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« on: Sunday 08 May 16 00:07 BST (UK) »
I was wondering if anyone might be able to determine if a marriage date or document might exist for my Great Grandmother Mary Ann Simpson marrying my Great Grandfather Robert Forde.
Prior to marrying Robert Forde she married John Ross in Liverpool 29 Dec 1852. He is listed as a Tailor. I believe he was from Dublin and she was born in Middlesex. Her father is Alexander Simpson and he was married to Mary Anderson. From what I can determine, Alexander was a weaver. John’s Father (John) was listed as a stamper. John Ross was listed as 20 and Mary Ann Simpson was listed as 17 on the marriage document. She would have been born around 1835. I cannot locate any information or a document formerly acknowledging her birth. For some reason, I believe that her Father and Mother may have moved from London to Liverpool. It is possible her Father Alexander was born in Aberdeen, Scotland.
John and Mary Ann had 6 children. The first two, William Henry (08 May 1853) and Catherine Maria (23 May 1855) were born in Salford, Lancashire. The next three - Priscilla Elizabeth (20 Apr 1858), Morrison (19 Nov 1859), and Frederick Simpson (19 Jul 1861) were born in Leeds. The last child Mary Ann Eliza (28 Oct 1863) was born in St James Westminster, Middlesex.
This is the year that any records concerning Mary Ann Simpson (formerly) Ross goes cold.
My next confirmed record documents a Son being born on 14 May 1865 at Portsea Island, Hampshire. Robert Forde (Father) is listed as a Journeyman Tailor. Robert died on 16 Mar 1875 at age 33 in Birkenhead, Cheshire. On his death record he is listed as a Tailor. This would indicate he was about 23 years old at the time of his Son Robert’s birth. What led them from London to Portsea Island is a mystery. Even more of a mystery is where did they marry? It is possible both John Ross and Robert worked as Tailors at the same firm in London.
I believe they may have been married somewhere between 1863 and 1865. I am not sure if Mary Ann divorced, separated or simply left her Husband John Ross. John does appear in the 1871 census with a Wife listed as Elizabeth and a Daughter Catherine (possibly Catherine Maria) and they are residing in St George Hanover Square Middlesex. He is listed as a lodger which puzzles me.
The next records of Robert Forde and Mary Ann place them in Birkenhead, Cheshire just across the river from Liverpool. They had four other children, Catherine (03 Apr 1868), Alban John (17 Jun 1869), Alexina (06 Feb 1872) and Violet Elizabeth (09 May 1874). By the way Violet is my Grandmother. I suspect what led them to Birkenhead is something connected with Mary Ann’s family.
On some records Mary Ann is listed as a Dress Maker and Mantle Maker. What is in common between John Ross and Robert Forde is that they were both from Ireland and all three had Tailoring or Dressmaking in common.
There is somewhat sad ending for Mary Ann’s Forde Children after Robert’s death. She was struck by a jitney and became crippled and was unable to support them. So in 1877 the children were turned over to the Sheltering Home for Fatherless and Destitute Children located on Byrom Street in Liverpool. From there they were sent to Canada where they were identified as British Home Children. They all wound up in the Knowlton Home in Knowlton, Quebec and were turned over to Farmers who used the boys as farm labor and the girls were domestic servants.
Bob Chaffee
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