William Lionel Man was born on 7 December 1832 at Halstead Hall, Halstead, Kent, the son of Harry Stoe and Louisa Caroline (Fowle) Man.  He was baptized on 13 January 1833 at St. Margaret's, Halstead. He married (1) Rosa Cooper and (2) Mary Fowle Starnes on 20 July 1880, at Holy Trinity, Maidstone, Kent. He died on 30 March 1904 at No. 22 Beaconsfield Terrace, Hythe, Kent, and was cremated on 6 April 1904 at Woking cemetery and his ashes were interred at St. Margaret's, Halstead.

His first wife, Rosa Cooper, was born in 1829 and died of cholera on 4 September 1877, in the Calcutta Hospital, India and was buried at the Calcutta Cemetery.  His second wife, Mary Fowle Starnes, was born on 1 January 1834 at Harriettsham, Kent, the daughter of Richard and Mercy Starnes and she was baptized on 1 February 1834 at Harriettsham.  Mary died on 29 April 1916 in Hythe, Kent and was buried at Saltwood.

William belongs to Generation Five; his children belong to Generation Six and are:

1. SAMUEL
2. BEATRICE
3. HORACE

[References: William's birth - Family bible; his baptism - film viewed at Kent Record Office; his first marriage - Family papers; his second marriage - marriage certificate; his death - Family bible; Rosa's death - Family papers; Mary's death - Family papers. See Hythe Reporter April 1904]

NOTES: Handwritten note by Hubert Man indicates that Ann Man, was fond of her great nephew Horace (son of William). Hubert writes: 'A note from Aunt Ann on her beloved Horace's life born July 21 1856 at 46 Oxford Street, Glasgow came to Halstead ahead one and a half (?) went to school at Maidstone thence to the grammar school at Basingstoke then to Tonbridge Wells in 1868 died (result of a cricket accident?) 1871.' Known as 'Uncle Bill' William Lionel Man was a Shakespearean actor, as was his first wife Rosa Cooper.  He used the stage name Lionel Harding and wrote for local newspapers under the pseudonym 'The Lounger'.  Click here to read extracts of 'The Lounger's' writings (<-- PDF).  He wrote two books: 'Lectures on Shakespeare' (<--- PDF) and 'Gleanings in Rome' (<--- PDF).   See also Hubert Man's recollections of William and Morrice Man's.  A poem written in 1871 by William while in Australia has come to light and can be viewed here.  Also, David Man has a series of letters addressed to Miss Starnes from the Martineau sisters who were first cousins of Hariette Martineau.  William, his wife Rosa, and his brother George have been found on the 1861 census which can be viewed here.  However we believe that the transcriber has mistakenly switched around the birth place of George and Rosa and that in fact George's birth place should be Halstead, Kent, and Rosa's should be Great Marlow, Bucks, and not the other way around as indicated on the census. William, his wife Mary and her sister Eleanor Morris appear on the 1891 census which can be viewed here (<--- one page PDF). They are living at No. 87 Beaconsfield Terrace, Hythe, Kent. Mary appears on her own with three servants on the 1901 census living at 22 Beaconsfield Terrace. The page from the 1901 census can be viewed here (<--- PDF). William may have been travelling; so far he has not been found on the 1901 census.

On the 1851 Census has been found:

There are some errors of transcription: Sophia C. should be Sophia E. and William S. should be William L.  Also, William was James and Frances M. Man's first cousin once removed. Found among Hubert Man's paper is a note saying that a photo of Rosa Cooper's tomb in Calcutta Cemetery exists and on it is transcribed the following:

Below is William Lionel Man as Lionel Osborne his stage name. These photographs are in the form of stamps with perforate edges and glue on the back.

        Found among William Lionel's papers is the poem he wrote:  'Vir Desperandum' below.