Person:Charles Willshear (1)

Charles Willshear was baptised on 9th June 1784 at Eastergate in Sussex. He was the son of Edward Willshear and his wife Mary.

On 7th January 1811, aged 26, Charles married Elizabeth Hammond. She was from the nearby parish of South Bersted, which is where they married. They do not appear to have had any children.

By 1820 Charles had moved to the town of Littlehampton. He bought a prominent freehold house and shop in the Surrey Street / River Road area between the town centre and the harbour, where he established himself as a baker and corn merchant. Owning property gave him the right to vote, and in the 1820 and 1837 elections he is recorded as having voted for the Whig candidates.

In 1839 Charles was prosecuted by the authorities in Littlehampton for failing to pay his poor and highway rates.

The 1841 census finds Charles and Elizabeth living on River Road in Littlehampton, and Charles was described as a baker. Living with them they had Elizabeth’s sister Grace, and Elizabeth's great-nephew William Butt, as well as two others, one of whom was described as a shop boy, presumably working for Charles.

The 1851 census finds Charles and Elizabeth living on Surrey Street in Littlehampton - quite likely at the same house as in 1841 as reports after Charles's death describe him as having run his business at the same premises for nearly forty years, and River Road and Silver Street run into each other. They still had Elizabeth's great-nephew William Butt living with them, and also had Elizabeth's niece Sarah Martin living with them. They also had a servant living with them described as a journeyman baker, again suggesting that he worked for Charles.

Charles died at the age of 71. He was buried at Littlehampton on 25th November 1855. Elizabeth survived him by less than six months. After her death an auction of Charles's property was held. His house in Littlehampton was described as being in excellent repair and was clearly a substantial building – it was described as having a shop, bakehouse, cellar, parlour, dining room, kitchen, washhouse, drawing room and six chambers (bedrooms). He also owned an eight roomed cottage with half an acre of garden at North Bersted, and had a lease of a piece of land in Littlehampton.

1. ↑ Eastergate, Sussex: Bishop's Transcripts (West Sussex County Council, Chichester).

   A Copy of the Parish Register of Eastergate for the year 1784 / Baptisms / June 9th Charles Son of Edward & Mary Willtshire

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 1093; Book 6; Folio 23; Page 3, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: River Road, Littlehampton, Sussex
   Cha[rle]s Willshear, male, 50 [1786-91], Baker, born in county
   Eliza Willshear, female, 50 [1786-91], born in county
   Grace Hammond, female, 40 [1796-1801], born in county
   William Butt, male, 8 [1832/3], born in county
   George Badger, male, 25 [1811-16], J[?], born in county
   Will[ia]m Randal, 13 [1827/8], Shop B[oy], 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 1651; Folio 437; Page 5, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Surrey Street, Littlehampton, Sussex
   Cha[rle]s Willshear, head, married, male, 64 [1786/7], Baker, b. Eastergate, Sussex
   Eliz[abet]h Willshear, wife, married, female, 63 [1787/8], b. South Bersted, Sussex
   Will[ia]m Butt, great nephew, unmarried, male, 18 [1832/3], Baker, b. Littlehampton, Sussex
   Sarah A. Martin, niece, unmarried, female, 19 [1831/2], Cook, b. Felpham, Sussex
   Walter Viceroy, servant, unmarried, male, 24 [1826/7], Journeyman Baker, b. Pagham, Sussex

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

   d. Charles WILLSHEAR, December Quarter 1855, Worthing Registration District, Volume 2b, page 178, aged 71 [1783/4]

5. ↑ Burials register, in Littlehampton, Sussex: Bishop's Transcripts (West Sussex County Council, Chichester).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Little Hampton in the County of Sussex in the Year 1855
   No	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   1242	Charles Willshear	Little Hampton	Nov[embe]r 25th	71 years [1783/4]	David Evans, Off[iciatin]g Min[iste]r

6.   UK Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893 (London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library, London / ancestry.co.uk).

   1820 Sussex Poll: Charles Willshear recorded as one of 18 voters who voted at Littlehampton – he voted for Charles Compton Cavendish, who came last (third) after Walter Burrell and Edward Jeremiah Curteis.
   
   1837 West Sussex Poll: Charles Willshear of Littlehampton recorded as having voted for the Earl of Surrey, one of the two victorious candidates.
   
   1841 West Sussex Register: Charles Willshear of Littlehampton, Qualification: freehold house, Surrey street

7.   Sussex Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, Mon 25 Feb 1839.

   ARUNDEL.
   BENCH OF MAGISTRATES. – Present: - Smith, Esq., A. Atherley, Esq., and Richard Prime, Esq. – Charles Willshear, baker, who did not appear upon being called, Isaac Leggett, beer retailed, Joseph Latter, James Randall, James Allen, Edward Byass, Thomas King, William Chambers, Thomas Sheppard, and James Millard, were summoned by the Collectors of Littlehampton for non-payment of the poor and highway rates; eight of the defendants pleaded poverty. A fortnight was allowed them for paying the former rate, and the latter was altogether excused, the Magistrates taking into consideration the needy circumstances of the parties. Some of these declared they had not earned upon an average three shillings a week throughout the winter.

8.   West Sussex Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 1, Thu 29 Nov 1855.

   Charles Willshear, deceased
   THE CREDITORS of Mr. Charles Willshear late of Littlehampton, Sussex, Baker, are requested to forward the particulars of their claims on the Estate to Mr. JABEZ STREETER, Auctioneer and Appraiser, Littlehampton, by Saturday the 1st. December next.

9.   West Sussex Gazette, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 2, Thu 16 Oct 1856.

   SUSSEX.
   VALUABLE FREEHOLD AND LEASEHOLD PROPERTY.
   MR. STREETER
   Begs respectfully to announce that he has been favoured with Instructions from the Executors of the late Mr. Charles Willshear, deceased, to submit Public Competition, at the Norfolk Hotel, Littlehampton, on Tuesday, the 4th day of November, 1856, at three o’clock in the afternoon (subject to such Conditions of Sale as will be then produced),
   THE following truly desirable DWELLING HOUSE and important BUSINESS premises, situate in close proximity to the river, and in the best business position in the Port Town of Littlehampton, in the County of Sussex, wherein an extensive business as a Baker, Corn and Meal Dealer, has been carried on by the late Mr. Charles Willshear for nearly forty years; also a substantial and newly erected FREEHOLD COTTAGE, with Large Garden, situate in the parish of North Bersted, in the said County, in the occupation of Henry Long, in THREE LOTS:-
   Lot 1. – A FREEHOLD MESSUAGE of DWELLING HOUSE, situate in Surrey-street, Littlehampton, substantially built with brick, and slate healed, containing large bakehouse with oven, in excellent repair; cellar, shop, parlour, dining room, kitchen, washhouse, drawing room, and six good airy and light chambers; together with another shop (now underlet to Mr. George Slaughter), the whole being replete with every convenience, having two water closets, pump of excellent water, and every necessary for private comfort, combined with the carrying on of an extensive business, for which both the position and construction of the premises are eminently calculated: together with a substantially built STORE in the rear, comprising a cart shed, with two stout floors above, fitted with bins, crane, &c., suitable for the corn and meal trade in conjunction with the bakery, or this building might at a small outlay be converted into a capital cottage. The whole of the property comprised in Lot 1 is now in the occupation of Mr. William Ayling, a yearly tenant, at the rental of £35 per annum, and is subject to a quit rent of 4s. only.
   Lot 2. – AN IMPORTANT BUILDING SITE, with a frontage of 25 feet to Surrey-street, and a depth of 138 feet, completely walled in, having in the rear valuable and substantial buildings, comprising a carthouse, store with loft over, stable and harness room, piggery, fowl house, woodhouse, and pitched yard with a pump of good water, water trough and other convenient fixtures. This Lot is now in hand, having been for many years past occupied by Mr. Willshear, and is held under lease from His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, for an unexpired term of 48 years from the 29th day of September, 1856, at the apportioned yearly ground rent of £1 18s.
   Lot 3. – A SUBSTANTIAL FREEHOLD COTTAGE, brick and flint built and slate healed, having eight good rooms, with large and productive garden, containing the whole about half an acre in the occupation of Henry Long, situate in the parish of North Bersted, in the county of Sussex, adjoining the highroad leading to the Woodgate Railway Station, from which it is an easy distance.
   The property may be viewed by permission of the respective tenants, and further particulars and conditions of sale obtained upon application to Robert French, Esq., solicitor, Littlehampton; or at the Office of
   Mr. JABEZ STREETER,
   Auctioneer and Appraiser,
   Littlehampton.