Person:Walter Horsler (1)

Walter Harry Horsler was born on 24th July 1875 at Round Green in the parish of Luton in Bedfordshire, son of Eliza Horsler formerly Fensom, and her husband John Horsler, both of whom worked in the straw hat making industry. The 1881 census finds the family living at Round Green, which was then a separate hamlet. By 1891 the family had moved down the hill into the town itself, living at 57 Boyle Street.

Walter married Emily Eliza Marshall on 20th December 1896. Between 1897 and 1907 they had five children together. Walter worked as a straw hat blocker, whilst Emily was a straw hat machinist. Walter lived to see all five of his children married, and all four of his grandchildren were born in his lifetime. The 1911 census finds Walter and Emily living at 111 Albert Road. They were still there at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

One of Walter's great-grandchildren who was born in the 1940s recalls visiting his great-grandfather around 1950: Until his death he lived at 111 Albert Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. I vividly remember sitting in his living room and firing an air rifle at a candle place in the coal cellar through the kitchen. This was much to my Great Grandmother's disgust. Great fun though! ^[8]

Walter died in 1952, aged 76. Emily outlived him by fifteen years.

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

   b. Walter Harry HORSLER, September Quarter 1875, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 448, mother's maiden name Fensom

2. ↑ England. 1881 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 RG11; Piece 1650; Folio 83; Page 1, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 4 Dancers Cottages, Hitchin Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Horsler, head, married, male, 33 [1847/8], Blocker, b. Streatley, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Horsler, wife, married, female, 35 [1845/6], Machinist (Straw Plait), b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lizzie Horsler, daughter, female, 11 [1869/70], Scholar, b. Round Green, Bedfordshire
   Walter Harry Horsler, son, male, 5 [1875/6], Scholar, b. Round Green, Bedfordshire
   Annie Horsler, daughter, female, 3 [1877/8], b. Round Green, Bedfordshire

3. ↑ 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 1271; Folio 171 & 172; Page 30, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 57 Boyle Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Five or more rooms occupied
   John Horsler, head, married, male, 43 [1847/8], Straw Hat Manufacturer, employer, b. Streatley, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Horsler, wife, married, female, 44 [1846/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lizzie Horsler, daughter, single, female, 21 [1869/70], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Walter H. Horsler, son, single, male, 15 [1875/6], Assist Father, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Annie Horsler, daughter, single, female, 13 [1877/8], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Minnie Horsler, daughter, single, female, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Emily L. Horsler, daughter, single, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ England. England. 1901 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 RG13; Piece 1517; Folio 6; Page 4, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 7 Tennyson Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Five or more rooms occupied
   Walter H. Horsler, head, married, male, 25 [1875/6], Straw Hat Presser, worker, b. Round Green, Bedfordshire
   Emily E. Horsler, wife, married, female, 26 [1874/5], Straw Hat Machinist, worker - at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Dorothy V. Horsler, daughter, female, 3 [1897/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Primrose M. Horsler, daughter, female, 2 [1898/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. 1911 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 RG14; Piece 8995; Schedule 56, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 111 Albert Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Four rooms occupied
   Walter Harry Horsler, head, male, 35 [1875/6], married, Straw hat blocking, worker, b. Round Green, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Emily Horsler, wife, female, 36 [1874/5], married 14 years, 5 children born alive, 5 children still living, Straw hat machinist, worker - at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Dorothy Horsler, daughter, female, 13 [1897/8], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Primrose Horsler, daughter, female, 12 [1898/9], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Redvers Horsler, son, male, 10 [1900/1], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Walter Horsler, son, male, 7 [1903/4], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Doris Horsler, daughter, female, 3 [1907/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Luton Municipal Borough, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 111 Albert Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Horsler, Walter H. / male / 24 Jul 1875 / married / Blocker & steamer Hat trade Heavy work
   Horsler, Emily E. / female / 12 Jun 1874 / married / Unpaid domestic duties

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

   d. Walter Harry HORSLER, March Quarter 1952, Luton Registration District, Volume 4a, page 128, aged 76 [1875/6]

8. ↑ Ancestry user RodneyJMills, writing in 2011 on his public family tree.