William Edward WILLIS

1896 - 1962  (65 years)

• Name	William Edward WILLIS  [1]
  Nickname	Bill
  Born	29 Jun 1896	46 Ellen Street, Hove, Sussex, England   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  1939 Register	29 Sep 1939	13 Noah's Ark Road, Dover, Kent, England   [3]
  	Occupation: General Labourer, H Works (Sole occupant of this address)
  	Age: 43
  Died	15 Apr 1962	Etchingham Hospital, Sussex   [4]
  Person ID	I342	WILLIS01
  Last Modified	16 Feb 2016

  
  

  Mother	Blanche BUTTON,   b. 1866, Tenterden, Kent, England ,   d. 1938, Bridge, Kent, England
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F2325	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Father	Alfred Thomas WILLIS,   b. May 1864, Dover, Kent, England ,   d. 4 Dec 1934, 13 Noah's Ark Road, Dover, Kent, England  (Age ~ 70 years)
  Relationship	Adopted
  Mother	Elizabeth Ada GREENLAND,   b. 15 Sep 1869, 22 Tower Hill, Dover, Kent, England ,   d. 1 Sep 1964, 13 Noah's Ark Road, Dover, Kent, England  (Age 94 years)
  Relationship	Adopted
  Married	20 Nov 1895
  BMD Records		MARRIAGE: WILLIS, Alfred & GREENLAND, Elizabeth - 1895 Marriage Certificate of Alfred Willis and Elizabeth Greenland, 30 Nov 1895. They were married in the Wesleyan Chapel, Buckland, Dover. Witnesses were George Robert Willis (groom's brother) and Ann Greenland (bride's sister).
  Family ID	F38	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		A Willis / Greenland day out, pre 1935 The people in this photo are: Two men stood at the back - George Willis, Charlie Willis; Standing, left to right: Elizabeth Willis [Greenland], Jane Milton [Greenland], William 'Bill' Willis; Seated: Minnie Willis [Blanks], Alfred Willis; Front: both unknown!
  		Wedding of Charles Willis & Minnie Blanks - Chelmsford, Essex 1928
  		Wedding of George Willis & Dorothy Nicholls George & Dorothy were married on 30 June 1942 at Snargate Street Methodist Church, Dover, Kent.

  
  

  1939 Register

  The 1939 Register - WILLIS, Bill Living at 13 Noahs Ark Road, Dover, Kent, England

  
  

  Census Records		1901 - WILLIS, Alfred & Elizabeth [GREENLAND]
  		1911 - WILLIS, Alfred & Elizabeth [GREENLAND] 1911 Census return for Alfred & Elizabeth Willis at Julian Cottages, New Hythe Lane, Larkfield, Aylesford, Kent, England

  
  

  BMD Records

  BIRTH - BUTTON, william - 1896

  
  

  Portraits

  WILLIS [BUTTON], Bill

  
  

• Notes

  Name: Original Surname: BUTTON Born: Although William Button was adopted, his birth was registered by his biological mother, Blanche Button. She was a Domestic Servant who gave her residence as 'Lower Green, Woodchurch, Kent'. Significantly, the areas on the Birth Certificate for the Name and Occupation of the father are left blank. William was adopted by Alfred and Elizabeth sometime between his birth in Brighton in June 1896 and the Census of March 1901 when he appears in their household as 'A. Son' - the 'A' indicating adopted. NOTE: Although adoption and fostering have taken place informally for centuries, it was only in 1927 that adoption became legally recognised in Britain. Before then, adoption was occasionally undertaken formally using a solicitor, but was more commonly a completely informal affair, whereby a child was taken in by a family, who may or may not have been a relative, and given a surname. Many arrangements were handled by Dr Barnardo's (founded in 1865).

  
  

• Sources

  [S04] **1901 England Census, Class: RG13; Piece: 841; Folio: 145; Page: 34. Name: William E BrottonBirth Date: abt 1897Birth Place: Beighton, Sussex, EnglandResidence Date: 1901Residence Place: Dover, Kent, England http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1901&h=21601142&ti=5538&indiv=try [S16] CERTIFICATE: Birth [GRO] (Reliability: 3). [S303] 1939 Register, Ref: RG101/1712D/010/8 Letter Code:. [S71] >WILLIS, Alfred.