James R Winder - The Trenton Years

While James probably took some time to establish himself and his family in Trenton, as in Worcester, life in his new country was more than the treadmill of day-to-day existence.  In place of the Ancient Order of Foresters, James became involved, first in fraternal chivalric orders and then in Freemasonry.  By 1896, he was an officer of Couer de Lion Encampment No. 16 of the Knights of Malta and St. John.  No more than two years later, he was both Commander of the organization and chair of a committee planning a regional/national meeting scheduled for Trenton in the fall of 1899.  This involvement continued for the balance of James' life including (along with son, James W) helping to re-incorporate the Encampment as a Chapter of the Knights Templar in 1906.

Trenton Evening Times - June 30, 1906

Involvement in one organization was apparently not sufficient as early in 1904, James was installed as "shepherd" and "trustee" of the Independent Order of Shepherds, Alpha Lodge No 1.  No explanation of the additional commitment survives, but since this organization was co-ed, it may have been a place for father-daughter activity, much like the masons provided father and son opportunities.  Whatever the reason, only six months later, James was elevated to vice-chairman of what the Trenton Evening News called "one of the best lodges in the city."  James did other things with his daughters such as attending an Order of the Eastern Star meeting where he "gave a fitting and appreciated oration" which was followed by some "beautiful soul searching music" by daughter Elsie.

Elsie Winder

According to some research done by Greg LaConte (James' great-great-great grandson and himself a mason), James was also a member of Trenton Masonic Lodge (today's Trenton Cyrus Lodge #5) being initiated in April of 1904, passed in June and raised on July 18th of that same year.  According to Greg's research the masons and fraternal orders have similar core beliefs, but very different ritual and dogma.  Masons use working tools of an operative mason to teach moral values while chivalric orders work towards the same goals through the teachings of the historic orders their names reference.

Trenton Evening Times  - October 19, 1902

Music also continued to play an important part in James' life as he was reported as singing at his and Mary's silver anniversary celebration and at a Shepherd's meeting.  James had also not forgotten the benefits he received as a young man from the Worcester School of Art.  Only about 15 months before his death, a list of 63 of the "most prominent gentlemen in the city" attending  a dinner supporting the Trenton School of the Arts included James R. Winder.  Although the Winder family wasn't getting rich from the Delaware Pottery Company, they had at least enough money to make some small real estate investments in late 1906 and early 1907.  Of these the largest was a project to build a nine unit housing project on Swenson Avenue near Hermitage Avenue in Trenton.  James' partners in this project were another English immigrant family, general contractor James Proctor and his son, Samuel.

The "cakewalk" - a minstrel dance reportedly performed at James and Mary's 25th wedding anniversary

The aforementioned real estate project was not the first nor the most important Winder-Proctor partnership.  In the early years of the 20th century, James William Winder and Mary Elizabeth Proctor fell in love and were married on October 14, 1903.  This is perhaps, symbolic of the coming of age of all four Winder children during the family's first twenty years in Trenton.  By 1910 even Florence, the baby of the family, was married and out on her own.  James W and Elsie had long working careers outside the home, Elsie as a music teacher and James ultimately as a carpenter at C. V. Hills, a Trenton refrigerator manufacturer.  Edith and Florence both married and had three and six children respectively between them.  By 1910 James had six grandchildren with seven to come that he would never know.

As 1910 dawned did James have any sense his life was drawing to a close.  Certainly everyone in the family was reminded of their mortality when James' mother died in February after 10 years in Trenton.  Obviously there is no way to know the answer, but the fact that James had been treated for heart disease suggests he had to have known all was not well.  Equally clearly, however, James and his family began that fateful day as if it were an ordinary Saturday.

James and Mary Winder's grave - Riverview Cemetery in Trenton

What, if anything, did he think about in those last minutes and hours?  We can only hope he had a sense of satisfaction about how well he had used what must have seemed like a short 53 plus years.  Rising from very humble beginnings, James became a skilled craftsman and served his community while starting and providing for a family in England.  Having done all that once, he and his wife had the courage and faith to move more than 3000 miles and start over, making a better life, not only for their children, but for all of us who are fortunate enough to be their descendants.  Many of his gifts and interests, like music and fraternal orders continue among us today over a century after his death.  James R. Winder may not have had the longest life, but no one can question that he used his time wisely and well.

James R. Winder - The New World

                                            Old Barge Office - Lower Manhattan

As noted in prior posts, there is no documentation of when and where James R arrived in the United States.  Since Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892 and James does not appear on any of the records for that facility, it seems safe to believe he arrived in late 1891.  While it is possible he took a ship to Philadelphia which was closer to his ultimate destination, it still seems more likely he first arrived in New York City since there were more regular voyages to that city.  If so, then he was one of the last groups of immigrants to be processed through the Old Barge Office which was the New York City immigrant reception center after Castle Garden and before Ellis Island.  After completing the immigration process and, relatively unhampered by a language barrier,  James most likely took the ferry from Manhattan to Hoboken or Jersey City before boarding a train for Trenton.  Obviously his first need was a place to stay and his first documented residence was at 41 Southard Street where he most likely stayed until the rest of the family arrived the following spring.

                                                  Trenton Directory - 1892

In moving from Worcester to Trenton, James was coming to a larger and faster growing city.  Trenton's population in 1890 was over 57,000 compared to almost 43,000 in Worcester a year later.  While Worcester had grown by almost 10,000 in people during James' 30 years in the city, this paled in comparison with Trenton where the population had grown by three times as many over the same period, making it the 50th largest city in the United States.  This rapid growth was due in no small part to the same reason that accounted for James' presence in Trenton.  Aided by favorable access to both raw materials and the New York and Philadelphia markets plus the previously mentioned tariff protection, in 1890,Trenton had 37 pottery firms employing over 4200 workers compared to only 14 firms with less than 1000 workers only 20 years earlier.  As an experienced and skilled pottery worker, James would clearly have no problem finding work.

Trenton Evening Times - December 24, 1891

Trenton's industrial growth and expanding population led to a strong local economy.  As James established himself, he could draw on the services of 82 barbers, 57 boot and shoe makers, 67 butchers, over 100 cigar stores, not to mention 20 dentists (not counting two horse dentists) and 17 Chinese laundries.  New things were going on as well with the December 26, 1891 dedication of the Battle of Trenton monument on the 115th anniversary of the battle and the impending opening of new chambers for the State Assembly.  Trenton in 1891, however, was not utopia.  A fire right before Christmas destroyed the Crescent Pottery works costing employees wages needed for the Christmas holidays and the colder winter months.  More importantly for James, he arrived in the city in the midst of an epidemic of grippe or influenza.  Accounts in the December 31 edition of the Trenton Evening Times claimed record levels of illness and death from the disease reportedly worsened by mild weather.

 Portion of 1890's Map of Trenton Showing the Delaware Pottery and Rutherford Avenue

No information has been found about James' first pottery employment, but since at his death, he was described as a long time employee of the Delaware Pottery Company, it's not unreasonable to think that was his sole place of employment.  The premise is supported by the fact that when Mary and the children arrived in early 1892, they moved to Rutherford Avenue a short walk from the pottery company.  Technically the Delaware Pottery Company was part of the merged Trenton Pottery Company or TEPCO, but this was a horizontal merger which left the five original companies operating on what appears to be a stand-alone basis.  The company was a manufacturer of sanitary ware (sinks, toilets, bathtubs etc.) which was a thriving part of the American and, therefore, Trenton pottery industry.  While making toilets for a living sounds humorous to us today, increased demand for sanitation and the convenience of indoor plumbing made the business profitable and somewhat protected from the economic downturn of the 1890's.

                                          
                                                  Solid Porcelain Bathtub

In addition "skilled handwork" was more important in sanitary ware than general ware so there was no lack of professional pride in the trade.  Perhaps starting as a mouldmaker and then moving to modeling, James professional work required the skill and strength to make the multiple parts of a piece of sanitary ware.  The year before James arrived in Trenton, over 3800 English immigrants made up 40% of Trenton's pottery workforce and they were reportedly "crucial to Trenton's sanitary potteries."  Only two years after James' moved to the United States, U. S. sanitary ware was considered to be better than European brands and "dominated the American market."  It's no surprise then that as the 19th century moved to a close, Trenton made 86% of the country's sanitary ware and that TEPCO (including Delaware Pottery) made 40% of Trenton's production

         Portion of the 1900 Census showing the Winder family including James' mother

While overall, James and family were in a good economic situation, there were still bumps in the road.  Demand for sanitary ware fluctuated with the housing market and both economic downturns and labor strife were also problems.  In spite of these challenges, the move had to have been a positive financial change as Mary no longer worked outside the home and they were able to take in James' mother when she came to the United States in 1899.  At that point, the family was renting 300 Rutherford Avenue before buying their own home at 331 on the same street.  In that same year only 1/3 of Trenton's pottery workers owned their own homes.  Not only did James and Mary own their own residence, but it was debt free.  In 1914, four years after James' death, sanitary workers made an average of $714 per year, some 26% more than the average New Jersey worker and James clearly put his income to good use.

Leaving Home

At some point, perhaps in 1890 or 1891, James and Mary decided not only to leave Worcester, but England itself and emigrate to the United States.  While no family story or tradition survives, it is possible the death of James' father, William Winder in February of 1891, may have something to do with the timing.  In any event in December of 1891, James left Royal Worcester Porcelain after almost 25 years of service.  Although no documentation has yet been found, it appears James then made a winter ocean voyage to the United States with a final destination of Trenton, New Jersey, a hot bed of pottery production.  Apparently the plan was that James would establish himself first and Mary and the children would join him, which they did in May of 1892, one of the first group of immigrants to pass through Ellis Island.  Someone once said that the immigrant generation are the heroes of every family's history.  James and Mary's experience bears that out, neither of them could have had an easy time, not James embarking on an ocean voyage in the winter to find a new job in a new land or Mary taking care of four children, ages 2-13, and then bringing them on the same trip.

                                        Worcester Chronicle - April 25, 1891

Why did they do it?  Everything suggests they were doing well in Worcester and there certainly wasn't any downturn at RWP.  According to an April 25, 1891 account in the Worcester Chronicle, management claimed the prior three years were the most profitable in the company's 140 year history.  In only 10 years employment at the works had grown from 570 to 800, a 40% increase!  At the same time, however, the pottery business in Trenton was booming and, more importantly, U. S. pottery workers were making more than twice what Staffordshire workers earned and there had to be a similar differential for the Worcestershire potteries.  An analysis of the cost of operating a six oven kiln in England and the United States shows American labor costs of over $61,000 compared to only $27,000 in England.

                                     White Star Line Ad for Voyages to the U.S.

The cost differential was a problem for English pottery owners, but a tremendous opportunity for workers like James.  American pottery companies were thriving despite the cost differentials because of high protective tariffs, import taxes equal to 45-60% of the value of the imports.  According to the Chronicle "many Worcester people" had already made the move to Trenton, some of whom may have been known to the Winders, but even if their knowledge was limited to newspaper accounts, they were well aware of the possibility of earning more money.  In addition to higher wages, there was also the possibility of reaching a better job within the trade.  Listed as a mould maker on British census returns, James would be listed as the more prestigious modeler on U.S. census documents and Trenton directories.  All the evidence indicates the Winders were not poor people for whom immigration may have been a survival issue.  James R. had already achieved much out of very humble beginnings which probably gave him the confidence to achieve even more.

                                               White Star Steerage Ticket

The first step in realizing their dreams was the big, if not huge, step of taking an ocean voyage of over 3000 miles for people who probably hadn't been 100 miles away from home in their married lives.  Even if, as suspected, James had been in Ireland with his parents, 30 years earlier, that was a day trip compared to this one.  As noted earlier, the Winders appear to have made the trip in two parts, first James and then Mary with the children.  The latter voyage is well documented, the family sailed from Liverpool on the White Star line, the Majestic, and arrived in New York harbor on May 18, 1892.  From there they proceeded to Ellis Island, but James trip to America is, however, a different story.

                                                       HMS Majestic

One of the mysteries of Winder family history is when and how James traveled to the United States.  He clearly was not with Mary and the children and his December 1891 resignation from Royal Worcester argues for a departure shortly after that date.  Mary worked at RWP until just before her voyage and it is unlikely the Winders could have afforded a long period of unemployment prior to the journey.  No passenger list search to date has identified the ship, James sailed on.  He could conceivably sailed to either New York or Philadelphia and it's not unreasonable to assume James also sailed on a White Star vessel, possibly the Majestic itself which made regular runs between Liverpool and New York City.

Steerage Menu on a White Star Ship 

Whatever the facts of the situation, all of the Winders most likely traveled in steerage class which cost about $20 or about $510 in modern money.  While the accommodations were far from plush, fortunately for the Winders their voyage was later than the far longer, unpleasant and dangerous trips of earlier in the century.  The Majestic, for example, was a relatively new ship (launched on June 29, 1889) and had made the transatlantic crossing in less than six days earlier in 1891, setting a record in the process.  So no matter how cramped the quarters, they only had to be endured for a week, a far cry form the 100 day crossings in sailing ships only 40-50 years earlier.  The below deck scenes in the movie Titanic probably give a fairly accurate picture of the experience.  Ironically the Majestic was brought out of retirement in 1912 to make up some of the capacity lost in the Titanic disaster.  In any event neither the price nor the experience could have been too bad since Mary and daughters, Elsie and Florence made a return trip in 1895 for what was described as a "sojourn of several weeks."

James R Winder - Becoming a Family

                                              Mary Ann Hudson in later life

In 1860 women made up only about 13% of the workforce at Royal Worcester Porcelain.  While it's not clear if the ratio improved over the next decade, there was at least one young woman (emphasis on the young) who was hired as a paintress in 1871 - Mary Ann Hudson who was all of 13.  Thirteen was apparently the age when prospective painters were hired to learn to draw, to manipulate colors and understand how fire acted on them.  Mary will be the subject of her own essay, but suffice it to say she was successful, working at her craft for over 20 years before leaving in April of 1892, just weeks before boarding a ship for the United States.  It seems only reasonable to believe that James and Mary Ann met at Royal Worcester Porcelain.

Regardless of how they met, James and Mary were married on October 11, 1877 in the Countess of Huntingdon Chapel on Birdport Lane in Worcester.  They were both younger than the average age for marriage at the time, 27-28 for men and 25 for women.  It's not known if the chapel was James or Mary's church or whether both of them worshiped there.  Surprising as it may seem, a significant number of Victorians were not church goers.  Countess of Huntingdon worship was a form of Methodism or non-conformist religion (not conforming or accepting the doctrines of the Church of England) that was very popular in urban areas such as Worcester.  Like many Victorian Methodist churches, the Birdport chapel operated extensive Sunday school programs which often was the only practical source of education for working class children.  The chapel itself held 1500 worshipers and lasted hosted a worship service in 1976.  Today it is a concert hall.

                           
                                     Countess of Huntingdon Chapel, Worcester

Where James and Mary first set up housekeeping is unknown, but since their first child was born at 4 Kingston Terrace, nine months later, it seems reasonable to believe that was their first home, most likely rented.  They were still there by the time of the 1881 census (today the street is called Berwick Street), but the 1891 census found them at 31 Portland Street which appears to be part of a housing development called Jubilee Cottages, built around the time of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887.  Both addresses were within easy walking distance of the Royal Worcester works as was the norm for the time.  Mary and James first child was James William Ricketts Winder, born on  July  15,1878.   The Healey, Walsh and Zinn lines descend from him.  James was joined four years later by Edith Winder (head of the Shaw line), Elsie, four years after that (she never married) and, lastly, Florence (head of the Carr line), three years later in 1889.

                            James Winder and Mary Hudson's Marriage Certificate

The spacing of the births indicates intentional family planning and also suggests James and Mary were a prudent couple.  Anticipating many modern marriages, both husband and wife worked outside the home throughout their married years in Worcester.  One possible explanation of the timing is a goal of never having more than one child below school age (children were accepted into school as early as three) so that only one child at a time required the Victorian equivalent of "day care."  Census and other data suggests that both James and Mary's parents had occupations which could have conceivably allowed time to take care of one grand child at a time.

                                                  Portland Street, Worcester

James, Mary and their children were also fortunate to that their 14 years of family life in Worcester came at a  very good time for working families.  Wages were stable during the period, but the cost of food, clothing and coal (heat and cooking) declined significantly.  Food costs alone fell by 30% between 1877 and 1889.  Rents also were low and all evidence suggests the Winders were renters like most working class families.  Both 4 Berwick and 31 Portland were single row houses, an improvement over the older back-to-back row houses which had windows only in the front.  According to the Worcester Journal of December 21, 1887, 1000 homes had been built during the past 20 years definitely including 31 Portland Street and possibly 4 Kingston (Berwick) as well.  Central heating and bathrooms were rare, but piped water and gas lighting became more the norm during this time frame.

   The Winders on the 1891 census, James W was with his grandmother on census day.

Both James and Mary most likely worked 12 hours a day, six days a week with 1/2 hour for breakfast (at work) and one hour for dinner (lunch, at home).  By the time of the Winder's marriage, workers enjoyed four additional holidays with two "bank" holidays, December 26th and Easter Monday, joining Christmas Day and Good Friday.  Vacations were unknown so working class families had 58 days off per year, the six holidays plus Sundays.  Some years Royal Worcester Porcelain employees enjoyed one additional holiday when management closed the works and paid for an all-day train outing to holiday resorts like Swansea, Bournemouth and Llandudng.  Newspaper accounts report 700 to 900 workers and family members boarding trains at 4:00 a.m. that returned to Worcester after midnight the next day.

                                   
         Worcester Chronicle, July 12, 1890 Account of Royal Worcester Annual Outing

As the 1880's came to a close, James and Mary were doing well for themselves.  They had four healthy children, full time jobs and James was a respected member of the community beyond work and home.  James had come a long way from his humble beginnings, but it apparently wasn't enough

James R. in Worcester - A Busy Time

Although a member of the working class, James was a skilled worker, an important distinction in understanding both his life and 19th century England.  In general terms there were three classes in Victorian England - upper (not us), middle and working.  The difference between the second and third group is how they earned a living.  As a rule middle class people worked with their minds, while the working class earned their livings by working with their hands.  At the upper levels of the working class were skilled workers, who frequently earned more money than middle class clerks and bookkeepers.  Originally skilled workers came out of apprentice systems which meant working for little or no money while learning a craft, but by this time, that was no longer a hard and fast rule.  James was fortunate enough to learn a skilled trade as an employee without the financial sacrifices of a formal apprenticeship.

Severn River with Worcester Cathedral in the background

Mould making reportedly required strength and stamina.  That James had those qualities is illustrated in an article in the June 20, 1874 edition of the Worcester Journal.  On the prior Saturday afternoon, Royal Worcester Porcelain sponsored a series of aquatic contests on the Severn River which runs through the heart of Worcester.  James took part in the fourth heat of a single sculling race which he won by 20 lengths before withdrawing from future heats for unexplained reasons.  Possibly it was so he could join two other young men in paired oar races (with coxswain).  Here again James emerged triumphant as he and his teammates won two heats, the first by three lengths and the second by five.

From his first day at Royal Worcester, James' goal was to be a skilled worker so it seems clear he had made an early commitment to self advancement, an important Victorian value.  Further evidence of this is seen in that even though his formal education ended at age 10, he was back in school at 16, most likely as an evening student, studying free-hand drawing at the Worcester School of Art.  At a time when the typical working day was 12 hours a day, six days a week, almost any outside activity like night school was indicative of someone committed to more than survival.  However, James Winder's outside activities went far beyond personal self advancement.

From 1874 to at least 1887, James served his country and community by service in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment.  During the 19th century, Britain maintained a small regular army which was supplemented by volunteer units, organized to serve in time of national emergency.  Such military forces were part time and on standby, much like the National Guard in the United States.

                                                 Training the Volunteers

Why James joined a military unit in addition to long work days, family responsibilities and part time schooling is a fascinating question with only speculative answers.  James did have the example of his father's long military service (most of which was spent in what was known as the Worcestershire Regiment) and also his grandfather, Thomas Window (1768-1841) who apparently served in the local militia during the Napoleonic Wars.  In addition the volunteers were a popular activity for middle or upper working class young men.  Regardless, however whether it was due to paternal example or a variety of personal reasons, over a decade of military service, even if part time, is not something one takes on without some sense of responsibility and commitment.

      One of many newspapers articles noting James participation in rifle competition

Throughout his volunteer service, James was a member of the 14th Company (later Company B) of the 2nd Volunteer (Rifle) Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment.  Each company consisted of two officers, six sergeants and 100 enlisted men with the 14th being one of two companies in the city of Worcester.  While the regiment met periodically for drill and spent time in an annual summer encampment, James major involvement appears to have been competing for the company rifle team in both local and regional contests.  Typically competition consisted of seven shots per man at targets 200 and 500 yards away, most likely with an Enfield muzzle loading rifle musket.  Supposedly some of the more competitive volunteers purchased better quality rifles, no evidence survives as to whether James took things to that level.  Among the contests was competition for tradesman's prizes (item donated by local businesses) where on different occasions James won a hat, an inkstand, a vest, a glass jar and a tobacco jar.

                               

                                     Patch reads - "Best Shooting Corps, 1879"

Although he typically finished in the middle of the pack, James did win trophies, some of which survive in the possession of this great-grandson, James Walsh.  Perhaps the highlight of his competitive shooting took place in 1879 when he and the rest of the 14th company won a county wide match and returned to Worcester in triumph where they were met at the train station by the company band.  Later the company commander entertained James and his nine teammates at his home.  The shoulder patch pictured above is most likely from this event.  There was also a social aspect to volunteer service as the company held annual dinners where James sometimes took part in the musical entertainment.  In 1884 he was part of a group of 10 men who performed as "negro minstrels" with James singing a solo of the somewhat risque song, "Maggie May."  This indicates not only musical talent, but also the self-confidence to perform in "costume" before peers and superiors 

                              "Oh Maggie, Maggie May, they've taken you away

                                They've sent you to Van Diemen's cruel shore

                     For you've robbed so many a sailor, and skinned so many a whaler

                             And you'll never never shine in Lime Street no more"

     Last stanza of "Maggie May," a traditional 19th Century Liverpool Seamen's Song. 

Regimental dinners were not the sole instance of James' evening social activities.  In 1878, now in his 21st year, James became involved in the Ancient Order of Foresters, specifically the Court of Sylvan and Pride of the Park, one of the 22 "courts" or chapters in the Worcester district.  In a time when disability insurance was unknown, these "friendly" societies offered working men a systematic way to protect against "long sickness and death."  In 1884, the Worcester Journal described the growth of these organizations as "one of the most remarkable features and best traits of the English character that could possibly be exhibited."

                       

                                     Inscription reads - "Won by James Winder."

There was also a connection between Forester's dinners and James' military service.  Each Foresters' dinner featured a series of toasts and responses and on at least three occasions James responded to a toast to the "volunteers," further evidence that he was both self-confident and articulate.  At the 1881 dinner, James told the assembled guests he "had no doubt they would be able, as volunteers, to do their duty if called upon." Eventually James was elected to a leadership position in the Foresters, serving right up until his 1891 immigration.  Exactly how James became involved in the Ancient Order of Foresters is unknown, but one very suggestive clue survives.  Also present at the 1878 dinner was one James Hudson, who just happened to be James Winder's new father-in-law!

                          Inscription reads - "Won by J. Winder, September 1880.

James R. Winder - The End and the Beginning

When James R. Winder awoke in his Trenton home on April 16, 1910, it probably seemed like a typical Saturday.  First he would walk the short distance from his home on Rutherford Avenue to his job at the Delaware Pottery Company.  That evening he would spend time with his family, possibly he and daughter Elsie would sing, perhaps he would see some of his grandchildren.  Sadly, however, this was not just another Saturday, it was the last day of James R. Winder's life.  After work he felt ill and although at first it didn't seem serious his condition worsened and he died late that afternoon.  According to his obituary, James was being treated for heart disease which proved fatal.

Both James’ obituary and the account of his funeral testified to his accomplishments in almost two decades in Trenton.  Described as “one of the best known potters” in Trenton, James’ funeral was attended by family, friends, co-workers, and representatives of four different masonic orders, who all told gave more than 20 floral arrangements.  Yet no matter how well the mourners may have thought they had known James, few probably knew the whole story.

Just over 53 years before that fateful day in Trenton, a boy named James was born in the small village of Astley in England, about 12 miles north of the city of Worcester.  When, however, in accordance with English law, his mother, Mary, registered the birth, the last name was not Winder.  Instead the surname was Ricketts because his mother and father were not married and James was illegitimate.  Working backward from January of 1857, James was conceived sometime between April and June of 1856, the child of Mary Ricketts of Astley and William Window, then a soldier in the British army.

Like his son, William had an extraordinary life.  Born in the small Gloucestershire village of Horsley in the southern Cotswold’s, William joined the British army in 1839.  At some point during his long military service, William’s name was corrupted to Winder (he was illiterate) probably because of a misunderstood accent.  Serving first with the 21^st regiment of Foot and then the 29^th, he spent over 13 years in India and was slightly wounded in the 2^nd Sikh War.  After returning to England in 1854, William briefly left the army before re-enlisting in the 80^th regiment.  During the crucial period of 1856, William was stationed at Aldershot some 145 miles from Astley.  How he and Mary met is a mystery, but however it began, this was no casual encounter.

                                          James R. Winder's Birth Certificate 

As Mary’s due date approached, she returned to her home in Astley, most likely to stay with her father, Samuel, and Ann, her step mother and there James was born on January 3, 1857.  Given the strict morals of Victorian society, it’s hard to imagine how Mary, and the totally innocent, James, escaped some level of shame and perhaps condemnation.  But then, as now, there were economic as well as moral implications.  Breakdowns in morality were one thing, expecting the community to support mother and child was something else.  To date, however, no evidence has been found indicating Mary and her young son lived “on the parish,” the Victorian equivalent of welfare.  Instead, somehow, some way, Mary and William became a family in every sense of the word.

                         St. Peter's Church, Astley where James R. Winder was baptized.

As a British soldier, William probably could have “disappeared” into the army and abandoned Mary and James.  However, the records of his last five years of military service tell a very different story.  For much of the period William was either on extended furlough or on recruiting duty in Worcester, not far from Astley.  Both sound like accommodations made by the military authorities to a good solider.  Finally in early 1861, William joined the regiment in Ireland and stayed there until his discharge in September.  During that time the 1861 British census was taken and no record has been found of Mary and/or James anywhere in England suggesting they were with William in Ireland.  Similarly no record of a marriage between William and Mary has been found, but in post 1861 records, Mary Ricketts is listed as Mary Winder and James Ricketts is now James R. Winder.  It seems very likely, therefore, that William and Mary married sometime during those nine months in Ireland.

When William finally left the army in 1861, he had a military pension which was important, but not enough to support a family of three.  So probably almost as soon as they arrived in Worcester, William got a job a Royal Worcester Porcelain where he would work for the next 30 years.  Employing some 400 workers at the time (50 women), Royal Worcester enjoyed a thriving business.  Given that the company continued to do well and William worked there, it’s no surprise that when James went to work six years later, at the tender age of 10, he also joined the work force at Royal Worcester Porcelain.

                                            Royal Worcester Porcelain Works 

At this point in Victorian England, there was broad consensus that children should stay in school until the age of 10.  However school was not mandatory, nor was it free so many working class children never went to school simply because the expense and lost wages (no matter how small) was too much of a financial burden.  There is no documented evidence that James went to school, but based on his later life it seems highly probable he enjoyed some formal education.

According to Royal Worcester’s records, James began work on May 1, 1867, “to train as a mould maker,”  It took him no more than four years to achieve the goal (at 14) as the 1871 census lists his occupation as mould maker.  A mould maker takes the original piece made by the modeler and makes molds which are used to produce the piece in large quantities.  While the original model making requires more artistic skill, mould making required not only skill, but also strength and stamina.  Molds were made by carefully cutting the model into pieces (sometimes as many as 20-30 different pieces) and then making a mold for each piece.  At 14 when most of his descendants were just starting high school, James R. Winder not only had a job, but a trade.