What I posted yesterday seems never to appeared here so I shall try to retype much of what I said which may answer some of your questions.
The family in Canada knows for sure that Eliza/Elizabeth Smith married John Whittaker (Mar. 1904) and ironically John's youngest daughter Rose Whittaker (b. 1892) married Albert George Smith in 1919. Albert served in the Canadian Forces during WWI and they must have connected during his time in England. Rose came back to Canada with him that year. John Whittaker's marriage record says that he married an Eliza Crisp so I was assuming that she had married someone else after her husband abandoned her or else she gave a false name or an incorrect one was recorded.
All of Eliza's children had the same father so I think you are referring to the discrepancy in her father's names. On the 1911 census, when she is listed with John Whittaker as his wife (name shown as 'Elizaburth') she says she was born in Paddington and gives an exact street address. 4 or 5 years ago I tried researching that address and any who may have lived there but I did not find any connections at all. I have just hauled out all the old files and will see if there is anything on any record that would help but I am quite sure I was very careful before ever putting them away.
Perhaps Charles Smith and his older sister Alice wound up having happy lives in adulthood; we can only hope so! The eldest sister Elizabeth Amelia Smith died at the age of 26, unmarried, with a 5 year old son named George Roland Smith. Dr. Barnardo's records say that he was sent to Quebec in Canada but I can find nothing on him here. We know nothing more about Alice. Ada & brother Albert worked for various people when sent to Canada before they were teenagers. It would seem though that there was some contact with their mother as Ada had a picture of her mother as an older woman.
Both would appear to be the right person but why the discrepancy in places of birth I don't know! Perhaps she lived in Paddington at one time and gave that as her place of birth.
Jennifer
Jennifer,
It's all so sad!
May I ask how you know that Eliza Amelia (Rose) Smith became Elizabeth Crisp then Elizabeth Whittaker.
I am puzzled and worried about the different fathers and the year and place of birth discrepancies.
Heywood
