Author Topic: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby COMPLETED thank you  (Read 4058 times)

Offline meggiemoo3

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Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby COMPLETED thank you
« on: Thursday 13 October 11 13:49 BST (UK) »
Hello everyone

Been away from the family tree for a while and am hoping that perhaps there might be some new documentation around that may shed light on the father of my great great grandmother.

So far I have found out that Rosanna Bellamy was born 1st November 1850 -  I have found a birth register for her in Horncastle in Dec 1850 and sent off for the birth certificate. Her place of birth is listed as Coningsby and her mother is recorded as Sarah Bellamy.  There is no name of father, however on the certificate she is named as Rosanna Holmes. On the 1851 census she is living in Coningsby with her grandmother (Susan Bellamy) and her mother plus presumably older sisters Susan and Emma. Both of these are listed as Bellamy's but I have found birth entries that also list Emma as a Holmes Bellamy (Dec 1844, Boston).

I also have a copy of Rosanna's marriage certificate to my great great grandfather James Edward Woods, which took place on 7th November 1866 in Moulton, Lincs. On this Roseanna lists her father as a James Holmes and whilst it is not very clear I think his occupation is listed as a farmer and then in brackets deceased. She is also calling herself Rosanna Bellamy Holmes.

I have been unable to find a marriage record between Sarah Bellamy who I believe, from census records to be born in Billinghay around 1824 and a James Holmes - although I am not convinced they married because Sarah is living with her mother and 3 children in the 1851 census and I can find no records of Sarah after this date until a possible death register in June 1900, aged 76. Can anyone find Sarah on later census records for me please?

I know its a long shot in trying to locate the father of a possible illegitimate child but was wondering whether anyone could help me? I have a  possible lead that could possible be the James Holmes I am looking for.

In the 1841 census there is a James Holmes, aged 15 living at home in the hamlet of Walcott with his father John, a farmer. Then in 1851 there is another, possibly the same James Holmes aged 28 still in the hamlet of Walcott. I believe Walcott to be fairly close in distance to Billinghay - where Sarah's family come from originally.

I know longer have access to the census records to persue this any further and was wondering whether anyone could help with tracing James Holmes, finding a marriage for James and Sarah - althoughh I doubt that one exists or has access to the parish records for Coningsby/Billinghay or Walcott that may shed any light on Rosanna's parentage?

Thanking you in advance
Melanie
Taylor - Lincs
Jackson - Lincs
Burrows - Norfolk
Ambrose - Norfolk

Offline Geoff-E

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 13 October 11 14:01 BST (UK) »
Holmes was her middle name a forename (on birth certificate) ... there is no space for a child's surname.

It's possible that her father's name was James HOLMES (as said at marriage) ... however the father of one of my illegitimate ancestors was named as Patrick McALLISTER at baptism but at Thomas McALISTER at marriage.  :-\

Yes, Walcott is very close to Billinghay - map http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=514585&Y=355670&A=Y&Z=120
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Offline meggiemoo3

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 13 October 11 14:15 BST (UK) »
I've now found a christening entry on the IGI for a James Holmes at Walcot, Lincs in Jan 1815. Parents are listed as William and Elizabeth Holmes.

So Holmes would have been Rosanna's middle name as such then, rather than the surname she was using? This was perhaps Sarah's way of getting the father's name on the birth certificate - did the father have to be present to have his name put on the certificate if they weren't married? My great great grandmother on the other side was also illegitimate but there is a father's name on the birth certificate - even though its different to the one on the marriage certificate! Oh for a time machine!!!!Not sure if this was the case then or now but know that it was when our daughter was born in 2003. I suppose that would explain why her oldest sister is just Bellamy and her next oldest sister is Holmes Bellamy too.

The only assumption that James is in fact her father is his listing on the marriage certificate and that she has changed the order of her names from Rosanna Holmes Bellamy to Rosanna Bellamy Holmes.
Taylor - Lincs
Jackson - Lincs
Burrows - Norfolk
Ambrose - Norfolk

Offline Geoff-E

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 13 October 11 15:02 BST (UK) »
So Holmes would have been Rosanna's middle name as such then, rather than the surname she was using? I think so.

This was perhaps Sarah's way of getting the father's name on the birth certificate - did the father have to be present to have his name put on the certificate if they weren't married? I think that was the case.

I was reminded of someone attached to my tree named Henry Willows TYLER. born shortly after the 1851 census.  Working on the same farm as his mother Eliza TYLER in the census was a certain John WILLOWS. ;)
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Offline Geoff-E

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 13 October 11 15:09 BST (UK) »
Marriage 23 Dec 1841 at Walcott
James HOLMES (son of William) to Sarah WRIGHT (dau of William)

They can be found in Walcot in 1851.
Today I broke my personal record for most consecutive days alive.

Offline meggiemoo3

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 13 October 11 16:36 BST (UK) »
Marriage 23 Dec 1841 at Walcott
James HOLMES (son of William) to Sarah WRIGHT (dau of William)

They can be found in Walcot in 1851.

Thank you

So if this is my James then he obviously didn't marry Sarah then. That if it is him. I suspect that the James  who is the father of Rosanna and possibly Emma was either 'above Sarah's station' and therefore was not allowed to marry her or was already married to another. This information would fit with my second theory.

Have found the parish baptism records for Coningsby in 1850/1/2 online and Rosanna wasn't baptised during any of these years in Coningsby - can't see why she would have had her christened elsewhere as she was born there and lived there! The mystery deepens.

Could illegititmate children be baptised in church in those days?
Taylor - Lincs
Jackson - Lincs
Burrows - Norfolk
Ambrose - Norfolk

Offline meggiemoo3

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 13 October 11 17:55 BST (UK) »
I've found him...


I did a general internet search for Richard Bellamy (sarah's father - found her brothers baptism and found out he was a farmer) - this led me to a fenland family tree and the Bellamy's were all on there.

Now according to this Sarah did marry a James Homes - don't know when though and he is listed as Rosanna's father. they then went on to have 2 more children, Matthew and Ann Rebecca after Rosanna in 1854 and 1858 respectively. Matthew born in Coningsby and Ann in Sutton St James - explaining how Rosanna met my gr.gr grandfather I suppose.

I now need to try and contact the lady who has complied this research and see if she can give me any further information on James.
Taylor - Lincs
Jackson - Lincs
Burrows - Norfolk
Ambrose - Norfolk

Offline Geoff-E

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 13 October 11 18:26 BST (UK) »
Hmmmm ... if there had been a marriage, I think Jacky would have mentioned it (and perhaps even called the kids "HOLMES").

She posts on RootsChat http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=49610
Today I broke my personal record for most consecutive days alive.

Offline meggiemoo3

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Re: Father of Roseanna Bellamy - Coningsby
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 13 October 11 18:34 BST (UK) »
Thanks for that link

She does list a marriage but with no dates and the children are Holmes bellamy like Rosanna and Emma so who knows?

I will get in touch and see what info she has.
Taylor - Lincs
Jackson - Lincs
Burrows - Norfolk
Ambrose - Norfolk