Harry Weller

Compiled by J.H. Sam Weller

In 1851 England & Wales Census
Residence on 30 March 1851: Tarrant Street, Arundel, Sussex, England
Head: Charles Weller (58) Postmaster & Stationer, Wife: Elizabeth Weller (66), Daughter: Elizabeth Weller (28) Shopwoman, Daughter: Ann Weller (25) Dressmaker, Grandson: Harry Weller (5).

In 1861 England & Wales Census
Residence on 7th April 1861: Surrey Street, Littlehampton, Sussex, England
Head: Willm H Waller (41) Watchmaker & Postmaster, Wife: Caroline Waller (39), Son: Harry Waller (15), Daughter: Caroline Weller (11), Daughter: Anna M Weller (6), Son: Arthur Weller (5), Daughter: Emily Weller(3), Daughter: Elizh J Weller (1), Son: Charles Weller (2 months), Sister: Elizh Suter (38) Widow, Stationer, Niece: Elizh Suter (2), Servant: Mary Hoare (18) House Servant.

In 1871 England & Wales Census
Residence on 2nd April 1871: 196 College Street, Great, St Pancras, London-Middlesex, England
Boarder: Harry Weller (25) Bookseller Assistant.

In 1881 England & Wales Census
Residence on 3rd April 1881: 49 Shardeloes RD, Deptford, London, England
Head: Henry Welter (36) Booksellers Clerk. Wife: Sarah A Welter (28). Son: Henry E Welter (4) Scholar. Son: John Welter (3). Daughter: Lily Welter (2). Son: Thomas Welter (11 months). Sister-in-Law: Mary A Miller (24) Daughter of Retired Coffee Merchant. Daughter: Kate Allen Miller (6 wks) Servant: Emily Wootton (17) Domestic Servant Nurse. Servant: Emily Simes (19) General Servant Domestic. Boarder: Edward A Lees (33) Assistant School Master.

In 1891 England & Wales Census:
Residence on 5th April 1891: Miller Cottage, Selsdon Road, St Mary, London, England
Head: Harry Weller (45) Railway Book Stall & News Clerk, Wife: Sarah A Weller (38), William S Weller (16) Fitter Engineer, Harry E Weller (14) Railway Bookstall & News Asst., John Weller (13), Lily Weller (12), Thomas Weller (10), Ernest Weller (9), Marguaritte S Weller (6), Harold A Weller (3), Servant: Emily Wooton (26), Visitor: Elizabeth J Weller (31).

In 1901 England & Wales Census
Residence on 31st March 1901: Idmiston Road, Wickford, The Boy's Home Reformatory, Spanish Road Wandsworth Common London Sw, Certified Reformatory School, Lambeth, London, England
Head: Harry Weller (55) Bookseller and News Agent Manager, Wife: Sarah A Weller (48), Son: Wm S Weller (25), Son: Harry E Weller (24), Son: John Weller (23), Daughter: Lily Weller (22), Son: Thomas Weller (20), Son: Ernest Weller (19), Daughter: Marguerite Weller (16), Son: Harold A Weller (13), Son: Septimus B Weller (9), Boarder: John Edmund Bennett (17),

email from Mike Musgrove, 2021-05-03:
We had heard some of the story about your grandparents from Gem many years ago and we have copies of photos of the two dwellings that Harry built. What we hadn't known was that your grandmother married Harry in Canada and I'm not surprised that you want to know more about her life before she left England. Unfortunately I don't think I can add anything. You will no doubt have seen that she had no occupation in the 1901 census and 'milliner' in 1891. Harry was already in Alberta by the time of the 1906 North West Canada census and he was living with all his brothers and sisters in Norwood in 1901. The family went to Chatsworth Road Baptist church and were then founder members of a non denominational church that met initially at Landsdown Hall. I wonder if that is where Harry and Mabel met - although it's not very close to Hither Green. Gill's grandparents met there .

They certainly must have been an adventurous pair and I think that I heard that they were not particularly pleased to be called back to work with John at AC Motors.

In 1911 England & Wales Census
Residence on Apr 2 1911: 57. Idmiston Road, Lambeth, London, England
Head: Harry Weller (65) Retired Booksellers Clerk, Married 38 years, Wife: Sarah Ann Weller (58), Son: John Weller (33), Daughter: Lily Weller (32), Son: Septimus Beresford Weller (19), Boarder: Emily Wooton (46).

An interesting point in this 1911 Census is that Emily Wootton, who had been their Domestic Servant Nurse in 1881 and Domestic Servant in 1891, was now living with them as a 'Boarder.' In the 1901 Census, Emily was listed as a Housekeeper for John James in Faversham:

In 1901 England & Wales Census
Residence 31 March 1901: 7 St Marys Road, Faversham Within Part of, Kent, England
Head: John James (79) Retired Widower, Own Means.
Servant: Emily Wooton (36) Housekeeper, Domestic.

Aunt Gem [L.M.D. Weller] told me she remembered the day her grandfather Harry Weller died. He had come home from church and gone upstairs to change for Sunday lunch; he was found dead on his bed a few minutes later. “I can still remember the look on Uncle Will’s face as he went by the window” she told me. Harry died on December 7, 1913 so Gem would have been 5½ years old.

Sarah Anne Weller, his widow, lived another 29 years.

I [J.H. Weller] once met Sarah Anne Weller and remember being introduced to her by my mother. “This is Daddy’s grandma” she said to me. The event must have made quite an impression on me as she died in January 1942, so I was not yet two years old. My memory is of a tall thin lady dressed in black, sitting in an upright chair. I think she might have had a low gravelly voice because I asked why she sounded like a man. This would have been around Christmas 1941. The 1939 Census lists her staying with her son John (1877) Weller and his wife Olive at their home: Friars, Pilgrims Way, Westhumble, Dorking, Surrey, England.