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2nd Generation
Mary Anne Pickingill ( 1824 – ? )
6. MARY ANNE PICKINGILL was born in Hockley, Essex and was christened April 4, 1824 at the church in Hockley. Her name on the baptism record is spelled Mary Anne Pittingale.
The entry from the Hockley parish register:
Baptisms 1824 Page No. 37. No. 289.
When Baptized. – Child’s Christian Name. – Parents Names, Christian & Surname – Abode. – Profession. – By whom the ceremony was performed.
1824 April 4. / Mary Anne Daughter of. / Charles & Susannah / Pittingale / Hockley / Labourer / W. C. R. Ray Curate.
Father: Charles Pickingill (No.1)
Mother: Susannah Cudmore (also known as Hannah)
Mary Ann Pickingill lived with her parents in Hockley, Essex from the time of her birth in 1824 until the early 1840’s.
Mary Ann Pittingale married JAMES WELLS on May 31, 1841 in the church at Hockley. Mary was listed as 17 years old on the marriage record.
From the marriage entry in the Hockley parish register
1841 Page 12. No. 23
When Married.: May 31st.
Name
and Surname:
James Wells
Mary
Pittingale
Age:
full
age
17 years
Condition:
Bachelor
Spinster
Rank or Profession:
Laborer
Residence at the time of Marriage.:
Hockley
Hockley
Father’s Name and Surname.:
Thomas Wells
Charles Pittingale
Rank or Profession of Father.:
Laborer
Laborer
Married in Parish Church Hockley Wm Harding Vicar.
This Marriage was solemnized between us,
James Wells X his mark
Mary Pittingale X her mark
In the Presence of us,
Ann Lappen X her mark
Henry Baker X his mark
James Wells was born in Laindon, Essex and was a son of Thomas Wells.
In 1841, James and Mary Wells were living in the household of John Staines in Hockley, Essex. James Wells was an Agricultural Laborer.
From the 1841 Census of Hockley, we find the following:
Name - Age Sex - Profession - Born in County?
John
Staines
30 M
Ag
Lab
Y
Jane Do
25 F
Y
Mary Do
3 F
Y
Eliza Do
10 F
Y
Sarah Do
7 F
Y
Hamah Do
11 months F
Y
James Wells
30
M
Ag
Lab
Y
Mary Do
15
F
Y
Based on the birthplaces of the children, James and Mary Wells moved to South Benfleet, Essex by 1842.
Then by 1848, they moved to Canvey Island, Essex. Canvey Island was partially considered part of Pitsea parish, Essex.
From the children’s baptisms in the Chapel of Canvey Island, it states that in 1850 their home was “Bricked House, C. I.” and in 1851 their home was “Brick House Gate C. I.”
In 1851, James and Mary Wells were living in Pitsea, Essex. James Wells was an Agricultural Laborer.
From the 1851 Census of Pitsea, we find the following:
Name - Relationship – Married or Single – Age – Sex – Profession – Birthplace
Cottage
James
Wells
Head Ma
32 M Labr Ag. Laindon
Essex
Mary Wells
Wife Ma 29
F
Hockley
d
James Wells
Son
9 M
South Benfleet
d
Mary Wells
Dau
6 F
South Benfleet d
Sarah Ann Wells Dau
3 F
Pitsea
d
Hanah Wells
Dau
1 F
Pitsea
d
James Wells was present at the death of Edward Miller who died on September 24, 1854 at Pitsea Canvey Island, Essex.
Edward Miller was the husband of Martha who was a sister of James Wells’ wife. He died from the Cholera.
It would appear that perhaps Mary Wells may have died after 1853. And that perhaps the father was unable to care for the children or died soon too, since the children were placed in the Billericay Union House by 1855.
Daughter Mary Wells died in the Billericay Union House in 1855 (see below in the children section).
In 1861, the four daughters of James and Mary Wells were in the Union Workhouse at Billericay, Essex.
From the 1861 Census of the workhouse in Billericay, we find the following:
“List of all the persons who slept or abode in this institution on the night of Sunday, April 7th, 1861.”
On the 1st page:
Name - Relationship – Married or Single – Age – Sex – Profession – Birthplace
Robert Duncan Head Married 37 M Master of Union Workhouse Scotland
Several pages later:
Name - Relationship – Married or Single – Age – Sex – Profession – Birthplace
Sarah Wells Pauper 12 F Scholar
Essex, Canvey Island
Hannah Wells Do 10
F Do
Essex, Canvey Island
Phoebe Wells Do
8 F Do
Essex, Canvey Island
Emma Willis Do
6 F Do
Essex, Canvey Island
The following comment is interesting:
From
a website constructed by Scott Bisseker for Bill Liddell, 2006, www.pickingill.com
Old George Pickingill and the History of Modern Witchcraft
"George Pickingill was an itinerant horse dealer who accompanied his Rom kinsmen to Horse Fairs. He was renowned as a Gypsy sorcerer and met a number of his nine female leaders when travelling with the Rom. The Gypsies have always known the favoured haunts of the traditional witches. They had no trouble locating Pickingill covens.
Mike Howard advised me in personal correspondence dated 27th March 1997 : "Your comments about the gypsies and Pickingill covens has reminded me of an encounter I had in 1976 with a Romany called George Wells who lived in South London. He claimed to know of Pickingill people on the Suffolk-Essex border at Brandon, and others still in the New Forest area. "Mike was not impressed and gave little heed to Wells at the time. In hindsight this was a pity. It may have been possible to corroborate some of the claims in the Lugh material.”
One wonders if this George Wells was a descendant of this family, directly or to a brother or cousin of the above James Wells.
Research notes:
The year 1851 is the last known year that we see James Wells, the father and the son in a record. Same for the mother and daughter of the same name, Mary Wells.
The year is 1861 is when we find the 4 above people missing with the 4 other daughters in the Billericay Workhouse.
I checked the death index for the period of 1851 to 1861 for the Billericay Registration district (which includes Canvey island and Billericay). Two entries for James Wells showed up, one in 1855 and one in 1861. Two entries for Mary Wells showed up, one in 1854 and one in 1855.
A short while back I ordered the death certificates for James Wells 1861 and Mary Wells 1855. And it turns out that the James Wells certificate for 1861 was for a baby that died who was a son of a Thomas Wells, so that one was a reject. The Mary Wells 1855 death turned out to be the daughter of James and Mary Wells.
I still got to order the death certificates of James Wells 1855 and Mary Wells 1854.
But now that one of the two James Wells death index entry turned out to be a reject, that means one of the James Wells, father or son, may have lived but in a different area.
CHILDREN OF JAMES AND MARY ANNE (PICKINGILL) WELLS:
18. JAMES WELLS was born ca. 1842 in South Benfleet, Essex.
In 1851, James Wells, age 9, was living with his parents in Pitsea, Essex (see above for details in the census).
19. MARY WELLS was born ca. 1845 in South Benfleet, Essex.
In 1851, Mary Wells, age 6, was living with her parents in Pitsea, Essex (see above for details in the census).
Mary Ann Wells died at the age of 10 years on March 18, 1855 in the Union Workhouse in Billericay, Essex.
The following is from the death certificate:
Registration District: Billericay
1855 Death in the Sub-district of Great Burstead in the County of Essex
No. 33.
When and where died
Eighteenth March 1855 Union Workhouse Billericay
Name and surname
Mary
Ann Wells
Sex
Female
Age
10
Years
Occupation
Daughter of James Wells Husbandman
Cause of death
Measles Gastric Fever Debility certified
Signature, description and residence of informant
Mary Ann Highham Present at the Death Union Workhouse Billericay
When registered
Twenty Second March 1855.
Signature of registrar
Wm Carter Registrar
20. x SARAH ANN WELLS was born in 1847 in Canvey Island, Essex and was christened December 12, 1847 in the Chapel of Canvey Island.
Sarah married John Hinton.
21. x HANNAH WELLS was born in 1850 in Canvey Island, Essex and was christened June 30, 1850 in the Chapel of Canvey Island.
22. + PHOEBE ANN WELLS was born in 1851 in Canvey Island, Essex and was christened December 7, 1851 in the Chapel of Canvey Island.
Phoebe married John Robert Dines.
23. x EMMA WELLS was born in 1853 in Canvey Island, Essex and was christened October 9, 1853 in the Chapel of Canvey Island.
Sources:
1. Parish registers for Hockley, Essex, England. FHL British Film 1593600 Items 14 - 31. Christenings: 1824 Mary Anne Pittingale. Marriages: 1841 James Wells and Mary Pittingale. Searched and Extracted March 18, 2008 Tuesday.
2. 1841 Census of England, Essex, Hockley, District 5, Image No. 4, Ancestry.com. Public Record Office reference: HO 107 / 337 / 11, Original Page No. 8, Stamped Page No. 28, James and Mary Wells in the household of John Staines. March 18, 2008 Tuesday 6:30 PM.
3. Bishop’s transcripts for Chapel of Canvey Island, Essex, England. FHL British Film 1702194 Item 5. Christenings: 1847 Sarah Anne Wells, 1850 Hannah Wells, 1851 Phobe Ann Wells, 1853 Emma Wells. February 2, 2010 Tuesday 10:30 AM.
4. 1851 Census of England, Essex, Pitsea, District 3b, Image No. 2, Ancestry.com. Public Record Office reference: H.O. 107 / 1774, Original Page No. 6, Stamped Page No. [489], No. of Householder’s Schedule 7, Household of James Wells. March 18, 2008 Tuesday 6:20 PM.
5. 1854 Death Certificate of Edward Miller. From the General Register Office, Southport, Merseyside, England. James Wells was present at the death. Received November 6, 2009 Friday 10:30 AM.
6. 1855 Death Certificate of Mary Ann Wells. From the General Register Office, Southport, Merseyside, England. Received December 1, 2009 Tuesday.
7. 1861 Census of England, Essex, Billericay, District Union Workhouse, Image No. 1 & 8, Ancestry.com. Public Record Office reference: R.G. 9 / 1076, Original Page No. 33 & [ ]. The sisters, Sarah Wells, Hannah Wells, Phoebe Wells, and Emma Willis, in the Workhouse. April, 9, 2009 Thursday 1:05 PM.
8. Website - “Old George Pickingill and the History of Modern Witchcraft” from a website constructed by Scott Bisseker for Bill Liddell, 2006, www.pickingill.com. George Wells mentioned in an article about George Pickingill. January 31, 2010 Sunday 7:30 PM.
Last updated February 18, 2010 Thursday 2:44 PM
Researched and Compiled by William Wallworth
Deadfamilies.com
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