My Ancestors

 

My great-grandfather, Edward Wilson, was born in Winster on 18 Apr 1835, his parents were Joseph Wilson Jnr and Hannah nee Blackwell. They most probably lived in one of the houses that was at one time known as Wilson's Row, today known as 'The Flat'. Joseph & Hannah had eight other children:- 

George 1837-? ; Elizabeth 1838-1924 ; Mary 1840-1843
Hannah 1842-1919 ; Joseph 1843-1881 ;William 1845-1916
James 1848-1848 ; David 1850-1867.

Sometime between the 1841 & 1851 census Joseph & Hannah moved with their family to Cheshire where Edward met & married Margaret Cottrell in 1860. They had 12 children in 15 years, five died at a young age and are all buried in the same grave in the Flaybrick Cemetery in Birkenhead. Sometime in 1886 Edward & Margaret migrated with the rest of their children to New Zealand where they settled in Auckland.

Edward & Margaret Wilson's Family - my grandma Eleanor left back.

Edward's sister, Elizabeth, married Henry Elleray Fell in Birkenhead in 1862, they had earlier migrated to NZ in 1882. Henry was a missionary for the Sailor's Home in Auckland for awhile before the family left to go north to live near Opononi in the Hokianga district. Just before they left the UK, in 1881, Henry & Elizabeth along with some of their children were staying with Elizabeth's cousin, Joseph Blackwell, in a house in Winster with the address of Wood Lane. Three years ago it came to light that Henry had purchased the house  'Mount View' in Winster in 1879 from a Samuel Blackwell. Mount View had earlier been owned by Francis Blackwell the Younger (died 1810) and Francis Blackwell the Elder (died 1780). Samuel was the brother of Joseph's grandfather Richard Blackwell who in turn was the father of Hannah Blackwell who was the mother of Henry Fell's wife, Elizabeth Wilson - whew I think I have that right! In 1884, 2 years after they had arrived in NZ, Henry sold 'Mount View' to one Thomas Hawksworth for £57.10.0d. Henry's attorney at the time was his wife's sister, Hannah Wilson. Hannah married in 1894 & after being widowed in 1907 she also came to NZ & lived out her life with Henry & Elizabeth. At the time Henry owned the house it was known only as 'a dwelling house on Winster Bank', it became 'Mount View' about 1913.

This Land Registry document shows 'Mount View' outlined in red and the row of houses I think might be 'Wilson's Row' (now The Flat) is in blue.

The Flat -  historically known as Wilson's Row.

'Mount View' sits on a triangular plot well back from the road, between East Bank & West Bank, the North-facing part historically referred to as Winster Bank & now officially listed as being in West Bank.

With many thanks to Niki Adlam-Stiles for the photographs, map & information she sent me on 'Mount View'.

Note: Frank Blackwell, the butcher mentioned in the Winster: A Peak District Village Remembers book, was Francis aged 2 in the 1881 census, son of Joseph. Frank is my second cousin twice removed. So far I haven't been able to find a link between Joseph Blackwell's line and the two Francis Blackwell's who earlier owned Mount View.

Note2: In 1998 I received a letter from Val & Ivor Neal with the information that the lady who delivered the Winster mail told them the above row of houses was once known as Wilson's Row. I will forever be grateful for this little snippet of information. I still don't know if any of my Wilson ancestors actually lived in any of the houses so if anyone reading this lives there I would appreciate it if you could let me know if the house ownership papers mentions a Wilson - I'm forever hopeful.