Clarence Baines Willbond

Clarence Baines was the son of George Baines Willbond and his second wife Elizabeth (née Chapman).

The name 'Baines' has been traced to the marriage of Joseph Willbond, a lace maker, to Martha Baines, in Radford, Nottingham, on 25 February 1827. The couple had at least seven children: William Baines (b. 1828), Susannah (b. 1829 m. 1856 Blasdale), John Baines (b. 1832), Joseph (b. 1834), Henry Baines (b. 1836), George (b. 1839) and Edwin (b. 1841). Generations of sons were given 'Baines' as a second name.

His father George Baines Willbond was born in Nottingham in 1838 (reg. OND Radford) and his mother Elizabeth Chapman was born in 1859 at Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire. They were married on 8 February 1880 at St Marks Church, Nottingham. George, an inspector weights & measures, and Elizabeth were both living at 35 Shelton Terrace at the time of their marriage.

George Baines was a widower whose first wife, Eliza Hunt, was the daughter of Vere and Mary Hunt. Eliza was born in about 1841; according to one record she was born in Jamaica, West Indies. Her father had attested at Kilkenny, Ireland, on 11 June 1827 and served with the 60th Foot [2/60th Rifles] in the Mediterranean, Jamaica (8 June 1841-17 May 1844) and North America. He was medically discharged in 1848. (See 'Extra information') George Baines also served with the 60th Foot [2/60th Rifles], including time in India.

George and Eliza were married by License at St Patrick’s Chapel, Fort William, Bengal, on 8 November 1867: George Willbond bachelor Colour Sergeant, residence Fort William, son of Joseph Willbond, to Eliza Hunt, spinster, 2/60 Rifles [ie. father's regiment], residence Calcutta, daughter of Vere Hunt. Witnesses. W. Allan, Sergt. 2/60th Rifles and Marianne Allan. (Source: British India Office. Marriages solemnized at St Patrick’s Chapel, Fort William [Bengal] during the last quarter of 1867.) The couple had at least three children who were born in India: Eliza Mary Martha (b. 1868, Calcutta), George Vere (b. January 1871, Peshawar) and Martha (b. abt. 1873, Rawalpindi); all were baptised in India.

George Baines left the Army in 1877 and the family moved to Nottingham where he was employed by Nottingham Corporation as a market toll collector. The youngest child, Vere Edwin, was born in Nottingham in October 1878 and baptised at the RC Cathedral Church of St Barnabus on 28 October.

The family was living at 41 Castle Terrace, Nottingham, when Eliza snr. died on 11 November 1878 aged 37. She was buried on 13 December, possibly in Ballinalacken Graveyard, New Birmingham, County Tipperary, where her paternal grandparents, Joseph and Eliza Hunt, were buried. Eliza is commemorated on their headstone, 'Mrs Eliza Willbond died Nov. 11th 1878 aged 37 years.' (See 'Extra information')

George and his second wife Elizabeth had eleven children, two of whom, Claude amd Horace, died in infancy: Ernest b. February 1881, Cecilia Eve b. February 1883, Albert Edward b. August 1884, Walter b. November 1885, Forester b. March 1887, Thomas b. 1888, Harold b. 2 Jan. 1891, Beatrice May b. Nov. 1893, Claude b.28 October 1892 d. 18 March 1893, Horace Baines b. 25 July 1896 d. 6 October 1896 and Clarence Baines b. 6 August 1898 bap. 26 September 1898. All the children were baptised at Nottingham St Ann.

George Willbond, an inspector of weights and measures, and his wife Elizabeth were living on Wells Road, Nottingham, in 1881. In the home on the night of the census were George's children Eliza (12), George (10), Martha (8) and Vere (2), their son Ernest (u/1y) and Elizabeth's unmarried sisters, Martha Chapman (21) and Jane Chapman (16).

According to the baptismal records, the family was living on Wells Road when Cecilia was baptised in February 1883, then at 12 Park Place by August 1884 and until at least January 1886, and at Corporation Lodge by January 1889 when Forester was baptised.

The family was recorded at Cattle Market Lodge, Meadow Lane, Nottingham, on the 1891 Census: George (52), an inspector and toll collector, Elizabeth (31), Vere (12), and the seven children of the second marriage, Ernest, Cecilia, Albert, Walter, Forester, Thomas and Harold (3m). George and Elizabeth had four more children betwen 1893 and 1898: Beatrice, Claude and Horace Baines who died in infancy, and Clarence Baines. George's three older children, Eliza, George Vere and Martha, had left home by 1891.

George Vere had joined the Royal Engineers in 1889 and was recorded on the 1891 Census at Grand Depot Barracks, Woolwich. (See 'Extra information') He was discharged from the Army in 1902 and married Sarah Greaves (34), both of 2 Percy Place, Fisher Gate, at Nottingham St Mary in May 1904. George, a general labourer, and Sarah, a lace mender (warehouse), were still living at 2 Percy Place in 1911, boarders in the household of Eliza Perkins. George Vere died on 17 April 1920 aged 49 and was buried in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery. Sarah survived him.

Both Eliza and Martha were employed as general domestic servants in 1891; Eliza was working for John and Margaret Lowle at 121 Derby Road, Nottingham, and Martha was in the household of George and Elizabeth Bancroft at 20 East Lamartine Street, Nottingham.

Martha married Thomas Edward Crofts in 1896. (See 'Extra information' and the record for their son, Thomas Edward Crofts, on this Roll of Honour)

Eliza married Henry Perrott (22) at St Mary, Tothill Fields, Westminster, in April 1896. They probably had nine children, Cecilia, Vere, Winifred, Arthur, Bridget, Doris, Charles, Robert and William. In 1911 they were living in Leyton, Essex, and were still living in Leyton in 1939: Henry (b. 1873) a carpenter/joiner, Eliza and their son Robert who was also a carpenter/joiner. Eliza died in February 1945 (buried Brompton Cemetery) and her husband Henry in 1956.

Their youngest brother, Vere Edwin, a labourer, enlisted in the Royal Marines in February 1898 after resigning from the Militia (Notts & Derby Regiment) which he had joined in December 1897. The Militia record gave his home address as 54 Kirkewhite Street, Nottingham, but the record also noted that he had been in Sheffield for the past 12 months Vere was still serving in the Royal Marines at the time of his marriage in 1915 to Bessie Haskell at Alverstoke St Mary, Hampshire. In 1921 he was one of four Royal Navy coastguards at HM Coastguard Station, Crampfield, Bullingham, Ireland. Vere, a labourer (clothing store), and his wife Bessie were living in Elson, Gosport, in 1939. He died in 1965 (reg. Gosport).

Their father, George, and his wife Elizabeth were still living at Cattle Market Lodge in 1901 with eight of their nine surviving children: Cecilia, a shop assistant, Albert and Walter who were stone mason apprentices, Forester, Thomas, Harold and Beatrice (May) who were school age, and Clarence (2).

There is a record of an Ernest Willbond (21 b. Nottinghamshire), a weighing machine fitter, living at 17 St Katherine Terrace, Northampton, with Ellen Willbond (22 b. Daventry) described as his wife. No record has yet been traced of Ernest's marriage.

George Baines died on 18 April 1908 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.

It is probable that the house on Cattle Market Road was attached to George Baines' work as a toll collector and inspector of weights and measures as his widow Elizabeth had moved to 2 Ryehill Terrace, Ryehill Street, by 1911.

Four of her children were in the home on the night of the Census: Cecilia, domestic help, Harold, a plumber, Beatrice an umbrella maker and Clarence who was school age. Also in the household was a boarder, George Patterson (13), an 'assistant'. The eldest son, Ernest, a scale maker, was a boarder living at Alston Street, Far Cotton, Northamptonshire, while her other four sons were married: Albert Edward to Elizabeth Wilson in 1907 (JAS), Walter to Maud Johnson in 1910 (JAS), Forester to Ethel L Stephens in 1910 (OND) and Thomas to Ethel Burley (21) at Nottingham St George on 11 February 1911.

Elizabeth Willbond died aged 54 in 1913; burial 30 July, Nottingham General Cemetery. She was survived by her two daughters and seven sons:

Ernest died at the age of 33 in Swansea on 11 August 1914. He was a resident at Town Division Glamorgan (Swansea Poor Law Union) and was buried in Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea.

Cecilia Eve trained as a nurse and was also a registered midwife. She moved from Nottingham where she had undertaken part of her training at Bagthorpe Poor Law Hospital, and was working at a hospital in Glastonbury, Somerset in 1926. In 1939 she was recorded on the England & Wales Register at Sir George Bowles Hospital, Butleigh, Wells, Somerset. She was matron at the hospital for 21 years, retiring in August 1947. Cecilia died in a nursing home in Glastonbury in 1964. Administration of her Will was awarded to her brother, Forester Willbond, a retired tobacconist.

Albert Edward and his wife Elizabeth (Wilson, b. 1892 m. 1907) probably had one child, Gladys Vera, who was born in 1912 and married Bruce White in 1936. In 1939, Albert, a stone mason, and his wife were living on Arkwright Street, Nottingham. He died in 1973 (JFM, Nottingham).

Walter and Maud (Johnson, b. 1888 m. 1910) probably had two children, Walter Gordon b. 1912 and Muriel M. b. 1917. He and Maud lived in West Bridgford when first married but were at Hardstaff Road, Sneinton, when he enlisted in 1915. By 1939 Walter, a masonry contractor, and his wife were living on Bakerdale Road, Nottingham, with their daughter Muriel, a shop assistant (art, antiques). Their son Walter had married Gladys Irene Gunn in September 1939 and Muriel married John Norman in October 1945. Walter snr. died in 1963; he was survived by his wife Maud (d. 1967).

Forester and Ethel (Stephens, b. 1888 m. 1910) probably had two sons, George Edward (b. 1911), who married Marjorie Gladys Oakes at Lenton parish church in 1935, and Thomas H (b. 1912). In 1939 Forester, a tobacconist/shopkeeper, and Ethel were living at 34 Welly-sic Avenue, Nottingham. He died in September 1966.

Thomas and Ethel (Burley, b. abt 1890 m. 1911) had two daughters, Ethel J. (b. 1917) and Clarice (b. 1921 JAS). In 1921 they and their daughter Ethel were living on Kirk White Street East; Thomas was a tailor maker (own account). Their second child, Clarice, was born later that year. Thomas died on 1 November 1928 (reg. Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire) and the evidence is that his widow Ethel married her brother-in-law, Harold Willbond, in 1937.

Harold may have been living at 43 Radcliffe Street, Nottingham, in 1921 when a Harold Willbond (33-sic), single, occupation plumber, was recorded as a boarder in the household of Mary Ann Johnson (47, b. Heanor), status 'wife, married'. There is the registration of the marriage of a Harold Willbond to Mary A Johnson in 1922 (JAS Nottingham) then the record of the death of a Mary A Willbond age 48-sic in 1929 (JFM) with a notice in the Nottingham Evening Post, 8 February, 'Willbond. On 5th Mary Willbond, wife of the late Robert Johnson, beloved mother of Dick. Interment Carlton Monday 12 o’clock.' Harold married his brother Thomas's widow, Ethel Willbond (née Burley), in 1937 (JAS Nottingham) and they were recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register at 7 Greenwood Road, Nottingham: Harold Willbond (b. 2 Jan. 1891), occupation plumber, wife Ethel (b. 1891), a hosiery worker, and Joyce [Ethel Joyce] Willbond (b. June 1917 m. Dec. 1939, McGennis) and Clarice Willbond (b. July 1921 m. 1944 JAS, Smith) who were also hosiery workers although Clarice's record was annotated 'Women's Aux. Forces'. Ethel Willbond probably died in 1947 (JAS) aged 57 and Harold in October 1968 aged 77.

Beatrice May of 22 Colwick Road, Sneinton, married John Martin Harold Williams (29), a soldier, at Sneinton St Christopher on 11 January 1919. One of the two witnesses was her sister, Cecilia. John Williams was born in Perth, Western Australia, and served with the Australian Infantry. Beatrice returned with her husband to Australia where she died on 31 August 1968, predeceasing her husband. She was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery, Western Australia.