Looking for Isabella Nina Preston Thomson's biological father

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Regarding Louisa, there is this baptism entry (all struck through, but legible):

St Luke, Chelsea

15 July 1883

Louisa Elizabeth, born 29 Dec 1874, daughter of Unknown and Nina Preston, spinster.

Abode: Argyll Home for Orphans, Manor St.

So the relevant birth reg may be the Mar qtr 1875 one for Louisa Elizabeth Woods THOMSON, found earlier by Philip. 

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Desperate times for Nina - in 1883 as “Nina Preston, 35, no home, widow” she was charged with attempting suicide by swallowing a quantity (“a very strong dose”) of carbolic acid at Burton’s Court, Chelsea on 8 June - she had been taken into St George’s Hospital for a month or so afterwards.  She said she had been through some very hard times, was in ill health, and was not responsible for her acts at the time she took the poison. Nina was remanded.

The Standard, 6 July 1883.

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It looks as though Louisa Preston may have been sent to Canada on the Parisian as one of a party of 48 children from Miss Maria Rye’s homes, aged 8, in September 1883.

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Can’t easily see Nina in 1871 - though Suzard has found Thomas Preston without her.  It does look as though their marriage failed early on.

If the DNA from Isabella’s line is pointing to the Baldwin brothers, it may be worth looking at what they were doing in 1881.

Stephen Baldwin b 1842 was a (married) master mariner, on board his vessel the Langdon on 3 Apr 1881.

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In 1881 James Baldwin b 1840 was a farm labourer, living with wife Mary at Ightham.

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George Baldwin b 1847 married Isabella Draper in 1871.  He died in Taranaki, New Zealand in 1926.  His date of emigration may be useful to rule him out of the running (or not).

[suzard]

Can’t easily see Nina in 1871 - though Suzard has found Thomas Preston without her.  It does look as though their marriage failed early on.

Ib 1840 was a (married) master mariner, on board his vessel the Langdon on 3 Apr 1881.

I have been trying to verify Thomas Henry Preston who died in 1879 was Nina Eliza's husband
1871 census with Nina is very badly transcribed but from the image it is quite clear



at the 1863 marriage of Thomas Henry Preston and Nina Eliza Thomson one of the witnesses was Fanny Notting
Fanny Notting was baptised 4 Jan 1837 St james in Poole Dorset parent Honour Notting Spinster
(Honour Notting was baptised Homour Harding Notting 31 Jan 1819 St James Poole Dorset parents Robert and Honour

Fanny married 1865
Marriage St Saviours Upper Chelsea
19 Nov 1865
James Thomas Howard full age B joiner 9 Walton St father james Howard
Fanny Notting fullS father Arthur Notting grocer
witnesses HENRY MARSH & Rebekah Barwood

so it seems there was some relationship between Henry marsh / Thomas henry Preston and Fanny Notting

I think its pretty conclusive that Thomas Henry Preston was the one who died in 1877 with Henry Marsh as informant
Maybe Thomas and Nina didn't stay together after their child died - so maybe all of Nina's later children were of different father

Suz

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Which child of theirs died? I missed that. 

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George Baldwin b 1847 married Isabella Draper in 1871.  He died in Taranaki, New Zealand in 1926.  His date of emigration may be useful to rule him out of the running (or not).

George, Isabella and their family emigrated to Wellington, NZ aboard the Pleione, which departed from London 22 Aug 1880.  He was an agricultural labourer and miner.