In the 1841 Census William appears as an 8 month old child living in a cottage in Barkingside called ‘Britannia’. In the house lived Joseph and Hannah Harris both aged 50 years, as well as Sarah Harris (25 years), Jane Harris (20 years), Joseph Harris (20 years) and John Harris (5 Years).

William Ingram Harris was born to Sarah Ann Harris in ‘Barkingside near the Maypole’ with his Aunt Jane Harris (later to become Laver) present.  He assumed the maternal surname.  His birth certificate doesn’t name a father, although there were 2 William Ingram’s living local to the Harris family in Barkingside at the time.

Sarah Ann Harris died shortly after William’s birth of ‘Phthisis Pulmonalis’ in January 1845.

The 1851 Census reports that ‘Will Harris aged 10 lived with Joseph and Hannah his grandparents in the Britannia household.  Jane Laver his aunt and cousin Alice Laver (aged 8) lived with them.

By the 1861 Census William Harris aged 20 was employed as an agricultural labourer and resident with his grandparents in the Britannia Cottage in Barkingside.  By 1864 Charlotte Emily Harris was born his first daughter with Charlotte Moss.  William and Charlotte married 6 years later after the birth of their second child Sarah Ann.

The 1871 Census records Martha as the third addition to William’s family.  William married Charlotte Moss in ‘St James the Great Parish Church’, Bethnal Green early in 1870.  It appears that they still lived in Barkingside at the time.

Over the next decade William and Charlotte had 3 more daughters and moved from Fairlop Place, Barkingside to Ann Street, Mile End Old Town London.  Rebecca, Ann and Charlotte were born in 1872, 1877 and 1878, respectively. The family’s relocation to London occurred towards the end of the 1870’s between the birth of Martha and Ann.

During the summer of 1881 Levi the only male born to the couple was born.  Charlotte the youngest daughter at the time aged 3 and born in 1878 died of Bronchitis at home shortly after Levi’s birth.

Between 1883 and 1891 William and family moved from 40 Ann Street in Mile End Old Town to 1 Montague Street in Whitechapel London.

Similar in time of year and pathology to his late mother William passed away aged 53 in January 1895.  Cause of death cites a combination of conditions experienced since October 1894 – ‘Influenza’ and ‘Phthisis’.  William’s second eldest daughter Sarah Ann Hodgetts (by then married) was present at his death.  

Charlotte is listed as Emily in both the 1871 and 1881 Census returns, her birth certificate states Charlotte Emily Harris. The use of her middle name suggests that as a child she was known as Emily by her parents William and Charlotte.  The 1871 Census lists Emily, aged 7 years as a ‘Scholar’, whilst at the age of 17 years the 1881 Census has no occupation listed for Charlotte.  At this point Charlotte is listed as ‘unmarried’.   However, she married John William Howe in August 1884. The 1871 Census states that Charlotte was born in ‘Essex, Barkingside’; the 1881 Census states that Charlotte was born in ‘Essex, Barking’.
After the 1881 Census it appears that Charlotte leaves the family home.

Sarah appears in the 1871 Census as a ‘scholar’ aged 4, born in Essex, Barkingside. After the 1871 Census Sarah leaves the family home.  In the 1881 Census as a 14 year old ‘Domestic Servant’ she lived in the household of Henry H. Tatham, a 47 year old Railway Clerk in 38 Digby Road, Edmonton, Hornsey. Henry was married to his wife Clara aged 32 years (not listed with an occupation in 1881), and came from Warwickshire.  Other members of the household included Charles Theodore - a Silk Trade Clerk from Switzerland 33 years old; and Eleanor Longhurst (scholar) born in Brentford Middlesex.  Key evidence confirming Sarah’s identity in the 1881 Census is her age (14 years) and her place of birth (Essex Barking).  

By  September 1889 at the age of 18 she married James John Hodgetts in Bethnal Green.  In the 1891 Census she is listed as ‘Sarah Hodgetts’ married to James John Hodgetts, living in 47 Weaver Street, Bethnal Green South.  James is listed as a ‘plainwood box maker’.  Both James and Sarah lived in the house of Michael Kavanagh, a 37 year old Metropolitan Police Sergeant born in Cork Ireland, and his wife Elizabeth (37 years), daughter Catherine (12 years) and son’s John (10 years) and Michael (8 years).  Evidence confirming Sarah’s identity is revealed by her approximate age (26 years); place of birth (Essex, Barkingside), and that a ‘Sarah Hodgetts’ appears on the Death Certificate (January 1895) of William Harris as ‘daughter’ present at his death, in Brady’s Buildings Bethnal Green.  

A death certificate for a ‘Sarah Ann Harris’ in Mile End Old Town appears to signify Sarah’s demise.  This is given further weight as James Hodgetts is found in the 1901 Census living with a family in Warnford Court, City of London.  He is listed as married (anomalous or may have remarried) and occupied as a ‘Night watchman’.

Martha first appears as a 11 month old child, living with her family in a house on a road or street called Fairlop Place in the 1871 Census return for Barkingside.  Her mother’s Grandparents lived close by on the same road or street. She is confirmed as being born in Barkingside Ilford by her birth certificate.  

At the age of 10 the 1881 Census return for Mile End Old Town, in Tower Hamlets, London describes her as the second eldest among 5 other female children, and occupied as a ‘scholar’.  At this point of time her family resided at 40 Ann Street.
By 1891 at the age of 20 and single, Martha  remained living with her mother, father and siblings.  The Census return for that year illustrates that the family lived in 1 Montague Street, Whitechapel, London.  Her occupation is described as being employed as a Milliner (designing, making and selling hats).

A year after the 1891  Census aged 21 Martha married Daniel Orchard in Hackney, London.

By 1901 aged 30 Martha is living in 46 Fairfoot Road Bromley with her husband, 2 children and a visitor Kate Rhodes.  Kate (aged 29) is occupied as a ‘hat/cap maker (tailoress)’.  Martha is described as working from home with no occupation stated other than wife.  Daniel Orchard is occupied as a ‘Railway Guard’ (worker).

Their children William J. and May A. are 6 and 2 years old respectively.

In the 1881 Census return as a 9 year old child Rebecca is living with her mother, father and 4 other female siblings in the family home on 40 Ann Street Mile End Old Town, Tower Hamlets, London.  She is listed as a ‘scholar’.  Her birth certificate states that she was born in Barkingside Ilford in Essex.  

In the 1891 Census return Rebecca aged 19 is described as living with mother, father and siblings and employed as a ‘capmaker’ - the same as her elder sister Martha.

She is not present in the family home for the 1901 Census.

Anne appears in the 1881 Census return living with her mother, father and siblings - she is 4 years old and was the first of William and Charlotte’s children to be born in London.  She does not appear in William and Charlotte’s household in the 1891 Census return.  

Charlotte’s death is recorded almost a year after the 1881 Census return. ‘Bronchitis’ (inflammation of the membrane lining the bronchial tubes)  was stated as cause of death at 40 Ann Street, her mother is recorded as being present.

By the 1901 Census return, Levi aged 19 is listed as a ‘Carman’ (worker).  At this time he still lived at 1 Montague Street with his mother and siblings. However, he was the head of the household - his father William had died at home approximately 6 years before resulting from a combination of ‘Influenza’, ‘Phthisis’ and ‘Haemoptysis’.

In 1911 aged 29 Levi married Louisa Blackley.  At this point it appears from their marriage certificate that he had been living with his elder sister Martha and her family at 46 Fairfoot Road in Bromley.  After their marriage it appears Levi moved in with Louisa at Ely Terrace in Mile End Old Town.  Toward the end of 1911 Levi and Louisa had their first child William who was born in  Mile End Old Town.  Over the next 15 years they would have 6 more children - 4 son’s (James, George, John and Edward) and 2 daughters (Louisa and Mary).  
Oral family history suggests that Levi’s wife Louisa died in the 1930’s.  Levi remarried to ‘Tiggy’ or ‘Mary A E Seymour’ but there are no records that he fathered any children from this marriage.  ‘Tiggy’ had 3 children from a previous relationship.  Levi was recognised in his community as ‘Old Sos Harris’ or George - His second marriage certificate uses George as his first name.  Levi worked as a fish salesman in the fish market and operated from a fish cart.

Very soon after his second marriage Levi was admitted to hospital suffering from stomach ulcers.  He was recovering from stomach ulcers in hospital when he succumbed to pneumonia.

Levi’s wake was a big local affair and was remembered for sometime as a lively ‘knees-up’.  There was a horse and cart procession and the wake was held in the Coach and Horses public house in the Eastend of London.

Charlotte was the youngest and last child recorded of William and Charlotte and is in the 1891 Census return as a ‘scholar’ aged 7 years.  She was the last of the 4 children to be born at 40 Ann Street before the family moved to 1 Montague Street in Whitechapel London.

By the 1901 Census return, Charlotte aged 18 is occupied as a ‘Feather curler/quill’ and is living with her mother and siblings at 1 Montague Street.  Charlotte’s Grandmother Mary Moss is shown as a visitor to the family.

Charlotte married Walter Albert Upton in Christ Church, Spitalfields, London on Christmas day 1907.

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William’s listed occupations:
- 7th April 1861................Agricultural Labourer
- 15th February 1864......Dealer in wood
- 24th September 1867..General Labourer
- 22nd April 1870............General Labourer
- 2nd April 1871............. Agricultural Labourer
- 15th March 1872..........General Labourer
- 15th October 1878.......Labourer
- 8th December 1878.....Labourer
- 3rd April 1881..............Malt Roaster

- 27th July 1881..............Labourer
- 13th March 1882..........Labourer
- 23rd August 1882........Labourer
- 18th March 1883..........Labourer
- 11th April 1883.............Labourer
- 5th August 1884...........Malster
- 8th September 1889...Malster
- 5th April 1891...............Malster
- 25th December 1892..Malster
- 21st January 1895.......Foreman Malster
- 25th December 1907..Malster (Deceased)