Feltham Family Distribution in USA (1920)

The above USA map, from ancestry.com, shows the distribution of Feltham families based upon the 1920 US Federal Census records. The ancestry.com Feltham page is here. The most common Feltham states in 1920 were Massachusetts and Illinois. I do not know whether I have any US relatives.

My Grandson William John Elwick Feltham (1887-1952) The Soldier

William John Elwick Feltham (London, 1919)
[Colonial Studio (F. Segers) December 1918 - April 1919]
[United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London]

William (1887-1952) was my first grandson, born of my oldest son John William Feltham (1856-1938). He enlisted at the age of 29 years (23rd August 1916) with the 12th Battalion from Newtown, Tasmania and embarked overseas to the First World War (1914-1918) aboard the HMS Suffolk (20th September 1916). Private William Feltham was wounded in France, on the left side and left leg, and captured on the 13th April 1917. He was held as a prisoner of war in Germany, before being repatriated to England on the 23rd of December 1918. Whilst in London he was photographed (see picture above). William returned back to Australia on the 10th of May 1919, learning that I had already died (11th of October 1918). Some of the family believed that I had died as a result of the worry about William's fate.

The Mercury (Hobart, Tas) Newspaper on 17th of July 1917 reported that William John Elwick Feltham, of Newtown, previously reported missing, has been confirmed as a PRISONER OF WAR [link].

William was the first of my many descendents to return to mother England though he never managed to visit my family or birthplace in Dorset.

Feltham Surname - International Comparisons and Geographical Spread

The Feltham family surname originates from England but has disseminated around the World. The following data from the National Trust Names Website [here] demonstrates, in particular, that the Feltham name is thriving in both Australia and Canada.



The incidence of the Feltham surname is twice as high in Tasmania as the Australian average. I will take some credit for this, with the help of my descendents (as one of the original Felthams to come to Tasmania). It is interesting to see that Salisbury is the most populous area for Felthams.

Marriage Of My Parents Reuben Feltham & Sarah Wheeler (1831)

Canford Magna Parish Church:
[Photographer: Ian Britton] Link

My parents were married in the above parish church, Canford Magna on the 23rd of May 1831.
Reuben FELTHAM, Shapwick, to Sarah WHEELER, Longfleet, by Banns.
Witnesses: William & Mary Wheeler and Stephen Mundy Masterman

The banns of marriage (mentioned above), commonly known as "the Banns", (from an Old English word meaning "to summon") are the public announcement in a parish church that a marriage is going to take place between two specified persons. The purpose of banns was to enable anyone to raise any legal objections so as to prevent marriages that are legally invalid, either under canon law or under civil law. Appropriate objections could include a vow of celibacy, lack of consent, a pre-existing marriage (having been neither dissolved nor annulled), or the couple's being related within the prohibited degrees of kinship. [see Wikipedia]

Banns in Dorset:
"These were the published intention of marriage and had to be announced on three Sundays before the intended wedding. They were issued in each of the parishes in which the couple resided. Their purpose was so that any potential objectors to the marriage had three weeks in which to comment." [Link]

Canford Magna:
Canford Magna is a Dorset village located south of the River Stour, between the towns of Wimborne Minster and Poole.

The choice of Canford magna parish church for the wedding would seem sensible in view of Sarah Wheeler coming from Longfleet (near Poole) and Reuben Feltham coming from Shapwick. Mary Wheeler (Sarah's sister) and Stephen Mundy Masterman would marry later the same year (1931).


River Stour near Canford Magna:
[Photographer: Ian Britton] Link

Googlemark - Reuben Feltham & Sarah Wheeler

The Blog Of Joseph Wheeler Feltham dec.

I am Joseph Wheeler Feltham dec., born Joseph Feltham 1831, originally from England, near Wimborne. I was tried and convicted of burglary at Dorchester on the 13th March 1850 and spent time in prison before being sent to Tasmania as a convict. I was shipped to Tasmania on the convict ship the Equestrian, leaving Plymouth on the 1st of September 1852 and arriving in Hobart on the 16th of December 1852. I was never to return to mother England.

This blog is about my life, ancestors, descendents and perceptions.