William Lythell Dewsbury
(1840-1905)

William Lythell Dewsbury (also known as William Lithall) was the illegitimate and oldest of the twelve children of Rebecca Lythell, and seemingly the son of William Dewsbury of Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.

In the year of his birth, his mother married Mr William Dewsbury who, given his name, appears to have been the father. The following year, William jnr, is listed with the Dewsbury surname but the year after that, he appears alongside his 'half'-brother, George Dewsbury, as William Lithall, son of Rebecca Lithall as if to delegitimize him again in the eyes of the parish church.

After this baptism, he appears to continue his life as a Dewsbury. By the time of the 1851 Census, William was "employed in field" with his brother George, whilst the younger children of the family went to school. He continued to work as an Agricultural Labourer, like William Dewsbury Snr and three of his brothers.

He re-appears in 1866 in nearby Witchford where he married Hannah Watson. In the marriage register, he is named as William Lythell Dewsbury, again referencing his Lythell origins but his father is noted as William Dewsbury, labourer.

He is noted as living on East Street, Stretham by the time of the 1891 census with his wife Hannah (born in Witchford) and six of their twelve children.

William pre-deceased Hannah by 24 years.

Life Events

Born

• 1840 at Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

• As William Lithall, with his brother George Dewsbury on 3rd April 1842 at St. Mary's Church, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married

• Hannah Watson (1845-1929) on 12th June 1866 at St. Andrew's Church, Witchford, Cambridgeshire, England.

Children:

• William George Dewsbury (1866-?) married Elizabeth Ann Wright (1866-?)
• Lizzy Dewsbury (1898-1961)
• Emily Dewsbury (1870)
• Emily Ann Dewsbury (1871-1929)
• Walter Dewsbury (1873-19??) married Clara Jane Fuller (1874-19??)
• Annie Dewsbury (1875-1876)
• Alfred Watson Dewsbury (1877-1941) married Eunice Larkins (1881-1979)
• Minnie Dewsbury (1879-1957) married Frederick Burton (1871-1966)
• Ethel Dewsbury (1881-19??) married Charles Watts (1881-1949)
• Mabel Dewsbury (1883-?) married Walter Joseph Foster (1881-19??)
• Horace Dewsbury (1885-1956) married Emma Mary Tatham (1888-1943)
• Wilfred James Dewsbury (1887-1981) married Susan Ann Clarke (18??-19??)

Census and Residence

• 1841: 9mths, Pump Lane, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1851: 10yrs, Pump Lane, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1861: 20yrs, Back Street, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1871: Not yet found.
• 1881: 40yrs, Front Street, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1891: 51yrs, 18 East Street, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 1901: 60yrs, Gravel Road, Stretham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Employment

• 1851: Employed in Field
• 1861, 1881: Agricultural Labourer
• 1891: Labourer
• 1901: Agricultural Labourer
• 1891: Labourer

Death

• 1905 in the Ely district of Cambridgeshire, England, aged 64yrs.

Burial

• Not yet known.