WALKER / BRITTEON - Lowestoft

[ridban]

Hi there,

I think I've got it!

Florence Briton was really Florence Swan, being born about 1859 just before her parents marriage:

FLORENCE GERTRUDE SWAN, 06 NOV 1864, Lowestoft, Suffolk, England
Parents:
Father; SWAN    
Mother; MARY ANN

Here she is on the 1881:-

Mary A. BRITTON, Head, W, 41, Lowestoft, Suffolk      
Florence BRITTON, Daur, U, 23, Lowestoft, Suffolk, Fishing Net Maker      
Laura L. BRITTON  Daur  U, 28  Lowestoft, Suffolk, Fishing Net Maker      
Eliza R. BRITTON, Daur,  U, 14, Lowestoft, Suffolk, Gen Serv      
Caroline N. BRITTON, Daur, 10, Lowestoft, Suffolk, Scholar      
Richard C. BRITTON, Son, 6, Lowestoft, Suffolk,Scholar      
Thomas G. BRITTON, Son, 4, Lowestoft, Suffolk, Scholar      
Sarah J. BRITTON, Daur, 2, Lowestoft, Suffolk          
Mary L. SWAN, Grand Daur, 5, Lowestoft, Suffolk, Scholar      
Jamima SMITH,  Visitor,  U, 19, Barking, Essex, Fishing Net Maker      

24 Bevan Street
Lowestoft, Suffolk
RG11/1902 Folio 46
Page 44

The Mary L. Swan aged five listed as grand daughter is Florence's first child before her marriage.  The IGI shows Mary born:-
      
Mary Louisa Elizabeth Swan         
01 JAN 1876, St Margaret'S, Lowestoft, Suffolk,
   
Parents: Peter Swan & Florence Swan    
      

Here is the marriage:

Peter Walker m Florence Gertrude Swan June Q 1882 Mutford Reg.

By the time they  married, Florence had three children: Mary, Thomas and Harry. Here are the other two on the 1881:-
 
David FRANCIS  Head M  Male   29   Lowestoft, Suffolk, Bricklrs Lab      
Margaret FRANCIS, Wife, 24, Dunbar, Scotland 
William J. FRANCIS, Son, 4, Scarborough, York, Scholar      
Jane H. FRANCIS, Daur, 3, Dunbar, Scotland, Scholar      
Susannah FRANCIS, Daur, 1, Lowestoft, Suffolk
Thomas SWAN, Boarder, 1, Lowestoft, Suffolk          

12 Factory Lane (Siskine Pl)
Lowestoft, Suffolk
RG11/1904 Folio 26
Page 12


George EDWARDS, Head, M, 25, Sprowston, Norfolk, Bricklayers Labourer      
Louisa EDWARDS, Wife, 24, Beccles, Suffolk          
Harry SWAN, Nurse Child, 3, Beccles, Suffolk          

15 North Raglan St
Lowestoft, Suffolk
RG11/1904 Folio 132
Page 48

By the 1891 census Florence has all the children at home with her, now known as Walker.

There you are - mystery solved!!  I'm feeling quite proud of myself! 

I have a Walker web site where I have recorded every Walker I come across either born or passing through East Suffolk, at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~tiber

I had decided that the Peter Walker mentioned in the 1881 on the Sea Flower was the one. Maybe sending for the marriage certificate would help.

Anyway, if this turns out to be right, I would appreciate knowing.  I like to keep tabs on the Walkers I have recorded!

Hope this helps,
Linda

[alstark]

Thanks for the further info.

I've got other information regarding the Swan connection, and also from a descendant of one of Florence's siblings, who's Grandfather insists that the name should be spelled Britteon, though on many documents it was recorded variously as Britton, Britten or Briton, which has led to confusion.

The Britteons and Swans (and Sterry's) have been traced back a further 3 generations.

It's the Walker connection that interests me.  I've not so far been able to trace Peter Walker's roots, and he was my GGF.

All other branches of the family have so far been traced back to at least the yearly 1800's.

Thanks once again

Alan

[ridban]

The IGI has Peter Walker christened 16.9/3.11.1861 St Peter, Liverpool, parents John & Mary Walker. Have you sent for Peter & Florence's 1882 marriage certificate? That should give a clue to who he was and who his father is.  There is only one Peter Walker that comes up in the 1881 as being in Lowestoft and that's the one on the Sea Flower, so I bet it's him.

Let me know!
Linda

[alstark]

Thanks for the info and guidance, Linda.

I'm new to this genealogy game, and so far I've been amazed how much information so far I've been able to get in the public domain, and through Rootschat.

Saved me hours of work, and loads of cash no doubt.

As soo as I have more info, I will copy you in.

Regards

Alan

[alstark]

Linda

I've got a copy of Peter Walker's marriage certificate, which whilst confirming his birth in Liverpool and age at May 1882 as 23 years, and father's name as John - a sailor, it also threw up something unexpected.

His wife Florence Gertrude Swan I believed to be the love child of John Britteon, and Mary Sterry Swan, born out of wedlock before their marriage.  However the marriage certificate gives her father's name as Joseph Murrill (sp Murrell?) - a fish merchant.  It would appear that when John Britteon married, his bride already had an illegitimate child.

My grandmother's (Rhoda Gertrude Walker) own birth certificate showed her mother's maiden name as Florence Gertrude Britteon - so obviously the illegitimacy was conveniently 'hidden'.

Curiouser and curiouser

[ridban]

Hi Alan,

Well, that's interesting! It gives you a whole other line to go after! Thanks for letting me know.

Illegitimacy at that time was a great source of shame, the Victorians having demonised it. My own mother was illegitimate, and I know she felt shamed by it when she was young. She was passed off as her grandmother's child to hide the stigma, and I wasn't told anything about this until I was 21. Why the child is stigmatised too, I never have been able to understand.  But, thankfully, it doesn't happen any more.

Anyway, good luck with your further researches - it would be nice if you'd let me know what you find out about Peter Walker.

Linda

[alstark]

Hi Linda

The more you look, the more you find that illegitimacy was not as uncommon in victorian times as you would imagine - given the well publicised moral tone of the era.

There are certainly more than one or two 'early babies' in my tree, or 'father unknown' turning up on birth certificates.  Occasionally there are clues via census records where a child's given names reflect those of the head of the household to whom the childs mother was not married at the time - but nothing is sadly provable.

Rootschat has a habit of throwing up the unexpected from time to time.

[brittanyroller]

Many thanks for the excellent detective work.

The leads look very promising.

The Walker side seems a bit trickier.

Does anyone have any Walker links in Lowestoft for Gertrude's siblings?

Alan

Hi Alan! I know I am a little late in replying to this thread (13 years to be exact but who's counting) but I am the descendant of Sidney Owen Walker, your grandmother's brother! He is my great great grandfather!  I have just recently ordered his marriage certificate to his wife, Annie Elsie Twidale, and Rhoda was actually a witness to their marriage! I have a ton of information on Sidney's line! I would love to hear about your findings regarding Peter Walker and Florence Gertrude Swan/Britteon!

[alstark]

Thanks for your reply.  I'd be delighted to share information with you.  I even have a photo of Sidney.  e-mail me directly alstark@blueyonder.co.uk