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Topic: Ann Perkins & William Cook (Read 295 times)
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B.E.
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Posts: 127
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I thought I'd posted this earlier, but I can't find it anywhere, so I assume I fouled up somewhere along the line. Here's the second attempt.
I'm not even convinced it's a Hampshire subject, but it was the result of a hand-me-down to my mother-in-law from her father - and they were both Hampshire born and bred.
It concerns a medal awarded in 1863 and the accompanying letter goes as follows (I've put the handwritten parts in double quotes):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WAR OFFICE
LONDON
"April 17," 186"3"
"Ann Perkins"
I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to transmit to you herewith a Medal which has been granted to "William Cook"
Services as "asoldier" of the "23d" Regiment of "foot", to be "kept" in commemoration of his gallant conduct in the campaign in "India".
You are requested to acknowledge the receipt of the Medal upon the form herewith enclosed.
EDWARD LUGARD
Major-General
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My mother-in-law's paternal grandmother was Annie Perkins, but it can't be the same person as the recipient of this letter, since she wasn't born until 1865. So we have no real idea who Ann Perkins actually was.
Annie Perkins (I'm assuming her to be the grandmother) was living with Edward & Eliza Perkins in Lymington at the time of the 1881 census. I'm wondering (wildly!) if maybe Ann Perkins was her birth mother and Eliza only her stepmother? Can anyone see a marriage entry for Edward and Ann between 1863 and 1865, a death entry for Ann Perkins at some time between 1863 and 1881 or a marriage entry for Edward and Eliza in the same period? Or any evidence that Ann Perkins was Edward's sister, perhaps? Anybody fancy speculating on how Ann Perkins came to be William Cook's next-of-kin?
Cheers,
Brian
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Valda
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I cannot see on any census other than 1881 an Edward Perkins born Lymington. Bearing in mind he was Edward G I tried a search on George. Unfortunately I couldn't find him on the 1871 census. This may not be the same man/men (as I can't be sure the 1851 and 1861 censuses link but it looks likely) without the proof from the 1871 census. From mariner to nurseryman in 1881 seems a big leap.
1851 census HO107 1669 folio 629
3 Union Street Southampton St Mary Hampshire
Edward Perkins 63 Lymington, Hampshire, Head Married Mariner
Sarah Perkins 63 Southampton, Hampshire, Wife Married
George Perkins 21 Southampton, Hampshire, Son Mariner
1861 census RG9 674 folio 118
St Mary's Road Southampton St Mary Hampshire
George Perkins 32 Lymington, Hampshire, Head Married Mariner
Anne Perkins 28 Basingstoke, Hampshire, Wife Married
Alternatively try tracing William Cook through his regimental records
http://regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/023RWF.htm
The 23rd Foot was the Royal Welch Fusiliers who certainly served in the Indian Mutiny. I would contact the Regimental Museum and see if they can shed some light on who William Cook was and whether he had a Basingstoke connection.
Regards
Valda
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B.E.
RootsChat Member
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Posts: 127
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Valda,
Some nice sleuthing there, even if there isn't a lot of provenance! I'm not too worried about the leap from mariner to nurseryman (since other relatives from the 19th century seemed to leap effortlessly from pork butcher to bricklayer and from gas stoker to plasterer) and the dates certainly tally with Edward G. Is this maybe one of those cases where he felt it economically or socially necessary to claim he was a home grown 'un at census time??
The link to Anne Perkins (despite the final "e") is very tasty. Maybe William Cook was her brother? I live in Basingstoke, but I doubt that will get me anywhere! No hint of the death of Ann(e) or an Edward/George marriage to Eliza to add substance? Or a marriage between Edward/George and Ann(e) Cook?
Cheers,
Brian
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Valda
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I could find their daughter daughter Annie Snook giving her birthplace as Blackfriars London on the 1891 census which didn't help further for the 1871 census. Since she died before the 1901 census I didn't progress further there either. She was still in Lymington on the 1891 census (surrounded by seafarers) so I might have hoped for the odd parent in the vicinity but there was nothing.
FreeBMD shows nothing of interest for George Edward or Edward George Perkins.
I'm sure the regimental museum will be interested in the William Cook letter and should be able to tell you something about the man. If he does come from Basingstoke you have a more definite connection to the census.
Regards
Valda
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B.E.
RootsChat Member
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Posts: 127
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Valda,
I checked out the site for the RWF Museum in Caernarvon - they seem to be more than happy to answer questions at £15 an hour!
I also found:
(a) Edward Perkins married Ann Judd (50% chance) in Southampton 1848 - was this the first Mrs Perkins and she who received the letter in 1863?
(b) Ann Perkins married John Cook (50% chance) in Lymington 1872 - was there a divorce (rare, I know!) and Mrs P married a long-lost cousin?
Ah, the joy of idle speculation! But I prefer your version by miles...
Cheers,
Brian
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Valda
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If you are searching just from FreeBMD be aware it is not a full index and check their coverage charts
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/progress.shtml
You can trawl through the civil registration index (pages imaged) at Ancestry for free.
Divorce was rare in the 1870s because there was no legal aid, so nobody but the rich could actually afford it.
Regards
Valda
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B.E.
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Posts: 127
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Yes thanks, I'm aware of the limitations of anything that's free, including the BMD register! That's one reason why I'm shamelessly scrounging off those of you who have better access and spending my spare time on glorious guesswork instead 
I don't think I'll ever become a decent genealogist, but I'm having fun...
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B.E.
RootsChat Member
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Posts: 127
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I'm not sure this is going to help a great deal, but I have finally managed to see the medal in question and have described it to the experts on the RWF website.
As a result we now know that Sgt William Cook died in India on 24th December 1861, probably of natural causes. He had also fought at Sebastopol during the Crimean War.
I still have no idea, however, who Ann Perkins was and how she came to be (presumably) William's next-of-kin.
From the census information, etc, so far we appear to have the following possibilities:
1830: Edward George Perkins base born in Lymington to Mary Ann Perkins.
1851: George Perkins (21) living with grandparents (?) in Southampton. Mariner.
1861: George Perkins (32) living with wife Anne (28) in Southampton. Mariner.
1871: Nothing.
1881: Edward G Perkins (51) living with wife Eliza (47) and daughter Annie (16) in Lymington. Nurseryman.
So, if we assume (rashly!) that the Anne Perkins on the census return in 1861 is the same Ann Perkins who received the letter from the War Office, I still have no marriage record (the 1848 marriage between Edward Perkins and Ann Judd seems a tad far-fetched) and no link between Ann(e) Perkins and William Cook.
HELP!!
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Valda
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While we are here the 1841 census gives you a few more Perkins for your money - though not George's mother - who of course could have gone off and married a Cook.
HO107 417/6 folio 13 Page 23
Union Street St Mary Southampton Hampshire
Edward Perkins 53 Hampshire Porter
Sarah Perkins 52 Hampshire
Edward Perkins 28 Hampshire
Charlotte Perkins 18 Hampshire
Harriett Perkins 16 Hampshire
George Perkins 11 Hampshire
How old was Sergeant William Cook when he died in 1861?
What date did he enlist?
Have you checked through the poor year coverage (for free) on the Ancestry Beta index of the marriage years not yet transcribed by FreeBMD of a possible marriage for a George/Edward Perkins in Hampshire and cross checked against marriages for Cook?
Regards
Valda
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