Henry Willis (1795 – 1865)

Joseph Willis was born circa 1795 in Newbury, the son of Joseph and Ruth and baptized on 29 April 1795 at St Nicolas in Newbury. Joseph Willis and Ruth Rider had married on 10 April 1784 at St Nicolas in Newbury.

Joseph junior married Anna Martin on 1 January 1829 at Woodmancott. Anna was baptized on 23 February 1803 at St Michael, North Waltham, the daughter of John Butler and Ann Martin.

Joseph and Anna had five children, Ruth on 20 October 1829, Ann on 7 July 1831, Elizabeth Butler on 19 May 1833, Joseph Wilate on 11 February 1836 and Henry in 1838. All the children were baptized at the Countess of Huntingdon Chapel in Basingstoke. Ann died as an infant and was buried on 20 June 1832 at Basingstoke.

In the 1841 census Henry and Anna with children Ruth, Elizabeth, Joseph and Henry were living in Hackwood Lane in Basingstoke. Henry was recorded as a renter (?) of tolls.

Anna died in November 1841 and was buried on 3 December 1841 at St Michael in North Waltham.

Ten years later in the 1851 census Henry was still living in Hackwood Road along with children Elizabeth, Joseph and Henry. Henry was recorded as a collector of turnpike tolls and Elizabeth was a dressmaker’s apprentice.

In the 1861 census Henry was living alone in Hackwood Road and was still a collector of tolls.

Joseph died 6 December 1865 at Greenlands Yard in Newbury from acute rheumatism. He was buried on 9 December 1865 at Newtown Road Cemetery.

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