William ASTON

Abt 1832 - 1888  (56 years)

• Name	William ASTON
  Birth	Abt 1832	Scotland, UK
  Gender	Male
  Census	1871	Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK
  Census	1881	29 St Andrew St, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK
  Occupation	Photographer
  Death	19 Nov 1888	Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK
  	Bury Free Press 24 November 1888, p 5. ASTON. November 19th, at 83, St. John's-street, Bury St. Edmunds, from inflammation of the lungs, William Aston, artist and photographer, leaving a wife and seven children to mourn their loss. Bury and Norwich Post 27 November 1888, p.5. Mr William Aston, photographer, of 83, St.John-street, Bury, died on Monday afternoon. Last Thursday week he went to the Cemetery to photograph a tombstone, and it is supposed that he then took chill which brought on congestion of the lungs. He leaves a widow and seven children. England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915: Name: William Aston Estimated Birth Year: abt 1833 Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1888 Age at Death: 55 Registration district: Bury St Edmunds Inferred County: Suffolk Volume: 4a Page: 868
  Notes	http://www.stedmundsburychronicle.co.uk/photographers/photographers.htm WILLIAM ASTON William Aston was based at 29 St Andrews Street, before moving to 83 St Johns Street now the home of the shop called Sunrise. On 12th November, 2022, I received an email from Trevor Payne which contained the following research into Aston's business and life:- A branch opened at 7 Market Hill on the 5th September 1893 (Bury and Norwich Post). However, William Aston suffered ill health, and his mother Emily had to step in. Emily Aston ran a fancy drapers in St Johns Street and her son William, aged 20 was a photographer (1891 census). He died in 1893. Mrs Aston let her studio to W. Boughton in consequence of the continued ill health of her son William. (BFP 2/12/1893) William Aston died later in 1893. Directory entries:- 29 St Andrew's Street South, Bury WS1874, KS1875, KS1879 83 St John Street, Bury KS1883, WS1885, KS1888, WS1892, KS1892 Born in Scotland according to information about his photography business. Details and photo of he and Emily at https://tinyurl.com/yax34x2e No birth information yet found for him in Scotland.
  Person ID	I6388	Warren Nunn's family tree
  Last Modified	18 Nov 2020

  
  

  Family	Emily NUNN,   b. 19 Feb 1850, Chevington, Suffolk, England, UK d. 10 May 1928, 4 Rosetta Rd, Peebles, Scotland, UK (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	14 Nov 1869	St Mary, St Georges in the East, Middlesex, England, UK
  	1869 marriage solemnized at the parish church of St Mary, St Georges in the East, Middlesex. No 211, 14 Nov 1869, William Ashton, of full age, widower, photographer, of 11 Lucas St, son of James Ashton, farmer and Emily Nunn, of full age, spinster, of 11 Lucas St, dau of George Nunn, carpenter. Witnesses John Hillier, Emma Bedford Hillier. NOTE: There are some questions about details on this if this is the same couple who set up a photographic business in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. If so, William Ashton then dropped the "h" from his surname and becomes known as William Aston. Also note that Emily Nunn gives her father's name as George Nunn, carpenter, which is a puzzle because her mother was Sarah Nunn, daughter of Samuel Nunn and Susan Gilby. Emily is found with her grandfather Samuel Nunn on the 1851 census (along with her mother Sarah) and, on the 1871 census, Samuel Nunn is with her and William in Bury St Edmunds. As to Emily's parentage, it's possible she simply made up her father's name to avoid the shame that she was a base child. The other possibility is that a George Nunn was in fact her father. But the available records for Emily Nunn born 1850 in Chevington, or nearby, point to the fact that this Emily Nunn is the base child of Sarah Nunn. Another fact is that both woman died at the same address in Peebles, Scotland, Sarah aged 82 in 1911 and Emily aged 78 in 1928. On top of that, Sarah was housekeeper to John Ferguson, who was married to her granddaughter Edith Aston!
  Children	1. William ASTON,   b. 23 Dec 1870, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. 6 Dec 1893, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK (Age 22 years)   2. Emily ASTON,   b. 8 Aug 1872, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. 23 Jan 1963, Harverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales (Age 90 years)   3. Edith ASTON,   b. 10 Nov 1873, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. 26 Sep 1935, Nursing Home, Tweed Green, Peebles, Scotland, UK (Age 61 years)   4. Edwin ASTON,   b. 17 Nov 1874, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. 6 Sep 1925, Merton, Surrey, England, UK (Age 50 years)   5. Allan ASTON,   b. 29 May 1876, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. Apr 1953, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, UK (Age 76 years)   6. Gordon ASTON,   b. 15 Jul 1877, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. Mar 1971, Walsall, Staffordshire, England, UK (Age 93 years)   7. Gertrude ASTON,   b. 24 Sep 1887, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, UK d. 16 Jun 1973, Fairmile Nursing Home, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, UK (Age 85 years)
  Family ID	F1904	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Apr 2026

  
  

• Photos

  6388WmAston.jpg