W I N G R O V E W O R L D
W I D E 
01 February 2008
alanbirchuk AT yahoo.co.uk
Rhoda's Wingrove's
father was Frederick Wingrove, a son of Moses Wingrove
and Elizabeth Tilbury.
Fredrick married a Sarah in 1811 in Wycombe and they had a number of children
between 1811 and 1819 whose baptisms were at nonconformist churches, and Rhoda's
in 1814 is not shown. Sarah died in 1820 leaving
Frederick to bring up a young family. In 1830 he married Frances, the widow of
Samuel Butler (her maiden name was Hancock).
In 1841 Rhoda was living with Frederick and Frances. Frances died in 1850 [Death
Certificate
], and
in 1851 [1851 Census
] Frederick was living alone next door to his son George and his wife Mary
(and three doors away from William and Elizabeth Wheeler). By 1861 [1861
Census
]Frederick
Wingrove is living in the same house with a new wife -Elizabeth.
!851 Census High
Wycombe
95 Tyler's Green
Rhoda Wingrove 35 with son Benjamin
Zachariah
Pattison Wheeler [from
Word document]
Zachariah was born in Penn in 1806 and baptised on the 28th July. His father, a
general dealer (1841 census
) had come from West Wycombe parish (possibly Wheeler
End) and married a Penn girl, Elizabeth Pattison. William is said to be “of the
Parish of Paddington in the County of Middlesex” on his marriage banns (Penn,
12/5/1805, 19/5/1805, 26/5/1805).
Zachariah married Mary Wethered Tilbury, another Penn girl, in 1827 when they
were both about 20. They had one child, Zachariah, in September 1842. He was
registered in Amersham, so was presumably born on the Penn side of the
Wycombe/Penn boundary. Strangely, the 1841 census shows Zachariah living at the
house of George and Ann Wingrove (Rhoda’s brother) in the Tylers Green end of
Penn while Mary was living with William and Rebecca Putnam at the Penn Church
end of the village.
Rhoda Wingrove lived only two houses away from Zachariah’s parents,
William and Elizabeth, in 1841, and he probably knew her from childhood.
[Rhoda 1841.pdf] At this
time she was living with her father and step-mother, Frederick and
Frances Wingrove, both about 30 years her senior, her mother Sarah
having died in 1820. [Frederick
1851.pdf] [Frederick 1861.pdf]
On the 26th August
1850, Zachariah (senior) accompanied the 36 year old Rhoda to Wycombe to
register her illegitimate son, Benjamin who was born on 27th July. Part way
through the registration he seems to have got cold feet, and there is an
incomplete registration naming him as father and saying “see next entry”
immediately above Benjamin’s registration, which does not name his father.
In 1851 Zachariah is living with his wife and legitimate son in Village Road,
Penn, while Rhoda is living alone with her infant son (census). Her occupation,
in common with most local women is lace maker.
On the 10th March 1852, Rhoda has another illegitimate son, George (registered
on 16th April). Again, the father is not named on the registration.
Rhoda dies on seventh April 1859 of TB [see
death certificate
extract in new window
or Below] at the tender age of 45, leaving nine year old and seven year old sons,
Benjamin & George respectfully.
Zachariah is present at her death, and registers it two days later. This implies
that he was living with her and his two illegitimate sons at the time.
By 1861 [View 1861 Census], Zachariah is living with the two boys. The two boys are now called
Benjamin Wheeler and George W Wheeler. Zachariah’s wife is living two doors away
with their legitimate son and calling herself a widow.
Zachariah’s wife died shortly after the 1861 census, and Zachariah went on to
marry Mary Reading in 1866, and by 1871[View
1871 Census
] was keeping the Horse and Groom.
Benjamin W Wingrove and George W Wingrove are living
with them but listed as sons in law, both bricklayers as is listed for Zachariah's
occupation.
By this time young Zachariah was married to Eliza Hazel and living with his in
laws.
George was married under the name Wingrove Wheeler. Benjamin married under the
name Wheeler Wingrove in 1876 but is calling himself Wheeler in the 1881 census.
Zachariah started a building firm, building not only many of the older extant
cottages in Penn and Tylers Green, but also St Margaret’s Church in 1854.
Zachariah left his business in the hands of George, bypassing his legitimate son
even though he was in the building trade. Whether Zachariah’s treatment of his
first wife caused an irreconcilable rift with the young Zachariah, we can only
speculate.
While his brother Edward was one of the original churchwardens in the 1850’s,
for some reason Zachariah did not become a churchwarden until 1872!
Zachariah is reputed to have fallen out with Sir Phillip Rose, a patron of St
Margaret’s Church, owner of the Rayners Estate and solicitor and friend of
Benjamin Disraeli over an unpaid debt. Zachariah reportedly told Sir Phillip
(correctly) that there would be Wheelers in the village long after the last Rose
had gone. This is family lore, but was published by local historian, Miles
Green. Miles also states that Zachariah’s work on St Margaret’s Church forced
him into bankruptcy.
Zachariah lived to be 87, outliving his younger second wife by nearly two years.
Rhoda's death
certificate 7 April 1859 Tyler's Green
[click on graphic for
larger view]
Benjamin W Wingrove Birth Certificate 27 July 1850, Tylers Green
[click on
graphic for larger view]
George W Wingrove Birth Certificate 10 March 1852
[click
on graphic for larger view]
