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Brentford Councillors - Walter H Jackson

Introduction

Walter H. Jackson

In 1892 he was a ‘general printer’ and in the 1896 directory wrote a piece called ‘Brentford Past and Present’. His company published the business and street directory and he was the editor of the Middlesex Independent newspaper advertising in 1893 that they had the largest printing works in West Middlesex and that he was the Editor and Sole Proprietor.

The first census I can locate him is 1871 when he is in the High Street, the only person on the premises, a Printer employing 3 boys. From the 1881 census it would seem that he was born in Poplar and family search shows this was c1843.

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In the September quarter 1872 Walter Henri E Jackson married Helen Esther Warrand (Brentford 3a 81). The marriage details are available on ancestry.co.uk and show the couple were both aged 30 and single. Walter's father: John Herbert Jackson, civil engineer, Helen's father: Thomas Warrand, surgeon. Witnesses: Meliora Pearson, Thomas Warrand and David Thornton. (A Thomas Warrand was recorded at 286 High Street in 1871, possibly a relative to Helen.)
In the 1881 census the Jacksons are living at 2, Malvern Villas, Isleworth with their 3 daughters.
Walter H E or S was 38 a printer employing 4 men. This has been misread on family search and he’s shown there as a painter. His initial should be E.
Helen E, his wife is 39 and shown as Sleeping Partner and born in London.
Their daughter Helen M was 7, Ida W 4, Della R was 3. They had all been born in Brentford as was the governess, Susannah S M Dearton aged 30 born in Brentford. They had 1 servant.

By 1891 they had moved to Derby House which was near Spring Grove House in Isleworth next to the 3 gardener’s cottages for Spring Grove which seems to have been unoccupied at the time. (Spring Grove had been the home of Sir Joseph Banks and members of the Pears soap family).
Walter is described as Journalist Author aged 42. Helen is 43. The 3 daughters are resident and 10 years older.
Also resident is Mary A J Pillips or Phillips aged 67 described as mother/widow born in Bermondsey
Charles Craft (82) great uncle - retired Civil Servant.
Maude L Thomas (17) visitor and 2 servants.

Ten years before in 1881 Charles Craft had been head of household a widower aged 71. Mary Phillips a widow aged 57, his step daughter was a dressmaker. They were living at 3, Convent Gardens, Kensington. It’s possible that Walter was known by another name in the early census if his mother had other married names which could be a reason for there not being an entry for him in 1851 and 1861.

In an edition of the County of Middlesex Independent in April 1884 Walter was advertising that his was the only printing office in the district where steam power is used and in 1893 as part of an advert said that his company had been established for 26years.

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The death of Helen Esther Jackson aged 55 was registered in Brentford in the March quarter 1897 (Brentford 3a 40).

In the 1901 census his full name is given as Walter Henry Ernest and he was a Journalist Author aged 59.
His daughter Ida Warrand (24) was living at home and there was 1 servant.

Helen Meliora Jackson had married in the Sept quarter 1897 (Brentford 3a 233).

Walter was standing for re-election as a County Councillor in 1901.
In his letter to the electors of Brentford East Ward he says that he has worked for the town for 20years and had a connection for 39. He says that his efforts helped establish the Market and he was influential in acquiring the site for the Fire Station. He founded the local newspaper, was a supporter of the Acts for Better Housing for the Working Classes and had also succeeded in getting a grant of £50 for the Public Free Library after it had been refused twice.
At the time of writing he was on 5 committees and 2 sub committees.
In March 1901 he was defeated by Mr Whitehead by 420 votes to 312.

London Gazette published a notice in November 1901 regarding the dissolution of Dowker & Co. partnership between Arthur Cracklow Dowker and Walter Henri Ernest Jackson (Produce Brokers, 61 Mark Lane, city of London) 'All debts ... will be ... paid by ...Walter Henri Ernest Jackson'.

A notice in the Middlesex Independent on Wednesday 24th October 1928 announced that he had died at his residence in Shepherds Bush aged 86.
His obituary a few days later said that he had worked for the Mayhew brothers (see wiki entry: ‘London Labour and the London Poor’ published in three volumes in 1851 and a fourth volume in 1861), that he had written a book called Zelpha that was dramatised and performed at the theatre at Beach’s Hall at the jam factory also that he had spent some years living in America.

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Page published June 2012