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Birth: July 10th 1858 at Islington London
Death: March 10th 1933 at Bromley Kent
There is much written on the internet and in publication
regarding William Eglington,
his rise to fame, the influential circles he moved within and
his final exposure as a fake. However there is nothing to say
who he actually was, his family, where he came from and what happened
to him in his later years.
This is who I think he is:- He was born Louis
William Eglinton in 1858 at Islington the son of Henry
Eglinton a Printer Compositor from Ashbourne, Derbyshire and
his wife Eliza Eaton Bryan Wise of Islington Middlesex.
Below is a timeline starting with his grandparents.....
William’s grandparents
1810: May 24 – Marriage at Ashbourne Derbyshire
John Eglington married Elizabeth White
William’s (Louis) father
1827: Nov 21 – Baptism at Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Henry Eglington son of John Eglington and his wife
Elizabeth
Henry’s brother ‘William Eglinton’ was
baptised on April 7th 1820, same place
1851: Census Goswell Street St Lukes
William Eglington – Head – age 31 1820 - Painter
& Stationer – Derbyshire
Elizabeth Eglington – Wife – age 27 - Cardiff,
Glamorgan, Wales
Henry Eglington – Brother – single –
age 23 1828 - Assistant Compositor – Derbyshire -
William's (Louis) Father
Henry S Thelken - ? – single – age 21 –
Apprentice – Derbyshire
Mary A Powele – Servant – age 19 - London,
Middlesex
1854: Marriage record – Henry Eglington
married Eliza Eaton Bryan Wise at Islington – Mar
quarter (1b 277)
1858: Birth record – Louis
William Eglington at Islington – Sep quarter
(1b 244)
Recorded as Edmington
1861: Census – 18 Dean Street Islington
Henry Eglington – Head – age 33 - Printer Compositor
- Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Eliza E Eglington – Wife – age 34 1827 - Islington,
Middlesex
Henry Eglington – Son – age 8 - Islington,
Middlesex
Hellen Eglington – Dau – age 5 - Islington,
Middlesex
Louis W Eglinton – Son
– age 2 - Islington, Middlesex
Emily Eglington – Dau – age 1 - Islington,
Middlesex
Joseph Hickley – Boarder – single – age
37 - Printer Compositor - Leicester, Leicestershire
1871: Census - 45 Westmorland Place St Leonard
Henry Eglington – Head – age 43 – Compositor
- Derbyshire
Eliza Eglington – Wife – age 45 – Middlesex
Henry Eglington – Son – age 17 – Pressman
- Middlesex
William Eglington –
Son – age 12 - Pressman Middlesex
Charles Eglington – Son – age 9 - Middlesex
Ellen Eglington – Dau – age 15 - Middlesex
Emily Eglington – Dau – age 10 - Middlesex
Ernest Eglinton – Son – age 3 weeks - Middlesex
Maria Nive – Lodger – single - age 41 –
Governess – Middlesex
John Seymour – Lodger – single – age
50 – Silversmith – Looks like Ireland
James Seymour – Lodger – single – age
48 – Compositor – Looks like Ireland
Catherine Seymour – Lodger – single –
age 53 – Bonnet Maker – Looks like Ireland
Jane Seymour – Lodger – single – age
51 – Dressmaker - Looks like Ireland
William’s mother died
1873: Death record – Eliza Eglington
at Shoreditch – Sep quarter (1c 68) age 45 -
Is this where William's interest in the spirit world started?
William first heard of Spiritualism in February
1874 at a debate in the Hall of Science, London, between a Dr.
Sexton and a Mr. Foote - William's father formed a home circle
more out of curiosity. William was not amused and placed cards
with the sarcastic inscription on the door. He was told by his
father to either join the circle or leave the house during the
investigation. William elected to join in and the rest is history
as William himself passed into trance for the first time, and
in a few months' time very strong phenomena developed under
the guidance of a spirit calling himself "Joey Sandy.''
Eighteen months later another guide, "Ernest,'' appeared,
and very good materializations were obtained in moonlight. The
news of William's powers soon spread The earliest record of
his séances was published in The Medium for September
1875. At the end of the year, several séances were given
to the Dalston Association of Spiritualists, which later elected
him an honorary member.
1881: Census - No record found for William as
he was out of the country....
1881: Feb - William
Eglinton sailed for New York and remained in the United
States until the middle of May.
Meanwhile his father was
here
1881: Census – St James House Walthamstow
Henry Eglington – Head – widower - age 53
- Printer Overman - Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Charles Eglington – Son – age 19 - Printer
Compositor - Islington, Middlesex
Ernest Eglington – Son – age 10 – Scholar
- Hoxton, Middlesex
Edwin Pratt – Boarder Head – married –
age 48 – Carpenter - Hoxton, Middlesex
Harriett Pratt – Wife – age 46 - Kempston,
Bedfordshire
Ellen Pratt – Dau – single – age 23
- Bedford, Bedfordshire
Minnie Pratt – Dau – age 12 – Scholar
- Hoxton, Middlesex
Annie Pratt – Dau – age 6 – Scholar
- Hoxton, Middlesex
Walter Pratt – Son – age 4 – Scholar
- Walthamstow, Essex
William’s father remarried
1882: Marriage record – Henry Eglington
married Mary Cluley at Edmonton – Dec quarter (3a
339)
1891: Census - No record found for William was
he out of the country?
Meanwhile his father was
here
1891: Census - Stanbridge House, Canning Crescent,
Tottenham, Edmonton, Middlesex
Henry Eglington – Head – age 63 - Retired
Printer - Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Mary Eglington – Wife – age 58 - Shareshill,
Staffordshire
Charles Eglington – Son – single –
age 29 - Book Publisher - Islington, Middlesex
Lucy Crutchley – Sisterlaw – single –
age 47 - Shareshill, Staffordshire
This appears to be William!!
1901: Census - 31, Longlands Road, Village, Bexley,
Dartford, Kent,
William Eglington –
Head – age 42 - Newspaper Proprietor - Hornsey, Middlesex
– Hornsey was part of the Islington district
* Lila Eglington – Wife – age 45 1856 - Maidstone,
Kent
Ruth Cox – Servant – single – age 22
- Cook Domestic - Stamford, Bedfordshire
Caroline Johnson – Servant – single –
age 23 - Housemaid Domestic - Bexley, Kent
* No marriage record is found for William
& Lila – were they actually married?
Did they marry aboard although no death record is foud for her
either under the name of Lila Eglington
Meanwhile his father was
here
1901: Census - 22, Sidney Road, Wood Green,
Edmonton, Middlesex
Henry Eglington – Head – age 73 - Retired
Painter - Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Mary Eglington – Wife – age 68 - Laney Green,
Staffordshire
1911: Census - 2 Whitehall Ray Park Avenue Maidenhead,
Maidenhead, Berkshire
William Eglington –
Head – age 52 - News Paper Proprietor - Hornsey London
Lila Eglington – Wife – age 51 1860 - Maidstone
Kent
Sophia Player – Servant – single – age
48 – Cook - Tipperary Ireland
Winfred Player – Servant – age 16 – Housemaid
- Plumstead Kent
Number of years married, LEFT BLANK– maybe they were not
married!!! - No children
Number of rooms Five
1922: Dec 12 – Bucks Herald - PRESTWOOD.
PERSONAL — Mr William Eglington,
who is well-known in literary circles, has we learn, recently
taken up his residence at The Long Platt, Prestwood, which he
has temporarily rented, pending his permanently settling in the
district. He is the editor and proprietor of "The British
Export Gazette" and other important publications devoted
to the export trade, and until lately resided for many years at
Maidenhead. He has been a great traveller and big game hunter,
and is the possessor of one of the finest collection of trophies
in the kingdom. According to "Who's Who," Mr Eglington
is the author of "The Sportsman in South Africa." a
standard work on the subject, and was at one time Chairman of
the Anglo-African Writers Club.
EGLINGTON, WILLIAM, Editor
and Proprietor of " The British Export Gazette," "
The British and South African Export Gazette," &c., 33
to 35, Eastcheap, London, E.C. Hours of Business: 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. Established in 1892 by William Eglington.
Business: Editor and Proprietor of "The British Export Gazette."Claims
that it is the leading Export Journal, and "The British and
South African Export Gazette" to be the only old-established
Anglo-African Commercial journal published. Branches: Throughout
the world. Originally proprietor of the "New Age," "The
Tattler," &c. Connection: World-wide. Telephone: No.
2619 Avenue, London. Telegraphic Address: "Inkoos, London."
Code: A B C (5th Edition). Bankers: London and Joint Stock Bank,
Ltd.
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1914_Who's_Who_in_Business:_Company_E
The last reports on William Eglinton
in the psychic Press concerned his visit in 1887 to Russia and
his reception by Alexander III. He married on his return and,
having become independent, retired from medium ship and spiritualism.
He broke with his friends, but was not forgotten by them. They
re-discovered him on the pinnacle of his new life. I was shown
the Who is Who of 1929, and I studied certain strange agreements
of particulars. It may come as a shock to many in Fleet Street
to discover that, according to all these indications, William
Eglington, one-time editor and chief proprietor of
the British Export Gazette, of the British South African Export
Gazette, of The New Age and of the Tatler, was none other than
William Eglinton, the famous
medium.
http://www.survivalafterdeath.info/library/fodor/chapter20.htm
1933: Death record – William
Eglington at Bromley – Mar quarter (2a 1012)
age 75 (1858)
No death record is found for Lila under the surname of Eglington
or Eglinton
No birth record can be found for Lila either in the Maidstone
area
From all accounts William and Lila appear not to have ever married
maybe because Lila was still married to someone else?
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