Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Alfred SILVERSON (1860-1939)

and Jane LELLIOTT (1864-1929)

Alfred Silverson and Jane Lelliott married by banns on 30 October 1886 at the parish church of St. Peter in Woodmancote, Sussex.  Alfred was a bachelor and labourer.  Jane was a spinster.  They were both of full age and both of Woodmancote.  The witnesses to their marriage were Peter Lelliott and Mary Ann Lelliott, who both signed their names.  (They were not my direct ancestors.  Alfred was the half brother of Henry Silverson and he was the step father of my great grandfather, William Stillaway.  Jane and I share distant Lelliott and Woolgar ancestors.)

Alfred Silverson was baptised on 4 November 1860 in Woodmancote.  He was the son of John Silverson (1816-1884) and Mary Murrell (1833-1903).  He died aged 78 years and his death was registered in the first quarter of 1939 in the Chantonbury registration district.

Jane Lelliott was baptised on 10 April 1864 in Henfield, Sussex, although according to the census she was born in Woodmancote.  She was the daughter of Peter Lelliott (1830-1896) and Mary Ann Woolgar (1833-?).  She died aged 65 in the third quarter of 1929 in the Steyning registration district.  (My 4x great grandparents were William Woolgar (1780-1874) and Naomi Lelliott (1784-1833) who married in 1805.)

In 1901 the family were living in Henfield and Alfred was a bricklayer's labourer.

Image © Roughwood, used by permission, www.roughwood.net

Alfred Silverson and Jane Lelliott had 8 known children:

1. Alfred John Silverson was born on 1 September 1887 and baptised on 9 October 1887 in Henfield.  He was killed in action on 31 May 1916.  At the time of his death he was a Royal Navy Stoker 1st Class on board the HMS Black Prince.

2. Edith Jane Silverson was baptised on 13 October 1889 in Henfield.

   Edith married Thomas E. White in 1913.

3. Philip Albert Silverson was baptised on 14 December 1891 in Henfield, at which time his father was a labourer of Henfield.  He died aged 78 years and his death was registered in the first quarter of 1969 in the Worthing registration district.

   My father tells me he was known as Bert.  My father also tells me that in about 1948, Bert, my father and "Irish Jack" were working together for Strattons the Builders on Sunday mornings for cash in hand, digging out footings with spades.

   Bert married Florence Selina Braden in 1918.

   Florence was born on 13 July 1889 in Portslade and was the daughter of Albert Thomas Braden (1852-?) and Frances Patching (1850-?).  She died aged 83 years and her death was registered in the fourth quarter of 1972 in the Worthing registration district.

   In about 1938/9 the family moved to 6 Ridgeway Close in Southwick - my maternal Grandparents, Thomas Tullett and Annie Stillaway, then lived at 12 Ridgeway Close.

   Bert and Florence had the following children:

   1. Alfred T. Silverson was born in 1919.

   2. Albert Silverson was born in 1921 and died in 1943.  He was also known as Bert.  He and my father, Jesse Willard, were school friends.

   3. Florence Barbara Silverson was born on 22 November 1922 in Southwick.  She was also known as Florrie.  She married George Edward Bennett on 8 April 1944 in Southwick.  (My mother thinks they had 4 or 5 children.)

   4. Edith Silverson was born in 1926 and died in 1996.  She was also known as Edie.  She was a friend of my mother, Eileen Tullett.  My mother tells me that one day she and Edith caught the early morning workman's train to Henfield to visit Edith's Aunt, but my mum can't remember the Aunt's name.  My mum also says Edie was brown haired and dark eyed.

      Edith married William George Lelliott by banns on 22 June 1946 in Southwick.  They were married by the rector, John B. Mayall.  William was a 23 year old bachelor in the RAF and of 28 Angola Road, Worthing.  Edith was a 20 year old spinster of 6 Ridgeway Close, Southwick.  Their fathers were named as William Lelliott (deceased) and Albert Phillip Silverson a labourer.  The witnesses to their marriage were B. Silverson and I. D. Smith.

      William was born on 24 April 1923 in Worthing and was the son of William Lelliott (1883-?) and Emma Elizabeth Miller (1896-?).  His grandparents were Charles William Lelliott (1851-1914) and Ann Catherine Grace Penfold (1857-1948).

   5. George Silverson was born and died in 1926.

   6. Jack Silverson was born on 20 June 1929.  He died aged 76 years and his death was registered in November 2005 in the Worthing registration district.  My mother tells me that for many years he worked on the Shoreham lifeboat.

      Jack married Peggy V. J. Standing in the second quarter of 1955.

      They had 2 children:

      1. Derek John Silverson married Julie McCarthy and they have:

         1. Katie Emma Silverson

      2. Clive Silverson

   7. Frank Silverson was born on 10 May 1931 in Southwick.  He was baptised on 26 July 1931 in Southwick, at which time the family were living at 51 Gardner Road.  My mother tells me he emigrated to New Zealand before 1966 and that he was light haired and blue eyed.  Frank married Alice.

4. Lucy Silverson was baptised on 13 November 1892 in Henfield.

   Lucy married Charles Upton in in the first quarter of 1917 in the Brighton registration district.

   Charles and Lucy had the following children:

   1. Vincent C. Upton was born in 1919.

   2. Roy Upton was born in 1923.

5. William Horace Silverson was born on 7 November 1894 and baptised on 10 February 1895 in Henfield.  He joined the Navy.  He died aged 76 years and his death was registered in the fourth quarter of 1970 in the Brighton registration district.

   William H. married Louisa S. Smith in the first quarter of 1926 in the Brighton registration district.  As Louisa Sarah Pont she had previously married John W. Smith in the third quarter of 1911 in the Brighton registration district.

   Louisa's birth was registered in the first quarter of 1890 in Brighton.  She died aged 61 years and her death was registered in the second quarter of 1951 in the Brighton registration district.

   William and Louisa had 8 children:

   1. Regwall Silverson was born in the first quarter of 1924 in Brighton.

   2. Horace Alfred Silverson was born on 7 January 1926 in Brighton.  He died aged 62 years and his death was registered in July 1988 in the Brighton registration district.

   3. Reginald Silverson was born in the third quarter of 1926 in Brighton.

   4. Audrey J. Silverson was born in the first quarter of 1928 in Brighton.

   5. Sylvia K. Silverson was born in the second quarter of 1929 in Brighton.

   6. Kenneth Victor Silverson was born on 19 February 1931.  He died aged 61 years and his death was registered in May 1992 in the Lewes registration district.

   7. Dennis B. Silverson was born in the second quarter of 1932 in Brighton.

   8. Eileen P. Silverson was born in the first quarter of 1934 in Brighton.

6. Annie Elizabeth Silverson was born in 1898 in Henfield.

   Annie E. married Sidney Woodham in the second quarter of 1927 in the Steyning registration district.

7. Eliza May Silverson was born in 1898 in Henfield.

   Eliza married Robert Deacon in the fourth quarter of 1922 in the Steyning registration district.

   Robert and Eliza had the following child:

   1. Pamela M. J. Deacon was born in 1924.

8. Arthur Thomas Silverson was born in 1901 in Henfield and died in 1982.  He was buried with his wife.

   Arthur married Dorothy Matthews on 29 June 1929 in Woodmancote.  He was then of Henfield.

   Dorothy was the daughter of William Matthews and Mary.  She was born in 1898 and died in 1981.

9. Lydia Mabel Silverson was born in the fourth quarter of 1903 in the Steyning registration district.  She was known as Mabel.

10. Ethel Hilda Silverson was born in the first quarter of 1906.

11. Kathleen Emma Silverson was born on 25 March 1909 in Henfield.  She died aged 94 years and her death was registered in April 2003 in the Worthing registration district, as Kathleen Emma Baker. 

    Kathleen married Cecil Baker on 30 March 1930.  The couple lived with her father until his death.

    They had 1 daughter born in 1933 who remembers her grandfather Silverson.  They also adopted a neice of Cecil's (about 18 months older than their daughter), when she was about 7 or 8, as her mother had died and her father wasn't able to look after her although he did keep 2 elder sons with him.

    Their granddaughter, Jane Leach, tells me that her mother remembers every Sunday various members of the family would turn up for lunch, thus keeping Kathleen busy.

LELLIOTT          SILVERSON