The Woolven Family of Sussex
Henry Woolven was born in about 1812 in Washington, Sussex. On 21 February 1837, Henry married Mildred Kinset at St Nicholas Church in Brighton, Sussex. Mildred was born in about 1818 in West Grinstead, Sussex.
In 1841, Henry and Mildred Woolven were living at Upper Chanckton, Washington, Sussex. Henry was a tailor. They had two children, Eliza aged 3 years and Henry aged one year. By 1851 the family had moved to Sparrows, Ashington, Sussex and had two more children, Ellen who was 6 years old and 2-year old Edwin. Henry was now a Master Tailor. Another son was born in about June 1851, Alfred, but he died in about December of the same year. |
In 1861 the Woolven family were living in Blunden House, Washington, Sussex. Their son, George Frederick, had been born in about December 1854 and was now about 6 years old. His older sisters were employed as live-in servants, 22-year-old Elizabeth Woolven was a household servant working for School Master Alexander Wilson of Monthelier, Waldron, Sussex and 15-year-old Ellen Woolven was employed as a servant in the household of John Hatton of 11 Prince Albert street, Brighton, Sussex.
By 1871 all of the children had left home and Henry and Mildred were living in the tailor’s shop cottage in King street, Washington, Sussex. Ellen Woolven was living in St John Hampstead, London-Middlesex in 1871, she was a domestic servant in the household of Louisa Swindell of 203 Adelaide road. Her older brother, Henry Woolven had married Emily Cripps on 20 April 1870 and they were living in Cock terrace, Ashington, Sussex in 1871, with Henry’s brother’s Edwin and George. All three brothers were tailors. Emily Woolven’s sister, Fanny Cripps, who was a dressmaker, was also living with them. Emily herself was also a dressmaker.
Ellen Woolven married on 5 August 1876 in Brighton, Sussex. Her husband, William Wadey, was the proprietor of a Bath Chair manufacturers. A bath chair was a light carriage with a folding hood mounted on wheels and pushed or drawn by hand, it was used mostly to transport the disabled. It was the forerunner of today’s wheelchair. |
George Frederick Woolven married Harriett Haslett in about June 1879 in Thakeham district, Sussex. In 1881, George, Harriett and their two eldest children were living in Rectory lane, Ashington, Sussex, just four houses away from George’s parent’s Henry and Mildred Woolven. Edwin Woolven had moved back home with his parents. However, ten years later Henry and Mildred had moved in with their son Henry, his wife Emily and their children in Sparrows, Ashington, Sussex. Henry was doing well in his business and was able to employ a young girl as a domestic servant.
Mildred Woolven died the following year in about March 1892 in Steyning district, Sussex at the age of 74 years. Her husband, Henry Woolven died a year later in about March 1893 in Steyning district, Sussex. He was 81 years old. |
Henry and Emily Woolven continued to live at Sparrows cottages in Ashington, Sussex and raise their family of five sons and one daughter. Two of their sons eventually emigrated to Canada, John William in 1910 and Edmund Victor in 1911.
John Woolven had married Winifred Annie Lindsay in about June 1910 in Petworth district, Sussex, just before leaving for Canada. John worked as a carpenter and he and Winifred raised their three children, firstly in Manitoba, and then in Alberta. Edmund arrived in Canada in 1911 and at first worked as a farm labourer for Bert Hellon of Marquette, Manitoba. Edmund married Helen Saunders, a saleswoman who was lodging with William and Elizabeth Stewart in Toronto, Ontario in 1901. A marriage record has not been located, however passenger records for the doomed ship RMS Lusitania list her as Mrs Edmond Victor Woolven of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tragically, Helen Woolven did not survive the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat on 7 May 1915 and her body was later recovered in the Arran Islands off the Irish coast. She was buried in the Killeany Graveyard, Innishmore, County Galway.
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Edmund Woolven moved in with his brother John in Strathcona, Alberta and worked in a cigar store. He died on 12 September 1923 at St Mary’s Hospital in Trochu, Alberta, Canada at the age of 46 years.
Descendants of Henry Woolven
Henry Woolven was born in about 1812 in Washington, Sussex and died in March quarter 1893 in Steyning district, Sussex at age 81 years. Henry married Mildred Kinset on 21 February 1837 in Brighton, Sussex. Mildred was born in about 1818 in West Grinstead, Sussex and died in March quarter 1892 in Steyning district, Sussex at age 74 years. They had six children: Eliza, Henry, Ellen, Edwin, Alfred and George Frederick.
- Eliza Woolven was born in March quarter 1838 in West Grinstead, Sussex and was christened on 25 March 1858 in West Grinstead, Sussex.
- Henry Woolven was born in about 1840 in West Grinstead, Sussex, was christened on 9 February 1840 in West Grinstead, Sussex and died in June quarter 1925 in Thakeham district, Sussex at age 85 years. Henry married Emily Cripps, daughter of James Cripps and Ann Laker, on 20 April 1870 in Ashington, Sussex. Emily was born in March quarter 1847 in Shipley, Sussex and died in June quarter 1935 in Surrey at age 88 years. They had six children: Charles Harry, Percy Alfred, Milburn James, Edmund Victor, John William and Maggie.
- Ellen Woolven was born on 25 May 1845 in Ashington, Sussex, was christened on 29 May 1845 in Washington, Sussex and died in March quarter 1917 in Brighton, Sussex. Ellen married William Wadey on 5 August 1876 in Brighton, Sussex. They had five children: Mildred Ellen Louise. Elizabeth Maria, Mabel Lucy, Emily Flora and William Edwin.
- Edwin Woolven was born in September quarter 1848 in Ashington, Sussex and was christened on 8 July 1849 in Ashington, Sussex.
- Alfred Woolven was born in June quarter 1851 in Thakeham district, Sussex, was christened on 22 June 1851 in Ashington, Sussex and died in December quarter 1851 in Thakeham district, Sussex at age about 6 months.
- George Frederick Woolven was born in December quarter 1854 in Ashington, Sussex, was christened on 14 Jan 1855 in Ashington, Sussex and died in September quarter 1836 in Brighton, Sussex. George married Harriett Haslett, the daughter of George Haslett and Ann Norrell, in June quarter 1879 in Thakeham district, Sussex. They had twelve children: Ernest Alfred, Florence, Edith, Gordon Harry. Nellie, Edgar George, Maud, May, George Frederick, Bertha, Mildred and Leslie Charles.