Annie Flora RANDELL 1867
Annie Flora Randell was born 5 July 1867 and christened the same year, 22 September in Chertsey, Surrey. She was the first child of Thomas Randell and his wife Justina Evans who at the time lived in Eastworth Street, Chertsey. The family lived comfortably and had the service of a housemaid, who in actuality was Thomas’s younger sister Honorine.
Ten years later 1981, Annie flora Randell aged 13, was domestic servant herself. She was in St Ann's Road, Chertsey in the employ of 53 year old spinster, Mary Dyer who described herself as an Annuitant born in Madras, India.
The next ten years saw tremendous changes in the life of Annie Flora, during this period her father and two sisters were to die and by the end of 1891 she was married. Census night of 1891, found Annie Flora aged 23, as one of nine staff in a substantial residence in Hastings. That same year Annie Flora Randell married Lewis Everard Williams in Chertsey. Lewis was a 34 year old self employed carpenter and joiner when he walked Annie down the aisle.
Soon after the wedding they moved into Williams Cottage, North Rd, Woking an address not far from her mother’s home. Annie Flora and Lewis had three, possibly four children together, an Ellen Williams was recorded born at the same time as Alice Rose but Williams is a common name leaving open the possibility that it is just a coincidence.
Unfortunately, in April 1900, nine years after they married, Lewis died. The following census record of 1901 shows Annie Flora Williams recorded as a widow, with her own three children and Gilbert D Randell, her sister Maud Evelyn's child.
Annie Flora remarried in April 1904 and Charles Herbert Collins became her second husband at a service registered in Guildford. Charles Collins was a house painter who was born in Shipley, Yorkshire. In 1901 he lived in Cecil Terrace, Woking very near to Annie's home in North Road. It's possible that Annie's brother in law, Frank Webber, also a painter in the area introduced them.
The 1911 census lists the Collins family at 2 Spencer Terrace, Boundary Road, Woking. Today, Boundary Road overlooks open woodland and the River Wey Canal system. I would imagine in 1911, if we’re able to ignore the persistent smogs that engulfed London, it would have been very pleasant.
The 1911 household was composed of Charles Herbert and his wife Annie Flora. Annie's two boys from her first marriage, Lewis Everard and Thomas Alfred, were identified as sons.
The family also included Constance Louise Collins, the daughter of Charles and Annie Flora born in the first months of 1905 when her mother was aged 37 years. Annie's other daughter, Alice Rose Williams was not far away working as a general domestic servant with Grocer, Frederick Harding. She was recorded as aged 14 and living at “Holly Nook” in Chobham Road, Chertsey.
Beyond the immediate family, nephew Peter James Howes was in also residence. He was the son of Annie’s sister Rose, who found herself in difficult circumstances having seemingly lost two husband in rapid succession.
The death of Annie Flora Collins aged 69, was registered in Guildford in the October quarter of 1937.
Lewis and Annie had the following children:
Lewis Everard WILLIAMS 1892 Chertsey Surrey.
Alice Rose WILLIAMS 1896 Woking Surrey.
Thomas WILLIAMS 1899 Woking Surrey.
Charles and Annie had one child in 1911:
Constance Louise COLLINS 1905 Woking Surrey
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Lewis Everard WILLIAMS 1856
Annie Flora Randell married thirty three year old, Lewis Everard Williams in late summer of 1891 in Cherstey, Surrey. Annie and Lewis had three children together but unfortunately after less than nine years of marriage Annie was a widow. Lewis Everard Williams died age forty four in April 1900.
Lewis Everard Williams was a self employed carpenter. This was an occupation pursued by both his father, Everard and his grandfather, James. Lewis was born in Chapmore End in the Bengeo district of Hertfordshire. He was the second child of Everard Vigis Williams and Mary Parker. Everard Vigis, who in the early census is recorded as Everett, was born in 1830, the child of James and Fanny Williams. Despite the intriguing possibilities of the name Vigis, it was simply his mother maiden name.
The Williams family hailed from deep within rural Hertfordshire but a steady migration to London is recorded in the birth places of Mary and Everard's children. Lewis was born in 1856 in Chapmore End, a tiny village north east of Ware, which in turn, is a small town just north of London. Lewis spent several years in Ware, if the age and birth place of his sisters are a guide. The family also had a period in Stevenage before arriving in Chertsey around 1875.
In Chertsey the Williams family lived in Flemish Fields, a cul de sac, which in recent times has been redeveloped to leave no indication of the type of housing the Williams may have lived in. It's an evocative name which may have gained a new interpretation after the events of the Great War. What ever the nature of the housing Everard Vigis became the local Methodist minister and this possibly brought him and his son into contact with Annie Flora Randell.
On census night of 5 April 1891, Lewis, a 33 year old carpenter, was living at home with his widowed mother Mary. A few months later he married Annie Flora Randell and they commenced their short life together living in Williams Cottages, North Road, Woking.
Charles Herbert COLLINS 1862
Following the death of her first husband, Annie Flora Williams married Charles Herbert Collins in the spring of 1904 at a service registered in Guildford, Surrey.
Charles H Collins was born in the September quarter of 1862 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. In 1901 he was recorded as a painter and decorator, who lived at 2 Cecil Terrace, Woking, Surrey, not far from Annie Flora.
In
the 1911 National Census, Charles H Collins was married to Annie Flora and living in Spencer Terrace, Woking, Surrey. The extended family appeared under one roof, Herbert C & Annie F Collins share a home with Annies children Lewis Everard and Thomas Alfred Williams. Alice Rose, Annies only daughther from her first marriage, was a servant nearby in Chertsey. The family was completed by recent recruit, Constance Louise Collins aged 6, the daughter of Charles & Annie Flora from their seven years of marriage.
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