Ball family in Portsea

[mygirlbill]

I am researching the Ball family in Portsea, Hampshire. Thomas and Mary Ball had 6 children one of whom was Frances Ball born 1814. According to FamilySearch.org, a Frances Ball had a son Thomas Henry Williams Ball christened on the 11th of May 1827. In 1836 a Frances Ball married a Thomas Henry Williams. If it is one and the same Frances, this would mean that she was only 13 years old at the time of her sons birth. I've tried finding this couple in census records on FamilySearch with no luck. Many thanks in advance.

[Pheno]

Think this might be your family in 1841  HO107/414/25/5

living Webbs Cottages, Portsea and all born Hampshire

Thomas Williams 36 b. 1805
Frances  34 b. 1807
Thomas 15 b. 1826
John 4 b. 1837
Sophia 2 b. 1839
Julia 0 b. 1841

Although ages are out they are rounded down in 1841 and what makes me think it might be your family is the big age gap between son Thomas and later children.

Pheno

[mygirlbill]

Yes, I think that you might have found them. Thank you! So if Frances was only 13 years old at the time, is it not unusual that she didn't end up in a sort of home for unmarried mothers? What would have been the consequences seeing as both were under aged?  Once again, many thanks.

[Pheno]

Hi, don't think that any of that 'social' concept existed then.  She would have probably been taken care of within the family or cast out and become a charge on the parish and gone into the workhouse.  Also doubt if there were any laws relating to age of consent but expect somebody with greater knowledge can respond to this.

In 1851 (HO107/1659/820/35) Thomas and Frances are in Garden Lane Portsea:

Thomas Williams  45  1806  Gardener
Frances  43 1808
Julia 9 1842
William 5 1846   all born Portsmouth

son Thomas has obviously left home.

You state that Frances was born 1814 but at that point there would be no birth registration, only baptism, and some children were registered some time after birth.  It would be possible, therefore, that Frances was born around 1808 - as both these census suggest - (were there siblings baptised same day?) and therefore she would have been more like 18 when son Thomas was born.

Pheno

[Pheno]

This is definitely the right family as in 1861 Frances' mother is with them.

1861 living Ivy Cottages, Ryde View, Porstea  (RG09/644/116/27)

Frances Williams widow 53 b. 1808 Laundress
Christyan Ball Mother  widow  89 b. 1772  house proprietor
Julia Williams 20 b. 1841  Milliner
William Williams 17  b. 1844  Seaman RN

All born Portsmouth except Christyan b. Isle of Wight.

Again suggesting an 1808 dob for Frances although her mother is stated as Christyan and in your original post you state her mother as Mary.

Pheno

[Pheno]

Aha, there are two Frances Ball baptisms at St. Mary's,  Portsea.

1808  daughter of William and Christian   and
1814  daughter of Thomas and Mary.

I think the one with the son Thomas is the daughter of William & Christian.

You need to be sure which Frances you are following.

Pheno

[trish1120]

William BALL Married Christian SNOW, 28 December 1801, St. Mary'S, Portsea, Hampshire, England
(Familysearch.Org)

1841 Census she is Christian Ball age 69 (1772), Laundress, living in Portsea alone

[mygirlbill]

Thank you all so much for all of your help. As I mentioned in my initial post, "..a Francis Ball had a son Thomas Henry Williams Ball ......." Because I wasn't able to find any census records for them, and I wanted to be sure which Francis was which,  and which one to follow (research) I decided to post my query. I somehow had a gut feeling that it wasn't my Francis but of course you can never be certain until you've looked into it further. Once again many thanks to all.