Allens. Lost after 1841 census

[devongirl]

Can anyone please help me.  I am looking for a family of Allens in London.
I have found them in the 1841
In Shoreditch
Samuel Allen  Head  60  Millwright     
Maria              wife    50
Alfred                      16
Mary                        14
Theophilus                9
Edwin                       7
Ann                          5
In 1851 I can only find
In Bethnal Green
Samuel Allen            78  Wheelwright  born Wye Kent
Maria                       64                        born Exeter. Devon
Edwin                      17 Scale board cutter     born Shoreditch

I am convinced it is the same family despite the difference in the ages as my Great Great Grandfather who was Alfred Allen born c 1825 was also a scale board cutter and the family had for a time a sawmill in Curtain Road . Hoxton.  This information was from his daughter's birth certificate in 1849 and family memories.

The rest of the Allens including Alfred seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth in all the subsequent censuses.

I have also tried to find marriages/deaths for the others without success.

Any help on places to look would be appreciated

Devongirl

[nanny jan]

Hi Devongirl,

The ages of adults on 1841 census were "adjusted" so might not match the ages on 1851 census!

Have you checked to see if any of 1851 census for your area of Shoreditch is missing?

Could some of them have emigrated?

Nanny Jan

[AMBLY]

Hi Devon Girl

Who was Alfred married to by 1851 and when? And what was the name (s) of children he would have had by 1851 - you mention a daughter born 1849....

cheers
AMBLY

[devongirl]

Hi Nanny Jan and Ambly

Thanks for your help.  How would I check to see if any of the census pieces were missing?

Alfred was married in February 1847 in Bethnal Green London to Elizabeth Ann Pelton   (both born c1826)
Giving his job as a woodcutter. 

1849 they had their daughter Emma Matilda (my Great Grandmother) who was born in Shoreditch and he gave his address as Curtain Road (where family stories tell me they had a saw mill which burnt down - it was always talked about in hushed tones - so I think there could be a mystery there)
and his occupation as a scale-board cutter.

By the time Emma was married in 1870 the certificate says that her Father was a timber merchant -deceased - .
Apart from the one census in 1841 when he was 16 I have been unable to find him or Elizabeth(his wife) or his siblings/parents after 1851.

His 2 daughters  (Elizabeth was born around 1851) I found in 1871 census in the Shoreditch Industrial School at Brentwood. Why I dont know.  After the daughters married I have the details of them via the census.  Again family rumours say that the Mother ran off and left them to be brought up by their Uncle in Regents Park.  Emma was married from Regents Park area but her Mother (or another Elizabeth Allen) was  a witness.

I concluded that Alfred either died before the 1871 census, but as Allen is a pretty general name I havent been able to pintpoint a particular death.

A bit longwinded but thats the full picture. ( I did wonder if it was he that burnt the factory down)
I would appreciate any help.

Thanks
Devon Girl

[nanny jan]

Hi Devon Girl,

I think details about missing pieces of the census are on 1837online.com; not sure if the name has changed though!

I wonder if the 2 daughters were in the Industrial School because the parents were either dead or unable to care for them.

Nanny Jan

[devongirl]

Hi Nannyjan

I had a look on 1837 (its now findmypast) and parts of the 1861 for Islington ARE missing. Thank you. I wasn't aware of that. It seems likely that they may have been in that part not covered for 1861. Thanks.

Still trying to find them in other years.

Devon Girl

[sillgen]

I assume you are looking at other spellings of Allen?  Allan, Alan etc.   Newpapers might help if the factory burnt down.
Andrea