Author Topic: Clark Family  (Read 590 times)

Offline Pheno

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Clark Family
« on: Tuesday 23 May 17 09:45 BST (UK) »
I have a DNA match with an ancestry contact, Mary.  The match is on my mother's side and we think we have identified where it is - we just need documentary evidence to prove it.

Mary's mothers maiden name was CLARK.  Mary has traced this line back to her great grandfather William John Clark and below are the known facts about him.

He married Prudence Randall in 1874 in Kilburn.  He was a blacksmith and both are living in Alpha Place North.  For some reason, William switches the order of his christian names (ie he is John William). His father's name is also given as John William Clark, a deceased wheelwright.

In the 1881, 1891, 1901 & 1911 census William John's birth year is always 1851 although PoB varies between London & Whitechapel.

I cannot find William in the 1871 census but I do have a possible match in 1861 when he is living in Chichester Road, Willesden (just around the corner from Alpha Terrace), with widowed mother Ann Clark (b. 1826 St. George in the East) and an Esther Clark, a widow b.c. 1796 in Dereham, Norfolk. [Piece 785, folio 91, page 52]

My own connection to the Clark family is through my 3xgreat grandmother Sarah Clark and these are the facts as I know them.
- Sarah bp 1824 to William Clark, a wheelwright and his wife Elizabeth at St. George in the East.
- William & Elizabeth Clark (née Dunn) also had a daughter Ann b. 20/7/1826. She was baptised that same year at St George in the East, when William was again noted as a wheelwright.
- Sarah marries in 1846. Father William is again a wheelwright. I have followed Sarah and her husband/family through until her death but have not (until now!) been able to find anything about Sarah's sister Ann or her parents after 1826.
- I do know that Sarah's mother Elizabeth Dunn was born c.1801 in East Dereham, Norfolk. Elizabeth had an older sister Esther Dunn born c1794 in East Dereham, Norfolk.

I feel sure that the Ann Clark found in the 1861 census is the Ann Clark above and therefore sister to my Sarah. She indicates she is a widow, but I believe she is unmarried and that William John Clark is her illegitimate son.

The Esther Clark who is living with them could be the Esther Dunn referred to above, which would make her Ann's maternal aunt. The birthplace and year are about right. I am not sure why she is recorded as Esther Clark, widow. Maybe she genuinely did marry someone called Clark? Or perhaps the info is an error and that she is enumerated as Clark simply to match the rest of the household.

I'm not sure why William John gives his father's name/profession as John William Clark, wheelwright, when he marries in 1874. It could be that he knew his grandfather (William Clark) was a wheelwright. [William does marry again, in 1894, this time as William John but I can't view the certificate online so I don't know father's details].

Is anyone able to help me prove a link between:
(i) the Ann Clark I've found in 1861 and the one baptised in 1826 in St George in the East?
(ii) William the son of Ann (as enumerated in 1861) and the William John Clark who goes on to marry Prudence Randall and Annie Gill?
(iii) the Esther Clark, living with Ann and William in 1861, and the Esther Dunn b1794 in East Dereham?

I will also post this on the Norfolk board.

Thanks,
Pheno
Austin/Austen - Sussex & London
Bond - Berkshire & London
Bishop - Sussex & Kent
Holland - Essex
Nevitt - Cheshire & Staffordshire
Wray - Yorkshire

Offline Spidermonkey

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Re: Clark Family
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 23 May 17 09:57 BST (UK) »
Interesting puzzle Pheno!

There is an Esther Dunn in Norwich on the 1851 census - DOB c. 1796.  Describes herself as a widow, profession midwife.  Living with son John Dunn DOB c. 1826, profession cooper.  I wonder if this is your Esther?

1841, St John Sepulchre, Norwich
John Dunn  45  Cooper
Esther Dunn  40
Ann Dunn 19
John Dunn  18
William Dunn 8

All born in county

Offline Pheno

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Re: Clark Family
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 23 May 17 10:12 BST (UK) »
Hi Spidermonkey,

Thank you very much for your reply. I took the opportunity just now of doing some more research, and I *think* I am one step closer to solving this....

I found, by sheer chance, an Esther Reading born c1795 in East Dereham, Norfolk living in Bethnal Green with husband B Reading (bc1795 in Whitechapel) and daughter Elizabeth (bc1832 in Whitechapel). I managed to find the family in 1841 (this time the surname is Redding), when I discovered that the 'B' stood for Bartholomew.

An Esther Dunn marries a Bartholomew John Redding 16/10/1831 in St Dunstan, Stepney.

It transpires that their daughter Elizabeth's full name is Elizabeth Esther Redding/Reading. She marries George Atkinson in 1857, Stepney. Her father's name is given as Bartholomew John Redding - so I feel sure that it is the same person. Witness to the marriage is one Ann Clark!
Austin/Austen - Sussex & London
Bond - Berkshire & London
Bishop - Sussex & Kent
Holland - Essex
Nevitt - Cheshire & Staffordshire
Wray - Yorkshire

Offline Pheno

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Re: Clark Family
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 23 May 17 10:17 BST (UK) »
Forgot to clarify - the first time I found the family above was in the 1851 census!
Austin/Austen - Sussex & London
Bond - Berkshire & London
Bishop - Sussex & Kent
Holland - Essex
Nevitt - Cheshire & Staffordshire
Wray - Yorkshire


Offline Spidermonkey

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Re: Clark Family
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 23 May 17 10:31 BST (UK) »
Shame the marriage cert doesn't explain the relationship between Ann Clark and the bride and groom!  (wouldn't it be great if there was a note alongside witnesses signatures that said Ann Clark, cousin to the bride!)

Offline Spidermonkey

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Re: Clark Family
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 23 May 17 10:46 BST (UK) »
Have you got/seen William John (bn 1851) birth cert?   

Offline Pheno

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Re: Clark Family
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 23 May 17 11:57 BST (UK) »
I think he is the William John Clark registered in the 4th quarter of 1851 in Poplar RD (Volume 02 page 390). Mother's maiden name is Clark - which fits with him being the illegitimate son of Ann Clark. But I haven't actually got the certificate.

There are no obviously suitable registrations of a John Clark (I'm at a loss to explain why he switches the order of his christian names when he marries Prudence in 1874).
Austin/Austen - Sussex & London
Bond - Berkshire & London
Bishop - Sussex & Kent
Holland - Essex
Nevitt - Cheshire & Staffordshire
Wray - Yorkshire