Parents:  Robert, and Elizabeth (nee Walker) from Bloxham, in Oxfordshire. William was born in Bloxham in 1810, and christened on 16th November 1810 at Bloxham and Milton Church.

Early Years: He was one of 5 children born to his parents, and lived at Bloxham.

Occupation: He was a Plush Weaver, a trade common in Bloxham, which he continued after his move to Coventry. In 1871 he had changed slightly to a Worsted Weaver. Later he decribed himself as a Plush weaver again.

Marriage : At the age of 25 he married Martha Hunt, from Cropredy, OXF in 1835 at Cropredy.

Children: The couple had 8 children ( 2 before marriage):

General Notes and Places of Residence:

It is not known where William spent his early life but it is assumed it was in Bloxham village a few miles south of Banbury, Oxfordshire. His father died when William was only 9.

William was married in the small village of Cropredy in 1835, which is a few miles away from Bloxham but on the opposite side of Banbury town. It is not known exactly where the couple lived after that...certainly it was in the Banbury area. In 1837 they were destitute and living in the Banbury Workhouse where their son John was born.

Around 1838-9 William and Martha, decided to move the 30 miles to Coventry where there was more work. After arriving in Coventry William and Martha first lived in West Orchard, in the centre of the city, but soon moved a short distance to nearby Spring Grove (near the present Cox Street), Coventry.

While living here their son William's name appeared in the local newspaper, the Coventry Herald and Observer... 6 August 1847..Coventry Police Office....."Three boys named Henry McLinchey, William Cakebread, and John Foster were charged with stealing pears from the garden belonging to Mr Pattison of Spring Grove. The parents of the boys were advised to give them each a "sound flogging" and, if the offence was repeated it would be given by other hands."

From 1861 until at least 1877 the family were at Leicester Street, Coventry about a mile away.

Around this time the weaving trade in Coventry collapsed due to cheap imports from France, and many weavers were out of work and their families were starving. Many emigrated, but William stayed in Coventry. Presumably William suffered like the others. In 1877 William's wife, Martha, died.

By 1881 William was in the St.Michael's Workhouse in Coventry, still listed as a Plush Weaver. This was at least the 2nd time in his life for he was in the Banbury Workhouse early in his married life. Poor William apparently lived in the Coventry Workhouse for 10 years until his death in 1891.

Death: William died aged 80 from Senile Decay on 7 Mar 1891 in Holy Trinity Workhouse, Coventry and was buried on 12 Mar at London Road Cemetary, Coventry. (Mar QTR 1891 Coventry 6d 358)