Looking for another missing Henry Eltham

[Mabel Bagshawe]

I'm guessing the East is because it appears he may have been the illegitimate child of Mary East before she married John Eltham (see one of LizzieL's posts above)

Looks like Henry may have had a little bother - some snippets from Biritish Newspapers Online freesearch. I've no sub, so not sure if anyone else can check them out as they might be useful

"Before Judge Parry.— Henry Eltham, travelling confectioner, ... ”
Saturday 11 October 1873 ,  Northampton Mercury

also one where he's the victim

 “... October last, feloniously entered the dwelling-house of Henry Eltham. at Ensham, and stolen thereout 7 sovereigns, 17 half-sovereigns, crowns, and other articles, ... ”

Saturday 17 July 1841 ,  Berkshire Chronicle

and some for Emily

ABINGDON
“... than 20 years. As there appeared some doubt in the matter, the bench remanded the prisoner, and bound him over to appear. Emily Eltham, the wife of a confectioner ... ”

Saturday 15 May 1852 ,  Berkshire Chronicle ,

"CITY COURT.-TuESDAY. (Before the Mayor Ald. Thorp, Ald. Towle, and Mr. Justice Pike.) Emily Eltham, the wife of Henry Eltham, of Eynsham, was charged ... ”

Saturday 22 May 1858 ,  Oxford Journal


and again as a victim (possibly)

Reading Mercury
WESTERN CIRCUIT—Winchester, July 11
“... court. {Before Cfiief Justice Tindal.) Joseph Williams, aged 26, was indicted upon charge of having feloniously wounded Emily Eltham, with intent to maim her. The ... ”

Saturday 20 July 1844 ,  Reading Mercury

[Millmoor]

The 1873 case re Henry is also reported in the Oxford Journal. It actually involves him sue Samuel Gunn of the Angel Inn Banbury regarding the disappearance of a horse which  had been grazing in one of Samuel's fields.

The 1858 case with Emily saw her charged with pawning two shawls which she had obtained from W Oliver draper and had said were needed for a Mrs East. She admitted the charge and was convicted of the penalty of 5s and the full value of the goods £1 13s and in default of payment to be committed to prison for three months with hard labour.

William

[Pennie]

Think I've found Henry and Emily's marriage!

Having another look at the entry for Emily FRANKLIN on the GRO indexes, I noted that there were five brides listed on the page, but only four grooms - ie. one groom was missing!

Checking the same quarter and registration district for any Henrys, I found the following:

March 1840 - Oxford RD - Henry EAST  (Vol. 16, page 119).

Pennie

[LizzieL]

Thank you all very much for your help. So it looks as if Henry was the illegitimate child of Mary East of Cumnor (and possibly the natural child of John Eltham). Certainly looks like he was brought up as an Eltham. The marriage in Oxford district rather than either Witney or Abingdon districts which would be his or Emily's districts looks like he wanted to conceal his real surname. Looks like a mistake was made on page number when the index was originally typed. The newspaper reports are interesting, Emily's incident with the shawl mentions Mrs East, maybe referring to herself as that would be her real married name, but shopkeeper thought the shawl was for someone else.
All those parish records will take a bit of time to sort out. Surprising that the John who married Ann Wiggins was a widower, this may need a major rewrite of the tree, hope FTM can cope. And a few names I hadn't seen before, particularly early on, so perhaps back another generation and a link with the Bampton Elthams will come to light.

[CarolA3]

From the PRs of St Aldate, Oxford (transcribed by Oxfordshire Family History Society):

Marriage 26 Feb 1840
EAST  Henry     f.a., bach., butcher, o.t.p., s. John, farmer
FRANKLIN  X Emily    f.a., sp., o.t.p., d. James, farmer

Wit: John SCROGGS, Alice GARWOOD            Banns

Hope this helps
Carol

[LizzieL]

Thank you very much.

That confirms that the GRO index has an error. Emily and Henry had references in the same quarter but the page numbers differed by one digit. So it looked like there were odd numbers of brides and grooms.

Pennie found this anomaly earlier and the PR has confirmed she had the right marriage. Henry lists his father as John, which is what I suspected. John has been a hawker, laboure, farmer, baker according to occupation listed on records of his other childrens baptisms and on censuses. He was a farmer in 1836 so reasonable to suppose he was still a farmer in 1840.

[LizzieL]

Had a chance now to digest all the parish record information. It now seems clear that Henry Eltham was illegiimate and was married as East, but used the name Eltham most of the time as it was his step (probably natural) father's name. Still not found him on all censuses but if he had a somewhat itinerant occupation he could have been away from home at census time and missed out where was lodging at the time.
It looks as if Thomas could be John senior's father - age difference is about right, and the Mary who died in 1833 could be his mother. Thomas just gets on to 1841 census, living with Ann Eltham who is half his age. She is not born in county (Oxon). In 1851 Ann is listed as a widow born in Pentonville. So it looks as if Thomas has remarried a much younger woman. The only Thomas Eltham / Ann marriage  which would fit the dates I have found is in Kensington on 18 July 1836. No Thomas / Ann couple in London area on 1841 census to match it, so it could be a possibility given Ann was from London.
But would a 62 year old widowed Ag Lab marry a 27 year old? In 1851 Ann was on parish relief and had taken in two lodgers, so he didn't leave her well off.

[LizzieL]

Have been looking at this family again. After Thomas Eltham died his widow Ann Eltham remarried in Eynsham to John Foster, her father listed as  Thomas Stonnells so confirms the marriage in 1836 in Kensington, but can't understand why they would marry there unless Ann was working in Eynsham and met Thomas there but they married in her home parish in London.

I have found a baptism of a a John Helton in Eynsham in 1795 s/o Thomas and Mary and a marriage for a Thomas Hilton and Mary Gibbons in 1794. Mary's age at burial in 1833 gives a birth year abt 1766. There is a baptism for a Mary Gibbons in 1766 d/o Richard and Martha, and a Richard Gibbons was a witness at Thomas Hilton and Mary Gibbons marriage. So despite the difference in surname it looks as if this could be the right Thomas. I have found an H frequently at the beginning of the name (Heltham / Heltom etc).
From age at death Thomas was born abt 1772, 1841 census says bic, but I can't find a likely Thomas born in Oxon, but there is one in Steventon, Berks (brother of my 3 x great grandfather). However I have this Thomas as being buried in 1782, but as I have no age at death it might be the burial of his uncle John b about 1751.
Is anyone able to look up this burial to see if there is any indication of age of deceased, please

[CarolA3]

There is a burial entry in Steventon for a Thomas ELTON on 7 June 1782.  This is from the OFHS transcriptions on their CD OXF-AB03.  Unfortunately, no other details are given except for burials of children (parents' names) and widowed women.

The fact that Thomas doesn't have 'son of X and Y' by his name might imply that he wasn't a child in 1782.

Also unfortunately, Steventon PRs aren't on Ancestry because the parish was in Berkshire until 1974 and the records remain in Reading.  Only the records stored in Oxford have been digitised.  It's the bane of my life as about 40% of my family were from the 'wrong' side of the border

Carol