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Author Topic: The colonies, name changes and prison!  (Read 3836 times)

Offline leaf

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The colonies, name changes and prison!
« on: Tuesday 26 September 06 22:40 BST (UK) »
Dear RootsChatters,

I'm sure someone will be able to point me in the right direction with this  :)

I have a William George Foster (known as Willie) 1879 - 1947 in my tree.

From his birth certificate his parents are George Foster and Margaret Foster formerly Sowden.  It also states Willie was born in Northfleet, Kent.

In 1881, I have found George on board HMS Audacious, a RM Private. Ref. RG11/2214

I've also found Margaret Foster and her 2 children Annie Louisa and William George in 1881.  Ref. RG11/877  The puzzle is that they are living with George Wilson and Margaret is listed as his daughter.

It could be that Margaret was born Wilson and had a previous husband Sowden (It's very clearly written on the birth certificate Sowden)  but I can't seem to find anything.

I've tried to trace George Wilson back but haven't had any luck there.  There are loads of George Wilsons from Hull  :-\

I've also tried to find Margarets birth certificate, but she was born in "James Town, Isle of St. Helena, West African Colonies" and I've drawn another blank there.

William George Foster was in Saint Augustine's Prison, Canterbury, Kent in 1901.  His occupation is listed as a Royal Navy Stoker. Ref RG 13/794  Is there a way of finding out what he did to end up there? 

I've also got stuck with Willie's in laws too!  ::)  He married Edith Maria Lawrence (known as Eady and Queenie)  I've found her with her parents Arthur Wiliam Lawrence and Jane Lawrence Ref. RG13/368 which gives Arthur b.1851 Yorkshire and Jane b. 1857, Colechester.

Any help with what to do next would be really welcome.

Thank you, leaf
ALLCOCK Herefordshire, ANDERSON Morayshire, BEER Devon, BLOODWORTH Glous. BROWN Devon, BUCHANAN Stirlingshire,  COUCH Devon, DOUGERAY/DOUGEREY Scotland, EDMUNDS Wilts. EVANS Caernarvon, FRY Wilts. FRASER Nairnshire, HINDHAUGH Northumberland/Durham, JENKINS Herefordshire, McCORMACK Lanarkshire, McDONALD Lanarkshire, McPHERSON West Lothian, MILES Wilts. MOFFATT Lanarkshire, MORRISON Stirlingshire, REVEL Devon, SMITH Herefordshire, SUTHERLAND Morayshire, TAYLOR Wilts. WILLIAMS Glamorgan

Offline carol8353

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 26 September 06 23:25 BST (UK) »
Hello Leaf

I don't know how this helps,but I have found Margaret with her family in 1871.
I'm sure it is her,as all the family names tie in with what she called her kids etc.
But no Mr Wilson around..........unless her mum married one and she should be step daughter?

She is in Chatham on RG10./909 folio 72 page 35.

Thomas Sowden head 43 dock labourer b Hull Yorks
Margaret 40 wife b St Helena (although they have it listed as St Helens!!)
Anne E dau 14 Hawker b "
Margaret dau 11 Scholar b "
William son 5     scholar b    "

I wonder what a dock labourer was doing in St Helena?
Or perhaps the kids are hers but not his?

Maybe a question on the immigrants board about births in St helens would be useful here.

All the best

Carol
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Offline casalguidi

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 26 September 06 23:28 BST (UK) »
Hi Leaf

What was the date and address on William George's birth certificate?

Is his father listed as a Royal Marine on the birth certificate?

Do you have his Royal Navy service record?
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/royal-navy-service.asp

Have you found his baptism?
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0bl/


Casalguidi
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Offline leaf

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 27 September 06 08:37 BST (UK) »
Thanks for the replies  :)

Carol - I don't think that is the right family, could possibly be related somewhere though!!
On the 1881 census Margarets age is given as 21 with Annie 2 and William 1 year.  I will try the immigrants board later after I've finished following the leads on this one.  I should have put the ages in on the initial enquiry  :-[  Thank you for looking.

Casalguidi - The date and address on William George's birth certificate is 25/11/1879 Northumberland Bottom, Northfleet

Yes his father, George, is listed as Private Royal Marines on the birth certificate.

No I haven't got his service record, or baptism, thanks for the links I'll try those.

Moving forward again, thank you both very much  :) leaf
ALLCOCK Herefordshire, ANDERSON Morayshire, BEER Devon, BLOODWORTH Glous. BROWN Devon, BUCHANAN Stirlingshire,  COUCH Devon, DOUGERAY/DOUGEREY Scotland, EDMUNDS Wilts. EVANS Caernarvon, FRY Wilts. FRASER Nairnshire, HINDHAUGH Northumberland/Durham, JENKINS Herefordshire, McCORMACK Lanarkshire, McDONALD Lanarkshire, McPHERSON West Lothian, MILES Wilts. MOFFATT Lanarkshire, MORRISON Stirlingshire, REVEL Devon, SMITH Herefordshire, SUTHERLAND Morayshire, TAYLOR Wilts. WILLIAMS Glamorgan

Offline casalguidi

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 27 September 06 08:39 BST (UK) »
Here appears to be Annie Louisa's baptism (to save you looking for that one)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0to/

Casalguidi :)
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Offline carol8353

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 27 September 06 08:41 BST (UK) »
Leaf

Margaret as you say is 21 in 1881- which would make her the ideal candidate to be the 11 year old in 1871?

I would suggest that at 21 she is too young to have been married before,to a man called Wilson,with a 1 and 2 year old with the surname Foster.

This mum and daughter are the only Margaret's born in St Helena on the 1871 census.

Carol
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Offline Manchester Rambler

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 27 September 06 08:53 BST (UK) »
The Lawrences don't seem very sure where they were born.... 

Marriages Jun 1875
FORD    Patrick James       
LAWRENCE   Arthur William    
McINTOSH    Jane            
STUTTLE    Elizabeth Jane
St. Saviour 1d 242

1881:
RG11/527; Folio 95; Page 37
23 Warwick St, Southwark, London
Arther W Lawrence - Head - 30 - File Maker - b. Kensington
Jane Lawrence - Wife - 26 - b. Bow, Essex
Lillian Lawrence - Dau - 5 - Scholar - b. Southwark
Arther W Lawrence - Son - 4 - Scholar - b. Kensington
Fredrick Lawrence - Son - 1 - b. Southwark

1891:
RG12/367; Folio 28; Page 49
40 Plymouth Bldgs, Newington
William Lawrence - Head  - 42 - File Maker - b. Battersea
Jane Lawrence - Wife - 35 - b. Bow
Lilly Lawrence - Dau - 15 - b. Blackfriars
William Lawrence - Son - 13 - Scholar - b. Kensington
Frederick Lawrence - Son - 10 - Scholar - b. Blackfriars
Jane Lawrence - Dau - 7 - Scholar - b. Blackfriars
Frank Lawrence - Son - 5 - b. Blackfriars
Edith Lawrence - Dau - 2 - b. Spitalfields

I don't know why the other children aren't with their parents in 1901:

RG13/384; Folio 172; Page 49
75 Ladysmith Dwellings, Newington
Arthur W Lawrence - Head - 22 - Blacking Worker - b. Kensington
Frederick R Lawrence - Brother - 19 - Musician - b. Southwark
Frank Lawrence - Brother - 14 - b. Southwark

Rambler
ANT: Nesbit, Potts; CHS: Gosling (Hazel Grove/Lymm), Hinton (Lymm), Johnson (Hazel Grove), Marsland (Hazel Grove), Massey (Daresbury), Sorton (Warmingham); LAN: Jackson, James, Potts (Manchester/Salford); MAY: Caulfield, Griffin (Leveelick); SAL: Goodwin, Johnson (Bridgnorth), Gregory (Wellington); STS: Goodwin, Gregory, Johnson (Wolverhampton); Hallett (Trysull); SOM: Dowding, James, Jones (Bath)

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Offline casalguidi

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 27 September 06 08:54 BST (UK) »
and here is the marriage of Margaret SOWDEN and George FOSTER :)
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0tp/

Casalguidi
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Offline carol8353

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Re: The colonies, name changes and prison!
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 27 September 06 08:58 BST (UK) »
Thanks for that Casalgudi,so Margaret's dad IS Thomas Sowden and proves that the 1871 family I found for Leaf is probably correct  ;)

Carol

PS we seem to be following each other from board to board last night and today  ;D
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