Lidia and William Workman

Lidia (1833-1911)

William (1839-)

Lidia (baptised Liddy) and her cousin William were living with Lidia’s parents, Joseph (an agricultural labourer aged 50) and Susanna (aged 50), and elder brother and sister, at Park House, Stancombe Hill, which I believe the house house circled in blue below.

reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

Susannah died in 1849, and the widowed Joseph was living with Lidia and William somewhere in the parish.

Lydia Workman

In 1855, Lydia married David Organ in at Holy Trinity church in Bristol

Lydia’s signature from her marriage record

In 1861, they were living with their 5 children on Barrs Lane, in the village. David was recorded as being a shoemaker employing 2 men and 1 boy. In ’71 the household were living in Barrs Lane Cottage. In ’81 the family had moved to the Street. In ’91, the children had left home, and Lydia and David were living on Barrs Lane again, in a 4 room cottage (this level of detail is first recorded on this year’s Census). In 1901, their daughter Laura had rejoined the household, working as a domestic servant.

David died in 1903, and was buried in North Nibley churchyard. Lydia died in 1911, and was also buried there.

William is elusive. After 1851 there is no clear record of him. I can find no records of marriage, birth, or death, so he will have to remain a shadowy figure. It doesn’t help that Lydia had an older brother, also called William, who is very well documented indeed.

For what it’s worth, my assumption is that he married Mary Ann Martin, in Clent, Worcestershire in 1860. In 1861 they are both living in Clent. In 1871, they have moved to Cannock. Mary Ann died a year later and was buried in Dursley (which I find doubtful). Anyway, when we next some across William, in 1891, in Bilston, Staffordshire, he is a widower. Ten years later, he is married to Elizabeth, aged 38, and they have a son, William, aged 1896. William senior appears to have died in 1907.