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My Wheeler family link is by way of my paternal 2 x Great Grandmother, Jane Wheeler.
Jane, one of 6 children of Jasper (a Sawyer) and Jane (nee Norrington) of Calne, Wiltshire, moved to London (some time between 1852 and 1856), with her 1st husband Aaron Cox and their son, Alfred. By 1867 their family had grown to 6 children but Aaron died suddenly in 1868 of a heart attack. There is a family story which hints at a scandal relating to Jane's employment at the Duke of Bedford's house in Bedford Square, London, W.C.1. and the paternity of her son, Frederick George Cox, born in 1867.
So the story goes, Frederick was employed when only 7½ years old, cleaning silver at St. James' Palace. He received an allowance until he was 18 and spent a lot of money trying to prove who his real father was, but failed due to obstruction by officials.
By the 1871 Census, Jane and her children were living with my 2 x Great Grandfather, William Ainsby. The Census records them as married, although I've yet to confirm this.
From Jane, I've traced my Wheeler ancestry back to my 4 x Great Grandparents, William and Betty Wheeler.
