Person:William Bonser (2)

William Bonser was baptised on 11th November 1770 at Colston Bassett in Nottinghamshire, son of Ann Bonser, formerly Wild, and her husband William Bonser, a weaver. William was the first child his parents had together, but he had four surviving older half-siblings from his father's first marriage. His parents had one more child after him, a daughter named Ann, but sadly she died when she was only two years old.

In 1777 William's father died, aged 43. His will left £5 for William when he turned 21 years old, and stipulated that he was to be apprenticed when old enough. The will also appointed William's uncles John and Henry Bonser as guardians for the children. The year after William's father died his mother died too, leaving William an orphan at the age of seven. Presumably he was brought up by one of his uncles.

On 5th February 1799, when William was 28 years old, he married at East Stoke, a few miles north of Colston Bassett. His wife was Ann Page, and in October that year the couple had a daughter, Ann Bonser. Tragically, the baby died aged only three or four days old, and the mother died the following week.

Just over a year after his first wife's death, on 8th December 1800, William remarried, to an Elizabeth Fernihough, who was originally from Bottesford in Leicestershire. The couple had three children baptised at East Stoke between 1801 and 1808.

William's first known grandchild was baptised in East Stoke in 1818, being son of his daughter Sarah. Sadly he died as a baby. Sarah went on to marry in 1821, and William's next grandchild was baptised in 1822. William's daughter Ann had two children before she married, in 1826 and 1832. William's son William married in 1828.

In 1834 William's daughter Ann died aged just 26. Her husband had died earlier that year, leaving Ann's three children orphans. Elizabeth and William brought up these three grandchildren.

The 1841 census finds William and Elizabeth and their late daughter Ann's three children living at East Stoke, with William described as a shoe maker. William acted as a witness to his granddaughter Eliza's marriage in 1846.

In 1851, William and Elizabeth were still living at East Stoke, and William described himself as a retired shoe maker. They had a nephew, James Lovett, living with them, who was the son of William's half-sister Elizabeth.

William died at East Stoke on 9th February 1853, aged 82. He had lived to see at least seventeen grandchildren and had also seen great-grandchildren born in his lifetime. Elizabeth survived him by three years.

1. ↑ Colston Bassett baptisms, in Nottinghamshire Family History Society. Nottinghamshire Baptisms Database.

   ch. 11 Nov 1770, Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire: William son of William & Ann Bonser

   This baptism has been linked to the William who lived at East Stoke as an adult on the basis of the 1851 census, which gives William's birth place as Colston Bassett, and shows that he had a nephew named James Lovett, who can be shown to be the son of the 1770 William's half sister.

   Needs to be confirmed at Nottinghamshire Archives.

2. ↑ England. 1841 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 HO107; Piece 867; Boook 1; Folio 6; Page 6, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: East Stoke, Nottinghamshire
   Will[ia]m Bonser, male, 70 [1766-71], Shoe M[aker], born in county
   Elizabeth Bonser, female, 60 [1776-81], not born in county
   Eliza Bonser, female, 15 [1821-26], born in county
   George Bonser, male, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   Will[ia]m Haywood, male, 6 [1834/5], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 2134; Folio 7; Page 120, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: East Stoke, Nottinghamshire
   William Bonser, head, married, 80 [1770/1], Shoe Maker Ret[ire]d from business, b. Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire
   Elizabeth Bonser, wife, married, 70 [1780/1], b. Bottesford, Leicestershire
   James Lovitt, nephew, unmarried, 50 [1800/1], Shoe Maker, b. Owlthorpe, Nottinghamshire
   William Gardener, unmarried, 19 [1831/2], b. Newark, Nottinghamshire

4. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. William BONSOR, March Quarter 1853, Southwell Registration District, Volume 7b, page 199, aged 82 [1770/1]

5. ↑ East Stoke (St Oswald) burials, in Nottinghamshire Family History Society. Nottinghamshire Burials Database.

   bur. 13 Feb 1853, William Bonsor, 82 [1770/1], East Stoke

   Needs to be confirmed at Nottinghamshire Archives.

6. ↑ Nottingham Journal, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 5, 18 Feb 1853.

   DEATHS.
   At East Stoke, on the 9th instant, after a few days' illness, Mr. William Bonsor, aged 82.