Wheelwrights (Clarks) in Woolaston (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Monday, December 22, 2014, 00:52 (3673 days ago) @ Mike Pinchin

Thanks Mike, looks like the word "journeyman" is key here, as I suspect John already knows, he's probably seen this too;

"Two tanners and a glover were recorded in 1608, a bark house stood at Grange Pill in the late 18th century, and there were occasional references to tanners between those dates. Tan House Orchard at High Woolaston in 1769 was perhaps associated with James Hammond (d. 1819), tanner of that hamlet. At Brookend a house known as Tan House in 1771 was bought from the Hammond family by John Barrow in 1806 and converted between 1808 and 1833 by William Packer into a house with leather-room and drying loft. It was sold in 1849 to Francis Clark, a Chepstow currier, whose business there was recorded up to 1876. The tannery closed c. 1925 but some of the buildings remain."
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol10/pp109-114

Wonder if it's this successfull Carrier business which encouraged a carpenter relative to settle nearby and specialise as a wheelwright ?

The 1876 Morris Trade Directory for Woolaston shows the Tanner link;
"CLARKE Francis, tanner and currier, Brookend; and at Chepstow"
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cbennett/woollaston1876.htm

As did Kellys in 1870.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cbennett/woolastone1870.htm

NOT the Carrier/Tanner, but the father of this Francis is a Woolaston Carpenter;

Record_ID: 68667
Entry_Number: 203
Year: 1889
Month: Jan
Day: 13
Parents_Surname: CLARK
Child_Forenames: Francis George
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Annie
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Woolaston
Occupation: Carpenter
Officiating_Minister: William Somerset Rector
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P376 IN 1/11
Page_Number: 26
Parish_Chapel: Woolaston
Soundex: C462

??

In case John hasn't searched the rest of this site yet, I suggest;

1. This photo of Sgt Charles Stephen Clark RAF of Woolaston, died just before WW2 started, training accident perhaps, sadly cannot find him within the CWGC site ?.
www.forest-of-dean.net/gallery/woolaston/pages/page_2.html

From this site's PRs;

Record_ID: 50871
Entry_Number: 990
Year: 1939
Month: Aug
Day: 9
Surname: CLARK
Forenames: Charles Stephen
Residence: The Reddings Woolaston.
Age_at_death: 27
Officiating_Minister: J B Moore curate Lydney
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P376 IN 1/18
Page_No: 124
Parish_Chapel: Woolaston
Soundex: C462

2. Another possible ancestor of John, certainly of Charles Stephen above (same address) from within this site's Wills Section;

Details of Will

Surname CLARK
First Name Ann
Abode The Reddings Woollaston
Occupation Widow
Year Proved 1904
Page Number 44
Year of Death 1904
Month of Death Jan
Day of Death 25
Value Under £250
Document Will
Notes
Will Number Will_03437

3. Within the Inquests section a Jesse Clark of Woolaston, policeman, appears as witness a couple of times c1887;
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/inquests/php2/popup.htm?../images/C281.png
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/inquests/php2/popup.htm?../images/C319.png
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/inquests/php2/popup.htm?../images/D496.png

Quite possible there are more Woolaston Clarks within the 76 "Clark" Inquest witnesses on the database, see
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/index.php/resources/inquests

4. Here's another Woolaston CLARK who was born in Wimbledon in 1868, John William Clark.
http://www.sungreen.co.uk/Woolaston/Clark_Woolaston.html
Another "wheelwright" link, his fatherinlaw was the blacksmith.
"He was born in Wimbledon. To Ann Clark nee Barber of Woolaston and John Robert Clark of Brixton. Johns mother Ann left London for unknown reasons and came back to Woolaston in 1891. John at sometime followed her. There he met and married Kate Phoebe Thorn the daughter of William and Phoebe Thorn nee Shillam. William Thorn is the Blacksmith of the Blacksmith Arms Pub in Alvington."

Finally my last "hit",

5. "Clark, Ethel M (b1909), diarist of Woolaston."

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F247627

I see this Collection is held at Brunel University which is abt a mile from my home.

----

I realise not all specific to John's original query, but I hope it's of some interest.