Where is William Stilwell?

[ElizabethHerts]

I have William Stilwell, baptised 8 Feb 1829 at St George the Martyr Camden, parents Abraham and Kitty.

I lost him after that until if found a marriage for him:
Groom's Name: William Stilwell
Bride's Name: Mary Ann Stanton
Marriage Date: 22 Sep 1851
Marriage Place: St. Mary, Lambeth, Surrey, England
Groom's Father's Name: Abraham Stilwell
Bride's Father's Name: James Samson Stanton
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I03344-2
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1041650
Reference Number: 11
Collection: England Marriages, 1538–1973

I found one child for them:
Name: William James Stilwell
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date: 11 Jul 1852
Baptism/Christening Place: SAINT DUNSTAN,STEPNEY,LONDON,ENGLAND
Birth Date: 21 Jun 1852
Father's Name: William Stilwell
Mother's Name: Mary Ann
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C05576-4
System Origin: England-ODM
Source Film Number: 596917
Reference Number:
Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Then nothing, until he turns up in 1871:

1871 Census
STILWELL, William Jas
Bourne Street, SCULCOATES, Yorkshire
RG10 piece 4781 folio 93 page 31
John Wetwand? Head Mar 63 Yorkshire
Eliza Wetwand Wife 61 Nottinghamshire
William Stilwell Boarder Mar 44 Middlesex
Mary A Stilwell Boarder Mar 45 Middlesex
Elizabeth Douglas Visitor 24 Scotland
William James Stilwell Boarder 19 Middlesex

Mary appears to be a widow in 1881.
I can't find a death for William.
What happened to their son, William James?


(In 1841 William is with his family:
1841 Census
STILLWELL, Abraham
HOLBORN, Middlesex
HO107 piece 671 folio 1/45 page 9 )

[Phoenix]

Does William senior have an occupation?
Does Abraham?

My guess would be that they nipped south of the river because she was in the family way when they'd been living together for some time. The alternative scenario - from the info you have - is that they had a humdinger of a honeymoon and she never had another child.

[kiterunner]

There is a William Stillwell death in Poplar Sep 1879, age 50. Or do you think he would have died in Yorkshire?

[ElizabethHerts]

Abraham was a blacksmith at Gt Omerod Yard.

This 1871 census gives William as a Ship's steward and his wife as a Stewardess.
William James is a Ship's steward too.

[ElizabethHerts]

Kate, I wouldn't be surprised if he travelled a fair bit as a ship's steward, so he could die anywhere!

[kiterunner]

William senior's occupation on William James's baptism in 1852 is Spirit Merchant and the address is 3 Thomas Road, Mile End Old Town. On his marriage certificate in 1851 he is a Barman and they both give their address as 47 Lambeth Walk. One of the witnesses is Mary Elizabeth Stilwell. Mary Ann's brother James Samson Stanton junr got married on the same day, to Jane McBain, and they both give their address as 13 Fore Street.

[ElizabethHerts]

Kate, thanks for that. To begin with, I thought that I had the wrong William Stilwell. However, when I saw the witness Mary Elizabeth Stilwell I knew it was the right one, as Mary Elizabeth was his half-sister by his father's (Abraham's) second wife.