Charles Proctor/Procter Wilson & family

[Karen]

Can anyone help with one of the families I’ve been stuck on for many years?

Charlotte Mills, b.1855. Liverpool (the daughter of Henry Mills & Charlotte Ingram) married Charles Proctor/Procter Wilson, b. 1854, Liverpool, at St. Andrew’s, Bebington on 24th July 1878.

They had a son, Charles Procter Wilson in 1879 who died in October of the same year and was buried at St. Mary, Bootle. Address on the burial register is ‘Everton.’

They then had another child, Mary Isabel Beatrice Wilson, b. 12th November 1880 and baptised at St. Mary, Kirkdale on 2nd December 1880.

The family appear together on the 1881 Census at 50 Mill Road where Charles is listed as a tallow chandler. (Piece 3672, Folio 130, Page 37).

I then have no other record of them other than the daughter, Mary Isabel Beatrice, being at St. Katherine’s School, Wantage, Berkshire in 1901, aged 20. (Piece 1135, Folio 15, Page Number 21). She died in 1969 in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, aged 88.

I’ve been unable to locate them on any other census after 1881 so would appreciate any input!

[MaryA]

Have you ever visited the child's grave and is it a general one or could it be private? I can't make out what the words above the entry say



Do you know what the "M" stands for you have given her name as Charlotte M, but her baptism and marriage don't include a middle name.

[Karen]

I've not been to St. Mary, Bootle as it was bombed during WW2 and the graveyard was converted into a garden of rest.

I've struggled to read that line in the burial register many times! One of the words definitely says 'east' and the last word starts with 'e' but other that that, I'm stumped!

[MaryA]

My thoughts were that perhaps if it was a family grave there might have been a Grave Register to see if there was anybody else there to give clues, but I haven't had any more luck than you at reading the words, hopefully one of our eagle eyed crew might do better.

Did you miss what I added on afterwards? "Do you know what the "M" stands for you have given her name as Charlotte M, but her baptism and marriage don't include a middle name."

[Karen]

Just looking through my notes, the only reference to the 'M' is on the Cheshire BMD site. On looking at the entry from the marriage register, however, it isn't on there so it appears to be an error in the transcription.

Original post has been edited.

[MaryA]

Good to have it clarified as I checked the marriage certificate - it would have been easier to check for a death with the middle initial .....

[dickiesam]

The St Katherine's School in Wantage appears to have been an Anglican boarding school run by the sisters of the Community of St Mary the Virgin. So I am very puzzled as to who paid for Mary to be enrolled there and when. And why down in Oxfordshire? There might be some answers in the NA... http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... /r/C127587

In 1938 the school was merged with another school to become St Helen's and St Katherine's, a fairly expensive private school. http://guidetoindependentschools.com/sc ... e-OX14-1BE

[Karen]

Thanks for that dickiesam. It's something that has always intrigued me too as there appears to be no family connection in that area so it seems to be a strange place to go.

I have just found an intriguing document detailing the teaching career of a Mary Isobel Beatrice Wilson which surely has to be her. St. Katherine's isn't listed on the record, however, so a bit more digging is required!

[MaryA]

Sounds intriguing. If you find out more, keep us up to date. Meantime, still looking

[Karen]

I have sent an email to the Community of St Mary the Virgin in the hope that they have some records that may be of assistance.

I am going to purchase the death certificate of the Mary I B Wilson who appears to be my one to see if that offers any information.

Still drawing a blank on Charles & Charlotte though!

[Karen]

An update!

The death certificate arrived and it confirmed that I have the right person.

Mary Isabel Beatrice Wilson, born in Liverpool on 12th November 1880, died on 17th September 1969 in Weston-super-Mare.

Her occupation is given as 'School Teacher (retired)' which fits in with the document I found online which shows she taught at:

Lindisfarne College, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (1908-12)
Ursuline High School, Ilford, Essex (1912-23)
Convent du Sacre Coeur, Hal, Brabant, Belgium (1923-26)
Hillside Convent College, Farnborough (1926-?)

This has intrigued me further as many of these schools appear to be RC. She was baptized C of E and her family were definitely C of E so I'm wondering if a change of religion played some sort of role in the reason for the distance between herself and her parents.

The whereabouts of her parents are still remaining an enigma!

[MaryA]

Lindisfarne College, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (1908-12)
Ursuline High School, Ilford, Essex (1912-23)
Convent du Sacre Coeur, Hal, Brabant, Belgium (1923-26)
Hillside Convent College, Farnborough (1926-?)

This has intrigued me further as many of these schools appear to be RC.

Two of them being Convents .... nuns .... did she get religion bad and not only change but take vows perhaps?

[Karen]

That thought had crossed my mind. There are no clues on the death certificate other than the person who registered her death was another single woman residing at the same address - the address appears to be a normal house, not connected to a church or other institution.

She's beginning to really fascinate me!

I've emailed Somerset Archives to see if they can help with an obituary and/or burial record.

[MaryA]

Checked emigration/immigration but it was a bit too much to expect most databases cover USA and Aus. rather than Europe

[Hilary]

She should be in the 1911 in Westcliff on Sea but I can't find her!

The schools from 1912 are all RC. Her final school appears to be still in existence as a prep school. It might be worth contacting them to see if they have any records.

I think that if she had become a nun she would have remained in the same order but not certain of that.

Again at that time I would have thought she would have been RC to work in those schools so perhaps she converted at some point.

Would it be worth seeing if there was money from her grandparents who could have paid for her education and training. I wonder if she was a qualified trained teacher. If so I wonder where she trained.

[Hilary]

I've had a look at the Teacher's Registration document and there are no certificates or training recorded so I would assume she had none just had had a good education.

I wonder if she left a will. She died after the probate index on line but you would be able to find out either by checking the later probate index which will be at your nearest Probate Court. In Liverpool it is at the Queen Elizabeth Court or you could apply for a will in the hope that she left one but that has a charge whether they find one or not.

[MaryA]

She should be in the 1911 in Westcliff on Sea but I can't find her!

Did you find any nuns? I wonder which name they would have been enumerated under.

[MaryA]

Lindisfarne College is at RG14; Piece: 10125; Schedule Number: 23 Enumeration District : 13 but listed is only Robert William Grace, the Schoolmaster and his wife Letitia Phoebe, with sister in law Sarah Ann Locke who is the housekeeper and three Governesses, a matron and a Secretary, a cook, couple of housemaids and the others are "boarders" obviously teenage pupils.

I suppose she must have either lodged elsewhere, or been away on census night.

[Hilary]

Drat!

She must be nearby somewhere.

[Karen]

I've had a huge breakthrough today!

The Somerset Record Office emailed me a copy of her obituary from the Western Mercury:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ny58bz1k1vx03 ... y.jpg?dl=0

The reference to the Requium Mass at Corpus Christi Church confirms that she definitely did change religion. What did interest me was that her name is given as Isabel. A new look at the census records gave me this:

1911 - she was a visitor at the home of an Agnes Price at Malvern Link in Worcestershire. Occupation - school mistress.
Registration District Number: 378
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 417
Piece: 17654

1891 - she was a scholar at a Ladies' College, Barbourne Road, Worcester.
Piece: 2329
Folio: 56
Page Number: 10

The Record Office also sent me the details of her burial which was at Milton Road Cemetery, Weston-super-Mare. Her headstone simply reads, MARY ISABEL BEATRICE WILSON 17th September 1969. R.I.P.

Now to find what happened to her parents after 1881 - another part of the mystery!

Thank you for your help so far!