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The Lee Family
Elizabeth
was born at Whitecroft in 1877 The Lee, or Lea, family records go back to a James
Lea (Lee) born 1806. He was by trade a coal miner living in the Forest of Dean.
In the 1841 census states that he was living, with his family, in an area called Burnt Lodge near Speech House Wabbs.
Burnt lodge is recorded as extra parochial, meaning it was onside the parish. Therefore, possibly not a permanent dwelling
place. This might explain the gypsy roots of the Lee (Lee) family. James married Susannah James, born also in 1806 (some state
1803). We do not know the Christian name of Susanneh´s father, but her mother was named Mary James who later in life, at least
until the age of 90, was living with Susannah. James and Susannah had, at least, seven children ... Thomas,
Henry, William, John, James, Suzanna and Caroline.
Today, Speech House is an hotel. Formally
it was a hunting lodge. for Charles II (his arms can still be seen in the stonework above the exit door to the Verderers Court). It was soon recognized as the administrative
centre of the Forest of Dean,
and the largest room became the Verderers' Court. It became the place one went to talk or to make a Speech - hence the name
"Speech House".
In1861,
James was living at 114 Mosely Green, West Dean, Gloucestershire, England with family members and 5 lodgers who were miners
or labourers. All of these were coal
miners and originated in various parts of the country. John Trigg was from East Dean, David Jenkins was from Carlean, Monmouthshire, Wales, Henry Youren was from Nasloworth, Gloucestershire, Thomas Harris was from Tredegar, Monmouthshire,
Wales and Edmond Thomas was
from Dukstown, Breconshire, Wales.
The direct line is through the son, James
Lee (1827 to 1876). He was born at West Dean and married Ellen Knight (b 1826) of Newland, Glocs. By occupation James
was also a collier. In 1861 he and his family were living at 135 Mosley Green, West Dean. Their children were Caroline Lea,
James Lea, Thirza (Theressa) Lea and Thomas Lea (note the different spelling
in the records)
By 1881 (England Census) Ellen Lee was a widow. James having died in 1876. Thitza
or, as later recorded, Theressa married a John Harper, born at Ruardean, Gloucestershire. However by 1881 something must have
happened because Theressa and her eight month old son, Thomas Harper, were then boarding at the home of her mother Ellen.
However, her status was still recorded as being 'married'. No record of her husband’s residence was found.
James and Ellen had a son, also named James, born in 1856. Yet another coal miner. He married Harriet Wintle b. 1856,
daughter of Edwin and Elizabeth Wintle of West Dean.
Their homes included in 1881, 56 Yorkley, West Dean, in 1891, 106 Phipps bottom, West Dean and in 1901, 90 Whitecroft, West Dean. However, it is believed
that the Lee family had strong connections with the gypsy community and that James (1856) went occasionally to spend periods
of time with the travelling people.
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| SPEECH HOUSE |
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| 1841 CENSUS |
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| ELIZABETH ELLEN LEE |
Elizabeth Ellen Lee worked as a servant from the age of 14 or 15. In 1901 she was working as a domestic servant at
the house of C of E clergyman, Bedford Hartnell and his family at the Rectory, Littleton, Gloucestershire. The parish was St Mary de Malmesbury.
Elizabeth was said to have worked as an upstairs maid, for a period of time, at the home of a family connected
to Major Bailey ..(The Baileys were a wealthy circus family ... of Barnum and Bailey fame). Elizabeth
spoke of meeting the legendary Buffalo Bill whose Wild West show came to Bristol
on 28th September - 2nd October 1892. It is also said that she worked for W G Grace, the famous cricketer. .
Western Daily Press (A Bristol, England
paper), Tuesday 29th 1891:
'Dashing
into the enclosure on a fast pony, the rider flung himself from his steed while moving at full speed, and seizing another
pony, which was in waiting, by the bridle, he sprang into the saddle while his fresh horse was moving at a rapid canter, and
continued his career around the arena until reaching the next stage, when he repeated the change, the dexterity of the rider
eliciting hearty applause.'
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| Wild West on Voyage from New York to London |
In a census of 1841 William aged 15, Edward Edwin aged 14, John aged 13 and George aged 11 were all working in the
coal mines along with their father.
1855
Florence Nightingale introduces hygiene into military hospitals in Crimea
1856 END OF CRIMEAN WAR
The family line was through Edward Edwin, a collier, and Elizabeth Hook, both having been born in West Dean. Their
children were Harriet 1856, Caroline, Eliza, Elizabeth, John, George and Henry.
John, a collier by occupation, married a lady by the name of Ellen from Blaiston, Gloucestershire. Harriet married
James Lee and they became the parents of Elizabeth Ellen Lee who was born in 1877. Their other children were Gertrude Maude,
Leonard, Maggie, Maurice, Sydney, Thomas, Florence,
James Alec and Annie. Herriet’s brother George, also a miner, was boarding with Harriet and James in 1881.
(Maggie married William Morgan. Sydney
married Jess, Thomas married Mary Ann)
Descendants of James Lee, 1827
1 James Lee 1827 + Ellen Knight
........... 2 James Lee 1856 + Harriet Wintle
........................ 3 Elizabeth Ellen Lee 1877 + William George
Phipps
........................ 3 Gertrude Maude Lee + William Henry Brown of Yorkley. Elizabeth Ellen Lee was a witness at their
wedding. Gertrude Maude and William had at least three children: Hilda, Bernice and Graham.
........................ 3 Leonard Lee
........................ 3 Maggie Lee + William Morgan
........................ 3 Maurice Lee + Emmaline Lillian Cooper
........................ 3 Sydney Lee + Jess
........................ 3 Thomas Lee + Marianne
........................ 3 Florence Lee died in 1895 and was buried on 6 November 1895 at Viney Hill Chapel
........................ 3 James Alec Lee who died at the age of 30 at Whitecroft
........................ 3 Annie Victoria Lee who was born in February 1901 and died in November 1901. Annie was buried
at Viney Hill on December 1, 1901.
........... 2 Caroline Lee married twice. Her first husband was William Morgan and her second husband was George Williams.
She had at least four children by George.
........... 2 Ruth Lee was recorded as a servant for Joseph Boyce at Speech House, West Dean. In 1901 she was living with
her nephew Thomas J Harper in Yorkley
........... 2 Thomas Lee
........... 2 Theressa Lee (Lea) + John Harper
........................ 3 Thomas James Harper
........................ 3 Albert E Harper + Rose Ellen James, daughter of Joseph James and Eliza Morse.
It is interesting to also look at the family tree of the Hook family of West Dean in understanding
the background to Elizabeth Ellen Lee
Descendants of Jacob Hook 1801
1 Jacob Hook 1801 +Elizabeth Williams (Jacob was a coal miner)
........... 2 Thomas Hook +Mary ( Thomas was a coal miner)
........................ 3 Anes? Hook
........................ 3 Hyharma Hook
........................ 3 Thomas Hook
........................ 3 Ann Hook
........... 2 George Hook +Isabella Beach (It seems that George, who was born in 1825 at Whitecroft, was a prisoner at
Gloucester County Jail in 1851 at the age of 26)
........................ 3 George Hook
........................ 3 Sam Hook
........... 2 Celinna Hook
........... 2 Paulina Hook
........... 2 Jacob Hook
........... 2 Elizabeth Hook 1829 +Edward (Edwin) Wintle 1828 (Edward was born
at Whitecroft and a coalminer at the age of 14)
........................ 3 Harriet Wintle 1856 +James Lee 1856
(parents of Elizabeth Ellen Lee)
........................ 3 Caroline Whittington Wintle +William Morgan
........................ 3 Eliza Wintle
........................ 3 Elizabeth Wintle
........................ 3 John Wintle +Ellen
........................ 3 George Wintle
........................ 3 Henry Wintle
........... 2 Mary Hook
........... 2 Issac Hook +Charlotte Hawkins
........................ 3 Jacob Hook +Matilda Cooper
........... 2 Enoch Hook
........... 2 Matilda Hook
........... 2 James Hook
........... 2 Anna Hook
........... 2 Thomas Hook
........................ 3 Minnie Hook
........................ 3 Bertha Hook
........................ 3 Annie Hook
........................ 3 Florence Hook +? Kear
........... 2 Allace Hook
........... 2 Fanny Hook +William Berry
........... 2 Annia Tims
........... 2 Mary Ann Hook 1832 +George James Wintle 1830 (George was the son of George Wintle 1806 and a coalminer
at the age of 11 years)
........................ 3 Emma Wintle
........................ 3 Mary Ann Wintle +Henry Addiss
........................ 3 Fanny Wintle +Thomas Wildin
........................ 3 Henry Wintle
HARRIET WINTLE´S FAMILY LINE:
Jonathan
Wintle 1732 to 1805 of Longhope, Gloucestershire (Susannah Bright 1731 to 1766)
John Wintle 1759/60 to 1837
born Tibberton
(later of Llansamlet & finally moved back to the Forest) (wife: Sarah Hill
1764 to 1842)
George Wintle 1804 to 1881
of Lansamlet, Glamorgan, Wales. (Elizabeth Dobbs 1806 of Whitecroft, Gloucestershire)
George married twice … second wife was Margaret Phipps 1820. It seems that Margaret was married/partnered 3 times, George
being her third Husband/partner
Edward (Edwin) Wintle 1828 to1888
of Whitecroft. West Dean, Gloucestershire (Elizabeth Hook b. 1829 of Whitecroft, Glocs.)
Harriet Wintle 1856 to 1924 of
West Dean, Gloucestershire, (James Lee of Mosely Green.West Dean, Gloucestershire1855 to 1927)
THE
NAME WINTLE
As
a matter of interest - the name Wintle means 'People of the Windy Hill' - there is a
Wintle's Hill is part of the hilly ground,
which runs down from Chaxhill to Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire.
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