Last weekend I shared this portrait photo of Mrs Wilkes on my social media sites as a puzzle photo to see if anyone was able to find out who she was.

The photographer was based in Walton On Thames in Surrey, that’s a good start. Then on the back is written Mrs Wilkes. Sunday School Superintendant. Rev J McCowan time. Thats great information.

As usual my followers came up trumps.

Sarah from Twitter found:

“There is a newspaper mention of Rev J. McCowan at the parish church Walton in 1890. The same article mentions a Mrs Wilks (sic) of Weybridge.“

“1891 census Louisa H. WILKS, 55 years, widow, living on own means, born Kennington. Living Park House, Weybridge with 28 year old daughter Mabel“.

“On 20th June 1854, James Jackson Wilks, elder son of Jonas Wilks of Oatlands Park married Louisa Harriett, eldest daughter of James Watts Peppercorne, Esq. of Oatlands House at Weybridge Church“.

David, also on Twitter sent me this:

This tied in with Sarah’s findings re Oatlands Park.

David also found this:

Huge thanks to Sarah and David for starting this research off. Because of this great information above I was able to compile a short family tree for Mrs Wilks.

Mrs Wilkes was born Louisa Harriet Peppercorne on 19 June 1835, her parents were James Watts Peppercorne and Louisa Price. She married James Jackson Wilks in April 1854 in Chertsey, Surrey. James was a Linen Merchant, he died aged 49 on 2 April 1880 at The Swiss Cottage in Oatlands Park, Walton, Surrey. He left no more than £18,000 to Louisa.

Mrs Louisa Wilks died on 8 July 1902 at the age of 67 and was buried in Walton on Thames, Surrey. She left £538 15s 10d to her two daughters who were not married, Amy and Eva.

I’ve found eight children for the couple so far.

The Peppercorne Family & Oatlands Park

Louisa was the eldest of three sisters, the second-born daughter of James Watts Peppercorne and Louisa Price was Emily Price Peppercorne and was born in July 1839 in Lambeth, Surrey. Emily never married. She died on 14 June 1929 in Eastbourne, Sussex, at the age of 89.

The youngest of the three was Madeleine Birkett Peppercorne who was born on 2 May 1842 in Lambeth, Surrey. She married Joseph Thomas Price on 20 June 1865 in Cuckfield, Sussex. They had two children, Reginald and Madeline. She died on 31 May 1916 in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, at the age of 74.

The following newspaper report of Madeline‘s marriage on 20 June 1865 was in the Sussex Advertiser, in 1865.

Madeline B. Peppercorne, youngest daughter of the late James W. Peppercorne, Esq., of Oatlands Park, Surrey, to Joseph Thomas Price, Esq, of Ceylon and Monmouth, E.C.J., son of Joseph Price, Esq., district judge of Jaffnapatam.

Mrs. Peppercorne and her family have resided some months at Woodlands, near this town, and by their urbanity demeanour have gained the respect and esteem of all classes, and long before the time appointed, the church was nearly filled with visitors, anxious to witness the interesting ceremony, while numbers lounged in the churchyard to see the arrivals.

The nuptial party proceeded from the residence of the bride’s mother to the church in four dashing carriages drawn by greys, with postillions and coachmen to match, at about half-past ten, the bridegroom being attended by his groomsmen and friends, the bridesmaids, six in number, being Miss Harwood, Miss Craddock, Miss Peppercorn, and three nieces of the bride, who were all most superbly dressed; Dr. Peppercorne, her uncle, acted as foster-father, and bestowed the hand of the lovely and amiable bride on the happy husband. The appearance of the bridal party as they proceeded up the aisle to the altar had a charming effect, and accompanied by the solemn strains of the organ, was increased by the crowds of well-dressed people who filled the church.

The Rev. J. Rose, rector of Surrey, performed the marriage ceremony, assisted by the Rev. T. A. Maberly, vicar, and Rev J. H. Appleton,, curate of this parish, and a full choir of the parish church voluntary chorists, consisting of 15 voices: alto, tenor, and bass, with 12 trebles, were in attendance, who chanted the responses in beautiful style, Mr. White, organist of St. Paul’s Church, Brighton, presiding at the organ. A full choral service then accompanied the ministration of the communion, which had a very solemn effect.

As soon as the ceremony was completed, the Rev. J. Rose gave a short address from the steps of the altar, reminding the newly married couple of the spirituality of the contract they had ratified, and exhorting them to fulfil their duties both in a worldly and spiritual sense, after which the bells rang out merrily, the register being signed, the departure took place from Woodlands, where a large and fashionable party partook of a sumptuous and recherche repast. After the dejeuner, the usual loyal toasts were drunk with eclat, and the other healths usual on such occasions passed round with the greatest enthusiasm, the bride and bridegroom departing in the afternoon on a honeymoon to the Lakes, and we understand that after the honeymoon they will take up their residence at Cuckfield.

The church bells were kept going until after their departure, when the ringers and choir, having been plentifully regaled joined in a match of cricket” Married v. Singles” which was won by the Benedicts, thus demonstrating on the joyful occasion that to secure the game it is best to run in couples.

Note: Joseph T Price and Ancestors had their roots in Monmouth. Joseph died on 25 Nov 1906 at Rockfield Park, Monmouth.

Oatlands

Super information from the Elmbridge Museum Website about the history of Oakland’s Park:

Henry Holland’s 1794 design of the Oatlands House for the Duke of York was drastically reconstructed in 1827 for its new owner, Edward Ball Hughes.

Later, in 1846, the Oatlands Estate was broken up into lots and sold at public auction for development to James Watts Peppercorne. He redeveloped Oatlands House into the South Western Hotel in 1856. The new large west wing added at this time, including the stock brick Italianate design, was a radical alteration and extension of the 1827 house, and the hotel is now Grade II Listed.

By this time the London and South Western Railway made the Weybridge area accessible to London, and the hotel attracted visitors from far and wide who had come to admire the 18th century follies.

But this account on the Oatlands Heritage website gives us much more of the family history and life of James Watts Peppercorne and is absolutely fascinating, it certainly looks like Louisa Wilks‘s father was a bit of a dodgy character and it’s a great read!

Oatland Heritage. J W Peppercorne

Mrs Louisa Wilks’s family continued to live at Swiss Cottage after her husband James had died and then it seems moved to York Cottage, which maybe was a bit smaller, before Louisa’s death.

James had left her fairly well off for the times.

When Amy died still unmarried on 19 September 1939 she left £3,655 0s 6d. Amy’s sister Eva later married John Scatton in 1907 but died in 1910 in the Bristol area of Somerset.

Mrs Wilks and all her family would have known this Church very well.

Here’s a direct link to the small family tree I have compiled on Ancestry: Mrs Wilks/Peppercorne Family Tree

I haven’t found exact dates of when the Rev J McCowan served as the Vicar here but I have found mention of him as early as 30 June 1866, here below in the Reading Mercury.

He was still St Mary’s Vicar in April 1890, see below.

Till next time then…..