Rev. William John Powell

[Gordon163]

I am hoping to find records of a Rev. William John Powell, whom I think would have been in Natal during the 1890s or 1900s. On his son's marriage record of 1948, the father is described as a "clerk in holy orders", which only applies to Anglican priests. The son married in London and the father was deceased at that time.

I think his wife's name was Eliza. (I have found records of Mrs Eliza Powell and son arriving at Southampton from Durban.)

I'm not sure which records (if any) might be useful.

Any help in making progress would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Gordon

[CaroleW]

Where & when was the son born?  If in England - what mothers name & maiden name is shown on his birth cert?

[maddys52]

The Eliza POWELL who arrived from Durban in 1907 was 36 and her son was 10. Does this fit with what you know of the family?

Do you have the family in the 1911 or 1921 census?

[pampoen]

Not sure if this is the son?
DEPOT     NAB                                                                   
SOURCE    MSCE                                                                 
TYPE      LEER                                                                 
SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE 3688/1963                                                             
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION          POWELL, WILLIAM JOHN. BORN IN SPRINGS, TRANSVAAL. SSP VIVA GRACE     
           POWELL (BORN BARENDSE). DECEASED ESTATE.                             
STARTING  19630000                                                             
ENDING    19740000                                                             

[pampoen]

This William John died aged 25 https://www.graves.eggsa.org/kwazulunatal/DURBAN_urban/stellawood/P%20-%20Vanne%20__%20Surnames%20-%20P/trh/IMG_3792.JPG

[pampoen]

DEPOT     TAB   SOURCE    WLD         TYPE      LEER   VOLUME_NO 0     SYSTEM    01                                                                   
REFERENCE 1257/1942    PART  1  DESCRIPTION   ILLIQUID CASE DIVORCE WILLIAM JOHN POWELL VERSUS MARJORIE LEONORA   (BORN SHIPTON).   STARTING  19420000                                                             
ENDING    19420000   

[Gordon163]

Thanks for the various replies.

The son's name was William James Powell, who has no birth record in the UK. He was born between 1902 and 1906. From his death record (1953 in Croydon, Surrey) age 50, earliest could be 1902. But, his marriage record (1948 in Camberwell, London) age 42, suggests birth about 1906.

The boy arriving in 1907, aged 10, could have been an older brother, I suppose.

Eliza Johnson was my gt-grandmother's sister, who last appears on the 1891 Census, as a nurse, working for a doctor in Bristol. I think that she was living with her father's youngest sister, who lived in Bedminster, which might account for Bedminster as her birthplace. Her younger brother, James, went to South Africa with the Somerset Light Infantry during the Boer War. I think that Eliza probably went with him.

The William James Powell, concerned here, does not appear on any UK records before his marriage in 1948 to Edna Holt. 

I suppose he might have served in the British Forces during WW2, but have no way of exploring this. His marriage record says that he was an engineer servicing launderette machines, which might suggest REME or something similar.

Gordon

[maddys52]

No help finding William James POWELL in other records, however just an observation - he is 11 years older than Edna Joan HOLT on their 1948 marriage certificate, so perhaps he fudged his age at marriage to lessen the age difference between them. (Certificate is on a Public Member Story on Ancestry). Their address is 7 Morna Rd, however they are not there in 1939.

I also note that Edna Joan HOLT's father was an Engineer Fitter at "Thomas Bradford's Laundry Engineers" on the 1921 census. Perhaps William James POWELL also worked there?

[Gordon163]

I think that what you are suggesting is quite likely.

Edna was the informant on his death certificate of 1953 at Croydon, Surrey. This would mean birth around 1902/3.

Interestingly, an Eliza Powell (of about the right age) died in the 2nd Qtr of 1954 at Haslingden, Lancs. This was where Edna's father came from.

Gordon