A Hemmings Mistranscription?

[avm228]

Another interesting thing is a contrasting name for Selina's father.  Being known as Henry contradicts my research so I need to dig a little deeper there as well.  I have him as an Eli (or Ely) Gillen-Watson, born Kingston 1860, joined the army as Watson 1877 aka Gillen, spent time in India and Burmah before returning and being demobbed as Eli Gillen.  I think I need to go back to the few censuses Eli was on to verify Eli and Henry were the same person before progressing.

What was the basis for thinking her father was Eli - did this come from the 1915 marriage details?

[avm228]

His wife Selina Emma nee Gillen (but marriage in Kingston in March qtr 1908 indexed as Gillian)

She signed the register clearly as Selina Gilliam.

[Roy G]

In an effort to sort the Eli issue out, I went back to a previous Rootschat entry of mine about the same guy.  It was written so long ago, that I had almost forgotten it.  I now need to comprehend it once again because Eli did so much ducking and diving with his name and relationships, the mental agility I had to understand it then, is no longer with me.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=682557.msg5270027#msg5270027

Roy G

[avm228]

I see that Eli Gillen did not die until 1918 (in Kingston) - some 10 years after Selina Gilliam's marriage.

[Roy G]

Re. What was the basis for thinking her (Selina's) father was Eli - did this come from the 1915 marriage details?
No, The 1901 census lists Eli Gillen Head b1861, Mary A Gillen Wife b 1867, Selina E Gillen Daughter b 1891, Frances E Gillen Daughter b1892, Lilian K Gillen Daughter 1897.
The same census has no entries in Kingston for a Selina Gillian or Gilliam.

Yes the date of Eli death (1918) is correct, it also appears on his army record.  Being a reservist, he was reconscripted for WW1, but taken off the troopship because of ill health, which doctors thought was TB. He died in 1918 after 2 years of hospitalisation.
Roy G

[avm228]

Yes I saw that.  So if Selina was his daughter it would be extremely odd for her not only to get her father's name wrong on her 1908 marriage but also to say that he was deceased.

Still, stranger things have happened, I suppose!

[KGarrad]

Maybe Eli didn't give his consent to the marriage?
So she told a little white lie about her father's name?!

[avm228]

Maybe Eli didn't give his consent to the marriage?
So she told a little white lie about her father's name?!

Quite possible.  If the child seen in the censuses is the right one she was 5mo old in the 1891 census, so born autumn 1890. She'd have been 17 rather than 19 on marriage in Jan 1908.

So a white lie on the age as well - didn't think to bump it up to 21!

[Roy G]

Re The 1901 census lists Eli Gillen Head b1861, Mary A Gillen Wife b 1867, Selina E Gillen Daughter b 1891, Frances E Gillen Daughter b1892, Lilian K Gillen Daughter 1897.
The same census has no entries in Kingston for a Selina Gillian or Gilliam.

The only alternative thought I have to explain the marriage entry is that during Eli's military service in India, the children's mother had a live in lover called Henry, who died before Eli's return.  On his return, Eli accepted all her children as his own for they already had his surname. 

Getting like a soap opera isnt it.
Roy G