Killed as a result of a 13 October 1944 air raid on Coronation Avenue.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this lady and found that she used a variety of names throughout her life. She was born on 27 June 1881 in Tottenham, Middlesex (now Greater London), one of the thirteen children of John Wilson (1848-1943) and Ellen Hannah Dalton née Shickle (1856-1917). Her birth was registered as Lavinia Adelaide Dalton in the 3rd quarter of 1881 in the Edmonton Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London).
In the 1891 census she was shown as Lavinia A. Dalton, aged 9 years and scholar, living at 9 Almorah Road, Canonbury, Islington, London, with her parents and nine of her siblings: Ellen Hannah Dalton (1876-1921); John Frederick Dalton (1877-1893) a scholar; Annie Alice Dalton (b.1878) a scholar; George Alfred Dalton (b.1879) a scholar; Edgar Edward Dalton (1883-1956) a scholar; Mabel Charlotte Dalton (1884-1931) a scholar); Walter Herbert Dalton (1886-1939) a scholar; Florence Agnes Dalton (1887-1954) and Henry Ernest Dalton (1889-1978). Her father was described as a wire costume stand maker.
When the 1901 census was compiled she was listed as Ada Dalton, aged 19 years and a dressmaker's machinist, still residing at 9 Almorah Road, Canonbury, with her parents and eleven of her siblings: Ellen Hannah Dalton; Annie Alice Dalton - a millineress; George Alfred Dalton - a wire worker; Edgar Edward Dalton - a wire worker; Mabel Charlotte Dalton - a millineress; Walter Herbert Dalton; Florence Agnes Dalton; Henry Ernest Dalton; Maud Gladys Dalton (1892-1954); Arthur William Dalton (1895-1972) and Doris Dorothy Dalton (1896-1947). He father was described as a draper's bust maker.
It was as Adelaide Lavinia Dalton that the banns of her forthcoming marriage were recorded between 18 November 1906 and 2 December 1906 were read and recorded at St Paul's Church, Essex Road, Canonbury and on 9 December 1906 she was married there to Walter Abraham Wilson (1882-1940). She signed the marriage register there as Adelaide Lavinia Dalton and is recorded as aged 26 years, a spinster living at 8 Newington Green Road, Islington, the daughter of John Dalton, a costume stand maker, whilst her husband was shown as aged 25 years, a bachelor and an oilman's manager, also residing at 8 Newington Green Road, the son of Edward Wilson, an upholsterer.
When her husband completed his 1911 census return form he showed his wife as Adalaide Lavina Wilson, aged 29 years, who had been married for four years and had not given birth to any children. He described himself as aged 28 years and a manager of domestic stores and that they were both living in three rooms at 183 New North Road, Hoxton, London. Also on the night of the 1911 census his mother-in-law, Ellen Hannah Dalton, was recorded there as a visitor.
Electoral registers from 1932 to 1935 list her as Adelaide Wilson at 183 New North Road, Hoxton, together with her husband, but the registers from 1936 to 1939 show her as Ada Wilson, at 23 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16.
On the 1939 England and Wales Register she was shown as Lavinia A. Wilson on unpaid domestic duties confirming her date of birth as 26 June 1881 and listing her as living at 23 High Street, Stoke Newington, London, with her husband who was described as a manager (domestic stores).
She died, aged 59 years, on 13 October 1940, her death being registered as Ada L. Wilson in the 1st quarter of 1941 in the Stoke Newington Registration District, London. Probate records in 1941 show the following entry:- 'WILSON Adelaide Lavinia of 23 Stoke Newington High-street Stoke Newington London (wife of Walter Abraham Wilson) who is believed to have been killed on war operations on 13 October 1940 at 157-161 Stoke Newington-road Stoke Newington. Administration Llandudno 9 May to William Wilson oil and colourman. Effects £113-17s-4d'. (William Wilson was her brother-in-law).
On the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is held in Westminster Abbey, London, she is recorded as:- 'WILSON, ADA LAVINIA, age 59; Air Raid Warden; of 23 Stoke Newington High Street. Wife of Walter Abraham Wilson. 13 October 1940, at 157/161 Stoke Newington Road'.
She is shown as ADA LAVINA WILSON on the Stoke Newington civilian war memorial and is also commemorated as Ada Lavinia Wilson on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. One of her sisters-in-law was a Jane Edith Wilson (1880-1940) who is also commemorated on the Stoke Newington civilian war memorial.
We were at a loss as how to list this lady on our website considering that we had found ten different combinations and spellings of her name, i.e. Lavinia Adelaide Dalton, Lavinia A. Dalton, Ada Dalton, Adelaide Lavinia Dalton, Adalaide Lavina Wilson, Ada Wilson, Lavinia A. Wilson, Ada L. Wilson, WILSON Adelaide Lavinia, WILSON, ADA LAVINIA. We therefore decided to leave her as she is shown on the Stoke Newington - civilian war memorial.
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