William & Elizabeth Gregory of Crudgington

William Gregory, illegitimate son of Ann Gregory, was baptised in High Ercall, Shropshire, on 2 February 1794.

Elizabeth Speed, daughter of Thomas and Hannah, was baptised in Waters Upton, Shropshire, on 21 June 1795.

William and Elizabeth were married at High Ercall on 31 December 1818 and they are believed to have had four children:

James

bap. 21 Mar 1819

Waters Upton

Mary

bap. 3 Feb 1822

Waters Upton

William

ca. 1828

Emma

ca. 1831

William was a farm labourer and lived in Crudgington Green with his family. In 1841 Mary, William and Emma were still at home but by 1851 all their children had left home. James and Mary had both married and Mary’s 4-year-old daughter, Ann Newns was staying with them.

In 1861 their son William was back living with them as he was in 1871 but by then he had married and been widowed. Also with them in 1871 was their married daughter Emma.

Elizabeth died in the autumn of 1874 and William died later the same year.

Of their children:

  • James married Elizabeth Chester, from Wem, in 1847 and they are known to have had six children:

    William

    ca. 1848

    Mary

    ca. 1850

    Elizabeth

    ca. 1851

    Ann

    ca. 1856

    James

    ca. 1857

    George

    ca. 1860

    James was a farm worker and in 1871 was shown as a shepherd, and in 1891 as a retired farm bailiff. In 1851 they were living in High Ercall, in 1861 and 1871 in Madeley and in 1881 in Dawley. By 1891 James had retired and they were living with their son George in Rock, near Wellington.

  • Mary married a shoemaker, George Newns, in 1846 and lived in Crudgington.
  • William was a farm worker and lived most of his life in Crudgington. He appears to have married sometime during the 1860s but was widowed before the 1871 census when he was staying with his parents. He then married Jane Harper in 1871 but he is not known to have fathered any children. In 1901 William and Jane were still living in Crudgington.
  • Emma married a blacksmith, John Evans, in 1857 and they lived in Preston Brockhurst with their two children:

    Thomas

    ca. 1858

    Elizabeth

    1861

    Emma died in the 1870’s following which John remarried.