BIRTH 1843 • Bishops Sutton, Alresford, Hampshire, England
DEATH 1914 • Porthsmouth, Hampshire, England
When Harry Bignell was born in 1843 in Bishops Sutton, Hampshire, his father, William, was 29 and his mother, Mary, was 22. He had two brothers and six sisters. He died in 1914 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, at the age of 71.
BIRTH 1843 • Bishops Sutton, Alresford, Hampshire, England
DEATH 1914 • Porthsmouth, Hampshire, England
When Harry Bignell was born in 1843 in Bishops Sutton, Hampshire, his father, William, was 29 and his mother, Mary, was 22. He had two brothers and six sisters. He died in 1914 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, at the age of 71.
Not very sure about this entry. 1838 was before William and Mary were married, and Mary was only about 17 years of age. Also, so far I only have one source for this record, a tree on Ancestry. The same name is used later in the family and Mary Ann is not included in the 1841 Census, which suggests that she died before 1841.
Lets look at the 1841 census for the parish of St. Mary Kalendar, Winchester. Not a long way away from Bishop's Sutton but very different.
This page is for St Peter Street and North Walls, which is in the centre of the City of Winchester, near the Cathedral.
So the first thing to note is that these are two different families, one in City Centre the other in a rural community. One is of independent means, which is wealthy, the other is employed as an Agricultural Labourer.
They are headed by a person named William Bignell, in both instances.
The City William Bignell shares his home with two twenty year old ladies, named Amelia and Mary Ann. Unfortunately the 1841 Census did not record the relationship between entries, so we can only speculate. That is until we look at the 1851 Census record.
They are followed in the records by two children, a son William Bignell, aged 5, and a daughter Mary Ann, aged 3. Their respective estimated birth years are, 1836 and 1838. The latter is the same as the Mary Ann Bignell purported to be part of the family, the subject of this article.
On the whole, in the absence of any confirming information, I think that the Mary Ann Bignall in the Winchester record is probably the source of the confusion, and is not part of this family.
I will leave the notes here for others to read or challenge, but annotate the tab with an "X" at each end of her name.
Based on the confusion I have decided to create part of this branch, albeit as an unattached branch, within Ancestry. Hopefully this will also reduce the number of erroneous hints I receive within Ancestry for the subject of this article. I will refer to this William Bignell with the suffix (city)
Although the 1841 Census does not state who is William Bignell's wife, it seems to be Amelia Gillingham. Note should also be made that the next line on the 1841 Census, (below the above image, not shown here.) is a Mary Newlyn, of either 30 or 80 years of age. William Bignell's (city) mother is thought to be Sarah Bignell nee Newlyn, and his father James Bignell.
To add to the confusion, below is an extract of the Hampshire Allegations for Marriage Licences, 1689-1837. Now, this list is only Licences so presumably, it excludes marriage by Banns.
There are two entries for Bignell's of Itchen Abbas, one;
At least we can ignore the first entry for this purpose as at 1690, it is out of our date range.
William Bignell of Itchen Abbas (IA), who married Eliza Gillingham in 1835, as bachelor and spinster, with Eliza's father being James. Are Eliza and Amelia the same person, or perhaps sisters. Undecided at the moment.
By the 1871 Census the family had moved to Leeds Street, Sandown on the Isle of Wight, William Bignell (city) had a recorded profession of 'Income mainly from houses'. Still a wealthy family. Which is again confirmed by the Probate record of Amelia Gillingham Bignell.
There is also record of a William Bignell married to a Amelia Gillingham in 1st Q 1841 Portsea Island, Hampshire, England. Perhaps relevant, but why in Portsmouth?
I think that the above fairly conclusively separates the two families, or perhaps three. Need to get back to William Bignall of Bishop's Sutton now.
1885–1979
Birth 6 DEC 1885 • Fulham, London, England
Death 1979 • Acton, Middlesex, England
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William Bignell was born in 1816 in Bishops Sutton, Hampshire. He married Mary Ann Butcher on 23 January 1841 in his hometown. They had ten children in 18 years. He died in January 1885 in Alresford at the age of 69.
William Bignell is my 3rd Great Grandfather and his wife Mary is my 3rd Great Grandmother.
They had nine children in 15 years. Three of whom have descendants with DNA matches on Ancestry, to myself.
Stephen Bignell, with 5 DNA matches, Charlotte Bignell, with 4 DNA matches, and Sarah Ann Bignell, with 1 DNA match.
Now lets explore these families and the links to the DNA matches.
Born 6th March 1904.
Alice Blanche Page was baptised on May 8th, 1904 at St. Andrew's Church, Fulham by Charles E Curzon, to parents Edwin & Florence Gertrude Page of 63 Dieppe Street. His occupation is stated as Traveller. She was born March 6th 1904.
OS 25" Map Dieppe Street Fulham - London (Edition of 1894-96) LXXXVI Revised: 1893 to 1894, Published: 1897
Brought forward from the Ashford School tab, Alice Page was aged 4 years 11 months on admission and 5 years 9 months on discharge, a duration of 288 days, between 27th February 1909 and 11th December 1909. Her date of birth is recorded as 4th March 1904. Her mother, Florence was living at 113 Harwood Road Fulham.
Which although not the same as the baptism record, it is only 2 days different.
| George Waters | Head | 32 | 7 | M | Married | North End Road Fulham West Kensington | -- | Engineers Turner | William Randall Laundry Engineers | William Randall Vulcan Works Barnes | |
| Florence Waters | Wife | 38 | 9 | F | Married | First Street, Chelsea | -- | Home Duties | At Home | ||
| Alice Page | Step Daughter | 17 | 3 | F | Single | Fulham, Chelsea, London | -- | Junior Clerk | Sketchley Dye Works | Sketchley Dye Works Knightsbridge | |
| Bert Page | Step Son | 13 | 2 | M | Father Dead | Fulham, Chelsea, London | -- | Whole time | |||
| Jack Page | Step Son | 15 | 4 | M | Father Dead | Fulham, Chelsea, London | -- | Errand Boy | Fulham Football Grounds | Fulham Football Grounds | |
| Ted Page | Step Son | 19 | 5 | M | Father Dead | Notting Hill London | -- | Steward on Ships | No fixed place | On Board Ship |
| Assumed to be | DoB from Age | Current presumption of DoB | Match | Notes | ||||
| George Waters | George Waters | 32 | 7 | M | 1888 | ABT 1874 | No | |
| Florence Waters | Florence Gertrude Waters, previously Page, nee Lockwood | 38 | 9 | F | 1882 | 28 MAR 1877 | No | |
| Alice Page | Alice Blanche Page | 17 | 3 | F | 1904 | 5 MAR 1904 | Yes | |
| Bert Page | Albert James Page | 13 | 2 | M | 1908 | 24 APR 1908 | Yes | |
| Jack Page | Frederick Jack Page | 15 | 4 | M | 1906 | 6 FEB 1906 | Yes | |
| Ted Page | Edward Leonard Page | 19 | 5 | M | 1902 | 26 JAN 1902 | Yes |
OS 25 Old Map Dartrey Road Chelsea - London (1915- Numbered sheets) VIII.4 Revised: 1913, Published: 1916
Interesting Wedding Ceremony at St Johns - Chelsea News Kensington and Chelsea, London, England · Friday 27 March 1925
Transcription of adjacent newspaper clipping, dated sometime after 19xx.
INTERESTING WEDDING.
CEREMONY AT ST. JOHN'S.
A pretty wedding was solemnised at St. John's Church, Chelsea, on Saturday, the Rev. Carey Ward officiating, when the contracting parties were Miss Alice Blanche Page, only daughter by her first marriage of Mrs. Walters, of 13 Dartrey-road, Chelsea, and Mr. John W. Greenaway, of 32 Worlds End-passage, Chelsea. The bride, who was dressed in white crystalline silk, was given away by her brother, Mr. Edwin Page. The bridesmaids were the Misses Gosling, Miss Annie Butler, and Miss Winnie Fames, and they wore blue and mauve dresses. Mr. Fred Dowding was the best man. After the wedding a reception was held at 13 Dartrey-road. Presents were received from the following:-Bride's Mother and Father, dinner service; bridegroom's Mother and Father, blankets; Mr. Fred Dowding, mats and fire screen; Mr. Page, trinket set; Mr. and Mrs. Eames, hearth rug; Mrs. Drury, picture; Mr. and Mrs. Blee, crockery and glass ware; Mrs. Page and Miss Clements (sisters), quilt: Mr. H. Clements and Miss A. Hunt, tea pot, jug and basin: Mr. and Mrs. Chilton, duchesse set and tea cosy; Mrs. Noyes, glass dishes; Mrs. Slough, fruit dish; Mrs. Butler, Mr. and Mrs. Day, pictures; Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, rose bowl; bride's employers and employees, mirror, chair, and fender; Miss Edie Clements, salt cellars ; and Mr. and Mrs. Scott, coal caldron. Miss Gearing, of Wandsworth Bridge- road, Fulham, supplied the bouquets.
Alice Blanche Page, only daughter by her first marriage of Mrs. Walters, of 13 Dartrey-road, Chelsea, and Mr. John W. Greenaway, of 32 Worlds End-passage, Chelsea.
The bride, who was dressed in white crystalline silk, was given away by her brother, Mr. Edwin Page.
Unfortunately, it looks as if the paper was being removed from the scanner slightly too early, resulting in the blurred effect.
The Marriage record matches the newspaper clipping.
Of note, only daughter of her first marriage.
OS 25 Old Map Dartrey Road Chelsea - London (1915- Numbered sheets) VIII.4 Revised: 1913, Published: 1916
This is the equivalent to major heart surgery.
There have been a lot of behind the scene changes, some of which have impacted what you can see and how you see it.
I have been chasing down those changes since the upgrade.
Please feel free to contact me if you find one of the remaining glitches.
