The Family of Henry Walter of Charlton Adam and Liverpool

Henry Walter (c.1814-1877) was the son of Philip Walter and Susanna Trotman. He married (1) Mary Ann Finlay (1817-1872), born in Leicester, in West London in 1838 and had children including: Henry Finlay Walter (1847-1870; born Liverpool; baptised St Peter's C.of E.Church) Edward Rushton Walter (b.1853) {named after Edward Rushton, Barrister and Magistrate of the Borough of Liverpool (1796-1851) and Henry's boss} and possibly Robert Allen Walter (1855-1855; born and died West Derby). In 1875 Henry married (2) Alice Sarah Lucas (1847-1923) [see below].

In 1851 Henry and Mary Ann living in Church Road, West Derby, Liverpool with 'Henry K.', Mary Ann’s mother Isabella Finlay (1788-1871) born in Ireland, her sister Isabella Finlay (1833-1904) born in Ilchester and a visitor from New Orleans, widower Robert Greeves (28) and his 5-year old son Robert Greer Greeves born in Lancashire{m arried Emily E. Hayes (1851-1928) in 1879 - see below}. In 1861 Henry was an attorney-at-law and the family had moved to 8 Kensington,West Derby. The 1861 census (taken on the night of 7th April) shows that Edward Rushton Walter was in Babcary, staying with Daniel Walter (c.1792-1870) and his family. He is referred to as a visitor from Liverpool. It is the only known record of him in the U.K. In 1871, probate on Henry Walter's mother-in-law's estate of < £450 was granted to Henry. In 1871 Henry (an attorney solicitor, born Somerton) lived alone with Mary Ann; Margaret A. Kilshaw (1851-1882)* a visitor from Birch, Leicestershire was also staying.

* Margaret Ann Kilshaw was the daughter of Henry and Isobel Kilshaw. She married Emil Quack (1844-1924; b. Stuttgart, d. Liverpool; originally a Dutch family, naturalised in 1871) in West Derby in 1873 [his first wife Anna Quack died aged 27 in 1872] and had children. Emil remarried in Cheltenham in 1884 to Laura Emma Jarrett (1857-1909) a music teacher. Emil was a wine merchant; and supplied Mumm Champagne to the Cunard Line.

Henry Walter was in West Derby as early as 1841, working as a bookkeeper and staying in Edge Lane. However, Mary Ann cannot be found in that census. Henry went on to work as a senior clerk in the criminal prosecutions department of Liverpool Corporation. He is referred to on a number of occasions in the Liverpool Mercury. He was recommended for annual pay rises from £300 to £500 in 1860 and to £900 in 1868 [the equivalent of about £40 000]. He was under scrutiny briefly in 1866 for financial misconduct but his explanation was accepted by his employers. In 1869 he was a candidate for the position of chief clerk to the magistrates. The deaths of his mother-in-law and sister are acknowledged but nothing relating to his brother Jacob appears. The paper records his own death and internment in the Necropolis, West Derby Road. His death was registered in the name of Henry Francis Walter. Probate relating to his estate (< £800) was granted to his wife Alice Sarah Walter.

West Derby Necropolis (also called Low Hill cemetery) was in existence between 1825 and 1898. In 1913 it was completely cleared of all graves and inscriptions to make way for Grant Gardens which is situated opposite the current register office and is a popular location for wedding photographs.

From the Liverpool Mercury 25th January 1913

Little time has been spent in transforming the NECROPOLIS, 4 acres in extent. The space at present bears the appearance of a neatly tilled field. All the monuments have been removed and the smaller slabs lowered and covered. Now the surface has been levelled, all in readiness for the design of the gardens. Shrubs are to be planted and a series of walks flanked with green. When the high walls are demolished and low railings put in the view from the roadway will be improved.

From the Liverpool Mercury 3rd May 1913

New public garden

No time is being lost in transforming the Necropolis into a public garden but the widening of Everton Rd has not yet been commenced. Already the surface covering the remains of over 80,000 citizens has been reduced to its new level, while the entrance lodge, the gates, and part of the massive front wall of stone have vanished. When the long side wall disappears the new street line will be visible. The access of light is daily becoming more perceptible.

Henry's second wife, Alice Sarah Lucas, gives different ages at various points but appears to have been born in 1847. In 1861 she was a millinery assistant in London. In 1871 she was living with her sister Lucy Mary Bond nee Lucas and Lucy's children Rosa Bond (3) and Albert Bond (2). In 1881 she was living with Lucy and Rosa. Alice Sarah married James Ogden (1827-1905) a retired engineer in 1895. In 1911 she was again living with her sister, both of whom had been married and widowed in the same years. Lucy did spectacularly better financially in the sisters' approach to marrying men much older than themselves. Lucy first married Frank Bond in Wrexham in 1866. He appears to have left her as no trace of a death can be found. Giving both Lucas and Bond as her surnames, Lucy married Thomas May Smith (1839-1905) in 1895. He was previously married in 1863 to Mary Elizabeth Hoyle (1844-1889) by whom he had at least ten children between 1865 and 1883. Thomas was a brewer and wine & spirit merchant. Probate for Thomas May Smith's estate of £14,865 8s 9d was granted to his wife Lucy Mary and two sons by his first wife.

Henry's first wife's parents were probably William Langham Finlay (1776-1848), a carpenter and his wife Isabella (1788-1871) who had children including: Mary Ann Finlay (b.1817), Thomas Finlay (b.1819), Frederick Finlay (b.1829) and Isabella Finlay (1833-1904). They lived in Arundell Street, Bethnal Green in 1841. Henry's sister-in-law Isabella Finlay married [Matthew] Placide Greeves (1826-1870){probably the brother of Robert Greeves} in 1858 and in 1861 was living in Church Road with their son William James Greeves (1859-1891). At the time of his death Placide was a bookkeeper; probate on his estate of < £200 was awarded to Isabella. In 1871 Isabella was living with William and additional children: Edward Augustine Greeves (1861-1906) {married Edith Elizabeth Valentine (1871-1944; the daughter of Charles Henry Valentine, b.1843 and Sarah Ellen Tallentire, b.1846) in 1896 and had children}; Mary Ann Greaves (b.1862-1934); Nelly Isabella Greeves (b.1865 m. John Lee Wood in 1915); Celeste Greeves (b. 1868-1943); Other short-lived children born in West Derby were also born to Placide and Isabella: Minnie Jane Greeves (1864-1868) Kate Greeves (1866-1866) and Annie Elizabeth Greeves (1868-1869). By 1881 all but William were still at home and a visitor was Nolent Greeves, Isabella's widowed brother-in-law from Louisiana. In 1891,William James was a patient in the County Lunatic Asylum in St Helen's, Prescot. After Edward's death in 1906, Edith remarried Thomas Milroy (1871-1952) in 1908 and had children.

Also in Liverpool in 1851 was Robert Greeves (1786-1856) birthplace unknown, a cotton broker. In 1861 and 1871 Robert Greeves (b.1824) is listed with his sister Mary Celeste Greeves (b.1823) and Robert's son Robert Greer Greeves (1846-1905) born in Liverpool. Robert's wife was Mary Ann Greeves and may have died in 1848. Robert Greer married Emily E. Hayes (1851-1928) in 1879 [sic] with children including: Maud Emily G. Greeves (b.1873), Robert Greer G. Greeves (1876-1881), Alfred Marmaduke Greeves (1878-1879), Douglas Hilton Greeves (1880-1890), Beatrice Celeste Greeves (1881-1881) and Henry G. Greeves (b.1888) . No previous marriage can be found for him and although the 1881 census records the family, the births of the first two children are recorded as Hayes.

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