WELLS, ERNEST WILLIAM
Ernest William Wells was my maternal great grandfather.
A simplified family tree is as follows. For more detail before this, refer to WELLS GENEALOGY.
William Wells m Anne Hase >
John Wells m Mary Spooner >
Robert Hase Wells m Elizabeth Crown >
William Wells m Elizabeth Secker >
Ernest William Wells m Mary Ness.>
Cuthbert Ernest Wells m Annie Crawford. >
They had Pamela Mary and Hugh. I am descended from Pamela (and Brian Watson)
Ernest was born to William and Elizabeth (nee Secker) Wells on the 19th July 1852 in East Dereham, Norfolk.
The 1861 census notes him in Norwich Road, East Dereham and that of 1871 in Russell Place. The qualifies as a chemist and spends some time in South Africa (which we will discuss later). The census of 1911 records him at 44 Teignmouth Road, Brandesbury, London.
He married Mary Ness, my great grandmother.
She was born in about 1850 in Liverpool, Lancashire.
My Wells aunt and cousins recount:
He met Mary Ness who travelled to South Africa for her health. She was working somewhere in Norfolk and went back to England every second year. She met the O.C., as he was known, on the baot coming out. He played the violin. We are not sure if he was already a pharmacist in Grahamstown then. He was evidently a vey shy man who wouldn't go into a tearoom on his own. He had a brother who went to Kimberley during the diamond rush.
My mother used to have a painting of the street with the chemist shop in South Africa, but it was stolen. The building is believed to remain, but damage such as fire has changed the ornate faces of many shops.
An old photograph of Bathurst Street, Grahamstown is available online, although unfortunately I cannot post it here as I cannot meet the copyright requirements. You can however find it here with the option to purchase : Image APN328246 http://africamediaonline.com/search?tab_index=1&expanddiv=none&from_search=1&previous_keyword=&keyword=wells+chemist&rm=rm&rf=rf&color=color&bw=b%2Fw&sub_collection%5B%5D=&collections%5B%5D=&media_date=&search.x=0&search.y=0#
This shows the west side of Bathurst Street with from left to right : H Fitchat & CH - merchant confectioners and pastry cooks; C.H. Abbott -Food specialist and tea room. And then EW Wells Chemist on the right. There is an enormous crowd, but we don't know the ocassion. The ladies are in ther finery with wide brim hats. Great old cars with fold-down roofs, Bicycles etc.
The Register of Chemists and Druggists (page 265) notes:
Date of registration 1878 May 29
Wells Ernest William Grahamstown, Cape Colony No of Examination Certificate > Minor > 326 Chemist and Druggist.
A reference to his patent products can be found online :
Ostrich Condition Powders sold by Mr Wells, chemist.
Passenger ship records are an opportunity to follow his movements, although it is difficult to be sure which Wells is Ernest William. The name does not seem to have been that unique.
Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960
Whlle details appear so close to what we are looking for in initials, destinations and dates, none quite tie up for our Ernest. The closest is an EW Wels born 1853 departing London in 1922 for the Cape, South Africa. (Is the birth date an error?).
More of Ernest and Mary is to be found on ancestry.com http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
Husband: Ernest William Wells
Born: 19 Jul 1852 in East Dereham, Norfolk 1,2,3
Census: 1861 in Norwich Road, East Dereham, Norfolk
Census: 1871 in Russell Place, East Dereham, Norfolk
Occupation: 1871 Chemist 1
Resided: in South Africa 4
Resided: 1911 at 44 Teignmouth Road, Brondesbury, London 5
Father: William Wells
Mother: Elizabeth Secker
Wife: Mary Ness
Resided: 1884 in Grahamstown, South Africa
Resided: 1896 - 1897 in Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 6
Father:
Mother:
1 M Mont H Wells | Born:
2 M Cuthbert E Wells | Born:
3 F Ernestine Mary Wells | Born:
sp. Living |Married:
Born: (details excluded) Died:
S
We will come to Cuthbert Ernest Wells under his own section, but also note :
- Ernestine Mary Wells - his daughter also known as Nesta. She lived with us briefly at Tait Road, Baysville, East London and gave her name Nesta to her niece. She was born in Grahamstown in about 1885. Married Reg (?) Kendel. Her father is remembered as sickly. She looked after him for years and never married.
- Mont Wells, Montague (?) - my aunt remembered him going to Kimberley to seek his fortune during the diamond rush.
Amongst my heirlooms are these spectacles. They have the initials E. W. W. in India ink inside the flap. Just imagine our E. W. Wells taking orders for Ostrich Condition Powders while peering over these spectacles across the heavy counter of his Grahamstown Chemist.
