Joseph Wilkins was born in Horsleydown, Surrey on Friday 3 June 1825 the son of John Wilkins, a Thames lighterman from Horsleydown, Surrey and Jane Ann, origins unknown. Joseph was born in King's Row, a small turning off Shad Thames, not far from the river Thames. Joseph was baptised on Tuesday 13 December 1856, at the church of St John, Horsleydown in Southwark, Surrey [1].

Joseph was the eighth of eleven siblings, nine of which survived through childhood, with elder brothers Henry John, John Henry, Thomas Joseph, elder sisters Caroline Ann, Jane Ann and Ann, younger brother George and younger sister Mary (see family tree, below).

Joseph Wilkins (1825 - 1910)

Joseph Wilkins' Immediate Family

Not much is known about Joseph's early life or schooling. He grew up at 13 Kings Row, Horsleydown with all eleven surviving members of his family (two of his brothers died as infants). By the time he was fourteen years old both his father John and his mother, Jane had died. On Thursday 10 March 1842, aged seventeen, he began an apprenticeship as a lighterman on the Thames, bound to his elder brother John Henry. The job of the lightermen was to transport cargo or goods from ships moored in the middle of the Thames being unable to dock at the quayside. The boats used are 'lighters' or barges capable of handling on average around fourteen tons, although lighters capable of carrying coal were considerably larger. Not having any means of propulsion, the lighters had to use the tide in order to move the cargo from ship to shore. Once laden, the lighters would be moored in the middle of the Thames until the tide turned in the direction of quay or dock to which the cargo is to be taken. The lighterman would have dinghies moored to stairs down to the river so that they could access the lighters. Horsleydown old stairs was located approximately 100 metres from King's Row where Joseph lived. Joseph gained his freedom as a lighterman after seven years serving as an apprentice on Wednesday 10 November 1849.

The 1841 census [2] for Southwark shows Joseph living with his brother John Henry's family in Kings Row. Joseph is listed as an apprentice lighterman, although he had yet to start his apprenticeship.

On Sunday 9th September 1849 Joseph, a bachelor aged 24, married Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield a spinster aged 17 at the church of St Andrew Holborn in the City of London [3]. It appears that no members of there families were present as it is usual for family members to sign as witnesses (the witnesses were James Marks and Dinah Tucker Boyer). It is likely that the witnesses were friends of Joseph as James was an apprentice lighterman from St John's Horsleydown, and twelve months later James Marks married Dinah Boyer in the same church that Joseph and Elizabeth married.

The 1851 census [4] for London City shows Joseph living with his wife Caroline's family at 19 Upper Thames Street, (the White Lion public house of which his father-in-law James Shinkfield is listed as the licensee). Two other members of Joseph's family are also listed as staying at the White Lion, i.e. his elder brother Thomas, a lighterman was a lodger and his younger brother George, aged fourteen, was listed as a servant.

Joseph and his family were still living at the Grapes by the time of the 1861 census [5] for London City which shows Joseph living with his wife Caroline, his daughter Mary Elizabeth aged 7, his son Joseph aged 6 and his daughter Sarah Ann aged 5. Joseph's mother-in-law is also living there, being the licensee of the Grapes.

The Wilkins family had moved on in the ten years since the last census and were living at number 43 St Andrew's Hill in the city of London. Caroline's mother Elizabeth had died and the licenseefor the Grapes had been sold. The 1871 census [6] for London City which shows Joseph living with his wife Caroline, his daughters Mary aged 18, a servant, daughter Anne aged 16 a servant, his son Joseph aged 14 also a servant and daughters Matilda aged 7, Lydia aged 4 and Alice aged 1 year. Joseph's wife Caroline is listed as a lunatic, maybe not too surprising as her father, James Shinkfield died from the effects of an epileptic fit.

By the time of the 1881 census [7] for London City the Wilkins family wrer living at 6 Crown Court. Joseph and his wife Caroline were living with their daughters Lydia and Alice and sons Alfred and James and granddaughter Alice, aged 1 year. After some forty years of working on the Thames, Joseph was now a foreman lighterman.

Ten years later they had moved back to St Andrew's Hill 1891 census [8] where the family occupied two rooms. Joseph's wife was employed as an office cleaner, his daughter Alice a book folder, son Alfred a carman (driver of a horse-drawn vehicle or tram), and James a warehouse boy.

By the time of the 1901 census [9] Joseph and his family had moved back to number 39 St Anne's Chambers, Water Lane, with Joseph now retired, although his wife Caroline was still working as a charwoman. His sons Alfred and Edward were working as a carman and a warehouseman, respectively whilst his daughter Alice was a bookfolder. There is a William C Wilkins aged 10 listed as his son, but this certainly isn't his son but maybe his grandson.

Joseph aged 85, together with his wife Caroline were patients in the London Union Infirmary, Clifton Road, Clapton at the time of the 1911 census [10]. Joseph and his family had moved back to number 39 St Anne's Chambers with Joseph now retired, although his wife Caroline was still working as a charwoman. His sons Alfred and Edward were working as a carman and a warehouseman, respectively whilst his daughter Alice was a bookfolder. There is a William C Wilkins aged 10 listed as his son, but this isn't his son (maybe his grandson).

Joseph Wilkins died on Thursday 5 March 1912 aged eighty-six in the London Union Infirmary in Clapton from the effects of chronic bronchitis and senile decay [11]. He died less than two weeks after his wife Caroline, both suffering from senile decay. It appears that over eighty years of living in the City of London and raising a family of nine children had taken its toll.

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912
  12.  'Jos' stands for 'Joseph'

Notes and Abbreviations:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912
  12.  'Jos' stands for 'Joseph'

Notes:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912

Notes:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912

Notes:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912

Notes:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912

Notes:

  1.  St John Horsleydown Parish Register, baptism of Joseph Wilkins, 1825
  2.  National Archives, 1841 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1087/2 f25 p41
  3.  GRO, Marriage Certificate Joseph Wilkins and Caroline Elizabeth Shinkfield, 1849
  4.  National Archives, 1851 Census for England and Wales, Ref. HO 107/1528 f172r
  5.  National Archives, 1861 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG9/224 f65v
  6.  National Archives, 1871 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG10/427 f7r
  7.  National Archives, 1881 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG11/378 f27v
  8.  National Archives, 1891 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG12/239 f23v
  9.  National Archives, 1901 Census for England and Wales, Ref. RG13/265 f37r
  10.  National Archives, 1911 Census for England and Wales
  11.  GRO, Death Certificate Joseph Wilkins, 1912
  

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