Beatrice Gregory & Sidney Robson

[B.E.]

Cripes, Tanja, this makes Bleak House seem quite straightforward...

So Margaret & Elizabeth were sisters (same birthplace). We assume Elizabeth to be Willam's wife, even though Margaret claims she's his wife as well. Margaret is actually Mr Myrtle's recent widow and has their two children with her (or Mr Myrtle is a convenient fiction and Myrtle is simply the sisters' maiden name). Elizabeth has her two children from a previous marriage to Mr Hughes, plus a little Robson as well in 1861 - to be supplanted by a different little Robson 10 years later. Agreed?

I can see why William opted for deafness. And how Toxteth got its reputation...

Then, by 1881, William is married to Esther and they only have Thomas with them. And they live in a far more salubrious part of Liverpool (Kitchen St? Sounds swish to me anyway!).

[Tati]

Now Samuel.

Can't really see a better match than this for him in 1891
RG12/859 53 24
Portsmouth Portsea
8 Nancis? Row
Elizabeth Gregory, head, wid, 65, Laundress, b. Sussex Tiddlesham?
George, son, s, 36, Dock labourer, b. Hants Portsmouth
Samuel, son, s, 27, Railway Fettler?, b do.

Obviously the Elizabeth Honey of 1881.

So far so good - This is where things get complicated:

1871
RG10/1130 115 28
Portsea, Hampshire
8 Dorset Row
Thomas Gregory, head, wid, 60, Ground Laborer, b. Portsea
Mary A, dau, unm, 20, Housekeeper, b. do.
Elizabeth, dau, 18, Servant out of employment, b. do.
Georgina, dau, 16, Paper bag maker, b. do.  (clearly dau and in the femal column)
Sarah, dau, 10, Servant home to sleep, b. do.
Samuel, son, 6, scholar, b. do.
Thomas, son, 10, work in Brickfield, b. do.
 
They don't seem likely at first sight but I can't find any better match 

Good luck with this     

[Tati]

Possible marriage for Samuel:
September quarter 1892
Portsea Island
Samuel Gregory to either Elizabeth Body or Edith Eddles

****

I see Elizabeth (now Honey again) is still living with her son George b. ca. 1855 in the 1901 census. There's also a grandson Leonard Savage age 10.

Tracing little Leonard back to 1891, he's aged 8 months in the household of
Charles Savage and his wife Sarah age 33 (birthplace not clear - I think it should be Portsmouth).
Err... the above Sarah should be only 30... I'm lost!!!     

[Tati]

Are you depressed already?

Look at this:
1861
RG9/635 66 8
8 Nanceal Row
Portsea, Hampshire
Elizabeth Gregory, head, wid, 34, Farm Servant, b. Sussex Stoughton
Mary, dau, 10, b. Hants Fratton
Elizabeth, dau, 7, b. do.
Gregory, son, 6, b. do.
Sarah, dau, 2, b. do.
Thomas, son, 2ms, b. do.

Looks very much like the kids to be found with old Thomas in 1871. Perhaps Elizabeth wasn't at home and Thomas is in fact their grandfather?   

[B.E.]

Hmmm. Tricky. But depressed? Not a bit of it!!

I can happily concoct a story of Elizabeth Honey's children from an earlier marriage to Mr. Gregory living with her and her new husband at 8 Nances Row (he called them sons-in-law rather than stepsons?) then reverting to her previous surname after William's demise, since it's long been the Gregory family residence anyway. Does that sound possible?

The fact that the same family appear to be living at 8 NancesNanceal Row for the duration might suggest 8 Dorset Row in 1871 as a transcription error. Nances? Dorset? Close enough!! Bit unfortunate for Georgina Gregory to be transmuted into Gregory Gregory in the process, though...

Can't see Elizabeth Gregory anywhere in 1871, though there's an Elizabeth Honey of roughly the right vintage claiming to have been born in Hampshire. Any more details you can see on that one?

[Tati]

Looking at previous census returns, Dorset Row is where Mr Honey is to be found earlier.

Marriages September quarter 1868
Portsea Island
Elizabeth Gregory - William Honey

Right - she seems to be the one living with the Honey's in 1871. I was a little confused because William's first wife was also named Eliza, roughly the same age as Elizabeth Gregory and born Portsea (I think she dies Eliza Honey age 37 in March 1867)

1871
RG10/1130 115 29
Portsea, Hampshire
8 Dorset Row
William Honey, head, 44, Dock yard labourer, b. Portsea
Elizabeth, wife, 45, b. do.
Mary A, dau, unm, 21, Needle woman, b. do.
William, son, 20, Seaman R.N., b. do.
John, son, 18, Ground labourer, b. do.
Elizabeth, dau, 17, servant unemployed, b. do.
Eliza, dau, 14, Servant, unemployed, b. do.
George, son, 12, Bricklayer's labourer, b. do.
Amelia, dau, 8, scholar, b. do.

Struggling to find the Honey's in 1861 for the moment.

Tanja 

[Tati]

Still can't see the Honeys in 1861 (In 1851, they have daughter Mary A age 2 and a son William age 6 months and they live at ... Nances Row!)

1851
HO107/1659 863 32
Landport - Fratton Road
George Gregory, head, 25, Labourer, b. Fratton
Lucy, wife, 23, b. Lidlesham Sussex (clearly Lucy on the image)
Mary, dau, (7 weeks or 7 months), b. Fratton
 
Tanja 

[Tati]

The IGI has the following extracted marriage:

14 Oct 1850 St Mary's, Portsea, Hamsphire
George Gregory to ... Letsey Keyell

Letsey  ... nice mix of Lucy and Betsey   

I'm unable to trace the Thomas Gregory born ca. 1810 who was with the children in 1871 on any previous census.

   

[Tati]

Just thinking : We don't even know if we are tracing the right Beatrice Gregory, are we?