The only evidence we have for William Phillips, son of James and Susannah Phillips, is his entry in the 1841 census, aged 20, living with James and Susannah. It would seem reasonable to assume that he is their son.

The ages listed in the 1841 census are unreliable, however as he is shown as the eldest child we can be certain that he is born before James in 1823.

It is unlikely he was born in 1821. James and Susannah’s daughter Hannah was baptised in July 1821 and buried in October, aged 4 months.

The baptisms for William Phillips in the Dartford area are as follows^[1]:

William Thomas Phillips son of Thomas and Mary Ann Phillips – 29/04/1813 Dartford

William Phillips son of Samuel and Sarah Phillips – 21/09/1817 Crayford

William Phillips son of John and Mary Phillips – 09/01/1820 Dartford

William Phillips son of John and Mary Phillips – 25/12/1823 Dartford

Of these William born 1820 must have died and is presumably the William buried at Dartford on 18/03/1821 aged 14 months.

It is likely that William born 1817 is the William buried in Crayford aged 7 months on 29 March 1818.

Aside from our William the 1841 census shows a William aged 15^[2] living with his widowed mother Mary – this must be William baptised in 1823.

The census also shows a William aged 25 living with his wife, Susannah, and children^[3]. Although this means he would be born c1816 he must be the son of Thomas and Mary Ann Phillips.

There are no other Williams in Dartford.

The 1851 census gives us two Williams born in Dartford: William aged 27 living with his wife, son and unmarried aunt, Frances Wellard^[4] and William aged 37 living with his Wife Susan. The ages support the identifications made above.

The absence of our William points to it being our William who was buried in Dartford on May 14th 1843 aged 24. The other Williams in Dartford have died as infants or are still alive.

The burial is important as it shows us William must have been born in 1818 or 1819.  We know that James and Susannah married in August 1818 so it is quite likely they had a child born before Hannah in 1821.

It is also possible that they could have been living elsewhere as we have no baptism for William. 

If James first son was named William then it also suggests his father may have been called William.

Frustratingly the death in 1843 appears not to have been registered. The only Phillips death registered in the Dartford district in the second quarter of 1843 is for a John Phillips.

Ultimately, we know that Susannah only has three sons alive at the time of her death in 1866 – Charles, James and John^[5].