Dear Rosie and Andy
Thank you for replying to my post re: Sidney/Sydney James Butcher. I should have mentioned that some records that I have found say "Sidney" and some say "Sydney". At least now I know that he did not leave a Will. I have found him in all the English censuses. In the 1881 census he was known as "James Butcher", living at Colney Hatch Lane, Hornsey, London, with 8 of his children (the eldest 2 were living away from home in 1881). His first wife, Mary nee Boulton, had died only a few weeks before the 1881 census. Sidney married again (to Sarah Ann "Annie" nee Gregory) in 1882 and had 3 more children with his second wife. He and his family seemed to have a different address every census! (in various London suburbs). His occupations included coal merchant, architect, accountant and builder-surveyor! He apparently went broke, and a distant cousin has a story that he was diddled by a business partner (I found a notice of bankruptcy on the British newspaper website). Maybe he did not leave a Will because he had no assets to bequeth? He then retired to Kirdfird where he became an artist in watercolour! (as per his death certificate and the 1911 census). I have his death certificate and he died on 28 January, 1909, aged 70 years. His obituary in the West Sussex Gazette said that he was a Parish Councillor and a Parliamentary Agent for the Liberal Party. Most of his family then moved to Tunbridge Wells. I found his wife Annie boarding with a family in Tunbridge Wells in the 1911 census. I have found Annie's death on the deceasedonline website, but have not yet got her death certificate. Thank you so much for all your help.
