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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