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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 11:36 BST (UK)

Title: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 11:36 BST (UK)
Another plea from a novice.

I can find no trace of my great great grandfather - all I know is :

His son Walter Thomas Hall or Ellis; born 3rd May 1865 was registered by his father as a Hall, and baptised by his mother as an Ellis in August 1865.  The birth certificate states Amy Ellis was married to Walter Hall, but I can find no trace of a wedding and when she later married Lawrence White the certificate stated she was a spinster.

the family all think we are Ellis, but we could have been Hall??

How do I trace the original Walter Hall as all I know is that he lived in King Street, Rochester in May 1865 with Amy Ellis and their son, and seemed to have 'disappeared' by the August of the same year??

many thanks

KT
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 11:49 BST (UK)
I don't suppose you have an occupation for Walter on the certificate do you?

There are some single Walter Hall's in Kent in 1861 but without something else to go on is going to be difficult  :-\

Where is Amy in 1861 and how old was she?

If they weren't married when Walter Thomas was born then technically he was Ellis.
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 11:53 BST (UK)
Was Amy daughter of Thomas & Mary? 

If so there is that little family in Rochester 1861 Amy is 13.

The family are living King St in 1851 so there is a link there.  Also with the name Thomas as a second name for her son.
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 12:03 BST (UK)
Hi Milliepede.

Walter Hall is listed as a general labourer.

Amy Ellis, 1861 - 3 Kettles Court, Rochester St Margaret, Kent, England in census.  1871 - St Margeret's, Rochester as Amy White.

Thanks  :)
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 12:05 BST (UK)
You've found her!!

Walter Hall remains the mystery....

have to go for a bit, but will log on later .

many thanks
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 13:33 BST (UK)
General labourer thanks, that's a bit vague to be of much help isn't it  :( 

There's a Walter in Woolwich in 1861 age 16 with parents Ralph and Margaret - is Woolwich close to Rochester?

Pure speculation I'm afraid.  If he registered the birth then he must have had an interest in the child, I mean he didn't scarper straight away and leave her to it.

Is he named as the father when Walter junior marries?  Any information like occupation/if deceased etc
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 13:39 BST (UK)
Walter Ellis (junior) gives his step father's first name and his Mym'a surname.  Very odd.
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 13:51 BST (UK)
Right thanks so that's not going to help either  :-\

I've seen one in my family with the real fathers first name and the mothers surname to make it look more respectable so it does happen children fudged the truth a bit when they got married.
If they even knew the truth that is, a lot of them didn't and made names up.

One more possible candidate age 21 in 1861 grandson with an unmarried mother, that was in Canterbury.  He was a purveyor or something. 
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 14:53 BST (UK)
HI,

How do I find the two Walter Hall's you mentioned?
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:05 BST (UK)
I was searching for the name on ancestry in the 1861 census Kent location. 

Amy was quite young so the Walter who was 16 in 1861 is certainly possible but I don't know how we can prove it!

I can post details of the two families if you like.
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:07 BST (UK)
Please.

Wondered if he'd died in 1865??
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:11 BST (UK)
First one is born Woolwich Kent 1845

Ralph Hall - head 72 tailor born Scotland
Margaret Hall - wife 56 born Ireland
Walter Hall - son 16
Ann F Green - lodger 38
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:16 BST (UK)
There is a Walter Hall death in 1865 Dartford Kent but don't know how old he was.

Your Walter might not even have been born in Kent or living there in 1861 census but it's about the only place to start. 
It's a pity the birth is in the middle of census years and not closer to one or the other!
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:20 BST (UK)
Here's the other Walter born Canterbury 1840

Esther Hall  - head 71 widow laundress
Maria Hall - daughter 39 unmarried laundress
Walter G - grandson 21 it might read surveyor not purveyor and cc or cl (clerk?)
Selina - granddaughter 16 dressmaker
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:33 BST (UK)
Now there are a couple of Walter Hall marriages in Kent in 1865 so maybe he went off and married someone else, impossible to say really  :-\
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 15:36 BST (UK)
So complicated....

I wonder whether to order death cert 1865?
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: Milliepede on Wednesday 17 September 14 16:13 BST (UK)
Let's see if we can rule it out first before you spend any pennies.

The death was in the first quarter of 1865.  You say he registered the birth of Walter Jnr who was born 3rd May soooooo he must have been alive in May. 

How do you know the father registered it himself?  Is it because the surname is registered as Hall?
Ok answered my own question it says he did on the birth certificate right  :-[
Title: Re: Mystery - Trying to trace my GG Grandfather - Walter Hall; circa 1865
Post by: KarlaTully on Wednesday 17 September 14 16:17 BST (UK)
I ordered the birth cert as I had to clear up whether Walter Thomas Ellis and Hall were the same person - and they were.

Walter Hall (senior) registered the birth and stated that Amy's previous name was Ellis, which I do not think is true.