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Avery Genealogy and Family History

Genealogical research was undertaken in an attempt to identify all of the proven ancestors and decendents of the William Avery (1758-1840) who appears to have founded the company known as W. Avery & Son.  This page contains what has been uncovered so far.  If you have additional information regarding these families or know of other ancestors or descendents, please contact us so this page can be updated.

Avery Generation I - Parents Unknown

Father and mother unknown.  They had at least two children:


  1. William Avery 1758-1840 – see Avery Generation II.

  2. Charlotte Avery was born in 1770/71 according to the 1841 and 1851 censuses and the age on her death certificate and burial record.  She married Joseph Blundell on April 12, 1789 at St. Bartholomew, Tardebigg (Redditch area) and they lived in Coughton, Warwickshire and Macclesfield, Cheshire where Joseph was a corn miller.  Charlotte eventually moved to Leeds, Yorkshire to live with her son and died there on October 25, 1854 and was buried on October 29, 1854 at the Albion Street Chapel in Leeds.  Her religion was Wesleyan Methodist according to her burial record.  Note: Charlotte and Joseph had a number of children which have not been researched.

Avery Generation II - William (1758-1840) and Lucy Avery

William Avery was born in 1758 according to his age on his death certificate.  He married Lucy Chatterley on September 11, 1781 at St. Bartholomew, Tardebigg (Redditch area).  William died on December 21, 1840 in Feckenham, Alcester District (Headless Cross) and was buried at St. Stephen's in Redditch on December 25, 1840.  Lucy Chatterley was born in 1761 according to her age on her burial record and was buried January 25, 1830 at St. Stephen's in Redditch.  The family lived in the Redditch area, eventually settling in Headless Cross where William was a needle manufacturer.  William and Lucy were members of the Anglican Church according to their burial records and had at least two children.


  1. Sarah Avery was baptized on January 7, 1782 at St. Stephen’s in Redditch.  No proven marriage or death records have been found because there are several people with the same name in the area and currently no way to distinquish them.

  2. John Avery 1807-1865 - see Avery Generation III.

Avery Generation III - John (1807-1865) and Catharine Avery

John Avery was born on June 23, 1807* in Redditch and was baptized on July 5, 1807 at St. Stephen’s in Redditch.  He married Catharine Johnson on August 4, 1829 in Worcestershire and died on June 25, 1865 in Headless Cross.  Catharine, the daughter of Joseph and Hannah Johnson, was born on May 13, 1805* in Redditch and was baptized on May 26, 1805 in Feckenham (Redditch area) where her father was a farmer, and died on June 16, 1888 in Headless Cross.  The Avery family lived in Headless Cross from at least 1841 on where John was a needle manufacturer.  Sometime between 1832 and 1837 this Avery family converted to the Wesleyan religion.  Both John and Catharine were buried at the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Redditch.  John and Catharine had six children.


  1. John Avery was born on October 22, 1830* at a quarter before eleven a.m.* and died February 7, 1832*.

  2. William Avery 1832-1899 – see Avery Generation IV.

  3. Charles Avery was born on July 25, 1834* and was baptized Aug. 17, 1834 in Redditch and married Elizabeth Welsbourne on April 9, 1861 at the Wesleyan Chapel in Redditch.  Elizabeth, the daughter of John Welsbourne, a butcher, was born in Redditch in 1835 according to her marriage certificate and census records.  Charles died on February 7, 1911 in Headless Cross and his wife, Elizabeth, died on April 29, 1921 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.  Charles lived most of his life in Headless Cross where he was a needle manufacturer, however, after his death his wife moved to Kent.  Charles was buried at the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Redditch.  Although no birth records have been found and no children appear with the couple in census records, it appears that Charles and Elizabeth may have had at least one child, a daughter named Fanny (1865-??), who married Henry Greaves Shingler and produced the grandson named Charles Avery Shingler (1889-??) who was the informant on Elizabeth’s death certificate.

  4. Benjamin Martin Avery was born on May 5, 1835* and was baptized on June 8, 1836 in Redditch and died on May 9, 1846 in Feckingham District (Headless Cross).

  5. Joseph Avery was born on January 21, 1839 in Feckenham sub-district (Headless Cross) at half past 7 a.m.* and died on June 29, 1915 in Webheath.  Joseph lived most of his life in Headless Cross where he was needle manufacturer.  Joseph never married or had children.  He was buried at the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Redditch.

  6. Catharine Avery 1842-1875 – see Avery/Hancox Generation IV.

Avery Generation IV - William (1832-1899) and Maria Avery

William Avery was born on May 1, 1832* at half past 5 a.m.* and was baptized on May 13, 1832 at St. Stephen’s in Redditch.  He married Maria Proctor Dingley on September 18, 1855 at the Wesleyan Chapel in Sherborne, Dorset where the Dingley family lived, and died on July 31, 1899 in Headless Cross.  Maria, the daughter of William and Grace Dingley, was born on October 24, 1832 and baptized on November 25, 1832 in Sherborne, Dorset where her father was a silk merchant and died on June 14, 1895 in Headless Cross.  The family lived in Headless Cross where William was a needle manufacturer.  Both William and Maria were buried at the Plymouth Road Cemetery in Redditch.  William and Maria were both active in the local Wesleyan church and had four children.


  1. Helen Grace Avery was born on June 24, 1856 Headless Cross.  She died on June 23, 1860 in Sherborne, Dorset according to a cemetery memorial and newspaper article.

  2. William John Avery was born on August 30, 1859 in Headless Cross and died on September 12, 1869 in Sherborne, Dorset.

  3. Benjamin Ricardo Avery was born on May 4, 1862 in Headless Cross and died on February 4, 1947 in Evesham, Worcestershire.  According to census records, he lived in Headless Cross, London, Eastbourne in Sussex and Evesham in Worcestershire at various times during his life where he worked as a needle manufacturer assistant, was living on own means or was a retired tea planter.  Benjamin never married or had children.

  4. Charles Harold Avery 1867-1943 – see Avery Generation V.

Avery/Hancox Generation IV - Catharine Avery (1842-1875) and Edmund Hancox

Catharine Avery was born on April 22, 1842 at a quarter to 8 a.m.* in the Feckenham sub-district.  She married Edmund Owen Hancox on July 2, 1867 in the Wesleyan Chapel in Headless Cross and died on August 11, 1875 of typhoid fever in Evesham, Worcestershire.  Her husband, Edmund was baptized on December 16, 1840 in Stratford on Avon District and worked as a miller.  Catharine and Edmund lived in Great Alne at first and then moved to Evesham about 1870.  They had five children.  After Catherine’s death Edmund married his second wife, Annie (Anne)* Fowler, on April 25, 1877* at St. Peter's Church in Bengeworth and had six additional children with her that are not listed here.  Edmund retired in 1902* and moved to Bristol, Gloucestershire where he died on April 27, 1904*.


  1. Mary Hancox 1868-1935* – see Avery/Hancox/Harley-Smith Generation V.

  2. Helen Hancox 1869-1931* – see Avery/Hancox/Davis Generation V.

  3. Charles Owen Hancox was born on January 19, 1871* in Evesham and died November 18, 1880*.

  4. John James Hancox 1872-1953 – see Avery/Hancox Generation V.

  5. Joseph Avery Hancox was born on December 31, 1874 in Evesham and died eight months later on September 14, 1875*.

Avery Generation V - Charles (1867-1943) and Winifred Avery

Charles Harold Avery was born on April 30, 1867 in Headless Cross.  He married Winifred Allen on April 26, 1898 at the Wesleyan Church in Launceston Cornwall and died on September 25, 1943 in Evesham.  His wife, Winifred, was born on March 25, 1869 in Upper Bangor, Wales, the daughter of George Lupton Allen, a Wesleyan Minister, and Mary Jane Pethybridge; she died on December 19, 1938 in Stratford-upon Avon District.  The family lived in Headless Cross, Malvern, London, Eastbourne in Sussex and Evesham where Charles was a needle manufacturer assistant and later an author.  Charles and Winifred had at least one child.


  1. William Harold Avery was born on October 10, 1907 in Malvern, Worcestershire and died on December 11, 1971 in the Torbay District.  He was a bank manager and lived in Evesham and Totnes, Devonshire but apparently never married or had children.

Avery/Hancox/Hartley-Smith Generation V - Mary Hancox (1868-1935)* and Harold Hartley-Smith

Mary Hancox was born in April 29, 1868* in Great Alne, Alcester District and was listed with her parents in the 1871 and 1881 censuses.  She married Harold Hartley-Smith in 1896*.   The family lived in Evesham where Harold was the news editor of the Evesham Journal.   Mary and Harold had one child.   Mary died in August 1935*.


  1. Jack Hartley-Smith married Gladys White of Evesham* and they had one son, George*.

Avery/Hancox/Davis Generation V - Helen Hancox (1869-1931)* and Montague Davis

Helen Hancox was born on June 5, 1869* in Great Alne, Alcester District and was listed with her parents in the 1871 and 1881 censuses.  She married Montague Joseph Cotton Davis of Hampstead on April 12, 1894 in the Baptist church in Evesham.  The family lived in Hampstead where Montague had a jewelry shop.  Helen and Montague had one child.   Helen died on August 20, 1931* and her husband survived her until 1937*.


  1. Doris Helen* Davis was born around 1897 in London according to the 1901 census however she was not with her parents in the 1911 census.  Additional research was not possible due to the Davis surname being so common.

Avery/Hancox Generation V - John (1872-1953) and Kate Hancox

John James Hancox was born on November 11, 1872 in Evesham. He married Kate Stephens on June 23, 1903 in Winchcomb, Gloucestershire.  Kate, the daughter of J. H. Stephens, an accountant, was born in 1870 in Winchcomb according to her marriage certificate and census records.  The family lived in Great Alne and Winchcomb where John was a miller.  James and Kate had at least one child.  Kate died in 1913** and John died in Great Alne on July 2nd, 1953**.


  1. Avery Stallard Hancox was born on August 15, 1904 in the Alcester District according to the GRO death index and 1911 census where he is living with his parents.  He married Daphne Stow on September 30, 1938 in Fenny Compton, Warwickshire.  Daphne, the daughter of Henry James Stow, was born in 1914 per her marriage certificate and died in 2005 in Cheltenham according to the GRO death index. Avery apparently died in 1993 in Bristol District, Gloucestershire per the GRO death index.  Avery and Daphne had two children:

    1. John Avery Hancox
    2. Mary Hancox who married Christopher Harthan

* = date, time and event from J. J. Hancox's Family Notes

** = date and place from Hilary Forrester's William and Nancie: A Celebration of Marriage


Bibliography

(NOTE: Additional Avery genealogical sources are listed in the Book and Website Bibliogaphies found under the Resources tab.)

Census records from findmypast.co.uk
1891 Enville, Priory Road, Kings Norton, Worcestershire, England


1911 35 York Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England

1901 48, High Road Kilburn, Hampstead, London, England


1911 11 Rondu Road, Hampstead, London, England


1901 Derwent House, Borcham Road, Warminster Wiltshire, England


1911 19 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England


Dorset Monumental Inscriptions Transcription from findmypast.co.uk


England & Wales Births 1837-2006 Transcription from findmypst.co.uk


England & Wales Deaths 1837-2006 Transcription from findmypst.co.uk


England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008 Transcription from findmypst.co.uk


England & Wales Non-Conformist births and baptisms Transcriptions from findmypast.co.uk


England, Births & Baptisms 1538-1975 Transcription from findmypast.co.uk


England Marriages 1538-1973 Transcription from findmypast.co.uk


Forrester, Hilary.  William and Nancie: A Celebration of Marriage - The Story of William Wallace (1891-1976) and Nancie Hancox (1890-1978), their families, ancestors and descendants, and the times in which they lived.  This family history was written and published in 1990 by their daughter and includes information about John James Hancox (1872-1953) on pages 63, 64 and 142.


General Register Office, UK – Births - www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp


General Register Office, UK – Deaths - www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp


General Register Office, UK – Marriages - www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp


Hancox, J. J.  Family Notes, Great Alne, Wawickshire, 1947.  This Hancox family history was written by John James Hancock (1872-1953) and includes information about the Avery family (pages 14-20).  According to this document, the details regarding the births in the John Avery (1807-1865) family were provided to the author by his cousin, Charles Harold Avery (1867-1943) from the Avery family bible.  This family history was obtained through email correspondence in 2016 with Mr. Hancox's grandson, John Avery Hancox.  John Avery Hancox also provided the information about the children of Avery Stallard Hancox.


Worcestershire Chronical dated 04 July 1860 - Lists the death of Ellen Grace on June 23rd at Sherborne, Dorsetshire, aged 4 years, daughter of William Avery of Headless Cross  Available at findmypast.co.uk

Master List

To date 227 Avery style needle cases have been discovered.  Visit these pages to see photographs of each design as well as the original design registration or patent and gain knowledge about variations within each design.

Avery Survey

In 2013 an Avery Survey was created in order to gather as much information as possible about Avery style needle cases from collectors and interested parties around the world.  The Avery Survey is easy to complete and gives you a chance to contribute to this important research.  Be sure and stop here to see the survey results.

About Us

Learn how the author turned a hobby cross stitching antique sampler reproductions into a passion for collecting Avery needle cases resulting in a published book, a Wikipedia article, a TCI Bulletin article and conference presentation and this website.