A Harrington by any other name

[Jillie42]

I've been trying to locate my Harringtons in the 1861 and 1881 census'. I know they were illiterate and it has occured to me that their name may have been mis-transcribed. I've thought of Arrington and Herrington but I wondered if any might have any other ideas?

Jillie

[casalguidi]

Hi Jillie

There can be so many permutations of most names in census indexes ................ have you tried omitting the surname altogether and searching for first name together with approximate age/birthplace/residence etc.   Often you can then look down the list and see something that may vaguely resemble the surname ie. an "H" can often be mistranscribed as "Sl" "St" and you will often find many contrived names

Casalguidi

[Jillie42]

Blimey That was quick! I'll give it a go

Jillie

[Jillie42]

No luck

I've tried Cornelius born in Westminster 1855 ( he was actually born in 1854 but it varies from the 1871 to the 1901 census) . His father SHOULD be Cornelius, a labourer and his mother should be Helen - born 1813 and 1815. He just isn't there and there arn't any other surnames that sound even remotely like Harrington. The same with the 1881 census.

[casalguidi]

Hi Jillie

So, is this them in 1871 ................

1871 - 3 Johnson Court, Gt Peter St, St John Westminster, Middlesex

Cornelius HARRINGTON head mar 47 lab b.Ireland
Helen wife 56 b.Ireland
Cornelius son 14 shoe black b.West'r
James son 12 b.Ireland

RG10/120 folio 20 page 34

If son James (age 2 in 1861) was born in Ireland, perhaps there is every probability that they were in Ireland still in 1861 or do you know different or is it not this family

Casalguidi

[Jillie42]

Yes, I've assumed this is them. I did wonder if it was possible they were in Ireland at this time

There is another family in 1861 with the younger Cornelius called "Con" -  RGP/285 with a father called Cornelius but the wife's name is different and there is no son James. I know the younger Cornelius had a brother called James as he is one of the witnesses at Cornelius' first marraige in 1875.

[casalguidi]

Have you tried looking for Cornelius' first wife in 1881 or was she already deceased by then?  Where did they marry?  Any address on certificate or that of his second marriage?

Casalguidi

[Jillie42]

His first wife was called Mary (nee Sullivan). They were married in 1875. He was married again in 1884 to another Mary (Williams) who was my Gt Grandmother. I haven't been able to find any record of his first wife's death and can't find her on the 1881 census so I assume she died before 1881. I have both certificates. Both marriages took place at the chapel of St Mary, Horseferry Rd in the St George Hanover Square parish as did Cornelius' baptism.

According to the 1871 census Cornelius was born in Westminster and I found his baptism and marriages in the Westminster Diocesan Archives.