William FLETCHER, Tinker

My great-grandfather William Fletcher was born about 1859 and came from a tinker family in the Forest of Dean. He was the only one in a largish family to leave the tinker life and he settled in Northampton where he married Lucy Irons and worked in the shoe trade. It is said he previously worked with iron. He was most likely in N'pton in 1884 (birth of eldest child) and appeared in 1901 census when he seems to have given a false place of birth.
I have ordered a marriage cert. for him but this has not yet arrived. It would be great if someone could help me find info about William.
Many thanks
Clicker

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http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=7459#p7459

"we" did some searching for another Fletcher back in the Summer ( follow the link above) there may well be a connection - cousin ??

Tinker / Gypsy familes can be very difficult to track in Census records :-)

1881 Gypsy Tent Moseley West Dean

Eli Fletcher abt 1847 London, London, Middlesex, England Head West Dean Gloucestershire
Sarah Fletcher abt 1851 Hanway, Shropshire, England Wife West Dean Gloucestershire
Eli Fletcher abt 1872 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Fletcher abt 1878 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean Gloucestershire
Emily Fletcher abt 1868 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean Gloucestershire
Hootin Fletcher abt 1874 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean Gloucestershire
Jami Fletcher abt 1880 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean Gloucestershire
Leticia Fletcher abt 1876 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean Gloucestershire
Sarah Fletcherabt 1880 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean Gloucestershire

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Thanks Slowhands
Wonderful to get a reply so fast.
Given William's birthdate perhaps Eli and he were brothers. I have also read the info about the court proceedings against Eli. It's all very interesting. Perhaps when I get the marriage cert. we can try to get a bit further. I hope so.
Thank you very much for the help.
Clicker

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< as transcribed by Ancestry>

1901
Wm Fletcher abt 1859 Hogsthorpe, Northamptonshire, England Head St Giles Northamptonshire
Lucy Fletcher abt 1859 Holmby, Northamptonshire, England Wife St Giles Northamptonshire
Ada Fletcher abt 1893 Northamptonshire, England Daughter St Giles Northamptonshire
Ada Fletcher abt 1893 Northamptonshire, England Daughter St Giles Northamptonshire
Albert Fletcher abt 1897 Northamptonshire, England Son St Giles Northamptonshire
Arthur Fletcher abt 1888 Northamptonshire, England Son St Giles Northamptonshire
Florence Fletcher abt 1898 Northamptonshire, England Daughter St Giles Northamptonshire
Kate Fletcher abt 1890 Northamptonshire, England Daughter St Giles Northamptonshire
Lilie Fletcher abt 1900 Northamptonshire, England Daughter St Giles Northamptonshire

1891
William Flitcher abt 1859 Kingsthorpe, Northamptonshire, England Head St Giles Northamptonshire
Lacy Flitcher abt 1859 Holdnley, Northamptonshire, England Wife St Giles Northamptonshire
Albert Flitcher abt 1884 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England Son St Giles Northamptonshire
Arthur Flitcher abt 1887 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England Son St Giles Northamptonshire
Herbert Flitcher abt 1882 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England Son St Giles Northamptonshire
Kate Flitcher abt 1890 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England Daughter St Giles Northamptonshire

Name: William Fletcher
Name: Lucy Irons
Year of Registration: 1881
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
District: Northampton (1837-1923)
County: Northamptonshire
Volume: 3b
Page: 155

You might assume that he was in the Northampton area for the 1881 census esp. as he marries a few months after the census and Lucy is in Northampton for the census .

1881
Thomas Irons abt 1839 Brampton, Northamptonshire, England Head Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Ann Irons abt 1841 Holdenby, Northamptonshire, England Wife Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Ada Irons abt 1877 Northamptonshire, England Daughter Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Elizabeth Irons abt 1864 Northamptonshire, England Daughter Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Joseph Irons abt 1873 Northamptonshire, England Son Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Kate Irons abt 1866 Northamptonshire, England Daughter Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Lucy Irons abt 1859 Holdenby, Northamptonshire, England Daughter Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Rose Irons abt 1880 Northamptonshire, England Daughter Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Thomas Irons abt 1870 Northamptonshire, England Son Northampton Priory St Andrew Northamptonshire
Trcia Irons abt 1868 Northamptonshire, England Daughter Northampton Priory St Andrew

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Lucy Fletcher is Lucy Irons mother of Ada my grandmother. I have the census sheet with the Kingsthorpe place of birth. This is the area where they lived in Northampton. My grandmother refused to mention to the background of William which I was told was because he was a tinker from FOD
Incidentally Lucy was born in Holdenby. I guess there were one or two writing errors in those days as now!!
Clicker

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Hi Clicker - not sure if you are still around on this site given that your last posting was 6 years ago! I'm currently researching a William Fletcher (son of James, who was the son of Thomas - all births Northants). I am trying to see whether there is a link between him and Eli Fletcher. If you are still monitoring replies to this post could you could you please get in touch and let me know whether you made any progress with your research? Many thanks

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My husband's grandmother was Florence Fletcher, daughter of William Fletcher and Lucy Irons.

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We seem to be averaging a two year gap on replies! Did you get any information about the parentage of William?

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On the 1911 census, William FLETCHER gives his age as 53 and born Kingsthorpe,

Ancestry: Parish Register Entry : Kingsthorpe, Northampton

William FLETCHER, 6 August 1854

parents: Thomas Burdett FLETCHER, occupation: labourer/Charlotte Savage FLETCHER

However, William doesn't appear on the Census returns with this family and Thomas Burdett Fletcher is buried 24 October 1868 aged 47 years at Kingsthorpe

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Thanks. I cannot say I'm convinced yet given that William does not appear on any of the census returns with his 'family' (when all the other children are). I note that someone of that name died in the registration district in 1855.

There isn't any evidence of the family being travelling tinkers either.

I'm wondering whether the William Fletcher of this family is a completely different one who died in infancy.

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Because of the birthplaces I’m not sure if this has got anything to do with it but it does link the names of IRONS and FLETCHER.

BNA Northampton Mercury - Saturday 07 November 1874

William Fletcher, clicker, 132, Bridge-street, was summoned for absenting himself from the employ of Elijah Irons, shoemanufacturer, Birds’-piece, without notice, on the 28th Oct.—Complainant stated that on Monday week, the defendant went to him and gave a week's notice, which he declined to accept, and defendant then left.—Defendant's father stated that during the week the complainant sent his son home for a day and a half because he had no work, and on the Saturday he deducted the wages for that time. In consequence of this irregular work he sought out for another situation for his son, and communicated the same to Mr. Irons, and ordered his son to give notice on the Monday morning —Mr. Irons denied having received the communication, and defendant was ordered to pay half a week’s wages, 7s, and costs, as compensation.

GR 1971 Census, 132 Bridge St, Northampton,

Robert FLETCHER, Head, Mar, 40, Manager to a coal merchant, b. Midx, Chelsea
Catharine, Wife, Mar, 40, Manager’s Wife, Midx, Chelsea
George, Son, Un, 19, Clerk to a Brewer, Midx, Paddington
Helener, Daur, Un, 17, Midx, Paddington
William, Son, Un, 15, Clicker, Midx, Paddington
Arthur, Son, 12, Oxon, Bicester
Mary Jane, Daur, 10, Warwick, Rugby
Louisa, Daur, 8, Warwick, Rugby
Dora, Daur, 6, Warwick, Rugby

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This certainly looks more like the right William Flecther...although still no real indication of a tinker family (especially as father was a policeman). The Iron family connection and job as a clicker certainly fits the OP's description. I noticed that Lucy Iron's father, Thomas, is also listed as a shoemaker. The evidence seems to be pointing away from any FoD connection. I was hoping this was a missing link for my FoD gypsy Fletchers but it is now looking much more unlikely. However, it is odd as the FoD Fletchers did travel to Northamptonshire. It is also coincidental that Eli Fletcher (a well known Forest gypsy) states he was born in London, as does the William you found. I guess this may be a dead end for me.

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GRO : The children of Robert FLETCHER and Catharine : mother's maiden name PETTIT

Ancestry - copy marriage

London, St George Bloomsbury 13 October 1850

Robert Cranfield FLETCHER, Wine Cooper, 2 Keppel Mews North - full age, Batchelor
father: Richard FLETCHER, occupation: Bright Smith -

Catherine Cecilia PETTIT, same address, - full age, Spinster
father: Philip PETTIT, Coal Merchant

witnesses: Eliza BLUTH and Humphry SPANTON

(ON PUBLIC MEMBERS TREE: ANCESTRY) ***

Richard William FLETCHER 1798-1861/Margaret CRANFIELD - 1802-1851)

1851 Census, Paddington

FLETCHER

Robert - 22 - Coal Merchant, born Middx, Chelsea (christened 12 July 1829)
Catharine - 21 - born Middx, Bloomsbury

1841 Census, Middx, St Pancras

FLETCHER

Margaret, 30 - Shopkeeper - all born in County
Richard - 14
Robert - 12
Margaret - 7
Thomas - 5

1851 Census, Middx St Giles in the Fields

FLETCHER

Richard - 53 - Lock Smith & Bell Hanger, born Cambridge
Margaret - 48 - born Surrey
Richard M H - Confectioner
Margaret - 17
Edward - 14
James B 6

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