Williams - Missing in Middlesbrough, 1901 and later

[alllegs]

Wow, that's great news, does she have the WIlliams lot hiding there with her?!!!

Thank you for all your help with this lot.  I have no idea whether any of his work records exist, I wouldn't know where to look for them...

Thanks again
Legs
xxxx

[Merrywidow]

You are very welcome legs.  I will continue with my Williams lot, but keep an eye open for yours.  Just got to hope for some inspiration.  I have ordered a few very old Grangetown books from Amazon who knows......

Will be in touch - we could still have that coffee you talked about if you are still in the mood give me a shout.  We could meet up in Hastings - I love that town and I can buy some fish.

Janet
xxxx

[Merrywidow]

Hallo Alllegs - how is the search going.  I haven't forgotten you.  I have put all the stuff away for the moment as it was consuming all my time and now the weather is better I have had to concentrate on my very large garden, which is reaching "Livingston - I presume" status.

Keep in touch.

xx

[alllegs]

Hi there,

I've had to put things away too as work is manic.  Have nothing to report though!

Keep in touch

Legs
xxxx

[Merrywidow]

Thanks, I too have got to stop spending hours on the Williams hunt.  Currently found out that my William Henry Williams' grandmother was a Thomas too..............she was a Mary and her father was Joseph.  She married in Guisborough to Evan Williams in 1859. Who knows, I might find a connection to your Jane Thomas.

Lovely find in the Census too...in one house was my grandfather, Great grandfather and Great Great Grandfather - both widowed, with my grandfather's youngest sibling his sister.

When I have some time I will tell you about my Grandfather's niece - and her life - it will make your hair curl. More soon. cheers.

[snes]

Hi all,
I'm new to these chats, but was intrigued to read your story, and have some more information on your Williams mystery which might add more confusion, sorry! I have recently begun helping a relative trace her grandmother's family. Initially, all we knew was that she was adopted and knew nothing of her original family. She was brought up as Minnie Hewitt but we found that her birth name was Minnie Williams as it was given as her maiden name on her daughter's marriage certificate. She was born 6th June 1900, so we applied for her birth certificate which we received last week. Her birth parents are Jane Williams, nee Thomas, and William Williams, deceased. The address given is 12 Kendall Street, Middlesbrough. We have been unable to find her or her mother Jane on the 1901 census, but she is on the 1911 census as the adopted daughter of Arthur and Rachel Mary Hewitt. On searching the internet, I discovered your chat, and it is clearly the same family. Obviously, William cannot have been Minnie's father as he had been dead 5 years by then, so presumably Jane put his name on the birth certificate to legitimise the birth. After reading your information about Jane having a sister called Elizabeth Ann Hewitt, I think she must be related to the family who adopted Minnie. Arthur's parents were also called Elizabeth Ann and William Hewitt, but they are not the same people as I have the 1911 census records for both of them. Arthur's wife, Rachel Mary, was formerly Morris and was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. I see that you were also unable to find Jane and her children on the 1901 census. So, I'm sorry to burden you with more complications, but perhaps, when we find one, we will find them all.
Look forward to hearing what you make of this news,
Sue

[alllegs]

Hi Sue,

WOW, what an interesting twist to the story. I'm thrilled to hear from you dispite adding more mystery to the Williams clan.

I will pass this info on to my cousin inthe USA, he is a direct descendent of the Hewitt's so he may be able to add more info about Minnie's adopted parents. 

I had no idea about Minnie.  I wonder if Pattie (aka Martha Jane, she would have been Minnie's older sister) knew about her existance? She emigrated to the US and died in 1979, my cousin in the USA knew her and the family still have her papers.  He'll be thrilled to hear this!

I'm bowled over and hope we find out the true story!  I'm lead to believe there may have been some sort of scandal as when my gran was born and her mother died (Margaret Williams, another sister for Minnie) when gran was only 6mths old her and her brothers were brought up by their paternal grandparents and never saw their maternal relations.

WOW - no idea what else to say!!! I'm off to ring my gran and email my American cousin with this exciting development!

Can't wait to hear from you again!

Legs xxx

[snes]

Hi Legs,
Since my last message, I have done a little more digging on the Hewitt family, and it would appear that William, who married Elizabeth Ann Thomas, is the older brother of Arthur, adopted father of Minnie. I have been unable to find the family on the 1881 census (they all seem rather good at evading the enumerators don't they?) but have found them on the 1871 census, which confirms that Arthur had more siblings than I first thought. As Arthur had Minnie living with him in 1911, and his brother William had Martha living with him in 1911, which you mention in an earlier message, then they must surely have known each other as children. As far as I am aware, Minnie never mentioned any sisters, and both her daughters are now dead, so we cannot ask them if they remember anything. Minnie's adoptive sister, Ena May Hewitt, was my mother's step-mother (just to confuse things further), but my mother says she never heard any mention of Minnie having sisters, but she does remember going to visit relatives in Wales. Ena May is now dead too. I remember Minnie from when I was young.
Another little teaser I found is that on the 1881 census for Middlesbrough there is a William Williams living with the family of Morgan & Ann Williams all born Dowlais, Wales, the same place as the Thomas Clan, and the address is 84 Upper Oxford Street, Middlesbrough. The age isn't right for it to be "our" William Williams, but is it too much of a co-incidence that Minnie was living at 48 Oxford Street with Arthur in 1911?
Food for thought!
Look forward to hearing from you again,
Sue
 X

[alllegs]

Excellent Sue,

My cousin in the US has a lot of Hewitt info, I sent you a personal message with both his and my email addresses as he doesn't use rootschat.

I'll forward your info to him as he knows more about the Hewitts than I do, his grandmother was Elizabeth Ann Thomas, (Jane Thomas' older sister), she married a Hewitt, I forget which, and her daughter Evelyn emigrated to the US to be near Pattie (aka Martha Jane) Williams (Minnie's half sister).

There are an awful lot of twists to this story aren't there.  I can't input much more at the mo, hopefully American cousin can!

Just out of curiosity, where in the world are you?

Speak soon
Legs
xxxx