to Rose Wells, widow, the relict, and Harold Wells, nurseryman, son, both of Merstham aforesaid,  and James Wells of the Asylum Farm, Earlswood in the County of Surrey, farm bailiff, brother of (the) deceased, the executors, named in the will”;
3. And at the bottom of the above letter (item 2 above) it states: “Gross value of Estate: £2759.4.11; Net value of Personal Estate: £2191.5.1”; (Note “4.11” means four shillings and eleven pence, which, in pounds, is: £4/20 + £11/240 = £0.2 + £0.0458 = £0.25 = 25 pence);
4. The following is a simple listing of the provisions of the will, as an aid to understanding it, and with, perhaps, here and there, a comment from me about the provisions;
5. The will of William Wells of Merstham in the county of Surrey, Chrysanthemum Specialist;
6. Trustees and executors for the will: a) my wife; b) my son Harold; c) my brother James of the Asylum Farm, Earlswood;
7. The furniture and household effects already belong to my wife; (pba comments: (i) no explanation of “the” household effects; (ii)  No reference to any household or address in the will, as William  Wells is described simply as “of Merstham” in the county of Surrey. Not even “The Nurseries, Merstham”, as is used elsewhere, is mentioned. (iii) Nor is there any reference to ownership and value of a house, as such, so, I assume, the house and home was not owned by the Wells’, but was rented or leased, and this idea is somewhat supported by the fact that the gross value of the will was only £2759.4.11, whereas, for example, James Archer left (in 1925): “Effects: £59,530,5s, 4d”; (iv) Perhaps one of the main differences was precisely that James Archer definitively did not have any children, whereas William Wells had eight, and two wives;
8. (continuing the same clause which has already said that the furniture and household effects already belong to his wife, he adds): “(so) I do not bequeath them to her by this my will”;
9. And as I have already, during my lifetime, handed over to my son William Wells the business carried on my me, other than that relating to Chrysanthemums and Carnations, I do not give him any other benefit by this my will;
10. I give, devise and bequeath everything I am possessed of at my death, to my trustees, on trust, to pay to my son Harold the income arising, so long as my son Harold shall: a) pay to my wife, during her life, the sum of four pounds per week; and b) continue to pay the yearly payments that I am under liability to pay under an agreement made 14^th July 1909, between a) William Wells & Co Ltd; b) William Wells, senior; c) Robert Warner; and d) Margaret Ann Etherington and Robert Warner;
11. I declare that I give this income to my son (Harold) subject also to the payment by him, when the debts hereinbefore referred-to (pba: but there are none yet mentioned, unless he means the agreement with Robert Warner et al) shall have been paid, of the sum of fifty pounds each to such of my daughters and Mabel my wife’s daughter, as shall be alive at my death, such legacies to be paid at the rate of at least £100 per year;
12. And so long as my son (Harold, presumably) shall make the above payments, he shall be allowed to manage my said business [pba: (i) meaning presumably, or perhaps, that part of the total business William Wells had had, which (part) had not been handed-over to Harold’s brother William, ie the business relating to Chrysanthemums and Carnations; or (ii) possibly meaning that Harold was already managing the part that was handed-over to William Wells (junior), and he could continue to manage that part; not sure which  meaning applies;] without any interference from the trustees;
13. But should my son (Harold presumably) die at any time before the said business shall become his property as hereinbefore directed, (pba: but there is nothing above which makes the business Harold’s property. Harold only gets income from the proceeds of the estate and then has to pay a) his step-mother and b) in accordance with the agreement, and c) his sisters/step-sister; and so long as he meets the requirement to make these payments he can ‘manage the business’, but it does not say that that in any way causes the business to become his property; so, this provision is not understood), or should he not make the payments to my said wife nor pay the debts as hereinbefore directed ……. (see next item);
14. (Continuing)…..(then) I direct my trustees: either a) to carry on the said business or b) to sell the same, as they deem desirable, and invest the proceeds of such sale in some trustee investment; and then (from the profits of the business or from the income from such investment), c) to pay to my wife during her life the sum of £4 (four pounds) per week, and d) make the other payments and legacies above-mentioned to be made by my son Harold; and e) on the death of my wife and the payment of the relevant debts and legacies, the business and the whole of my property shall become the  property of my son Harold if he is then still alive;
15. (Continuing): But if (i) he shall die a) after my death, but b) before all the payments above-directed shall have been made; or (ii) if my trustees should have been compelled to manage or sell the business as hereinbefore provided, before the death of my said son (Harold presumably), then, I direct my trustees, after the death of my said wife to sell the said business and any other property of mine, and invest the proceeds in some security with power to postpone such sale and pay the income arising therefrom to the widow of my said son Harold during her life; and
16. On her (Harold’s widow) death, to divide my estate equally between the children of my said son Harold, as and when they attain the age of twenty-one years;
17. I wish my said wife to be allowed to take such part in my said business as she has heretofore been accustomed to do;
18. In witness whereof etc etc …set my hand this 31^st day of January 1914 … to this and the preceding sheet of paper. Witnesses: EH Gilham, Bank Chambers, Redhill, Solicitors’ Clerk; Edward J. Weatherburn, 68 Ladbroke Road, Redhill, Surrey, Solicitors’ Clerk.
19. On 4^th April 1916 probate of this will was granted to Rose Wells, Harold Wells and James Wells, the Executors.
20. (pba:29.6.2010): there seem to be inconsistencies in this will which make me wonder about the legal abilities/qualifications of the person who drafted it. Basically it makes clear that Wm Wells divided his business between his sons: Harold took on the Chrysanthemum and Carnation business and William took on the rest of the business and provision was made for Rose Wells, his widow to be paid (reliably) the sum of £4 per week. 

Marriage Certificate: (click here to go to the certificate itself):

Mary Ann Hamilton and William Wells:

1. Marriage solemnized at Christ Church in the Parish of Croydon in the County of Surrey;
2. When married: March 29^th 1869;
3. Name and surname:
   (i) William Wells, and
   (ii) Mary Ann Hamilton;
4. Age:
   (i) full &
   (ii) full;
5. Condition:
   (i) Bachelor &
   (ii) Spinster;
6. Rank or profession:
   (i) Groom &
   (ii) (blank: line drawn);
7. Residence at the time of Marriage:
   (i) ‘Worth.’ (sic) ‘Sussex’ (looks like ‘Supex’ but believe that two of the letters ‘s’ are stylised, so as to be more like letters ‘f’. The place ‘Worth’ is in Kent, close to Sandwich, about 10 miles east of Canterbury, between Ramsgate and Deal. It is approx 50 miles east of Croydon, and (I believe) unlikely to be correct. Much more likely to be ‘Worthing’, in Sussex;
   (ii) ‘Myrtle Street West’ (no indication of remainder of address, so must assume is in Croydon);
8. Father’s Name and Surname:
   (i) William Wells:
   (ii) Charles Hamilton;
9. Rank or Profession of Father:
   (i) Bailiff;
   (ii) Cab Driver;
10. Married in: Christ Church, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church, by (blank not filled-in) or after Banns by me, Oct.13.Byers. Incumbent;
11. This marriage was solemnized between us: William Wells (&) Mary Ann Hamilton in the presence of us, Alfred Hamilton (&) Elizabeth Evans;
12. Certified to be a true copy.... etc... 27^th March 2007;
13. Things to do arising out of this certificate (7.4.2007):
    (i) Follow up on Mary Ann Hamilton’s background in Croydon. I didn’t know, and neither (I believe) did Gwen, that she came from there;
    (ii) Thus, look up the family in the 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses at Myrtle Street West, Croydon;
    (iii) Look again for Mary Ann Hamilton’s birth (around 1841/2/3) in the Croydon area, and mark the previously-found records in Sussex as not relevant;
    (iii) Perhaps try to follow the family through to 1901 in the 1881 and 1891 and 1901 censuses;(pba.7.4.07.ends).