Harriett Mays was the third child of Thomas Mays & Mary Ann Hart born August 7th, 1871 at Croydon, Surrey & christened April 7th, 1872 at Christ Church, Croydon.
In 1881 Harriett had 4 sisters & 1 brother & the family were living at Stanely Rd. Croydon.
Harriett was working as a housemaid in 1891 for the widow Frances H Campbell-Johnston & her son, Malcolm. Frances was the widow of Alexander Robert Campbell-Johnston FRS, a British Colonial Official. They were living in Belgrave, St George Hanover Square, London & visiting at the time of the census was Harriett’s sister Emily, a dressmaker’s apprentice.
Harriett married Edward Henry Wheeler on August 8th, 1894 at Christ Church,Croydon. Witnesses at the wedding were Thomas Mays, John Jones & Harriett’s sister, Ada Emma Mays. Edward was born Oct-December 1868 at Seal, Kent, the son of Harriett & Henry Wheeler, a railway labourer.
In 1901 Harriett & Edward were living at 16 Ashmole Place, Lambeth, London where Edward was a timber merchant’s foreman. They had 2 sons by this time – Edward M (5) & Herbert (3). They also a daughter, May L (4), who at the time census was living with her widowed grandmother, Mary Ann Mays, at Stanley Rd, Croydon.
By 1911 Harriett & Edward had moved to 32 Vassall Rd, Brixton, Lambeth & Edward was still a timber merchant’s foreman. All 3 children were still at home & the oldest, Edward was now working as a clerk for a tobacco manufacturer & the other 2 were at school. It was noted on the census that Harriett had had 4 children, only 3 of whom were still living.
Son Edward joined the 21st Battalion Company of London Kings Regiment in February 1913. His attestation showed that he was 5ft 9 and a half inches tall. Edward reached the rank of sergeant in 1915 & served in France in 1915-16. He received a shrapnel would in the leg which rendered him ‘no longer physically fit for war service’ & he was discharged in September 1916. He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal & the Victory Medal. Edward was to marry Jane Pearce on August 18th, 1923 at Brixton & he became a furrier.
Son Herbert was sadly killed in action on October 4th, 1917 in France. He was serving with Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry.
Daughter May Louisa married Henry Laurence John Millard, a motor mechanic, on December 27th, 1921 at St Mark’s, Kennington, Lambeth.
Edward died at 74a Upper Tulse Hill, Brixton on June 28th, 1936. Probate was granted to widowed Harriett & his effects were £572.12s.9d.
The 1939 register shows widowed Harriett living with her sister Louisa & brother Thomas John Mays & his daughter, Phyllis, at 30 The Crescent, Sutton & Cheam, Surrey. Also living there was 9 year old Edward H Wheeler, & Harriett’s daughter May Louisa Millard & her daughter Mary Millard.
Harriett died aged 97 in June 1969, her death being registered in Wandsworth, London.
The children of Harriett Mays & Edward Henry Wheeler were:
m.1.6.3.1 Edward Mays Wheeler born June 23rd, 1895 at 86 Fitzalan St, Lambeth, & christened September 15th, 1895 at St Philip, Lambeth, London; died December 27th, 1956 at 34 Abbotswood Rd, Streatham, London
m.1.6.3.2 May Louisa Wheeler born February 9th,1897 at Fitzalan St, Lambeth, London & christened March 7th, 1897 at St Philip, Lambeth, London; died Oct-December 1986 at Sutton, Surrey
m.1.6.3.3 Herbert Wheeler born at Lambeth in 1898 & christened May 8th, 1898 at Kennington, Surrey; died October 4th, 1917 in France
m.1.6.3.4 Alfred Wheeler born Jan-March 1901in Lambeth; died Jan-March 1901 at Lambeth