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William Henry PHILLIPS, was born in 1843 at Grange Road, in the Parish of St Mary Magdalen in Bermondsey, the son of Thomas and Caroline PHILLIPS. He married Jane DICKINSON in 1863 at St Paul, Bermondsey, his occupation then was given as "boot closer". William was a boot maker in 1865 (his father, Thomas, was also a boot maker). By 1871, William was a a letter carrier, living at Hargreave Square (near to Alice Street) in Bermondsey. He was recorded as William Henry PHILLIPS on his own marriage certificate and on his sons' birth and marriage certificates, but he was recorded without the middle name in other documents.

Children of William and Jane PHILLIPS:

Jane Caroline PHILLIPS, b. 1863; m. James WISBY
William Thomas George PHILLIPS, b. 1865; m. in 1885 to Charlotte SCULLY
Alice Mary PHILLIPS, b. 1869 m. Frederick PHILLIPS
George James PHILLIPS, b. 1871; m.Amelia DAVIS in 1896; d.1939.
Esther Annie PHILLIPS, (1876-1894)
Kate Helena PHILLIPS, c. 1879, her middle name was Helena or Eleanor, m. in 1906 to Henry Ernest MARNHAM; d. 1959.

William Phillips fell ill and died on in 1879 aged 36, at 12 Willmotts Buildings, Kent Road Southwark. These were located immediately to the east of St George's church at Borough, on what is now Long Lane, Southwark. These buildings were described some 20 years later by Charles Booth's survey into life and labour in London as being occupied by "costers etc etc, very poor but not shady", and generally classified as "Very poor, casual (labourers), chronic want".

In 1881 his widow Jane Phillips was employed as a machinist and the family was at 118 Long Lane, Bermondsey. In 1891, Jane was a laundress, living with her adult son George and her teenage daughters Kate and Esther, at Vine Street Buildings in the parish of St John Horselydown. Vine Street Buildings were located between Vine Street and Potters Fields, two parallel roads leading from Tooley Street to the south bank of the river Thames. Vine Street Buildings were described by Booth in 1899 as "big and cheerless blocks", classified as mixed occupation, "some comfortable others poor". By 1901, Jane was living with the family of her son George James PHILLIPS at Duncan's Buildings, near to Leather Lane in the parish of Holborn St Andrew. I believe Jane Phillips died in 1904, aged 60, having had a tough working life that was not untypical of Victorian London.

earlier PHILLIPS families

e-mail: Mark Scott

Updated: 28 July 2011