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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Gloucestershire => Topic started by: PeterMHerts on Sunday 24 June 18 18:47 BST (UK)
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I'm hoping someone can help with some suggestions on a very annoying brickwall I have been trying to get through for some time.
My ancestor Joseph Reuben Deakin was born approx 1853 in Bristol. Name is frequently spelt Deakin, Deacon, Deaken etc
He had 5 children, Charles b1878, Joseph Alexander b1880, William Ernest b1884, Harriett Amelia Elizabeth b1886 and Nellie Augusta b1889, with Elizabeth Deakin nee Taynton.
On the children's birth certificates he is variously described as a Theatrical messenger, Labourer, Painter, General Labourer, Theatrical scene shifter etc
I cannot reliably find him in the censuses prior to 1881 - in 1881 he is at Pear Tree St, Lambeth, with Elizabeth, Charles and Joseph (which ties in with birth certificate addresses).
His exact birth year and location are confusing as the different sources disagree somewhat: I believe he was born in Bristol in the 1850s based on the majority of sources, but it's a challenge! On 1891 census, aged 34, he is at 38 Burdett Chambers, Lambeth, born Gloucestershire, Bristol, 1901 census aged 53, at 52 Broadwall, Lambeth, born Bristol, Glos, and 1911 census aged 66 at Long Lane Bermondsey b Birmingham Warwick. I've not found his death but he witnessed a marriage in 1916.
I believe he may be on the 1861 census on Temple Street, Bristol aged 7, child of a Joseph Deakin aged 50, widow and Bellows Maker. Joseph senior appears to be from Warwick, whereas Joseph Junior (Joey) is from Bristol.
The final bit of evidence is the marriage certificate with Elizabeth, in 1881, aged 28, son of Joseph Deakin a bellows maker. On this Joseph is a painter.
So the evidence is annoyingly somewhat contradictory, but having checked 4/5 children's birth certificates and the marriage certificates, I believe the family group is correct.
I cannot locate his birth, and I cannot find him on the 1871 census to help solidify the links.
Thoughts / suggestions much appreciated!
Peter
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Possible death? -
Joseph R Deakin
Death Age - 74
Birth Date - abt 1853
Registration Date - Jun 1927
Registration district - Camberwell
Inferred County - London
Vol 1d Page 634
JJ
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Confirmation from GRO -
DEAKIN, JOSEPH REUBEN
Age 74
q2 1927 CAMBERWELL
Vol 1D Page 634
JJ
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BIRTHS Jun 1853 1/4
DEAKIN Thomas Reuben Kgs Norton 6c 348 (freebmd)
DEAKIN, THOMAS REUBEN STOKES (GRO site. same district/page reference)
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Post deleted
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1861 - Lodgers in Bristol
Joseph Deacon 50 Widower b Birmingham - Bellows Maker
Joey Deacon 7 b Bristol
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By 1881 Joseph Deakin (father), bellows maker was in the workhouse -
RG11 Piece 3011 Folio 96 Page 29, Bristol, Glos.
JJ
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1841 -
Joseph Deakin, Sion Road Cottage Place, Bristol.
Occ - Bellows Maker
Not born in County
Living with the Dixon family
HO107 Piece 378 Book 5 Folio 42 Page 30
JJ
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On the 1851 Electoral Register for the Bristol Ward there is a Joseph Deakin living at Captain Carey's Lane. Cannot yet see him on the 1851 census to see if he's the correct one.
It would seem that Joseph jnr could very well have been born in Bristol as his father seems to be in that area for all the records found up to now.
JJ
Added Joseph is not at the above address for the 1851 ???
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I wonder if this birth is worth looking at - No mothers maiden name
JOSEPH DEAKIN TAYLOR
GRO Ref 1854 June Quarter BRISTOL Vol 06A Page 31
Kay
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Thank you so much for all this insight - the curious birth certificate with 'Joseph Deakin Taylor' looks like it is going to be very interesting, and I have ordered that and the death certificate. I will post once I see the birth certificate if the mystery is solved.
Working my way through the census entries posted, many thanks
Peter
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Hi Peter
Have tried to contact you as my 3G Grandmother Augusta Sophia Tayler has been identified as having a DNA match with Joseph Reuben Deakin. I could not find a connection but Ancestry tells me Augusta is in your tree. I can take Augusta back three generations the GRO reference for Joseph Deakin Taylor is I think the same person as Joseph Reuben Deakin Augusta died in 1858 as Augusta Sophia Deakin But I cannot find a marriage for her.
Regards
Tony
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This man Joseph Reuben Deakin , my great grandfather was the son of a Bellows Worker born in Bristol. It would be nice to find out if he is mentioned in any Theatrical Magazines as he was said to be an assistant manager in the Theatre in Leicester Square .He lost his job there because of an argument when the King's Secretary was present .The account I got mentioned connections to the Cape Mounted Police , the Coldsteam Guards . He was said to be an "Irish Adventurer" but I never found any Irish connection . So there there are anecdotal unverified stories about him . He married Elizabeth Maria Taynton who was killed in a cooking accident apparently . He died Jan 1927 Camberwell . It would be good to get any further info on him and his Dad the Bellows Worker .Possibly surname spelt DEACON
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This man Joseph Reuben Deakin was my great grandfather ( please see the info. in my reply to other post). I have the same brickwall re. his Dad the Bellows worker but I do believe Joseph Reuben Deakin himself was born in Bristol and was a son of the Bristol based Bellows worker another Joseph Deakin who was born in Birmingham (not Bristol) . There are family stories of Joseph Reuben Deakin having an Uncle who had a Briar pipe factory in Aston ,Birmingham . There were also stories from my dad of him being an Irish adventurer . However the evidence for an Irish connection is only anecdotal - I have no firm evidence for this and my own DNA does not show any Irish DNA link . But he does seem to have moved around a lot . There are other family stories about him.
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Hello bellowsbrick49,
I am sorry you have not had a reply back to your first message, it has been a few months since Peter last logged in, I have sent him a notification of your message.
Regards
Sarah
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Hi Bellowsbrick49
Joseph Reuben Deakin was born 16 March 1854 at 4 Church Alley St Philip Bristol the birth was registered as Joseph Deakin Taylor with mother Augusta Taylor. Augusta is my 3xG grandmother who was born 1812 in Gloucester and I have a considerable amount of information about her and her family. I am afraid I cannot help with his father but can help with his mother. Today was the first notification since my previous post
Regards
Tony
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Hi Tony
That makes her my GG Grandmother on my father's side . This was new info. for me so am pleased to get these details about her . Some time ago I picked up some of the male Deakin details on Warks "Waifs and Strays" but not anything on the female side. I would be pleased to know details about her . My private tree is on Ancestry though I am not a paying member - I just use credits "as and when" as this particular very tough "bellows" brickwall has been around for years . I have about 10 guests on my tree which is much better on my mother's side ( where the Harrisons were Lincolnshire farmers!) . Thanks
Harry Deakin
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Hi Harry I have sent you a private message look under my messages
Tony
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Thanks to Tony and Rootchat for all the help on this . I am certainly glad I asked about Joseph Reuben Deakin here . It seems that in the hands of solid investigators , DNA can get answers where none were available before .
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The breakthrough on this brickwall has shown Joseph Reuben (Taylor) Deakin to a part of the Taylor Bristol based category. Bristol seemed to have given Joseph Reuben opportunities , which he took in his early working career , to travel round the world and try different things . I think otherBristol based Taylors probably did similar things . The skills he gained probably influenced the roles he could perform later . For instance my father mentioned he was thought to have been a language student at Cork in Ireland - this could have hleped with his role later as a Theatrical Messenger escourting foreign actresses to the Leicester Square Theatre . And there were many other things to do when he travelled round the Bristish Empire . My point is that Bristol and its opportumites probably influenced the things he could do later in life . So Bristol helps to explain the man he was. But can "Bristol" be as helpful with his Dad?
As he is my next Brickwall :- But can the same DNA luck be made to work with his father Joseph Deakin born around 1807 in Birmingam who probably died in the Birmingham Workhouse in 1807 . He appears on the 1841 ,1851 and 1861 Census in Bristol . He was a Bellows Worker .
I reckon I have had this brickwall for about 15 years at least . The problems for me here are:- 1) there are loads of Deakins and Deakin families in Birmingham 2) Many of these seem equally possible like John Onions Deakin 1836 ,St Martins ,Birmingham -but which is the Dad of this Dad?) 3) As this is my one remaining big brickwall ( and one that is difficult to crack) I do not have any current family tree platform memberships - I just use Ancestry Credits "as and when" required 4) My DNA is with "MyHeritage" so it cannot be used on Ancestry for DNA tracing. Any ideas on how to progess this would be welcome . Thanks
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Nothing new to report ,but the Death Certificate for Augusta Sophia Deakin (death 1858) arrived this morning . The occupation is given as "Wife of Joseph Deakin Bellowsmaker" - and that is as clear as it can be that she was indeed the wife of Joseph Deakin the Bellows Maker . This death certificate is also interesting in other ways :- the Cause of Death was shown as "Cancer of Breast operated on 14 months since Certified". So this shows how Medical Care like this Cancer Operation was available to ordinary people and, even more remarably, it shows that she survived for 14 months after the operation . Of course , it is not known if she would have died earlier if they had not operated. I would say that this is a good example for showing that advances in medical care were available and were also being applied to the general population . I am somewhat surprised she lived as long as she did after the operation . I think that this that by the time surgery had progressed away from the era when surgeons were often little more than "cut and saw" butchers as regards their skill levels.