Person:William Fairhead (1)

William Henry Fairhead was born on 10th August 1900 at Whitechapel in London. He was the son of Elizabeth Fairhead, formerly Garland, and her husband Frederick Fairhead, a constable in the Metropolitan Police. The 1901 census finds William living in Whitechapel with his parents and older brothers on the Peabody Estate on Glasshouse Street (later renamed John Fisher Street).

By 1902, when William’s younger sister was born, the family had moved out of London to the Bexleyheath area in Kent. The 1911 census finds William living with his parents and siblings at a house called ‘Shenley’ at 102 Erith Road in the parish of Crayford, but effectively on the edge of Bexleyheath.

In 1927, aged 26, William married Hannah Mary Meekins. They went on to have one son the following year.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, William and Hannah were living at 52 Hillside Road in Crayford, and William was working as a steam crane driver. William would live at 52 Hillside Road for the rest of his life.

William and Hannah’s son married in 1948, and their first grandchild was born the following year.

Later in 1949, William died, aged 49. He was buried at Crayford on 13th October 1949. Hannah survived him by 36 years.

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

   b. William Henry FAIRHEAD, September Quarter 1900, Whitechapel Registration District, Volume 1c, page 305, mother’s maiden name Garland

2. ↑ 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 306; Folio 167; Page 29, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 2, H Block, Peabody Buildings, Glasshouse Street, Whitechapel, London
   3 rooms occupied
   Frederick A. Fairhead, head, married, male, 29 [1871/2], Metropolitan Police Constable, street worker, b. Alburgh, Norfolk
   Elizabeth L. Fairhead, wife, married, female, 29 [1871/2], b. Dovercourt, Essex
   Frederick A. Fairhead, son, male, 6 [1894/5], Schoolboy, b. Whitechapel, London
   Arthur V. Fairhead, son, male, 5 [1895/6], Schoolboy, b. Whitechapel, London
   James G. Fairhead, son, male, 3 [1897/8], b. Whitechapel, London
   Edward J. Fairhead, son, male, 2 [1898/9], b. Whitechapel, London
   William H. Fairhead, son, male, 7mo [1900], b. Whitechapel, London

3. ↑ 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 3737; Schedule 133, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: “Shenley”, 102 Erith Road, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Kent
   Frederick Fairhead, head, male, 39 [1871/2], married, Police Constable – Metropolitan Police, b. Alburgh, Norfolk
   Elizabeth Fairhead, wife, female, 39 [1871/2], married 17 years, 7 children born to marriage, 5 children still living, b. Dovercourt, Essex
   Frederick Fairhead, son, male, 16 [1894/5], single, Garden Boy – Florist, worker, b. Whitechapel, London
   Arthur Fairhead, son, male, 15 [1895/6], single, Van Boy – Brewery, worker, b. Whitechapel, London
   William Fairhead, son, male, 10 [1900/1], single, Schoolboy, b. Whitechapel, London
   Emily Fairhead, daughter, female, 8 [1902/3], b. Bexleyheath, Kent
   George Fairhead, son, male, 6 [1904/5], b. Bexleyheath, Kent

4. ↑ General Register Office. 1939 Register
   Crayford Urban District, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: 52 Hillside Road, Crayford, Kent
   FAIRHEAD, William / male / b. 10 Aug 1900 / married / Steam Crane Driver
   FAIRHEAD, Hannah / female / b. 6 Jun 1900 / married / Unpaid Domestic Duties
   [one record closed]
   ROBERTSON, George / male / b. 17 Oct 1912 / single / Centre Lathe Turner [other words obscured]
   ROBERTSON, James / male / b. 2 Aug 1920 / single / Drilling Machine Operator (Munition Factory)

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

   d. William Henry FAIRHEAD, December Quarter 1949, Dartford Registration District, Volume 5b, page 431, aged 49 [1899/1900]

6. ↑ Burials register, in Crayford, Kent: Parish Registers (Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre, London).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Crayford in the County of Kent in the year One thousand nine hundred and forty nine.
   No	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   951	William Henry Fairhead	52 Hillside Road	1949 October 13	49 years [1899/1900]	H. Hebden Hurwood, Rector

7. ↑ 1921 Census of England and Wales.

   Address: 102 Erith Road, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Kent
   Frederick A. Fairhead / head / 49y 6m [1871] / male / married / b. Alburgh, Norfolk / Police Constable Retired / Metropolitan Police
   Elizabeth L. Fairhead / wife / 49y 9m [1871] / female / married / b. Dovercourt, Essex / Home duties
   William H. Fairhead / son / 20y 10m [1900] / male / single / b. Whitechapel, London / Engine Clearer / S.E. & C. Railway, Slades Green, Erith
   Emily G. Fairhead / daughter / 19y 1m [1901] / female / single / b. Bexleyheath, Kent / Shop Assistant Grocers / Worlds Stores, Broadway, Bexleyheath
   George D. Fairhead / son / 17y [1903/4] / male / single / b. Bexleyheath, Kent / Shop Assistant Grocers / Worlds Stores, High Street, Erith