Thomas Wells born 1832 and died 2 January 1908. Thomas married Eliza Ann Bootheway (born 1831 and died 18 December 1910) November 1853 at East Langton, Market Harborough.
Together they had 9 children:
George Ambrose Wells (born 19 August 1854).
Herbert Thomas Wells (born 19 September 1856 and died July 1935) married Susan Scott at Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England. They had 9 children - Arthur, Gertrude, Amy, Len, Mary, Mabel, Ernest, Edith and Charlotte.
Harry Edward Wells (born 25 November 1858 and died 22 November 1935) married Elizabeth Saunders (born 16 June 1862 and died 19 October 1950) on 8 November 1887 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
George Ambrose Wells (born 19 August 1854).
Herbert Thomas Wells (born 19 September 1856 and died July 1935) married Susan Scott at Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England. They had 9 children - Arthur, Gertrude, Amy, Len, Mary, Mabel, Ernest, Edith and Charlotte.
Harry Edward Wells (born 25 November 1858 and died 22 November 1935) married Elizabeth Saunders (born 16 June 1862 and died 19 October 1950) on 8 November 1887 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
Sarah Ann Wells (born 23 March 1862).
Charles William Wells (born 8 April 1864) married Lizzie Maria Dodson (1865-3 July 1946) on 22 January 1891.
Arthur Edmund Wells (born 12 July 1868 and died 26 February 1869).
Ellen Elizabeth Wells (born 13 July 1869) married Ernest George Barker on 13 September 1893. They had 3 sons - Sydney George Barker (1897-1978), Kenneth Charles (1906-1932) and Percy Barker.
Mary Jane Wells born 7 February 1871-1881.
Charles William Wells (born 8 April 1864) married Lizzie Maria Dodson (1865-3 July 1946) on 22 January 1891.
Arthur Edmund Wells (born 12 July 1868 and died 26 February 1869).
Ellen Elizabeth Wells (born 13 July 1869) married Ernest George Barker on 13 September 1893. They had 3 sons - Sydney George Barker (1897-1978), Kenneth Charles (1906-1932) and Percy Barker.
Mary Jane Wells born 7 February 1871-1881.
Jeanne May Jane Wells (1872-1945) married Edward Thomas Bell.
Harry & Elizabeth Wells
Harry Edward Wells born 25 November 1858 in Oxendon, Northamptonshire, England married Elizabeth Saunders, born 16 June 1862 in Simpson, Buckinghamshire, England on 8 November 1887 at St Johns Church of England in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. |
| Harry Wells & Elizabeth Saunders married at St Johns Launceston, Tasmania on 8 November 1887. |
 |
| Harry & Elizabeth Wells wiith Beatrice 17 January 1889 |
Together they had 3 children:
Beatrice Helen Louise Wells born 9 September 1888 in Formby, Tasmania, Australia and died 8 November 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Beatrice married Leslie Stuart Macdougall.
Winifred Alice Wells born 20 September 1890 in Ulverstone, Tasmania, Australia and died 20 November 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Winifred married Arthur Melville Tregear.
Gladstone Gordon Thomas Wells born 2 December 1896 in St Marys, Tasmania and died 3 December 1982 in England. Gladstone married Dorothy Mary Cook.
 |
| Beatrice, Winifred & Gladstone Wells in 1898 |
 |
| Harry & Elizabeth Wells celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on 8 November 1912 |
 | |||
| Harry Wells 25 November 1858 - 22 November 1935 and Elizabeth Wells 16 June 1862 - 19 October 1950. Buried at Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
Charles & Lizzie Wells
Charles William Wells born 8 April 1864 in Oxendon, Northamptonshire, England married Lizzie Maria Dodson (1865-1946) on 22 January 1891. Charles died 1948.Together they had 3 children:
Winifred Clara Wells married Ernest Charles Hayler 25 February 1922 and had a son, John Hayler.
Lillian Dora Mary Wells (born 18 March 1894) married Gilbert Henstock on 9 December 1918 and had 2 children, Charles Frederick & Winifred Mary Henstock.
Herbert Charles Wells (21 January 1900-1973) married Violet Nunn (born 1898) on 31 July 1926 and had 4 children -
Jean Elizabeth Wells (1927-2003) married Lester Frank Goodman on 26 June 1954, Herbert John Wells (1929-2014) married Margaret Webb on 22 August 1953, Albert Charles Wells (1932-2016) married Shiela Marsh on 12 October 1957, and Zena Margaret Wells (1933-1999) married Roy Alistair Wall on 26 June 1954.
 |
| Headstone for Charles & Lizzie Wells at Great Oxendon. Photo take 2007. |
Extracts from Beatrice Macdougall’s 1958 diary, when she travelled to England with her sister Wyn Tregear.
27 June – 7 July 1958 – East
Levant.
Entrained for Chichester,
arriving at 12 noon. Our cousin Wyn
Hayler was at the station to meet us and we took a taxi for her home at East Levant. It
was strange to meet our first cousin - the daughter of our Father’s brother
Charlie Wells for the first time. We met
Ernest Hayler the master of the house – a quiet man. There was much chatter.
The house is very old, about 300 years.
Jack, the only son of Wyn and Ernest, wife
Peggy and adopted baby son Peter came and tea was served.
Went to son John Hayler’s house for tea.
28 July 1958 – Northampton
We prepared for our visit to Northampton. We made
history today because we met my Father’s only surviving member of his family –
Aunt Ellen Barker of 84 Balmoral
Road, Northampton. Aunt is now 89 years of age and has a very
alert brain. Her only surviving son
Sydney was at the house on holiday. We
had many reminders of our Father and his family in the course of conversation
and over afternoon tea prepared by Sydney. I presented Auntie with some pink primrose
talc powder by Goya. She is a dear old
lady and was pleased to see us. Glad and
Dorothy Wells accompanied us.
2 – 5 August 1958 – Oxendon.
A memorable day in that we left for the
station to entrain for Market Harborough. We called at the Freemasons Arms
along St.Mary’s Road for accommodation but they were full up and directed us
across the road to No.106 where we found we could stay the night and have
breakfast. Went to West’s Café for dinner, and then took a taxi to the village of Oxendon.
This village was of special interest to us as our Father was born here
in 1858. We walked up the road and saw
first of all the house that was the home of our Uncle Charlie (father’s brother)
and where the 3 children Win, Dora and Bert were born. We saw the date of 1712 on the house and it
appeared in fair order.
We walked along the road to where Win
Hayler said Misses Coleman lived. We
found these 2 charming English Gentlewomen and they pointed out to us the house
– to the rear of their own home – where the Wells’ our Grandparents lived and
probably where Father was born.
We walked across to the Church – the
picture of which I have at home and where Father used to chime the bells each
Sunday. We found the graves of the Wells
in the Church yard with their gravestones, that of Great grandfather William
(1790) and his wife Ann, also that of Uncle Charlie and wife Lizzie. Bert Wells had clipped the grass round these
graves – the remainder of the churchyard was knee high in grass. A neglected cemetery is a sorry sight and we have
seen plenty of them. The Church is in
good order and we spent some time there.
We later left and wended our way along the
newly formed road to Market Harborough about 2 ½ miles. After going about half the distance we met
Bert Wells who recognized Dorothy (Wells) who was with us and he hailed a bus
and we 3 took it to Harborough. Bert
cycled to the bus station and met us there.
We walked to Bert and Violet Wells as
pre-arranged. Bert met us in the street
and we were made very welcome. They have
a very nice home. Son Chas and young
wife Sheila were there from near Oxford
for the long weekend. Other members of
the family came during the afternoon and for tea. There were daughters Jean and Zena and son
John. Jean and Zena’s husbands Lester
and Roy and the latter’s baby Michael (15 months).
Bert presented us with some oak
candlesticks and vase which he had made from timber from the Oxendon Church. These we will treasure for old times sake.
8 - 18 August 1958 – Ripon.
Gilbert was at the Ripon Station to meet us
and we took a taxi to the home of our cousin Dora and Gilbert Henstock at 95 Kirkby Road,
Ripon. Gilbert is a very jovial fellow.
Looked at family photos and snaps.
Dora and Gilbert have lost both their
children – Winnie aged 16 and Charles lost as war was ended.
Attended Methodist
Church and returned to “Oxendon” (home
at Ripon, also my parents home in Tasmania).
Walked around the garden before dinner of
roast lamb, peas, potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. We later walked down the road which Cromwell
tramped on years ago.
Gilbert took us to see the Cathedral which
was badly damaged during Oliver Cromwell’s time. We also went to Harrogate
and saw the most beautiful gardens.
Dora accompanied us in the taxi to visit
the show place of Ripon - Fountain’s Abbey.
Heard the horn blower at the Market
Place. This is a tradition of many years
standing and the horn is blown at each corner of the centre square (one long
blast 55 seconds).
Visited Gilbert’s sister Bertha Mason.
Played “Motor” (a card game).
Dora gave us each a cream crocheted doyley.
Sadly said goodbye to our good friends.
Joy & Peter Olney visited Great Oxendon in 2007
It was a thrill to visit the little village of Great Oxendon, the village where Thomas & Eliza Wells brought up their family, including Harry Wells, my great grandfather.
We went to St Helen's Church in Great Oxendon. Harry Wells & Elizabeth Saunders met at St.Helen's.
We were priviliged to meet a cousin, John Wells who lived nearby. He showed Joy & Peter a copy of a "The Genealogies and Histories of the Wells Family 1625 - 1994". - a book his grandson Andrew Wells had put together as a school project. I have now had the privilege to receive a copy which has been most helpful. Thank you Andrew.
If you have any comments or corrections to the information provided please email the author Joy Olney on joyolney@gmail.com
You might like to take a look at Saunders Family Archives as Harry Wells married Elizabeth Saunders.
 |
| St Helen's Church, Great Oxendon where the Wells family worshipped. |
 |
| Tombstones at St Helen's Great Oxendon - John & Harriet Wells standing, Charles & Lizzie Wells lying. |
 |
| Interior of St.Helen's Great Oxendon. |
 |
| Interior of St.Helen's Great Oxendon. |
 |
| Baptismal font in St.Helen's where all Wells children were baptised. |
 |
| Interior St Helen's Great Oxendon. |
 |
| Where Harry Wells rang the bells at St Helen's. Ladder to Tower. |
 |
| The dates 1652, 1683 & 1707 etched in doorway at St Helen's Great Oxendon. |
 |
| "Plum Cottage", the home of Charles and Lizzie Wells. Built in 1712. |
 |
| We saw the big house "Oxendon Hall" where Elizabeth Saunders worked when she came to Great Oxendon. Lizzie Wells also worked there. |
 |
| Another discovery was where Elizabeth Saunders lived while she worked in Great Oxendon. |
We met George & Irene Mills who gave us three photos taken in 1925. He was a neighbour of Charles and Lizzie Wells.
 |
| George & Irene Mills with their daughter in Great Oxendon. |
 | |
| Lizzie & Charles Wells having a picnic in the big field with Herbert Wells, Winnie Hayler with son John, Charlie and Winnie with their mother Dora Henstock, |
 |
| Harvesting during WW11 with evacuees on the cart. Joe Mills, Wally Robinson, Charles Wells, Jim Reynolds. |
 |
| "Plum Cottage" the home of Charles & Lizzie Wells in Great Oxendon. |
We were priviliged to meet a cousin, John Wells who lived nearby. He showed Joy & Peter a copy of a "The Genealogies and Histories of the Wells Family 1625 - 1994". - a book his grandson Andrew Wells had put together as a school project. I have now had the privilege to receive a copy which has been most helpful. Thank you Andrew.
 |
| Peter & Joy Olney with (Herbert) John Wells, son of Herbert and Violet Wells. |
If you have any comments or corrections to the information provided please email the author Joy Olney on joyolney@gmail.com
