WALKER ALFRED JOHN born about 1831/33 Birmingham

[racheljoyce]

I cannot trace his birth/christening or 1841 census. I believe I have his family although there is another similarly named family, and I have three marriages for him.
On the first marriage certificate, 26 Sep 1858 to Mary Ann Gilbert, no father is named.
He was a widow in 1861 and I then think he married Rebecca Jones in 1864 in Walsall. (no certificate yet) and after her death in 1871 he went on to marry Harriet Greaves in 1872, in Birmingham and names his father as Joseph, traveller.
His sisters were Martha Elizabeth(1837), Mary Ann (1841) and Emma Jane (1843) and his mother Mary Ann. Alfred was with his widowed mother & three sisters in 1851 and with them again in 1861 except for Martha (married).
Emma Jane certainly names her father as Joseph, commercial traveller at her marriage but neither Alfred or Emma state he was deceased.

There is 1841 census which almost fits but the mother is named as Sarah.

Maybe his father was not Joseph and so he didn't name him at his 1st marriage - I do have a marriage of Mary Ann Parsonage to Joseph Walker in 1836 in Birmingham.
Please can anyone help as I have spent hours on this!

[racheljoyce]

PS I have a death for a Joseph Walker in 1846 in Birmingham but I haven't sent for certificate.

[rosie99]

His sisters were Martha Elizabeth(1837), Mary Ann (1841) and Emma Jane (1843) and his mother Mary Ann. Alfred was with his widowed mother & three sisters in 1851 and with them again in 1861 except for Martha (married).

Link to the 1851
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGZ8-DDH

[rosie99]

PS I have a death for a Joseph Walker in 1846 in Birmingham but I haven't sent for certificate.

These are the three deaths registered in 1846 Birmingham
WALKER, JOSEPH       age 64     1846  June Quarter - BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 197
   
WALKER, JOSEPH       age 66     1846  June Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 184

WALKER, JOSEPH       age 8  (could be weeks/months or years)   
1846  Dec Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 232

[racheljoyce]

Thanks.

I do have all Alfred John's census records except 1841 where I found the three children (though Martha Elizabeth was Elizabeth) with Sarah Walker. problem ?
I do try having to avoid sending for certificates these days especially when researching for someone else.
I will check but I think I did search for 1841 census for his father Joseph if he didn't die until 1846.

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
I've had a look at the sisters marriages and all have him as Joseph.
Mary Ann 19.10.1862 to Thomas Reeves at Bishop Ryder and he is a Commercial clerk
              3.8.1878 at Birchfield to Charles Bosworth and he is merchants clerk
Martha Elizabeth 15.8.1859 to James Turville Edgbaston st Barts clerk
Emma Jane  14 Dec 1863 Birmingham  St Mary to John George Trevitt commercial traveller.

None have him as deceased.
But that doesn't help ,nor does the fact that none of them seem to be registered or baptised.

ps burials for those deaths
Joseph Walker St Pauls in the Vault age 66 6.6.1846 the Crescent
      " St Mary Potter st  age  64 April 10th 1846
     " St Martin 1.3.1846 St Martin Windsor St age 47
There's also a Joseph Walker 7th May 1843 St Peter's Harborne age 53

But of course as a commercial traveller he could have died anywhere.

Ciderdrinker

[racheljoyce]

I have spent hours pouring over Joseph Walker and now comparing the other Joseph Walker who married Ann Sheffield in 1826........I have even found a connection between the families on 1871 census, when daughter Mary Ann (then married to Thomas Reeves) had lodgers Ann Walker, 66 widow  (this would be Ann Sheffield) and Mary Walker, unmarried 72, along with Ann's youngest son Alfred Albert. Why would the latter three be lodging with the Reeves?
 Interesting conclusions could be made and I am working on it. But I cannot find strong evidence to date.
The lack of records is so frustrating. The only 1841 census with the three children named as Alfred, Elizabeth & baby Mary in Birmingham has mother named as Sarah. But Alfreds aren't that common.

Ann's Joseph is a plater then warehouseman. But maybe an absent father can be explained by describing him as a commercial traveller!
There is one other Joseph Walker  around at the time but he can be eliminated.

Thank you so much for your input and of those burials - if he died the St Martin's burial would be most likely.

Out of time........but very interested in your thought if you can make head or tail of my quickly written jumbled reply!

[rosie99]

On the first marriage certificate, 26 Sep 1858 to Mary Ann Gilbert, no father is named.

Just clarifying, none of the marriages either side of this had fathers details given. 

[racheljoyce]

That is a useful comment I had missed. Thank you.

I am still working, unsuccessfully, on a supposition that there is a Joseph Walker connection here!
Oh that dressmaker Sarah Walker with Alfred, Elizabeth & baby Mary in 1841 was a Mary Ann.

I may now try sending for birth certificate of a Mary Ann Walker registered 1Q 1841 in Birmingham in case it is the correct Mary Ann as there is an earlier one which would fit Mary Ann born to Joseph & Ann a few months earlier. I am not sure which Mary Ann is the one who was married to thomas Reeves and Charles Bosworth at the moment.

So grateful for any help