James Davies Wells (bef. 1827 - 1906)

Born before Aug 1827 in Wallingford, Berkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Georgiana (Clarke) Wells — married 17 Oct 1850 in Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary (Williams) Page — married 1888 in Exeter registration district, Devon, England, United Kingdom

Died 1906 after age 78 in Tendring registration district, Essex, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

James was born before August 1827 in Wallingford, Berkshire. He is the second son and third child of Edward Wells and Mary Hedges who married in 1820. He was baptised at St Mary's church, Wallingford on 23 August 1827^[1].

James is not recorded at home in the 1841 census, when he would have been about 13. The family home at this time was in the High Street, Wallingford, with the census listing his father as a brewer. The Wells family owned the Wells Brewery of Wallingford, established in 1720.^[2] (There is a James Wells, listed as aged 12, and recorded as a pupil at boarding school at Lark Hall Lane, Clapham, Surrey, in the 1841 census - possibly this is James?^[3]).

James' father died in 1845. James is mentioned in his will, which confirms James was under 21 when the will was signed in 1844.

In May 1849 James was admitted into the Freedom of the City of London "by redemption in the Company of Spectaclemakers". A footnote to the certificate records "... to qualify for a stockbroker".^[4]

James Davies Wells married Georgiana Clarke on 17 October 1850, as reported in the Evening Standard - On the 17th inst., at Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon., James Davies Wells, Esq., of the Stock Exchange, London, to Georgiana, third daughter of Robert Mayne Clarke, Esq., of Cold Harbour, near Wallingford, Berkshire. ^[5]

By the 1851 census James is established as a stockbroker. At this census he and his wife are recorded at The Mitre Hotel, Hampton, Middlesex. Details given - James Davies Wells (visitor, 25, stockbroker, born Wallingford, Berkshire) and wife Georgiana Wells (visitor, 21, born Wallingford). The hotel appears to have had many guests on the night of the census.

At the 1861 census James and Georgiana have a family. They are now residing at Cheshunt Street, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, where the family are listed as lodgers with a Mary Ann Pauley (widow, 57) who is recorded as the "house proprietor". The Wells family details listed - James D Wells (lodger, 33, fundholder, born Wallingford), his wife Georgeana Wells (30), daughter Ada Mary Wells (9, born Dalston, Middlesex), daughter Annie G Wells (6, born Fairlight Sussex), daughter Elsie M Wells (3, born Fairlight, Sussex) and son Horace J Wells (9 months, born Cheshunt, Hertfordshire). The address also contains two other lodgers.

In the 1871 census James and his family are living at Church Street, Braunton, Devon. The family has expanded. Details listed - James Wells (42, fundholder, born Wallingford), his wife Georginia (sic) Wells (39), daughter Ada M Wells (unmarried, 19, scholar, born Clapton, Middlesex), daughter Annie G Wells (16, scholar, born Ore, Sussex), daughter Elsie M Wells (13, born Ore, Sussex), son Horace J Wells (10), son George P Wells (7, born Shinfield, Berkshire), daughter Helen E Wells (5, born Shinfield, Berkshire) and daughter Florence G Wells (9 months, born Braunton, Devon). Also resident are two servants.

In the 1881 census the family have moved locally to nearby West Down, Devon, and have been added to. Details listed - James Davis Wells (52, annuitant, born Wallingford), his wife Georginna Wells (49), daughter Annie Georginna (unmarried, 25, born Hastings, Sussex), daughter Elsie Maude Wells (unmarried, 22, born Hastings, Sussex), son George Percy Wells (17, scholar, born Reading, Berkshire), daughter Helen Edith Wells (15, born Reading), and new daughter Rose Mirabel Wells (8, born Georgeham, Devon).

In 1887 James' wife died. Her death was registered at Barnstaple, Devon, aged 56.

James remarried in 1888. His marriage to Mary Williams was registered at Exeter, Devon, in the fourth quarter of the year.

There was a son of the marriage, Reginald Pearce Wells, born on 1 May 1890.

The 1891 census confirms James as remarried, and having a further child. The family are found living at 4 West Down Lodge, Heavitree, Devon. The details listed are - James Davis Wells (61, own means, born Wallingford), wife Mary Wells (31, born Mortehoe, Devon) and son Reginald P Wells (11 months, born Heavitree, Devon).

At the 1901 census James has relocated to Essex and is described as a farmer at Burnt House Farm, Great Holland, Essex. Details listed - James D Wells (71, farmer employer, born Wallingford), wife Mary Wells (41, born Woolacombe, Devon) and son Reginald Wells (10). There is also one general servant and one farm labourer resident.

James died in early 1906. He was buried at St James's church, Little Clacton, Essex on 20 January 1906. His death was registered at Tendring, Essex, in the first quarter of 1906, aged 78.

Sources

• London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1930 for James Davies Wells, 1840-1850, 1849 Mar - Aug (Ancestry.com)

• England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 for James Davies Wells, 1850, Q4-Oct-Nov-Dec

• 1851 England Census for James Davis Wells, Middlesex, Hampton, 1e

• 1861 England Census for James D Wells, Hertfordshire, Cheshunt, District 06

• 1871 England Census for James Wells, Devon, Braunton, 5

• 1881 England Census for James Davis Wells, Devon, West Down, District 10

• England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 for James Davis Wells, 1888, Q4-Oct-Nov-Dec

• 1891 England Census for James Davis Wells, Devon, Heavitree, District 5

• 1901 England Census for James D Wells, Essex, Great Holland, District 10

• James Davis Wells in the Essex, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813-1994 (Ancestry.com)

• England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 for James Davis Wells, 1906, Q1-Jan-Feb-Mar

Footnotes

1. ↑ Pedigree of Wells of Wallingford by Major H R E Rudkin, 1935
2. ↑ Brewery History Society Eiki http://breweryhistory.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wallingford_Brewery_Ltd
3. ↑ 1841 England Census for James Wells, Surrey, Clapham, District 11
4. ↑ London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1930 for James Davies Wells, 1840-1850, 1849 Mar - Aug (Ancestry.com)
5. ↑ London Evening Standard Oct 18 1850 Wedding Announcement

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Gilly Wood for creating Wells-5516 on 25 Sep 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Gilly and others.