William KELLETT was a coal carter who married Maria HALTON in 1834 in Preston in Lancashire. They had children Ellen (married Henry CARR), Oliver (married Sarah BAINES), Robert (married Jane SEED), Mary, Alice (married Thomas NOBLETT), William (married Martha WIGNELL), Maria (married John COX), John (married Sarah Ann GERARD), Ann, Elizabeth (married James Edward BONNEY) and Thomas (married Margaret STEPHENS). In 1871 William was the inn keeper of the New Anchor Inn, in Marsh Lane, Preston. His wife Maria was the daughter of Oliver HALTON and Ellen (nee Roberts).
Their son Robert KELLETT was initially a labourer in Preston's cotton mills, but was eventually a master tailor. He married Jane SEED, a dressmaker, in St Walburge's church in Preston in 1864. Their children were Edward, William, John, Annie, Ellen, Esther and Alice.
Robert's son Edward ran away from home at 12 years old and went to sea as a cabin boy. He travelled the world for some years before returning to Preston to marry Mary WILKINS and work as a grocer. Later he joined his brother William in South Africa where they worked in the gold mines of what is now Johannesburg. William had earlier been a member of the Royal Engineers and was in the Army Reserve when he left for Africa. Both brothers fought in the Boer War of 1899-1902. Mary joined Edward for a while in South Africa before their eventual migration to Sydney, Australia.William stayed in South Africa, working in the mines, doing more service in the military and later working for various railway companies. He married Florence OPENSHAW in East London.
John was a butcher, who stayed in Preston. Ellen went to South Africa as a governess, where she later married Harry SMITH. Esther was a cotton weaver before she married George DURHAM - she stayed in Preston. Alice was a velvet weaver who married James NUTTER before they emigrated to Brisbane, Australia.