On 22 November 1852, John James Waller (1852-1917), my maternal great grandfather, was born. His birth was registered in Deptford in 1853 Q1. He was baptised at St. Nicholas in Deptford on 17 December 1852. Parents George James (Mariner) and Amelia Waller, abode 1 Czar Street Deptford.

In the 1861 Census the family were at 248 Price Street and he was aged 8 and was a Scholar. In 1871 they were at 47 Cathcart Street, he was 18 and a Labourer.

On 16 April 1876 he married Mary Jane McNalley (1856-1929) at St. Nicholas Church in Liverpool. She was born McNally (on 4 April 1856) but on the marriage certificate spells her name McNalley. Witnesses were John Ritchie and John James’ sister Martha.

On 16 January 1877 George James Waller (1877-1955) was born. He was baptised on 4 March 1877 at Birkenhead St. Peter, parents’ names John and Mary Jane, father’s occupation was Engine Driver and their address was 62 Cathcart Street.

On 26 December 1878 Eliza Waller (1878-1962) was born, her birth being registered Q1 1879. In the 1939 register her birthday is given as 26 December 1881 – I think she shaved three years off her age! She was baptised on 12 September 1880 at Birkenhead St. Peter, father’s occupation was Labourer and address 267 Moon Street.

In the 1881 Census the family were at 16 George Street and John James was an Engine Driver. George James was 4 and Eliza 2.

On 18 April 1881 Martha Waller (1881-1958) was born. She was baptised at Birkenhead Holy Trinity on 28 October 1883. Father’s occupation was Labourer, and their address was 3 Shaw’s Place, Somerville Street, Birkenhead.

On 16 April 1883 Jane Waller (1883-1961) was born. She was baptised at Birkenhead Holy Trinity on 28 October 1883, at the same time as her older sister Martha, all details as for Martha.

On 6 June 1885 John Waller was born. The birth register says John, and he was baptised as John at Birkenhead Holy Trinity on 18 June 1885. Parents John & Mary Jane Waller, father’s occupation Dock Labourer, abode 3 Shaw’s Place, Somerville Street, Birkenhead. The death register records the death of John James Waller, aged 2, in Q3 1887, and he was buried at Birkenhead St. Mary on 8 September 1887 aged 2.

On 30 June 1887 Christopher Charles Waller (1887-1951), my maternal grandfather, was born. He was baptised at the Church of the Holy Trinity on 12 October 1887. Address given was 14 Russell Place Birkenhead.

On 4 May 1889 James Colby Waller (1889-1968) was born. He was baptised on 22 January 1890 at Birkenhead Holy Trinity as James Waller, whereas he was James Colby Waller on the birth register. Parents’s names given as John and Jane, presumably Mary Jane. Father’s occupation Labourer, abode 52 Cathcart Street.

In the 1891 Census the family were living at 52 Southern Street Birkenhead. John James aged 38 was a Dock Labourer, Mary Jane was 34, George James was a Railway Messenger aged 14, Eliza was 12, Martha 10, Jane 8, Christopher 3 and James 1.

On 27 May 1891 John Waller (1891-1891) was born. He was baptised at Birkenhead St. Peter on 8 June 1891, father John Waller, occupation Engine Driver, mother Mary Jane, abode 52 Cathcart Street. His death was recorded in Q2 1891 and he was buried at Birkenhead St. Mary on 17 June 1891, aged 24 days.

On the same baptism record page but on the next day, 9 June 1891, the baptism of Edward Ansell Waller was recorded. His parents were John James’ younger brother James Colby Waller (1864-1940) and his wife Mary of 7 Arrow Place. At this time in the 1891 Census, George James Waller and Amelia were living at 11 Arrow Place. John James and Mary Jane subsequently named a son Edward Ansell Waller in 1895.

On 28 or 29 April 1892, twins were born. Fidelia (1892-1971) and Georgina (1892-1974). They were both baptised on 16 May 1892 at Birkenhead St. Peter and the baptism records show their date of birth was 28 April. However, on the 1939 register they both say 29 April. Father’s occupation Labourer, abode 52 Cathcart Street. John’s sister Fidelia had died in 1889, and he named one daughter after her, the other after his sister Georgina (who later died in childbirth in 1895).

On 6 May 1895 Edward Ansell Waller (1895-1926) was born. He was baptised on 26 June 1895 at Birkenhead Holy Trinity. Father’s occupation Labourer, abode 242 Beckwith Street.

On 25 August 1897 Amelia Waller (1897-1991) was born (birth date given on death register). She was baptised at Birkenhead St. Anne on 27 October 1897, abode 242 Beckwith Street.

Again, John’s younger brother James Colby Waller and his wife Mary had their child Amelia baptised on 13 October 1897 at Birkenhead St. Anne.

On 14 August 1899 Lily Waller (1899-1979) was born. She was baptised on 27 September at Birkenhead St. Anne. Parents John and Mary Jane Waller, father’s occupation Labourer, abode 236 Beckwith Street.

In the 1901 Census the family were at 232 Beckwith Street, a four-bedroom house. George James, the eldest, had left home and was married, but the rest (10 children) were still at home. John was 48, a Dock Labourer, Mary Jane was 45. Eliza was 22, Martha 20 and Jane 17 and all three were Laundresses, Christopher aged 13 was a Railway Messenger and James Colby aged 11 was a Railway Porter. Fidelia and Georgina aged 8, Edward 5, Amelia 3 and Lily (Lilian in the Census) 1.

In the 1911 Census they had moved to 267 Brook Street, a five room house. John was 58 and a Dock Labourer and Mary Jane was 54 (she got a year younger since the last Census!). Eliza, Martha and Jane had married since the 1901 Census, which left 7 children at home. Christopher was 23 and a Dock Labourer, James was 21 and still a Railway Porter. Fidelia and Georgina were 18 and working for a soap maker (no doubt Lever’s), Edward was 15 and a Boiler Cleaner in a shipyard, while Amelia 13 and Lily 11 were at school. John and Mary Jane had had 13 children, 11 still living.

John James Waller died on 13 March 1917. He was buried on 17 March at Birkenhead (Flaybrick) Cemetery, aged 60 according to the burial and grave register records, abode 267 Brook Street, in Section 9, Grave No. 527a.

The headstone inscription reads “In Loving Memory of John J. Waller. Died 13th March 1917 aged 63 years.” As he was born on 22 November 1852, his precise age was 64 years 111 days.

An article with photographs of his and Mary Jane’s four sons appeared in the Birkenhead News of 8 July 1918 as follows.

FOUR SONS SERVING IN FRANCE.

Mrs. M.J. Waller, 267 Brook Street Birkenhead, has four sons serving in France.
Sergeant George Waller joined the A.S.C. Motor Transport in November 1914, and has been in France for three years.
Before enlisting he lived with his wife and children at Port Sunlight, and was employed as a fireman at Messrs. Lever Bros.
Sergeant C.C. Waller was in South America in the employ of the Swift and Morris Beef Company when war broke out, but returned to England in October 1914, joined the R.F.A., and has been serving in the war for nearly three years.
Driver Ted Waller, R.F.A., and Private James Waller, M.G.C., are also doing their bit in France. In civil life the former was employed by Messrs. Graysons Ltd., while the latter was an employee of Messrs. Alfred Holt.

Mary Jane Waller died in Q4 1929, on 29 November. She was buried on 2 December 1929, aged 73, with her husband. Her abode was still 267 Brook Street. In the same grave were their son Edward Ansell Waller (Ted) who died in 1926, grandson William James Eason who died in 1917, and granddaughter Georgina May Weedon who died in 1918.