Sunday 5 August 2018

The Lewis Family - From 1905 to the 1911 Census

This posting will look at Josiah and Ellen Norah Lewis and their children and wider family following the Mayoral year through to the time of the Census in 1911. 

In a long article, featured in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser on 15 November 1905 [1]  relating to the Statutory Meeting at noon on 9 November 1905 of the Taunton Town Council, which Josiah chairs, the first item of business was to elect a new Mayor. Mr John Giles Vile is nominated by Josiah and seconded by a Councillor A. Villar, and the resolution was unanimously passed. On retiring as Mayor, Josiah is immediately nominated as Deputy Mayor of Taunton by the new Mayor at the same meeting. Below is a snip of the article relating to Josiah.


Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Following his year as Deputy Mayor, Josiah retires as a Member of the Taunton Municipal Council to then go on to be returned as the North Ward's member unopposed. This article was in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser on 31 October 1906 [2]


Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


On 7 March 1907, their daughter, Winifred Elva, marries Herbert George Spiller, son of Mr and Mrs George Spiller, at Silver Street Baptist Church. Reverend J.P. Tetley officiated the wedding and there was a detailed article in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser on the 13 March 1907
[3] on their marriage. 
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


In November 1907, at the direction of the Lord Chancellor, Josiah was commissioned as a Magistrate for the Borough. One article was in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser on 13 November 1907 [4].


Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A second article was in the West Somerset Press on 16 November 1907 [5].


Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

As a result of being elevated to the Aldermanic Bench, he was stood down from being a member of Taunton Municipal Council and a by-election was called. One of the men seeking election was Mr George Spiller, Father in Law to his daughter Winifred Elva. This article was in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser on 20 November 1907 [6].


Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

George Spiller was ultimately elected as a North Ward member of Taunton Municipal Council according to an article in the Western Daily Press on 27 November 1907 [7].


Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In 1910, we see that Herbert George, Solicitor, and his wife Winifred Elva, appear on the Western Australia Electoral Rolls in the District of Fremantle, living on Suburban Road 
[8].

On the 1911 Census [9], Josiah and Ellen Norah are still living at 1 The Crescent. Both of their ages is given as 65 years. The form has been completed to indicate that they have been married for 40 complete years at the time of the census being taken and of 9 children born alive, 7 are still living and 2 have died. Josiah's occupation is given as Tailor and that he is an employer. Also listed living with them are the following children:
  • Elsie Gertrude Lewis, Daughter, 28 years, single, no occupation given.
  • Harold Martin Lewis, Son, 26 years, single, occupation of Tailor and an employer.
Also listed is a niece, transcribed as Norah Winifred Widsfield, aged 15 and at school. The family also have a servant called Edith Chidgey from Lillesdon, North Curry, who is 20 years and single. 

Their other children are all listed on the 1911 census in various parts of England. 

Ellen Norah, aged 39 years, is living with her husband Alfred Samuel Tetley, aged 42 years, and their 3 children, Ethel Norah Tetley, 10 years, John Lewis Tetley, 6 years, and Elizabeth Gertrude Tetley, 2 years, at 22 Avenue Road, Scarborough, Yorkshire on the 1911 Census [10]. Alfred is a Secondary School Headmaster. They indicate that they have been married for 15 completed years and have 3 children, all alive. They have 2 servants - Kate Featherstone, 25 years from near Hutton Buscot, Yorkshire, who is a Nurse and Rachel Watkinson, 19 years from Filey, Yorkshire, who is a Domestic Servant General

Annie Louisa is on the 1911 census [11] as a Teacher of Swedist Gymnastic at Nordrach, Blagdon near Bristol. She is 36 years and single. Her relation to the head on this census, James Palmer, a Head Steward in Sanatorium, is as a Patient. 

Edith Mary, aged 35 years, is living with her husband Horace White Goodman, aged 41 years, at Haines Hill in Taunton on the 1911 census [12]. They have been married for 10 completed years. Horace's occupation is given as Auctioneer and an employer. No children are listed on the census and none are listed in the born alive to present marriage. 

Fanny Elizabeth is on the 1911 census [13] living at Greenway House, Greenway Road in Rowbarton,  Taunton with her husband Frederick William Penny, a Builders Merchant and employer. They are both aged 33 years. They have completed 9 years of marriage and have detailed that they have had 4 children born alive but that one has died. The other children, 3 sons, are listed - Leslie T L Penny, 8 years, Richard H Penny, 7 years and Stephen John Penny, 7 months. 2 servants are also living with them - Nellie Mortimer Bennett, aged 23, single and a general servant (domestic) from Chagford in Devon and Winifred Clara Bowbyer, 29 years, single and a housemaid from North Curry in Somerset. 

Winifred Elva and her husband Herbert George Spiller, a Solicitor, are both aged 30 years on the 1911 Census [14]. They declare that they have been married for 4 completed years and have had 2 children born alive although one has died. They live at 11 Belvedere Road in Taunton with their 1 year old daughter, Elizabeth Lewis Spiller, who was born in Perth, Western Australia, and a domestic servant, Annie Channings, who is 20 years old and from Hatch Beauchamp. 

The next update with cover the later years of Josiah and Ellen Norah and their children.

[1] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, Wednesday 15 November 1905 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[2] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, Wednesday 31 October 1906 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[3] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, Wednesday 13 March 1907 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[4] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, Wednesday 13 November 1907 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[5] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, West Somerset Free Press, Saturday 16 November 1907 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[6] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser, Wednesday 20 November 1907 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[7] Britishnewspaperarchvie.co.uk, Western Daily Press, Wednesday 27 November 1907 - Image (c) The British Library Board - All Rights Reserved. 
[8] Ancestry.com, Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980
[9] Ancestry.com, 1911 England Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 14241; Schedule Number: 181
[10] Ancestry.com, 1911 England Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 28945
[11] Ancestry.com, 1911 England Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 14633; Schedule Number: 7
[12] Ancestry.com, 1911 England Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 14242; Schedule Number: 266
[13] Ancestry.com, 1911 England Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 14239; Schedule Number: 53
[14] Ancestry.com, 1911 England Census, Class: RG14; Piece: 14238; Schedule Number: 159