Ebenezer Frederick Smith married Lizzie Erb in Q March 1882 in Middlesbrough

[suzard]

there is this birth reg
FreeBMD
Frederick Smith Erb
Dec qtr 1879
Milton reg dist kent
2a 837

so did Lizzie meet Ebenezar before George Erb died??

Suz

[rkive82]

Thanks so much everybody ... and Good Morning (I'm 8 hours behind GMT).
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You have reinforced some of my thinking, but there were "red herrings" in this family of mariners.
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FreeBMD has the June 1873 marriage of George ERLE (not Erb) and Lizzie HILL (not Hills).
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The 1861 Census has an Elizabeth aged 4 and an Eliza (or Lizzie or similar) aged 6. I now believe our Lizzie Hills was born in Q June 1855 in Milton and that her sister, Elizabeth Ann Margaret Hills, was born Q Dec 1857 in Milton. EAM Hills marries a William Evenden later and there's a connection with a son living with grandfather William Hills.
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Just to confuse matters further, I found an Elizabeth Hills born Q June 1857 in Milton. Perhaps EAM Hills was given a grander name to distinguish her from the other Elizabeth Hills.
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Frederick Smith Erb - this does suggest a connection with Ebenezer before the 1882 marriage. Perhaps they moved to Yorkshire to start afresh?
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"The plot thickens" but it's fascinating, isn't it?
Thanks again.
Richard

[suzard]

here's more "thickening" for the plot.

It does seem Frederick Smith Erb is Frederick Smith on the census - and from 1881 census (posted by Kay) it seems Lizzie and the children were using the name Smith then
I have yet to find Ebenezer Frederick Smith in 1881
George Erb died late 1881 after the census -but I think this is him in 1881 with a "wife"
Alice Mary Tottenham Dock
Derby no 79866 Sittingbourne George Erb Married master 32 Bristol
Emma Erb wife 30 Gt Bedwin Berks
RG11 1383 56 40

so it looks like both george and Lizzie had different partners in 1881

Suz

[rkive82]

Thanks Suz.
  That does seem to be George Erb with another "wife." There was a little George Erb, born Q Dec 1874 and died Q March 1876 in Medway, Kent.
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  I think we've solved most of the mysteries, except that, like you, I haven't found an 1881 Census record for Ebenezer Fred. Smith, nor even an 1871 record.
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  I managed to identify Lizzy's parents as William and Ann née Standen. We have made significant progress. Truly a joint effort.
Thank you.
Richard

[suzard]

I think on some census Ebenezer goes by his middle name

Suz

[suzard]

Possiblity for Ebenezar in 1871

1871
Brdge St Milton nr Sittingbourne
Frederick Smith Boarder unmarried 19 Mariner Bermondsey
in household of Thurshill Adams
RG10 982 30 8

Suz

[rkive82]

A definite possibility. I have added the record to my An*****y tree.
Thanks
Richard