16. James and Margaret Waddilove of Middlesex

The Waddilove surname might be a Middle English term for 'rage like a wolf', or it might be habitational, e.g. from Wadlow nr Toddington, Bedfordshire. There is a northern bias to the surname distribution. Taylor is an occupational name (from 'cutter').

For the record, and with the usual cautions, my oldest direct ancestors we know about in this part of the family are: John Waddilove (1743), Elizabeth Lugg (1767), John Taylor (1767) and Margaret Tilley (1767).

James Waddilove (1785) and Margaret Taylor (c1785) married in Westminster in 1808, both families being local to Middlesex, although James seems to have been baptised in Bermondsey, across the river. The couple were married in the well-known church in St George Hanover Square which was then relatively new. Westminster was not yet a city, and was still in Middlesex but part of a prosperous and growing metropolitan area which was becoming known as London.

The couple had ten children, some born further east in London, in perhaps less fashionable neighbourhoods. I can't explain how the children are born in these different areas, but there are no obvious records of another James around at the time. James is recorded at his son James' baptism as a 'gentleman', and the same (resident in Hackney Road) at Richard's baptism in Shoreditch.

St George's Hanover Square, where James and
Margaret were married (credit)

Shoreditch was a prosperous area of London at the time: it had been well known for Huguenot silkweavers, and for furniture. It was a centre of entertainment to rival the West End, and had many theatres and music halls. Bethnal Green was still characterised by market gardens, but also by weaving. Regent's Canal opened in 1820. Both districts became overcrowded and poverty-struck as the C19 went on.

The children were:

40.2.1 - James Rinaldo Waddilove (1808, Bethnal Green). An interesting choice of middle name, perhaps from the Handel opera
40.2.2 - Eliza Margaret Waddilove (1810, Bethnal Green)
40.2.3 - Joseph G Waddilove (1812, SGHS)
40.2.4 - Alfred John Waddilove (1812, SGHS)
40.2.5 - Ann Taylor (1814, Shoreditch)
40.2.6 - Amelia Waddilove (1814, Shoreditch)
40.2.7 - Henry William Waddilove (1816, Shoreditch)
40.2.8 - Richard Taylor Waddilove (1818, Shoreditch)
40.2.9 - Frederick Waddilove (1823, Shoreditch)
40.2.10 - John Waddilove (1826, SGHS)

More on these individuals in Chapter 40.

Margaret died in Islington in 1833, aged 48; James survived until 1839 when he died, aged 54, back in St George.

Next      (or skip to Part II)