Henry Wadey

     Henry Wadey was born on 5 February 1842 at Portslade, Sussex, England.¹ He was the son of Luke Wadey and Mary Mitchell.
Henry Wadey was baptized on 13 March 1842 at Portslade, Sussex, England.
Henry Wadey also went by the name of Harry.
In his early years Henry Wadey was a merchant seaman who is reported to have done the trip to Australia in sailing ships (wool clippers). Henry was said to have described some occasions where they would be becalmed ("lying in irons") for periods of up to six weeks. Ron Taylor remembers Henry's daughter Annie giving her son Arthur Taylor a box containing some of her father's sailing gear. It included a marlin spike, a fid, needles, a last (a giant thimble which fitted into the palm of the hand, used for sewing sails  Ron Taylor still has this).
There is an interesting story about Henry as a young sailor visiting a South American port. He went ashore with another sailor, got drunk and was thrown into jail. The captain of the ship went to bail him out stating that he would punish them but the authorities insisted that they stand trial. Their ship then sailed without them and signaled a British warship that the two sailors were being held. The warship went in and demanded their release but again they said no. They were only released when the captain of the warship threatened to shell the town.
Henry Wadey was on board the ship "Four Sisters" for the 1861 census. He is listed as 19 years old, single, ordinary seaman, born Portslade, Sussex. The ship was a brig weighing 213 tons. It's home port was Shoreham and it was employed in the coastal trade. At the date of the census (7th April 1861) they were at West Bute Dock, Cardiff.²
Henry Wadey was a mariner on 12 December 1868.³
On 12 December 1868 Henry Wadey lived at 3 Claremont Place, Brighton, Sussex, England.
Henry Wadey married Mary Packham, daughter of William Packham and Mary Stoner, on 12 December 1868 at St Nicholas Church, Brighton, Sussex, England.³
On 11 March 1872 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at Frederick Terrace, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁴
Henry Wadey was a seaman, merchant service on 11 March 1872.⁴
Henry Wadey witnessed the death of Luke Wadey on 22 August 1878 at Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England; He died of strangulated temporal hernia (2 days) P.M.⁵
Henry Wadey was a brewer's labourer on 3 April 1881.
On 5 April 1891 Henry Wadey lived at 74 High St, Portslade, Sussex, England.
Henry Wadey witnessed the marriage of George Taylor and Annie Mary Wadey on 3 January 1897 at St Nicholas Church, Portslade, Sussex, England.⁶
Henry's sister Mary May would often visit Henry and Mary according to a letter she wrote in the early 1900's to her grand daughter Daisy Downer.⁷
Henry Wadey was a bricklayer's labourer on 31 March 1901.
On 31 March 1901 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at 37 High St, Portslade, Sussex, England.
Arthur Taylor (Henry and Mary's grandson) remembered staying with them as a child and in particular, having to get up at 6:00am to stoke the furnace in the church so that the central heating would be working when the church service began.
On 2 April 1911 Henry Wadey and Mary Packham lived at 37 High St, Portslade by Sea, Sussex, England.
Henry Wadey was a general labourer on 2 April 1911.
Henry Wadey witnessed the death of Mary Packham on 10 January 1913 at 37 High Street, Portslade by Sea, Sussex, England; She died of carcinoma of the right breast, secondary deposits, an exhaustion.⁸
Henry Wadey was a road labourer on 13 January 1913.⁸
Henry was dying while Ada Taylor was expecting Freda (Freda born 6.9.1922). He had trouble with his prostate and his grandson Arthur Taylor was the only one who could assist him. He was living with his daughter Annie Mary Taylor in Brighton at this time. Ada liked Henry.
Henry Wadey died on 3 January 1922 at 19 Yardley St, Preston, Brighton, Sussex, England, at age 79. He died of cerebral haemorrhage (5 days) and exhaustion.⁹