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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Mark Harris on Sunday 02 December 18 13:16 GMT (UK)
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In an attempt to track down a relative I decided to look at her siblings and see if she turned up there etc. Emma Sarah Coomes b1839 in Stepney, married a William Haszell in 1858, she had several siblings, one of them was Alfred Coomes b1844 in Stepney.
Alfred married a Lizzett Kate Castle in 1864 in Stepney, they had a child Florence Emma in 1870. That's where I got a bit lost and then found something which has amused and bewildered me. In the 1871 census Lizzie and Florence are living with a James Faint in Cheshunt, no sign of Alfred. The 1881 census then lists Lizzie as 'Paramour', Florence and 3 further offspring as Illegitimate! Lizzie obviously bored with Alfred, has affair and gets pregnant with Florence and then moves in.
Is Paramour an official label or just the prejudice of the census officer?
Don't know what happened to Alfred Coomes, can't find a death or another marriage as yet.
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The 1841 - 1901 census sheets we see today are the transcription by an enumerator from a form he/she had delivered earlier. They collected the forms from householders, helped them fill it in if they were illiterate. These forms were then destroyed so we cannot see the originals. So it could have been James who used the word 'paramour', or a later addition of the enumerator from their local knowledge!
Only the 1911 images show the original form filled out by the householder.
ADDED: 1881 census ref
RG11; Piece: 1398; Folio: 87; Page: 21
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I like the exotic-sounding word 'paramour'. We've lived together for 28 years, and I hate 'partner' and 'significant other'. 'Girlfriend' sounds a bit temporary. I like 'châteleine', but ' 'Er indoors' (another possibility) doesn't.
Martin
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Martin, try using the term "Mistress"!! ;D ;D ;D
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I like the exotic-sounding word 'paramour'. ;D ;D
And us for 28 years too!! Mr Josey does actually call me 'paramour', 'jezebel', 'floosie' 'hussie' etc all of which sound affectionate when he uses them!!
Back to the topic, can't find a marriage for Alfred, nor an emigration, but Coomes can be spelled so many ways.
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There is another RootsChat topic "John and his Paramour " discussing this word
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=653482.msg4997609#msg4997609
Stan
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The 1881 Census schedule in the column "RELATION to Head of Family" gives a limited number of options, and the householder filling in the schedule has decided that "Paramour" is the correct description as "other relative".
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Romance in Edmonton. oh well thanks everyone. I note that they married in 1886 and had two more kids surname Faint whereas all the previous out of wedlock were Coomes. How easy was it to get seperated then. Does this mean Alfred has died or remarried or is it just time, 15 years seperated meant permanence.
I'll keep looking for poor old Alfred..!
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Hi
The actual 1871 sheet says "Boarder" not "Paramour".
"Coomes" reads like "Doomed" :o ::)
The correct subs will take you to
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n4k/ (http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n4k/)
R
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I see 1881 census as Paramour.
Jennifer
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1881 census RG11/398/87
Jennifer
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Yup ok
1881 says "Paramour"
R
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The 1871 says Boarder, but the 1881 census says Paramour.
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The 1861 census for Alfred Coomes states he was a gun maker, and living with parents in Waltham Abbey.
The 1861 census for Lizzie indicates she was from Barkway.
Under Sessions and Police Intelligence on page 3 of the 06 Jan 1866 editon of the Cambridge Independent Press there is this:
Royston
January 3 - Alfred Coomes, gunmaker, was brought upon on warrant, charged with neglecting to maintain his wife, whereby she had become chargeable to the parish of Barkway. Prisoner was apprehended in London, where he was in receipt of good pay. Case adjourned for a fortnight, to give the prisoner an opportunity of settling the matter with the parish authorities where his wife had become chargeable.
Jump ahead to to 1867, and the March 23 and 26th edition of the Herts Guardian, Agricultural Journal, and General Advertiser ran this notice:
NOTICE.— I, ALFRED COOMES, of Waltham Abbey, Essex, will not be answerable for any DEBTS Wife. LIZIE COOMES, may contract after this date, March 19th, 1867
(signed A. Coombs)
Witness H.S. Chater
Divorce was extremely difficult and expensive then, and without one, Lizzie wouldn't be able to marry again until Alfred died. If Alfred changed his name and/or relocated on the sly, Lizzie wouldn't know when he died. It looks like she gave up waiting to ever know, and married James Faint by referring to herself as Lizzie Coomes, spinster, daughter of Thomas Coomes (witnessed by Edmund and Mary Castle) in 1886.
The daughter, Florence Emma, married under the surname Faint, and listed James as her father. I have not checked the other children, but it would suggest that they lived as a normal family with the surname Faint, but on the censuses, were extremely honest!
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They certainly were very candid to the census man, thanks for the info.
The Coomes were living in London but after the death of their first son James in 1851 they moved to Edmonton and had two more sons. They both worked in the small arms factory there, Enfield.
Their dads occupation on the 1861 census has him as a 'Colt breaker', I thought it was to do with horses for the army! Emma Coomes married my GGGrandfather William Haszell, but seems to have gone through bad times after having two children with him and a stillborn in 1865. No sign of her after 1861 census, her two boys are living with his parents in 1871. He remarried a younger woman in 1899.
Bloody Victorians..!
Thanks again for your help.
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Good finds, bbart. Fleshes the story out as to Alfred's side of the story!!
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Thanks again.
I note also that a Lizett Kate Hazell was born in 1865 and died in 1865 to William Haszell and Emma Coomes. Alfreds marriage collapsed in 1865, his wife was Lizzet Kate, quite a co incidence. They appear to have been friends perhaps. William and Emmas marriage collapsed at this time too, their children were with Williams parents in 1871 and he was in London. Emma disappears.
Perhaps its nothing but 1865 seemed a big year for this little crew. Victorian swingers???
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The GRO data gives Florence,James and Jane all registered as Coomes.mmn Castle,with Thomas still as Coomes but no mmn.
Roger
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One place people sometimes "disappear" to in census terms is prison.I have looked at the criminal registers,and while there are some Alfred Coomes variants,none of them is clearly him.
Roger
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They had two more after marriage, Edith and Editha as Faint mmn Castle, maybe it was getting embarrassing with Thomas, 'You here again'!
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I have to assume Emma remarried, can't find a death as Haszell or Coomes that fits. I've tried marriages as Haszell or coomes but nothing pops up. Spelling variations too. You wouldn't believe the way that Haszell is spelled or interpreted.