James Wilkinson

   Cause of his death was Fever (5 days)/Exhaustion & Old Age.⁴

  Research Notes:

1. Birth
No baptisms found in the Wolverhampton area. Baptisms in Walsall and Hammerwich ruled out because they were living in the same location in the 1841 Census.
1841 Census records that he was not born in Staffordshire.
Possible baptism on 1 Mar 1767 in Dudley; parents Bernard and Eleanor. Might explain why children married in Dudley (see #4 below).

2. Second marriage
Second marriage to Nancy Briggs is quite likely given the date and the bride's age but no proof otherwise.

3. Third marriage
Was Sarah Wilkinson a relation, e.g., a cousin or sister-in-law? Note that according to the 1841 Census she was born in Staffordshire and he wasn't.

4. Why did William[, Mary] and Sarah marry in Dudley?
Did James move his family to Dudley after Frances died and his (possible) marriage to Nancy in 1810? If so, he must have moved back to Wolverhampton before Nancy died in 1829.
Alternatively did William[, Mary] and Sarah move to Dudley for some reason of their own?

5. Trade: hinge makers
James and his three sons (William, James and Bernard) were all hinge makers. Try to find out if they all worked for the same company.

6. Death
Same address as his son Bernard (1851 Census). Was James living with him at the time of his death?

  Death Notes:

Ann Lloyd does not appear to be a relation, i.e., not his daughter. According to Census records, she is most likely to have been the wife of Francis Lloyd.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence, Abt 1811-1828, Dudley, [Worcestershire], West Midlands, DY1 1QD, GB.

• Marriage, 31 Dec 1826, St. Thomas's Church, High Street, Dudley, [Worcestershire], West Midlands, DY1 1QD, GB. ² Why did John and Sarah marry in Dudley? Note that Sarah Wilkinson's brother (William) married John Bennet's sister (Ann) in Dudley.

Possible marriage of John Bennett with Sarah Beresford on 19 Apr 1827 in Eccleshall discounted because of the double family marriages listed above.

• Occupation: Hingemaker, 6 Jun 1841. ⁵

• Residence, 6 Jun 1841, Hallets Row, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, GB. ⁵

James married Frances Raby on 25 Dec 1795 in St. Mary's Church, Bushbury Lane, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV10 8JP, GB.¹ (Frances Raby was born before 1775, died before 29 May 1807 and was buried on 29 May 1807 in St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Lich Gate, Queen Square, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, WV1 1TS, GB ³.)

James next married Nancy Briggs, daughter of Francis Briggs and Mary, on 23 Jul 1810 in St. Bartholomew's Church, Church Hill, Penn, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, WV4 5JD, GB.² (Nancy Briggs was born before 12 Mar 1775, baptised on 12 Mar 1775 in St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Lich Gate, Queen Square, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, WV1 1TS, GB,³ died before 10 Jun 1829 and was buried on 10 Jun 1829 in St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Lich Gate, Queen Square, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, WV1 1TS, GB ³.)

James next married Sarah Wilkinson on 22 Aug 1830 in St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Lich Gate, Queen Square, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, WV1 1TS, GB.³ (Sarah Wilkinson was born about 1776 in Staffordshire, GB,⁶ died before 25 Jun 1846 in Hallets Row, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, GB and was buried on 25 Jun 1846 in St. John's Church, St. John's Square, Wolverhampton, [Staffordshire], West Midlands, WV2 4LW, GB ².)