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Surrey / Susan Little conundrum.
« on: Thursday 20 February 20 13:18 GMT (UK) »
Good day all.
Susan Little married George Edwin Abbott in 1881 in Beverley in East Yorkshire. In the marriage record George's father is listed, but hers is not. The marriage took place after the census so she was still listed under her maiden name. In the census she is listed as being a 19 year old general domestic servant who is staying with her employers. Her place of birth is listed as Wandsworth in Surrey. This would give her a date of birth of circa 1862.
Looking back at the 1871 census I have found five individuals with the name Susan/Susanna Little. Only one of them could be my Susan as the others were born in Cumberland, Hampshire, Middlesex and Scotland respectively. The final Susan was nine years old and living at the North Surrey District School in Anerley, Surrey. Her place of birth is given as Wandsworth, Surrey.
I have found no baptisms or birth registrations for a Susan Little in Wandsworth. I have though found a baptism of a Susanna Little in 1862 in Lambeth, Surrey. I ordered the certificate and it lists that this Susanna Little was born on 5 May 1862 at the Workhouse in Princes Road. Her father is listed as being John Little, her mother as Susanna Little, formerly White. Her father is further listed as being a journeyman Bricklayer. The birth was registered by her mother who is listed as residing at the workhouse in Princes Road.
I would please like to see if anyone can find anything that would contradict my belief that this is the birth of my Susan who married George Edwin Abbott in 1881.
Being born in a poorhouse and then growing up at the North Surrey District School, would explain why she did not know who her father was with regard to listing him on her marriage record.
Now it does not appear as if there was a Susanna Little (Susan's mother) living at the workhouse in question in the 1861 census. I thus looked for the marriage of any John Little to a Susanna White in the preceding years. I have only found two marriages, on in 1756 who's participants could not possibly be Susan's parents, the other was a marriage between John Little and Susanna White in 1850 in Bath in Somerset.
This couple appears in the 1851 census in Bath. John is listed as a Masons Labourer (which I believe would match John's occupation of Journeyman Bricklayer given in the birth register of his daughter Susanna). Susanna Little, formerly White, is listed as being 21 years old, so born circa 1830, and her place of birth is given as Bath, Somerset.
I have not found the couple at all the 1861 census, but I did find a Susan aged 30 who was a house servant in Islington. She is listed as being 30 years old and her place of birth is given as Bath. She is also listed as being a widow.
Now I believe that this Susanna Little, formerly White, must be Susan's mother, as I can find no evidence of any other White-Little marriage, the occupation of the listed father matches, and the mother appears to be in the region the year before the birth in question. Now this will naturally also mean that Susanna lied on the birth register because if she was a widow the previous year, John could not possibly be the father of her daughter. Hence I would think that she is Susanna's illegitimate child who she possibly passed off as her deceased husband's child?
Any thoughts on this reasoning would be much appreciated and would appreciate anything anyone can find that would contradict or support this narrative. Is it reasonable to make the assumptions I have and is it reasonable to think that Susan is the Susanna born in Lambeth and that she possible lists herself incorrectly as being born in Wandsworth. All the residents as the school in the 1871 census on her page had their place of birth listed as Wandsworth, Surrey.
Regards,
Duncan
Susan Little married George Edwin Abbott in 1881 in Beverley in East Yorkshire. In the marriage record George's father is listed, but hers is not. The marriage took place after the census so she was still listed under her maiden name. In the census she is listed as being a 19 year old general domestic servant who is staying with her employers. Her place of birth is listed as Wandsworth in Surrey. This would give her a date of birth of circa 1862.
Looking back at the 1871 census I have found five individuals with the name Susan/Susanna Little. Only one of them could be my Susan as the others were born in Cumberland, Hampshire, Middlesex and Scotland respectively. The final Susan was nine years old and living at the North Surrey District School in Anerley, Surrey. Her place of birth is given as Wandsworth, Surrey.
I have found no baptisms or birth registrations for a Susan Little in Wandsworth. I have though found a baptism of a Susanna Little in 1862 in Lambeth, Surrey. I ordered the certificate and it lists that this Susanna Little was born on 5 May 1862 at the Workhouse in Princes Road. Her father is listed as being John Little, her mother as Susanna Little, formerly White. Her father is further listed as being a journeyman Bricklayer. The birth was registered by her mother who is listed as residing at the workhouse in Princes Road.
I would please like to see if anyone can find anything that would contradict my belief that this is the birth of my Susan who married George Edwin Abbott in 1881.
Being born in a poorhouse and then growing up at the North Surrey District School, would explain why she did not know who her father was with regard to listing him on her marriage record.
Now it does not appear as if there was a Susanna Little (Susan's mother) living at the workhouse in question in the 1861 census. I thus looked for the marriage of any John Little to a Susanna White in the preceding years. I have only found two marriages, on in 1756 who's participants could not possibly be Susan's parents, the other was a marriage between John Little and Susanna White in 1850 in Bath in Somerset.
This couple appears in the 1851 census in Bath. John is listed as a Masons Labourer (which I believe would match John's occupation of Journeyman Bricklayer given in the birth register of his daughter Susanna). Susanna Little, formerly White, is listed as being 21 years old, so born circa 1830, and her place of birth is given as Bath, Somerset.
I have not found the couple at all the 1861 census, but I did find a Susan aged 30 who was a house servant in Islington. She is listed as being 30 years old and her place of birth is given as Bath. She is also listed as being a widow.
Now I believe that this Susanna Little, formerly White, must be Susan's mother, as I can find no evidence of any other White-Little marriage, the occupation of the listed father matches, and the mother appears to be in the region the year before the birth in question. Now this will naturally also mean that Susanna lied on the birth register because if she was a widow the previous year, John could not possibly be the father of her daughter. Hence I would think that she is Susanna's illegitimate child who she possibly passed off as her deceased husband's child?
Any thoughts on this reasoning would be much appreciated and would appreciate anything anyone can find that would contradict or support this narrative. Is it reasonable to make the assumptions I have and is it reasonable to think that Susan is the Susanna born in Lambeth and that she possible lists herself incorrectly as being born in Wandsworth. All the residents as the school in the 1871 census on her page had their place of birth listed as Wandsworth, Surrey.
Regards,
Duncan