William was the first child of William & Jane Steel, baptised at New Fishbourne Parish Church on 12 May 1799, only 3 months after their marriage. Jane’s parents lived in New Fishbourne.
William’s birthplace is given as Bosham, Sussex in the 1851 Census, and he was certainly living there a couple of years later, when his sister Sarah was baptised at Bosham on 29 Nov 1801.
We have not yet discovered when William & Sarah’s father died nor when the family left Bosham.
The family first appears in the Westbourne Parish Registers in 1823.
On 3 Apr 1823, at Westbourne Parish Church, the Marriage took place after Banns of William Steel of this parish Bachelor and Anne Long of this parish Spinster, in the presence of Raphael Preeve and Sarah Steel.
In the following year at the same church, Thomas Barker married Sarah Steel on 6 Nov 1824.
Anne Long was the daughter of John & Elizabeth Long, baptised at Westbourne, on 8 Jun 1800.This is the only mention of John & Elizabeth in Westbourne that we have found. Rebecca, daughter of John & Elizabeth Long was baptised at East Meon on 15 Nov 1807 and we think that she was Anne’s sister because Rebecca’s son was with
William & Ann Steel in the 1841 Census.
The first two children of William (a Cordwainer) & Ann Steel were baptised at Westbourne while they were living at Hermitage in the parish.
Ann baptised 7 Mar 1824
William baptised 26 Mar 1826, buried 13 Jan 1829, age 3.
By 1831, they had moved across the River Em and County boundary, and were living in Emsworth, Hampshire where they lived for over 20 years.
Emsworth was in the Parish of St Thomas a’Beckett, Warblington and this was where the next two children were baptised:
Sarah baptised 30 Jan 1831, father Shoemaker, abode Emsworth.
John baptised 17 Jul 1833.
By 1841, when last child George was born, St James Church had just been built at Emsworth and this was where George was baptised on 23 May 1841. The entry is in the Register of Baptisms of St Thomas a’Beckett, Warblington, stating that the baptism had taken place at St James, Emsworth.
In 1841 Census of the Parish of Warblington, at Havant Lane, Emsworth, were William Steel 40 shoemaker, Ann Steel 40, with Ann 15, Sarah 11, John 8, George 1m. Only Sarah, John & George were born in Hampshire. Also with them was William Long age 6. (son of Rebecca Long)
In 1851 Census, at Havant Road, Emsworth, were William Steel 51 Bootmaker, born Ssx Bosham, wife Anne 51 born Ssx Westbourne, son John 17 Ropemakers Apprentice, born Emsworth, George 9 Scholar born Emsworth.
Daughter Ann 27 had married Q4 1850 and was at Wingfield Road, Portsea with her husband William Beach 25 Shipwright.
Daughter Sarah 20 was a housemaid at West Street, Fareham.
In 1861 Census, at 4 Kings Street, Portsea, William Steel 61 shoemaker born Ssx, wife Ann 61 born Ssx, son George 19 Carpenter born Hants.
Daughter Ann & her husband William Beach were now at 56 Charles Street, Portsea, with 3 children.
Daughter Sarah, unmarried servant 30 was at Commercial Road, Portsea.
Son John had died the previous December and was buried in Kingston Cemetery, Portsea, plot Couzens, row 15, grave 16.
William’s wife Anne died on 25 June 1861 and was buried in the same grave as her son John on 28 June 1861.
William lived for another 4 years. He died at Union House, Portsea on 10 June 1865, a pauper. He was buried on the same day in Kingston Cemetery, plot Paupers, row 19, grave 22.