Miriam & Eliza Watts Castle Donnington & Quorndon

[GerryS]

Hi Everyone,
I need your help with Miriam Watts.
Miriam Watts appeared in the 1841 census in Chapel Street, Quorndon (age 14) in the house of John Watts (55. Lacemaker), Ann Watts (55) and Pharoah Watts (5). Also in the next household are Hannah Watts (20, Lacemender) and Eliza (3). Pharoah and Eliza are the children of Hannah and Cleophas, while Cleophas is the son of John and Ann. Now there is a lot more discussion and information about all these in my previous posting 'Cleophas Watts from Quorndon' (thanks Rootschatters!). However Miriam remained a mystery - we never found about her birth. I always assumed she was another daughter of John and Ann, or perhaps a niece.
What we did find out about Miriam was that in Oct - Dec 1846 she married William Cramp registered at Barrow upon Soar district. The 1851 Census shows them at Stoop Lane Quorndon with Miriam Cramp, 24, born Castle Donnington. No record of Miriam's baptism could be found. Miriam emigrated to Australia in 1852 and there she sometimes used the name Mary.
So my question is what relation is Miriam to John & Ann Watts.
To help me do this I ordered the marriage record for Miriam Watts and William Cramp and this has opened another mystery! This has shown her as a spinster and her father as Frederick FREER (or Frear) with witnesses William Freer and Joseph Taylor.
Now Rootschatters what do you think? Is Miriam's mother a Watts who did not marry Frederick Freer? Or perhaps her mother remarried a Watts and Miriam took on that name. (Could Ann Watts have been previously been married to Frederick Freer?). Or perhaps Miriam's parents died or left her and she was brought up by John and Ann Watts? As you see I really need some help....perhaps a look up for a Miriam Freer birth in 1826-1827 in Castle Donnington, or even for a marriage Ann (?) to Frederick Freer in Quorndon or Castle Donnington areas? Or any other suggestions
Thanks
Gerard

[GerryS]

Hi again!
I have been doing some further research and have now found that Miriam's parents would seem to be Frederick Frear and Eliza Watts. Now Frederick and Eliza were married according to LDS Family Search on 12 May 1828 in Radford, Nottinghamshire. I still could not find a baptism for Miriam but from the evidence we have already it is 1826/ 1827. So I'm thinking that Eliza is a daughter or younger sister of John Watts, became pregnant with Miriam and moved to the father's parish and likely Miriam was born there. Miriam was passed over to John and Ann so that Eliza's blushes could be spared, and so in 1841 we find Miriam in the household of John and Ann. But Miriam knew her father was Frederick Frear on the marriage certificate? Well after the marriage of Frederick and Eliza it seems that they moved back to Leicestershire and lived close to John and Ann, so Miriam would have known her father.
 The census evidence is:
In 1851 we find both families living 2 doors away from each other in Baker Street in Leicester city.
15 Baker St - John Watts (64, framework knitter), Ann (69), grandson Pharoah (15);
19 Baker St - Frederick Freer (45, framework knitter, born Quorndon), Eliza (42, seamer, born Castle Donnington) also children all born Quorndon Frederick (18, labourer), John (16, labourer), Eliza (9, seamer), Mary A? (7), Edward (5), Thomas (3) and Selina (1).
Also I have found Frederick and family in the 1841 census in Quorndon - Frederick (35, lace maker), Eliza, William (11), Charles (9), Frederick, John, James (3), Eliza (1 month old).
Of course if I am correct these are all full brothers and sisters of Miriam Watts.

I think I need to look at Nottinghamshire now to see if I can find Miriam's birth. But looking back on the original posting Diddy found a Louisa Watts born to Eliza a single woman on 26 Oct 1826. This ties in with all the other dates.
So my question for the Leicestershire forum is what relation is Eliza to John? I suspect daughter (though my suspicions have generally been proved wrong when dealing with the Watts!). Is it possible to do a look up for the birth of Eliza in Castle Donnington around 1808/ 1809? Any other ideas would be most helpful.
Thanks again for your patience in reading all this!
Gerard
PS  I have posted on the Nottinghamshire forum for information on Miriam Watts birth

[Mike from Leicester]

Greeting’s Again. ….Gerard.

Any other ideas ? ……

Seems the Watts were on the move around your time scale. …

Poor Law Indexes :~

Removal Orders :~ Case No’. OS6/1/11/569..

1805. April.18th.

John Watts. Husband.
Elizabeth Watts Wife.
William Watts. Inf. Son.

Removal Castle Donington to Stanton by Dale. Derbyshire.

And recorded again  Quarter Sessions OS3/364/57.(  Microfilm 507)

Same details……..

MIKE. …….

[GerryS]

Thanks you Mike,
The John Watts I have is married to Ann not Elizabeth, but presumably they could be cousins (or a first marriage). On the likelihood there is a close relationship to my Watts, I would love to know more.

From my Nottinghamshire posting about Miriam a respondent found on Family Search (its always annoying when something is found that you should have found!!!)  a Miriam Frear, christened in Quorndon, Leicester on 14th February 1836. She would have been about 8 or 9 at that time. Could somebody please do a look up to confirm this please.
Thanks
Gerard

[Mike from Leicester]

Greeting’s Again Gerard.

Confirmation. :~

St: Bartholomew Parish Church.
Quorndon.

1836.

Miriam. Daughter of Frederich & Eliza Frear. ..Bapt. 14th. February.

Which was the same day & year
Pharaoh Watts Son of Cleopas & Hannah was also Baptised……..

MIKE. ….   

[GerryS]

Thanks Mike,
Very quick work,
So I guess all we need is to confirm the relationship between Eliza Frear nee Watts and John Watts. It looks like daughter to me but if it is possible for someone to do a look up for the birth of Eliza in Castle Donnington around 1808/ 1810?
Thanks again
Gerard

[Mike from Leicester]

Closest Match.. …..

1810.
St Edward King & Martyr Parish Curch.
Castle Donington.

Elizabeth. Daughter of John & Ann Watts…..Bapt. 7th. April.

MIKE. …..

[GerryS]

Hi,
That would seem to be it!
So it looks like we have closed Miriam, her mother Eliza(beth) Watts back to John and Ann Watts. What an interesting family they are with their misadventurous children!
Thanks rootschatters especially to Mike.

Gerard

PS Mike, would there be further details for John and Elizabeth Watts listed under the Removal Orders or Quarter Sessions that you listed? Are these held at Leicestershire Records Office only?

[Mike from Leicester]

Greeting’s Again. …Gerard.

The only other information via the Poor Law events would be
Why they were removed

Usually it’s because they had a child born in another Parish
and now they were asking help from the Parish funds for the up keep of this child……..
To which the answer was …. ” On your bike !!“ ….. 
And removed back to the Parish the child was born in ….

 Yes Records Office is the best place to view the events
Either the original Court ledger or via Microfilm

MIKE. …….