Joseph Wootton (1849-1925)
Mary Ann Mills (1851-1924)

Joseph Wootton and Mary Ann Mills are my 2nd Great-Grandparents on the Wootton family line. Joseph was born on the 15th January 1849 in Wymeswold, in 1849 Queen Victoria is the current monarch. Significant events that year included the ongoing Second Anglo-Sikh War, the British forces retreated from the Battle of Chillianwala and the city of Multan fell to the British East India Company. In Ireland they are experiencing the Great Famine, 96 inmates of the Ballinrobe Union Workhouse died from illness and famine-related conditions, an unwanted record. The potato crop fails again and there are renewed outbreaks of cholera. 1849 also saw the abolition of the Corn Laws, 'The Importation Act 1846' came into effect, impacting agricultural policies. 

Joseph was baptised on the 18th January, his parents were Samuel & Sarah Wootton (nee Warner). Her original family name is used as a middle name by quite a few of  future Woottons.  Joseph is often mentioned as Joseph Warner Wootton but I see no official records of him using that name, his son certainly bears that name.  Joseph was born just a few months before his father died of Consumption or Tuberculosis, his mother made a living from working as a Seamstress. 

Tuberculosis or TB, also known as the "white death" and consumption is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. It was one of the most common diseases of the 18th & 19th Centuries. The last stage was known as consumption in the Victorian era and was usually fatal. Before the Industrial Revolution, folklore often associated tuberculosis with vampires. When one member of a family died from the disease, the other infected members would lose their health slowly. People believed this was caused by the original person with TB draining the life from the other family members.

Joseph is noted in the 1851 Census, aged just 2. The family are living at Goddards Yard, Wymeswold. He is living with his Mother Sarah, she is employed as a Lace Worker. Also there are Joseph's Brother William, age 8 and Sister Emma, age 6. It must have been difficult for Sarah at this time after being made a widow and having three children to care for.

Joseph was earning money as early as age twelve, he is noted as working as a Plough Boy in the 1861 Census and the family have moved to Clay Street. Later on he would earn a living as a Grazier and as a Builder, the building trade became a Wootton tradition with many branches of the Woottons becoming builders. Many people will know of  Woottons the builders in Wymeswold, Joseph Wootton was certainly not the first family member in the building trade but his father was actually a shoemaker. Joseph went on to build houses all over Wymeswold which he would sell or rent, he also built Jubilee Cottages where I grew up, situated at the bottom of Clay Street, my father still lives there today, you can see a picture of this being built below. As well as being a builder in several directories, he is also noted as being a Cottager (small holder) and Grazier (cattle or sheep farmer), although it was primarily his wife Mary along with her daughters Sarah and Florrie who looked after the livestock, as well as taking care of domestic duties, the ladies of the house worked extremely hard to help make a living.

Mary Ann Mills was born in 1851 in Wymeswold.  On the 30th March 1851 the UK Census is the first to include detailed ages, dates and place of birth, also included are the occupations and marital status of those listed. The population of the UK is revealed to have reached 21 million, 6.3 million living in the cities. This census also counts attendance at places of religious worship, it shows that only 35% of the population attend and of those, nonconformists are actually in the majority. 

When Mary was young she lived in an area known as Little London at one end of London Lane, Wymeswold. In 1861 she is age 9 and living there with her Father Henry Mills, an Agricultural Labourer and her Mother Ann Mills. By the time of the 1871 Census she is 20 years old and working at home as a housekeeper for her father in Little London, he is noted as a Grazier of 17 acres, her mother had passed  the year before, in 1870. Joseph and Mary were staunch Baptists, leaving the main church after Joseph fell out with the vicar, they married at the General Baptist Chapel in Baxter Gate, Loughborough on the 2nd of March 1872. 

Ellen Smith wrote several excellent books on Wymeswold and the Wootton family. She was Joseph & Mary's Granddaughter.

Notes from 'Memories of a Country Girlhood' by  Ellen Smith   :-

* When i was eleven years old, my grandfather Wootton asked me if i would collect the rents from the dozen or so cottages that he owned and let to families of various sizes. The rent for most of these cottages was 1/6d per week, but for two of them it was only 1/3d per week. When Grandfather died the cottages were sold.

Grandfather had two new large cottages build called Jubilee Cottages. (2/4 Clay Street) These had two large front rooms, a large kitchen and a pantry that was down some brick steps. 

Grandfather and Grandma Wootton were both extremely strict with us children in every way. We dared not step into their house without  taking off our boots or cleaning them thoroughly, and we always had to wash our hands before sitting down to eat. We girls were made to sit properly in our chairs, never lounge, nor cross our knees or even our feet, and we were constantly ordered to sit with our knees together. We were told always to be ladylike and behave well when we were out. Our Wootton grandparents were staunch church people, until the church dignitaries wanted to start a raffle in aid of church funds. Grandfather totally disagreed with this form of betting and after words had been exchanged, he left the church and became a Baptist, his wife (Mary) and daughter, our Aunt Sarah, followed suit.*

Joseph and Mary had four children in total, one died at a young age. Sarah Ann Wootton, was their first Daughter, my Great Grandmother,  was born in 1872. They had a 2nd Daughter, Florence Harriet Wootton in 1879 and a Son, Thomas Warner Wootton, born in 1874.

In the Census of 1881 Joseph is aged 30 and his profession is noted as a Builder & Grazier. They are still living in Clay Street, also there at the property are Mary, Joseph's wife, age 29 and Daughters Sarah Ann, age 8, Son Thomas, age 7 and young Florence aged 1.  They are noted as living at Clay Street until in the Census of 1901,  this notes the whole family have moved to Swifts Lane.  In the 1911 Census it is just Joseph and Mary living at home, living still at Swifts Lane, this Census also confirms they had four children in total, three living to adulthood. 

Mary passed away on the 16th April 1924 after a series of strokes. Joseph passed away the year after on the 17th March 1925. Joseph is buried at the Rempstone Road Cemetery, Wymeswold along with Mary.

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Mary Ann Mills (1851-1924)

Notes from 'Memories of a Country Girlhood' by  Ellen Smith   :-

* We were not allowed to read newspapers on Sunday in case our Grandma Wootton came to see us. If she caught us reading newspapers or non-religious books on Sunday , we were in deep trouble with her. We loved and respected her so much that this telling-off made a great impression on us.

The children and Nell's mother caught scarlet fever and Joseph had to isolate himself from the family, for he could not risk getting the disease because of building commitments. Grandma Wootton, who fortunately lived only a street away, was wonderful at this dreadful time: she not only looked after father, she left hot dinners at the door and fetched sticks and coal for the fires.

In her young days Grandma Wootton, along with her daughters Sarah and Florrie, worked terribly hard. She had a large flock of poultry and a herd of cows which she milked herself. She used to drive into Nottingham, a matter of twelve miles to sell the butter and Colwick cheese she had made, along with eggs and poultry which she killed, plucked and dressed. As she got older she found killing the birds became more difficult, her hands grew weaker and she was unable to do the job thoroughly. 

Grandma spoiled my grandfather terribly. Everything and everybody came second to him. She did many hard jobs that he should have done.

In the 1920's she became very ill indeed and after she had suffered two minor strokes, grandfather employed a housekeeper to look after them both. This proved unsatisfactory , so Florrie my eldest sister, who was still in her teens gave up her job to look after them. Grandma's condition known as creeping paralysis, gradually became worse and my mother and Aunt Sarah took turns to sit up at night with her. After slowly deteriorating over several months, Grandma died of her stroke.*

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Joseph Wootton (1849-1925) 

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Born  15 January 1849 in Wymeswold  

Baptism 18 January 1849 in Wymeswold
Father Samuel Wootton  Mother Sarah

Census 1851.  Joseph Wootton Age 2.  

Address - Goddards Yard, Wymeswold.

Living with Mother Sarah Age 44. Profession - Lace Worker.

Brother William(8) & Sister Emma(6).

Census 1861.  Age 12 Profession - Plough Boy

Address - Clay Street , Wymeswold.

Living with Mother Sarah (54) Profession - Seamstress 

Brother William Wootton(18) (Bricklayer)

Grand-Daughter Eliza(1).

Census 1871.  Age 22. Profession - Bricklayer.

Address - Clay Street , Wymeswold.

Living with Mother Sarah Wootton (64) (Housekeeper). 

Married General Baptist Chapel, Baxter Gate, Loughborough
on the 2nd of March 1872. Aged 23.
Present were Henry Mills Junr & Sarah Miller.

Census 1881.  Age 30. Profession - Builder & Grazier.

Address - Clay Street , Wymeswold.

Living With Wife Mary(29)

Daughters Sarah Ann(8) & Florence(1) 

Son Thomas(7).

Directory of Leicestershire 1888
BUILDERS, &C.
Wootton Joseph, & cottager, Clay Street

Directory of Leicestershire 1888
COTTAGERS AND COWKEEPERS
Wootton Jph, & bricklayer, Clay Street

Census 1891.  Age 42. Profession - Builder & Grazier.

Address - Clay Street , Wymeswold.

Living With Wife Mary(40) 

Daughters Sarah Ann(18) & Florence(11) 

Son Thomas(17).

Kelly's Directory of  Leicestershire & Rutland 1900
Wootton Joseph, bricklayer, Brook st

Census 1901.  Age 51.  Profession - Builder.  Status - Employer working at home.

Address - Swifts Lane , Wymeswold.

Living With Wife Mary(49) 

Daughters Sarah Ann(28) & Florence(21) 

Son Thomas(27). 

Kelly's Directory of  Leicestershire & Rutland 1908
Wootton Joseph, grazier

Census 1911.  Age 62.  Profession - Grazier.  Status - Employer working at home.

Address - Swifts Lane , Wymeswold.

Living With Wife Mary(59)

Children : 4 total - 3 alive - 1 died 

Kelly's Directory of  Leicestershire & Rutland 1912
Wootton Joseph, grazier

Census 1921.  Age 72.  Profession - Grazier.  Status - own account at home.

Address - Wymeswold.

Living With Wife Mary(70)

Died    17 March 1925

Burial  Rempstone Road Cemetery, Wymeswold.

*to view more details on Joseph's passing click here

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Mary Ann Mills (1851-1924)

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Born    1851 in Wymeswold 

Census 1861.  Age 9. Profession - Scholar

Address - Little London , Wymeswold.

Living With Father Henry Mills(44) - Ag Labourer

Mother Ann Mills(46). 

Census 1871.  Age 20. Profession - Housekeeper

Address - Little London , Wymeswold.

Living With Father Henry Mills(55) 

Profession - Grazier 17 acres.

Married at General Baptist Chapel,Baxter Gate,Loughborough 

on the 2nd of March 1872. Aged 21.

Present were Henry Mills Junr & Sarah Miller. (Brother & Sister-in-Law)

Census 1881.  Age 29. 

Address - Clay Street , Wymeswold.

Living With Husband Joseph(30) 

Daughters Sarah Ann(8) & Florence(1)

Son Thomas(7).

Census 1891.  Age 40. 

Address - Clay Street , Wymeswold.

Living With Husband Joseph(42) 

Daughters Sarah Ann(18) & Florence(11)

Son Thomas(17).

Census 1901.  Age 49.  Status - nullworking at home.

Address - Swifts Lane , Wymeswold.

Living With Husband Joseph(51) 

Daughters Sarah Ann(28) & Florence(21)

Son Thomas(27).

Census 1911.   Age 59  - Wife

Address - Swifts Lane , Wymeswold.

Living With Husband Joseph(62) -  Profession - Grazier.  Status - working at home.

Children : 4 total - 3 alive - 1 died 

Census 1921.   Age 70  - Wife

Address - Wymeswold.

 Living With Husband Joseph(72) -  Profession - Grazier.  Status - own account at home.

Died    16 April 1924

Burial  Rempstone Road Cemetery, Wymeswold.

*to view more details on Mary's passing click here

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 Notes on Children :

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  Sarah Ann Wootton (1872-1948)  

  Born 21 Jun 1872  Wymeswold

  Married Harry Sheppard  1 July 1908 Wymeswold

  Died 25 Sep 1948  Wymeswold.

 {See main descendant page Sarah Ann Wootton}

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  Florence Harriet Wootton (1879-1943)

  born  4 Oct 1879  Wymeswold

  baptised 19 Feb 1891 (11) Wymeswold . Father  Joseph Wootton  Mother Mary Ann

  married John Thomas Eggleston 1902

  died 29 Oct 1943  Woodhouse Eaves

  Children :

  Ivy Eggleston

  Elsie Eggleston

  Mabel Eggleston

  Kathleen Eggleston

  ----

  Thomas Warner Wootton (1874-1954)

  born 21 Jan 1874  Wymeswold

  baptised 12 Feb 1891 (17) Wymeswold . Father  Joseph Wootton Mother Mary Ann

  married Mary Ellen Hardy 25 Jun 1901 Wymeswold

  died 29 Jul 1954  Hastings House, Loughborough

  Children : Thomas & Mary had 7 Children, one being Bill Wootton who continued the Wootton's building tradition.

  Joseph Warner Wootton

  born 08 Dec 1901

  Florence May Wootton

  born 31 Aug 1903

  Lottie Wootton

  born 15 May 1905

  Ellen Wootton

  06 Jan 1907

  Edna May Wootton

  born 1909

  John Wootton

  born 1913

  William Wootton (Bill)

  born 01 Aug 1919

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