Wild children of Bilston

[Toban]

I had also noted the 'backer' occupation of John. Perhaps he was a baker for a short period before becoming or reverting to labourer status. At the baptism of all his children he is listed as a labourer.

I cannot find a suitable death record for John between 1841 and 1851 (I assume he died in this period because I could not find a good match for him in the 1851 census). I've checked all the deaths registered in Wolverhampton district for this period and none matches.

[Lynntony]

There is a death of a John Wild in Wolverhampton in 1870

Wild  John  77  Wolverhampton  6b 295

The age at death would put the birth at around 1793. Would this fit in with your estimate of John's birth?
I did have difficulty finding him on census returns, but that could just mean that he moved around and didn't just stay in Wolverhampton.

Tony

[Toban]

Thanks Tony, it would certainly fit if it were him. But he needs to be found in the censuses to be sure. As my subscriptions to both findmypast and ancestry have currently expired, I can't do much about that.

Can anyone find him?

[Lynntony]

Hi Toban,

I did a search on Ancestry and came up with quite a few John Wilds but, not knowing whether or not he did move about, it is difficult to say for certain that this is the particular John Wild you are searching for. I don't have a sub to FindmyPast so am unable to look for that. Sorry I can't be more helpful with that.

Tony

[Toban]

Hi Tony,

Were any of those Johns born in Staffordshire? That's where the 1841 census said he was born...

[MargP]

Hi Toban

I can't find John any where on the 1851 census, I see that Ann is a servant with a family.

The only burial record I can see for John Wild, is the one for Walsall St, and I think you have this.

I have Googled Walsall St and it is around the corner from Ward St, the age is a bit out but this not unusual, as the information is only as good as the informants knowledge, also his year of birth on the 1841 census may also be out, as they rounded up or down by 5 years

Here is the GRO ref for that burial

John Wild
July-Sept Qtr 1856
Reg Wolverhampton
Vol 6b
Page 229

The only other suggestion I can make, did he go to Australia as well

Marg

[Toban]

Hi Marg,

Can you give me the details of Ann's 1851 record - I don't have that.

I don't think the 1856 death is his, as I doubt the ages would be out as much as 20 years, which is what they'd have to be. The age of the '56 death was 42, meaning he was born c.1814. This would mean John was married at age 2!

I have no evidence that he came to Australia. There are a couple of John Wilds in the NSW death index. One stands out as a man who died in Parramatta (a Sydney suburb now - then a separate settlement) in 1859 aged 66. This put his birth year at c.1793, which fits well. However, on William's immigration papers of 1858 he states that both his parents are already deceased and the only relations he has in the colony is his brother George.

There's always the possibility that John's death was not registered in the Wolverhampton district, but with 357 deaths of "John Wild" recorded between 1841 and 1858 it'd be very difficult to pinpoint which one is him!

[Lynntony]

Hi Tony,

Were any of those Johns born in Staffordshire? That's where the 1841 census said he was born...

None do seem to fit Toban. The only one that came close had a wife named Elizabeth, so that was a non starter.
It is a problem when people are not where you want them to be. 
One of my ancestors doesn't appear on the census returns for quite a few years, even though I know he was still alive and kicking. Oh for an unusual surname to follow up - I have Davies and Murphy to contend with! 

Tony

[Lynntony]

Just checked FreeBMD and there were, according to their records, only three deaths for a John Wild in Wolverhampton between 1841 and 1851:-

Deaths Jun 1841   
Wild  John    Wolverhampton  17 240   

Deaths Mar  1846
WILD  John     Wolverhampton &c  17 257   

Deaths Mar 1849   
Wild  John     Wolverhampton  17 262

Does that help narrow the field down? Unfortunately, ages at death  weren't given on BMD until 1870!

ADDED The first one can be ruled out as FamilySearch have his birth as 1821