The Gilbert Family

THE GILBERT FAMILY – BERWICK, GREAT WISHFORD and ELSEWHERE

In Victorian times the families often moved, and whilst researching White Lodge by Asserton I followed one family to see where they had come from, and where they went.

I chose to follow a young couple Alfred and Ann Gilbert and their baby Sarah Jane who were living in the second cottage in 1861. Alfred was a shepherd. Alfred and Ann’s parents and grandparents were born and lived in Berwick. Both families were in Berwick for several generations.

Alfred was born in 1835, and Ann in 1833, and Alfred and Ann as teenagers lived next door to each other. They were married at Berwick on 24th May 1858.

Back to the early 1800’s all of these families were literate – they signed their full names on their marriage certificates.

Alfred and Ann, with three children, left Berwick around 1864, Asserton Farm had been owned by George Tabor, and was sold in 1864 to E C Pinckney, and it seems likely that Alfred took a new job as a shepherd with the Wilton Estate. The family moved to Fugglestone in Wilton where they had at least 3 more children, living there for at least 20 years. Then they moved to Chilhampton where Ann’s father William Munday aged 83 and a pauper lived with them. Also living with them was their grandson Albert born, surprisingly, in London. Alfred and Ann (with Albert) moved to Great Wishford and are buried there.

The previous generation stayed in Berwick, Alfred and Ann moved as far as Wilton. Then I traced two of their children, just to see if they also stayed locally.

Sarah Jane, born in Berwick in 1860, was living in Camden London when her son Albert was born on March 22nd 1882, she was single and aged 22. Albert went to live with his grandparents in Wilton. In 1891 Sarah was still single and a cook at 16 The Grove Brompton London. The head of the household was abroad, but his son, Walter Goldschmidt aged 5, was living there with three servants including Sarah Jane the cook. Sarah Jane died 30th September 1891 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery. Her son Albert was only 9.

John was born to Alfred and Ann in Berwick in 1862, whilst they were living at Asserton Cottages.

By 1891 he was a coachman aged 29 in Paddington, London. Then in 1901 he and his family were living at Luton Hoo, in Bedfordshire as a coachman. He continued as a coachman for Lady Ludlow in 1911, and by 1921, aged 59, he was retired and living in St Albans.

Alfred and Ann’s grandson Albert continued to live with his grandparents in Chilhampton and Great Wishford becoming a shepherd like his grandfather. Albert was 32 in 1914 when the First World War broke out. He is commemorated on the War Memorial in Great Wishford, but neither me nor the historian from Great Wishford have been able to find anything about his service.

So, we need your help.

Albert Edward Gilbert christened March 22nd 1882 in Camden London, having lived in Chilhampton (South Newton) and Great Wishford, and died during the First World War. Do you know anything about him? He was 32, and I wonder what happened to him.

Researched and written by Nicky Street. ([email protected])