would she marry?

[lizdb]

It sounds like you need to go back to the very basics - what do you definitely know about her?
Where did you first come across her? Do you know her parents? Her place of birth?
These children of hers - how did you find them, obviously not from the 1841 census if you are now doubting that is the right family.
Go one step at a time confirming things as you go. Dont use something as a step to the next thing unless you are sure of it (like a family on a census) because if ti is the wrong one, you will go further down the wrong trail and it will be harder to sort out the right from the wrong.

By the way, ages for adults on the 1841 census were rounded to 5 years. But unlikely John would be rounded from 20 down to 15!

What workhouse was she possibly in, in 1841?

If William was born Dunmow in 1839, was it far away?

I found what looks like William's birth in the indexes, JAS quarter 1839 ref X11 41, Chelmsford area.

If his mum did die in 1843 in Dunmow, I wonder what happened to 4 yr old William?

Think you may have to get some certs to prove each stage of this one, cos it is a common name.

[clairenorman39]

Hi and thanks for the reply.
I had searched for a long time (in Elsenham and henham) for Louisa Turners birth.
I knew she was illegit as I had confirmation of this on her marriage cert.
All the census returns stated she was born in Elsenham. I spent a rather fruitless day at the Essex records office searching for her birth in Elsenham. No luck. I was advised by the historian there to look in Newport records.
This I did last week.
I found John first and thought Ohhhhhh I wonder........ and then low and behold Louisa Turner 1822 baseborn of Susan Turner was a couple of pages after.
Louisa was spot on in census returns with her year of birth (apart from 1841) and probably thought she was born in Elsenham (next door to Newport).
Next to her baptism it said that Susan was a servant (maybe even at the House of correction??) and came from Elsenham.
Ugley and Elsenham and Henham and Newport are neighbouring villages.
I would hate to have the wrong Susan and ancestors thereafter.
Perhaps I should go back to the ERO and look for Susans birth?

[lizdb]

if you can get to the ERO fairly easily I would spend another day there and investigate:
William's birth
The possible death for Susan
What surviving workhouse records they have (what workhouse may she have been in, in 1841?)

Hopefully you cna glean enough info to clarify if the Susan in 1841 is the right one.
Iwould guess that it is, and the ages are just way out, but guessing is not good enough.
If the warden of the workhouse filled gave the census info to the enumerator, he could well have not known exact ages, and with the rounding system it is possible the resulting figures could have been way out.

[clairenorman39]

I think I will look for the birth of Susan first - as I need to know if I have got the right one.
And then I will follow your advice and look for Williams birth etc.
Many thanks for your help.
Claire

[Henham]

Hi
A website may assist www.henhamhistory.org, we have a number of Turner families here so we may be able to assist wioth other genealogists

Ray