Handbook of the Wells People of Isleham (pub. date unknown) was written by the great great grandsons of Joseph Wells, founder of Windy Hall.
1816 The Wells family, mostly labourers had established a group of cottages at Windy Hall
c.1841: The population in the Fens of Isleham was about 400 and increasing. Wells family members likely to live at Windy Hall.
1851 Isleham Fen population circa 567, many in cottages along the River Lark.
1860s: Decline in fen dwellers continues
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 family now living in Newmarket
Thomas Wells, b 1817 Isleham
Elizabeth
Joseph
Tommy
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.
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