The Whistler Family of Aldermaston and the Area

The Whistler Family of Aldermaston and the Area in Census Returns

Craftsmen of Aldermaston and Sherborne St John

The children of John and Elizabeth Whistler of Aldermaston

Ann (1804–1846) married Richard Goddard

John (1805–1870) Ann Cumber

Laura (1807–1867) (1) John Howlett Beatley; (2) Robert Harrison Wake

Martha (1808–1870) George Sweetzer

James (1810–1885) Mary Ann Slater

Thomas (1811–1873)

Mary (1813–1869) William James Lovegrove

Census returns, maintained by The National Archives, can be viewed at the Ancestry family history website.
Note: In the 1841 census, the age was rounded down to the nearest five for those aged 15 or over.

Name Age Occupation Born in County?

1841 census – Aldermaston, Berkshire Reference: HO107/29/1 (folio 13, p. 24)

Eliza Whistler 70 Shop Keeper N

Mary Cripps 14 F.S. [female servant] N

James Whistler

1841 census – Swallowfield Village, Swallowfield, Wiltshire
Reference: HO107/1165/14 (folio 12, p. 2)

James Whistler 25 Painter N

Note: The Wiltshire part of Swallowfield was transferred to Berkshire in 1844.

Name and relation to
Head of household Marital
Status Age Occupation Birth Place

1851 census – Aldermaston, Berkshire Reference: HO107/1691 (folio 248, p. 37)

Elizabeth Whistler Head Widow 77 Shopkeeper Silchester, Hampshire

James Whistler Son Unmarried 40 Painter & Glazier Aldermaston

Hannah Penford Sister Widow 67 Servant Silchester, Hampshire

1861 census – West Swallowfield, Berkshire Reference: RG9/751 (folio 61, p. 3)

James Whistler Head Married 50 Painter & Glazier Aldermaston

Mary Ann Whistler Wife Married 36 Swallowfield

Notes: On 6 March 1852 James Whistler and Mary Ann, the daughter of Matthew Slater, were married at St Giles’ Church, Reading. A family tragedy was the death of their infant son followed by the death of a daughter. Their son John James died on 16 February 1854 at Beech Hill, Swallowfield, and their daughter Louisa, aged 3, died on 17 August 1857 at Spencer’s Wood, Swallowfield (Berkshire Burial Index for All Saints’ Church, Swallowfield).

1871 census – West Swallowfield, Berkshire
Spencer’s Wood Reference: RG10/1287 (folio 40, p. 34)

James Whistler Head Married 59 Painter & Glazier Aldermaston

Mary Ann Whistler Wife Married 45 Swallowfield

Alice Whistler Daughter 7 Swallowfield

1881 census – West Swallowfield, Berkshire
Farley Hill Rd Reference: RG11/1311 (folio 71, p. 40)

James Whistler Head Married 70 Painter & Glazier Aldermaston

Farley Hill Rd Reference: RG11/1311 (folio 72, p. 42)

Eliza Lyford Head Widow 73 Beer Seller Swallowfield

Mary Ann Whistler Sister Married 55 Assistant Swallowfield

Alice Whistler Niece Unmarried 17 General Servant Swallowfield

Notes: Burials recorded in the parish register of All Saints’ Church, Swallowfield (Berkshire Burial Index):
James Whistler, aged 75, buried 16 August 1885;
Mary Ann Whistler, aged 68, buried 13 January 1894; and
Alice Whistler, aged 32, buried 14 June 1895.

Thomas Whistler

Name and relation to
Head of household Marital
Status Age Occupation Birth Place

1851 census – White House, Swallowfield, Berkshire Reference: HO107/1693 (folio 81, p. 21)

Sarah Girdler Head Widow 65 Plumber, Glazier & Painter
Employs 6 men Swallowfield

Elizabeth Girdler Daughter Single 34 at house Swallowfield

Sarah Girdler Daughter Single 31 at house Swallowfield

Edwin Girdler Son Single 29 Plumber Swallowfield

Emma Girdler Daughter Single 27 at house Swallowfield

Ellen Hewett Niece 11 Scholar Stepney, Middlesex

Thomas Whistler Journey-
[man] Single 39 Plumber &
lodger in house Aldermaston, Berkshire

Elizabeth Spencer Servant Single 15 House Servant Swallowfield

Notes: The Wiltshire part of Swallowfield was transferred to Berkshire in 1844.
Thomas Whistler was a witness at the marriage of John Hunter and Flora, the daughter of John Fulker, at All Saints’ Church, Swallowfield, on 4 May 1844 (Berkshire Marriages CD, Berkshire Family History Society).

The White House in Swallowfield was the home of the Girdler family for several generations. A history published in 1901 stated that a will dated 1549 named ‘Thomas Gyrdeler, this name being an old one in the parish of Swallowfield, the present representatives of the family still carrying on business at the White House in the parish’ (Lady Russell, Swallowfield and Its Owners, 1901, p. 170, Google eBook ).
In email correspondence, January 2015, Brenda Goddard (she gave a talk in May 2014 to the Swallowfield society on her Girdler family from Swallowfield) very kindly provided notes on the Girdler family that were used to prepare the following history:
William Girdler and Sarah Hewett were married on 28 October 1813 at All Saints’ Church, Swallowfield. The witnesses who signed the marriage register were Edward Hewitt [Hewett] and Rebecca Girdler (Berkshire Marriages, Berkshire Family History Society).
William Girdler died in 1825, aged 39. A death notice was printed in Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 23 April 1825: ‘Mr William Girdler, plumber, &c. of Swallowfield’ (British Library Newspapers online). He was buried at All Saints, Swallowfield on 19 April 1825 (Berkshire Burials, Berkshire Family History Society).
On 6 September 1859 the London Gazette published a notice that the partnership of Sarah Girdler and Edwin Girdler, in business as ‘plumbers, painters and glaziers’ at Swallowfield, was dissolved and Edwin Girdler was now the head of the firm Girdler and Son. His sons John William and Frederick continued following his death.
The White House, still in Swallowfield, was later known as the ‘House of Seven Gables’.

The "House of Seven Gables" on the road to Swallowfield
Illustration from William James Roberts,
Mary Russell Mitford: The Tragedy of a Blue Stocking,
1913, p. 370 (Google eBook , and Internet Archive ).

No longer faced white, the house is now a Grade II listed building called ‘Girdlers’.

"Girdlers", Swallowfield, Wokingham
(British Listed Buildings ).
The heritage description states that the house dates from the
late 16th century (during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I).

1861 census – Gravel Pit, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire Reference: RG9/743 (folio 58, p. 15)

Isaac Lee Head Married 67 Ag Lab
[Agricultural Labourer] Burghfield, Berkshire

Mary Lee Wife Married 62 Shinfield, Berkshire

Thomas Whistler Lodger Unmarried 49 Plumber Aldermaston, Berkshire

1871 census – Common, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire Reference: RG10/1276 (folio 109, p. 16)

James Cripps Head Married 54 Labourer Hampshire

Martha Cripps Wife Married 40 Sulhamstead, Berkshire

Arthur Cripps Son 12 Berkshire

Charles Duffin Relative Unmarried 50 Sulhamstead, Berkshire

Thomas Whistler Lodger Unmarried 59 Plummer Aldermaston, Berkshire

Notes: Thomas Whistler, aged 61, was buried at the parish church of Stratfield Mortimer on 1 February 1873 (Berkshire Burial Index).

The Sweetzer Family

Martha Whistler and George Sweetzer of Stratfield Mortimer were married on
14 May 1835 at St Mary’s Church, Aldermaston.

Name Age Occupation Born in County?

1841 census – Drury Lane, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire
Reference: HO107/29/11 (folio 9, p. 13)

George Sweetzer 40 Farmer Y

Martha Sweetzer 32 Y

Ann Sweetzer 5 Y

George Sweetzer 4 Y

Mary Sweetzer 11 months Y

Name and relation to
Head of household Marital
Status Age Occupation Birth Place

1851 census – Drury Lane, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire
Reference: HO107/1691 (folio 289, pp. 22–3)

George Sweetzer Head Married 58 Farmer of 49 acres Mortimer, Berkshire

Martha Sweetzer Wife Married 42 Aldermaston, Berkshire

Ann Sweetzer Daughter 15 Mortimer, Berkshire

George Sweetzer Son 13 Scholar Mortimer, Berkshire

Mary Sweetzer Daughter 10 Scholar Mortimer, Berkshire

Elizabeth Sweetzer Daughter 8 Scholar Mortimer, Berkshire

Hannah Sweetzer Daughter 5 Scholar Mortimer, Berkshire

Daniel Sweetzer Son 3 Scholar Mortimer, Berkshire

Thomas Sweetzer Son 1 Mortimer, Berkshire

James Giles Servant 16 Farm Servant Theale, Berkshire

John Giles Servant 14 Farm Servant Theale, Berkshire

1861 census – West End Rd, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire
Reference: RG9/743 (folio 59, pp. 17–18)

George Sweetzer Head Married 63 General Shop Grocer Mortimer, Berkshire

Martha Sweetzer Wife Married 52 Aldermaston, Berkshire

Ann Sweetzer Daughter Unmarried 25 Assistant in shop Mortimer, Berkshire

George Sweetzer Son Unm 23 Assistant in farm Mortimer, Berkshire

Mary Sweetzer Daughter Unm 20 Mortimer, Berkshire

Elizabeth Sweetzer Daughter Unm 18 Mortimer, Berkshire

Hannah Sweetzer Daughter 15 Mortimer, Berkshire

Daniel Sweetzer Son 13 Mortimer, Berkshire

Thomas Sweetzer Son 11 Mortimer, Berkshire

James Merrick Servant 11 Porter boy Mortimer, Berkshire

George Sweetzer and Family

1871 census – 14 Letcombe St, St Giles, Reading, Berkshire Reference: RG10/1283 (folio 46, p. 41)

George Sweetzer Head Unmarried 32 None, Annuitant Mortimer, Berkshire

1881 census – 78 Bedford Place, Southampton, Hampshire Reference: RG11/1212 (folio 69, p. 25)

George Sweetzer Head Married 43 Income derived from
house property Mortimer, Berkshire

Julia Sweetzer Wife Married 33 Bath, Somerset

Elizabeth Sweetzer Daughter 3 Southampton

Georgina Bowles Visitor Unm 35 Milliner Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire

Daniel Sweetzer and Family

1871 census – Forehead, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire Reference: RG10/1276 (folio 105, p. 7)

Daniel Sweetzer Head Married 24 Wheelwright Mortimer, Berkshire

Ellen Sweetzer Wife Married 22 Wokefield, Berkshire

Elizabeth Anne
Sweetzer Daughter 7 months Mortimer, Berkshire

Note: On the census form the neighbouring house was Little Park Farm.

1881 census – Cottage The Forehead, Mortimer, Berkshire Reference: RG11/1298 (folio 77, p. 23)

Daniel Sweetzer Head Married 35 Builder Contractor Mortimer, Berkshire

Ellen Sweetzer Wife Married 31 Wokefield, Berkshire

Elizabeth Annie
Sweetzer Daughter 11 scholar Forehead, Mortimer,
Berkshire

Ellen Fanny Sweetzer Daughter 9 scholar Forehead, Mortimer

Daniel James Sweetzer Son 4 scholar Forehead, Mortimer

1891 census – Oakfield Cottage, Stratfield Mortimer, Berkshire Reference: RG12/990 (folio 76, p. 3)

Daniel Sweetzer Head Married 43 Carpenter Mortimer, Berkshire

Ellen Sweetzer Wife Married 39 Wokefield, Berkshire

Elizabeth A Sweetzer Daughter Single 20 Mortimer, Berkshire

Ellen F Sweetzer Daughter Single 19 Mortimer, Berkshire

Victor R O A Sweetzer Son 2 Mortimer, Berkshire

1901 census – The Street, Mortimer, Berkshire Reference: RG13/1142 (folio 5, p. 2)

Daniel Sweetzer Head Married 53 Grocer & Shopkeeper Mortimer, Berkshire

Ellen Sweetzer Wife Married 49 Wokefield, Berkshire

Victor Sweetzer Son 12 Mortimer, Berkshire

Thomas Sweetzer and Family

1871 census – Swindon, Wiltshire Reference: RG10/1881 (folio 107, p. 25)

Thomas Sweetzer Head Married 21 Carpenter & Joiner Mortimer, Berkshire

Fanny M Sweetzer Wife Married 19 America

Note: Thomas Sweetzer and Fanny Mortley Widgery were married in the Reading district in 1870 (website FreeBMD).

1881 census – No 13 Pensbury Street, Clapham, London Reference: RG11/632 (folio 125, p. 31)

Thomas J Sweetzer Head Married 32 Carpenter Reading, Berkshire

Fanny M Sweetzer Wife Married 28 United States (British Subject)

George H H Sweetzer Son 9 scholar Swindon, Wiltshire

Ada A C Sweetzer Daughter 8 scholar Newport, Monmouthshire
[South Wales]

Walter T A Sweetzer Son 7 scholar Reading, Berkshire

Thomas N C Sweetzer Son 3 Clapham [South London]

Alice M M Sweetzer Daughter 11 months Clapham [South London]

1891 census – 78 Grant Road, Battersea, London Reference: RG12/434 (folio 97, p. 21)

Fanny Sweetzer Wife Married 37 America

George Sweetzer Son Single 20 Wiltshire

Maud Sweetzer Daughter 11 Wandsworth

Note: On census day 1891, Fanny’s husband Thomas Sweetzer, aged 42, was a patient at the Bethnal House Lunatic Asylum, Bethnal Green. His occupation was reported as Cabinet Maker (census reference: RG12/272, folio 113, p. 6).

1901 census – 14 Winstanley Rd, Battersea, London Reference: RG13/453 (folio 104, p. 31)

William Peachey Head Married 47 Bricklayer Bishops Stortford,
Hertfordshire

Fanny Peachey Wife Married 47 Battersea

Henry Peachey Son 13 Battersea

Elizabeth Peachey Daughter 12 Battersea

Arthur Peachey Son 7 Battersea

George Sweetzer Boarder Single 31 Bricklayer Battersea

Maud Sweetzer Boarder Single 21 Battersea

Daniel Sweetzer Boarder Single 17 Battersea

Elizabeth Glover Visitor Single 28 Tring, Hertfordshire

Notes: Possibly Fanny was the second wife of William Peachey and the mother of the Sweetzer children.
The birth places given on the census form may be incorrect.
Henry, the son of William Peachey, a bricklayer, and his wife Kerenhappuch Peachey, was baptised April 1889 at St Saviour, Battersea. In the baptismal register, the family address was 92 Henley Street (London Parish Records, Ancestry website).

The Lovegrove Family

Mary Whistler and William James Lovegrove of St Giles Reading were married on
16 October 1834 at St Mary’s Church, Aldermaston.

Name Age Occupation Born in County?

1841 census – Oxford Road, St Mary, Reading, Berkshire Reference: HO107/36/10 (folio 12, p. 19)

William Lovegrove 30 Gardener Y

Mary Lovegrove 25 Y

William Lovegrove 6 Y

Alfred Lovegrove 3 Y

Name and relation to
Head of household Marital
Status Age Occupation Birth Place

1851 census – Bakers Green, Reading Road, Wokingham, Berkshire
Reference: HO107/1693 (folio 149, p. 1)

William Lovegrove Head Married 47 Farmer of 60 acres of land
3 labourers Reading, Berkshire

Mary Lovegrove Wife Married 37 Farmers wife Aldermaston, Berkshire

William Lovegrove Son Unm 15 Farmers son Reading, Berkshire

Alfred Lovegrove Son Unm 12 Farmers son Reading, Berkshire

John Lovegrove Son Unm 8 Farmers son Reading, Berkshire

Edward Lovegrove Son Unm 7 Farmers son Reading, Berkshire

Ellen Lovegrove Daughter Unm 5 Farmers daughter Reading, Berkshire

Laurah Lovegrove Daughter Unm 2 Farmers daughter Reading, Berkshire

Mary Lovegrove Daughter Unm 1 Farmers daughter Reading, Berkshire

Jane West Servant Unm 15 House Servant Tadley, Hampshire

John Cullam Servant Unm 20 Farmers Labourer Sonning, Berkshire

James Fry Servant Unm 15 Farmers Labourer Hurst, Berkshire

1861 census – Tadley, Hampshire Reference: RG9/718 (folio 151, p. 23)

William James
Lovegrove Head Married 58 Farmer 135 Acres Reading, Berkshire

Mary Lovegrove Wife Married 47 Aldermaston, Berkshire

Alfred Lovegrove Son Unm 21 Ag Lab Reading, Berkshire

Edward Lovegrove Son Unm 17 Ag Lab Reading, Berkshire

Ellen Lovegrove Daughter Unm 15 Reading, Berkshire

Louisa Lovegrove Daughter Unm 14 Scholar Wokingham, Berkshire

Mary Lovegrove Daughter 12 Scholar Wokingham, Berkshire

Alfred Knight Servant 14 Carter Boy, Ag Lab Speen, Berkshire

1871 census – Lawn Farm, Tadley, Hampshire Reference: RG10/1246 (folio 162, p. 40)

William J Lovegrove Head Widower 68 Farmer of 133 acres land
employing 2 men, 2 boys Reading, Berkshire

Laura Lovegrove Daughter Unm 23 Wokingham, Berkshire

Arthur Walters Grandson 2 Wallingford, Berkshire

Thomas Bribut Servant Unm 16 Farm servant Richmond

1881 census – Tadley, Hampshire Reference: RG11/1266 (folio 143, p. 12)

W J Lovegrove Head Widower 80 Gardener Reading, Berkshire

The Goddard Family

Ann Whistler and Richard Goddard were married on 25 November 1823 at
St Mary’s Church, Aldermaston.

Name Age Occupation Born in County?

1841 census – Tuckers Hill, Kingsclere, Hampshire Reference: HO107/392/12 (folio 19, p. 2)

Richard Goddard 45 Land measurer N

Ann Goddard 35 N

Ann Goddard 15 N

William Goddard 12 N

John Goddard 8 Y

Francis Goddard 6 Y

Carolin Goddard 4 Y

Thomas Goddard 2 Y

Alfred Goddard 6 months Y

Notes: Richard Goddard’s wife Ann died after childbirth in 1846. Richard married his second wife Ann Patience Dicks in 1848 (family history is at the webpage: Goddard family ).

Name and relation to
Head of household Marital
Status Age Occupation Birth Place

1851 census – Old Cattle Market, Newbury, Berkshire Reference: HO107/1685 (folio 318, p. 9)

Richard Goddard Head Married 54 Inn Keeper Brimpton, Berkshire

Ann Goddard Wife Married 36 Warminster, Wiltshire

Thomas Goddard Son 12 Scholar Kingsclere, Hampshire

Henry Goddard Son 9 Scholar Newbury, Berkshire

Edwin Goddard Son 2 Newbury, Berkshire

Lucy Cummins Servant Unm 16 House servant Crux Easton, Hampshire

Robert Cane Ostler Widower 59 Ostler Kingsclere, Hampshire

1861 census – New Inn Cattle Market, Cheap Street, Newbury, Berkshire
Reference: RG9/720 (folio 119, p. 17)

Richard Goddard Head Married 62 Inn Keeper Brimpton, Berkshire

Patience Goddard Wife Married 48 Inn Keeper's Wife Warminster, Wiltshire

Edwin Goddard Son 12 Scholar Newbury, Berkshire

Mary Sturges Servant Unm 17 House servant Kintbury, Berkshire

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