Disappearance of William Woodhead, Deptford 1851-1861

[kesaunders79]

I normally like to think of being fairly good at solving things using different resources, spellings etc. but I am stumped with this.

William Woodhead is my 5th Great Grandfather, born abt 1785 in Chelmsford, Essex and married 1808 in Lewisham then living thereafter in Deptford. All his children were baptised at Deptford between 1811-1833 and I have him in the 1841 & 1851 census.
Then he disappears.....I can't find a death or burial.

His wife Elizabeth died 14 Sep 1870 in Deptford and buried 26 Sep 1870 and both documents show her as widow of William Woodhead, a sawyer. She is recorded as a widow in the 1861 census too.

Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas, I'd love to solve this?

[Girl Guide]

A possibility?  Right sort of age

WOODWARD, WILLIAM       74     
GRO Reference: 1859  S Quarter in ISLINGTON  Volume 01B  Page 141

Ignore - I've got the surname wrong!!

[cemetery friends]

The main employer was the Royal Dockyard and it began to fall into decline 1830/1840.  It is possible that he was offered work in the dockyards in other locations e.g Scotland, Canada, Malta etc and moved away perhaps for a limited time but died in service. The BMD index of course shows only deaths in England and Wales.

[Girl Guide]

I see that his occupation in 1851 is Cat Meat dealer and the family are living in 4 Old King Street, St. Paul, Greenwich.

Have I found the correct family in 1851?

[Girl Guide]

Well I don't know if this is of any relevance but I have found a William Woodhead in the United States 1860 Census.

The place is Dover, Racine, Wisconsin, United States and he is with a Lydia Woodhead.  His place of birth is given as England and no occupation is mentioned. His age is given as 74 with an estimated birth year of 1786.

Edit - Can't be yours I've found him in the same place in the 1850 census.

Back to the drawing board.

[kesaunders79]

Hi thanks for everyone's replies.

Yes that is the correct William in the 1851 census. They were living on Old King Street in 1841 too, his occupation then was M.S I think it says, possibly Merchant Service maybe?
Seems to have been a labourer on his children's baptisms, one says Labr D.Y which I guess is Dock Yard. As I say, when his wife died he is recorded as a Sawyer.

So something happens to him between 1851-1861 

[nanny jan]

In 1841 census M.S. is male servant.

[kesaunders79]

Ah ok thanks for that 

[kesaunders79]

His occupation on his sons baptism in 1827 says Sawyer H.H yd I think?

Not sure what that stands for, maybe Yard on the end?