Info needed on William Feuster "COMPLETED WITH THANKS"

[Janete]

Hi David,
Very pleased to hear from you.  I'd like to find out more about "uncle Charlie" (what my dad etc. called him), I know very little about him - or the Watsons before Basingstoke.  I did go to see where James's house was when I was passing but it had gone (like a lot of things in Basingstoke).  You aren't a painter and decorator too are you?  I  think I would probably have ended up as a 5th generation one (presuming James was the first?) if I had been a boy.
I've got one or two old Barter photos and chased their tree quite a long way back in Wiltshire - which I'm happy to share if I can work out how to.  I don't want to put my email in public on here though and I can't do a personal message yet, as I think you have to have done 5 posts before that option's available. I'll work on that one...
Regards, Janet    

[DavidNA]

Hi Janet,

It is great to hear from you; I am looking forward to comparing notes.   I thought that I read that 3 posts were required to be able to send personal messages.  If so we are nearly there!

My great-grandfather was nearly 98 when he died and I can just remember meeting him, which is a great pleasure for me.  I also have some Barter photographs (or copies of those belonging to my Dad's cousin) including William (not very clear) and his family in a pony trap, presumably in Paddingtom Green, his sister Emma and his brother George in his Winchester Councillor's robes.  I am also happy to share my findings about the Watsons with you.

The painting & decorating stopped with Charlie in our branch of the family, but we are practical & still use some of his tools (branded "C.B."!) for DIY.

Best regards,

David

[Janete]

Perhaps I sound a bit of a nerd but it's quite exciting for me.  I thought I'd nearly come to the end of what I could find out.  I love the idea of a pony and trap!
I think I remember meeting Charles one Christmas when I was four probably -  which would be 1954 - for some reason he didn't have anyone to have Christmas dinner with so he came to our house - we lived with my grandparents and aunts and uncle -  (unless it was another uncle Charlie).  If it was him, he seemed a nice old man but quiet.  The men spent a lot of time talking about Christmas bus timetables! Must be nice to have met a greatgrandfather.  Loads of the Barters seem to have lived longer than average.
I'll tell you what I found out about Simon anyway - I only managed to find where he came from before Basingstoke by chance and because the unusual first name stood out (he got it from his maternal grandfather).  He was born in Collingbourne Ducis in Wiltshire in 1781.  He was christened, as Batter in the register, on 26th November, and his father was Edward Barter/Batter (b. 1736) and mother Jane Allen (b. 1739) .  By the time he grew up he and his siblings were signing themselves Barter - those who were literate.  He was the youngest of 5 as far as I can determine.  It was a very hard time for agricultural labourers there then, so he probably made a sensible decision to go into the communications/hospitality industry.  He also got done for poaching a hare near the village in 1815 - massive fine.  He lived at Whitchurch for a while and came back for weddings (he was witness at a few including his eldest brother William) then he came back for his own wedding.  (I can go back furtherwith the tree)
He married Catherine Cambourne (several spellings) on 5th Sept 1821 when he was 40.  She claimed to be of age but I think she was actually nearer 17 as her christening in Weston, Bath was in 1804 ( unless there was an older sister of the same name who died and then she was not christened herself or christened very late or something).  She needed to get married as quickly as possible though so it's not suprising.  She had already had a child by Simon christened in Evershed (close by and on the coaching routes) on 27th May - called Mary Ann (died 1908 I think).  I don't know nearly enough to say whether he ought to have been ashamed of himself, in the context of the time, but I can guess he probably did.....
I like the sound of Catherine though, she was a resourceful lady and kept things together.
Have you got a christening for their son Charles who was in the 1841 census?  I haven't managed to find that yet and I loose him later on.
Did you know Simon was landlord of a nice old pub - The Bell. London St. - when he died and that Hampshire record office have got the letter of administration Catherine had to get when he died?  Not much in the letter though. They've knocked the pub down of course.   
Hope it is 3 posts. Lots of questions I want to ask. 
Regards, Janet

[DavidNA]

Hi Janet,

I tried to send you personal message but I am not sure if it reached you OK?  I am currently typing up my relevant notes so that I can e-mail them to you when we can communicat that way.  On that topic, with what size file attachments can your e-mail cope, please?  I have copied several photographs but they are ~2MB each in size.  Maybe it would be easier to send them to you on a CD?

As far as the Watsons are concerned, I have traced 2 generations further back than James:

James WATSON, a painter
C. 18.7.1788 Gainsborough
d. 24.9.1854 Basingstoke

His father:

John WATSON, a nailmaker
C. 1.3.1748 Gainsborough
m. Ann FISHER 26.12.1771 Gainsborough
bur. 4.1.1826 Gainsborough

His father:

Thomas WATSON, a sailor (on the river Trent?)
He had children with his wife Mary between 1730 & 1753.

I look forward to sending you further infomation.

Best regards,

David

[haselbury]

Hi Ruby,
I do hope you are still around.
I am not related to John Fewster and his wife, Ann Wiltshire. But my Sister-in-law Dawn descends through their son Joseph who married Amelia Leighfield.

I found the Marriage of Joseph and Amelia  listed in the Dec Qtr 1855 at Highworth 5a 23, Highworth is 6m N.E of Swindon. Joseph and Amelia's eldest two son's were Born there as well.  see below
Albert Fewster Birth Mar Qtr 1856 Highworth 5a 15
Francis Job Fewster Birth Mar Qtr  1858 Highworth 5a 4.
They left on the Annie Wilson, as Unassisted Passengers and Arrived at Port Phillip, Victoria Australia in January 1859. The Family that Arrived was Joseph Fewster 24, Amelia Fewster 22, Albert Fewster 2, and Francis Fewster 1. They moved to Ballarat, Victoria, where George (1860), John (1862), Charlotte Ann (1864), Joseph Charles (1866), Mary Jane (1868), Charles Ernest James (1870), Bertha (1871), Oswald Hector(1874), Walter (1878), Amelia (1880) were all Born to them.   I also found another son of John Fewster and Ann Wiltshire who died in Victoria, Australia, he was Charles Fewster Born 1829 Bristol, died 1863 Victoria Aged 34 years.

Dawn descends through Oswald Hector Fewster' son Hector Thomas.
 Regads haselbury