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Colour Sergeant William James Franklin of the 31st Regiment of Foot was born in or near Helmdon, Northamptonshire, somewhere between 1841 and 1848. In that period there are six William Franklins whose birth is registered in Brackley, the nearest town to Helmdon - a William Joseph Franklin in the March quarter of 1843 and plain William Franklins in the June quarter of 1843, two in the December quarter of 1843 and one each in the September and December quarters of 1844 - as well as four Franklin babies, one each in 1841, 1842, 1843 and 1846, just registered as "male" any of whom may, if they lived, have ended up as a William.
In addition, a William James Franklin, the son of William and Ann Franklin, was christened in Helmdon on 4th June 1843. [FamilySearch] This is probably the plain William Franklin from the June quarter of 1843, with a re-thought name.
We can trace these William Franklins from Brackley through the 1851 and 1861 censuses, although we seem to end up with a few spares. To begin with we don't find any William James Franklin the son of William and Ann in the Helmdon area, as such. What we have is this:
Ann Brum the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Brum, born 23rd February 1820 in Radstone, Northamptonshire[FamilySearch], married William Franklin on 18th November 1839 in Radstone [FamilySearch]. She is probably the Ann shown below, although there was at least one other Ann married to a Wiilliam Franklin in the Brackley area.
1841: William Franklin, aged 20, agricultural labourer; Ann Franklin his wife, aged 20; Jane their daughter aged 4 months; all living at The Green in Helmdon, Northamptonshire, all born in the same county. [Census for England & Wales 1841: RR n° HO107; Piece 804; Book/Folio 9/9; Page 12; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave]
1851: William Franklin, aged 31, farm labourer, born in Claydon in Oxfordshire; Ann Franklin his wife, aged 31, lacemaker, born in Radson (? probably Radstone) in Northamptonshire; and their children James, 8, a farm-boy; Frederick A, 6, also a farm boy; Jane, 4; Elizabeth, 2; Richard, 4 months. All children born in Helmdon. No address given except "Helmdon" and n° 13. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 466; Page 4; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave]
1861: William Franklin, aged 47, machinist sawyer, born in Helmdon; Ann Franklin his wife, aged 41, born in Radstone; and their children Elizabeth, 15, a lacemaker; Benedict, 11, a labour sawyer; Samuel, 9; Meryl, 7; Ruth, 5; Letmaratha (?), 1, all born in Helmdon. All living at Sight Hill near The Green, Helmdon. [Census for England & Wales 18##: RG n° ##; Piece ##; Folio ##; Page ##; Registration District ##; Sub-District ##; Enumeration District ##]
21st February 1881: death at Poplar Place, Watery Lane, Aston of William Franklin, a coal carter aged fifty-nine. The informant was his daughter Ruth Case of St Andrews Road, Aston, who was present at the death. [GRO death certificate for the sub-district of Deritend, Warwickshire, Registration District Aston, seen by Jenny Franklin]
1891: Ann Franklin, widow aged 72, born in Radstone, is living as a pauper in Aston Union Workhouse, Erdington. [Census for England & Wales 1891: RG n° RG12; Piece 2427; Folio 94; Page 15; Registration District Aston; Sub-District Erdington; Enumeration District 21]
Assuming these to be the same couple, which they appear to be from their ages, presumably the first daughter Jane died and they re-used the name for a younger child.
These are not the only William and Ann Franklin in the area, but they are the only ones I found who had a son who could be one of the Williams, and the birth and marriage definitely relate to this couple because the Ann in the other pair was born circa 1826. James is of an age to be the William James Franklin, son of William and Ann Franklin, who was baptised in Helmdon on 4th June 1843 [FamilySearch].
1871: Richard Franklin, aged 21, a railway guard born in Helmdon, is a lodger at Lander Street, Aston. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 3160; Folio 121; Page 10; Registration District Aston; Sub-District Erdington; Enumeration District 48]
Then we have the following other families living in villages around Brackley and including a boy of the right age named William Franklin:
1851: James Franklin, aged 58, agricultural labourer, widower; his children Richard, aged 20, agricultural labourer; Mary, 9, a scholar; William, 6, a scholar. All family members born in Westbury, Buckinghamshire and living at Thatcham Ponds, Westbury. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 245; Page 20; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Brackley; Enumeration District 12]
1861: William Franklin, aged 16, shoe-maker's apprentice, born in Westbury and living as an apprentice at Mill Lane, Westbury. [Census for England & Wales 1861: RG n° RG09; Piece 922; Folio 95; Page 5; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Brckley; Enumeration District 14]
1871: William Franklin, aged 26, shoemaker; Ann Franklin his wife, 25; their children Sara A, 4; Fredrick, 1. All born in Westbury and living at Mill Lane, Westbury. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 1467; Folio 20; Page 8; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Brackley; Enumeration District 14]
The 1861 and 1871 entries clearly refer to the same person: they are probably but not definitely the same as the six-year-old boy in the 1851 entry, but if not then they relate to the other William from Westbury, below.
1851: Henry Franklin, aged 34, agricultural labourer, born in Westbury, Buckinghamshire; Sarah Franklin his wife, aged 34, lacemaker, born in Stoke Line, Oxfordshire; and their children Emilia, 11; Harriet, 9; William, 7; Charles, 5, Fanny, 3. All children born in Westbury, family living at n° 37 in a street in Westbury in which n° 15 was called Rein Deer. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 239; Page 9; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Brackley; Enumeration District 12]
1861: William Franklin, aged 17, a servant, born in Westbury, Buckinghamshire and working for a couple called William and Jane Betts at Old Arm, Coleshill Street, Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham. [Census for England & Wales 1861: RG n° RG09; Piece 2187; Folio 66; Page 21; Registration District Aston; Sub-District 4 Sutton Coldfield; Enumeration District 4E]
1871: William Franklin, aged 27, described as Labour [from, farm or iron] work, born in Westbury; Emma Franklin his wife aged 26, born in Hanwell (probably the Hanwell near Banbury rather than the one near Ealing); their children Charles, 6, born in Hanwell; George, 4, born in Deanshanger; Patty, 1, born in Deanshanger. Family living at High Street, Passenham, Northamptonshire. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 1475; Folio 113; Page 10; Registration District Potterspury; Sub-District Potterspury; Enumeration District 6]
The 1861 and 1871 entries are probably but not definitely the same person as the seven-year-old boy in the 1851 entry, but if not then they relate to the other William from Westbury, above.
1851: Sarah Franklin, widow, aged 37, a grocer, born in Stowe, Buckinghamshire; her children John, 12, scholar; Mary A, 10, scholar; Joseph W, 8, scholar; Fredrick, 6, scholar; William E, 1. All children born in Westbury, family living at n° 37 in a street in Westbury in which n° 15 was called Rein Deer. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 240; Page 10; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Brackley; Enumeration District 12]
1861: Sarah Franklin, widow, aged 46, born in Stowe, Buckinghamshire; her children John, 22, a porter; Mary A, 20, a seamstress; William J, 18, a porter; Frederick, 16, a porter; William E, 11, a scholar. All children born in Westbury, family living at 17 Wells Street, Marylebone in the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Andrews, London, Middlesex. [Census for England & Wales 1861: RG n° RG09; Piece 66; Folio 90; Page 26; Registration District Marylebone; Sub-District 1 All Souls; Enumeration District 3]
1871: William Franklin, aged 28, labourer, born in (illegible, looks like Sub something, might be Sulgrave but doesn't look much like it), Northamptonshire; Eliza Ann Franklin his wife, aged 28, illegible profession; born Maylebone; their son Richard, 2. Family living at Modbury Terrace, St Pancras, Kentish town, Marylebone. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 241; Folio 93; Page 74; Registration District Pancras; Sub-District Kentish Town; Enumeration District 22]
This may well be the William Joseph Franklin whose birth was registered in the March quarter of 1843.
1851: John Franklin, aged 30, labourer; Elizabeth Franklin his wife, aged 29, lacemaker; their children William, 8, a scholar; Joseph, 1 month. All family members born in Syresham, Northamptonshire and living at Broad Street, Syresham. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 297; Page 26; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave; Enumeration District 2]
1861: Elizabeth Franklin, widow, aged 40; her children William, 17, a labourer; Joseph, 9, a labourer; Ruth, 6, a scholar; Mary A, 18 months. All family members born in Syresham, Northamptonshire and living at Broad Street, Syresham. [Census for England & Wales 1861: RG n° RG09; Piece 923; Folio 148; Page 28; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District 2 Sulgrave; Enumeration District 11]
1871: William Franklin, 26, a drayman born in Syresham; Jane Franklin his wife, aged 22, born in Pailton, Leicestershire; their daughter Edith, 1, born in Rugby, Warwickshire. Living at n° 37 Queen Street, Rugby. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 3184; Folio 65; Page 8; Registration District Rugby; Sub-District Rugby; Enumeration District 16]
This is presumably the William Franklin who was christened in Syresham on 12th November 1843 [FamilySearch].
1851: John Franklin, aged 37, Master Baker, born in Syresham, Northamptonshire; Elisabeth Franklin his wife, aged 37, born in Fenmere, Oxfordshire; and their children Elisabeth, 13, born at Brackley; William, 7, a scholar, born at Helmdon; Mary, 4, a scholar, born at Helmdon; John, 3, a scholar, born at Sulgrave; Ann, 4 months, born at Sulgrave. Family living in Sulgrave. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 448; Page 7; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave; Enumeration District 13]
1861: John Franklin, aged 48, baker and butcher, born in Syresham, Northamptonshire; Elisabeth Franklin his wife, aged 48, born in Finmere, Oxfordshire; and their children Elisabeth, 23, born at Brackley; William, 16, a scholar, born at Helmdon; John, 13, a scholar, born at Sulgrave; Ann, 10, a scholar, born at Sulgrave. Family living at Stevens Lane, Helmdon. [Census for England & Wales 1861: RG n° RG09 Piece 923; Folio 77; Page 10; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District 2 Sulgrave; Enumeration District 7]
1871: William Franklin, aged 26, tobacconist and stationer born in Helmdon; Mary A Franklin his wife, 27, born in Spealworth [Spedeworth?], Northamptonshire. Living at Regent's Square, St Sepulchre, Northampton. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 1481; Folio 128; Page 24; Registration District Northampton; Sub-District St Giles; Enumeration District 11]
This must be the William Franklin who was christened on 22nd September 1844 in Helmdon [FamilySearch].
We also have the following census information on Phebe Needle and her son Harry Franklin Needle:
1851: Phebe Needle aged 5 is living with her family at n° 14 in the Helmdon census, and William and Ann Franklin and their sons James or William James aged 8 and Richard, 4 months old, are living at n° 13. [Census for England & Wales 1851: RG n° HO107; Piece 1735; Folio 466; Page 4; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave]
1861: Phebe Needle aged 15 is living with her family at n° 64 Stevens Lane in the Helmdon census, and John and Elizabeth Franklin and their sons William, 16 and John, 13 are living at n° 63. [Census for England & Wales 1861: RG n° RG09 Piece 923; Folio 77; Page 10; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District 2 Sulgrave; Enumeration District 7]
June Quarter 1864: Harry Franklin Needle born and registered in Aston, Warwickshire. [GRO Statutory Births: June quarter 1864, Aston Vol. 6D Page 327]
1871: Phoeby Needle aged 25, charwoman, is lodging with Mary Bucknell at Stocking's Farm, Helmdon, along with her children Edmund, 4, born in Brackley and Mary, 2, born in Helmdon. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 1469; Folio 88; Page 21; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave; Enumeration District 7]
1871: Harry Needle aged 7, born in Birmingham and described as a nephew, is living with John and Elizabeth Young at Stocking's Farm, Helmdon. [Census for England & Wales 1871: RG n° RG10; Piece 1469; Folio 82; Page 9; Registration District Brackley; Sub-District Sulgrave; Enumeration District 7]
