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That's brilliant work, AG! Thank you so much.

I have a copy of wills of John M Wilson and Sarah his sis. He left everything to his sisters in 1881, £21,247, which in today's equivalent is £1.8 million

Then Sarah died in 1900 and left £25,981, equivalent to £2.23 million.
Phyllis Henderson got £2000, now worth nearly £172,000. 'if she was still in Sarah's employ'. She was the first legacy listed, from 3 pages.The will was written in 1897, as poor Phyllis died 1898 she never got to benefit from it.

To her cousin Samuel Wilson of South Shields where he was brought up by his grandmother Sarah Wilson £1000. - We can't work out who he was.

Then there was a trust fund for the children and descendents of Winifred Wilson, formerly the wife of Sarah's Uncle James Wilson, deceased solicitor. (My gggrandparents).

Long shot - the middle initial is definitely P on the image - but just in case:

John P Wilson
in the 1841 England Census
Name: John P Wilson
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1811
Gender: Male
Civil Parish: Magdalen College
Hundred: Oxford
County/Island: Oxfordshire
Country: England
Street Address:
Occupation: Clergyman <<<<<<<<<<<<<
View image
Registration District: Oxford
Sub-registration District: Oxford
Neighbors:
Piece: 892
Book: 10
Page Number: 1

Deaths Dec 1881 (>99%)
WILSON John Mathias 66 Headington 3a 406


??
Phyllis Henderson
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
Name: Phyllis Henderson
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Registration Year: 1898
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Age at Death: 67
Registration District: Headington
Inferred County: Oxfordshire
Volume: 3a
Page: 445

1891:

Phillis Henderson
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Phillis Henderson
Gender: Female
Age: 55
Relationship: Servant
Birth Year: 1836
Birth Place: Nr Wooler, Northumberland, England
Civil Parish: Paddington
Ecclesiastical parish: St Michaels
Residence Place: Paddington, London, England
Registration District: Paddington
Sub registration district: St John Paddington
ED, Institution or Vessel: 10
Neighbors:
Piece: 14
Folio: 61
Household Members:
Name Age
Sarah Wilson 60 - Living on her own means
Mary Wilson 58
Phillis Henderson 55

Kate P Wilson 42 [ this woman is in a different household, and her surname is Niblett, not Wilson. - a mistranscription on Ancestry.]

1871 ??

Mary Wilson
in the 1871 England Census
Name: Mary Wilson
Age: 48
Estimated Birth Year: 1823
Relation: Sister
Gender: Female
Where born: S Sheilds Durham England
Civil parish: Paddington
Ecclesiastical parish: Trinity
Town: London
County/Island: London
Country: England
Registration district: Kensington
Sub-registration district: St John Paddington
ED, institution, or vessel: 20a
Household schedule number: 95
Piece: 25
Folio: 34
Page number: 20
Household Members Age Relationship
Sarah Wilson 49 Head - Income from Interest of Money
Mary Wilson 48 Sister

The sisters in 1861:

Mary Wilson
in the 1861 England Census
Name: Mary Wilson
Age: 42
Estimated Birth Year: 1819
Relation: Sister
Gender: Female
Where born: South Shields, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Westoe
Ecclesiastical parish: St Hilda Chapelry
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Street Address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
View image
Registration District: South Shields
Sub-registration District: Westoe
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Neighbors:
Household Schedule Number: 114
Piece: 3786
Folio: 60
Page Number: 19
Household Members:
Name Age
Sarah Wilson 46
Mary Wilson 42
Philies Henderson 28

Phyllis Henderson was a faithful employee for many years - at least from before 1851 until after 1891:

1851:

Mary Wilson
in the 1851 England Census
Name: Mary Wilson
Age: 33
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1818
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: William Wilson
Gender: Female
Where born: South Shields, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Westoe
Ecclesiastical parish: St Hilda
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Street Address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Disability:
View image
Registration District: South Shields
Sub-registration District: Westoe
ED, institution, or vessel: 4b
Neighbors:
Household Schedule Number: 112
Piece: 2399
Folio: 171
Page Number: 25
Household Members:
Name Age
William Wilson 66
Sarah Wilson 54
Sarah Wilson 38
Mary Wilson 33
Phillis Henderson 24

Brilliant, thanks, AG !
Will catch up later.

1881:

John M. Wilson
in the 1881 England Census
Name: John M. Wilson
Age: 64
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1817
Relationship to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: S Shields, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Oxford St John
County/Island: Oxfordshire
Country: England
Street Address: Corpus College Merton Street
Education:
Employment status:
View image
Occupation: President Of Corpus Christi Col Oxford
Registration District: Headington
ED, institution, or vessel: 18
Neighbors:
Piece: 1499
Folio: 4
Page Number: 4
Household Members:
Name Age
John M. Wilson 64
Sarah Wilson 55 - sister
Mary Wilson 53 - sister
Phillis Henderson 46 - servant
Anne Fosketh 21 - servant
Samuel Checkley 28 - servant
George Hunt 14 - servant

1871:

John M Wilson
in the 1871 England Census
Name: John M Wilson
Age: 56
Estimated Birth Year: 1815
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: South Shields Durham England
Civil parish: Byfield
Town: Byfield
County/Island: Northamptonshire
Country: England
Registration district: Daventry
Sub-registration district: Daventry
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Household schedule number: 32
Piece: 1491
Folio: 32
Page number: 5
Household Members Age Relationship
John M Wilson 56 Head
Phillis Henderson 36 Servant
Hannah Wick 25 Servant

He's the Rector of Byfield, and Professor of Moral Philosophy, Oxford.
Unmarried.

1851:

Jno Matthias Wilson
in the 1851 England Census
Name: Jno Matthias Wilson
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1815
Relation: Visitor
Gender: Male
Where born: South Shields, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Westminster St Peter
Ecclesiastical parish: Westminster St Peter
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street Address: 15 Deans Yard Terrace
Occupation: Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Condition as to marriage:
Disability:
View image
Registration District: Westminster
Sub-registration District: St Margaret
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors:
Household Schedule Number: 55
Piece: 1480
Folio: 12
Page Number: 17

He's a visitor to the family of Henry George Liddell, headmaster of St Peter's College, Westminster. The Liddells also have several servants.

1861 for our reference

John Matthias Wilson
in the 1861 England Census
Name: John Matthias Wilson
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: 1815
Relation: Fellow
Gender: Male
Where born: South Shields, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Oxford St John
County/Island: Oxfordshire
Country: England
Street Address: Corpus College
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
View image
Registration District: Headington
Sub-registration District: St Clement
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors:
Household Schedule Number: 13
Piece: 891
Folio: 77
Page Number: 4

Yes, I think I got a few bits from there. Anc showed a result, but I can't view them.

Have you looked at family search?

Having sorted a bit of this family out, I've now been steered to another bit.

I have Rev John Mathias Wilson, b 1813 South Shields d 1881 Oxford
His sis Mary b 1818 South Shields
and sis Sarah b 1812 South Shields d 1900 Oxford
I found their family baptisms

These appear to be cousins of ggranny Sarah E Wilson, the children of her Uncle William Wilson, and listed above in the 1841 census. John is not there then.
Would someone kindly look the girls up in '61 and '71, and John in '41, '51, and '71
He seems to be in Oxford in '61.

Thanks greyghost. Very helpful.

This is the 1841 census you're talking about with Sarah 75. This version from FMP

The 1841 basically only says whether or not a person is born in the County where the census is taken or not born in that County. So all those with Durham by their names are born in County, Sarah 75 is not.
(you can also get S for Scotland, I for Ireland.

Occupations are shown on the original but not the transcription

William 55 is a Schoolmaster and William 20 is a Surgeon. Louisa is an FS - Female Servant

No relationships are given and sometimes it can be wrong to presume just because ages/names tally.

I expect you know that ages in 1841 for anyone over 15 were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 ie age 75 could be 75-79 and 20 could be 20-24


England, Wales & Scotland Census
King Street, East, Jarrow, South Shields, Durham, England

First name(s) Last name Sex Age Birth year Birth place
William Wilson Male 55 1786 Durham, England
Sarah Wilson Female 75 1766 -
Sarah Wilson Female 40 1801 Durham, England
Sarah Wilson Female 20 1821 Durham, England
Mary Wilson Female 20 1821 Durham, England
William Wilson Male 20 1821 Durham, England
Louisa Grey Female 20 1821 Durham, England

1841 census doesn’t give relationships

Doesn’t give place of birth either .it’s only specified in out of the county

Thanks for your help AG.
In the 1841 census, does it say what the relationship is between the people, or their marital state?

I have the 1851 for that family, who seem to be the same.
In 1841 Sarah 75 is William's MIL a wid who died in 1847. Can you see where she was born please?
Sarah 40 is his dead wife's sister
Sarah 20 is his dau as is Mary

In 1851, James, Winifred and family were at 28 East King Street, as you know.

At no 29 is this family:

Mary Wirght
in the 1851 England Census
Name: Mary Wirght
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1806
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: South Shields, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Westoe
Ecclesiastical parish: St Hilda
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Street Address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Disability:
View image
Registration District: South Shields
Sub-registration District: Westoe
ED, institution, or vessel: 4b
Neighbors:
Household Schedule Number: 114
Piece: 2399
Folio: 172
Page Number: 26
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Wirght 45 - head, married, grocer
John Wright 11 - son, South Shields
Joen [John ] Grey 73 - widower, brother-in-law, mariner, North [something]
William Thompson 52 - brother, married, South Shields
Ann Seerey [ Storey ?] 51 - sister, widow, annuitant, South Shields
Ann Reeson 20 - servant, unmarried, London