Thread: Williams in India..

This one is more for the interest of my nan than anything else, but would be nice to satisfy that interest..



She tells me that one of the brothers of her grandfather, Thomas Williams, went to India at some point at the end of the 19th century, and ended up running off to a sugar/tea plantation to marry a black woman. She isn't sure whether he was in the army or not, but its possible.



On my tree I have four brothers for Thomas Williams - James, Henry, Charles and William. Any idea where I would start to track down which brother it was and what happened to him?

Hi



I suppose one method would be the process of elimination......try to find which of the brothers did NOT run off , but who rather stopped in the country, married and multiplied!



Would need to start in any case, with some dates and places of these WILLIAM's brothers............??



Kind regards

AnnieB

From your other topic about Thomas..the family in 1871:



1871 Census - Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Staffs

Head: Thomas William 48, French Polisher. b City of Worcester

Phoebe William 46, Gloverer, b City of Worcester, abt 1826

William William 19, unm, Labourer, b City of Worcester, abt 1852

Charles William 18, unm, Labourer, b City of Worcester, abt 1853

Susanah William 16, unm, Bolt Screwer, b City of Worcester, abt 1855

Sarah Ann William 14, unm, Bolt Screwer, b Wednesbury abt 1857

Emily William 12, Bolt Screwer, b Wednesbury abt 1859

Thomas William 10, Scholar, b Wednesbury abt 1861

James William 8, b Wednesbury abt 1863

Henry William 1, b Wednesbury abt 1870



1881 Census 1 Camp Street, Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Staffs

Phoebe A is now widowed. Among her children with her are : sons Thomas 19 (Iron Works Labourer), James 17 (Iron Works Labourer) and Henry 11 (Scholar) Where are: sons William and Charles in 1881...............?



Charles, may well be this chappie:

1881: Her Majesty's Prison, Stafford St Mary, Staffordshire

Prisoner: Charles WILLIAMS 29, marr, French Polisher, b Worcestor, Worcestorshire.

RG11 - Piece: 2690 - Folio: 116 - Pg 11



And this is likely William

1881: 41 Hil Street, West Bromwich, Staffordshire

Head: William Williams 29, , Tube Welder (Iron), b Worcestor,

Wife: Sarah Williams 30, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Sarah J Williams 3, b West Bromwich STF

Dau: Phebe A Williams 3 mths, b b West Bromwich STF



Annieb

BTW - just in case you don't have it - the brother's sister, Sarah Ann WILLIAMS, seems to have married a Walter JOYCE.

The two grandchildren (Phoebe Ann 4 and baby Sarah A) on the 1881 in the house of the boys' mother Phoebe A WILLIAMS On yr other topic) - appear to be Sarah Ann's before she married Walter.



Back to the lads.....

1891



Looks like William has removed to Yorkshire

1891: 36 Drymer Street, Ormesby, Yorkshire North Riding

Head: William WILLIAMS 39, Tube Welder, b Worcestor

Wife: Sarah WILLIAMS 38, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Sarah J WILLIAMS 13. scholar, b West Bromwich STF

Dau: Rosanna WILLIAMS 6, b Middlesbro, YKS

Dau: Susanna WILLIAMS 4, b Middlesbro, YKS

Dau: Phoebe Ann WILLIAMS 10, Scholar, b West Bromwich STF

RG12; Piece: 4018; Folio 73; Page 34;



And I wouldn't mind betting, Charles headed up that way after he came out of prison, before ending back up in STaffs...this could be him.

1891: 132 New Street, West Bromwich, Staffs

Head: Charles WILLIAMS 39, Labourer, b Worcestor

Wife: Mary WILLIAMS 37, b West Bromwich STF

Son; William WILLIAMS 16, Labourer, b West Bromwich STF

Dau: Emily WILLIAMS 8, Scholar, b Middlesbro YKS

Son: Chuck WILLIAMS 7, Scholar, b Middlesbro YKS

Dau: Alice WILLIAMS 4, b Middlesbro YKS

Son: Tom WILLIAMS 1, b b Middlesbro YKS

RG12; Piece: 2271; Folio 67; Page 29;



If that is him, in the 1881 - there is a Mary WILLIAMS, married, in the Workhouse in Staffs as a Pauper . COuld be his wife, in reduced times due to her husband being in the lock-up - can't see son William age 6 in 1881 though.....?



Trying to find James & Henry in 1891....and 1901



AnnieB

But here is William I think, in 1901 - his daughter Phoebe is now married..



1901: Middlesbrough, Yorkshire (Vulcan Ward)

Head: William WHEELER 29, Tube Works fitter, b Middlesbro YKS

Wife:Phebe WHEELER 21, b West Bromwich STF

Emanuel WHEELER 11mths, b Middlesbro YKS

Father-In-Law: William WILLIAMS 53, TImber Yard Labourer, b Worcestor, WOR

Sister-in-Law: Rosanna WILLIAMS 17, Domestic Servant, b Middlesbro YKS

Sister-in-Law: Susannah WILLIAMS 15. Nurse Domestic, b Middlesbro YKS

(it does not state WIlliam WILLIAMS' marital condition - but would suspect widower)

RG13; Piece: 4575; Folio: 179; Page: 39



So - it doesn't look at this stage as if William is a good candidate for being the one running off to India?



Trying to find:

Charles in 1901

As well as Henry and James in 1901 and 1891



Annieb

Thanks Annieb - doesn't look likely that it was William or Charles, which leaves Henry and James. Sorry I can't be of any more help with dates etc, my nan only knows about this from something her mother told her, and she doesn't seem to have known too much about it because, as you would expect, it was a taboo subject at the time.



Thanks again



Katherine

I may have found which brother went to India - could someone confirm the details for me please?



From Passenger Lists:

Last

name First

nameYear of

birthDepartureDestination

countryDestination

portTranscriptImageSexyearportWILLIAMSHenry UnknownM1891LiverpoolIndiaMadrasVIEWVIEW



From India Office:



Name:

Henry John WILLIAMS



Event type:

Biography



Start date:





Start year:

1870



End date:





End year:

1935



Biographical notes:

Lt-Col, Br Army served in Mesopotamia 1920; Who was Who III p.1460





Transcribed by:

British Library



India Office Records Reference:







Source name:

Who was Who III p. 1460



Source year:





Source edition:





Presidency:

Hi Katherine



I don't think it was XXHenryXX James - I think I've just found him in 1891 and 1901 (will post details in a mo).



If it was before the turn of the century that this man left, then I agree, it t doesn't look like it was William, since he is a widower in England in 1901.

It could still be Charles - it wouldn't be unheard of for a husband and father to up an leave a family. Need to find what happened to him after 1891 (if that is him in that Census).

Still to find any trace of XXJamesXX Henry after 1881.



The other thing I'm pondering - Sugar Plantation......I immediately think of the West Indies - or West India, the Indies, Indias etc - and it could be a possibility that was where this WILLIAM's brother headed, as opposed to East India - ie: the continent of India.



Annieb

Gosh I'm a ninny!

It's James I think I find in 1891 and 1901, so Henry IS still in the running....

BRB

Annieb

James, very possibly....



1891: 19 Court, 2 House, Carlisle Street - Brightside Bierlow, Sheffield, Yorkshire

RG12; Piece: 3834; Folio 12; Page 15

Head: Felix McKENNA 28, General Labourer, b Wednesbury STF

Wife: Mary Jane McKENNA 22, b Bamford, DBY

Boarder: James WILLIAMS 26, Axle Grinder (Coachbuilder), b Wednesbury STF

Wife: Margaret WILLIAMS 22, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Mary WILLIAMS 2, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Annie WILLIAMS 3 mths? b Sheffield, YKS



Next door:

19 Court, 3 House, Carlisle Street

Head: Felix McKENNA 54, General Labourer, b Ireland

Wife: Julia McKENNA 55, b Ireland

Dau: Kate McKENNA 29, unm, b Wednesbury STF

Son: John McKENNA 24, unm, General Labourer, b Masbro YKS

Grandau: Mary GORMAN 11, b Sheffield YKS



1901: 27 Foster Street - Wednesbury, Staffordshire

Head: James WILLIAMS 38, Axle Grinder, b Wednesbury STF

Wife: Margaret WILLIAMS 34, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Annie WILLIAMS 10, b Sheffield YKS

Dau: Catherine WILLIAMS 8, b Wednesbury STF

Son: Edward WILLIAMS 6, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Phoebe WILLIAMS 4, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Elizabeth WILLIAMS 2, b Wednesbury STF

Dau: Margaret WILLIAMS 5mths, b Wednesbury STF

Mother-In-Law: Ann COLLAREN 66, wid, b Ireland

RG13; Piece: 2726; Folio: 121; Page: 53



AnnieB