Looks like I've picked a wrong 'un here!
I'm doing some fam-hist for my step-dad and I know that he has some illegitimacy in his family (starting with his father!) but the further back I go on another side, the more puzzling it becomes!
Long story short, I'm currently looking at Jessie Mary CANNON (his great-granny) and her exploits in 1891 and 1901.
I have no idea where she was in 1881, but in 1891 she is lodging with William HALL at 5 Dibbs Square, Wakefield. In the house with her are her three children: Emily CANNON, William CANNON and Alfred CANNON.
By 1901 she is living with new husband (married Jun 1/4 of 1899 in Wakefield) John ELLIS at 17 Saville Street, Wakefield (just around the corner apparently) still with Emily CANNON (declared as step-daughter) but now William and Alfred are going by the surname HALL and are also identified as step-children. To confuse things even more, there is now a 4-yrs-old Gladys HALL who is also a step-daughter!
And then there's ANOTHER child, this time - I presume!! - born to Jessie and John, Edith ELLIS who is only 1yrs old in 1901.
Am I given to believe that whilst living with William Hall, he adopted the two younger children and even gave her another one? I guess that the teenage Emily didn't want to be adopted and kept her birth name.
What do others think?
MT
