Lavinia Waite

c1827-1896

Lavinia, her parents, siblings and early life:

Lavinia was baptised on the 25^th November 1827 at St Nicolas Church Newbury, the daughter of Frederick and Martha Challis (nee Walter) who were married on the 11^th November 1821 at St Mary the Virgin Speen Berkshire.

Her father Frederick was baptised in1802 in Newbury, the son of Lawrence and Ruth Challis (nee Walker) who were married in Southampton, Holy Rood Hampshire in 1794. (Name recorded as Frederic Chalice on findmypast)

Her mother Martha was baptised in Shaw cum Donnington in 1803, the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Walter (nee Jackson) who were married in 1798 in Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire. She died aged 57 in 1857 (as Martha Winter having remarried in 1836 (see details below)) and was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 15^th September.

Frederick and Martha also had the following children:
Lavinia baptised 1822 (died aged 3 weeks, buried 22^nd November 1822 at St Nicolas Newbury)

Cornelius baptised 1824

Maria born c1831.

Lavinia’s father died aged 28 in 1830, he was buried on the 2^nd June at St Nicolas Newbury.

Her mother remarried on the 30^th October 1836 at St Nicolas Church Newbury. (Her 2^nd husband was a widower, Nathaniel James Winter, born c1807 the son of Nathaniel Benjamin and Mary Winter (nee Lindsay) who were married on the 28^th October 1799 at St Mary the Virgin, Speen, Berkshire.

Nathaniel James married Elizabeth Wiggins in 1834 in Greenham. Elizabeth died aged 35 in 1835, she was buried on the 21^st December at St Mary Greenham).

In 1841 Lavinia was living with her step-father, Nathaniel Winter (30), her mother Martha (40) her brother Cornelius (15) and her sister Maria (10), in Bartholomew Street, Newbury.

Lavinia in later life:

Livinia married John Wright in 1848 (marriage registered in Newbury).

(John was baptised 15^th December 1822 at St Nicolas Church Newbury, the son of Richard and Elizabeth Wright (nee Triggs) who were married on the 25^th May 1817 at St Nicolas Church Newbury).

John and Lavinia had the following children:

Twins: Jane and Richard John 1849 (Richard died aged 9 weeks, buried 6^th June 1849 at St Nicolas Newbury)

Richard c1851

Female c1855 (Birth registered in the March quarter. Not named, not on any census and no death or burial found)

Annie Maria 1856 (died aged 3, buried in the Newtown Road Cemetery Newbury on the 24^th April 1860)

Elizabeth 1859

Annie Livinia 1862

Frederick John 1864

Joseph Cornelius 1867

The 1851 census records Lavinia (24) (name recorded as Leonia on ancestry) and her children Jane (2) and Richard (1 month) living in Northcroft Lane Newbury with her mother-in-law Elizabeth Wright (60), a Pauper/Wife of a Coal Merchant’s Labourer.

In 1861 Lavinia (31) (spelt Lavina) was recorded as a Shoe Binder, living in West Mills, Newbury with her husband John (37), a Bargeman and their children Richard (10) and Elizabeth (2).

John died aged 46 in 1869, he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 2^nd October.

In 1871 Lavinia’s children Elizabeth (10), Ann Lorma (8), (Annie Livinia) John (7) (Frederick John) and Joseph (4) were recorded as inmates in the Newbury Workhouse.

Lavinia (name spelt Livina on freebmd) remarried in Newbury in 1874, her 2^nd husband was Henry Waite.

Marriage details:

Place: St Nicolas Church Newbury

Date: 28^th December 1874

Groom: Henry Waite, full age, bachelor, occupation, Bargeman

Bride: Livinia Wright, full age, widow

Fathers: Frederick Challis, occupation, Bricklayer and Henry Waite, occupation, Bargepole Maker

Witnesses: William Frederick Dell and Jane Marshall

Bride and Groom both signed

Both the 1881 and 1891 census records record Lavinia as a Laundress, living in Mayor’s Lane, Newbury. (Henry Waite was not recorded in the household in either census). In 1881 her children Annie Wright (18) a Housemaid, Joseph Wright (14), a Bricklayer’s Labourer, and her granddaughter Alice Wright (3) (baptised on the 8^th March 1878 the illegitimate daughter of her daughter Elizabeth) were recorded living with her.

In 1891 Livinia (63) (recorded as Jirina on ancestry) was recorded living alone at 4 Mayor’s Lane, she was still working as a Laundress.

Lavinia died on the 4^th February 1896 (age at death recorded as 66), she was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 7^th February.

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