Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

My 3 x great grandfather was Robert Fildes a master mariner who sailed out of Liverpool in the 1820s and was a sealer in the southern oceans. From Antarctic exploration research websites I know that he died following a shipwreck in December 1827 and also that his father- in-law (although I believe that this was not the relationship) funded some voyages. I have marriage and baptismal records from parish clerks on-line back as far as Robert’s father John who was a schoolmaster and mother Alice woods but I have not been able to find any info re Henry Woods and his relationship to Robert, although the name Wood was carried down through the family, or of the marriage of john and alice.
Robert Fildes
Gazetteer of the British Antarctic Territory Id 110895 ”

Robert Fildes was born on 13 July 1793 in Liverpool, England. He commanded merchant vessels from 1814, but the direction of his career changed when … Ship owners learned that a quick profit was to be made from fur seals ... His father-in-law, Henry Wood, bought the brig Cora and Fildes was appointed master, leading the British sealing voyage, 1820-1821, from Liverpool…..Two sealing voyages were dispatched by Henry Wood under the command of Robert Fildes, the first visited the Falkland Islands before Cora was lost on Deception Island (South Shetland Islands) in 1821….Fildes became master of the brig Frances Ernest, a command he held for four years. Fildes died on 28 December 1827, shortly after the brig was badly damaged in a severe storm

.”
Henry Wood
I have not been able to find any info re Henry woods and his relationship to Robert although the name wood was carried down through the family. My research on-line seems to indicate that Henry Wood might be Robert’s maternal grandfather rather than father-in-law as his mother was Alice Wood: St Peter, Liverpool Baptisms:

Robert, Son of John Fildes & Alice Born: 13 Jul 1793 Abode: Gerard St Occupation:Schoolmaster. I have also found the following: Snippets from Liverpool Mercury June 10th 1814

“Henry WOODS most respectfully begs leave to inform his friends and the public that in addition to the business of Ship Broker, Accountant and General Agent, he has commenced that of Appraiser and Auctioneer and with every feeling of gratitude for past favours, hopes by a steady adherence to the Interest of his Employers, to meet with that encouragement he may appear to deserve".
I live in Australia and have exhausted all the online sources I can find but as we are traveling to the uk in September I plan a brief visit Liverpool and in particular the maritime museum. Are there any other resources that members can suggest?
Kind regards

Lynne

Hi and welcome to the forum.

It's difficult to think of any other sources than those you have already tried, maybe some trade directories might be useful, we have a list of those that some of our forum members hold http://www.forum.liverpool-genealogy.or ... =16&t=6906

I have checked for any Fildes transcribed in Gibsons Epitaphs without success.

Did you say you have John and Alice's marriage details? If not the image is on Ancestry here are the details:-

Location: St. Nicholas Liverpool
Date: 4 September 1790
Groom: John Fildes, Liverpool, Schoolmaster
Bride: Alice Wood, Liverpool, Spinster
Witnesses: John Knowles & Mary Wright (?)


Blue

Here's a baptism that might be Alice no sign of Henry:-

Location: St. Nicholas Liverpool
Date: 7 February 1768
Name: Alice Woods
Born: 30 January 1768
Father: Thomas Woods, Dig Lane, Labourer


Blue

Do you have this possible marriage


Henry Wood - mariner
Jane Owen - widow
Marriage Date: 5 Oct 1767
Liverpool St Nicholas
witnesses Richard Williams and John Dale

also


Henry Woods
Birth Date: 9 Dec
Baptism 15 Dec 1743
Liverpool St Nicholas
Father's Name: John Woods, Joyner
residence; Pembertons Alley

can't tie him up to John yet

simone wrote:Do you have this possible marriage


Henry Wood - mariner
Jane Owen - widow
Marriage Date: 5 Oct 1767
Liverpool St Nicholas
witnesses Richard Williams and John Dale

wonder if Alice may be really an Owen


Alice Owen
Birth Date:5 May 1765
Baptism Date: 3 May 1765
Parish: Liverpool St Nicholas
Father's Name: William Owen, mariner
by Old Glass House

Have had a look in my directories

1796
John Fildes School Master 65? ( number blurred but 60 something) Gerard St

1796
There are 2 Henry Woods
2 Trueman St - Book Keeper
29 South Dock - Cooper

Have searched the 1766 but no luck for Henry Woods but there are other Woods, but no John

1821 Robert Filds ( note no E ) 22 Wolfe Street Master Mariner

Also in 1821
Henry Woods Book Keeper 9 Tristram Court, Thomas Street
In the alterations and additions there is a
Thomas Wood Broker 60 St Thomas' Buildings
I thought there should be something in there for Henry after his piece in the Mercury,under specific headings, but nothing, sorry

Hi

just in case you don't have it.. but probably do

marriage of Robert's daughter Mary.. I see she gave her son George the middle name Wood


Mary Filds of Church Alley
Age: Minor
9 Oct 1837
Liverpool Our Lady And St Nicholas
Spouse's Name: William Wall Bamford - of Church St, Bookseller
Father's Name: Robert Fildes - Master Mariner
Spouse Father's Name: John Bamford Reed Maker

witnesses Thomas and Jane Walls

Some baptisms from Lan OPC for Robert's children:

11 Apr 1819 St Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Alice Ann Fildes - Daughter of Robert Fildes & Ellen
Abode: Wolfe St
Occupation: Mariner

19 Apr 1821 St Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Mary Fildes - Daughter of Robert Fildes & Ellen
Abode: Wolfe St.
Occupation: Master Mariner

13 Jul 1824 St Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Robert Fildes - Child of Robert Fildes & Ellen
Abode: Wolfe Street Toxteth
Occupation: Mariner

There is also a marriage on FamilySearch for Robert Fildes and Ellen Hogg:
Groom's name: Robert Fildes
Bride's name: Ellen Hogg
Marriage date: 06 Dec 1812
Marriage place: Saint Johns, Old Haymarket, Liverpool, Lancashire,England

and another child:
John Wood Fildes
Baptism date: 09 May 1813
Baptism place: St Peters, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Father's name: Robert Fildes
Mother's name: Ellen

Do you know of any siblings to Robert?

wondering about James Fildes b c 1816..
1841 a seaman living with wife Susannah and son Henry age 2 months at Dunber St? with in laws Samuel and Ellen Fogg
HO107; Piece: 556; Book: 16 District: 20; Folio: 9; Page: 9

James Fildes married Susannah Fogg in 1834 at Liverpool St Paul.. he is a Mariner
witnesses Thomas Ambrose and Mary Mitty...
they have a daughter who dies in 1837, Ellen age 0, buried 7/9/1837 according to igi

by 1851 Susannah is head of house and has her parents with her but now has more children. She is listed as 'Shipping Agent's wife not at home'
HO107; Piece: 2179; Folio: 259; Page: 19
35 Marybone
Henry Edward age 9
Samuel Luke age 7
Isabella Mary age 4
Henrietta A age 10 months

1861 she is now a widow, a boarding house keeper at 74 Burlington Street, but now has 2 more children William age 7 but born in Scotland, and Robert G age 5 born in Liverpool..
RG 9; Piece: 2652; Folio: 58; Page: 14


daughter Henrietta marries age 27 in 1878 to Thomas Gill Davenport, but she marries as Henrietta Davie/Darrie a widow.. lists father as James Fildes, Shipping Master (she originally marries in 1870 to Carolum Henricum Davie/Danie? at St Anthony's)

some of James' children's baptims/marriages in catholic records on Ancestry, but no link to Robert Fildes or the Woods family shouting out at me as yet.

just struck me that they may be connected due to occupations and they seem to like the name Henry..

Simone x

simone wrote: James Fildes married Susannah Fogg in 1834 at Liverpool St Paul.. he is a Mariner
witnesses Thomas Ambrose and Mary Mitty...
Simone x

Margaret Fildes -widow
Marriage Date:
1 Jan 1834
Liverpool St Philip
Spouse's Name: William Best- widower
witness is also Thomas Ambrose, doesn't seem to be a church official as not on other marriages

not sure this leads us anywhere.. just trying to connect families and hopefully lead to a Wood connection eventually

Do you know of any siblings to Robert?

FamilySearch has a Margaret Fyldes

Margaret Fildes
Gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 05 Nov 1795
baptism/christening place: Saint Peter ,Liverpool, Lancashire ,England
birth date: 30 Jun 1795
father's name: John Fildes
mother's name: Alice

Alison x

I had a look at my Thomas Ambroses to see if I could find a contender for the witness at James Fildes marriage. Going through signatures the Thomas Ambrose the witness looks vey like the signature of the Thomas Ambrose who married Elizabeth parr in 1813. I looked at other signatures of this gentleman and they do look similar.

This Thomas was a farmer and was born in Sefton and was farming at Netehrton in 1834, so have no idea why he would be a witness. He attened St Helen's church at Sefton.

I'll keep looking to see if I can find another contender.

simone wrote:
wonder if Alice may be really an Owen


Alice Owen
Birth Date:5 May 1765
Baptism Date: 3 May 1765
Parish: Liverpool St Nicholas
Father's Name: William Owen, mariner
by Old Glass House

this could be a burial for this child


Alice Owen d of William Owen, Mariner
Burial Date: 27 Dec 1765
Parish: Liverpool St Nicholas

Thank you all for your prompt and most helpful replies.
Robert Fildes had 2 (as far As I can discover, mainly from parish clerks online) siblings,viz Alic and Margaret. His mother was Ellen Hogg and his grandmother Alice Woods. The Liverpool Scools web-site is a most useful site and has extracted teacher info from various directories, giving a variety of addresses for his father John over the years until 1796 when he lived 81 Gerard St after which I cannot locate him. Robert lived at Wolfe street formost of his married life before his untimely death at sea in 1827.
Roberto's daughter Mary married my 2 great grandfather William Wall Bamford who became a School Master and moved his family to Manchester.
As for Henry Wood, it has been difficult to tie him down, which really surprised me given that, according to the research group and the snippet from the Mercury he was sufficiently wealth businessman to have funded several trips
Again, thank all
Lynne