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DEBTS & DEATHS:
William Robert Windeatt, (1863-1902)

THIS PAGE:  [Tree ][About William][Parents & Early Life] [Wife & Children] [Bad Times] [Descendants]

Family Tree - scroll on down for greater detail!

       More
         |_________________________________________ 2 step-brothers and 1 step-sister
         |
 Wm R WINDEATT =1890 Harriett Ellen MANVILLE  (who married twice more)
                    |
         ___________|_________________________________________________________
         |                                |                 |                |
Stanley William Robert(1890-1940)    Albert Edward   Phillippa May    Nellie Laura 
         |                          (1892-1939)dsp  (1898-1900)dsp  (1900-1901)dsp
 2 daughters & 1 son
         |
    L(eft descendants)

William Robert WINDEATT 1863-1902

William Robert WINDEATT's mother died of TB just six months  after he was born.  Then, when he was two years old,  an  infant step-brother was born but died eleven months later.  William then grew up with his stepmother and step-sister but had probably left home by the time his only step-brother was born in 1879.

We don't know how he got on with the step-family but he didn't follow his father into the Plymouth Marines.  Instead by 1881 he was working as a hawker with the SMITH  family near Barnstaple in North Devon.  SMITH is a Romany name.  Could they have been travellers I wonder?

In 1887 he was present at the death of his alcoholic father in Plymouth and only a few months later he was a witness at his step-sister's hasty marriage (was it a 'shotgun wedding'?) .

 Let's hope he had a few happy years to come  when in 1890 he married a London girl, Hariett Ellen MANVILLE (probably known as Nellie) in the pretty little village of Ivybridge, South Devon and there they had two sons.   He must have set himself up in his own business as an oil salesman because in 1896 he went bankrupt (the only member of the Horrabridge family that was rich enough to go bankrupt).

Things went down hill from then on.  In 1898 he  had a daughter whom he named Phillippa after the mother he never knew.  Tragically she also died of TB only two years later.

The family  moved to Deptford, reputedly the "most deprived area of London" c. 1899 where they had another daughter who died three months later.  William Robert himself followed her to the grave only one year after that.  He was only 39.  He had died of Phthisis (TB) the same as his mother and daughter. His widow, however, according to oral family history, "married three husbands and went on to outlive them all".

1863- 1890, Parents and Early Life

His father, also William Robert, was in the Royal Marines and died of Alcholism at only 47.  His mother, Philippa née BOWDEN, died when he was only six months old.

1863 Birth to William Robert WINDEATT,senior and Philippa née BOWDEN

Birth in the Sub-district of East Stonehouse in the County of Devon

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Name and Surname of Father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
21 March 1863 39 Adelaide Street William Robert Boy William Robert  WINDEATT Phillippa WINDEATT formerly BOWDEN Serjeant Royal Marines

X The mark of
Phillippa WINDEATT
Mother
39 Adelaide Street
East Stonehouse

 27th April 1863

1863 His mother dies of TB

Death in the Sub-district of East Stonehouse in the County of Devon

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
31st October 1863
39 Adelaide Street		 Philippa  WINDEATT Female 27 years Wife of William Robert WINDEATT,
Serjeant Marines		 Phthisis Pulmonalis Certified W.R. WINDEATT
present at the Death
39 Adelaide Street
 East Stonehouse		 5th November 1863

1871 Infancy

Census taken 2nd April, Crown Copyright ©

Here he is living with his step-mother and step-sister at 30 Admiralty St., East Stonehouse  sharing with 6 other households (24 other people) [RG11/2204/65/63]]
Name Relationship Mar Age Birthplace Occupation ?DOB
Elizabeth WINDEATT Wife M 27 Bishopton, Devon Marines Wife 1838
William R WINDEATT Son   6 Stonehouse, Devonl Scholar 1856
Beatrice WINDEATT Daur   1 Stonehouse, Devon   1834

We don't know where his father was at the time.

1881 Off into the wide world

Census taken 3rd April, Crown Copyright ©

What induced him to leave the vicinity of East Stonehouse where he had grown up and to take up such a strange occupation in such a strange location.  Did he not get on with his step-mother?  Had  his father's alcoholism started to take its toll? He is the only member of the Horrabridge tree that is found at any time in North Devon.  They moved around a lot but this location is unusual in this family, as is the occupation.    Here is is living at "Cott", Burrington, Devon. with the SMITH family who are, as far as I am aware, unrelated. 

 Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
James SMITH  Head  M   Male   64   Barnstaple, Devon Hawker
Mary A. M. SMITH  Wife  M   Female  47   Chittlehampton, Devon  
Cecilia LOCK  Step Daur  U  Female   13   Chittlehampton, Devon  
Sarah Ann LOCK   Step Daur    Female   11    Chittlehampton, Devon  
Abel HODGES   Serv  U  Male   22  Ledbury, Hereford Hawker
William WINDEATT   Serv U  Male   18  Stonehouse Devon, Hawker

1890-1995, The Good Years: Wife, Children & New Job

In 1890 he married in Ivybridge and, unlike his own father, in a church.

Here is a contemporary photo of the village: Link

1890 He marries Harriett Ellen MANVELL (1863-?)

Marriage solemnized at St. John's Church in the Parish of Ivy Bridge County of Devon

READ FIRST
Date Name & Surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of Marriage Father's Name and Forename Rank or profession of Father Witnesses
12/1/1890 William Robert WINDEATT full Bachelor Hawker Ivy Bridge William R. WINDEATT Pensioner R.M.L.I. William Henry PERKINS

Edith Louise PERKINS

Alfred TURNER
Harriett Ellen MANVELL full Spinster - Ivy Bridge Mark MANVELL Tailor

All signed.  However, Harriett's surname is spelled so differently on various documents that one must suspect that she wasn't too good at reading and writing.  She was probably born in the June quarter of 1863 [GRO REF: Wandsworth 1d 493].  We don't know a lot about her but what I have found out is now on a separate page:

1890 First Son Stanley William Robert WINDEATT

In the autumn they had their first son:

Birth in the Sub-district of Yealmpton in the County of Devon

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Name and Surname of Father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
2nd October 1890
2 Highland Street, Ivybridge, Ermington U.S.D. Street		 Stanley William Robert Boy William Robert  WINDEATT Harriet Ellen  WINDEATT formerly MANDEVILLE Oilman

Harriet Ellen  WINDEATT
Mother
2 Highland Street, Ivybridge, Ermington

 29th October 1890

and here they all are living in the pleasant little town of Ivybridge in a house to themselves (although there was another family living in "the back") and with a couple of boarders to help out with the family income.

1891 Census taken 5th April, Crown Copyright ©

Living at no 2 Highland Street, Ivybridge [RG12/1721/66/35
 Name  Relation Marital Status Age Occupation Employment Where Born
William R WINDEATT  Head M 28 Oil Salesman Employee Devon  Stonehouse
Harriett WINDEATT  Wife M 27      London, Streatham
Stanley W. R. WINDEATT  Son  S 4 m     Devon Ivybridge
William PILLAGE Boarder S 24 Storeman Employee Devon Holbeton
Thomas COLLIER Boarder S 21 Gardener Employee Devon, Plymouth

1892 Second son Albert Edward WINDEATT

Birth in the Sub-district of Yealmpton in the County of Devon

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Name and Surname of Father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
17th May 1892
2 Highland Street, Ivybridge, Ermington U.S.D. Street		 Albert Edwardt Boy William Robert  WINDEATT Harriet Ellen  WINDEATT formerly MANVELL Oilman

Harriet Ellen  WINDEATT
Mother
2 Highland Street, Ivybridge, Ermington

 15th June  1892

 

1895-1901 Life goes rapidly downhill

1896 Bankruptcy

Things began to go wrong for William Robert, Junior, in the mid 1890s.  His attempt to set himself up in business obviously went badly wrong because he was listed as Bankrupt in the Times of 19 September 1896 (Page 9 col e).  They then left Ivybridge after this and went back to Plymouth because their next child, a daughter, was born there in George St.  In 1891 his step-mother and step-brother were also living in George St. and they were possibly staying with or near them;

1898 Back to Plymouth and a new daughter

Birth in the Sub-district of East Stonehouse in the County of Devon

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Name and Surname of Father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
8th May 1898
13 George Street, U.D.		 Philippa May Girl William Robert  WINDEATT Harriet Ellen  WINDEATT formerly MANVILLE Wagoner

H. E. WINDEATT
Mother
13 George Street,
East Stonehouse

 10th June 1898

Phillippa was called after his mother who died with TB a few months after he was born.  Tragically baby Phillippa too died when she was only 2 years old.

1900 A move to London and the death of his daughter

At some time between Phillippa's birth and death, the family moved to London.  Perhaps William Robert was also suffering from TB and the family moved so that Harriet Ellen could stay with her father and get some support for what was obviously going to be a hard time.  The family were living in Adolphus street which according to Booth was classified as pink (comfortable) in 1899.

Death in the Sub-district of Deptford Central in the County of London

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
11th September 1900
22 Adolphus  Street		 Philippa May  WINDEATT Female 2 years Daughter  of William Robert WINDEATT,
A Tea Blender		 Tubercular Meningitis
Certified by H.A. VERNON, LSA		 W.R. WINDEATT, father
present at the death
22 Adolphus  Street		 12th September 1900

1900 Birth and death of his second daughter

On the same day that he registered the death of Phillippa, he also registered the birth of a second daughter, Nellie Laura.

Birth in the Sub-district of Deptford Central in the County of London

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Name and Surname of Father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
27th August
1900  22 Adolphus  Street		 Nellie Laura Girl William Robert  WINDEATT Harriet Ellen  WINDEATT formerly MANVILLE Teablender

W.R. WINDEATT
father
22 Adolphus  Street

 12th September 1900

But she was to live an even shorter life and died three months later of Gastro-Enteritis.

Death in the Sub-district of Deptford Central in the County of London

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
16th December 1900
22 Adolphus  Street		 Nellie Laura  WINDEATT Female 3 months Daughter  of William Robert WINDEATT,
A General Laborer		 Gastro-Enteritis
Certified by E.P.DANIELL MRCS		 H. E. WINDEATT
Mother
 
present at the death
22 Adolphus  Street		 17th December 1900

1901 Hospitalisation

In the census Harriett Ellen is living with her father and the two boys at 22 Adolphus Street while William Robert is in the Chelsea Consumption Hospital where, like his mother and daughter before him, he is dying of TB.

1901 Census taken 31st March, Crown Copyright ©

In the Hospital For Consumption & Diseases Of The Chest South Wing, Fulham Road, Chelsea Hospital  [RG13/76/39/2/19]
 Name  Relation Marital Status Age Occupation Employment Where Born
 . . .            
Wm Robert WINDEATT  Patient M 38 Tea Blender or Grocer Worker Plymouth, Devon
. . . 192 Others            

1901 Census taken 31st March, Crown Copyright ©

Living at 22 Adolphus Street, ISt. Paul's, Deptford. London  [RG13/76/54/363]
 Name  Relation Marital Status Age Occupation Employment Where Born
Mark MANVELL Head Widr 60 Railway Attendant   Sussex, Horsham
Harriett WINDEATT  Dau M 37      London, Streatham
Stanley WINDEATT  Grandson  S 10     Devon Ivybridge
Albert WINDEATT Grandson S 8   Employee Devon Holbeton
James F. BLUNDELL Boarder S 23 ?Coal Porter   Kent, Walstead
Ada J. BRAY Visitor M 33     London, Deptford

1902 And finally

Death in the Sub-district of Deptford Central in the County of London

READ FIRST
When & Where Name Sex Age Occupation Cause of Death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
26th May 1902
22 Adolphus  Street		 William Robert   WINDEATT Maile 39 years A Tea Blender Phthisis
Certified by A.J.DRAKE, M.B.		 H. E. WINDEATT
Widow of Deceased
Presnet at the death
22 Adolphus  Street		 26th May 1902

Verbal information received is that Harriet Ellen (possibly called Nellie) married three times and 'outlived them all'.  I have written up what more I have been able to find out about her on a separate page:

1902-2002 Descendants

There are living descendants of William Robert WINDEATT, junior and Harriet Ellen (née MANVELL, later ANGUS and later GOLDING). Please make contact via the Message Board if you would like to request or contribute any information about descendants.

Last updated January 2009.