WARD FAMILY OF TOTTERDIGE/WHETSTONE,MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND

The WARD family bible (presently held by the Derbyshire branch) unfortunately has no place names next to the dates included. With a bit of detective work I was able to find the family in Totteridge/Whetstone, Middlesex, North London.

James WARD was either born or baptised on the 26 June 1784, we know not where. However when playing with the IGI (LDS/Mormon International Genealogical Index) I came across a James WARD baptised on the 26 June 1784 at Downton, (near Ludlow) Herefordshire, England - father William Ward mother Margaret. I checked the burial records for Downton but found no obvious burial for James.

James then married Ann (of the unknown surname) somewhere/sometime. Ann�s birth/baptism date in the bible is given as the 18 November 1788 and her birthplace in the 1861 census is given as Rotherham, Yorkshire.

There is a marriage for a James WARD to an Ann MOORE on the 15 April 1804 at St Mary�s Church, Finchley, Middlesex. Details are given as - James WARD, of this parish and Ann MOOR, of this parish, married after Banns. James made a mark and Ann signed in a very unsteady hand. The witnesses were Thomas ROBINSON and Thomas VERRALS (who was a witness at all marriages of the period). I have discounted this marriage as being ours as James could sign and write with a very good hand when he wrote the minutes for the churchwardens meetings at St Mary�s. Ann would have been underage so should have been married by licence, not banns.

James and Ann�s first child was George who was baptised at St Andrews Church in Totteridge Lane, Hertfordshire on the 24 January 1808. The baptism register reads George WARD, son of James WARD, coachman and Anne his wife, late servant to General the Honourable Alexander MAITLAND was received into church having being privately named.

Alexander MAITLAND�s military record was as follows; 6 August 1756 Joined 1st Foot Guards as Captain. 19 February 1762 made Colonel. 27 May 1768 Joined 49th Foot. 25 May 1772 made Major General. 29 August 1777 Lieut General. 12 October 1793 made General (He may have served in the USA in 1780). 18 February 1820 left 49th Regiment of Foot (aka Princess Charlotte of Wales and the Hertfordshire Regiment). Made a Baronet. Thirlestane Castle at Lauder, 28 miles south of Edinburgh is the family seat of the Maitland's. (It is only a few miles from where I had my accident!)

According to the 1851 census a Catherine MAITLAND was living in Rose Hill, later called Garden Hill, a Georgian house is directly opposite St Andrew�s church. This needs further investigation.

Was it James who was the servant or Ann?

Around 1810 the WARD�s moved to Whetstone. On the 1841 census they are listed as living on Totteridge Lane, on the northern side of the road somewhere between the Great North Road and Dollis Brook (now a Waitrose Supermarket carpark) at the bottom of the hill. Dollis Brook is the border between Middlesex and Hertfordshire. On the southside of Totteridge Lane stood Woodside Home, which is possibly where James worked. (He is listed as either a gardener or labourer at his childrens baptisms in Finchley.) Woodside Home, which was built in 1841, was the home of Joseph BAXENDALE, owner of the famous carrying firm, Pickfords.

James and family worshipped at St Mary�s Church, Finchley and to get there the family would have walked along the ancient "Church Path" which is still in existence, running between the houses. The Poor Rate for Finchley for 1816 lists James WARD Esq. as the overseer of the East End of the parish and had property of the value of 25 Pounds. He remains on the list until October 1824 when his land is listed as John KING�s late WARD�s.

James died on the 28 June 1844 and the inscription on his headstone at St Mary's Church, Finchley reads — "To the memory of Mr James Ward, 38 years a resident of this parish who departed this life June 28th 1844 aged 60 years. "Prepare to meet thy God". Also of Thomas Ward, his son, who departed this life October 8th 1844 aged 24 years." The grave lies to the immediate north of the church - E Block E2-2A.

On the 23 June 1855, John Charles Ward - a son of James and Ann wrote to his mother from the Crimea. Her address was given as "Mrs Ward at his Grace the Duke Beauforts, Near Crickhowell, Brecknockshire, South Wales". This address was checked against the 1851 and 1861 census and Ann was found as a widow and housekeeper at Llangattock Park House, Llangattock Village, Breconshire, Wales. She appears to have died by the 1871 census. I still do not have a surname for her.

James and Ann's children were;

George baptised 1808 St Andrews Church, Totteridge. Died 23 November 1823. Buried St Marys, Finchley aged 16 years

Mary Anne baptised 1810, St Mary�s Finchley

Eliza baptised 1813, St Mary�s Finchley

James baptised St Mary�s Finchley. Died young?

William baptised 1815 St Mary�s Finchley. He was at home in the 1841 census. He married Mary ? (b1826-) and they had a son James William WARD born c1850 at Hinchelsea, Hampshire, and possibly more children. By 1851 William and Mary are living in Chelthenham, Gloucestershire where he was a builder. Between 1871 and 1882 William was the publican at the Old Swan Hotel in High Street, Cheltenham. He was a witness at the marriage of his brother John Charles to Sarah Stewart MORGAN in 1860.

James baptised 1817. Not in family bible

Thomas baptised 1820. Died 1844. Buried St Mary�s Finchley

Frances Ann(e) (known as Fanny) baptised 1822 St Mary�s Finchley. There is a marriage for a Frances Ann WARD in June 1848. This needs further investigation. She is mentioned in the 1855 letter from her brother John Charles.

John Charles baptised 1824. See below.

Charles baptised 1827. I think this is the Charles WARD who married Sarah ? and ran the Lamb Inn, High Street, Cheltenham between 1870 and 1878. They had a daughter Fanny WARD who was born c1855 in Wroughton, Gloucestershire. In the 1881 census, Charles gives his birthplace as Whetstone, Middlesex.

George baptised 1829.

Robert born 1831. In 1851 Robert is living at Llangattock Park House as a gardener with his mother. By 1861 he is married to Ann Maria ? and they had Alice A (1856), James B (1858), Henry R (1860), Osmund W (1862), Charles (1866), Louisa J (1868) and Frank J (1871). Robert died in 1872 aged 41 probably at Crickhowell.

Henry born 1834. Died 1841. Buried St Mary�s Finchley

John Charles Ward was baptised in 1824 at St Mary�s Finchley. On the 15 November 1842 he enlisted with the 10th Hussars. John was described as 5�9��, fresh complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair. He was at the Crimean War and also served in India. On the 14 January 1857 he was discharged from 10th Hussars with a deferred pension of 4d a day on attaining 50 years of age. Soon after this John applied to join the Monmouthshire Police. On 09 July 1858 he was stationed at Tredegar, then 11 November 1858 to Rhymney then 15 March 1859 to Ebbw Vale Police Station. It is not know where he met his future wife Sarah Stewart MORGAN but on the 15 September 1860 they were married at the Parish Church, Monmouth. Witnesses were John NASH, Ellen JENKINS and William WARD, John�s brother. On the 12 October 1861, John was transferred to the Monmouth Police Station, and on 01 May 1865 his final transfer was to the Chepstow Police Station. His occupation in the 1871 census is given as Inspector of County Constabulary. On the 04 November 1880, John resigned from the police force with a pension of �30 per annum. Some time after this John took over the licence of the Lord Nelson Inn at Chepstow, finally retiring on the 06 March 1886. John died on the 27 June 1898 aged 74 years and is buried in the Usk churchyard (though we were unable to find a headstone). He left his widow effects valued at �146/5/9. Sarah died on the 17 March 1914 at the Powis Almshouses in Chepstow and is also buried in the Usk churchyard. For John�s obituary see below.

John and Sarah had the following children;

John Henry baptised 1862 St Thomas Church, Over Monnow, Monmouth. Died young but unable to find death entry

Kate Annie baptised 1863 Parish Church, Monmouth. Died unmarried 3 October 1900 of Tuberculosis. Buried Usk churchyard.

Frances Eliza born 1865 Monmouth. On the 27 January 1890 she married Charles DENBY. They had four children, Sarah Louise married Wallace Edward BENNION, Madeline Frances married Frank Reginald BENNION, John Charles DENBY married Nancy? EVANS, and Katherine married Francis John BROOKE. Frances Eliza died on the 24 January 1934 at Dymock, Herefordshire.

John Charles Morgan baptised 1867 Parish Church, Chepstow. In the 1881 census John is listed as an "Apprentice in Bridge Works". The Bridge Works was Edward Finch & Co, the firm that built Brunel's bridge. It was always known locally as "the shipyard" because in later years it built ships.   John died on the 16 April 1896 and is buried in the Usk churchyard.

William George born 1868 Chepstow. On the 7 May 1888 he enlisted with the 10th Hussars and was described as "Height 5ft 8 1/2 in, Grey Eyes, Black hair". He served in South Africa and was discharged on the 04 September 1917 in Derby. William married Clara JOHNSON on the 20 June 1898 at the Parish Church in Folkestone, Kent. The marriage was by Banns. William was described as aged 29, bachelor, Soldier of Northgate, Canterbury and Clara Johnson, aged 24 years, spinster of the Pavillion Hotel, Folkestone. Witnesses were Annie Jean SHOLL and Edward BROWN. They had three children, Dora Jean married Frederick WELLS, John William married Kathleen COXON and James Charles who married Constance ANNABLE. William died on the 9 January 1934 at his home "Fairfield", Derby Road, Borrowash and is buried at the cemetery, Spondon, Derbyshire.

Sarah Stewart baptised 1870 Parish Church, Chepstow. Sarah died on the 27 August 1874 aged 4 years. She possibly died of Scarlet Fever, as there was an epidemic in the Chepstow at the time.

James Henry baptised 1875 Parish Church, Chepstow. James became a civil servant and lived in London. On the 18 October 1906 he married Kate RUST who was also from Chepstow. During World War One, Kate was in Paris, possibly nursing or as a VAD. In 1936 James was elected to the Worthing Town Council in Sussex. By 1940 he was chairman of the Worthing Town Council and was expected to be the next mayor. He served on many Town Council committees, including the Education, Post-War Reconstruction, Civil Defence Emergency and Entertainments and Baths committees. He was also a member of the Food Control Committee of the Borough Publicity Association and of the Horsham and Worthing Area Assessment Committee. James and Kate had no children. James died on the 17 May 1943 at his home in Worthing.

The following is the obituary for John Charles WARD

Chepstow Weekly Advertiser - Funeral of Ex Inspector Ward. On Friday the 1st inst, were laid to rest in Usk churchyard the remains of the late Mr John Charles Ward of Chepstow, who succumbed (after a protracted and painful illness) on the previous Monday. Mr Ward was well known figure in the town having resided here for many years past.  He served as Sergeant with the Tenth Royal Hussars during the Crimean War, and had previous seen 10 years service in India. His son, Mr W Ward, is at present a sergeant in the same regiment, now manouvering at Salisbury. At the conclusion of the war, Mr Ward retired from the ranks, and in due time was awarded his pension. He was appointed drill instructor to the police at Usk, subsequently joining that body, acting as Sergeant of Police at Monmouth. In 1864 he came to Chepstow as Inspector of Police, which position he held until his superannuation in 1880. For 12 years, he undertook the duties of secretary to the Chepstow Conservative Club. The police of the neighbourhood acted as pall bearers and the hearse was followed for some distance by trades men and other residents of the town. The Vicar of Usk officiated at the ceremony and the chief mourners were: Mrs Ward (widow), Sergeant Ward and Mr Harry Ward (sons) Miss Kate Ward (daughter), Mr & Mrs Denby (son in law & daughter) and Mrs W Ward (daughter in law). The coffin was of polished oak with brass mounts and bore the inscription "John Charles Ward born July 6th 1824, died June 27th, 1898". Some beautiful tokens of remembrance were sent from relatives and friends of the deceased, among them being one from the Conservative Club, wife, children, Mr & Mrs Edmonds 7 family (Usk), Mrs J Dobbs & family, Mrs W Walters, Mr Claridge and Miss Howell, Mrs W Williams, Mrs E Jones, Mr & Mrs H Claridge, Mr & Mrs W Barrett, Mr & Mrs H Hurd, Mr & Mrs Rust and family, Mr H Gorman and family, Mr & Mrs H Gillam etc.  Mr James James, Chepstow efficiently undertook the funeral arrangements.

For further genealogical information on these families please go to

	Jeremy and Sarah's many relations

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