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Wilton Family of Box Family research by Robin Turner December 2015 Several people have written to us asking for information about the Wilton family of Box who married into the Vezey family. Thanks to Robin Turner we can now give details of this family and the story of three different branches who feature in the history of Box, Bath and London. And we capture the amazing story of the music hall theatre and the Wilton family. Unless stated otherwise photographs courtesy of Robin Turner. Right: The front door of Wilton's Music Hall, London, photographed in 2010 by James Perry |
Farmers in Box
The first reference to the family is Thomas Wilton (1737 - 1823) who farmed in the area and was buried at Ditteridge Church.
The Wilton monument in the churchyard reads T Wilton died 1823. There's no certainty which farm was Thomas' but there are clues which emerge later in the family story.
Three of his sons were also farmers: Thomas junior (1780 - 1822), James (1787 - 1858) and Joseph (1797 - 1830). The family were all connected with Ditteridge Church and most of them were buried there, although one son was buried at Bathampton.
We get an intriguing insight into the family in a legal case of 1815. Another son, John Wilton (1790 - 1839), when returning from Bath to Box at 7pm, was stopped by three men at Shyler's-hill (Sheylors) who dragged him from his horse and, after severely beating him, robbed him of £7.[1] Later the robbers attacked William Hooper in the lane leading to Shockerwick. The robbers were identified as Thomas and John Norris of Corsham and James Edwards of Calne, well-known characters who wander about the roads pretending to sell sand. Great praise was due to Thomas Shell, constable of Box, Thomas Wilton, James Wilton and Charles Webb of Shockerwick who together apprehended the culprits the following morning. Obviously the brothers were closely connected.
Thomas junior died before his father and it is likely that the family farm passed to the second son, James (1787 - 1858) at that time. James appears to have been a baker before then. He and his wife Amy Gibbons were married by special licence from the bishop's court at Salisbury on 1 June 1814 because the wedding banns (notices) had not been published in church for three consecutive weeks.
The bondsman (guarantor) of the special licence was John Warren, miller of Box, and it is possible that the licence was required because James worked away from the area. James settled down in Box and was recorded in the 1841 and 1851 census, the latter saying that he farmed 130 acres and employed 6 labourers in Box Village, at a location which appears to be close to Pye Corner and The Lamb Inn.
The first reference to the family is Thomas Wilton (1737 - 1823) who farmed in the area and was buried at Ditteridge Church.
The Wilton monument in the churchyard reads T Wilton died 1823. There's no certainty which farm was Thomas' but there are clues which emerge later in the family story.
Three of his sons were also farmers: Thomas junior (1780 - 1822), James (1787 - 1858) and Joseph (1797 - 1830). The family were all connected with Ditteridge Church and most of them were buried there, although one son was buried at Bathampton.
We get an intriguing insight into the family in a legal case of 1815. Another son, John Wilton (1790 - 1839), when returning from Bath to Box at 7pm, was stopped by three men at Shyler's-hill (Sheylors) who dragged him from his horse and, after severely beating him, robbed him of £7.[1] Later the robbers attacked William Hooper in the lane leading to Shockerwick. The robbers were identified as Thomas and John Norris of Corsham and James Edwards of Calne, well-known characters who wander about the roads pretending to sell sand. Great praise was due to Thomas Shell, constable of Box, Thomas Wilton, James Wilton and Charles Webb of Shockerwick who together apprehended the culprits the following morning. Obviously the brothers were closely connected.
Thomas junior died before his father and it is likely that the family farm passed to the second son, James (1787 - 1858) at that time. James appears to have been a baker before then. He and his wife Amy Gibbons were married by special licence from the bishop's court at Salisbury on 1 June 1814 because the wedding banns (notices) had not been published in church for three consecutive weeks.
The bondsman (guarantor) of the special licence was John Warren, miller of Box, and it is possible that the licence was required because James worked away from the area. James settled down in Box and was recorded in the 1841 and 1851 census, the latter saying that he farmed 130 acres and employed 6 labourers in Box Village, at a location which appears to be close to Pye Corner and The Lamb Inn.
Henley Farm (courtesy Carol Payne)
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Amy was 14 years older than James and it is probable that her family contributed considerable wealth to the business because Amy's older sister, Ann Gibbons, unmarried, was recorded as of independent means. Ann survived them all and was listed in the 1861 census as aged 94, an invalid, living in Box Village with her 20-something year old nieces, Mary and Fanny Vezey.
Not all the Gibbons family were in comfortable circumstances. In 1841 Jane Gibbons, born 1781, was recorded as living at The Barracks in Box. When Amy died in 1858 we find out which farm they occupied because her death notice states widow of the late Mr James Wilton of Henley Farm, Box. |
Solicitors in Bath
The John Wilton (1790 - 1839) who was robbed was a butcher. He married Mary Ann Gauler on 9 September 1816 and they moved to Bath at some point before 1819. John and Mary had two children: Thomas Wilton who was born on 11 April 1819 at Bath and John Wilton, junior, born 10 September 1820 also at Bath. It was the first of these (Thomas 1819 - 1885) who set up business as a solicitor in Bath, whilst, as we shall see later, the second son, John junior, moved out of the area to London.
Thomas appears to have trained as a solicitor in Wolverhampton and came back to Bath in 1852 when he was admitted as attorney and solicitor.[2] We can see how he worked hard and grafted his way up in Bath legal circles; his obituary called him
a worker rather than a talker.
The John Wilton (1790 - 1839) who was robbed was a butcher. He married Mary Ann Gauler on 9 September 1816 and they moved to Bath at some point before 1819. John and Mary had two children: Thomas Wilton who was born on 11 April 1819 at Bath and John Wilton, junior, born 10 September 1820 also at Bath. It was the first of these (Thomas 1819 - 1885) who set up business as a solicitor in Bath, whilst, as we shall see later, the second son, John junior, moved out of the area to London.
Thomas appears to have trained as a solicitor in Wolverhampton and came back to Bath in 1852 when he was admitted as attorney and solicitor.[2] We can see how he worked hard and grafted his way up in Bath legal circles; his obituary called him
a worker rather than a talker.
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In 1857 he was acting in the Corner's Court; in 1860 unsuccessfully defending a groom who fired a pistol at a fellow servant, a gardener, in the County Magistrates' Court; and acting for the prosecution in an indecent assault charge of 1875 showing great legal sense in a difficult case of a young child.[3]
Alderman Thomas Wilton served as a Town Councillor for the Bathwick Ward for 17 years from 1866 and as a Justice of the Peace in the city.[4] He became a notable Freemason, representing his Lodge as a Past Master at the Grand Masonic Festival at Bridgwater in 1867.[5] In November 1883, the year before his death, he was appointed Mayor of Bath.[6] The family lived in and traded from Northumberland Buildings, Bath and Thomas Wilton's fourth child, Thomas Edmund Wilton (Robin's grandfather), lived there as a child. Thomas' sudden death in 1885 shocked Bath residents. His obituary described him as Temperate in speech by disposition as by professional habit, he could rebuke and reject a principle without disparaging the opponent who held it; and indeed was too kind at heart to say anything unkind of anybody.[7] The city mourned his death, On the Abbey flagstaff the Union (flag) floated half-mast, the blinds at the Guildhall were drawn, and several tradesmen in the city put up shutters out of respect for the deceased gentleman. In the evening a muffled peal was rung on the Abbey bells.[8] |
Alderman Thomas Wilton, Mayor of Bath, Robin's great great grandfather
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Thomas had four daughters and two sons, John Gauler Wilton and Thomas Edmund Wilton, whom he brought into his legal practice, trading as Thomas Wilton & Sons from Northumberland Buildings, Bath from 1884 until 1905, when the last son, John Gauler Wilton, died.
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The Bath branch only continued through the families of John Gauler and Thomas Edmund for a short period of time. Three of John Gauler's five children emigrated to Australia and three of Thomas Edmund's six children emigrated to Canada and USA and another died on the Somme in 1916.
By 1889 the Bath family had risen high up the social scale. In that year Miss Catherine Ellen Wilton married Major WH Kerr in a Fashionable Wedding at Bathampton. The groom and most of the men attended in military scarlet uniforms which made a most pleasing effect.[9] On the marriage of Florence Louisa Wilton to Thomas Ames of Huish House, Kilmersdon, in 1886, she was recorded as the youngest daughter of the late Thomas Wilton of Hampton-hall, Bath and Thomas's reputation was still evident on the death of her son in Flanders in 1915, when Florence was identified as a daughter of the late Mr Thomas Wilton of Bath.[10] The family had also become wealthy and the will of Fanny Rachel Innes (nee Wilton) in 1939 attracted a front page newspaper reference, leaving £1,850.9s.6d.[11] Left: Thomas Edmund Wilton, Robin's great grandfather |
London Music Hall Owner
Going back to second son, John Wilton, junior (1820 - 1881), he became the most famous member of the family working as a music hall owner in the mid-Victorian period. It was originally intended that he should become an accountant and settle down in Bath with his wife Ellen Hall whom he married on 29 April 1846, but John wanted a much more exciting life and he and Ellen moved to London. John started on a career in the theatre in a building which still carries his name John Wilton's Music Hall in Tower Hamlets, London.[12]
Going back to second son, John Wilton, junior (1820 - 1881), he became the most famous member of the family working as a music hall owner in the mid-Victorian period. It was originally intended that he should become an accountant and settle down in Bath with his wife Ellen Hall whom he married on 29 April 1846, but John wanted a much more exciting life and he and Ellen moved to London. John started on a career in the theatre in a building which still carries his name John Wilton's Music Hall in Tower Hamlets, London.[12]
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In the early days the building was renowned as a sailors' pub between the working class areas of Wapping Docks and Whitechapel in the heart of London's East End. The building probably started as five individual houses in the 1690s and one of these became an ale house serving nearby Scandinavian sea captains, renowned for having a bar dressed of mahogany wood.
John Wilton bought the buildings in 1850 and converted them into a music hall which opened in April 1859 at a cost of upwards of £14,000.[13] John launched the theatre's work as populist and modern in contemporary taste. His early performances contained many ghosts, so prevalent just now among the amusement-loving public.[14] There is Death in the form of a skeleton, and the Evil One in the scarlet habiliments (clothing) so familiar to playgoers, while, as a contrast, a fair young lady appears and sings "Sweet Spirit, hear my prayer" very melodiously and beautifully. Most of the performance was short tableaux and sentimental songs of the time with music provided by the Tower Hamlets Volunteer Brass Band. |
John Wilton, owner of London Music Hall, Robin's great great uncle
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This type of drama seems rather ridiculous to our modern sophisticated taste. But in its heyday it attracted crowds of 1,500 people and performances from some of the most famous acts of the time, including George Ware who wrote the song The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery, Arthur Lloyd, song composer and music hall performer, and George Leybourne, who called himself Champagne Charlie.
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To fund building and renovation work John formed a limited company in about 1863 to raise £20,000, probably to allow him to redeem personal mortgages.[15] Amongst its handful of directors was Thomas Wilton, Esq, of the Rectory, Bathwick, his lawyer brother, who John clearly relied upon for support. John had invested a considerable amount in the business but was optimistic of its success, his salary being half the profits after payment of 12½% dividend to shareholders.
John Wilton's work was recognised as important by contemporaries. He had bought and redeveloped the old building and managed performances there for seventeen years.[16] His friends later started a testimonial fund to recognise his work in opposing the 1860 Theatre and Public House Bill to limit performance freedom in theatre houses.[17] His appeal seems to have been his personality and his courteous and obliging manner of conducting the entertainments.[18] Right: Programme of events (courtesy East London Observer, 30 March 1867) |
John Wilton had given up the business by the early 1870s and sold the premises, which was rebuilt after a fire in 1877.[19]
He died on 25 August 1881 but his old building has had an interesting after-life. It was named in a world list of 100 Most Endangered Sites as the oldest surviving Grand Music Hall in 2004 and has recently been undergoing substantial reconstruction.
You can read a lot more about the fascinating hall and the work done in modern times to restore it to performance standard at https://www.wiltons.org.uk.
He died on 25 August 1881 but his old building has had an interesting after-life. It was named in a world list of 100 Most Endangered Sites as the oldest surviving Grand Music Hall in 2004 and has recently been undergoing substantial reconstruction.
You can read a lot more about the fascinating hall and the work done in modern times to restore it to performance standard at https://www.wiltons.org.uk.
The Connection with the Vezey Family
It was the oldest child, Elizabeth Wilton, who married James Vezey senior (1778 -1845). James Vezey was a licensed victualler at The Crown Inn, Bathford and brother of Peter Vezey (1770s - 1867), soap and candle manufacturer who was a witness in James' will of 1858. The connection was remembered with their son, who was named Thomas Wilton Vezey.
It was the oldest child, Elizabeth Wilton, who married James Vezey senior (1778 -1845). James Vezey was a licensed victualler at The Crown Inn, Bathford and brother of Peter Vezey (1770s - 1867), soap and candle manufacturer who was a witness in James' will of 1858. The connection was remembered with their son, who was named Thomas Wilton Vezey.
A. Wilton Family Tree
1. Thomas Wilton (1737 - 28 June 1823) married twice: first Sarah Hooper on 3 December 1764 at Swainswick, and after Mary Perry on 7 July 1777 at Charlton Mackrell. Thomas was a farmer at Henley, Box, and was buried at Ditteridge. Children:
Elizabeth (1777 - 1845) who married James Vezey (see below);
Sarah (b 17 July 1779) who possibly married Mr Hancock;
Thomas (26 December 1780 - 4 September 1822) whose wife was possibly Mary;
William (3 July 1785 - August 1866 at Bath) married firstly Sabina Caine, then Dinah Alan. William was buried at Bath;
James (25 February 1787 - 21 January 1858) married Amey Gibbons on 4 June 1815 at Box. They had no children;
Mary (10 October 1788 - 24 December 1847);
John (1 August 1790 - 2 March 1839) who was a butcher;
Jane (1 April 1792 - 18 December 1860);
George (20 July 1795 - 27 January 1796);
Joseph (14 April 1797 - 1830).
2. John Wilton (1790 - 1839) married Mary Ann Gauler on 9 September 1816. Children: a. Thomas Wilton (1819 - 1885), solicitor in Bath; b. John Wilton junior (1820 - 1881), music hall owner in London.
a. Thomas Wilton (1819 - 1885) married Edith Wilcox on 26 December 1843 at Bath. They had six children: Edith Mary Anne (1844 - 1931); Fanny Rachel (1846 - 1939); John Gauler (1849 - 1905); Thomas Edmund (1851 - 1895) great grandfather of Robin Turner; Catherine Ellen (1854 - 1934); and Florence Louisa (1856 - 1948).
b. John Wilton junior (1820 - 25 August 1881) married Ellen Hall 29 April 1846 in Bath. They had no issue.
B. Connections with Vezey Family
Elizabeth Wilton (1777 - 15 November 1858) married James Vezey senior (22 April 1778 - 15 June 1845). Children: Mary (b 1803); James junior (born 1805 possibly at Ditteridge - 20 June 1865); Jenetta (b 19 August 1810); Eleanor (b 1812); Edwin (1817 - 1883).
James junior (1805 - 1865) married Frances Tyley in 1833 and they ran the Chequers Inn, Box. Their children: Mary; Frances; Elizabeth Ann; Jane; James; Thomas Wilton Vezey (d 1918). Thomas Wilton Vezey was a gardener at Keynsham who married Marian Bullock, eldest daughter of T Bullock at Batheaston on 7 November 1859.[20]
Jenetta Vezey possibly married Mr Grist.
Edwin Vezey (1817 - 1883) was also a witness to the will of James Vezey senior (1778 - 1845). He was a licensed victualler at
The Lamb Inn, Batheaston, who possibly married twice, his first wife being Elizabeth Welsh. He had four children: Matilda; George (a solicitors clerk in 1888); Arney (butcher); John (cattle dealer).
1. Thomas Wilton (1737 - 28 June 1823) married twice: first Sarah Hooper on 3 December 1764 at Swainswick, and after Mary Perry on 7 July 1777 at Charlton Mackrell. Thomas was a farmer at Henley, Box, and was buried at Ditteridge. Children:
Elizabeth (1777 - 1845) who married James Vezey (see below);
Sarah (b 17 July 1779) who possibly married Mr Hancock;
Thomas (26 December 1780 - 4 September 1822) whose wife was possibly Mary;
William (3 July 1785 - August 1866 at Bath) married firstly Sabina Caine, then Dinah Alan. William was buried at Bath;
James (25 February 1787 - 21 January 1858) married Amey Gibbons on 4 June 1815 at Box. They had no children;
Mary (10 October 1788 - 24 December 1847);
John (1 August 1790 - 2 March 1839) who was a butcher;
Jane (1 April 1792 - 18 December 1860);
George (20 July 1795 - 27 January 1796);
Joseph (14 April 1797 - 1830).
2. John Wilton (1790 - 1839) married Mary Ann Gauler on 9 September 1816. Children: a. Thomas Wilton (1819 - 1885), solicitor in Bath; b. John Wilton junior (1820 - 1881), music hall owner in London.
a. Thomas Wilton (1819 - 1885) married Edith Wilcox on 26 December 1843 at Bath. They had six children: Edith Mary Anne (1844 - 1931); Fanny Rachel (1846 - 1939); John Gauler (1849 - 1905); Thomas Edmund (1851 - 1895) great grandfather of Robin Turner; Catherine Ellen (1854 - 1934); and Florence Louisa (1856 - 1948).
b. John Wilton junior (1820 - 25 August 1881) married Ellen Hall 29 April 1846 in Bath. They had no issue.
B. Connections with Vezey Family
Elizabeth Wilton (1777 - 15 November 1858) married James Vezey senior (22 April 1778 - 15 June 1845). Children: Mary (b 1803); James junior (born 1805 possibly at Ditteridge - 20 June 1865); Jenetta (b 19 August 1810); Eleanor (b 1812); Edwin (1817 - 1883).
James junior (1805 - 1865) married Frances Tyley in 1833 and they ran the Chequers Inn, Box. Their children: Mary; Frances; Elizabeth Ann; Jane; James; Thomas Wilton Vezey (d 1918). Thomas Wilton Vezey was a gardener at Keynsham who married Marian Bullock, eldest daughter of T Bullock at Batheaston on 7 November 1859.[20]
Jenetta Vezey possibly married Mr Grist.
Edwin Vezey (1817 - 1883) was also a witness to the will of James Vezey senior (1778 - 1845). He was a licensed victualler at
The Lamb Inn, Batheaston, who possibly married twice, his first wife being Elizabeth Welsh. He had four children: Matilda; George (a solicitors clerk in 1888); Arney (butcher); John (cattle dealer).
References
[1] The Bath Chronicle, 26 October 1815
[2] The Bath Chronicle, 1 July 1852
[3] The Bath Chronicle, 16 July 1857, 12 April 1860, and 14 October 1875
[4] The Bath Chronicle, 27 December 1866
[5] The Bath Chronicle, 18 July 1867
[6] The Bath Chronicle, 19 April 1883
[7] The Bath Chronicle, 23 April 1885
[8] The Bath Chronicle, 30 April 1885
[9] The Bath Chronicle, 3 January 1889
[10] The Bath Chronicle, 6 May 1886 and 27 February 1915
[11] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 5 August 1939
[12] Details are indebted to the theatre's website at https://www.wiltons.org.uk
[13] East London Observer, 12 April 1862 and The Evening Standard, 30 August 1864
[14] The Era newspaper, 27 September 1863
[15] The Evening Standard, 30 August 1864
[16] The Era newspaper, 18 May 1879
[17] The Era newspaper, 22 November 1874
[18] East London Observer, 8 February 1862
[19] The Era newspaper, 14 January 1882
[20] The Bath Chronicle, 24 November 1859
[1] The Bath Chronicle, 26 October 1815
[2] The Bath Chronicle, 1 July 1852
[3] The Bath Chronicle, 16 July 1857, 12 April 1860, and 14 October 1875
[4] The Bath Chronicle, 27 December 1866
[5] The Bath Chronicle, 18 July 1867
[6] The Bath Chronicle, 19 April 1883
[7] The Bath Chronicle, 23 April 1885
[8] The Bath Chronicle, 30 April 1885
[9] The Bath Chronicle, 3 January 1889
[10] The Bath Chronicle, 6 May 1886 and 27 February 1915
[11] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 5 August 1939
[12] Details are indebted to the theatre's website at https://www.wiltons.org.uk
[13] East London Observer, 12 April 1862 and The Evening Standard, 30 August 1864
[14] The Era newspaper, 27 September 1863
[15] The Evening Standard, 30 August 1864
[16] The Era newspaper, 18 May 1879
[17] The Era newspaper, 22 November 1874
[18] East London Observer, 8 February 1862
[19] The Era newspaper, 14 January 1882
[20] The Bath Chronicle, 24 November 1859