India : Joseph Hugh Austen-Lewis

[Aks]

I have been trying without success to identify Joseph Hugh Austen-Lewis who had two children born in Calcutta, John Joseph born in Dharmatala (Dhurrumtollah), Calcutta, on 14 February 1906 and Magdalene Veronica in Calcutta on 23 April 1908.

His profession is mariner on both John and Magdalene's birth records. His first name is given as Joseph and Joseph Hugh on Magdalene's and John's baptism records, respectively. His wife's name first name is given as Rose Marian and Mary Rose on Magdalene's and John's baptism records, respectively.

I have been unable to find a baptism or marriage record for Joseph Hugh, even after a day spent at the British library.

Since then, I came across a death record for a Joseph Austin Lewis on 6 April 1911 in Calcutta, where Joseph Austin are given as his first names. I'm wondering if this might be him and that his name was wrongly transcribed or understood. This person appears to be buried at the Lower Circular Road Cemetery, also known as the General Episcopal Cemetery.

I would appreciate anyone's opinion on this possible identification and also any ideas as to how to pursue this research which seems to be otherwise at a dead end.

He is reputed to have been an Indian man who married a Dutch woman, but I can't be sure of this.

I have the descendants of Magdalene, but I've no idea what happened to John Joseph.

Thanks,

Alan

[ShaunJ]

Looks like there was another child Charles (1900 -1917) http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3059562/LEWIS,%20CHARLES%20AUSTAN

Added: Charles Austen Lewis born 17 December 1900, baptised 4 January 1901, parents Joseph Austen Lewis, mariner, and Mary Austen Lewis.

[Aks]

Wow, thank you very much ShaunJ. That's very interesting. So the mother's name there is Mrs. Marion Rose Joseph Lewis, presumably. I wonder if Joseph is a first name or perhaps her maiden name, or again did she remarry? This seems to tie in with Joseph Hugh (the father) having died in 1911, since the death here only mentions his mother.

[Aks]

Thanks to ShaunJ's input, I subsequently managed to find a number of baptism records for other children as well as some deaths, which I presume belong to the same family, though I can't be sure.

There is quite a variation in the surnames between Lewis and Austen-Lewis, and in the father's first names, which I've tried to regroup in the attached file. The mother's first names also vary between Mary and Marion Rose and Rose Marian.

If anyone has any comments as to how such a variation could come about, I would appreciate it, as I find it rather bewildering.

I should mention that, apparently, the mother (Marion Rose), remarried to a Frederick Joseph after her first husband died. This remarriage also gives her father's name as Joseph Cocker.

Many thanks,

Alan