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Abney Park Burial Index

William Edward Frederick was the second child (and eldest son) of William Daniel & Elizabeth, he was born at 3 Stewards Place, Clerkenwell, London on the 7th February 1857

10th May 1860 Brother Edwin Edgar Wiedhoft was born at number 16 Baldwins Gardens, Holborn.

1861 census 11 Baldwins Gardens, Holborn
Wm Wiedhoft	Head	Marrd	31	Pressmaker	Mddx, London
Elizth ---------	Wife	do	28		Same
------- Agnes -----	Daur		5		Same
Wm Edward -------	Son		4		Same
Edwin Edgar -------	Son		10mth		Same

12th August 1862 sister Emily Mary Ann Wiedhoft (my Great Grandmother) was born at 16 Baldwins Gardens.
31st May 1864 William's grandfather (Daniel Chrystal) died a mile or two up the road in Clerkenwell following seven weeks with heart disease.
27th October 1864 Brother Arthur Henry Wiedhoft was born at 16 Baldwins Gardens,
3rd March 1868 Grandmother Martha (Baker) Wiedhofft died in Clerkenwell Workhouse.
7th January 1869 Sister Alice Amelia Wiedhoft was born
3rd September 1870 Brother Alfred Albert Wiedhoft was born at 31 Baldwins Gardens Holborn. and the family were still at this address the following April when the census was taken

1871 Census 31, Baldwins Gardens, St Andrews, Holborn
	Name	Relation	Condition	Age	Occupation	Born
	Previous page
	William Fleming	Son		11	Scholar	City of London
	Mary Do	Daur		8	Do	Do
	Ellen Do	Daur		6	Do	Do
\	William Bridgman	Head	Widow	64	Carpenter	Hants Basingstoke
	Amelia Do	Grandaur		15	Bookfolder	Middlesex,St Andrew
\	William Wiedhoft	Head	Mar	42	Mechanic	Do Do
	Elizabeth Do	Wife	Mar	38		Do Do
	Elizabeth Do	Daur	Unm	15	Boxmaker	Do Do
	William Do	Son	Unm	14	Scholar	Do Clerkenwell
	Edwin Do	Son		11	Do	Do St Andrews
	Emily Do	Daur		8	Do	Do Do
	Arthur Do	Son		6	Do	Do Do
	Alice Do	Daur		4	Do	Do Do
	Alfred Do	Son		7m		Do Do

21st May 1873 brother Albert Ernest Wiedhoft was born in Holborn.
12th July 1875 sister Elizabeth Agnes married James Samuel Peck in Holborn.

On the 17th May 1875 William Edward Frederick married Johanna Sullivan, they were married at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Holborn in a Roman Catholic ceremony by certificate. Bride and groom were both 19 years old and single. William, a pressmaker of 24 Baldwins Gardens was son of William a pressmaker too. Johanna of 7 Baldwins Place was the daughter of David Sullivan (Labourer) Deceased. The certificate was signed by William and Johanna made her mark X. The witnesses were Thomas Francis Linsky and X mark of ???? Matilda ????

We know that on the 15th April 1876 a son William was born to Will Ed Fred and Johanna at 8 Half Moon Ct. Portpool Lane, Holborn. The registration had been carried out by Johanna Sullivan, Grandmother and signed with an X

Another son Edwin was born in the December quarter of 1878 in Holborn

A third son Alfred was born in the June quarter of 1881 again in the Holborn district.

1881 Census 1 Tyndall Bldgs. St Andrew Holborn, London, Middlesex, RG11 Piece 0342 Folio 109 P 45
Name	Relation	Marr	Age	Sex	Occupation	Birthplace
Willm. WIEDHOFT	Head	M	25	M	Press Maker (E & M)	London, Middlesex
Johannah WIEDHOFT	Wife	M	25	F	.	London, Middlesex
William WIEDHOFT	Son	-	4	M	.	London, Middlesex
Edwin WIEDHOFT	Son	-	2	M	.	London, Middlesex
Alfred WIEDHOFT	Son	-	1 m	M	.	London, Middlesex
/1 Tyndall Bldgs -
Johannah SULLIVAN	Head	W	62	F	Charwoman	Cork, Ireland
Michael SHELAN	Son	M	38	M	Labourer	Cork, Ireland
John SHELAN	Gd Son	,	5	M	Scholar	Holborn, Middlesex,
Margaret SHELAN	Gd Daur	-	8	F	Scholar	Holborn, Middlesex

We now note from the census that Johanna was born in London in about 1856 and her mother (a widow) was living in the next apartment with her son (or should it be son-in-law?) and two grandchildren. Young Alfred is also described as 1 month old so was probably born early March.

In the first quarter of 1882 young Edwin dies aged 3 in the Holborn area. (Holborn 1b 506 age 3)

11th December 1883 Sister Emily married Edward Hewitt at St Pancras Register Office.

1884 A fourth son John is born

On the 31st January 1886 wife Johanna dies aged 29 at 8 Baldwins Place, Holborn, The death is registered in the Holborn registrars office by Elizabeth Wiedhoft (mother in law) of 4 Seaford Street, Regent Square. (Present at the death). The cause of death was certified as Phthisis (Literally, means a wasting disease but almost invariably will mean pulmonary tuberculosis - Any debilitating lung or throat affections; a severe cough; asthma)

William now finds himself alone with four children under 10 years of age. Perhaps not surprisingly he remarries in the August of the same year. His new wife is 33 year old widow Emma Higgs (nee Foster). The 1881 census shows labourer Edwin & Emma Higgs living at 6 Cyrus St. Clerkenwell (opposite William Daniel and family). She was born in Birmingham, a daughter of Samuel (a jeweller) & Caroline Foster. This family was living at 37 Rosoman St. Clerkenwell in 1881 (Daniel Chrystal's old house!) The Wedding took place on the 10th August at St Thomas Church, Bethnal Green, London. The witnesses were Albert & Emma Foster. William signed and Emma made her mark in the register. (Addresses too difficult to read but different)

23rd August 1888 wedding of 19 year old sister Alice Amelia to Sydney Smith at St Pancras Church. It was at this time that Jack the Ripper was committing his gruesome murders in the locality, but terrible news was to come just 4 days after the wedding.
27 August 1888 Brother Edwin whilst adjusting a tarpaulin from an upstairs window of the Sun Fire Office in Threadneedle St. fell 40ft to the ground. He died 2 hours later that day in St Bartholomews Hospital from a fractured skull.
25th May 1890 brother Alfred Albert married 18 year old Eliza Frances Griffiths in St Lukes, Old Street, Middlesex.

1891 Census 54 Butterland St, Shoreditch,
William Wiedhoft	Head	M	34	Pressmaker	X	London, Mddx
Emma Do	Wife	M	34			Do
William Do	Son	S	14	Scholar		Do
Alfred Do	Son		9	Scholar		Do
John Do	Son		7	Scholar		Do
Albert Foster	Nephew		4			Do

X=neither employer or employed. Do=ditto

12th December 1892 his mother (Elizabeth) died aged 60 of phthisis at home in 4 Seaford Street, St Pancras.
9th February 1893 his father (William Daniel) died at home (4, Seaford Street). The death certificate gave the cause of death as"Cardiac disease Exhaustion"
28 May 1893 brother Arthur Henry married Christobel Alice Chambers May of this year at St Peters, Saffron Hill.

1899 Post Office Directory shows Wiedhoft. William Embossing Press M 10 Little Greys Inn Road.

14th March 1897 brother Albert married Ada Miriam Chaffey in St.Giles, Bloomsbury, London.

Another son Ernest Albert was born on the 9th October 1898, Holborn, London.

1901 Census 95 Blackstock Road, Stoke Newington, London RG13 209 - 98 - 59
Name	Relation	Marr	Age	Sex	Occupation	Birthplace
William Wiedhoft	Head	M	44	M	Press Maker (own account)	London Clerkenwell
Emma Wiedhoft	Wife	M	44	F		Warwick, Birmingham
Alfred Wiedhoft	Son	S	20	M	Labourer for press maker	London Holborn
John Wiedhoft	Son	S	17	M	Errant? Lad	London Holborn
John H Lanly	Lodger	S	36	M	clerk confectioners	London Commercial Rd
Eldest son William was 23 and staying with his Aunt Emily (our Hewitt family including my 12 year old Gramp, John) at Palatine Road, Stoke Newington.

March quarter 1909 Eldest son William marries Eliza Jane Sams in Hackney
June quarter 1910 Our family can celebrate the arrival of their first grandchild Eliza Alice born to William & Eliza in Hackney

1911 Census 8 Skinner St London EC
William Frederick Wiedhoft	Head	54	Married	25				Machinist Pressmaker	Employer	Clerkenwell EC
Emily Wiedhoft	Wife	56	"		1	1	-	-	-	Birmingham
John Wiedhoft	Son	26	Single					Machinist Pressmaker	Worker	Holborn

This shows us that his home at 8 Skinner Street was also his works and that his home consisted of 3 rooms in the building. He also uses the name William Frederick (dropped the Edward) and signed the form W F Wiedhoft as well as putting his wife's name as Emily.

June quarter 1912 second grand-daughter Emma F born to William & Eliza in Hackney
September 1913 sees the birth of their first grandson William F. born to William & Eliza in Hackney but tragically his death is recorded in the March quarter of 1914
1914 Post Office Directory shows Wiedhoft. W F Engineers 8 Skinner Street EC

1914-18 THE WAR TO END ALL WARS from the verbal family history there is the story of the family's printing works being attacked because of the German name. It is my guess that it was William's Pressmakers business that suffered this damage. History does also show that the business was still at the same premises in Skinner St. under the same name in 1945 at the end of the Second World War being run by son John.

16th February 1918 William witnesses the marriage of son Alfred to Agnes Ada Simmonds at Islington Register Office. Both gave their address as 266 Caledonian Rd.

13th November 1918 William's time on earth was up when aged 61, I have the fact that he died at 8 Skinner St. Clerkenwell (two days after the end of the war). The death certificate records that he died of 1) Cirrhosis of the liver 9 days. 2) Heart Failure. No PM Certified R D MacGregor LAH. Registered by son John present at death 8 Skinner St. He was buried on the 21st November in Highgate Cemetery grave 1069

1918's December quarter saw the birth of grandson Alfred W V to Alfred & Agnes in Islington. Born at the end of the first world war this "baby" was to give his life 25 years later at Enfideville, Tunisia when a Corporal in the British Army

The June quarter of 1921 brought the joy of another baby, Johanna to Alfred & Agnes in St Pancras.

Second wife Emma lived on to April 1926. She was buried aged 73y at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington on the 24 April 1926 plot details 144413 C03 7S11