George James Waller (abt. 1817-1893) was born in Norwich on 18 June 1819, at least according to his declaration on a Royal Navy form in 1846.
The closest match I have found so far is a James Waller born 18 June 1817 and baptised on 6 July 1817 at St. James with Pockthorpe, which is within the City of Norwich. The parents were John, a weaver, and Mary (born Colver) Waller.
A marriage between a John Waller and a Mary Colvey in 1795 was recorded in East Dereham in Norfolk. Perhaps a connection there? The name Colvey was used by James Colby Waller as his middle name on his marriage certificate.
In 1850 on his marriage certificate, George James stated his father John Waller was a Mariner. Perhaps he started as a weaver and then went to sea?
A George Waller was born on 17 May 1817 and baptised at St. James with Pockthorpe the next day, 18 May. This might suggest he was not in the best of health. The parents were Edward, again a weaver, and Valentine (née Gilbert) Waller. He was buried at the same church on 26 September 1817. Both families would surely have known each other, and were likely related, possibly Edward was John’s brother or cousin?
I think, because of the match with the birth day and month, that he could well have been born James in 1817. He used the name James when marrying Harriet, and was recorded as James at the baptism of Thomas James in 1843, Eliza in 1848 and that of James Colby in 1864. His age varies by up to five years in the censuses.
Having said all that, I could absolutely be very much mistaken!
He first went to sea as a boy in 1832, and at some point moved to London.
From his Royal Navy service record, he first joined the Navy on 25 June 1833 initially as a Boy 1st Class then 2nd Class from 2 July 1835, served on HMS Serpent and HMS Spitfire, and his service ended on 28 November 1835, so he served for 2 years 5 months.
On 30 September 1840, using the name James, he married Harriet Blygh in Charlton, Kent (part of Lewisham at that time).
In the 1841 Census there is a Harriot Waller aged 21 and living in East Lane Greenwich, with the Burn family and three other lodgers. George James is not present, probably he was away at sea at the time.
In the 1841 census Amelia Humphris, 17, is living in Crane Street Greenwich with mother Mary Ann, brother George and sister Martha. She was born on 28 June 1824 and baptised at St. Alphage church (now St. Alfege) Greenwich on 16 July 1824, parents John (a Waterman) and Mary Ann Humphrys, abode then was Church Street Greenwich.
Harriet gave birth to Thomas James Waller in late April or early May 1843, and on the baptismal record dated 3 May 1843 from St. Alphage Greenwich, the parents are shown as James and Harriet Waller. Sadly, Thomas died on 9 August aged 4 months, and was buried on 14 August 1843 at St. Alphage’s Church, Greenwich. The family abode was stated to be East Street (now Eastney Street) Greenwich.
Harriet gave birth to Eliza (1844-1901) in Greenwich on 8 June 1844.
On a Navy form dated 17 January 1846 he confirmed he was born in Norwich on 18 June 1819, first went to sea as a boy in 1832, and when unemployed resided at Greenwich. He is described as a Seaman, aged 27 (actually 26 if his given date of birth is correct, or 28 if born in 1817), height 5 feet 7 1/2 inches, hair brown, eyes blue, complexion fresh, with a tattoo of an anchor on his right hand, and able to write. At this date he says he has been in the Navy for three and a half years, i.e. since about May 1843. This is confusing! His Navy service record has him serving on HMS Phoenix from 23 January 1846 to 27 February 1847, then on HMS Thetis from 28 February to 6 April 1847.
In a Navy record book “1846 Royal Navy Allotment Declarations” dated 1 April 1846 his signature is written as Geo James Waller, and he is number 29 on the Muster Book. His “Quality” is Stoker, monthly rate £1 and 4 shillings, allotment to be paid to his wife Harriet Waller, “Where Payable” Deptford Dockyard. Just below this is the number 5028, possibly a code of some sort, and after this “from 18 shillings to 1.4.0 (i.e. 24 shillings).” So he had a pay rise, perhaps due to going from Seaman to Stoker. He confirms his marriage date and place (Charlton), and his current address as Saunders’ Courts, Crane Street, Greenwich. Crane Street is on the south bank of the Thames on the riverside opposite the Isle Of Dogs, and right next to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, site of the current University of Greenwich. This was a home for retired sailors rather than a medical hospital.
A further Navy record from 1846, “Folios 346-353: HMS Phoenix allotment numbers 31858-31875, year of allotment 1846” contains the information; Folios 347-348: George James Waller; Ship’s name: HMS Phoenix; Pay book number: SB 29; Rank: Stoker; Relation: Wife Harriet. Phoenix would have been operating mainly in the Mediterranean at this time.
On 13 May 1847, in the “Greenwich Hospital In-Pensioner Register” and with his age stated to be 28 (he was 29 if he was born on 18 June 1817) , it was recorded that he had fractured his thigh and both arms whilst a Stoker on HMS Phoenix. His years of service in the Navy were recorded as 4 years 0 months. The Register records he was an out-patient “on feet days.” He had a pension of 18 shillings and fivepence a month.
Eliza was belatedly baptised on 12 April 1848 at St Alphage, parents James and Harriet Waller, abode East Street Greenwich.
The death of a Harriot Waller is recorded in Q3 1849 in Bermondsey, about 3.5 miles from Greenwich.
On 1 June 1850 he (as George James Waller, widower) married Amelia Humphryes at St. Nicholas Church in Plumstead,. His father was John Waller, a Mariner. Her father was John Humphryes, a Waterman. Amelia would have been 26 and George James 33. They were both residing in Plumstead.
George and Amelia appear in the 1851 Census, living at 1 Czar Street in the parish of St. Nicholas, Deptford. George Waller aged 31, Greenwich Pensioner Sailor born Norwich (the Naval equivalent of a Chelsea Pensioner), his new wife Amelia aged 27 born Greenwich (baptised 19 July 1824), and his daughter Eliza Waller aged 6 and born in Greenwich. The family name was incorrectly recorded as Walter.
In 1851, Mary Ann Amelia Waller was born in Greenwich and baptised on 21 September 1851, but sadly died in Q3 1852. She was buried , aged 1, on 19 September 1852 at St. Nicholas Church Deptford, abode 1 Czar Street Deptford..
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 January 1856 Edward Ansell Waller (1856-1937) was born in Dunwich, district of Blything, Suffolk. The baptismal record dated 27 Jan 1856 confirms his parents’ names. This is a small village on the North Sea coast, I’m not sure why the family would have been there. Perhaps they had relatives nearby? The following seem likely candidates.
George Waller, a miller, born about 1817 in Theburton, lived in Darsham in 1841 and Theberton in 1851 with wife Mary and their children, both villages being within 6 miles of Dunwich. Also John Waller, a miller and farmer born about 1813 in Wenhaston, was living in Theberton in 1851 with his wife Ellen and their children. I imagine he was working with George. In the 1861 census he was a widower living in Aldringham Cum Thorpe.
In Q3 1857 Martha Waller (1857-1929) was born in Birkenhead , and was christened on 10 September 1857 at St. Peter’s, Liverpool. Again the parents were George and Amelia on the baptism record.
On 8 December 1859 Georgina Waller was born, the birth register giving her place of birth as Wirral. She was baptised on 8 January 1860 at the Church of the Holy Trinity Birkenhead, father’s occupation Seaman, address 248 Price Street.
The 1861 Census has the family living at 248 Price Street Birkenhead. George aged 41 is a Greenwich Pensioner “in care of (possibly either Congestive or Emigration) Hospital, Amelia is 37, Eliza is 16 and a House Servant, John Jas (short for James) is a scholar and aged 8, Edward Ansell born Dunwich aged 5, Martha aged 3 and Georgina aged 1, both born “Chester Birkenhead.”
In the 1861 Birkenhead Directory, George James Waller is listed as being “Keeper of Emigration Hospital” at 254 Price Street, three doors down from 248, What the term “Keeper” entails is unclear. There was an Emigration Hospital in Birkenhead, which seems to have been involved in quarantining and treating people arriving at and departing from Birkenhead by sea. Cholera was prevalent at this time in Birkenhead, and was easily contracted when on a long voyage in cramped conditions by sea.
On 23 August 1862 Amelia gave birth to twins George James and Mary Anne. They were baptised the next day. Mary Anne died 26 August 1862 and was buried on 28 August at Birkenhead St. Mary. George James died in late March 1863 and was buried on 1 April 1863 at Birkenhead St. Mary. Family abode was still 248 Price Street.
On 14 November 1864 James Colby Waller was born. He was baptised at the Church of the Holy Trinity Birkenhead on 1 January 1865, parents “James” and Amelia, father’s occupation Seaman, address 124 Wood Street. The birth register incorrectly says CALBY not Colby.
In Q1 1867 Christopher George Waller (1867-1945) was born. He was baptised at the Church of the Holy Trinity Birkenhead on 10 March, having been born on 10 February. Father’s occupation Seaman, address 124 Wood Street Birkenhead.
In Q3 1868 Fidelia Waller (1868-1889) was born in Birkenhead and baptised on 20 December. Father’s occupation Labourer, address 124 Wood Street Birkenhead.
In the 1871 Census the family is living at 47 Cathcart Street, Amelia’s age is given as 50 (she was 46) and George James is not present. He is lodging at 23 High Street Plymouth with Samuel Rogers, a Refreshment House Keeper, and his family. His age is 52 and his occupation is Naval Pensioner. Although he last declared his occupation in 1868 as a Labourer, he stated it to be Seaman in 1864 and 1867, so he was presumably doing something related to the sea, being that he was in Plymouth. In fact, there was an Emigration Hospital there, possibly his trip there was connected with that? John James aged 18 is a Labourer, Edward Ansell is 15, and incorrectly listed as having been born in Birkenhead rather than Dunwich. Georgina (spelled Georgeana) aged 11, born in Birkenhead, James Colby is aged 7 and Fidelia (spelled Ferdelia) is 2.
In Q4 1874 Martha Waller (1857-1929) gave birth to Amelia Waller (1874-1953). Amelia was baptised on 20 December 1874 at St. Peter’s Birkenhead. The family address was 139 Wood Street. As Martha was unmarried, George James and Amelia adopted her. Martha married Robert Younger in 1881, but Amelia remained with George James and Amelia.
In 1879, on his daughter Georgina’s marriage certificate dated 12 May, his occupation is stated to be Upholsterer.
In the 1881 Census the family are still living at 139 Wood Street. George James is 63 and a Dock Labourer, Amelia is 58, James Colby is 16 and an Office Lad, Christopher George is 14 and a Scholar, Fidelia is 16 and Amelia aged 6 is listed as a daughter of George James.
On 14 November 1886, Fidelia Waller married Joseph Thomas Evans, a baker, of 33 Beckwith Street at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Price Street. His age was given as full (i.e. over 21), and his father was William Evans (deceased), Labourer. Fidelia was 19 and living at 19 Cottage Street. Her father was George James Waller, Labourer. Witnesses to the marriage were a Mary Ann Kelly and Christopher George Waller, her older brother.
In Q4 1888 Fidelia gave birth to Mary Ann Amelia Evans. She was baptised on 11 November 1888 at Birkenhead St. Mary, parents’ names recorded as Thomas and Fidelia Evans.
On 21 December 1889 Fidelia Evans died aged 21. The death certificate recorded that death took place at 67 Cathcart Street. Christopher George Waller of 11 Arrow Place (the family home), her brother, reported the death on 23 December and was present at the end. Husband named as Thomas Evans, now a Painter’s Labourer. The cause of death was Phthisis Pulmonalis, otherwise known as consumption or tuberculosis. She was buried on 24 December 1889 at Birkenhead (Flaybrick Hill) Cemetery, Section 1 Grave No. 104.
In the 1891 Census George James and Amelia are living at 11, Arrow Place Birkenhead. George James is 71, occupation Formerly Naval Seaman, Amelia is 69, Christopher George is 24 and a Dock Labourer and Amelia, Martha’s daughter, is aged 16. The handwriting is excruciatingly bad, but there is another Amelia living with them, aged 2 and described as granddaughter. This is Fidelia’s daughter Mary Ann Amelia Evans, Fidelia having died in 1889.
George James Waller died in Birkenhead in Q4 1893 age recorded as 74, but he was 76 if born in 1817. The date was 23 December according to matches from other family trees under names of Pearse and Pierce.
He was buried on 27 December 1893 at Birkenhead (Flaybrick Hill) Cemetery, Section 1 Grave No. 104, where his daughter Fidelia had been buried on 24 December 1889. His abode was 11, Arrow Place.
Finally, the death of his wife Amelia was registered in Birkenhead the next year, Q2 1894, age recorded as 70, which would be correct. She was buried on 3 July 1894 with her husband and daughter Fidelia. Her abode was 11, Arrow Place.
They would be joined by great-granddaughter Martha Ethel Younger on 27 January 1915, and great-grandson Henry Dawson on 23 October 1934.
