Joseph Needle and Ruth (Butler) Carter Biography

Louisa Needle 1876 - ?

Sidney Herbert Needle 1886 - ?

Clara Needle 1874 - 1875

Ruth Carter c1852 - 1931 Married: c1870

Emma E. Needle 1883 - ?

Alfred H. Needle 1881 - ?

Joseph Needle 1880 - ?

Annie Needle 1878 - ?

Willie R. Needle 1884 - 1930

Joseph Needle 1849 - 1909

1900

1850

Link to the Needle Tree

Link to the Needle Tree.

This line indicates a likely but unconfirmed link.

Births - Marriages - Deaths
Name	Where Born	Date Born	Date Baptised	Married	Where Wed	When Died	Where Buried
Joseph Needle	Leckford, Hants	1849	-			3 Mar 1909	Longstock, Hants
Ruth Needle (née Carter)	Shiperton-on-Stour, Worcs	1852	-	1870	-	10 Mar 1931	Wimbledon Cemetery, London
Louisa Needle	Lambeth, Surrey	1876	-			-	-
Annie Needle	Lambeth, Surrey	1878	-			-	-
Joseph Needle	Lambeth, Surrey	1880	-			-	-
Alfred H. Needle	Lambeth, Surrey	1881	-			-	-
Emma E. Needle	Clapham, Surrey	1883	-			-
Willie R. Needle	West Battersea, Surrey	5 Sep 1884	-			1930	Morn Hill, Winchester
Notes: Joseph died at 'The Roll Call' public house, at Bullocks Heath, Hampshire, on 3 March 1908 aged 60. Ruth Needle was always known as Ruth Butler Carter/Needle, indeed her daughter Louisa appears as Louisa Butler Needle on some records. There are several graves of the Butler family at Houghton, Hampshire. Are these part of her family? Willie Ralph died as a result of injuries sustained in a gassing attack in the trenches in World War 1.

Births - Marriages - Deaths
Name	Where Born	Date Born	Date Baptised	Married	Where Wed	When Died	Where Buried
Clara Needle	Longstock, Hants	1874	-			1875	Longstock, Hants
Sidney Herbert Needle	Longstock, Hants	1886	-			-	-
Notes: So far it has not been possible to identify the parents of these two children. More research is underway. However, since there were only two Needle families in Longstock it seems most likely that they belong to Joseph Needle and Ruth Butler Needle (Carter). Clara died after a very short life having been born in the last quarter of 1875 and then dying in the third quarter of 1875. She is buried in the overflow cemetery at St Mary's Longstock. Sidney was born in the third quarter of 1886 in Longstock. However it is the Census of 1891 that tells the very sad story. See below - Census 1891 - Lyncombe and Widcombe

1881 Census - St Peter's, Battersea, London, England
Residence	Name	Relation	Condition	Age	Profession or Occupation	Where born
25 Mayrick Road	Joseph Needle	Head	Married	33	Railway Signalman	Leckford, Hants
-	Ruth B	Wife	Married	30	-	Worc, Shiperton-on-Stour
-	Louisa	Daughter	-	5	-	Lambeth, Surrey
-	Annie	Daughter	-	3	-	Lambeth, Surrey
-	Joseph	Son	-	2	-	Lambeth, Surrey
-	Baby Needle	Son	-	1 month	-	Clapham, Surrey
-	Anne White	Nurse	Widow	61	Nurse illegible.	Woolstone, Berk.
Notes - 1881 Census - Battersea: The 1881 Census shows Joseph and his family living in St Peter's Parish Battersea, London at 25 Mayrick Road. Joseph's job is probably with the London & South Western Railway (LSWR). Ruth was always known as Ruth Butler Carter, Butler being her mother's maiden name. A nurse boards to help with the young family.

1891 Census - St Nicholas', Leckford Parish, Hampshire, England
Residence	Name	Relation	Condition	Age	Profession or Occupation	Where born
Peat Spade Inn	Joseph Needle	Head	Married	43	Inn Keeper	Leckford, Hants.
-	Ruth B	Wife	Married	40	-	Shiperton-on-Stour, Worc,
-	Annie	Daughter	Single	13	-	London
-	Joseph	Son	Single	11	-	London
-	Alfred	Son	Single	10	-	London
-	Emma	Daughter	Single	8	-	London
-	William	Son	Single	6	-	London
Notes - 1891 Census - Leckford: By 1891 the family have moved (c1883) to Longstock and now run the Peat Spade Inn. How did they become owners(?) of the Peat Spade? Baby Needle now has a name, - Alfred. Where is Louisa, who would be 15?

1891 Census - St Thomas a Becket, Lyncombe and Widcombe, Bath, Somerset, England
Residence	Name	Relation	Condition	Age	Profession or Occupation	Where born
Rock Hall House	Sidney Needle	Boarder	-	5	-	Longstock, Hants
Notes - 1891 Census - Lyncombe and Widcombe: Sidney at the very young age of five, is shown as the youngest of eleven boarders. The other children come from all over the south of England, four are shown as place of birth not known. The children are shown as either 'Imbecile', or 'Imbecile and Dumb'; Sidney is one of the former. What an awful situation for a child of five. How was it  that Sidney was placed in an institution so far from home and his parents? What was Rock Hall House designed for and hoping to do? What happened to Sidney?

1901 Census - St Nicholas', Leckford Parish, Hampshire, England
Residence	Name	Relation	Condition	Age	Profession or Occupation	Where born
Peat Spade Inn	Joseph Needle	Head	Married	53	Licensed Victualler	Leckford, Hants.
-	Ruth B	Wife	Married	49		Shiperton-on-Stour, Worc,
-	Emma E.	Daughter	Single	17	Drapers Assistant	Clapham Junction, London.
-	Willie R.	Son	Single	16	Dairyman Domestic	Clapham Junction, London.
-	Millicent R. Hayter	Grand Daughter	Single	4	-	Fordingbridge, Hants.
Notes - 1901 Census - Leckford: Millicent Hayter is shown as Joseph and Ruth's grand daughter, but as yet the identity of her mother is not known. Millicent Hayter is probably the daughter of Stephen Hayter who according to Kelly's Directory of 1899 runs a Meschec  Sewing Machine agency in Fordingbridge and lives at the Manor House. Is William the same person as Willie Ralph? Yes, there appears to be much confusion as to the identity of this person, but as can be seen from the birth certificate he is definitely Willie Ralph! (See Needle Memorabilia.)