William Dewey
(1815-1887)

William Dewey was the second of the six children of William Dewey and his wife Ellen Markham of Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

William married Mary Tabraham of Ely, Cambridgeshire, and the couple became parents at least seven times.

William worked as an agricultural labourer in the fenland around his native Witchford for about 40 years.

In 1857, and just a few months after their eldest daughter Sarah gave birth to her illegitimate son John Freeman Dewey, Sarah emigrated to Australia leaving William and Mary (his grandparents) to raise him. Sarah was followed a couple of years later by her sister Rebecca. However, whilst Rebecca remained in Australia, Sarah returned in 1861 and is reunited with her son and Witchford family.

Another daughter - Ellen - married and moved initially to Cumbria, before settling in Liverpool, England.

Mary pre-deceased William in 1866, and twelve years later he re-married to widow Isabel Watson (formerly Knowles).

Life Events

Born

• circa 1815 in Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

• 30th June 1815 at St. Andrew's Church, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married

• Mary Tabraham (1816-1866) on 17th July 1837, at St. Andrew's Church, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.
• Isabel Knowles (1820-?) on 9th November 1878 at Ely Register Office, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Children

• Sarah Dewey (1837-1896) married John Gooby (1841-1903).
• Rebecca Dewey (1840-1909) married Joseph Kendall (1840-1900).
• James Dewey (1842-?) married Elizabeth Parsons (1843-?).
• Mary Dewey (1847-?) married John Joseph Layton (1846-?) and later to William John Freezer (1842-?)
• Ellen Dewey (1850-1915) married Mitchell Sandifer (1845-1894)
• William Dewey (1853-19??) married Elizabeth (1857-19??)
• Walter Dewey (1857-?)

Census and Residence

• 1841: 25yrs, Witchford Street, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1851: 35yrs, Main Street, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1861: 44yrs, Main Street, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1871: 56yrs, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1881: 66yrs, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Employment

• 1841-1881: Agricultural Labourer

Death

• November 1887 at Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Burial

• 1st December 1887 at St. Andrew's Church, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.