William Frederick Woodington was born on 10 February 1806 at Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, the eighth of the ten children of Thomas Woodington (1767-1819) and Elizabeth Woodington née Styan. On 30 April 1806 he was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield, where in the baptismal register his date of birth was confirmed.
His nine siblings were: Thomas Woodington (1797-1878); Ann Woodington (1798-1884); Mary Woodington (1799-1877); Carolina Woodington (1800-1874); Sarah Woodington (1802-1802); Eliza Woodington (1803-1837); Emma Woodington (1804-1804); Charles Woodington (1807-1808) and Louisa Woodington (1808-1812).
On 21 April 1839 he married Mary Wise (1805/6-1845) at St Augustine the Less Church, Bristol, Gloucestershire.
The 1841 census shows him as an artist living in Hirain Cottages, Albion Road, Milton, Gravesend, Kent, with his wife and their four children: William Frederick Woodington (1831-1922); Mary Woodington (1832-1845); Caroline Woodington (1835-1911) and Emma Woodington (1837-1920).
In the 1851 census he is described as a widower aged 46 years and a British sculptor living at 2 Charlotte Place, Lambeth, Surrey (now Greater London), with his son, William Frederick Woodington (1831-1922) - also a British sculptor and his daughter, Emma Woodington (1837-1920) - a scholar. The 1856 edition of the Post Office London Directory confirms he was still at 2 Charlotte Place, Upper Kennington Lane and described as a modeller and sculptor.
When the 1861 census was undertaken he was shown as aged 56 years and a sculptor residing at 22 Richard Terrace, Walworth, Lambeth, Surrey with a female housekeeper.
The 1871 census shows him as aged 65 years and a sculptor living at Hartford, Bourne Lane, Bexley, Kent (now Greater London), the home of his married daughter, Emma Wilson, his daughter's husband, who was a marble merchant and their four children, together with a female domestic servant.
According to the , which also gives much information about this man, he was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) in 1876.
He was described as aged 75 years and a sculptor ARA in the 1881 census, living at 51 Hayter Road, Brixton, Surrey (now Greater London), with his sister Ann Woodington and his niece, Frances M. Woodington - aged 53 years and a dressmaker, together with a female general domestic servant.
He was still living at 51 Hayter Road, Brixton, London, when the 1891 census was compiled. He was shown as aged 85 years and a retired sculptor residing there with two nieces: Frances M. Woodington, aged 63 years and who was his housekeeper and Eliza Vine, aged 53 years, together with a female general domestic servant.
He died, aged 87 years, on 24 December 1893 at his house in Brixton and his death was registered in the 4th quarter of 1893 in the Lambeth Registration District. His on 30 December 1893 in the South Metropolitan Cemetery (now called the West Norwood Cemetery and Crematorium, Norwood Road, London, SE27 9JU).
He was the paternal grandfather of Harold Arthur Woodington.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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