Person:Ernest Wilson (7)

Henry Ernest Wilson was born on 16th August 1859 in Manchester, son of Sarah Wilson, formerly Qualtrough, and her husband John Wilson, a merchant. Henry's older brother John had been born in 1857 in Sunderland, and it appears the family returned to Sunderland shortly after Henry's birth, having him baptised at Bishopwearmouth on 14th November 1859. The family had returned to the Manchester area by 1863 when Henry's younger brother Charles was born.

The 1871 census finds Henry and his brother John living at 34 Ardwick Green in Manchester, where they were both described as scholars, with the head of the household being a schoolmaster of classical mathematics, and there were ten scholars in the house. There was also a Frank Wilson in the house, who may or may not have been related.

Henry's next sighting is on 27th April 1884, when he married Christina (or Christiana) Ralston at St Matthew, Ardwick, in Manchester. They had three children together between 1886 and 1893. In 1891 they were living at Pendleton in Salford, and Henry was working as a furniture dealer. Christina subsquently moved to Liverpool by the 1901 census and Wallasey in Cheshire by the 1911 census, but on both occasions Henry was away from home. Whether this indicates that he had left the family or simply happened to be away from home on both the 1901 and 1911 census nights is unclear.

When Christiana died in 1923 in Liverpool, she was described as a widow.

1. ↑ General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Henry Ernest WILSON, September Quarter 1859, Chorlton Registration District, Volume 8c, page 604, mother's maiden name Qualtrough

   This birth has been linked to the 'Ernest Henry Wilson' who married Christina Ralston in 1884 on the basis that their marriage names his father as John Wilson, whilst one of the witnesses to the marriage was a Charles Wilson. The Henry Ernest Wilson born in 1859 appears to have had two brothers, judging by their mother's distinctive maiden name of Qualtrough, as listed in the birth indices: John William Wilson, registered December quarter 1857 at Sunderland and Charles Wilson, registered December quarter 1863 at Chorlton on Medlock. The 1871 census finds a John Wilson from Sunderland and Henry Wilson from Manchester both at the same school in Manchester, which would appear to be these brothers. The 1881 census finds John from Sunderland and Charles from Longsight (in Manchester) together, although Henry was not with them on that occasion. The Henry born in 1859 appears to have been baptised at Bishopwearmouth in Sunderland, suggesting his parents returned to where they had been living when their son John was born after Henry's birth.

2. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   b. 16 Aug 1859, Bishopwearmouth, Durham: Henry Ernest son of John & Sarah Wilson
   ch. 14 Nov 1859, Bishopwearmouth, Durham: Henry Ernest son of John & Sarah Wilson

   These two entries presumably relate to the same child.

3. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 3989; Folio 65; Page 14, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 34 Ardwick Green, Chorlton on Medlock, Manchester, Lancashire
   John Brookes, head, married, male, 43 [1827/8], Schoolmaster Classical Mathematics, b. Lancashire Manchester Ardwick
   Elizabeth Hargreave, mother, widow, female, 64 [1806/7], b. Lancashire Manchester Openshaw
   Mary Emma Fox, niece, unmarried, female, 14 [1856/7], Scholar, Lancashire Manchester Hulme
   Sarah H. Wilcock, niece, unmarried, female, 17 [1853/4], Domestic servant, b. Lancashire Manchester Cheetham Hill
   John Wilson, scholar, male, 13 [1857/8], scholar, b. Durham Sunderland
   Frank Wilson, scholar, male, 8 [1862/3], scholar, b. Lancashire Manchester
   Henry Wilson, scholar, male, 11 [1859/60], scholar, b. Lancashire Manchester
   [plus another seven scholars, a servant and a teacher]

4. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 3203; Folio 5; Page 3, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 35 Broad Street, Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Henry Wilson, head, married, male, 34 [1856/7], Furniture dealer, b. Longsight, Lancashire
   Cristina Wilson, wife, married, female, 37 [1853/4], b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Winifred Eleanor Wilson, daughter, single, female, 5 [1885/6], b. Manchester, Lancashire
   Dora Mary Wilson, daughter, single, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Manchester, Lancashire