Windy Hall, Isleham

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History of Windy Hall

Windy Hall OS 1886

Windy Hall OS 1901

Handbook of the Wells People of Isleham (pub. date unknown) was written by the great great grandsons of Joseph Wells, founder of Windy Hall.

Another valuable source is The History of Isleham Fen in the 1930s by Polly Hill.

1816 The Wells family, mostly labourers had established a group of cottages at Windy Hall. They were led by Joseph Wells (1773-1858) with his wife, Sarah, and their two sons.

1817 Thomas Wells born.

PollyHill suggests that by 1841 all the men supported themselves by means of farm labouring which would have included turf cutting. She notes that in 1841 there were five Wells families at Windy Hall. She suggests that infant mortality would have been high as by 1851 Joseph Wells had only 10 grandchildren. By 1861 there were four occupied houses and 12-14 grandchildren.

1841 Windy Hall

Edward Wells, 25, labourer,

Hannah, 20,

William, 8,

John, 6,

Mary, 4,

Enos, 1,

Joseph Wells, 65, labourer

Sarah, 55,

James, 15

William Smith, 30, labourer

Hannah, 20

Richard Wells, 25, labourer

Jane, 20,

George, 4,

John, 3,

Anne, 2 mos,

1851 West Fen Drove

Richard Wells, 37, turf cutter, Isleham

Mary, 27, Suffolk

Ann, 10, Isleham

William Smith, 39, ag lab, b Mildenhall

Hannah, 31, b Isleham

David, 9, b Isleham

Joseph Wells, 78, turf cutter, b Isleham

Sarah, 68, b Dullingham

James, 26, turf cutter, b Isleham

Benjamin Wells, visitor, 9, b Isleham

Thomas Wells, 34, ag.lab, b Isleham

Elizabeth, 28, b Suffolk

Joseph, 10, b Isleham

John, 9, b Isleham

Mary, 7, b Isleham

Sarah, 5, b Isleham

Hannah, 10 mos, b Isleham

1861 Windy Hall

Sarah Wells, 77, widow, b Dullingham

James Wells, 36, ag lab, b Isleham

Richard Wells, 46, ag lab, b Isleham

Martha, 36, b Isleham

Ann Brown, 20, b Isleham

Eliza Brown, grandchild, 16, b Isleham

Thomas Wells, 43, ag lab., b Isleham

Elizabeth Wells, 38, b Suffolk

James Wells, 20, b Isleham

John Wells, 10, b Isleham

Mary Wells, 17, b Isleham

1871

Thomas Wells, 54, b Isleham

Elizabeth, b Suffolk

Joseph, 30,

Jonah, 18,

Elijah, 16,

Tommy, 9,

1881 Windy Hall

Thomas Wells, 64, farmer of 23 acres, b Isleham

Elizabeth, 58, b Suffolk

Joseph, 40, b Isleham

Tommy, 19, b Isleham

Edward Wells, 69, labourer, b Isleham

Susan, 63, b Isleham

Hannah Lamb, daughter, 23, b Isleham

Flora Flat, grand daughter, 4, b Notts

James Wells, brother, 57, labourer, b Isleham

1891

Thomas Wells, 74, farmer, b Isleham

Elizabeth, 68, b Suffolk

Joseph, 50, labourer, b Isleham

Tommy, 29, labourer, b Isleham

James Wells, 67, agricultural labourer, b Isleham

Enos Wells, 50, agricultural labourer, b Isleham

Eliza, 44,b Marston

1901

Windy Hall Willow Cottage

Tommy Wells, 39, farmer, Isleham

Martha, 34, b Isleham

Arthur, 6, b Isleham

Ada, 2, b Isleham

Windy Hall

Thomas Powers, 29, ag.lab., b Little Downham

Rosetta, 24, b Isleham

Hannah Brown, sister in law, 7, b Isleham

Windy Hall

Joseph Wells, 60, ag.lab., b Isleham

Enos , 61, ag.lab, b Isleham

Eliza, 50, b Harston

The handbook gives the following information:

Joseph Wells b Isleham 1773 married in 1809 Sarah Harrison b Dullingham 1783. Joeph d 1858, Sarah d 1867.

They were parents of Thomas b 1817 who married Elizabeth Large. Thomas died 1899.

Thomas and Elizabeth had nine children: Joseph b 1840, John b 1841, Mary b 1845, Sarah b 1846, Hannah b 1848, Hannah b 1850, Jonas b 1852, Elijah b 1854, and Tommy b 1866.

Tommy married Martha Brooks and stayed at Windy Hall. They had three children, Arthur, Ada and Ida.

Only Ida had issue. She married J Crisp and had five children: Percy, Rosemary, Edwin, Evelyn, and Nancy.

Polly Hill notes that one house remained at Windy Hill until 1945. Martha Wells owned 12.5 acres there in 1937. By the late 20th century the number of Thomas Well’s descendants had reached around 400 , but these had all left Windy Hall.

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