John Edward VIZE married Hannah Louisa ASHLEY Family Group Sheet

John Edward VIZE was the eldest child of John VIZE, bookseller, and Matilda LUCY of Mary-le-bone. He was born on 7 March 1831 in Mary-le-bone and appears to have been baptised twice: firstly in St Mary Bryanstone Square on 18 March 1831 and secondly on 8 January 1832 in Atherstone, Warwickshsire.

According to his entry in the National Biographical Index, he attended Hackney Grammar School.

In 1841 John aged 9 is living with his younger brother and sister in South Hackney.

In 1851 John lodged with the GIBBS family in Kentish Town, St Pancras. His occupation is not listed.

In June 1855 John married Hannah Louisa ASHLEY in Bath, Somerset. At the time he was curate in Bath parish. Hannah was the daughter of William ASHLEY (1790-) and Hannah HOLBROOK (1791-1869) born in about 1818 in Bath, Somerset.

John and Hannah moved to Dublin, Ireland where John attended Trinity College Dublin. He obtained his theological degree in 1858 and was ordained by the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin in 1859. After this he was Curate of Bray, County Wicklow. In 1863 he obtained an MA from the University of Oxford.

He was vicar of Trowbridge in 1863, Vicar of Bath in 1864 and from 1866-1869 Vicar of St Marys Hulme near Manchester. He was assigned the living at St Michael Forden in Wales in 1869, where he was also Chaplain to the Forden Union Workshouse.

In 1871 John and Hannah were visiting friends in Wroxton, Wales on census night. No children were with them. Thomas Charles was at school in Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire. Clara was with her aunts Amy and Clara who ran a school for girls in Bath. Clara may have been educated there.

In 1881 John, Hannah and Clara lived in Forden, Wales. J E VIZE is noted as the Vicar of Forden. Hannah is recorded as H L VIZE, Vicar's Wife; Clara is recorded as C VIZE, Vicar's daughter. Two servants were also living in the household: a cook and a housemaid.

In 1891 John, Hannah and Clara lived in Forden, Wales. John E VIZE [mistranscribed as VRIEZE] Vicar of Forden, his wife Harriet [sic] L and daughter Clara are living at the Vicarage with two housemaids.

In 1901 John, Hannah and Clara lived in Forden, Wales. John E VIZE, "clergyman Ch of England" living at St Michael's Vicarage with his wife H L VIZE and daughter Clara VIZE (no profession) plus a housemaid and a page boy.

John wrote many scholarly articles on the fungi of Wales and Shropshire, techincal use of microscopes and health issues in the workshouse. He was a member of the Woolhope Club. He retired in 1910 and went to live his final years in Bristol, nursed by his daughter Clara.

In 1911 John, Hannah and Clara lived at 1 Woodstock Avenue, Redland in Bristol. John is described as a "Clerk in Holy Orders Church of England" whilst "H Louisa" and Clara have no profession. The 1911 census notes all issue from a marriage and in this case, the family completed the form as four children born living, 3 deceased and 1 currently living. They had one domestic servant living with them.

Hannah Louisa passed away in 1912 and her death was registered in September in Bristol. She was 94 years old. John passed away on 25 March 1916 in Bristol. John was 85.

John and Hannah had four children:

i Thomas Charles VIZE was born in February 1857 in Dublin, Ireland. He is also recorded as Charles Thomas VIZE. He attended boarding school in Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire before working as a tutor at Cirencester Grammar School. He migrated to South Africa where he married and had two sons. He died in Kimberley, Cape Colony on 5 April 1887 and was buried the same day at St Cyprian's, Kimberley. See separate Family Group Sheet.

ii Jane Clara VIZE was born 11 August 1858 in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Jane was baptised on 19 December 1858 at the Bray Church of Ireland. Her father is described as John Edward VIZE, A B Esquire and her mother as Hannah Louisa. No record for Jane's death has been identified. The Wicklow burials are not yet online. It is probable she died while the family was living in Bray as she does not appear in any of the English census records.

iii Clara VIZE was born on 10 October 1859 in Bray. Clara was baptised on 20 November 1859 at the Bray Church of Ireland. Her father is described as John Edward VIZE, clerk and her mother as Hannah Louise. She lived with her parents until 1916 and nursed them thrugh their poor health. She also worked as her father's assistant labelling and organising his botanical specimens. She had a reputation for drunkeness in the village. She died on 28 August 1953 in Brighton, Sussex, aged 94.

iv Unknown infant for whom no record has been found in Ireland or England. It is probable the baby was born and died in Ireland, but not in the Dublin or Bray records. The family may have lived elsewhere for a short period of time.

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