My brickwall? Who was Robert ANSTRUTHER died 1887 aged abt 74 in Croydon, Surrey

[rosie99]

I agree LizzieL, it would have been clearer if the Bennett family were not mentioned.  It would also have saved you all time looking for information that has already been given. At least now that you have posted those links (Thank you    ) we are all aware there are other similar topics already.

[groom]

Can this Robert be found ANYWHERE before this death 25 Sept 1887 age 74 at #23 Whitehouse Road Croydon Surrey, of independent means and of 'natural decay'. 

I'm confused. His date of birth according to the certificate is 1813, so why do you think it could also be 1820? From your first post it reads as if he disappeared and then the rest of the family changed their name to Anstruther, so wouldn't he still be Bennett, unless they were all in on his disappearance?

[hurworth]

Hello Mark,

May I point out an error in your tree on Ancestry please?  I hope it's OK for this post to stay here and not be moved.  This error is on several public trees but hopefully they will eventually be corrected.

Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson who says on the 1881 census that he was born in Limerick is not the son of Anthony J.A. Wilkinson and Marion Harriet Jones with whom he is staying in Durham.  They are his aunt and uncle.

Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson was born at St Oswalds, near Limerick and parents were Thomas William Wilkinson (born approx 1822 and died in 1899, Croom, Ireland) and Helena Rosalie Brown of Wilton, Rathkeale.  Helena was the daughter of William Pierce/Pearce Brown of Danesfort and Ellen Fitzgerald of Athlunkard, Limerick.

From Ireland select marriages:
Helena Rosalie Brown
Gender    Female
Marriage Date    22 Apr 1845
Marriage Place    0505,Rathkeale,Limerick,Ireland
Spouse    Thomas William Wilkinson

Helena died on 1st April 1860.  Thomas' second wife Anne Eliza Quirk, nee Brown, was a cousin of Helena.  They married at Sefton, Lancashire on 7 January 1862.  His residence is St Oswalds, Ballingarry, Limerick and he states that his father is Percival Spearman Wilkinson,a clergyman.  It was a double wedding and on the next page is the marriage of another relative, Henry Brown, to Ellen Quirk.

Rev P.S. Wilkinson's death in 1875 was reported in the Limerick Chronicle.
http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/Rev.%20Wilkinson.pdf

This branch of the family doesn't appear in some records about the Wilkinsons.  That may be due to the scandal of Rev Anthony A Wilkinson being involved in "gross misconduct". 

[Annette7]

For what it's worth, I would say the Robert Anstruther who died in 1887 is the man found by rosie99 on the 1881 census and so therefore not your man.

Annette

[markheal]

Groom,
Thank you for your interest in my confusing family!

Well, the 1813 birthdate for Robert ANSTRUTHER is based on the age 74 given on his September death certificate, presumably given by the informant Mary EVE.  Non-family informants can often be inaccurate and she even gives confused age for her own father's death! 
I have attempted to track all men with ANSTRUTHER links including all those in India.
So I need to establish the correct line for this Robert ANSTRUTHER and his possible life in India.
Today I found a  1857 General Election  Poll Book record for a Robert ANSTRUTHER in Up Canning Street Town Hall Ward, Liverpool. [The home town of Mary HENRY after she returned from 10 years in New York.]

Also there is a 1865 Albion Terrace Southampton Poll Book for Robt ANSTRUTHER but this may well be Robert Lindsay ANSTRUTHER 1786- who died in Southampton in 1868

and a London Directory 1856 entry for a Colonel at Chepstow Villas Notting Hill. London


Family myths are very thin in detail about the disappearance of Robert George BENNETT range from a financial collapse, scandal, cheating to suicide with pistol whilst sitting on the loo!  If this latter, there would presumably be an inquest and a civil death record. Of course he may have skipped abroad. In my experience, where there is an absence of solid evidence, people fill the voids with wishful thinking or fantasies about their heritage.

On several of the children's birth certificates, he or his 'wife' claim that he is a retired Infantry Colonel on half pay.  I have access to the complete set of Army Lists and have failed to identify the correct man. I conclude that the BENNETT name may too be an alias or an assumed identity.
Both he and his 'wife' Mary seem to like to chose interesting middle names for their children, Melgund, Carnegie, Elliot, Compton and Anstruther.

[LizzieL]

For what it's worth, I would say the Robert Anstruther who died in 1887 is the man found by rosie99 on the 1881 census and so therefore not your man.

Annette

Here's the East Indies born Robert Anstruther in 1841

Piece number 736 Book number 6 Folio number 18 Page number 30

[hurworth]

Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson who says on the 1881 census that he was born in Limerick is not the son of Anthony J.A. Wilkinson and Marion Harriet Jones with whom he is staying in Durham.  They are his aunt and uncle.

Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson was born at St Oswalds, near Limerick and parents were Thomas William Wilkinson (born approx 1822 and died in 1899, Croom, Ireland) and Helena Rosalie Brown of Wilton, Rathkeale.  Helena was the daughter of William Pierce/Pearce Brown of Danesfort and Ellen Fitzgerald of Athlunkard, Limerick.

Baptism (available online via nli)

Name:   Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson
Baptism Age:   0
Event Type:   Baptism
Birth Date:   1860
Baptism Date:   21 Apr 1860
Baptism Place:   St Michael's, Limerick city, Limerick, Ireland
Parish Variants:   St. Michaels, Limerick
Diocese:   Limerick
Father:    Thos Wm Wilkinson
Mother:    Helena Rosalie

I have recorded a date of death for Helena of 1st April 1860 but not where this came from.  I think it was from a newspaper.

[scottmcc]

Hello as well Mark. I seem to remember correcting you many years ago, in as much as the Wilkinson (as below) are not connected to your family. I'm happy for you to correspond on this open forum on the subject and I can show you where you have the wrong connection on your Ancestry and other sites. Hope to hear from you. Cheers

Hello Mark,

May I point out an error in your tree on Ancestry please?  I hope it's OK for this post to stay here and not be moved.  This error is on several public trees but hopefully they will eventually be corrected.

Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson who says on the 1881 census that he was born in Limerick is not the son of Anthony J.A. Wilkinson and Marion Harriet Jones with whom he is staying in Durham.  They are his aunt and uncle.

Anthony Anstruther Wilkinson was born at St Oswalds, near Limerick and parents were Thomas William Wilkinson (born approx 1822 and died in 1899, Croom, Ireland) and Helena Rosalie Brown of Wilton, Rathkeale.  Helena was the daughter of William Pierce/Pearce Brown of Danesfort and Ellen Fitzgerald of Athlunkard, Limerick.

From Ireland select marriages:
Helena Rosalie Brown
Gender    Female
Marriage Date    22 Apr 1845
Marriage Place    0505,Rathkeale,Limerick,Ireland
Spouse    Thomas William Wilkinson

Helena died on 1st April 1860.  Thomas' second wife Anne Eliza Quirk, nee Brown, was a cousin of Helena.  They married at Sefton, Lancashire on 7 January 1862.  His residence is St Oswalds, Ballingarry, Limerick and he states that his father is Percival Spearman Wilkinson,a clergyman.  It was a double wedding and on the next page is the marriage of another relative, Henry Brown, to Ellen Quirk.

Rev P.S. Wilkinson's death in 1875 was reported in the Limerick Chronicle.
http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/Rev.%20Wilkinson.pdf

This branch of the family doesn't appear in some records about the Wilkinsons.  That may be due to the scandal of Rev Anthony A Wilkinson being involved in "gross misconduct".

[scottmcc]

Hello as well Mark. I seem to remember correcting you many years ago, in as much as the Wilkinson (as below) are not connected to your family. I'm happy for you to correspond on this open forum on the subject and I can show you where you have the wrong connection on your Ancestry and other sites. Hope to hear from you. Cheers