Linking Elizabeth Windebank (b1849) to Jeremiah Windebank (b1782)
Another MyRoots contact, Rona, descended from Jeremiah Windebank via his son William, b1820, wasn't aware that Jeremiah had another son, David, from whom my descent comes. So had I made the right connections? I thought I'd check back what I'd found so far to see.
My great-grandmother Susan Hill was born in Southwark in 1875. Her marriage certificate (Camberwell, 1900) names her father as John Hill, Labourer. The 1881 census for 94 Blue Anchor Lane, Bermondsey, shows a John Hill , 40, born in Elstead, Sussex, a labourer bricklayer, with wife Elizabeth, 41, born in Charvey, Berks, daughters Susan, 5, and Mary, 2, both born in Bermondsey. Caroline Windebank, born in Reading, is a visitor described as 'sister-in-law', suggesting that Elizabeth's maiden name was Windebank.
The 1891 census for 25 Bowles Rd Camberwell, shows a John Hill (53, born Halsted, Sussex) with wife Elizabeth (born 'Churvey the Slough', Berks, aged 40) and daughter Susan Caroline, aged 16, born in Bermondsey, and other children George, Charlotte Sarah, William and John. Charlotte witnessed her sister's marriage. I have assumed that 'Churvey' is Upton-cum-Chalvey , near Slough, Bucks.
Susan Caroline's birth certificate confirms her father as John Hill, General Labourer, and mother as Elizabeth formerly Windebank.
I have a marriage certificate for Elizabeth Sarah Windebank and John Hill in May 1869, in St Thomas, Lambeth. The bride is 'under age' at the time of their marriage, and the marriage is witnessed by a David Windebank and Elizabeth Windebank, who I assume to be her parents, giving consent. Being underage, she would have been born in 1849 or later. Bride and groom give their address as 11 Pave Court, Lambeth. Elizabeth's father is named as David Windebank, Farrier, on the certificate. I am not entirely sure I have located John and Elizabeth Hill in the 1871 census: there is a couple living in Sunbury (Staines), Middlesex, with son John, aged 7 months. John senior is aged 28, no birthplace given; wife Elizabeth is 22, born in Slough. John junior died in 1872.
A search of the 1851 census for Elizabeth Sarah Windebank, born around 1849 near Slough, father David, a Farrier, draws few really obvious candidates. A bit more investigation reveals a Sarah Windybank, aged 15 months (ie born in the latter half of 1849), birthplace 'Charney, Buckinghamshire'. Her parents are David, 24, a Blacksmith, born in 'Basseltone' and Elizabeth, 25, born in 'Knitesbridge'. They are living in Dorney village, in the Eton, Buckinghamshire, district.
I have a birth certificate for Elizabeth Sarah Windebank for October 1849 in 'Charvey', Buckinghamshire which names her father as David, Farrier & Smith, and mother Elizabeth formerly Topper.
In the 1861 census, Elizabeth Sarah (now called Elizabeth) is shown in the household of her grandparents, Charles and Susan Topper, in Hayes. Aged 11, her birthplace is shown as Chalvey, Buckinghamshire. Her parents David and Elizabeth, are living at 11 Pave Court, Lambeth. David is a 32-year old Farrier & Smith, born in 'Bazelson, Berkshire'. His wife Elizabeth is also 32, born in Lambeth.
David Windebank married Elizabeth Topper in the baptist meeting house in Reading in August 1847. Both are recorded as 'minors', David is a Smith, Elizabeth a servant. David's father is named as Jeremiah Windebank, Labourer, whilst Charles Topper is described as a Waterman. As minors, under 21, the bride and groom are likely to have been born around 1826 or later. The 1861 census suggests birth years of around 1829, making them both 18 at the time of their marriage, whilst the 1851 census indicates births between 1827-1829.
So, can I find David Windebank in the 1841 census, with father Jeremiah or other family members, when he would have been aged between 12 and 14? Well, no, not so far. Nor for that matter can I find him obviously on his own. Can any online parish records help? Being born before civil registration begins makes linking him up difficult. The IGI has a baptism record for a David Windebank in July 1827, in Basilden, Berkshire, father Jeremiah and mother Eleanor. But I haven't checked the parish records myself. I have a death certificate for David Windebank for 1903 .
There are three Jeremiah Windebanks in the 1841 census indexes at FindMyPast: Jeremiah, Publican, aged 55, in Basilden (born in the county), wife (presumably) Eleanor born outside the county. Others in the household may be their children, James, 20; Sarah, 15; Georgiana, 12; Benjamin, 10. The other Jeremiahs are aged 20 (too young) and a 35-year old postman in Petersfield, Hampshire. The 1841 census for Basildon is very difficult to read. A search for a David of around 13 years of age, born in Berkshire and living in Basildon, reveals the following at Ancestry.co.uk : Davis Mindebon Sr aged 13, living in the household of 35-year old Smith Edward Parsons and his family in Basildon. FindMyPast transcribes this David as ???TH. His occupation on the census image could be 'App...' (Apprentice? to the Smith?). Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I can't find David anywhere else at the moment. The reference is HO107/23/4/6/7.
So, I've made quite a lot of connections that may not be there. David's father Jeremiah Windebank is described as a labourer on his marriage certificate of 1849. On the 1841 census, Jeremiah is a publican and by 1851 is a Licensed Victualler. On both censuses his wife is named as Eleanor, matching the IGI baptism record for David, son of Jeremiah and Eleanor. The discrepancy is odd - although perhaps as they married in a Baptist Meeting House, he felt it better to gloss over his father's connections with the licensed trade?
I have found no other connections between David and Jeremiah Windebank, but if you have any further information, do please let me know!