Thomas James Wright born 1851

[DSJ]

I am researching my husband's ancestors and need some help. His grandmother was Edith Emma Hinckley, nee Wright. She was the daughter of George Frederic Wright, builder, who at one time resided at 16, Deans Yard, Westminster. George's older brother was Thomas James Wright (born 1851 in Cowes, IOW) who later became the Clerk of Works at Westminster Abbey. There is a memorial stone to Thomas in the cloisters at the abbey. He died in 1928 after fifty-five years service at there.

I wonder if the reason that the family, Thomas senior (b Friskney, Lincolnshire in 1822, & his two sons (Thomas James & George Frederic) mentioned above came to London from the IOW was perhaps that Thomas senior had worked on the construction of Whippingham Church, the little church where Queen Victoria & her family worshipped when at Osborne House. It's just a thought but I cannot find anything to back up this hunch.

I have census entries for 1851,1861 & 1891 but cannot find others. Any further information whatsoever on these three men would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Rose Maybud]

1881 8, Smith Square, St Margaret And St John The Evangelist Westminster

WRIGHT, Thos James Head Married M 30 1851 Carpenter & Joiner East Cowes Hampshire
WRIGHT, Margt Douglas Wife Married F 29 1852 Lugwardine Herefordshire
WRIGHT, Margt Emma Douglas Daughter Single F 2 1879 Westminster Middlesex
WRIGHT, Thomas Cribb Son Single M 0 1881 Westminster Middlesex
SOUTH, Elizabeth D Sister In Law Single F 16 1865 Dressmaker (Unemployed) Woolhope Herefordshire
SOUTH, William Watson Brother In Law Single M 21 1860 Miller (Unemployed) Ross Herefordshire
SOUTH, William T D Nephew Single M 4 1877 Scholar Alrewas Staffordshire
ELLIOTT, Mary Ann E Servant Single F 15 1866 Domestic Servant Lambeth Surrey
HILLIER, John Francis Lodger Single M 35 1846 Printer Compositor Slackhouse Devon
Looks like Elizabeth was another sister and that the family moved from the Isle of Wight after 1861. The Emma E born in 1857 died in Jun 1861, just before the next child was born in Sep 1861, also Emma Elizabeth. There were quite a few Wright births on the IOW, I guess there may be other siblings.
I'll look further tomorrow, but right now I've gone goggle-eyed having done family history all evening!

[TheOtherHalf]

Im at work at the moment but will try to look further into 1901 and 1911 census when I get home tonight

[Rose Maybud]

1881 Census 16, Deans Yard, The Close Of The Collegiate Church Of St Peter

WRIGHT, Thomas Head Married M 59 1822 Clerk Of Works Westminster Abbey
Friskney Lincolnshire
WRIGHT, Emma Wife Married F 58 1823 West Cowes, Isle of Wight Hampshire
WRIGHT, Emma E Daughter Single F 19 1862 Teacher Of Music West Cowes, Isle of Wight Hampshire
SAUNDERS, Mary J Niece Single F 27 1854 Sandgate Kent

[Rose Maybud]

Thomas Wright married Emma Cribb in Mar 1850 on the I o W.

Thomas J Wright married Margaret Douglas South in Mar 1878 in Cheltenham

[Rose Maybud]

1881 7, North Street, St Margaret And St John The Evangelist Westminster

WRIGHT, George Fredk Head Married M 26 1855 Builder Employing 3 Men & 1 Boy East Cowes Hampshire
WRIGHT, Harriet Wife Married F 33 1848 Rowland Castle Hampshire
WRIGHT, George Henry Son Single M 2 1879 Westminster Middlesex
WRIGHT, Edith Emma Daughter Single F 0 1881 Westminster Middlesex

Possible marriage: Dec 1877 St Georges Hanover Square, to Harriet Skeats (not sure)

[Rose Maybud]

1901 17, Cowley Street, St Margaret And St John

WRIGHT, George F Head Married M 46 1855 Builder & Contractor
Isle of Wight East Cowes Hampshire
WRIGHT, Elizabeth Wife Married F 39 1862 Wigtonshire Sorbie N B Scot
WRIGHT, Georgina S Daughter Single F 13 1888 Wandsworth S W
BESFORD, Hetty Niece Single F 6 1895 Manchester Lancashire

1911 Cowley Dairy Rowledge Farnham

WRIGHT, George Frederic Head Married M 56 1855 Dairyman And Farmer East Cowes Isle of Wight
WRIGHT, Elizabeth Wife Married 19 years F 49 1862 Assisting On Farm And Dairy Sorbic Wightonnshire N B
CAMPBELL, Mary Mother In Law Widow F 74 1837 Assisting On Farm And Dairy Whethorn Wightonnshire N B
BESFORD, Hetty Niece Single F 16 1895 Assisting On Farm And Dairy Manchester

Didn't expect that!!

[Rose Maybud]

1901 16, Deans Yard, Close Of The Collegiate Church Of St Peter

WRIGHT, Thomas Head Widower M 79 1822 Clerk Of The Works To Dean & Chapter Of Westminster Friskney Lincolnshire
SAUNDERS, Mary J Niece Single F 47 1854 Housekeeper Sandgate Kent
WRIGHT, George H Grand Son Single M 22 1879 Dried Fruit Salesman Westminster
London

I think Thomas senior died between 1901 and 1911. There are several deaths in assorted London RDs for Thomas aged 80+

1911 16 Deans Yard Westminster

WRIGHT, Thomas James Head Widower M 60 1851 Clerk Of Works West Abby East Cowes Isle of Wight
WRIGHT, Walter Henry Son Single M 24 1887 Carpenter And Joiners St Johns Westminster
WRIGHT, Roland George Son Single M 22 1889 Clerk St Johns Westminster
WRIGHT, Daisy Mary Daughter Single F 29 1882 Housekeeper St Johns Westminster
WRIGHT, Dorothy Jane Daughter Single F 20 1891 Shop Assistant St Johns Westminster
DURRANT, Dorothy Lillian Servant Single F 16 1895 Secunderabad India
SPRINGALL, Harold Son In Law Married M 32 1879 Schoolmaster Kennington London S E
SPRINGALL, Margart Douglas Daughter Married F 32 1879 St Johns Westminster
SPRINGALL, Harold Douglas Grandson M 0 (9 MONTHS) 1911 St Marys Balham S W

[DSJ]

Thank you so much for all the trouble you've taken over this. I now have alot more to go on and will be able to continue compiling the Wright section of my husband's family tree.

[Rose Maybud]

Hope that helps :)
As to your other thought, as to whether Thomas senior worked on St Mildred's Church..
The IoW website mentions only the high and mighty, the great and the good, and the rich and famous. The ordinary people don't get a lookin. However, the wikipedia article cites:

"The Buildings of England, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight" Nikolaus Pevsner

http://www.pevsner.co.uk/

Just a chance there might be something, because the style of St Mildred's is so unusual.

[DSJ]

Thanks again for all your help. This is turning out to be a fascinating study. George Frederic Wright, my husband's great-grandfather, first married Harriet Skeats in 1877. I have their original marriage certificate. They apparently had three children, George, Edith & Georgina. Edith was my husband's grandmother. Harriet died when the children were quite young (I don't have a date for her death) and George Frederic married a second time. This second wife, Elizabeth, was the original evil stepmother of fairytales (according to Edith when I knew her in her old age) and the children all left home at an early age. Georgina went to America.

We knew that George Frederic moved from London at some stage but it is most interesting to see that he became a dairy farmer in Farnham. We hadn't expected that! I can find no record of George Frederic's second marriage but perhaps this took place in Scotland.

My husband & I have been to Dean's Yard near Wesminster Cathedral. The houses are very attractive but it is incredible to think so many Wrights & their extended family fitted in to one of those houses!

Again, thank you. I'm still interested in finding out more about the Wrights.

[Rose Maybud]

Yes, the dairy farming bit was truly unexpected. Rowledge isn't a million miles away and I know something of the area. Cowley Dairy must have been named after the Cowley Street where George lived in 1901. It doesn't exist as such today, but my neighbour has heard of it. I know roughly where it must have been. I paged through adjacent Census Returns, and found the Cherry Tree pub in Rowledge which definitely does exist today - I have even done a gig there! And going the other way, found addresses in Batts Corner, which you can find on a map.

[dotty.]

http://www.genuki.org...ppingham/Gaz1868.html
http://en.wikisource....t_Jenkins_%28DNB00%29

[DSJ]

Does anyone know how to trace births, marriages & deaths in Scotland?

[Rose Maybud]

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Searching on George Wright brings up 9 matches for marriages 1891 - 1893. This far it's free, you have to subscribe for any more info.

[DSJ]

Thanks for that. I'll investigate.

[dundurn]

Scottish records are (generally) available to view online (no need to get a transcription unless you really want one) and also tend to be more informative than English ones.

[DSJ]

Yes, thank you, I'll be looking there for a George Wright marriage to Elizabeth.

[aussieJ]

Hi ,I have just found this site! I have been looking for a WRIGHT relative for the past 30 years. My story is: My grandmother Stella May Wright was born in Victoria, Australia in 1890. Little is known of her father except that he was English and perhaps in the British Forces and again perhaps returned to the Boar War. My grandmother had written to me: " My fathers people came from England.There was a paper from England(Her mother had read it,she said) where Queen Victoria had been presented with a gold key by By grandfather Wright, which was to open part of Westminster Abbey, which he had built. They must have been buildres and lived in London"
The only details that she said was that his mother may have been named Stella Harriet and he had a brother named George and a sister named Alice(Mrs Masson).
Your story ticked a number of boxes in my lost family history and I do hope you can help with other details.
Regards Judy

[aussieJ]

Hi, Back again! I forgot to mention his name was Francis Leonard Wright. There is no official birth record of my grandmother but I do have a copy of a baptismal record,Melbourne,Australia, and it is from this that we know his name. They were not married.
My grandmother did not know him at all and he seemed to just disappear. Her mother married a few years later.
Judy

[DSJ]

Thanks for the information, Judy. There may well be a connection here. Can you get on the 'Genesreunited website', where my family tree is posted, and contact me privately through that please? There is a facility for one-to-one messages there. Cheers, Jill.