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« on: Thursday 24 November 16 09:50 GMT (UK) »
I have been doing my family tree for over 25 years and thought I knew a lot about my Brumfitt side, however, now I’m not so sure. My great great grandfather Edward Brumfitt was born in 1839 in Everton (or somewhere like that). He is with his parents William and Margaret on the 1841 Census, he is near them visiting friends on the 1851 Census. Can’t find him in 1861, but he marries in 1863 and names William as his father and his sisters Mary and Emma were witnesses. He has some children, one of which is with grandparents William and Margaret in one of the Census returns, so I must have his parents right, mustn’t I? Well perhaps not!
William Brumfitt married Margaret Morris before civil registration in 1835 at St Martin, Liverpool, the witnesses were Thomas Paine and Elizabeth Morris. Elizabeth Morris married William Brumfitt’s brother Thomas Brumfitt thankfully after civil registration began on 31 December 1837 at St Peter, Liverpool and she names her father as Edward Morris, a sawyer.
Elizabeth Morris was born in Prestatyn on 16 May 1809 and baptised in Meliden, Flintshire on 21 May 1809, the daughter of Edward Morris and Elizabeth. Her sister Margaret was born on 2 October 1811 at Prestatyn and baptised on 5 October 1811. Elizabeth and Margaret had several other siblings, one being Catherine Morris who was baptised on 6 July 1817 at Meliden.
William Brumfitt started life as a hair dresser, then also became a beer seller before entering politics and becoming a registration agent in Liverpool for the Liberal party. There are hundreds of newspaper articles mentioning him and given his job I find it hard to believe that he would not have registered the birth of one of his children. Two were born before registration began but I do have their baptisms, Mary (1836-1837) and William (1837), then after registration began I have no baptisms but do have registrations for Charles Brumfitt (1841), Mary (1845) and Emma (1847), but I cannot find a birth registration or baptism for Edward Brumfitt.
Now, the 1841 Census is as follows:
Bute Street, Everton
William Brumfitt, 25, hair dresser, Y
William Brumfitt, 4, Y
Edward Brumfitt 18 months, Y
Margaret Brumfitt, 25, N
Catherine Morris, 20, Ind, N
In 1851:
36 Jenkinson Street, Everton
William Brumfitt, Head, M, 36, Master Hair Dresser & Beer Seller, Lancashire Colne
Margaret Brumfitt, Wife, M, 37, Flintshire Prestatyn
William Brumfitt, Son, 13, Hair Dresser’s Apprentice, Lancashire Liverpool
Charles Brumfitt, Son, 9, Scholar, Lancashire Liverpool
Mary Brumfitt, Daur, 6, Scholar, Lancashire Liverpool
Emma Brumfitt, Daur, 4, Lancashire Liverpool
Mary A Seymour, Visitor, 19, Servant, Ireland
Thomas Brumfitt, Visitor, M, 35, Carver & Gilder, Lancashire Preston (William’s brother)
7 Court, Jenkinson Street, Everton
John Seymour, Head, M, 38, Market Constable, Yorkshire Hull
Elizabeth Seymour, Wife, M, 31, Ireland
John Seymour, Son, 9, Scholar, Lancashire Liverpool
William Seymour, Son, 5, Scholar, Lancashire Everton
Jane Seymour, Daur, 2, Lancashire Everton
Edward Brumfitt, Visitor, 10, Scholar, Lancashire, Liverpool
George White, Lodger, U, 27, Painter, Ireland
Since the GRO now has indexed mother’s maiden names, I began thinking perhaps Edward may have not been William and Margaret Brumfitt’s son but perhaps an illegitimate son of Catherine Morris, and I have found a reference for such in the indexes, but I guess I would need to order the certificate to be sure, but then he could belong to anyone with the surname of Morris.
MORRIS, EDWARD - Order
GRO Reference: 1839 D Quarter in LIVERPOOL Volume 20 Page 348
I have never followed up on Catherine Morris but think I have found her even though a later Census entry shows her place of birth as Holyhead and her age is not quite correct, but what is significant is her father’s name would be correct and she was living in Jenkinson Street which is where William and Margaret Brumfitt were living in 1851 and as she was living with then in 1841, she could still have been with them in 1849. I believe Jenkinson Street was a very small street so I don’t believe it is a coincidence.
Marriage: 13 May 1849 St George, Everton, Lancashire, England
John Allen - full, Soldier (46), Bachelor, Everton
Catharine Morris - (X), full, Spinster, Jenkinson St Everton
Groom's Father: Samuel Allen, Labourer
Bride's Father: Edward Morris, Labourer
Witness: Thomas Faragher; James Bathgate
Married by Banns by: Fredk. Williams
Register: Marriages 1848 - 1854, Page 37, Entry 74
Source: LDS Film 2147914
There is a death registration for a Catherine Allen in West Derby in 1864 age 46 which would mean born 1817-1818.
Any super sleuths out there that can help prove whether my ancestor is Edward Brumfitt or should it be Edward Morris?
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